What's cooking Suzanne?

By Staff
It won't be long before we can start having picnics, which are a wonderful way for family and friends to get together.
Having a list of good picnic foods makes it easier for you to plan a meal for the gathering. Instead of cold drinks, try carrying a fruit punch and plenty of bottled water.
Different breads to eat with meat slices and cheeses are quick and easy when you bake ahead. Deviled eggs are always a hit. And don't forget the ice cream – churned at home and packed in ice to carry. Pound cakes and cookies are easy to transport and are good with ice cream.
Fruit Punch
1 qt. cold water or tea
1-46 oz. can pineapple juice
2 c. sugar
1 c. lemon juice
1 pt. fruit juice
1 qt. ginger ale
Mix water or tea with pineapple juice, sugar, lemon juice and fruit juice. Pour into large punch bowl. Just before serving add ginger ale.
Pineapple Bread
2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. raisins
1/2 c. nuts
1 egg, beaten
2 T. salad oil
1 t. soda
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 t. vanilla
Mix all ingredients except pineapple and soda at one time. Stir soda into pineapple juice and add to other mixture. Mix and pour into lined loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until wooden pick stick in center comes out clean.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup raisins
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm.
Dissolve yeast in warm water, and set aside until yeast is frothy. Mix in eggs, sugar, butter or margarine, salt, and raisins. Stir in cooled milk. Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes. Place in a large, greased, mixing bowl, and turn to grease the surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Moisten dough with 2 tablespoons milk. Mix together 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and sprinkle mixture on top of the moistened dough. Roll up tightly; the roll should be about 3 inches in diameter. Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends. Place loaves into well greased 9 x 5 inch pans. Lightly grease tops of loaves. Let rise again for 1 hour.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when knocked.
Deviled Eggs
Boil 6 to 8 eggs. Peel them and cut eggs in to oval halves and remove the yolks. Place yolks is mixing bowl. Mash the yolks and add:
2 T. mayonnaise
1 1/2 T. sweet relish
Lightly add black pepper
1 T. mustard
Dash of salt
Paprika
Combine all ingredients except paprika.
Mix very well and then spoon the mixture into egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika. If you are using extra large eggs, you may want to increase the quantities of mayonnaise.
Pecan Pound Cake
3 sticks of butter
5 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans
2 c. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. butter flavoring
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each. Blend in flour, flavoring and pecans. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Remove from pan immediately.
Lemon Pound Cake
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Glaze Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer; gradually add oil, beating until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon extract. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 300¡ for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean.
Combine glaze ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Brush lemon glaze on sides of cake and spoon glaze over top, a little at a time. Let lemon pound cake cool completely.
Ice Cream Pie
2 pints vanilla ice cream
1 Butterfinger bar
1 Heath bar
1 graham cracker piecrust
3 chocolate chip cookies, crumbled
1/4 cup Reese's Pieces
Place ice cream in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature until very soft. Break the Butterfinger and Heath Bar into pieces and mix into ice cream. Spoon the ice cream into the piecrust. Sprinkle cookies over the ice cream and top with Reese's Pieces. Freeze.
Pecan Nut and Maple Syrup Ice Cream
Ingredients:
4 oz (100g) pecan nuts chopped
2 oz (50g) butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3/4 (375ml) pint milk
3/4 pint (375ml) double/heavy cream
Using a frying pan, slowly melt the butter then add the chopped pecan nuts. Sprinkle on the sugar, stir and cook on a medium heat for approx 3-4 minutes until the nuts are crisp.
Remove from the pan and place to one side to cool. In a separate mixing bowl, pour in the milk, stir in the cream and then add the fried, chopped pecan nuts.
Still stirring add the maple syrup until blended in.
Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker.