Capunti pasta with sausage

In Italy, pasta making is a beloved art form. The ancient craft of pasta making starts with the careful selection of the finest durum wheat semolina to ensure the pasta has the proper elasticity to cook perfectly al dente.

Uniquely shaped like open pea pod, Capunti (Cah-POON-Tee) is a rolled pasta from Puglia made from the highest quality of durum wheat.  I love trying different pasta's and if it says made in Italy...............how can you go wrong?  The first dish I sauteed a few spices in olive oil and a small amount of chopped sundried tomatoes, green olives and capers. Tossed thru the pasta adding a little more olive oil. YUM Fresh Pecorino Romano cheese of course!

I was able to find this pasta at Aldi's grocery store.

Capunti pasta are best served with meat sauces, or chunky tomato vegetable sauces. The deep crevices allow the sauce to seep in. Yum!

Directions for cooking

Bring 4 to 6 quarts of slightly salted water to a rapid boil. Pour in the quantity of  Capunti pasta needed, stirring gently until the water boils again. Cook to desired tenderness, stirring occasionally

Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes

Mom's Butter Cake recipe! Top it with her Butter Cream Icing and Coconut!

Bunt Pan or

I remember as though it were yesterday when my Mom would make this cake.  She called it a Dripping Pan Cake or Butter Cake.  Soft, moist and so flavorful.  She would cut it in easy to eat pieces.  You would have to use a fork to eat it because it was super tender and moist.  Sometimes she would add cherries and walnuts in it! 

Dripping pan, is approx. 13 x9 or a bit larger aluminum pan.

The below recipe was her basic recipe but sometimes she would add maraschino cherries and walnuts to it and of course her very own butter cream icing. Note:  She would sprinkle some flour on the cherries before she added them.  I think that was to make sure they would stay in the middle of the cake instead of them going to the bottom.


                                                         Dripping Pan or 13x9 in pan

2/3 cup softened butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups unsifted cake flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 bottle drained maraschino cherries (whole or cut in half pieces) reserving some liquid for icing
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup or more unsweetened coconut for topping 

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on high speed until fluffy.  Add dry ingredients slowly alternating with milk and cherry juice .  Start and end with dry ingredients.  Mix on low speed.  With a large spoon add walnuts and cherries. In that order making sure to add cherries last.  (some of the cherries may be broken) That is OK.   Reserve a few cherries for garnish.

 Grease well and flour a bunt pan or a 13x9 inch baking pan.  Bake 350 degrees  40 to 45 minutes in 13 x9 in pan. Test with toothpick in center for doneness.  Depending on your oven it can take a little more.  Do not overbake. 

Icing:

1 box confectionery sugar (10 x)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter softened
milk
a few T reserved cherry juice for color (optional)
Lots of coconut

In a large bowl place softened butter and vanilla, add sifted sugar and slowly add milk and cherry juice a little at a time until desired consistency.  Spread on cooled cake. Top with coconut and additional chopped walnuts if desired.

Happy Baking from my kitchen to yours,

M.J.

 

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6/18/13

"Surprise" Cake! Delicant and Delicious!

"Surprise: him or her with this delicious creamed topped cake and they'll think you spent the day baking or even maybe even think you had bought it at a bakery.

This recipe is one that I have made in many variations. It's my original recipe and I just change the topping and add in's to my mood of the day.  All it requires is a bit of imagination and we all have that I am sure. Follow the below instructions and it will definitely be a hit!!! xo

  As in my original post of this cake, you must start with one 9" round cake.

Note:  I always have one in the freezer for a just in case quick dessert.  You may either use a box mix or a scratch cake.  Today mine is from scratch (one in the freezer). It's a strawberry banana cake.  You can use any cake flavor  that you like.

Note:  You can make this easy recipe in a 13 x9 inch pan and top with topping too! but it looks really pretty when you make it in a round cake and quite honestly I think it looks as though it was done by a professional. 

