mulberryshoots

This grey, misty afternoon, I was thinking about the leftover fresh pineapple I had in the fridge and decided to make a half-size upside down pineapple cake. I used Ree Drummond’s recipe and cut the ingredient amounts in half. In a small skillet with a metal handle, I melted butter, brown sugar and added the pineapple before pouring the batter on top.

It worked out so well that I thought about how versatile a recipe this could be using: pitted fresh cherries, small dark plums, white peaches and so on.

Here are the ingredients for the cake batter: Melt 1/4 stick unsalted butter, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/8 cup veg. oil; 1 large egg and a tsp. of vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Measure out 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 Tb. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt and 3/4 cups whole milk — add gradually into the batter until mixed well.

In oven proof pan or skillet, melt 1/4 stick butter and 1/3 cup of brown sugar – add fruit and let brown. Add batter on top and bake at 350 for 35-40 min. until a toothpick comes out clean.

My first try at making an easy chocolate mousse dessert last week was too thick and gummy. Tonight’s second try seems to be a big improvement. I used 1/2 packet of Instant sugar-free chocolate pudding mix, with a cup of milk stirred in until thickened. In a separate bowl, I whipped up 1/2 – 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. I added the whipped cream into the pudding by folding it in gently.

Chilled for a couple of hours and added fresh raspberries on top. Much better – and an easy way to make chocolate mousse – no eggs, no baking, not much effort at all!