Fruit Kabobs

Want a showstopper? Take this to a potluck or other gathering and it will have that effect! We had dinner with some friends and took this and their 4 year old son was so excited about these! This was part of the May 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap I am part of. My team mate is magpie diner from Fraser Valley, B.C. The nice thing about this recipe is you can make it as simple or as elegant as you would like. I am all about frugality so went with the least expensive fruit I could find.

Fruit Kabobs

1/2 whole seedless watermelon

assorted melons such as cantaloupe or honeydew

1 pineapple

assorted smaller fruits such as grapes, blueberries or strawberries if desired

Ball the watermelon and other melons. For the watermelon, scoop out all the watermelon on the half you are going to use to hold the kabobs. Let it air dry for a few hours.

Peel and cube the pineapple.

Arrange fruit on skewers any way you like. Leave about 3 inches of space at the bottom so the skewers can be poked into the shell of the watermelon.

This recipe can be prepared ahead of time. Prepare skewers and lay flat on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Banana Cake

I don't have a picture to show for this recipe. I made it to take to a church potluck and it was gone lickety split! The recipe comes from a cookbook Russell and I got when we got married. It's called the Farnsworth Family Favorites. It's favorite recipes from my first mission president's family. We love this cookbook.

Banana Cake
1/2 shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk (I used plain yogurt)
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine all ingredients very well. Pour into greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Let cool and frost with....

Chocolate Frosting
1 cube margarine or butter
5 TBSP baking cocoa
1/2 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt margarine and cocoa. Add milk and bring to a boil. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Pour over cake. Enjoy!

Picnic Party Potato Salad

This is by far the best potato salad I have ever had. I think the secret is the Italian Dressing. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law Sheri Zaugg. I don't know where she got the recipe from. It's pretty much a staple at any Zaugg family gathering. I only get to have it when we visit their house or if I make it to take somewhere like a potluck or funeral, etc. Russell and the boys are not fans of potato salad period and I can't eat the whole batch myself.

Picnic Party Potato Salad
5 lbs potatoes - red OR russett, diced, skins can be left on
1 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard
3 tsp salt
2 cups sliced celery
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced for the salad
5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced for the top
1/2 cup dill pickle relish
paprika for garnish

Cook potatoes until tender. Drain. Put into large bowl. Add onions and Italian dessing. Toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Combine mayo, mustard and salt in small bowl; pour over potatoes; toss to coat. Add celery, the 4 diced eggs and relish. Gently mix. Place the 5 sliced hard boiled eggs on top of the salad. Sprinkle with paprika.
Serves: 10-12

Chocolate Coconut Bars

This is part of the collection of recipes I chose for the April 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. My team mate is Chickee from Sydney, Australia. She calls these Chocolate Rough Slice and her grandma used to make these. Russell says this is something he could actually get fat off of. That says a lot! If you like coconut - you will like this. These remind me of those Brachs@ Coconut Triple Layer candies - the ones that are pink, white and brown. I love those!

Chocolate Coconut Bars
Base:
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut
2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp salt

Mix all base ingredients and press into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool slightly.

Topping:
2 TBSP butter or margarine
2 TBSP baking cocoa
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups coconut
1 tsp vanilla
**Optional throw in ingredients: chopped walnuts OR pecan pieces OR sliced almonds

While base is cooking melt all topping ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat. Cool. Spread over base. Cut when cold.

If you eat one of these...
You will probably need a glass of milk to go with it....

White Texas Sheet Cake

A few years ago my mom put together a cookbook on my maternal side of the family called Generations of Good Cooks. This is one of the recipes she entered. We really like it and hope you do to.

White Texas Sheet Cake
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour into a greased 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until cake is golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes and frost.

Frosting:
Combine 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1/4 cup milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp almond OR vanilla extract. Mix well. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts if desired. Spread over warm cake.

*I didn't add nuts this time - I wanted sprinkles.