You know what's really good?

I love this stuff.

Butter. On saltine crackers. Just plain. You can add a little raspberry jam if you want to get fancy. Or peanut butter on hamburgers. No kidding! I had a friend in college who would dress his burgers like that every week. When I tried it, I was really surprised.

Here are a few other things that I like:

• Pepper jelly with cream cheese

• A good steak

• Ice cream. Peanut butter and chocolate is great.

• Barbecue. I once went on a road trip to Memphis, St. Louis, and Kansas City just to try a bunch of barbecue joints. We went to some of the famous ones: Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City, Pappy’s Smokehouse in St. Louis, Central BBQ in Memphis, and several others. I still can’t decide which one was the best.

• Sanders double chocolate buttercream layer cake - there’s a story to go with this one.

  

  Every other week my grandfather would come to our house for dinner (he alternated weeks with my uncle’s family) and bring a cake from Detroit’s Sander’s bakery. Double chocolate buttercream, or “bump cake” as we called it, was my favorite. It had stripes (bumps) of buttercream on top, covered with chocolate frosting, which gave it the name.

• Those dates wrapped in bacon that they make for hors d'oeuvres (I can never spell that word — I just had to look it up). Or just anything with bacon.

For all you do-it-yourselfers, here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Hudson’s Maurice Salad

Dressing:

2 t. white vinegar

1 1/2 t. lemon juice

1 1/2 t. onion juice

1 1/2 t. sugar

1 1/2 t. Dijon mustard

1/4 t. dry mustard

1 c. mayonnaise

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 hard cooked egg, diced

salt to taste

Salad ingredients:

14 oz. ham, cut into strips

14 oz. cooked turkey breast, cut into strips

14 oz. Swiss cheese, cut into strips

1/2 c. slivered, sweet gherkin pickles

1 head Iceberg lettuce, shredded

12-16 pimento stuffed green olives

Combine the first 6 dressing ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add remaining dressing ingredients and mix well. Combine the ham, turkey, cheese and pickles together in a large bowl. Toss together with the dressing. Divide the lettuce among plates, top with salad and garnish each plate with 2 olives.

(serves 6-8)

---

Ramen Salad

1 pkg. Cole slaw

1 cup slivered almonds

Green onions

Ramen noodles

1/3 cup vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Ramen seasoning

Toast almonds. Mix liquids with sugar and seasoning package. Crumble noodles and mix together.

---

Sicilian Orange Cake

Ingredients:

1 large orange (seedless, washed and whole)

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup olive oil (or neutral vegetable oil)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the Oven:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan, or line it with parchment paper.

Prepare the Orange:

Cut the orange into quarters and remove any seeds. Place the entire orange (peel, pith, and flesh) into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Make the Batter:

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the oil, beating until well combined.

Stir in the blended orange puree.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.

Bake the Cake:

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve:

Dust the top with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

This cake is best served at room temperature and pairs wonderfully with coffee or tea.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 45 minutes | Total

Time: 1 hour

Kcal: 250 kcal | Servings: 8 servings

---

Bon appetit!