Monday, May 26, 2014

Dutch Oven Cooking: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

With camping this past weekend, I have discovered that I really like cooking with my dutch oven.  I have cooked with it on camping trips before, but this was the first trip that I think I have somewhat mastered the dutch oven as I did not burn any of the food.  I took pictures of all the stuff I made in it and plan on sharing them with you here on my blog.

 
My husband's favorite is Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  And I made it perfectly!!! It was so good and everyone loved it.


 
Topping
 
Cake Batter
4
Tbs. butter
1
yellow cake mix
1
cup brown sugar
1
cup pineapple juice
8
pineapple rings
1/3
cup water
8
maraschino cherries
3
eggs
 
 
1/3
cup oil

Prepare Cake Topping: Melt butter in bottom of a 12" Dutch oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter being careful not to touch the sugar once it has begun to dissolve into the butter. Carefully place pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar, 7 around the outside and 1 in the center. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.
Prepare Cake Batter: In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, pineapple juice, water, eggs and oil; mix well. Spoon cake batter carefully over the top of pineapple rings. Spread batter evenly to edges.
Bake: Cover Dutch oven and bake using 10-12 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 45 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes or so in the oven with the lid cracked. Next run a rubber spatula around the inside edge of the oven to loosen the cake. To turn the cake out, first lay a piece of parchment paper across the top of the oven so it lays flat and replace the lid so that it holds the paper in place. Make sure you have an available lid stand resting on your table for the next step. Using gloved hands place one hand on the lid and the other hand under the oven and carefully lift and flip the oven over so the cake falls onto the lid. Rest the oven upside down on the lid stand and tap the bottom and sides of the oven lightly with your hand to make sure the cake didn't stick. Then lift the oven off the lid. The cake will be resting on the parchment lined lid and can be cooled this way or slid off the lid using the parchment paper. Allow cake to cool slightly before service.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Flowers

Each year for Mother's Day, Devon gets me a bunch of flowers and then he helps me plant them in containers.  I wish I could say I have a green thumb, but I really don't. I would love to really know what I am doing and what works best.  My planters might not be the prettiest things out there, but I love them just because my son got them for me!!!

After we planted all the flowers, Devon went around and watered them all.

These are the containers by the back door.  The bird feeder is one that Devon made for 4H last year.
 
 
The front door

A suet feeder Devon made in Cub Scouts

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Love Baseball

I love baseball season!!!  It keeps us very busy.  Devon had a game this morning and he did a great job.  They tied 10-10 with the other team.

Now to their next game on Monday!!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

It's me again!!!

I have really neglected my blog for several (I mean several) months!!!  I want to change that.  With school getting out in a couple of weeks and the entire summer to do fun stuff, I have no excuse not to keep up with my blog.  I want to share with you fun stuff I do with my son, scrapbook pages I do, new recipes I try, and anything else I can think of.

So, here is to another new beginning of my blog!!!

 
I made banana bread today.  I have posted this recipe before.  I added cinnamon and vanilla to the mixture today and it was delicious!!!  I made two loaves with the recipe and only have half of one is left.