Jan D'Atri

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vanilla extract

4th of July Apple Pie with a Twist

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Homemade fresh-out-of-the-oven apple pie ala mode for the 4th of July! Pretty hard to beat. When I got a letter from Sun City resident Eva Meeks, it included a recipe for an award-winning apple pie that she had clipped from a magazine a few years ago. Here’s part of Eva’s letter:


“During the 4th of July holiday I hosted a pot luck for my family and decided to bake my favorite apple pie. I’ve been making it for several years now, and it’s always a big hit. Apparently this pie won some blue ribbons at state and county fairs. All I know is it wins hearts every time I make it for friends and family. It has a surprise filling that really adds a nice flavor. I thought you’d like to try it.”


Well, Eva, you thought right! I wasted no time peeling the Granny Smith apples and mixing up the “surprise” filling. I’m so happy Eva “blind bakes” (also known as pre-baking) her bottom crust. I’ve always done that as well because the bottom shell stays somewhat crispy after filling and baking. I’m also a fan of cooking my apples just to soften before filling the pie shell. Eva softens her apples in the microwave and then adds the rest of the ingredients. If you’re an apple pie lover, dish this one up with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ll be in for a big surprise!

Italian Crème Cake

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I’ve always thought this cake is perfect for Easter time with its fluffy white frosting. Elaine Nall’s Italian Crème Cake is just plain crazy, out-of-this-world delicious. Period. The recipe was given to Elaine, a longtime Scottsdale educator, more than 40 years ago and it has withstood the “friends and family favorite” test ever since. It’s apparently the most requested dessert at Nall Family birthdays, anniversaries, holiday gatherings and even at Elaine’s church group—the one that has met for four decades every Christmas for a White Elephant sale. I’m just happy that when daughter-in-law Donna Nall quietly mentioned to me that Elaine was famous in the family for this cake, I paid attention. In between three ever so rich-tasting layers of buttermilk cake is a luscious slather of cream cheese and pecan icing. Yes, it’s absolutely perfect for Easter, or Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, just because, for no reason…

Watch my How To Video for Italian Crème Cake here!

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

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I’ve had the recipe for the famous St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake in my “must bake” folder for several years now. I didn’t really know anything about it. I just knew if it had gooey and butter in the title, it was destined for my oven. Then I forgot about it, until one of my cooking pals, Janne Mahan, moved to St. Louis, Missouri. There, she established a book club, and then the pandemic put a halt to group gatherings. Her book club then began to via Zoom video conferencing. Since the members of Janne’s book club were also foodies, I thought it might be fun to have her poll the group and let me know what their very favorite St. Louis foods are. As it turns out, top of the list was the St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake. It was the perfect excuse to pull out my folder, dig for the recipe and get to work. Holy Cow. No wonder it’s a favorite! This cake is one sweet St. Louis treat! It’s dense and rich and acts a bit like a brownie with a dusting of powdered sugar baked into the top. It has two distinct layers; the bottom one is the pound cake and the top is a blend of cream cheese, powdered sugar and eggs which provides the gooeyness. It’s perfect as a coffee or snack cake and is a great make-ahead treat to transport to a picnic or party. Not only is St. Louis the home of the world’s tallest arch known as the Gateway to the West, but also the city rich with ooey gooey goodness!

Watch my How To Video for St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake here!

Grown Up Smore’s and Graham Cracker Cake Pops

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Looking for just one more item for your New Year’s Eve bash? This idea will create a S’more-gasboard of treats! For fun and easy Grown Up S’mores Marshmallow Pops, I had to look no further than the back of a Honey Maid Graham Cracker Box. If you find the old fashioned Smore’s to be a little messy to eat, you’re going to love the modern day “cake pop” version. I found the perfect size (3 inch) pretzels at Cost Plus World Market. (UTZ All-Natural Butter Sticks.) Then, for New Year’s Day, if you have leftover graham crackers, try moist and flavorful Graham Cracker Cake. I found the recipe in the 1931 Searchlight Cookbook. It’s an 82 year old dessert that I’m guessing few people have tried, even though Graham Crackers continue to be one of America’s favorite snacks. For this recipe, the graham cracker crumbs replace the flour, and the folded-in egg whites make this cake light and fluffy. You can serve it with whipped cream, but I’ve also shared my favorite glaze that’s perfect for desserts like the Graham Cracker Cake. I hope you’ll enjoy both treats. May they add Smore to your life this New Year’s Eve and for 2020!