It’ll soon be time to tell 2017 farewell, OR maybe to kick it in the behind and say, “Good riddance.” We aren’t there yet, though, so here we go with another #MFRWauthor 52-Week Blog Challenge theme in this blog hop.
Week 49: A Favorite Recipe
Today I’m choosing this recipe because it evokes happy memories.
The Pineapple Sheet Cake doesn’t have the texture of a regular cake. It’s more on the springy side. It’s made in a 15x10x1 inch pan—a cookie sheet type of pan. My boys never liked cream cheese, but they did like this recipe.
I looked online for a picture of the cake because I didn’t want to make one when I’m the only one here to eat it. Luckily, I found the recipe for “Pineapple Sheet Cake” at Taste of Home. However, my cooking time says 40 minutes where the online version says 35 minutes. Oh, and the online recipe calls for undrained pineapple where mine calls for drained. I don’t know if I wrote my recipe wrong, but I’m sure I followed what I had written. The comments on the recipe page are interesting. The page has some Test Kitchen Tips you might want to look at if you decide to make this cake. 🙂
Due to nut allergies, make sure everyone is aware of nuts in this product. I suppose the sprinkled nuts on top would be a giveaway. 0_o
Pineapple Sheet Cake Photo by and from Taste of Home.
This picture above looks like my homemade version. Perfect! Here you go:
Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1- 20 oz. can drained (undrained?) crushed pineapple.
1 cup chopped nuts
In a large bowl combine cake ingredients. Beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Cook 40 minutes. Check at 35 minutes as the online recipe says. It’s hard to tell when this cake is done because it is so springy. Pressing on it to test for the springiness, is usually how I checked for doneness.
Frosting:
1- 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
½ cup butter, softened.
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
½ cup chopped nuts to sprinkle over the top.
Combine ingredients until smooth. Spread over cooled cake and sprinkle nuts over the top. Enjoy.
YUM. My family enjoyed this recipe for many years. ❤
Not to bore you, but here’s a little backstory:
I’ve had this recipe for so long, I don’t remember who gave it to me. I used to make this on occasion for my family, but often, I’d make it ahead and take it to our cabin in Pennsylvania when I knew my husband’s family would be there.
In the beginning, we all stayed in the small cabin on nineteen acres of land in the Allegheny National Forest. When they got older, the kids slept upstairs in sleeping bags on the floor. The upstairs was not much more than a half-finished attic with pull down stairs. If Grandpa was there, he slept in his bed up there. One couple slept in the tiny bedroom in twin beds downstairs. A single family member slept on the pull-out sofa bed in the living room, and another couple slept in their camper. What fun we had back then!
@ snehitdesign at DespositPhoto
The picture above is what U.S. Route 62 looks like on the way. It isn’t fun in the winter or in the fog. The last time I visited the area was around 2006.
Meaty Macaroni Bake was another recipe my sister-in-law and I would make, which went a long way for three hard-working men, four growing boys, and one niece. My apologies for digressing, but I imagine many of our favorite recipes have a story or two, to go along with them.
After many years, and as all the kids grew older, my husband and I bought our own place on a couple acres a short walk away. We enjoyed having our own space, and two bedrooms. My ex-husband still has it along with the other nineteen acres with his brothers. No, the log house below is not what we had.
Book three, Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude, takes place in this area with a log house like I would’ve loved. Hence, Love House. Love House got it’s name in book two. I’m not trying to promote this book to y’all. I’m only stating a fact that the area was the perfect place for this story.
This is a Blog Hop, and there are other authors participating. I can’t wait to check out their favorite recipes. Come along?
Many of us at Marketing for Romance Writers wanted this challenge to continue next year. I had a hard time thinking of topics myself, but a handful of other authors had a long list of ideas. I did suggest that we use one topic in particular over again. We’ll have to see if it gets added. 😉
Thanks for joining us today. Happy Cooking.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel 
27 thoughts on “Good Food and Memories of Long Ago #MFRWauthor”
Pingback: #AmWriting Week 49: Food, Family & Memories #MFRWauthor | Mary J. McCoy-Dressel Books
Meka James
Our favorite recipes are often mixed in with good memories. That’s what adds to the joy of making and eating the foods produced.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
You’re absolutely right, Meka. I’m still making my rounds to blogs. Enjoy your week.
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Ed Hoornaert
There’s one ingredient you didn’t list, but which must improve the taste a lot: good memories!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Oh, I was ready to go back and check my recipe for the missing ingredient. 👀 You got me, Ed! 🙂 Yes, good memories needs to be added.
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krisbock2014
Recipes with family history are the best!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I agree, Kris. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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storimom2
Always enjoy the story behind the recipe:) And cream cheese makes everything taste better, ha ha!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thanks, Molly/Kenzie. ❤ I agree about the cream cheese. 🙂
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Shari Elder Stories (@ShariElderBooks)
You can never go wrong cooking with fruit. It always feel like a healthier option (even if it isn’t).
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I agree on both counts, Shari. The powdered sugar takes care of the “healthy” part in this one, but we won’t tell. 🤷🏼♀️ 🙂
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maureenbonatch
The recipe sounds great- I love pineapple upside-down cake. My grandma used to always make it. Your recipe reminds me of that. I enjoyed the backstory!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Mmm, I love pineapple upside cake. My grandma used to make it too. I’m glad this made you think of your grandma, Maureen. 🙂
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Teagan R. Geneviene
Oooo that sounds delicious, Mary. I loved your “back story” for it. Beautifully told. Hugs.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
It really is a delicious cake, Teagan, and quick and easy. The back story is bittersweet. 😏
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kayladrakebooks
Oh, yum! I love pineapple! I’ll bet the cream cheese frosting goes well with this!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
The cream cheese really compliments the cake, Kayla. Mmm. I read on the site that a commenter said she used ready-made cream cheese frosting. I’d probably try it to see how it tasted. Thanks for visiting.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pineapple-sheet-cake
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alinakfield
I love the story that goes along with that cake!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thank you, Alina. As they say, “Those were the days.” A few years ago, my oldest came from California and while here, he and his brother went to the cabin with their dad. I was so happy for all of them.
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Sherry Lewis
I got a little stuck on the idea of someone not liking cream cheese! 🙂 Your cake recipe sounds delicious, and that Meaty Macaroni Bake intrigues me. Thanks for sharing!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I agree about the cream cheese, Sherry. 🙂 I gave my daughter-in-law a lot of recipes when they visited for Thanksgiving, but I think I still have that one. Yep, just checked, but I found the exact recipe for the meaty macaroni bake at Recipe Lion. Enjoy.
https://www.recipelion.com/Casserole-Recipes/Meaty-Macaroni-Bake
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D. Wallace Peach
Thanks for the recipe, Mary, and for sharing your memories. We had a little cabin like that with sleeping bags spread out across the unfinished “attic” for the kids. Great memories. And ours didn’t look like that cabin either! Happy holidays.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Oh, you can relate , Diana. Did you have water in your cabin? We didn’t for many years. I left that part out. LOL. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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D. Wallace Peach
No water or electricity. We had an outhouse. 😀
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
YEP! Brrr in the winter and the middle of the night. Ekk.
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Cathy Brockman
I love the memories that go with the cake. (which sounds delicious)I have the feeling I will be saving several recipes this hop LOL
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I’ll be saving recipes too, Cathy. I’m open for something new instead of the same old same old, but I barely cook these days. This cake is delicious. Now I wish I would’ve baked one. 🙂 I thought of reblogging the Favorite Recipe posts at random in upcoming weeks.
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