RECIPE SWAP: GET READY FOR AN OOEY, GOOEY CHRISTMAS WITH GOOEY BUTTER CAKE

We had several responses this week to the request from Margaret Waller for Gooey Butter Cake. All recipes submitted were very similar with only an ingredient or two different. Mary Maupin of Cape Girardeau shared her favorite recipe with me at the Cape Senior Center over lunch recently.

Gooey Butter Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick oleo or margarine

1 egg

Mix all ingredients well and put in bottom of oblong cake pan that has been well greased leaving an edge around cake.

Mix:

1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese

2 eggs

1 box powdered sugar, divided, reserving some for top of cake

1 t. vanilla

Beat with electric mixer and pour on top of cake mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Cool slightly then dust with reserved powdered sugar.

JoNelle Lingo of Jackson shared her tried and true recipe which is like the one printed above, except in the filling substituting 6 ounces of cream cheese and omitting the vanilla. Bake this recipe for 20 to 30 minutes.

JoNelle also shared a more difficult version of the old favorite Gooey Butter Cake. It is more labor intensive, but I bet it's worth the effort. Maybe after the holiday season is over and things get back to normal, whatever that is, I will give it a try.

Gooey Butter Cake

Yeast Dough Base:

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. water

1/2 stick butter or margarine (soft)

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 pkg. yeast

1 egg

Heat the liquids with the margarine over low heat until warm. Margarine doesn't have to melt. Thoroughly mix the undissolved yeast with 3/4 c. of the flour, the sugar and the salt. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed in the mixer or by hand, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add about 1/4 c. flour, or enough to make a thick batter. Add the egg and beat on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Stir in the additional flour required to make a dough that can be turned out onto a floured board, but is still sticky. Work in just enough more flour to handle easily, then knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Grease and flour two 8 inch square pans, 2-inches deep. Shape the dough right into the pans, pressing it up against the sides. It will rise a little in the pans as you prepare the Gooey Butter Filling. Start heating the oven to 350 degrees.

Gooey Butter Filling

(Filling No. 1)

3/4 c. Eagle Brand milk, divided 1/2 c. and 1/4 c.

2 sticks butter

1/2 c. shortening

3/4 c. white Karo syrup

2 eggs

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. vanilla

pinch of salt

Cream the butter and shortening until fluffy. Add the 1/2 c. of Eagle Brand milk and beat until light. Add the syrup and mix thoroughly. Add the eggs, one at a time and continue mixing until the eggs are thoroughly mixed and the batter is light and fluffy. Add the flour and 1/4 c. Eagle Brand a little at a time, alternately, until all has been added. Add vanilla and salt and mix well. Pour this filling over the yeast dough in the pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. When removing from the oven, the filling will have an unbaked appearance because of the high sugar content, but it will set some after cooling.

Gooey Butter Filling

(Filling No. 2)

1 c. granulated sugar

2 sticks butter

1/2 c. shortening

3/4 c. corn syrup

2 eggs

1/2 c. milk

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. vanilla

pinch of salt

Cream the sugar with the butter and shortening until light. Add the white syrup and mix thoroughly. Add the eggs, one at a time and continue mixing until the eggs are thoroughly mixed and the batter is light and fluffy. Add the flour and milk a little at a time, alternately, until all has been added. Add vanilla and salt and mix well. Bake as directed above.

Louise Pogue of Cape Girardeau also wanted to share her favorite recipe. Hers is much like Mary Maupin's recipe, above, with a few alterations. In the cake base she uses 2 eggs and in the filling use 3 eggs. She bakes this recipe at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.

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Jeffrey Jackson of Cape Girardeau shares his recipe for corn bread stuffing with you hoping that you will try it for Christmas. He told me that it is the best stuffing recipe ever. I hope many of you have a chance to give it a try then let us know what you think.

Corn Bread Stuffing

10 T. butter

1 1/2 c. finely chopped onions

1 1/2 c. chopped celery

1 lb. well-seasoned sausage meat

the liver of a turkey or duck, finely chopped

about 8 c. coarsely crumbled corn bread

1/2 to 2 t. salt, to taste

2 t. freshly ground pepper

1 t. thyme

1/2 t. sage

1/4 finely chopped parsley

1/2 c. Madeira or Tawny Port

Saute the onions and celery in the butter in a large skillet until the onions are just a pale gold. Remove to a mixing bowl. Add the sausage to the skillet, break it up with a fork, and let it cook several minutes over medium heat. when it is lightly browned, add the chopped liver. Brown it for 2 to 3 minutes with the sausage meat, and add it to the onions in the bowl. Add the corn bread crumbs salt, pepper and rest of the seasonings. Mix well with your hands and add the wine (Madeira or Tawny Port). Taste for seasoning and stuff the bird.

(Stuffing is actually better when it is cooked with the bird because it will stay much more moist.)

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Frieda Hopple of Cape is looking for any recipes using turtle meat. Frieda has access to turtle meat but is bewildered as to how to fix it. So, readers, this is a good challenge for you. I can't wait to hear from many of you.

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Barb Johnson of Cape is looking for a recipe for Pumpkin Fudge. She wrote in that she ate this fudge at a festival in Circleville, Ohio once and it was absolutely delicious. Can anyone help her with her search?

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Barbara McClanahan of Cape Girardeau helped Bev Lorenz find the delicious caramel cookie recipe she was looking for. This would be wonderful addition to holiday cookie tray. The recipe by Carol Bierschwal of Cape Girardeau won second place in the Missourian's Colossal Cookie Contest last year.

Nutty Chocolate Caramel Bars

2 1/3 cups flour

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter or 2 sticks margarine

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1 cup (12.25 ounce jar) caramel ice cream topping

Combine 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter; stir until all ingredients are moistened. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture; press remaining mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13 X 9 inch pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with morsels and walnuts. Combine caramel topping and remaining 1/3 cup flour in small bowl; drizzle over base. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 more minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Sue McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Senior Center. Her cookbook collection tops 2,000 books.