Mamie's Poppy Seed Cake

This is a recipe that comes from my grandma (Mamie) and for Christmas this year she gave me and my little brother a bundt cake pan, the recipe to the cake, and even a new container of poppy seeds. She totally caught me off guard but what an awesome gift to give! Now I will admit that I am better at cooking meals than baked sweets (I can't get my consistencies ever to work), but this recipe is really easy to make and is simply scrumptious.

Poppy Seed Cake

• 1 box Duncan Hines Butter Golden Cake mix
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup Crisco oil
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

After mixing all the ingredients for the cake together, grease cake pan with Pam. Pour mixture into bundt cake pan and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour in 350 degree oven. While cake is in over, mix ingredients to make the glaze. 

Cake is done when it pulls away from the pan and can be tested by sticking a tooth pick in the cake and having it come out clean with no batter. After cake is baked and still warm, turn over the cake on to a platter. Punch holes into cake with a fork and pour the glaze all over the cake. 

Eggplant Fritters

I'm not really sure how the tradition started at my house, but every year for our New Year's Day lunch, my dad serves up his eggplant fritters and I looked forward to eating these bad boys all year long. 

Well, this year I spent my New Year's with my best friend Seth in Washington, D.C. (featured to the left in our dapper NYE gear). We cooked a little New Year's Eve dinner and I had to make the fritters for our dinner because I couldn't imagine the holiday without them! Seth told me the fritters weren't at all what he expected (they were better hehe) but they are surprisingly sweet and oh so yummy. Enjoy!

Eggplant Fritters

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed 
• Oil for frying 

Place cubed it in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt, and let it sit for about an hour. Before using, thoroughly rinse the eggplant and pat it dry. Boil eggplant until tender and then drain. 

Make a batter with all the remaining ingredients. 

Add the boiled eggplant pieces to the batter, and blend well with electric mixer (or in my case since I did not have one - a standing mixer). 

Drop by the spoonfuls in a little hot oil, and fry until golden brown on each side. 

Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sugar. 

Yields about 12 fritters.