along Walnut Creek

Susan’s Coffee Cake

Our family calls it Cinammon River Coffee Cake
Makes about eight servings.

Batter

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup soft shortening
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup sifted flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk

Filling

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water

1. Begin heating oven to 375°F
2. Mix well the sugar, shortening and egg.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt
4. Add to egg mixture alternately with milk
5. Spread half of batter in greased 8″x12″ baking pan.
6. Mix remaining (filling) ingredients.
   Spread half over batter in pan and circle with fork for marbled effect.
7. Repeat with remianing batter and cinnamon topping.
8. Bake in moderate oven at 375°F about 30 minutes.

Variations:

Orange Desert Coffee Cake: Leave coffee cake in pan. 
While still hot, sprinkle with 1 cup granulated sugar. 
Then pour over the top 3/4 cup fresh orange juice mixed with 1 tablespoon grated orange peel.

Buttermilk-Glazed Coffee Cake: Boil the following ingredients together for one minute:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter.

Do Not Beat!  Pour hot sauce over cake in pan while cake is still hot.

Self-frosting Cookie Bars: Spread batter in greased 15″x10″ jelly roll pan. 
Drizzle cinnamon topping over surface, then swirl with spoon. 
Sprinkle with nuts. 
Bake in moderate oven (375°F) about 20 minutes. 
Cut into 3 dozen bars.

Servings: 6 Service Size: 1 cup

• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1 cup Chicken stock from cooking chicken breasts or canned broth
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 cups cooked Chicken Breast without skins bone
• 1/2 cup sauteed, sliced Mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped Green Pepper (simmmered in 1/2 cup broth or stock, drained)
• 2 tablespoons Pimentos
• 1/4 cup Sherry Wine
• Patty Shells (Pepperidge Farm) or English Muffins

1. Melt 1/2 cup butter in the top of a double boiler (we’be used a teflon pan)
2. Over low heat: mix in 1/2 cup of flour and gradually add 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon of salt (we’ve used a bit less salt)
3. Cook long enough to make a smooth cream sauce and hold to add the following:
4. Simmer 1/2 cup chopped green pepper in 1/2 cup of stock or broth for 5 minutes and drain. Add the drained green pepper, along with 2 cups of cooked chicken, cut in approximately 1 inch pieces, 1/2 cup of sauteed mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of chopped pimento
5. Reheat all together
6. Just before serving, reheat again and add 1/4 cup of sherry wine
7. Serve in patty shells (aka pastry shells) or on English muffins. (If desired, top each with a medium sized sauteed mushroom cap, a sprig of parsley and a dash of paricka.)

Note: in recent years, we’ve made 3 batches for holiday get togethers. (Original recipe from Grandma Friel’s friend, Mary Schultz Blakeslee using 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of cream, but we never did that.