Sunday Desserts

I have to admit this, excuse me grandchildren, but I am a Bisquick Ho. If it has Bisquick in it, I am going to try it. It is the quickest, tastiest, treat a cook can use. I have even fed it to unsuspecting French guests in the form of fresh peach cobbler. Strawberry shortcake, however, is simply scrumptious. Especially with a dollop of sour cream in the batter to lighten the end product. Who can resist this treat? I am feeling badly, at this time of year, for those allergic to strawberries. Meanwhile, the rest of us can dig in.

Have you ever had a bite of something and it's so memorable that it stays with you for a long time?

Twenty years ago I went to one of my sister-in-laws shower for a daughter who was getting married. It was at a restaurant in Cincinnati, but Glenda, my sister-in-law, brought the cakes for dessert. It was Hawaiian wedding cake or, as I call it, Glenda's cake. This simple cake holds a special place in my recipe drawer, I can tell you that. Recently this recipe appeared in Cook's Corner in our Columbus Dispatch, so now I have two copies of this splendid cake. I don't have a picture, but the next time I bake this, which might be for this Sunday's meal, I'll post the picture in all of its glory.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake (Glenda's Cake)

1 package yellow cake mix

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple WITH THE JUICES

1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese

2 cups milk

1 box (4 serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix

8 ounces cool whip

Coconut (optional--but I always use it)

Prepare cake according to package directions in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Cool the cake.

Poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour pineapple WITH juices over the baked cake. Beat cream cheese until softened. Slowly add milk and pudding mix. Let stand until set. Spread over pineapple. Spread Cool Whip over pudding layer. I put coconut all over the top, but you can do as you like. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Sunday, at Home, Suppers with the French

Sunday Suppers with the French

I had an apartment in Paris and looked forward to cooking for my French friends as soon as I arrived. The French seemed to always start off the dining experience with olives or nuts or, strangely enough, radishes with sea salt. I am sure they would relish this recipe from Cook's Corner in the Columbus Dispatch. It is my new favorite thing.

I didn't have cucumbers at the time and loved the recipe just the same. I also used the spread on toasted olive oil bread from the Giant Eagle in our town. It would be just as great on tea sandwich bread cut for tea time or with crackers as a dip.

Cucumber Sandwiches with Radish Spread...for the French (with a glass of wine)

24 servings

Grate 1 cup of radishes by hand or in the food processor

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup chopped green onions

16 slices very thin white bread such as Pepperidge Farm, crusts trimmed (I used toasted olive oil bread)

1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in celery salt and cayenne. Stir in radishes and green onions. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days to blend flavors. (This makes a big difference, so be sure to do this.)

Spread a thin layer of radish mixture over all the bread slices. Arrange cucumber over spread on half of the bread slices. Sprinkle with salt. Top with remaining bread slices. Cut each sandwich into three rectangular strips.

You can also use this as a layer on a sandwich with any deli meat or chicken. One can hardly go wrong with this recipe.