I wish I had a whole week at home so I could cook and get my home in order!
Weekends just are not long enough. Seems like you just get started and poof, it’s time for the work week to start again. Funny, sometimes we need to work week to keep us ‘slowed down’.
Next week I hope to share a brand new noodle recipe with you, not my recipe but one that’s new for me. I have the first three Ziplocs in the freezer and after dinner tomorrow night I’ll be ready to roll out about 3 more Ziplocs bound for the same home, as long as we’re happy with the outcome, that is. The chicken is cooked for tomorrow night, all I have left to do is make stock after work, and stir fry fresh sugar snaps and asparagus. Besides the noodles I also made another batch of sourdough. You want to give up on it sometimes, because when you begin a new starter, it sometimes doesn’t want to rise so well. It’s obvious mine is going to get a bit more fresh yeast added to it this week, then next weekend, I’ll go at it once again. It’s tough because you don’t want to waste product as you nurse along a stubborn starter.
Pina Colada Cake is so refreshing, in fact just thinking about it makes me want to bake one this week. I recall the first time I made it, probably at least 30 years ago, and I could not find the Cream De Coconut Liquor! It’s in the alcohol aisle most generally. This is a small metal can of thick coconut goo that’s used for ‘pine coladas’.
The recipe does call for puddings, be sure and get them way before they are needed. There’s been a few times over the past 4 years that I’ve gone to get puddings other than chocolate, vanilla and lemon and they were not on the shelf.
When I think of this dish the first word that comes to mind is ‘refreshing’. It is very rich, which means the cake may serve more than only 12 persons. If you’re making it for Sunday dinner you could even make this on Friday. I would just top it with the cool whip or fresh whipped cream the morning you are serving it, along with the toasted coconut garnish.
I’m burning the midnight oil this evening so I’m going to bid adieu and talk with you next week, hopefully with the new noodle recipe. Simply yours, The Covered Dish.
Pina Colada Cake
(About 3 layers of yum!)
1 yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup of water.
Prepare a 9 x 13 baking pan with butter or spray oil. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix all the above ingredients together, and pour into the prepared baking pan. Tap pan on the counter to remove extra air bubbles. (No need for a mixer, at all!) Carefully monitor baking, usually it is 35-40 minutes. Just as soon as you pull it from the oven make deep holes all over the cake. Then you will pour in:
1 can Eagle Brand Milk, 14 ounces
Let the cake cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes then set it in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes. Pour the can of cream de coconut liquor over the entire cake.
Mix 2 (3.4 ounce) boxes of instant coconut pudding. Use the milk portion on 1 box for both pkgs. of pudding. Pour this over the top of the cake, smoothing it out evenly.
A few hours before serving; top the pudding layer with 12 ounces of cool whip or fresh whipped cream, (fresh will need a little vanilla and a bit of powdered sugar)
Garnish with toasted coconut, I’d recommend at least 1- 1 ½ cups. Toast a great deal of coconut, keep the remainder for garnish on yogurt parfaits and fresh fruit.
