Tap into the wealth of ideas from your nearest and dearest.
Whee! Just back from a jaw-droppingly amazing Family Reunion in Florida. Six of us brothers and sisters, talking and talking. More next month when the photos get sorted.
For now, let me introduce my younger sister Vicki. She’s the sixth and last child in our family. She entered the world on the day we arrived in New York City as exchange prisoners from a concentration camp in northern China. It was the herald of many a dramatic story ever since.
If Vicki sends me a recipe I know that it will be swift and simple….anything to get her back to her beloved quilting. Here is her Pineapple Cake, emailed to me some 17 years ago, according to the smudged, food-bedecked, thrice-scribbled-on scrap of paper lovingly stored with other favourite recipes. It’s dedicated to all quilters everywhere.
Find a cup that measures 8 fluid ozs. Use it as your measure for this recipe.
In a large bowl put 2 cups sugar (or less), 2 eggs, 2 cups plain flour, 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). Add 20 ozs crushed pineapple, juice and all – or whizz tinned pineapple pieces with juice and add.(that’s about 2 ½ of your cup-of- the-day). I have to use a bit more than 1 British tin of pineapple for 20 ozs.
Add 1 cup pecans, or walnuts. Mix well. Put in an ungreased pan about 13 x 9 inches. Bake in moderate oven for 40 – 45 minutes. Add cream cheese or butter cream icing, or dust with powdered sugar when cool.
“Is that it?”, you ask. Yep, that’s it. But let me tell you how others have used this recipe:
- I use baking paper because I don’t always trust my elderly pans (shh, don’t tell them.)
- Older sister Anne (the singer) adds 2 small jars of baby carrots, mashed, and a cup of coconut.
- Friend Linda adds ginger and mixed spice.
- You? Can’t wait to hear.
food that builds community 