There are several steps(really easy ones) to make this or any cake you want your cake to be.

1st.  baked 9" inch round cake (box or scratch)  Mix will make two (freeze one for another time)

2nd. topping of sort (hot fudge, strawberry jam, sliced fruit)

3rd. any instant pudding, 1 1/4 cup milk and 1/3 cup softened cream cheese, and 1/2 container cool whip(Whisk together until thickened slightly)

 4th remainder of cool whip

Top with any or all of these add-ons. 

1/4 cup toasted coconut, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or anything you may like.
Garnish with a drizzle of warmed slightly (microwave) any jam. I use a small spoon to drizzle

Note:  I have used a Box Mix and it has worked fine.  Quick dessert and it is so yummy!

Warm jam slightly to easily spread on cake

5/5/12
9/17/13 updated 2/13/14

Chocolate- Peanut Butter Pudding

Best Chocolate/Peanut Butter Pudding and it was so easy to make. Fabulous!!!

I came across this recipe several months ago and it has been in the back on my mind to make it.  I did know that once I prepared it I was going to eat some and that it wouldn't even be cooled before I had to eat a dish.

   One of the reasons I wanted to try this recipe was that we love chocolate pie and I felt that the last time I made a chocolate pie the pudding was too rich. Everyone likes a huge slice if they are chocolate lovers but in my opinion I could only eat a small piece.  So going from there this recipe looked more of what I was trying to accomplish.  Chocolatey, hint of peanut butter, smooth, creamy a pudding that was just what I was searching for.

  I'm thinking a chocolate pie would be a great suggestion to use this recipe.

Enjoy! 

From my kitchen to yours,

M.J.

Super easy, try some sliced bananas on top after cooling if you like :).

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 T cornstarch

2 T Dutch processed cocoa(I used Nestle but Hershey cocoa is good too)

1 and 1/2 cups 1 % milk

1/2 cup light cream(I used half and half)

2 ounces milk chocolate finely chopped(2 oz. milk choc. grated candy bar) 

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 T chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa in medium sauce pan; stir with whisk.  Whisk in milk and cream.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook 1 minute or until thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate and peanut butter, stirring until smooth.  Spoon about 1/3 cup pudding into 6 bowls top with 1/2 tsp. peanuts.  Cool in frige.

5/12/13

Bruschetta Mozzarella Chicken Bake

This recipe was on the back of a Stove Top stuffing box lol so I thought it would be a good way to start cleaning out my pantry.  I can't believe I'm actually making a recipe from the back of a box.  I don't remember doing anything like this before.  Well there is always a first time and this proved to be a good recipe. :) Enjoy!

It was really good but I skimped on the mozzarella cause I don't care for it but you cheese lovers add the amount the recipe says.

You who know me well know that I try to clean out my pantry  come January every year and sometimes in July too!  A good way to check for expiration dates and also to use what you have in it to make something with the ingredients you have on hand.

Today's meal really was tasty and it was perfect since I did have all the ingredients right in the pantry and it fit the recipe on the box. lol

The only thing I would do different with this recipe is salt and pepper the chicken before I added it to the casserole and also cover the casserole after 15 minutes of baking. I was concerned it would be too dry. It was perfect!

Hubby and I really enjoyed it and it really went well with the Boston Bibb lettuce salad I made.  Simple, easy to make and a good meal for weekend or quick work night easy meal since it only takes 30 to 45 minutes to bake.

I topped the casserole with a little grated Italian cheese.

1 can(15 oz.) diced petite tomatoes juice and all
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove top stuffing mix for Chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken breast cut in bit size pieces
sprinkle salt and pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional:  garnish with Italian grating cheese if desired

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until moistened

Spray bottom and sides of a 9 x13 in baking dish.  Layer chicken, basil and mozzarella.

Top with stuffing.  Bake 30 minutes or more depending on oven temperature.

Serve with a side salad.