My husband, Bill, and I went to Hot Springs, Ark., this last week. My bonus boys and granddaughter joined us this weekend at the lake. We love to try new restaurants there, but we also like to cook at the condo.
I always like to make something sweet for breakfast or for an easy snack. I'm sharing with you two of my favorite treats to make when you have family or friends over. My grandmother, Thelma Sexton always had a cake made for when someone stopped by her house, which was often. My favorite was the Sock it to Me cake.
Also, I thought I'd share with you a wonderful recipe shared by a dear friend. I know there are many ways to make chicken spaghetti, but I do believe this is my favorite. It's easy and delicious and feeds a family easily with leftovers for the next day.
I hope you enjoy these delicious recipes.
Gail's Chicken Spaghetti
(from the cookbook of Gail Mills McBride Ellis)
Boneless chicken breasts (about six)
1 can Rotel
1 can English peas, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium jar chopped pimentos
3/4 stick butter
1 package angel hair pasta
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pound Velveeta
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil chicken, remove from broth. Set aside and let chicken cool. Cook pasta in chicken broth, saving the broth. Saute' onion in butter until tender. Add, onion, chicken, soups, peas, pimentos, and Rotel to spaghetti. Chop chicken and add to mixture. Let simmer on low for about 30 minutes- 1 hour. Cut Velveeta into slices or cubes and add. Be careful not to let scorch. Keep heat on low/medium. Add chicken broth if needed.
Sock it To Me Cake
Cake:
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour tube pan or Bundt pan. Set aside.
For streusel filling, place 3 tablespoons cake mix, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans in small mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
Place remaining cake mix, sour cream, oil, water, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in large mixing bowl.
Beat one minute with mixer and stir down sides. Continue beating two minutes on medium speed. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Top with streusel mixture.
Pour remaining cake batter over streusel and spread gently to sides of pan.
Place in oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden and cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger.
Let cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto rack to cool completely.
For the glaze: Place sifted confectioners’ sugar in small mixing bowl. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until smooth. More milk can be added if needed until glaze is thin enough to drizzle over cake.
Banana Nut Pound Cake
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
4 Eggs
1 Box instant Vanilla pudding
2 ripe bananas (sliced thinly)
1/2 cup oil
8 ounces sour cream
1 c chopped pecan or walnuts
Put all ingredients into a large bowl and mix. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Glazed Orange Bundt Cake
1 white or yellow cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 C orange juice (fresh or made from concentrate)
2 T orange juice concentrate
1 T orange zest
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 tablespoon dry orange gelatin powder
Combine ingredients together until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until cake is cooked through. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes to cool. Pour Bundt cake out onto a plate. Make glaze.
Glaze
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
3 cups powdered sugar
Dash of salt
Zest and juice from one orange
Combine glaze ingredients together and whisk until completely smooth (can do this with an electric beater). Drizzle glaze all over Bundt cake once it has been turned out onto a plate and allowed to cool for 5-10 minutes.
