Apparently, we’re baking like there is no tomorrow. And someone is hoarding all the yeast! How many Netflix, Hulu or Amazon prime series can you really watch and stay sane? Cooking as always been a creative outlet for me. Focusing on creating lovely meals is a good way to reflect on something other than the crazy covid-ness.

A home made from scratch cake is a great way to show appreciation to someone you care about. Whatever your age it is important that you master at least one cake in your repertoire. Why do you need this recipe and what is a naked cake?

What is a naked cake?

Naked cakes have no or minimal icing which allow you to see the texture of the cake. Clearly I am a big fan of this type of cake. If you have ever read the ingredients on icing for a cake, you understand why I have created this recipe.

As a lover of almost all really good foods, I have to find new ways to reduce. Besides wanting to cook and bake, I want to eat cake. Life is not fun without dessert or happy endings. This recipe reduces the size of the cake layers and uses a filling in lieu of traditional icing.

Au Revoir Covid, Berry Me Naked Cake recipe has a huge calorie reduction when you dump the icing and bake thinner cake layers. Truly I am not saying that this is diet food but it does have less sugar, flour, butter and eggs.

Why do I need Au Revoir Covid, Berry Me Naked Cake recipe?

Summer berries scream to be added to a cake. The fresh bite of berry is just enough to add sweet without too much. In creating this cake, I wanted to reduce sugar, size of the layers and calories without sacrificing the cake. A triple layer cake looks pretty but I wanted the finished cake to be smaller.

There are literally billions of cake recipes on the internet. If you combine that with cookbooks you could never try all of the recipes. So, why am I creating another one? Over time as I cook an item, I start to experiment in my lab called kitchen. As an exercise I review the good, bad and what would make it better.

Not to mention, I have Grill Man who cannot help himself when it comes to providing unlimited data on anything that I cook. It is almost like having a professional FCIR, (food critic in residence). Yes of course I appreciate his candor.

Yet, I don’t always want to hear it. Sometimes I just want to savor the moment and enjoy. Trail and error with additional discussions does help me to try and improve a recipe. Everything does not come out as I intend or perfect. In our kitchen, I am famous for burning bread. Success and failure is just part of the cooking and creating process.

Is Berry Me Naked Cake hard to make?

As in any skill your cooking experience should improve over time. The more you do it, the better you will become. If you can read and follow instructions, then you too may cook. If you have secured your own Grill Man or taco master, it is great to have extra hands in the kitchen.

When is the last time you made a homemade cake for your love? Au Revoir Covid, Berry Me Naked Cake is an easy cake for anyone. This recipe would certainly look great on any table. The blueberry and strawberry pattern on top would be fitting for any celebration.

Shout out to Alexa for Def Leppards, Pour Some Sugar On Me.

With Love from,
Mimi’s Kitchen

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What is Italian Rossa Black?

Stella Rossa is only one line of wines created by the Riboli family. For over a hundred years this family has focused on creating wines. Before our wine tasting I had never heard of Stella Rossa before. Since I wanted to include their wine in my bundt cake, I needed to know more.

In 1917, the Riboli family started making wine in California. The Riboli Family winemakers survived World Wars, prohibition, Great Depression and navigated an ever changing business climate. Is it true that a family that creates wine together stays together?

The Stella Rossa Black is created from Italian grapes selected from the region of Asti a province in Piedmont. Asti area is the birthplace of Maddalena Riboli, the family matriarch. Maddalena is part of a wonderful legacy and known for her passion about wine. In fact, Southwest, The Magazine included her along with other Spirited Women- 20 Experts Revolutionizing the Spirit Industry.

“A family legacy built on hard work, family values, and a love for the land.”

Yet, no surprise that spirited women work in a business that has lasted for so long. From humble beginnings of San Antonio Winery to the Estate grown grapes of Riboli Family Wines it is a company to discover. Within the Riboli business they manage operations to preserve and protect natural resources. Never fail spirited Italians raising the next generation.

