THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN
Project Grad takes cake
Red Velvet Cake, popular in the 1950s, is making a big comeback. The Pearl City High School Project Graduation 2007 cookbook features a recipe for the cake, along with 207 pages of recipes great for the family table, potluck and after-game snacks for the kids.
The book costs $10 and can be purchased at Ige's Restaurant & 19th Puka and at Baldwin's snack shop. To order by mail, send a check payable to PTSA Project Grad, adding $3 shipping per book. Include name, address and phone number and mail to: PCHS PTSA Project Grad Cookbook, 2100 Hookiekie St., Pearl City 96782. Questions? Call Corinne, 228-1550.
Here's a sampling of recipes from the cookbook.
Red Velvet Cake
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teaspoons red food coloring
» Frosting:
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans and line with waxed paper.
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat well.
Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda together.
Combine buttermilk, vinegar and food coloring. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour into pans. Bake 35 to 45 minutes. Cool.
To make frosting: In a small saucepan, cook flour and milk into a thick paste. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar; add vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until it reaches a whipped-cream consistency.
Split each cooled cake to make a total of 4 layers. Frost between each layer and top of cake. Serves 12.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 560 calories, 33 g total fat, 20 g saturated fat, 120 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 66 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 45 g sugar, 5 g protein.
Thai Chicken Salad
2 quarts salad greens
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1-1/2 pounds cooked chicken, shredded
12 ounces bean sprouts
20-ounces block firm tofu, drained and cubed
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Crispy fried noodles for garnish (optional)
» Dressing:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Combine greens, green onions, cilantro, chicken, bean sprouts and tofu.
Combine dressing ingredients. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss. Top with peanuts and fried noodles. Serves 10.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (without fried noodle garnish): 500 calories, 33 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 950 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 37 g protein.
Hawaiian Electric Co. presents this weekly collection of recipes as a public service. Many are drawn from HECO's database of recipes, accessible online at
www.heco.com.