In the Kitchen With Bettye Ward Criddle

 in Favorite Recipes / Now Magazines by

These recipes were contributed by Bettye Ward Criddle, a Corsicana resident, and originally appeared in the CorsicanaNOW September 2016 issue.

Bettye’s Pineapple Pie
Note: An original recipe everyone loves!

  • 1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 3 egg yolks, reserve whites for meringue
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  1. Drain pineapple; combine pineapple juice with enough water to equal 1 cup of liquid.
  2. Add another 1/2 cup water to total 1 1/2 cups.
  3. Mix sugar, salt and cornstarch well. Beat egg yolks well; add to water mixture.
  4. Combine with sugar mixture; add vanilla and butter. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Cook for two additional minutes.
  5. Add pineapple to mixture; pour into two precooked, 9-inch deep-dish pie crusts.
  6. Top pie filling with meringue of choice made with reserved egg whites; bake pies until meringue tips are browned.

 

Vegan Chocolate Cake
Note: Tweaked from regular chocolate cake recipe.

Cake:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 cups Sugar In The Raw
  • 6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup safflower oil
  • 2 Tbsp. vinegar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • Baker’s Joy cooking spray

Icing:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4-5 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp. safflower oil
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • Coconut milk
  1. For cake: Preheat oven to 350 F; thoroughly mix dry ingredients.
  2. Add wet ingredients in order of listing; continue mixing until batter is even with no lumps.
  3. Spray an 8-inch Bundt or stem cake pan with Baker’s Joy; pour in batter.
  4. Bake until a toothpick is dry when removed; remove from oven and let cool.
  5. For icing: Combine all ingredients except coconut milk; beat with an electric mixer, adding coconut milk 1 Tbsp. at a time until desired texture is achieved. Ice cake when cooled.

 

Lazy Woman’s Cake

  • 1 box Pillsbury German Chocolate Cake Mix
  • 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut, shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
  1. For cake: Cook box cake according to package directions; bake in 2 8-inch cake pans.
  2. For icing: Combine milk, sugar and egg yolks in a saucepan; cook until thickened.
  3. Add butter; stir until melted. Add vanilla, coconut and pecans; mix well; spread over and between stacked cake layers.

 

Cornbread and Ground Beef

  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 8.5-oz. pkg. cornbread mix
  • 1 8.5-oz. can cream-style corn
  • 1 small onion
  • Margarine
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  1. Brown meat; drain and set aside.
  2. Mix cornbread batter according to package directions; add corn to batter.
  3. Sauté onion in a small amount of margarine; add onions, garlic powder, salt and pepper to meat.
  4. Spoon half of the cornbread batter into a greased baking pan; top with meat mixture.
  5. Sprinkle with cheese; spread remaining batter on cheese.
  6. Bake for 1 hour at 375 F.

 

Very Good Pecan Pie

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. butter (room temperature)
  • 1 cup white corn syrup
  • 4 eggs, well beaten
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp. evaporated milk
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust
  1. Cream sugar and butter with electric mixer until light; add syrup; mix well.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla and milk; stir in pecans.
  3. Pour into pie crust; cook for 1 hour at 350 F.
  4. Pie will rise while cooking and fall when cooled.