Another aspect of their legacy includes sustainability. The company operates a winery entirely powered by Solar Panels, Smart Technology and recycles 100% of all water used. In a state that suffers with water problems this is a smart move for the winemaker. Truly they are setting great examples for generations to come as they operate as good stewards and make wine.

Stella Italian Rossa Black is a semi-sweet and semi sparkling red wine. “Slip into your sexy and seductive side with Stella Rosa Black, a sultry semi-sweet, semi-sparkling red blend from the Luxury Collection. There’s a mysterious nature about this one – about you – that is undeniably alluring.”
Riboli Family Wines.

When you open this wine, set two cups aside to bake Never Fail Spirited Italian Rossa Bundt Cake. A perfect cake to accompany your next wine tasting or soiree. A glaze seals in the soul of a cake.

Shout out to Alexa for Eric Claptons song Bottle of Red Wine. “Get up and get your bottle of red wine.” Try the Stella Rossa Italian Black if a semi sweet wine is on your list. Save a portion and make the Never Fail Spirited Italian Rossa Bundt Cake.

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Reasons I love this dessert

Yet smiling does not stop with the melt in your mouth goodness of this dessert. Busier than ever, I love a dessert that may be quickly mixed in a bowl, baked and topped with magic will make me smile every time. Add in the fact that ingredients are common and always on hand makes for a great last minute dessert recipe.

Simply stated if you desire a dessert to wow your guests with presentation look no further. Serve this dessert in a martini glass with a scoop of Creole Cream Cheese ice cream. Creole cream cheese adds more tang and a bit of sweet that plain cream cheese does not.

Recipe for Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Chef John Folse offers recipes to make creole cream cheese and his version of this lovely ice cream. If short on time, Blue Bell offers this flavor and it will pair beautifully with richness of Mimi’s Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Pecan Bar.

Top with a sprig of fresh chocolate mint and a tiny drizzle of dark coffee liqueur over white Creole Cream Cheese ice cream. With this served in a martini glass, how could your guests not be in love with this dessert? Easy to make and elegant to serve. You may not want to share our secret.

Hopefully dessert or chocolate is not on your list to abstain. With most of us trying to watch our food intake daily, it helps to serve a small dessert loaded with lots of rich flavor. Yet, Mimi’s Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Pecan Bar is a perfect size for serving to a dinner party, bridge, bunco or canasta group.

With this in mind, Alexa shout out to The Archie’s for song Sugar Sugar. Do you remember this song written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim? Song spent 4 weeks as number one in 1969 and 22 weeks on Billboards top 100. “Pour a little sugar on me, oh yeah.”

Finally, if you want a sweet treat, try this recipe. Let me know what you think, I would love to hear from you.

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Perfect recipe to play with while spending an afternoon in the kitchen with friends cooking and laughing. Friends that you  connect with as soon as you meet. Somehow you know they will be in it for the long haul.

Sunshine and my newest guest chef, Day Trader joined me in the kitchen to cook a great lunch.  Absolutely lovely way to spend a day. Did I mention the champagne? Everyone chipped in to prepare an item for lunch and helped with the clean up.

Well almost everyone, Grill Man breezed in just before lunch was ready wearing a “hungry-man” look. Do you know that look? It arrives on the scene about thirty minutes before H-A-N-G-R-Y rears its ugly head. Imperative to always avoid hangry, if possible! Folks, just trust me on this one.

When should I cook Never Fail Spirited Fig Pecan Bundt Cake?

Never Fail Spirited Fig Pecan Bundt Cake is a lovely dessert  to compliment any meal any time.  Once you make this cake, it will easily become one of your go to recipes. Recipe is easy enough to prepare and cake preserves well when you need to make ahead for easy entertaining later.

Using a bundt pan delivers a beautiful shape to your cake . Making a glaze instead of icing reduces the amount of sugar  required in recipe. In addition it saves time spent trying to make the cake look like the oh-my-Southern-Living-Holiday-cakes. It takes a skilled hand and multiple attempts to master an  iced cake. A glaze is a never fail option to add to your bundt cake.

