Food For Thought Thursdays: Southern Comfort

I have a confession to make: my name is Dawn and I have an extreme sweet tooth. I inherited it from both my grandfather and grandmother as well as my dad. His mother was the one who always had a freshly baked cake, pie or even cookies ready whenever we came over. My favorite? Her incredible Pineapple Upside Down Cake. (I still can't find anyone who makes it as well as she did, believe me, I've looked.) My Grandma Maggie was the type of cook who "eyed" everything, meaning there were no such things as measuring cups used in her kitchen. Oh how I envy that. Same goes for Grandma Louise and her rice pudding. I really think it's a generational phenomenon. My mother has definitely picked up that gene, I won't start about her fabulous sweet potato pie! It's about 31 degrees out and I could use a little southern comfort. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
6 slices pineapple or 1 can (20 ounces) can of drained pineapple chunks
maraschino cherries
pecan halves
.
Cake
.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
Preparation:
In a 9-inch square cake pan, melt butter; sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange pineapple and cherries and nut halves on sugar, making a design.
Make cake batter.
Cream 1/2 cup butter; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk; beat until smooth, ending with dry ingredients. Pour over pineapple design. Bake at 375° for about 35 minutes. Let cake cool for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain cooked rice
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 cup raisins
3 1/2 cups milk
ground nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except nutmeg. Pour mixture into a lightly buttered shallow baking dish and sprinkle with nutmeg. Place baking dish in a pan of hot water in oven and bake at 300° for about 1 1/2 hours, or until set. A clean knife inserted into the center should come out with nothing clinging to it. Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream or whipped topping, if desired.