Beets with Pineapple

We're wrapping up summer here in Texas (hopefully!) and I've got a few more recipes that don't require turning on an oven on the back burner (see what I did there? haha :P) Anyway, this Beets with Pineapple recipe caught my eye. I'm probably in the minority when I say I like beets. So I'm pretty sure I'll be the only one eating this food, and that's okay.

I wasn't sure if this was supposed to be served warm or cold. So I had some while it was still hot and some the next day when it was cold. It was good both ways. I think the sugars did crystalize a bit while being refrigerated. Overall, I probably wouldn't make it again because while I did get everyone to try it, no one else in my family liked it but me. I think it would definitely make a good sweet side to a main dish though.

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Beets with Pineapple 

(either tidbits, crushed, chunks)

serves 4-6

Recipe: R. Baird

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. corn starch

19oz can pineapple

¼ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 1lb. can sliced beets drained

Thicken pineapple with cornstarch, add brown sugar & salt. After thickening, add remaining ingredients & heat thoroughly.

* I used light brown sugar

* I used pineapple tidbits

* I used unsalted butter

* I used fresh lemon juice

* I couldn't find sliced beets at my store so I bought whole ones and sliced them myself.

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Carrot Salad

When I first saw this recipe, I immediately flashed back to my childhood when my Grandma would take us to the local cafeteria for lunch or an early supper. She would get some carrot salad. I would usually get a regular salad with ranch, and a piece of jalapeno cornbread. I know my grandma would have loved this one had I had the chance to make it for her. Surprisingly, my 12 year old daughter liked it. So much so, that she would take some for lunch! Mom win!

My interpretation of the recipe:

Carrot Salad

Grate 3 carrots (raw)
1 can crush pineapple (17 )
2 fresh apples cubed
Little lemon juice
1 tsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbs sugar

Mix together. Serve cold
Add raisins before serving.

*I wish a can of crushed pineapple was 17 !

*Red apples were uesd

*Fresh lemon juice was used

*I added raisins to each individual serving

 I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Shrimp Salad

 I've been looking for recipes to make that require a short baking time or no baking at all since it's so hot in Texas this summer. This sounded like the perfect one to try. I personally love a cold pasta salad. Plus shrimp? Yes please! Now, I'll be honest. I've been the only one eating this. My family snubbed their picky little noses at it. It's been a good lunch for me the past few days. 

I used the big shell pasta. Not the big ones that you can stuff, but bigger than the shells and cheese kind. They were the only ones my Aldi carried so that's what I bought while I was there. I like how the little pieces of shrimp and things get caught inside the shells. I can't help but wonder if the smaller shells would work better though for more even bites. Either way, I liked this salad!

My interpretation of the recipe:

Shrimp Salad

Mary Ann

12oz noodles (shell)

1½ pounds shrimp (or 3 or 4 cans -> drained but don't rinse)

pineapple (cut up 4 little "tibbits) just a few

dash of black pepper

2 green onions (greens and all cut-up)

4 or 5 hard-boiled eggs cut up

Miracle Whip -> add milk and about 2 teaspoons sugar

Mix - let sit overnight

Next day add more mayonnaise if dry

* I used the medium sized shell pasta

* I used jumbo shrimp and then cut them up into smaller pieces

* I used 4 pineapple chunks cut up into 8 pieces each

* I used 4 hard boiled eggs

* The ingredients called for miracle whip, so that's what I used. Although the directions say mayonnaise.

* The measurements I used for the miracle whip/sugar/milk mixture were: 6Tablespoon miracle whip, 4 Tablespoons milk, 2 teaspoons sugar. You might use less if you use smaller pasta shells.

* After letting it sit overnight, the next day I did end up adding more salt and pepper along with 2 Tablespoons of miracle whip. 

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Pineapple Chess Pie

This was definitely a quick and easy pie. Okay, okay, I cheated and used a refrigerated pie crust, but the recipe didn't say I couldn't :)

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Pineapple Chess Pie

¾ stick butter or margarine (melted)

3 eggs beaten

1 small can crushed pineapple

2 tablespoons flour mixed with

1½ cups sugar

Mix all ingredients well and pour into unbaked pie shell. 

Bake at 325 - 1 hour

*So like I said, I used a refrigerated pie crust. I also couldn't find a small can of crushed pineapple so I used half of a big can, which was probably a bit too much. I also used butter instead of margarine. 

*This pie was quick and easy and a bit too sweet for my taste buds. I would definitely make sure I used the correct amount of crushed pineapple next time and probably cut the sugar back to 1 cup? It was sweet!

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Pineapple Icing

In my latest box of organized treasures, I found an icing recipe. It's a hot Texas summer, so who wouldn't love some pineapple?  To be completely honest, this recipe isn't exactly what I would consider to be pineapple icing. It would, however, be perfect as a filler between cake layers. When done, the consistency was kind of like a pie filling. So unless you're serving a sheet cake still in the pan it was baked in, this isn't a stable icing. I refrigerated it overnight and used it cold. I put the cake together the next day and after sitting out on the counter after about 10-15 minutes, the pineapple started to slide off. That's why there's just a picture of a slice and not the entire "hot mess" of a cake :)

Also, it was too sweet for me. I'd cut it back to probably just a cup of sugar, at the most. Even Anthony, my sweets man, said it was too sweet.

One last thing. It didn't say how big of a tin of pineapple to use. I believe I used Dole's 20oz can of crushed pineapple, juice and all. I forgot to write it down before I threw it out. Sorry!

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Yellow Cake with Pineapple Icing
From: Jack Everett

Duncan Hines Golden Butter Cake Mix 

Pineapple Icing

1 - Tin Crushed Pineapple

1½ Cups sugar

½ Stick butter

2 Rounded Tablespoons flour

Cook until it thickens & add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

* I baked the cake mix as directed making 2 - 9"rounds.

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.