The Best Pumpkin Cake You EVER put in Your Mouth!

This wonderful cake will make your tastebuds sing and your hips sway! No kidding, this is a great recipe for Thanksgiving and is sure to delight your guests. It's the perfect end to a delicious Thanksgiving feast. I like to frost mine with cream cheese icing and pecans. My mouth waters just thinking about it!

This recipe was given to me by my sister, Cathy. The best recipes are handed down from one person to another and this one is sure to be around for a long time.

Ingredients:
4 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 c sugar
1 c oil
2 c all purpose flour
2 t baking soda
2 t pumpkin pie spice
(1) 16 oz can pumpkin
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c golden raisins
1/2 t salt

Directions: Mix together eggs, sugar and oil. Add flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well. Add pumpkins, nuts, and raisins. Mix well. Bake at 350º for 55 minutes in a well greased and floured bundt pan. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar when cooled, or serve with whipped cream.

Easy Guacamole Dip

3 ripe Hass avocados (peeled and pitted)
1 cup light sour cream
1 small ripe tomato (chopped)
1 small red onion (minced)
1/2 cup cilantro (finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 lime (juiced)
1 Tablespoon lime zest
salt and pepper

Mash avocadoes well into a medium size bowl. Add sour cream, followed by tomato, nion, cilantro and garlic. Mix well. Add lime juice and zest. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as a dip with chips or veggies. This is wonderful served on burgers or fajitas.

Entertain With Jane: Healthy Chicken Parm With Veggies on Whole Grain P...

Entertain With Jane: Healthy Chicken Parm With Veggies on Whole Grain P...: "Necessity is truly the mother of invention. Here's a new healthier version of a great meal. 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (flatten..."

Healthy Chicken Parm With Veggies on Whole Grain Pasta

Necessity is truly the mother of invention. Here's a new healthier version of a great meal.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (flattened)
1/2 lb whole grain pasta
1 large 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 or 4 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
3 T fresh oregano (chopped)
4 T fresh basil (chopped)
1 yellow squash (cut in rounds)
1 zucchini squash (cut in rounds)
1/2 white onion (finely diced)
1 green bell pepper (thinly sliced)
1 c sliced mushrooms
3 T olive oil
1/2 c grated parmesian
1/2 c plain flour
salt and pepper to taste

Dredge chicken in mixture of parmesian and flour. Add salt and pepper. Heat 2 T olive oil in saute pan (to at least 375). Add chicken and brown on each side. When chicken juices run clear, remove from pan and set aside. Add 1 T olive oil to pan with drippings. Reduce heat slightly. Add garlic, oregano, basil, and onion. Saute until onion begins to become transparent. Add bell pepper, mushrooms, yellow squash and zucchini and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add crushed tomatoes and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Place chicken on top of tomatoes and veggies and let simmer for about 10 more minutes. Serve on whole grain pasta.

This is a great one pan meal for weeknights.

My Twist on BHG's Spinach Quiche - Spinach, Ham and Feta Quiche

The perfect Sunday night supper in my opinion is quiche and fruit...healthy, light and a satisfying way to wind up a great weekend.

One deep dish single crust pastry (homemade or frozen)
3 T shallots, minced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
8 eggs
1 c sour cream
1/2 c whole milk
1 c honey baked ham (cubed)
3 c fresh baby spinach
1 c feta cheese
1/2 c mozzarella cheese
salt to taste
white pepper
1 T salted butter

Prepare your pastry by baking for 7 minutes in a 450 degree oven with foil over the top. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a medium sized skillet melt the butter and saute the shallots and garlic for about 7 minutes on med heat. Add ham and heat well.

Beat eggs, add milk and sour cream and beat well. Add salt (you may not need any) and pepper, add cheeses and stir in ham mixture. Stir in spinach leaves (whole).

Bake at 325 for about an hour or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand for about 10 minutes and serve.

Cutting the Fat: New Potato Salad Recipe

This weekend I made the BEST potato salad I've ever made. I hate to say this but it even beats the kind I usually make which comes from a recipe handed down to me by my grandmother. Maybe I just enjoyed this potato salad so much because it had been a long time since I'd had a white potato! Who knows? But it sure was good. Here's the recipe and keep in mind, I've only made it once and I used my ever special "pour and dump" technique so you may need to tweek it.

