Welcome to My Kitchen

Frost has hit the pumpkins and just about everything else in local gardens. This weeks column includes a few recipes to use up the produce rescued from the frost, as well as some requested recipes. Numerous people asked for the recipe for a Caramel Cake that Bev Scherr brought to a coffee hour. She shared the recipe for Better Than Anything Cake, of which the Caramel Cake is one of the many variations. Following is the Caramel Cake directions. If you would like the other versions, stop by The Odessa Record to pick up a copy, or send a SASE to the address below with Caramel Cake in the return address spot.

Caramel Cake

1 vanilla cake mix, baked according to package instructions in a 9x13 inch pan.

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

14-17 ounce jar caramel ice cream topping

1 can whipped vanilla frosting

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips

Cool cake 15 minutes. Use a wooden spoon handle to poke holes in the cake every 1/2-1 inch. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over the cake slowly, so it will soak into the holes. Drizzle the ice cream topping over the holes.

When topping has soaked in, frost cake with the whipped frosting and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Refrigerate any leftover cake.

Note: I used chopped pecans instead of the chocolate chips. This is a great recipe to have on hand for times when you need a fancy dessert in a hurry or a make ahead treat. I plan to try it next in cupcakes, using chopsticks to poke the holes.

Ardis Wraspir and Kathie Donahue wanted a recipe for a Shake-n-Bake style coating for chicken. I’ve used this Homemade Shake and Bake recipe since around 1973. It originally called for a tablespoon of salt, but I found the salt in the other seasonings to be plenty.

Homemade

Shake and Bake

4 cups very fine dry bread crumbs.

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp celery salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp dried basil, crushed fine

1/8 tsp dried parsley, crushed fine

1/8 dried oregano, crushed fine

In a large zip closure plastic bag, combine crumbs and seasonings. Drizzle in vegetable oil. Close bag tightly and shake vigorously until oil is evenly absorbed and spices distributed. Use as you would commercial Shake-n-Bake. Store extra in refrigerator. Enough for two large chickens.

Apples, though late this year, are abundant, and now the cold nights have brought out the sweetness in the late maturing varieties. Apple desserts, warm from the oven are a welcome treat during cool fall evenings. Apple-Walnut Crisp, found in the 1971 edition of Farm Journal’s Famous Country Cookbook, Great Cooking for Everyday, is a bit different, crisp and packed with fruit and nuts.

Apple-Walnut Crisp

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup diced apples

1 cut chopped walnuts

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

Combine egg, apples and walnuts

Sift together sugar, flour and baking powder. Combine with apple mixture. Spread mixture in a greased round 8 inch cake pan or pie dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

Note: pecans may be substituted for the walnuts.

Teresa Stone, daughter of Mildred Deife, sent a recipe for Uncooked Tomato Relish that will use up some of your box ripening tomatoes. She found the recipe in the 1971 edition of Farm Journal’s Garden Fresh Cookbook and adapted it to her families taste.

Uncooked Tomato Relish

18 medium tomatoes, any variety and combination

2 stalks celery or equivalent amount zucchini

2 green bell peppers

2 sweet red peppers

4 medium sweet onions

1/2 cup fresh horseradish

1/4 cup picking or plain salt

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 cups cider vinegar

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 Tbsp mustard seeds

Scald, peel and chop tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces. You should have about 3 quarts of chopped tomatoes. Chop all other vegetables or put through a food grinder with a course blade. Peel horseradish and finely mince or put through grinder with a fine blade.

Combine the above ingredients with salt and refrigerate over night. Drain thoroughly. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Store in covered sterilized jars in the refrigerator. Do not process in canner. Keeps for several months in refrigerator. Makes about 4 quarts.

Note: prepared grated horseradish may be substituted for fresh. Also fresh horseradish is a little like hot peppers when it comes to handling it. Wear food handlers gloves and take care it doesn’t splatter in your eyes when grinding or you will be in for an uncomfortable sting.

Our next column will feature some make-ahead dishes for Thanksgiving meals, and using some of the Halloween candy stash in your holiday baking.

Share your favorite fall holiday recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159 or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The OdessaRecord office. Use your lawn mower on the highest setting to chop fall leaves to use as mulch in your flower beds or cover for root crops like carrots and parsnips.