Several years ago I attended a bake sale and purchased  one of the Wine Cakes. The women at the bake sale raved about how delicious the cake would taste. Of course, I asked about the recipe. Shirley and Myra were generous enough to share recipe and mail a copy. I have made a form of this cake ever since.

I adapted Shirley and Myra’s recipe to add in a bit of Mimi-ness.  Grill Man said that this version is his favorite so far. Grill Man may be a bit bias.

Shout out to Alexa, play Joe Cocker’s With a little help from my friends. Sometimes good friends are all that you need and for those other times, there is always wine or Never Fail Spirited Fig Pecan Bundt Cake.

More desserts for you to try as suggestions for your next event, family dinner or special table.

St Germain Creamy Cheesecake

Southern Comfort and Oh That Chocolate Pie

Updated 100 year old Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Happy Cooking Y’all!

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Save it for making southern dressing. And by dressing I don’t mean salad dressing. If your unsure what I am talking about, please reach out to me.  You may use your cornbread crumbs and I am happy to share a fabulous recipe for Southern Dressing

Cornbread crumbs will freeze well, if you don’t want to make right away. By the time you  marry together cornbread crumbs with chicken, broth, onions, celery, poultry seasoning and other ingredients this southern sin will be a distant memory. If only they were all so easy.

How to remove one Southern Sin from your list

By now you have figured out life comes with its challenges. Making decent cornbread moist and filled with flavor should not be one of yours.  Jacked Up Cornbread has everything needed to offer a delicious cornbread.  In addition this recipe blends a bit of heat using mild jalapeno, jalapeño jack cheese and chipotle chile powder. Mixing the three items provides a blend that hits your taste buds in more than one happy way.

With the cold weather kicked in to overdrive, using Jiffy corn muffin mix recipe for Jacked-Up Cornbread is an easy add to your meal. Tasty cornbread is a perfect accompaniment to any meal. Prepare recipe ahead of time and pop in oven as needed or cornbread will reheat well. Making a 9 x 13 dish will yield  cornbread for several meals for a small family.

Cornbread or bread is satisfying and makes any meal better. Remember this is a quick side dish for when you need to bring something for a barbecue or party. I would serve this with a multitude of meals. Cut cornbread into smaller pieces to increase serving portions.

Not always good for the waistline but if your going to eat it, make sure its worth the calories. Soup is comfort food for me and cornbread works well with a bowl of soup. Jacked Up Cornbread recipe sits proudly on any plate although it is similar to a spoonbread or pudding. The added ingredients make sure that your bread is moist, oozing with cheese, onions and flavor.

Alexa Shout out to another Louisiana favorite,  Cupid featuring  Big Pokey “Cornbread and Greens“.  “If you can’t cook cornbread and  you can’t cook greens, I’m sorry you ain’t the one for me.” Please watch the you tube video for this song. I had to laugh at the band rocking it through the grocery store with greens in hand. Watch entire video. Bit of wisdom from Cupid:

It ain’t  always about your stuff.

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Grill Man is my favorite taste tester, although I don’t always like to hear his comments. If he doesn’t like something that I have cooked,  I know he will convey his  honest opinion. Then, the hard part is that I have to decide what to do with this information and how to interpret.  Many times I may cook a dish until we love it.

Love to hear that something is delicious and he agrees that I should include a recipe on  my site. Quiche- Albacore Tuna Spiced Up? Wow! recipe is a “one and done recipe”. One and done recipes are my absolute favorite but a bit rarer than I would like.

Keep a well stocked pantry

Always pick the best quality ingredients possible for you and your family. My preference is wild caught albacore tuna. Cooking this dish with fresh tuna would be the best option if  you have it available and it is a great last-minute, “I don’t know what to cook for dinner recipe.” Quiche- Albacore Tuna Spiced Up? Wow! recipe will come to the rescue when your at a loss.

Truly, Grill Man needs to get back on the water and soon to fill up my freezer. For adventure on the water charter a boat with friends or family. Boat captains typically make sure a fish haul if possible.

