Pig Cake

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 16

Ingredients

■FOR THE CAKE:
■1 box (18.25 Oz. Box) Yellow Cake Mix
■1 stick Margarine (softened)
■1 can (14 Oz. Can) Mandarin Oranges, Drained, 1/2 Cup Juice Reserved
■4 whole Eggs
■1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

FOR THE TOPPING:

■1 package (4 Oz. Box) Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
■1 can (20 Oz. Can) Crushed Pineapple, Juice Reserved
■½ cups Powdered Sugar
■4 ounces, fluid Frozen Whipped Topping (such As Cool Whip)
■Extra Mandarin Orange Slices, For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the cake, combine cake mix, margarine, 1/2 cup juice from the mandarin oranges, eggs, and vanilla. Beat for four minutes on medium-high. Add drained oranges and beat again until pieces are broken up and small. Pour batter into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Remove from oven and cool completely. If desired, turn out cake onto a large platter.

Once cake is cool, blend juice from drained pineapples with the vanilla pudding mix. Add powdered sugar and mix, then mix in whipped topping. Stir in drained pineapple. Spread on cooled cake and refrigerate several hours.

To serve, cut cake into squares and top each square with a mandarin orange slice.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/pig-cake/

Meatballs with Peppers and Pineapple

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8

Ingredients
■1-¼ pound Ground Beef
■½ whole Onion, Diced Very Finely
■1 whole Egg
■½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs (or Regular Breadcrumbs)
■1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
■Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
■½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper, More To Taste
■¼ cups All-purpose Flour
■Canola Oil, For Frying
■2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Seeded And Diced Roughly
■1-½ cup Fresh Pineapple Chunks
■2 cups Beef Stock Or Broth
■2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
■½ cups Sherry Or White Wine Vinegar
■⅓ cups Sugar
■1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
■Salt To Taste
■Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste
■Extra Beef Stock If Needed
Preparation Instructions
Combine ground beef, diced onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and crushed red pepper. Mix with hands until combined. Roll meat mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze on the pan for 15 minutes to firm.

Mix together beef stock, soy sauce, sherry (or vinegar), sugar, and cornstarch.

Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Roll meatballs in flour, then fry in two batches until nice and brown, about two minutes per batch. Remove meatballs and set aside on a separate plate.

Pour off oil from pan and return pan to medium high heat. When pan is hot, throw in the chopped green peppers and cook for one minute. Add pineapple to pan and cook for one minute, stirring gently. Pour in stock/soy sauce mixture, then add meatballs. Stir gently to combine and allow to cook and bubble for a few minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add salt and crushed red peppers to taste. (Hint: this dish is yummy if it’s a little spicy.)

Serve over cooked brown or white rice.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/meatballs-with-peppers-and-pineapple/

Exotic Yogurt Muffins

Muffins:
2 six-ounce cartons Rachel’s Exotic Mango-Pineapple-Passion Fruit Yogurt
1 egg
½ cup canola oil
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 cup crushed canned pineapple

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Glaze:
1 six-ounce carton Rachel’s Exotic Mango-Pineapple-Passion Fruit Yogurt
2/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter/grease muffin pan.
Mix egg and 2 cartons yogurt in a mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, pineapple, and oil, and mix until combined.

Sift dry ingredients and add to wet mixture, stirring to combine. Do not overstir!

Fill 12 muffin cups with batter and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Prepare glaze by mixing yogurt and brown sugar. Drizzle over the top of warm muffins. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar.

Lotsa Love,
Dian

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/11/rachels-yogurt-recipes/