This is a classic dish that always makes an appearance at our family holiday dinners. I must admit that it doesn't sound appetizing, but if you are brave enough to try it, you may find that you can't live without it; I certainly can't. It's very easy to make, which also helps to make it a winner during the holidays.
Fried Cabbage
1 head of white cabbage (also called green cabbage)
1/2 cup of natural shortening*
2/3 cup of sugar
1-2 oz. sliced jalapenos
Add shortening to large skillet. Slice large chunks of cabbage and add to skillet, then add sugar and jalapenos. Cover and cook on medium high until shortening has melted, then cook on medium low heat for one hour, stirring frequently.
This recipe is an estimate of the way my mother and I make it because there isn't actually an official recipe, we just add the ingredients "by eye." You can play around with the quantities to get it just the way you like it. My mother actually makes it a little differently than I do; she uses bacon grease instead of shortening, and adds several pieces of cooked bacon to the ingredients prior to cooking it. This is my vegetarian version of her recipe.
*(Natural shortening that does not contain hydrogenated oils can be found at most health food/natural food markets.)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Peppermint Chocolate Bundt Cake: Thanksgiving Recipes Part 1
I cannot believe it's already well into December and yet I am just getting around to blogging Thanksgiving recipes! Time flies...but that's alright because this cake is great for Christmas fare as well. 
I actually made this cake twice in one week, once for the holiday potluck at work and also for the family Thanksgiving feast. The first one did not turn out well, thanks to being baked for an extra hour because I dozed off on the couch while it was in the oven. Surprisingly it was edible, though not recommendable, being dry and a little tough around the edges. The second one turned out much better, though I still managed to overcook it a little. The recipe calls for the "knife test" to determine the proper baking time, but in this case I would recommend following your instincts instead. I baked it for the required 70 minutes, but the knife came out not quite clean so I left it in for another ten, which I think dried it out just a little. It most likely cooks a little more while cooling in the bundt pan anyway, so I think that makes the knife test mute.
Peppermint Chocolate Bundt Cake
3 cups cake flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup cocoa
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
2-1oz. squares baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, chocolate, vanilla and peppermint extract. Mix, then add flour mixture. Mix well and stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Glaze
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup whipping cream
½ tsp. peppermint extract
Combine first two ingredients in a saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until chocolate chips melt. Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract. Let stand 15 minutes; drizzle glaze over cake. Let cake stand 1 hour before serving.
I have no recommendations or changes for this recipe, as this is already the tested/altered version. The original recipe was from a friend, and hers is quite delicious, but calls for things like instant cake and pudding mixes, as well as candy with artificial coloring. Since I prefer to cook with more natural ingredients, I took her recipe and several others and combined them to create this one, which I've made several times, and tweaked to achieve good results.
I actually made this cake twice in one week, once for the holiday potluck at work and also for the family Thanksgiving feast. The first one did not turn out well, thanks to being baked for an extra hour because I dozed off on the couch while it was in the oven. Surprisingly it was edible, though not recommendable, being dry and a little tough around the edges. The second one turned out much better, though I still managed to overcook it a little. The recipe calls for the "knife test" to determine the proper baking time, but in this case I would recommend following your instincts instead. I baked it for the required 70 minutes, but the knife came out not quite clean so I left it in for another ten, which I think dried it out just a little. It most likely cooks a little more while cooling in the bundt pan anyway, so I think that makes the knife test mute.
Peppermint Chocolate Bundt Cake
3 cups cake flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup cocoa
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
2-1oz. squares baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, chocolate, vanilla and peppermint extract. Mix, then add flour mixture. Mix well and stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Glaze
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup whipping cream
½ tsp. peppermint extract
Combine first two ingredients in a saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until chocolate chips melt. Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract. Let stand 15 minutes; drizzle glaze over cake. Let cake stand 1 hour before serving.
I have no recommendations or changes for this recipe, as this is already the tested/altered version. The original recipe was from a friend, and hers is quite delicious, but calls for things like instant cake and pudding mixes, as well as candy with artificial coloring. Since I prefer to cook with more natural ingredients, I took her recipe and several others and combined them to create this one, which I've made several times, and tweaked to achieve good results.
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