Deep Sea fishing is a great way to spend the day. Fishing on the Gulf Coast is fabulous with extremely varied species in Gulf waters. Wild Caught tuna is available for you to reel in if your willing to go out far enough. You must be  willing to fight for your catch.

Shout out to Alexa for Maddie & Tay’s “Shut Up and Fish”.

For other Quiche recipes, check out the following:

Spicy Sausage Cheese Egg Pies

Smoky Egg Pie with Sausage and Onions Date

Peeps, chickens and Egg Pie

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With a busy schedule this weekend, I needed a dessert that would allow me to cook one recipe with a dessert yield for two different functions.  Multitasking is a great skill but I am only one woman. A girl needs to take a shortcut when its available. Chocolate Heavenly Bite Mini Tarts were the answer to a prayer. At this stage, I need every answered prayer I can get, even the chocolate covered ones.

I love any excuse to pack a picnic of any type. Include libations of choice, appetizers, dessert,  mix in a few friends and we are ready to picnic. No basket should be without the proper napkins, antibacterial wipes, wine opener and utensils. Recipe for a great afternoon with crisp air for the  outdoor concert. With chairs or blanket it is a perfect way to relax.

Halstead Amphitheather’s New Live at Five Series

September has started to introduce the cooling off period of our long hot Summer. Roman Street was playing their Spanish guitars to a packed crowd at Halstead Amphitheater.  The Live at Five Concert is a great outing for all ages. People mulling about while chatting with friends, little ones romping, and smiles all around as the sound of music filled the air.

I could not help but smile at the ease of it all. All of us no matter what our differences are enjoy good friends, food and music. As I scanned the crowd everyone looked happy they were outside, sharing time and food with each other.

Ideas for Picnic including Chocolate Heavenly Bite Mini Tarts

In my basket, I packed portable snacks that make sharing easy in an outdoor setting. Black seedless grapes that are the sweetest and pair perfectly with cheese from Sweet Home Farms. Remember, carrots or celery make a perfect vehicle for transporting hummus with chopped jalapeño into your mouth. Every little calorie savings helps offset the increased calories that comes with wine or cocktails.

Libations are necessary at a picnic, right? In addition, to adult beverages, every outdoor picnic needs a dose of chocolate.  Because of their size  serving utensils are not required which is perfect for a picnic. Chocolate Heavenly Bite Mini Tarts are easy to pop in your mouth.  I hope that you enjoy the dessert. Serve it as needed for your entertaining no matter the occasion.

Alexa Shout out to Roman Street. These guys are easy on the eyes and oh so talented.  Perfect music to cook by when you need upbeat with out the heavy metal banging. Later, y’all.

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While visiting friends in Laguana Beach, we were served Ham and Polenta Spoonbread and Mimosas one morning. The host was gracious and shared the recipe from www.finecooking.com by Bruce Weinstein and Marc Scarbrough.  I enjoyed Fine Cooking’s version. Ham and Polenta Spoonbread inspired the recipe that I  adapted. Polenta is a new ingredient for my kitchen.

I think that “grits” may be the country version of the city relative of “polenta”. Whether you choose grits or polenta, as with any food ingredient, it is important  that you choose quality and cook properly. Always add flavor whether it’s vegetables or spices to blend with other ingredients.

Many of the ingredients in this dish are typically on hand in a well stocked pantry. Polenta may be adapted easily deleting or swapping items. I prepared this dish for breakfast but it would easily serve as a side dish for company.

Breakfast Ideas for entertaining

While entertaining guests, I love having a variety of breakfasts casseroles and egg pies recipes to serve in the morning. Prepare Breakfast Spicy Sausage Polenta Recipe ahead  and bake as needed.

Pop the Breakfast Spicy Sausage Polenta Recipe in the oven after you stumble to your coffee pot. I love to enjoy my coffee time with house guests before we start the busy day. Coffee time on the porch is a perfect way to celebrate your morning.