2 to 3 lbs of small red potatoes (cut into quarters)
1 c chopped black olives
1/2 c diced red onion
1/2 c chopped chives (fresh)
1/4 c fresh parsley (chopped)
3/4 c feta cheese (crumbled)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 T fat free plain yogurt
2 T light sour cream
2 T mayonnaise
S & P to taste

Cook potatoes in water until well done (very soft). Drain well. Add olives, chives, parsley, feta cheese and celery and combine well. Mix together yogurt, sour cream, and mayo. Add S & P to mayo mixture. Gently combine with potato mixture. Serve warm or cool.

Necessity is the Mutha of Invention!

I have to admit, I'm enjoying the challenge of creating healthy meals. This one is, as my title suggests, the Mutha of healthy! It's full of tomatoes (vitamin C), spinach (vitamins K, A, & C and minerals like iron and magnesium), and mushrooms (a good source of minerals). The olive oil is a cholesteral fighter and the mozzarella cheese is low in fat. This is dish is pretty, tasty, and really good for you. In fact, it was so satisfying I didn't miss the bad stuff that isn't in it!

Chicken Mozzarella

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans diced or crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 T oregano
1 T basil
1 cup whole small mushrooms
1 16 oz bag of baby spinach
2 T olive oil
1 c part skim mozzarella cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Grill chicken in grill pan or on grill until juices run clear. Sautee garlic in olive oil, add oregano, basil and mushrooms. Sautee for a few more minutes being careful not to burn the garlic. Add tomatoes, followed by spinach, salt and pepper and cook until well heated. Place chicken in a baking pan and put a heaping tablespoon of the tomato mixture on top of the chicken. Sprinkle with mozzarella and put remainder of tomato mixture around chicken . Place under broiler until cheese melts.

Enjoy!

Fat Women Can't Jump!

If I dare to be brutally honest, I have to admit there are parts of my multifaceted life that I don't want to give over to God. Things I hang on to like a someone clutching a life preserver in the middle of the ocean. I suppose if I sat still long enough and really began to clean the corners of my heart, I might be surprised by what I find hiding in there.

Now, I'll be the first to tell anyone who will listen that God can be trusted. In fact, I can give numerous examples of how He can be trusted and if you want to sit with me for a while, I can tell you stories of how He has always been found faithful in my life. So why? Why would I keep some of the "stuff" of my life hidden away from a loving, trustworthy God? Why would I conveniently loose "things" in my life that really need to be given to the one who made me for Himself? Pride, selfishness, arrogance? Most assuredly.

It's no surprise that one such area of my life I've kept for myself is my passion for food. I love food. I love to smell the many smells of the savory and sweet things of life. I love to savor the taste of sauce cooked to perfection. I love to sit at my table and watch my friends and family delight in what I've prepared for them. One of the most beautiful pleasures of life is to taste, to be satisfied and full. I've known for quite a while that God has been prodding me to give Him this area of my life but I've resisted. After all, do I really need to get God involved in EVERYTHING? Well, yes, I do. Left to my own will, my own passions, my own desires, I've found my life gets horribly out of kilter. From weight to cholesterol, I've become a bit of a mess and the truth of the matter is, I need God to bring this area of Jane under His love control. If I'm not careful, I'll "diet" and then binge and then fail again...I need a Savior to bring balance to my life. I need Him to teach me moderation. I've heard this before but didn't know it was actually written in the Bible, "You know the old saying, "First you eat to live, and then you live to eat"? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that's no excuse for stuffing your body with food..."1 Corinthians 6:13.

In Psalms, the Bible says, "[ A David Psalm ] I'm thanking you, God, from a full heart, I'm writing the book on your wonders. I'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I'm singing your song, High God. Psalm 9:1-3. Over indulging in anything gets in the way of what He has planned for me. So, yes, He does need to be involved in even my eating.

And you know I'm right because "fat women can't jump"! We really can't!

Healthy Italian Feast

I promise you won't miss the fat or calories in this meal. I've served it to guests with raves and just featured it on Entertain With Jane. It's wonderful and guilt free!

Chicken Piccata

4 butterflied boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c plain flour
3 T olive oil
2 c low sodium chicken broth
1/2 c white wine
3 cloves garlic
1/2 c fresh parsley
1 c sliced mushrooms
1/4 c capers (drained)
juice of one lemon
2 T butter
2 T plain flour
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz whole grain pasta

Heat oil in saute pan. Dredge chicken in flour. Salt and pepper to taste. Fry chicken until golden brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Set aside and keep warm.

