Birthday Dinner Favorites

Lee and Shelley Ayres

In our Zoom #29 discussion of birthdays, Lee told us that he looks forward to having salmon the way Shelley makes it for his birthday dinner. He sent us her recipe.

Shelley Ayres Steamed Salmon

Season a filet of salmon with drizzled honey, salt, pepper, and one or two of the following: curry, dill, nutmeg, or garlic powder.

Simmer sun dried tomatoes, garlic, onion, and capers with a pat of butter in a copper-bottom or stainless steel frying pan. Add water to the pan and cook until vegetables are soft. There should be enough water to help steam the salmon filet placed on top of the vegetables.

Cover the pan with a lid and poach for just a few minutes until the salmon is cooked through.

Happy birthday, Lee!

Carrot Cake from Diane Rusch Zinn.  Several of our Zoomers mentioned that all they needed for a happy birthday was carrot cake.  Even though I have at least  four versions of this loved cake, I was hoping to find a recipe from an old Wichita Junior League Cookbook to see how the generation before us baked their carrot cake.  Unfortunately, it was not one of their entries, so I settled on the version in Bon Appetit Cookbook, always a trustworthy source.

Triple Layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake Ingredients

2 c sugar

1 1/2 c vegetable oil

4 large eggs

2 c all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t ground cinnamon

3/4 t ground nutmeg

3 c finely grated peeled carrots

1/2 c chopped pecans

1/2 c raisins

Preheat oven to 325.  Lightly grease 3 9″ cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. With electric mixer, beat sugar & vegetable oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.  Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg together and add into sugar and oil mix. Stir in carrots, pecans, & raisins. Pour batter equally into prepared pans. Bake about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely.

Frosting

4 c powdered sugar

2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature

4 t vanilla extract

Beat all with mixer until smooth and creamy.

Spread 3/4 c frosting on first layer (on cake platter). Add next two layers with 3/4 c frosting each. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting.

This cake can be prepared 2 days ahead as long as it is covered and refrigerated.

Don’t forget the candles!

 

Marilyn Tompkins Bellert’s Family Favorite Crab Meat Ball

While the family gathers for our annual August birthday party, they devour this appetizer, first come, first served. Even after 60 years, they arrive early so as not to miss out on this relic from the 1960’s. My recipe card, faded until almost illegible, doesn’t include a source.

Mix together, form into a ball, and chill

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1 jar of pimento cheese spread

1 chopped green onion and 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

Place chilled ball on plate and cover with

Bottled chili sauce 1 can (6-8 oz.) crabmeat, washed and flaked; pat over chili sauce

Garnish with parsley and serve with crackers.

Skip Granger’s Birthday Cheesecake

Every year, Skip’s wife Mary Ann makes this cheesecake for his June 30 birthday.

Ingredients

2 8oz. packages cream cheese

1 pound ricotta cheese

1 pint sour cream

3 tablespoons of flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 and 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1/4 pound butter

1 and 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

Soften and combine cream cheese and butter and place in a large bowl. Add rest of ingredients and mix all together well. Grease and flour a springform pan. Bake at 350 for one hour or more. Leave in oven while cooling.

Editor’s Note:  How about sharing one of your favorite birthday recipes? Send to Marilyn (mbellert@niu.edu) or Diane (ddzinn@aol.com).