Lucky Star's Blog

Ingredients

1. Make cake batter: 

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted pecans.

2. Add batter to cake pans: 

   Divide batter evenly among 3 well-greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

3. Bake cake layers: 

   Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.

4. Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: 

   Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Assemble Cake: 

   Place first cake layer on a serving platter; spread top with 1 cup of the frosting.

   Top with second layer, and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with third layer, and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

   Arrange pecan halves on top of cake in a circular pattern.

Ingredients

1. Prepare zucchini and squash: 

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp. salt, and water to cover.

   Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well.

2. Combine casserole ingredients: 

   Stir together 1 cup grated carrots, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl.

   Fold in squash mixture.

3. Make stuffing topping: 

   Stir together stuffing and 1/2 cup melted butter.

4. Assemble casserole: 

   Spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

   Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture.

   Top with remaining stuffing mixture.

5. Bake casserole: 

   Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

1. Prepare oven and baking dish: 

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 11- x 7-inch (2 quart) baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook squash: 

   Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add squash, onion, and 1 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often, until center of squash is just tender and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

3. Drain liquid: 

   Transfer mixture to a colander set over a bowl. Drain 5 minutes; discard any liquid.

4. Stir together casserole filling: 

   Stir together eggs, sour cream, Cheddar and Swiss cheeses, mayonnaise, thyme, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently fold in squash mixture.

5. Spoon casserole filling into baking dish: 

   Spoon into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch (2-quart) baking dish.

6. Make cracker topping: 

   Microwave remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium-size microwavable bowl on HIGH until melted, about 25 seconds. Toss together crackers, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter until combined.

7. Sprinkle topping over casserole: 

8. Bake and serve: 

   Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1. Cook potatoes: 

   Place potatoes, water, and 2 tablespoons of the salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-high; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.

   Drain; chill 10 minutes.

2. Prepare potato salad dressing: 

   While potatoes simmer, coarsely chop 3 of the eggs; transfer to a large serving bowl.

   Cut remaining 3 eggs in half; scoop yolks into a small bowl.

   Coarsely chop egg whites; add to chopped eggs in large bowl.

   Add mayonnaise, parsley, relish, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt to yolks in small bowl; stir until combined and smooth.

3. Mix potato salad: 

   Transfer chilled potatoes to chopped eggs in large bowl; add mayonnaise mixture and celery.

   Stir gently to combine. Garnish with paprika.

Ingredients

1. Prepare oven and roasting pan: 

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Let ham stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil; top with an ovenproof rack.

2. Make glaze: 

   For glaze, stir together marmalade, honey, vinegar, thyme, ginger, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Add glaze to ham: 

   Place ham on rack in prepared pan; brush 2/3 cup of the glaze over ham and in between slices.

4. Bake ham: 

   Turn ham fat side down, with bone running parallel to bottom of pan, and pour 3 cups water into pan. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in preheated oven 1 1/2 hours.

5. Baste ham: 

   Remove from oven; remove and discard foil. Baste with pan drippings; brush 1/3 cup of the glaze over ham and in between slices.

6. Continue to bake and baste ham: 

   Return to oven, and bake at 350°F until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of ham registers 140°F, 30 to 40 minutes, basting ham with pan drippings and brushing with 1/3 cup of the glaze about every 10 minutes.

7. Garnish and serve: 

   Remove ham from oven. Carefully transfer it to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, sliced oranges, halved tangerines, and kumquats, if desired.

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring the water to a rolling boil and add salt to taste. Follow the instructions on the pasta packet. We are using elbow macaroni pasta for this recipe, and boil them to al dente.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

   Add onion, dry mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

   Add flour, and cook, stirring, until golden, 2 minutes.

   Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.

3. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3/4 cup each of shredded Cheddar cheeses until melted. (Reserve remaining 1/4 cup each of shredded cheeses.)

   Stir in pasta and diced cheeses.

   Pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.

4. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet in preheated oven until bubbly and golden, 30 minutes.

   Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle with reserved shredded cheeses; broil 6 inches from heat until cheeses are melted and golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven; cool slightly on a wire rack, about 15 minutes.