In same pan, add chopped garlic and white wine. Reduce by half. Add sliced mushrooms to reduction. Add flour to chicken broth and whisk until all the lumps are gone. Add broth mixture to reduction and cook until slightly thicker. Add capers and lemon juice. Add butter, salt and pepper, and chopped parsley.

Cook pasta until done, drain well.

Serve sauce over pasta, place chicken breast over sauce and pasta. Drizzle a little more sauce over chicken.

Caprese Salad

4 or 5 medium size tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c fresh basil
1 c mozzerella cheese
1/4 c fresh parsley

Cut tomatoes into bite sized chunks. Finely dice garlic, chop basil and parsley. Mix with tomatoes. Add cubed mozzerella. Mix well. S & P to taste (go easy on the salt!)

Peach Frozen Yogurt

YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW SIMPLE THIS IS!!!

1 16 oz bag slightly thawed frozen peaches
1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c sugar or other sweetener
2 T lemon juice

In a blender, pulse peaches and sugar together until well blended. Stir lemon juice into yogurt. Mix yogurt mixture into peach mixture until blended. Serve in four martini glasses with a sprig of mint for garnish.

Last Night's Recipe and exercise routine...sort of

Here's my concoction from last night's supper...

2 salmon filets
4 cups baby spinach greens
1 can whole kernal corn (rinsed)
1 can black beans (rinsed)
2 long green oinions
1 med tomato
1 avocado
1 lemon
1/4 c tarragon vinegar
1/8 c olive oil
1 T dried tarragon
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Grill the salmon (add s & p and a squirt of lemon on each side) about 4 minutes on each sides (depends on thickness). Place washed baby spinach on two plates.

In a mixing bowl, mix drained and washed black beans and corn. Add peeled and cubed avocado. Thinly slice onion (include green tops) and mix in with diced tomato. Mix together.

In a small mixing bowl mix olive olive, tarragon vinegar, and spices together well. Add to salad mixture.

Heap about 1 cup of the salad onto spinach, place salmon on mixture and top with a spoonful of the salad. Cut a slice of lemon and squirt it over the spinach.

This was really good and while I wasn't as full as I usually am after a meal, I was quite satisfied with the flavors, texture and look of the dish. I went to bed a little bit empty but guess what??? It didn't kill me!

And by the way, after supper, I went upstairs and danced away to some jazzy latin music. I wouldn't exactly call it zumba or even pretty but it was fun!

Know what? Fat people CAN move!

Confessions of a Foodie

Okay, okay...it's confession time. What I have to say may shock you. First, I made a cake from a boxed cake mix this weekend! Yes, I really did. I was going to make the featured "Glorious Coconut Cake" of my last blog but I simply ran out of time and steam. It was 9:00 on Saturday night before Easter and I a ham to bake, a chicken pie to finish, 2 grits casseroles to make for church, and numerous other tasty delights to whip up. My back was hurting, my feet were aching, no, throbbing and my temper was short. NOT a good time to whip up a cake that takes an enormous amount of patience and even some skill...I could write a book on the perils of making the perfect "seven minute icing". So, as I purveyed my pantry, what did I spy? Oh YEAH... a box of lemon cake mix! Let me tell you, that box of cake mix was my new best friend. No, I won't use a cake mix very often but sometimes you just have improvise. Saturday night before Easter was just the time to improvise. So, in 5 minutes I whipped up the lemon box cake with a little added lemon flavoring, poured the batter into my trusty bundt pan and popped that little sucker into the oven. Next morning, I whipped up a very sweet and gooey frosting from confectioner's sugar, lemon flavoring and evaporated milk and VOILA...lemon pound cake. That simple little cake mix saved my back, legs, feet and temper! AND it was enjoyed by all.

Ok, if you're up off the floor with shock and dismay, here's confession number two. I am absolutely loving Anthony Bourdain's book, Kitchen Confidential. It rocks! Yes, it's full of vulgar and ugly words but the message of the book rocks. And if you're shocked by the "f" word, by all means, don't read it but if you can get over AB's rather crude and base use of the English language and if you love food, you must read it! As a hopeless, foodie, an aspiring chef, and a closet wanna be restaurant owner, I'm up to my elbows and head over heels in love with this man's take on all things related to the restaurant world. And yes, in spite of his honesty, and all the other garbage I've heard about the restaurant business, I still want to own one and I want to rule it like the cooking diva I am!

