Grits Pie

Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9-inch) frozen pie shell, thawed
Sweetened whipped cream and strawberries, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the grits and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the butter and cook for 1 additional minute. Set aside and cool slightly.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Slowly stir into the cooled grits. Pour into the pie shell and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until set. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream and strawberries as a garnish, if desired.

SOURCE

Mississippi Mud Cake

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 bag miniature marshmallows


Icing:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons milk
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.


Combine the sugar, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Bring the butter, oil, cocoa, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add to the flour mixture.


Beat together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to the chocolate mixture, mix well, and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.


While the cake is baking, make the icing by melting the butter in the cocoa and milk over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar. Slowly mix in the nuts and the vanilla. Take the cake from the oven, and when it cools a bit cover it with miniature marshmallows. Pour the warm icing over the cake and the marshmallows. Cool the cake before serving.


SOURCE

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Cook's Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.

SOURCE

Cupcake

Grandgirl’s Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia

Ingredients:

Cake:
Butter, for greasing pan
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.
For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.
Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.


Servings: 16 to 20 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 min
Difficulty: Easy




SOURCE:  Grandgirl’s Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia




"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why." -- Bernard M. Baruch (SOURCE)

Apples

Grandmother Paul’s Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter
2 ounces red food coloring
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups sugar
2   eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:
1 16-ounce box of confectioner’s sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup melted marshmallows
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs; add sugar.  Mix cocoa and food coloring.  Add butter and egg mixture; mix well.  Sift together flour and salt.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Blend in vanilla.  In a small bowl, combine soda and vinegar and add to mixture.  Pour into three 8-inch round greased and floured pans.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tests done.

Icing:

Blend cream cheese and butter. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend.  Fold in coconut and nuts.  Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Servings: 16 to 20 servings
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Difficulty: Moderate

SOURCE: Grandmother Paul's Red Velvet Cake

NOTES: This recipe may be a little harder to pull off, but it's definitely worth it!  It's especially lovely on a lazy Sunday at home. =)