Over Christmas break, I spent a little time with an older gentlemen (late 80's). We had quite a few conversations around the table. He is a man who most would consider a true {success} by worldly standards. But, as he talked with me...I found it amazing that he never talked about the amazing travels he and his wife did, companies he owned and sold, lavish shopping or jewerly purchasing.
He talked about his childhood. He had some amazing stories! His childhood was during the Great Depression. Gracefully, he spoke of his mother and how even during the roughest times...she somehow managed to have dessert on the table every night. His eyes almost lit up talking about her desserts. Something so simple..."dessert after dinner" brought this man back to fond {memories}.
I came back from these conversations with {new} ideas. Of course, the dessert one sounds divine and with all the Kindles, i phones, Blackberries swirling around my house. I will almost do anything to keep them all together at that dinner table a little longer. So this week, we started with "Upside Down Pineapple Cake"...a southern favorite especially for Mr. Sandy Toes.
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
9 slices pineapple in juice (from 14-oz can), drained
9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.
In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm.
How do you keep your family around the table longer?
5 comments:
Strap them down! :) Well, the littlest one anyway! We don't have a TV so that helps keep everyone around talking longer.
It's not an easy task, that's for sure, but we turn off the TV and engage in lively conversation about anything AND everything!
What a great idea... dessert every night.
We are trying to lose weight so I may have to come up with another idea or learn some new, low fat dessert recipes!
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Melanie
I love talking with older people and hearing their stories. I was raised on a dairy farm here in Wisconsin and my mom made dessert every single day with our supper.
I love it!
We are big into Family dinner here-and we won't let the boys leave the table until they ask to be excused...and if they scarf down dinner, great! Stay and tell us everything on your mind...
Your post reminds me of what I want to post about this weekend: I came home from school on Wed. exhausted. He had made Creme Brule for me for dessert. I nearly cried in joy-dessert after dinner is such a wonderful treat, and such a warm memory...
I will pass on the Pineapple cake for him to make...
Happy New Year, and God Bless!
{Yipee-It's Friday!}
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