November 2025

Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Philly Fluff Cake

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 We made a trip recently to a bakery that my niece was raving about!  This family-owned bakery, Natale’s  specializes and is famous for this cake.  Where did it get it’s name?  Philly, I assume comes from the cream cheese in the recipe.  

In the bakery case, these cakes look like an Angel Food cake dusted with powdered sugar – so what’s the big deal?  It’s sweet, moist and buttery with a crisp brown crust and literally melts in your mouth – that’s the big deal.  


10 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 cup granulated sugar, divided

6 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan.

     2.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter and shortening on medium-

          high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 

I think this is where the “Fluff” comes in.

          In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

          Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix on low speed until blended – it will

          be very thick.

     3.  Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add

          the vanilla and the remaining 1 cup sugar and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl 

          once or twice, until the batter is smooth.

The cake will settle while cooling – it’s too pretty to turn over!

     4.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center

          comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack to 15 minutes.  Invert the cake onto a platter and cool 

          completely.  Dust with a generous amount of confectioner’s sugar.


Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

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I know my last three posts have been a pasta dish, but I think you know me by now!  I’ve been searching the globe to find this recipe which is a copykat from the Cheesecake Factory version.  I’ve finally found someone who broke the code!  I order this whenever I go there.  Their shrimp are not curled up, but “stretched out”.  I though the only way I could do this was to put toothpicks in them to prevent them from curling up.  This worked OK, but I had a hard time removing them, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

I threw my towel over my shoulder (a necessity) and decided to be a professional today and did my “mise en place”.
Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. Extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
  • 2-6 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 large plum tomato, diced
  • 8-10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 large lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
  • Angel Hair Pasta

Soak shrimp in milk for 15 minutes.  Heat 4 Tbsp. olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Combine flour, parmesan, salt, pepper and cayenne in a medium bowl.  Dredge the shrimp until well coated.  Fry shrimp along with whole garlic in the oil until shrimp are golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove cooked shrimp and set aside. Leave garlic in pan, stirring frequently to avoid burning.  Add wine and lemon juice to the garlic in the pan and bring to a boil.  Let wine reduce by half.  Add cream and bring back to a boil, lower heat and reduce by half again.  Add basil and tomatoes and cook for a few minutes to slightly soften tomatoes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Return shrimp to sauce, remove from heat and cover to keep warm.  Serve with angel hair pasta.

Make sure everyone gets one or two of the toasted garlic on their plate!

~Adapted from “Momslikeme”
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Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Ćwikła – Polish Horseradish with Beets Relish

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Ćwikła isn’t quite easy to pronounce so I’ve always just called it red beets, because that’s what is is. Buraki, in Polish simply means beetroots and this is a typical Polish condiment, served with roast or any kind of smoked meat or sausage. It is a must on the holiday table, regardless if it’s Christmas or Easter. Ćwikła basically consists of grated beetroots and horseradish. I prefer it with as much horseradish as possible, really hot and nice!  This goes perfect with your Easter ham and hard-boiled eggs.

  • 1 tsp. white vinegar
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar
  • 1 cup homemade or purchased horseradish (add as much as you like to suit your taste)
  • 1 lb. beets, cooked, peeled and grated or 1 (14 oz.) can prepared beets, drained and grated
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

I suggest if choose to grate your own fresh horseradish root that you wear goggles!

In a large bowl, mix together the vinegar, brown sugar, horseradish and salt until well combined.

Add beets and mix thoroughly.

Pack into clean jars and store up to 2 months.

Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: German Meat Pies

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Growing up in a Polish family, we had sauerkraut often with many meals.  My Mom’s sauerkraut was the best and I would make a sandwich with just sauerkraut.  When I saw this “burger” with sauerkraut, I had to give it a try. I’m calling this recipe German Meat Pies since it was a German/Russian family that came up with this recipe.  Diner’s, Drive-ins and Dives featured this recipe on one of the episodes and it was called a Lauer-Kraut Burger.  Ground beef, onions, cabbage and sauerkraut was the filling for these individual pies.
The dough in this recipe is very easy to work with and the results were light and tender.  It tastes similar to a soft pretzel dough.   

Burger Filling:

1 lb. ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped 1/4-inch
2 teaspoons restaurant-grind black pepper, divided
1/2 medium head green cabbage, chopped 1/4-inch
1 lb. bagged sauerkraut
1 teaspoon salt

 Burger Bread Dough Mix:

1tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup powdered milk
4-5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
2eggs
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the burger filling: Begin by browning the ground chuck in a large skillet over medium heat, crumbling the meat pretty finely as it browns. Once the chuck is browned, add the chopped onions and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook the onion down a little, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped cabbage, sour kraut, salt and the remaining1 teaspoon pepper. Let the mixture cook 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how done you like the cabbage. Strain and let cool.