Recipe for Spring - Glorious Coconut Cake

Share the love with your family and friends this Easter with this delicious dessert.

This one is time consuming to make. So, set aside a few hours before you begin. It is well worth the effort. I promise!

Glorious Coconut Cake

For the cake:

2 sticks butter
2 c sugar
4 eggs
3 c self rising flour
1 c milk
1 t vanilla

For the milk sauce:

1 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1 T butter

For the 7 Minute Icing:

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c cold water
1 T white Karo Syrup
1 t vanilla
3 egg whites

2 bags of frozen coconut

Cream softened butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Add flour and milk alternately ending with flour and mix well. Add vanilla into the batter. Divide the batter into 3 9 inch cake pans sprayed with cooking oil. Spread batter evenly in cake pans. Gently drop pans on counter to level. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 25 to 30 minutes. The cake is done when the edges pull away from the pan. Set aside to cool.

Next make the milk sauce. Bring the sugar and milk to a high temperature but do not boil. Add the butter and stir. Remove from heat.

Now, for the icing: Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside. Measure water, sugar, and syrup in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Set timer for 7 minutes and stir and test the mixture continually until the mixture begins to spin a thread. Do this by letting the mxture run off the fork. When it starts to thicken it will be thread like or stringy. It will take 6 or 7 minutes to reach this state. Remove from heat and pour the hot syrup graudally into the egg whites and beat until frosting consistency.

You are now ready to assemble the cake. On a cake plate place your first layer (cooled). Prick holes with a fork over the cake layer and spoon a tablespoon or so of the sauce over the first layer. Then frost the layer. Next sprinkle coconut over the frosting and repeat with the other two layers. Using the remaining icing to frost the sides of the cake and sprinkle coconut on the top and the sides of the cake.

This is my mom's recipe and she named it Glorious Coconut Cake. It's a beautiful cake and if you like coconut, you're going to love it.

Enjoy!

My Mom Taught Me a New Trick This Weekend!

I spent this weekend with my mother. Weekends with my Mom are so incredibly special especially now. You see, my Mom has AML which is an agressive type of leukemia. Every day, no, every moment with her is a blessing.

When we get together, there's no telling what we may do. It's enough just to sit with her and talk or not talk. This weekend was pretty usual. I went with her to her chemo appointment and watched with awe (yes, AWE) as she spoke to everyone in the office as if they were her best friends. Grace and love just flowed from her to the others in the office. I was so proud to be her daughter. The next day we took a little trip to my Aunt Betty's antique shop. And, then the next day we took a trip to the ER. That's just the way we roll these days.

Because of her illness, I hang on to everything she says. Her illness has taught me a lot about life, about how to live life. Because of her illness I find myself living more in the present. I find myself living as if each day is my last. So, the cooking tip she taught me this weekend is not nearly as important as the life lesson she teaches me everytime I'm with her.

Saturday morning we got up and my Mom looked at me with a gleam in her eye and said, "I'm thinking pancakes!" I eagerly answered, "Oh, yes, good idea...I'll make them." And she said, "I'LL MAKE THEM!" And even though I felt like she shouldn't make those pancakes for me, I should make them for her, I sat right there and watched her whip them up in no time flat teaching me a new trick as she mixed the batter. The trick was this, substitute a ripe banana for the oil in the batter. Those pancakes were divine! Of course, everything my Moma cooks is divine but the ripe banana made the batter light and gave the pancakes just a hint of that lovely banana flavor. Try it some time...it's really good and very healthy.

Also, let me encourage you to take life as the gift it is and just like you may savor a good banana pancake, take time to savor the gift!

Love you!

Using your talents for God's glory doesn't necessarily mean using them simply in a religious setting. For me, it means making everything I am and everything I do about God...

Often times, many times, this means thinking outside the religious box. Either God meant it or he didn't when he said, "I have come to give you abundant life." I see his words as permission to plunge head first into life, using the gifts he's given me. Glorifying him with every action and every breath!

When I live outside the box, I live out loud and make no apologies for my loudness. What I am, what I have, what I can be is his...