Last week, I was happy to celebrate my mornings with my parents, baby sister and her family. My nephew Super-Baby is absolutely adorable. Happy babies are the best and are a joy to be around. Breakfast Spicy Sausage Polenta Recipe will serve your morning breakfast well. Pop in the oven, reheat another day and it is just as good.

Alexa, shout out to Caitlyn Smith’s soulful rendition of “This town is killing me”. Caitlyn Smith is part of the Listen Up Campaign Artist’s to Watch for 2017. If you’re not familiar with Caitlyn Smith, check out this talented emerging artist.

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In the event you serve Chess Pie, someone inevitably will ask about the origin of the dish and name. Even today, I  am unsure of the origin based on my research. The name has a bit of mystery behind it. I was unable to find one definitive answer about the name . Internet search yielded several reasons ranging from  the following:

Corruption of word cheese
Ingredients stored in pantry or chest
Sugar content meant pie could be stored in chest  in lieu of refrigerator
Southern cook accent referring to “Jes’ pie”

My favorite version is the southern “Jes Pie”. Lord knows at times some people may have trouble understanding our Southern accent. The Chess Pie recipe is attributed to different regional locations. No matter the origination, it is a delicious and easy to make recipe.

Why make a Coconut Chess Pie?

I have served Chess Pie as a standard offering when I entertain for many reasons.

The ingredients are always in my pantry
Inexpensive to make
Quickly mixes by hand in one bowl
Bakes in 30 minutes
Cools quickly and is easy to transport
Magically it will always disappear

The Chess Pie is a favorite of my friend Jazz-Girl. I hope that she will like this Coconut Chess Pie recipe as well. I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks Talk About Good published originally 1969 by Jr League of Lafayette, Inc.  Talk About Good is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. Buy one for yourself or as a gift, the money supports a great cause.

In conclusion, Coconut Chess Pie is a great addition for any holiday table. Prepare ahead and served as needed. Pour a hot cup of chicory coffee and I am a happy girl. I may need to have a slice now.

Alexa, Shout out to Darius Rucker “Southern State of Mind”.Darius sings “You can take the guy out of the south, but in my heart I’m always there”

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Porch time is a fan favorite at our house and almost mandatory for guests. The porch allows for slow and easy conversation while enjoying the birds and squirrel chatter. Perhaps, a lovely place to while away the morning with a cup of coffee. Add in a pitter-patter of rain on the tin roof and it is music to my ears.

Last weekend was Round 2 of my March company.  My Uncle and two of my cousins from Louisiana were visiting with their families, Funny Girl and Lil Rouge. A quick and easy breakfast was certainly on my list. Cooking Spicy Sausage Cheese Egg Pie in the kitchen with them was a joy. Having extra hands in my kitchen is not common but I love and cherish it when I do.

Lil Rouge and Funny Girl made quick work of the Spicy Sausage Cheese Egg Pie recipe that I created for making  two Egg Pies. If you only need one, you may freeze the second pie after you bake. Pie in the freezer is great to have on hand for breakfast, lunch or deliver to a friend in need.

Over the course of our weekend, we had a grand time telling tales of our childhood days and teenage mishaps. Reminiscing about our loved ones that had moved on was bittersweet yet softened by the retelling of our family stories.  Sharing delight in the telling of our tales is a common thread in our group.

No weekend around my family can occur without the occasional game or cards whether it is Shanghai, Canasta or Poop-head. For the record, I was not the Poop-head!

Card playing allows for plenty of conversations, tale-telling and cocktails, of course. My brother was able to join us for lunch, tale-telling and such. Funny Girl whipped up a  delicious white coconut cocktail that I loved. She also whipped up something she called Kidney infection. Oddly, Funny Girl and I didn’t drink that one but Lil Rouge managed it somehow.

Between hands of cards, we discussed our ancestors and looked at old photos.  Sargent Granny would have smiled had she been sitting with us. Sharing time together is sometimes hard to organize with family and friends but so worth the effort. Living in different cities and states adds to difficulty of organizing  schedules, just do it. Your Granny will smile, I know mine is.

Alexa Shout out to Leon Bridges.

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