Caraway rice pudding

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water.
• 1/2 cup ground rice.
• 1 tbsp ground caraway seed.
• 1 tsp cinnamon.
• 1/2 tsp ground anise seed.
• 1/2 cup sugar.
• 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut.
• 1/2 cup slivered almond.
• 1/2 cup walnut, small pieces.

In a medium size pot, add water, rice, caraway, cinnamon, anise seed and sugar. Put over medium-high heat and keep stirring until boiling and starts thickening. Turn off heat. Stir in half of coconut. Transfer to serving bowls.
Mix rest of coconut, almonds and walnuts together. Sprinkle nut mixture on to of pudding right before serving.
you can serve it warm or chilled.

* makes 4 servings.

Upside-Down Pineapple Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sliced pineapple.
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice.
• 4 tbsp butter.
• 3/4 cup brown sugar.
• 1 tsp vanilla.
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour.
• 3/4 cup sugar.
• 1/4 cup cornmeal.
• 1 tsp baking powder.
• 1/2 tsp baking soda.
• 1/4 tsp salt.
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature.
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice.
• 1/3 cup whipping cream.
• 4 egg whites.
• 3 egg yolks.
• 1 tbsp vanilla.
• 1/4 tsp almond extract.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 10-inch round pan.
Melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir in pineapple slices, juice, and vanilla.
Pour into pan and arrange pineapple slices to sit flat.
In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter and pineapple juice and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix cream, egg whites, egg yolks and extracts until blended.
Add egg mixture gradually to flour mixture beating well after each addition and keep beating until smooth.
Scrape batter into pan over pineapples and spread to level. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tester comes out clean when inserted to cake's center.Let rest for 10 minutes then invert to plate while still warm.

Upside-Down Banana Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp butter, melted.
• 1/3 cup brown sugar.
• 3 ripe bananas, halved lengthways.
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature.
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar.
• 2 eggs.
• 1 tbsp vanilla.
  
• 1 1/2 cups flour.
• 1 tsp baking powder.
• 1/2 baking soda.
• 1 tsp cinnamon.
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg.
• 2 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Pour melted butter into pan and sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange bananas cut side down.
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Stir in mashed bananas. Scrape batter into pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester inserted to cake's center comes out clean.
Turn out while still warm.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites.
  
• 1 cup sugar.
• 1 tsp vanilla.
  
• 1 1/2 cups coconut, shredded or flaked.
• 1/2 ground almonds.
  
• pinch of salt.

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Beat egg whites. Add vanilla and sugar slowly and keep on beating until stiff. Fold in the coconut and almond. Then, on a baking sheet, scoop one tablespoon of the mixture, leaving 1-2 inches around each macaroon. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the outside is golden brown.

Dates Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup dates, pitted
  
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup walnut

Pour boiling water over dates, mash dates with a fork and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan.
Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and stir well.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.
Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternately with mashed dates mix. Stir in walnuts.
Scrape batter into pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until tester inserted to cake's center comes out clean.

Apple Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 2 eggs.
• 1 tsp vanilla.
• 1 cup sour cream or yogurt.
• 2 cups all purpose flour.
• 2 tsp baking powder.
• 1 tsp baking soda.
• dash of salt.
• 2 apples, sliced.
• 1/4 cup brown sugar.
• 1 tsp cinnamon.
• 1/2 cup walnut or pecan, pieces.
• 1 tbsp butter or margarine.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch round or square cake pan.
Cream butter and sugar together.Mix in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in sour cream.Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
In another bowl, combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and walnuts together.
Scrape half of the batter into pan. Toss in the apple mix and top with the remaining batter.
Bake for about 60 minutes or until a tester inserted to cake center comes out clean.

Light Chocolate Chip Brownie

Ingredients :

• 3/4 c all purpose flour
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbs oil or margarine
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c sour cream or yogurt
• 1 banana ( mashed )
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 oz chocolate chips ( melted )
• 2 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F . Grease an 8 inch square pan .

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together and set aside .

Mix oil, brown sugar, sour cream, banana, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and the melted chocolate chips.

Stir the dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just incorporated.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted to center of cake comes out clean .

Let rest for 10 minutes then serve .