I realize I will be misunderstood by "Christians" and "Non Christians" alike. All I can say is,

I'm in good company!

I encourage you to find out more about the God who hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, fanatics,and even turned water in to good wine! When you do,

Every day will be a party!

Lady Wisdom has built and furnished her home; it's supported by seven hewn timbers. The banquet meal is ready to be served: lamb roasted, wine poured out, table set with silver and flowers. Having dismissed her serving maids, Lady Wisdom goes to town, stands in a prominent place, and invites everyone within sound of her voice: "Are you confused about life, don't know what's going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me! I've prepared a wonderful spread—fresh-baked bread, roast lamb, carefully selected wines. Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning." Proverbs 9:1 (The Message)

Jane's Blueberry Feta Salad and Basil Butter Dressing

I just have to share this salad recipe with y'all. It's sooooo good even non salad lovers will go back for seconds!

Blueberry Feta Salad

6 cups spring mix
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup toasted almond slices
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1 small red onion thinly sliced into rings
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Simply mix all the ingredients and dress with Jane's Basil Butter Salad Dressing.

Basil Butter Salad Dressing

1 stick salted butter
2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic (chopped)
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Brown the butter in a sauce pan or small skillet. Once butter looks almost burned, remove from heat and add basil. Cool slightly. Pour mixture into blender. Add garlic, red wine viengar and balsamic vinegar. Pulse. Add vegetable oil a little at time pulsing after each addtion.

This dressing will keep unrefrigerated for about 2 weeks.

Crepes are My New Best Friend!

I'm in love with crepes! The little golden brown disks of buttery delight are so versatile and easy to make, it's a shame not to make them often. I use Julia Child's basic crepe recipe. Here it is:

1 1/2 c plain flour
4 eggs
1 c whole milk
1 c cold water
4 T butter
1/2 t salt

Add: 1/4 c sugar and 1 t vanilla for sweet crepes.

Melt butter. Mix flour and salt slowly into butter. Add agges one at a time. Wisk milk into mixture and then whisk in water. Whisk until most of the lumps are gone. Heat a nonstick 6 to 8 inch saute pan until hot. Pour about 1/4 c of the batter into the hot pan and swirl batter until evenly distributed. Place pan back on the stove and cook intil sides begin to curl up. Slide the pan back and forth a few times to loosen the crepe. Gently flip crepe over for about 30 seconds.

It's just that simple. A good crepe will be lacy on the top and have brown spots on the bottom side. Crepes can be filled with most anything. I use them as a main dish and as a dessert. For a super simple dessert crepe mix 1 large block of cream cheese with about a pint of whipping cream and then add about 1/2 c of cocoa. Mix really well. Spread the chocolate filling in the crepe and gently fold. Top with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or syrup and then add a dollop of fresh whipped cream. If you like a little crunch and I do, toast some chopped pecans and sprinkle over the crepe.

A few tips:

1. The first crepe rarely comes out just right. Don't get discouraged.

2. Crepes freeze really well.

3. Learn to flip them in the pan without a spatula or your fingers and really impress your family and friends!

I hope you'll try making crepes. Let me know if you do, and if you come up with your own filling recipe, please share!

Entertain With Jane Blogs!

Hey Y'all...I'm not sure anyone will be reading these blogs (at least at first!)! However, I love to share what's on my mind and most of the time it has to do with food! You see, I think we show love by cooking and preparing wonderful foods for others. It doesn't matter if it's just regular good ole boy fare or chi chi what the heck is that on my plate foods, what matters is that it is prepared with love. This being said, I'd like to encourage all of you out there who can at least boil water to remember your friends with food when someone in their family dies. The last thing a family should have to think about during the first days of a loss, is what are we going to do for supper or dinner. I know, I know...you work and it's hard to cook for your own households let alone cook for someone else but gee people, it's needed and soooo appreciated by those on the receiving end. Back in the day (and I'm old enough to remember this), when someone died there would be so much food brought in to the grieving family, the family would have a hard time knowing what to do with it. Not so anymore and I think it's just a shame! So, if you know of a grieving family, take them a dish or two even if you have to buy it. It will be appreciated more than you know but...someday you'll know because we all experience loss in our families.

Come on...show some love...feed a family that's grieving. Their bellies will be full but your heart will be even more full!

Love and cooking!
Jane