November Foodie Holidays: Week 1

November is National Peanut Butter Lover's Month, Pepper Month, Pomegranate Month, Raisin Bread, and World Vegan Month.

Nov. 1: Bison Day, Deep Fried Clams Day, World Vegan Day
Nov. 2: Deviled Egg Day
Nov. 3: Sandwich Day
Nov. 4: Candy Day
Nov. 5: Doughnut Day, International Stout Day
Nov. 6: Nachos Day
Nov. 7: Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day

I really don't know why some of these food holidays were picked for the months/days they were. I don't associate Deviled Eggs with November at all, but ok. (shrug) This is Mom's recipe for for them, usually served at cookouts in the summertime, or at Easter when she had to do something with all those colored eggs we made.

Deviled Eggs

6 hard-cooked eggs

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions: Cut peeled eggs in half lengthwise. Slip out yolks; mash with fork. Add other ingredients; mix thoroughly. Fill egg whites with this mixture, heaping slightly. May be refrigerated, covered, for up to 24 hours.

June Foodie Holidays: Week 1

June is National Candy Month, Dairy Month, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, Iced Tea Month, Papaya Month, Mango Month, Seafood Month, Turkey Lover's Month (?!), and Steakhouse Month.

June 1: Olive Day, Hazelnut Cake Day
June 2: Rocky Road Ice Cream Day
June 3: Egg Day
June 4: Cheese Day, Frozen Yogurt Day, Cognac Day
June 5: Moonshine Day, Gingerbread Day
June 6: Applesauce Cake Day
June 7: Chocolate Ice Cream Day, Doughnut Day (first Friday)

Father's Day is June 15th this year. Don't forget to include Dad, if you can, when you're compiling recipes for the cookbook. Maybe your father is the primary cook, or maybe he's just a pinch hitter, either way, you don't want to leave him out. (And if he cooks like my dad does, you'll probably need to stand with him while he's cooking to measure things as he goes or at least guestimate how much of that ingredient he just threw in the pot...)

I have a particular fondness for Applesauce Cake. This recipe is my maternal grandmother's.

Applesauce Cake                                                                

1/2 C. shortening

1 1/2 C. sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 C. applesauce

1 C. chopped raisins

2 C. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Directions: Thoroughly cream shortening with sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add applesauce, then sift dry ingredients together and add gradually. Beat until smooth; add raisins. Bake in a greased and floured 13x9” pan at 350ºF for 30-45 minutes. Frost with easy penuche frosting.

Easy Penuche Frosting

1/2 C. butter or margarine

1 C. brown sugar, packed

1/4 C. milk

2 C. powdered sugar

Directions: Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; stir and boil over low heat for 2 minutes. Stir in milk, return to boil and remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm and gradually stir in powdered sugar. Let cool; beat to spreading consistency. If the frosting gets too stiff, heat, stirring constantly. Frosts 1 13x9” cake or 2 9” layers.