Dump Cake

Don't let the name fool you. It's a family favorite, and my Mom got the recipe from her Aunt Babs. That means it will be good no matter what it is. You literally dump all the ingredients in the pan-- how can you resist? Try it next time you need an easy dessert!


This is what you'll need. There are some substitutes you can make in this recipe. Let me talk a moment about a special substitute I made.


Dewberries. I've grown up picking them every summer. I had some in my pancakes this morning! If you live in the south you can find them growing wild almost anywhere! In this recipe you usually use a can of pineapple which is also VERY delicious, but I wanted to use my dewberries in something.


Pour cherry pie filling and whatever other fruit you want. Aunt Babs recommended peaches as well. . so a can of whatever you think will taste good! I used about a cup and a half of dewberries. Give or take some.


Pour yellow cake mix over the top. Make sure it's even.




Sprinkle top with pecans. However much you want. Then slice two sticks of butter on top of pecans.


Paula Deen would be proud.


Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Wa-la!

Tastes great with Bluebell Homeade Vanilla!

Mom's Banana Bread

My mom has been making banana bread since before I can remember. She bakes it for new neighbors, friends who just had a baby, a friend who is sick or for people at Christmas. For me, it is one of those foods that when I smell it reminds me of home. And my mother.
Enjoy!



My workspace doesn't look like Barefoot Contessa. My bad.



Before you get started, grease your loaf pan with Crisco. My picture doesn't have it, but sprinkle flour in as well.



Cream 1/2 cup shortening and 1 1/2 cup sugar.


Add 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp salt. Beat until fluffy. Like cloud fluffy.


Next, stir 1 tsp. baking soda into 1/4 cup buttermilk. This is where I had problems. We had no buttermilk. So I had to make my own. Since I needed 1/4 cup milk, I just added 1/4 tbsp of white vinegar and let it sit for 15 minutes. Ta-da!


Add 2 cups flour and your milk alternately.



Before I knew the art of banana bread I used to wonder why I would go to the fridge in our garage and find very old bananas in the meat drawer. But now, I see why. Moral of the story: the older your bananas the better your bread. Trust me.



Smash up three bananas and add them along with 1 tsp. vanilla to your mix.



Your mix should fill two 9X5X3 loaf pans. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour.



After you pull your loafs out, let them cool for a few minutes. Then turn them upside down and give 'em a few hard pats on the bottom of the pan. Your loaf should fall in your hands.

Banana bread tastes great with butter or by itself. We like to eat it for a snack and at breakfast.

We are still alive

But it's been pretty stressful over here...because it's finals week. If everyone could join together and play "My Heart Bleeds for You" on the world's smallest violin, I would appreciate it. Actually, we had a delicious Cinco de Mayo party yesterday complete with homeade salsa, guacamole, margaritas and enchilada casserole.

But did I bother to take any pictures? Of course not! Uggg. Salsa is my new found fetish so when I perfect my recipe I'll put it on here. Right now it is H-O-T!!! I can barely take the heat and I love hot food. The guacamole is my mom's recipe that we have already perfected, so when I make it next time I'll be sure and share it. It's addicting.

And the enchilada casserole. That recipe belongs to my ex-roommate Shelby. I call her my ex not in a "we didn't get along and so I said see ya biotch" way. I've known her since I was born and she is awesome!

If anybody else is out there taking finals.....MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.