For the dough: Put the yeast and sugar in a 2cup measuring cup and add warm water to the 1/2 cup mark. Stir together and let set to activate. Put the powdered milk in another 1 cup measuring cup and add water to the 1 cup mark. Stir together. In large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and shortening. Once the yeast has risen to twice its original size, cut the shortening into the flour by hand. Next, make a well in the flour and add the eggs. Then add the yeast mixture and the powdered milk mixture to the flour. Work together until it all comes away from the bowl (you may need a touch more flour or water). Oil the dough slightly on each side, cover and then let rise 10 minutes. Pinch and let rise another 15 minutes.

To assemble the burgers: Put bench flour on the table and put the dough on the flour. Begin to roll the dough as close to a rectangle as you can, roughly 24 by 30 inches. Once the dough is rolled out, cut the dough into squares, roughly 6 by 6 inches. Take a square of dough and roll it out a little bigger, roughly 8 by 8 inches. Turn the re-rolled square over and add a full cup of filling mixture into the middle of the dough. Bring the opposite corners of the square together, and then bring the other 2 opposite corners together. You should have all 4 corners drawn together. Then pinch down the 4 seams of the dough. Once you pinch all the seams, push down slightly on the kraut burger. This will release extra air and help you find any place you missed sealing the kraut burger. Turn the sealed pocket over and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.  Bake at 375 Degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes.







This recipe makes 12 big pies!

~Adapted from Food Network

Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Figs for Starters

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Delicious, sweet fig fruit is one of the prime fruits enjoyed since antiquity in the human history. Fig is naturally rich in much health benefiting phyto-nutrients, anti-oxidants and vitamins. Dried figs, in fact, are concentrated source of minerals and vitamins. 

Simple

Figs and sharp cheese are a perfect combination.

Who said you can’t play with your food?

Shape figs into a heart shape and serve with shards of Parmigiano Reggiano

Sweet

Gorgonzola, Fig and Walnut Tartlets

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed

6 dried figs, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)

1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1 Tbsp. honey

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Unroll pie crust on flat surface.

Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds from pie crust.  Gently press 1 round in bottom and up sides of each of 24 ungreased mini muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix figs, brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts and figs.  Spoon 1 Tbsp. into each cup.

Bake 7 to 11 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.  Remove tarlets to serving plate.

Drizzle tartlets with honey and serve warm.


 Savory

Bacon Wrapped Figs with Gorgonzola Cheese

24 dried figs

8 oz. Gorgonzola Cheese

8-10 thin smoked bacon strips

Preheat oven to 3575 degrees F.  In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a simmer.  Add dried figs and remove from heat. Allow figs to plump (about 5 minutes).  Remove from pan and place on paper towel to dry.  Soak toothpicks in water for 5 minutes.  Snip stems from figs, then cut an “X” into the top of the fig and open gently.  Place a small cube of cheese into the fig and close.  Gently stretch the bacon and cut strip into 3 pieces.  Lay bacon slice around the fig and secure with toothpicks.  Place figs on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake approx 15-20 minutes or until bacon is done.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

~Tartlet Recipe – Pillsbury

Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Babka – Grandmother's Bread

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Babka is  brioche-like yeast cake traditionally baked for Easter.  Babka comes from “baba or babci” meaning Grandmother.  This is my mother’s recipe.  Perfect in the morning just with butter and a hot cup of coffee.
You will need:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1-1/4 cup scalded milk
  • 2 pkgs. dry yeast
  • 5 cups all purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. each orange and lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup golden raisans

Scald milk; add butter and sugar and stir until butter melts.  Cool to lukewarm.  In your stand mixer, add milk mixture.  Add yeast and 2-1/2 cups of the flour, beat well.  Add eggs, one at a time until well blended.  Add zest, raisans and remaining flour.  Mix to incorporate and knead 10 minutes.  Dough will be a little sticky, but don’t add any more flour.  Transfer to a large, oiled bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.  Punch down dough and place in a well buttered tube pan.  Cover and let rise again; about 45 minutes.

 

Brush the top of the dough with beaten egg.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This makes fabulous French Toast!

Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Slovakia Sweet Egg Cheese

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 This recipe for Slovak sweet egg cheese is typically served at Easter time and goes by various names including hrudka, cirak, sirok, sirecz and on and on. It’s an interesting concoction that’s made the same way fresh cheese is.  It’s variously called hrudka, sirok, Typically, hrudka is made without sugar, but some cooks prefer it sweet. Another way I like to serve it is sliced, dredged in flour and sautéed in butter. If the hrudka is sweet, you can sprinkle it with granulated or confectioners’ sugar or even serve it with syrup as it tastes a lot like French toast without the bread!  This is a recipe passed down from my sister’s mother-in-law.

  • 15 eggs
  • 1 quart of milk
  • 4 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • Pinch of sugar

Put all ingredients in a heavy-bottoms 3 quart saucepan.  Beat together well with electric hand mixer.  Cook slowly over low heat stirring constantly.  When the mixture begins to get hot, you will see bits of the egg beginning to make curds.  When it looks like cottage cheese and the liquid begins to separate, remove from heat.

Pour into cheesecloth-line large bowl.

Bring up sides of cheesecloth and form into a ball.  Squeeze out as much liquid as possible (let cool slightly) and tie the cheesecloth closed.  Set over a strainer and let moisture drain; about 2 hours.  I hang mine off the cabinet knob with a bowl underneath. Refrigerate overnight.  Remove cheesecloth and slice.  You can also bread lightly in flour and fry like french toast and serve with maple syrup.

Click here for more Traditional Eastern European Recipes

Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Crock Pot Apple Cider Baked Beans

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We went apple picking this past Sunday to an Orchard in Oldwick, NJ.  When we arrived, hay rides coming and going, a stand roasting fresh corn, and plenty of pumpkins.  Apple Butter, fresh apple cider, homemade jams and mustards all waiting for you!  All the sights and aromas of Fall.  I just bought a quart of the cider, since I’m the only one who drinks it.  I made a ham in the crockpot with the apple cider, and to be honest, I wasn’t that thrilled about it.  I’d still rather bake my ham with a glaze.  BUT…….I did save all the cooking juices to make the next amazing dish.  CrockPot Apple Cider Baked Beans.  This one I can rave about! Slow cooked in a flavorful sauce, the wonderful aroma of these simmering beans will warm your heart and your kitchen. Beans are fall and winter comfort food. They are naturally low in fat and high in vegetable protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Remember that one cup dried beans will yield slightly more than 2 cups cooked.

2 cups dried white navy beans, picked over, washed and soaked (May substitute canned beans by using three 15 ounce cans of navy beans or great northern beans. Drain and rinse. Proceed with recipe.) 1 small onion, diced 4 tablespoons molasses 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons ketchup 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 small bay leaf 1 teaspoons cider vinegar 4 teaspoons soy sauce 1 1/3 cups apple cider, boiling (I used the cooking juices from the ham, which already had brown sugar and I snuck in 1 tsp. bacon drippings)

Boiling water

 

To prepare beans: Pour beans onto a flat surface (countertop) in a single layer. Pick out rocks, dirt balls, off colored and broken beans. Discard. Wash beans in two changes of cold water. Cover with 3 inches of water and allow beans to soak overnight or 8 to 10 hours. (Quick soak method: Cover cleaned beans with 3 inches cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute, turn heat off and let stand for 1 hours or more. Drain beans. Bring liquid to a boil. Pour beans into your CrockPot. Add all the ingredients, stir and add enough reserved boiling liquid to cover beans. Cook on Low Setting 6-8 hours. Join the CrockPot Virtual Party!
Ekat’s Kitchen – Friday Potluck 

Comfy Cuisine- Home Recipes from Family & Friends: Waldorf Salad Coleslaw

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A Waldorf Salad is traditionally made with fresh apples, celery and walnuts, dressed with mayonnaise and served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer. The salad was first created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.  It was the maitre d’hotel who created this recipe.  The salad became so popular that Cole Porter featured it in his song “You’re the Top”. This a version of the original salad.  Everyone seems so anxious for the warm weather to come, yours truly included!  This is a cool, crisp, salad, perfect for your first BBQ.

  • 6 cups white cabbage, cored and chopped (or shredded, whatever you prefer)
  • 2 Granny Smith Apples, cut into julienne strips, plus apple slices for garnish
  • 2 ribs of celery, sliced thinly diagonally
  • l/2 cup walnuts
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large bowl, stir together the cabbage, apple strips, celery and walnuts.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, oil and the vinegar until the dressing is smooth and combined.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well.  Chill, covered for 2 hours.
~Wikepedia
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