Tag: potluck

Desserts

The Best Pig Pickin’ Cake with Coconut

There are so many recipes for Pig Pickin’ Cake on the internet, but this is the way my grandma used to make it so I hope you enjoy it. She always called it “Refreshing Cake” because she thought that perfectly described it. And if you have ever had this cake before I’m sure you would agree. With the pineapple, mandarin oranges and cool whip, this cake is very refreshing!

Something else I love about this cake is that the ingredients are easy to keep on hand. If you know you’re going to have to make a cake but you’re going to be busy, the ingredients can be bought ahead of time and keep well. The recipe is so easy and quick, besides the actual baking time, the only thing that takes a little more time is waiting for the cake to cool. Which can be sped up by putting the pan in the fridge on some trivets or a wire cooling rack.

I think this recipe is better when the cake has time to sit, so making it the day before you need it is a great option. If you don’t have time to make it day of, make it the day before and keep refrigerated.

The coconut flakes add a lovely texture but it’s totally optional

I prefer to use a hand mixer when I mix my batter because it helps break up the mandarin oranges. It’s also a little faster and let’s be honest, it’s more fun for the kids if they are helping! (Just make sure you are monitoring/helping the youngins if you are using a mixer!)

This is what your batter should look like before baking
Your beautiful Pig Pickin’ Cake with coconut

I like to use my 9X13 pan with a lid because as soon as your cake is ready, cut it and put the lid on, you’re good to go. Here is another 9X13 pan with a higher lid so the topping doesn’t stick to the lid.

You can eat this cake right after making it but I think it tastes better if it sits. Either for a few hours or overnight for best results. It gives the instant pudding mix time to dissolve/mix with the cool whip topping for a better texture and flavor.

The Best Pig Pickin’ Cake with Coconut

Blaire
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 15

Ingredients
  

For the Cake

  • 1 box White or yellow cake mix
  • 1 can Mandarin oranges in their juice do not drain
  • 3 Egg whites
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

For the Topping

  • 1 16oz Cool Whip topping
  • 1 package Instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 can Crushed pineapple in juice do not drain
  • 1/2 cup Sweetened flaked coconut plus extra for topping

Instructions
 

For the Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Mix cake ingredients together in a bowl with a hand mixer for a minute or two, scraping the sides with a silicone spatula to make sure everything is incorporated
  • Pour into a greased 9X13 baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes for until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool while you make the topping

For the Topping

  • Combine the topping ingredients in a bowl and stir with a spoon or silicone spatula. Top your cooled cake, spreading evenly and add coconut to the top. Enjoy!

Storage

  • Keep covered and in the refrigerator.

Notes

For best results, make sure your cake is fully cooled so it doesn’t melt your whipped topping.
Let sit for a few hours before eating if possible. This lets the instant pudding dissolve and tase even better!

Try my Puppy Chow Recipe for your looking for a dessert that is even quicker/easier to make!

Desserts

The Best Puppy Chow with 5 Ingredients

Jump to Recipe

When I was growing up, Puppy Chow was one of my favorite snacks that my mom would make for us. Not only is it yummy but its very easy to make and she always let us help. This recipe is so great because we usually always have all the ingredients on hand, and you only need 5 things!

I know some people called these “Muddy Buddies” but where I am from we called it Puppy Chow. Which sometimes concerned people when we told them we would bring it to a potluck or as a snack.

Easy and made with only 5 ingredients

For this recipe you only need a few things, a small pot, a silicone spatula, and a large bowl with a lid. If you don’t have a bowl big enough with a lid that’s okay. The lid just makes it easier to mix at the end, plus its fun to let the kids shake up!

Puppy Chow

Puppy Chow

Blaire
Easy Puppy Chow with only 5 ingredients
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups Crispix Cereal
  • 1.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cups peanut butter creamy
  • 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
  • 2.5 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Measure out your cereal into an extra large mixing bowl
  • On low heat, melt your chocolate chips and oil/butter together, stirring continuously until smooth. Don't walk away from your chocolate because it can burn very quickly!
  • Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat and stir your peanut butter until combined.
  • Pour mixture over Crispix and stir gently with a silicone spatula until the cereal is evenly coated.
  • Add your powdered sugar and shake with a secure lid (if possible). If you do not have a lid, carefully shake until cereal is evenly coated with the powdered sugar. Enjoy!

This recipe not for you? Try my favorite Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips, it’s a firehall favorite!

Please let me know if you try out any of my recipes and tag me on Instagram because I would love to see it!

Side Dishes

The Best Guacamole Ever

There are a lot of things that you will never see me buy from the grocery store and you can bet that one of them is pre-made guacamole. It is always too mushy and never has any flavor. For me, making it at home is so much tastier and way more fresh than store bought. And if you have never made it, you might be surprised how easy it is and how quickly it comes together.

This guacamole also goes great on my Shrimp Taco recipe!

Best Guacamole
Just chop all the ingredients and mix, it’s so easy!

Ingredients

  • 4 small ripe avocados (or 3 large)
  • Juice of three limes (adjust to your taste)
  • 1/2 cup diced cherry/grape tomatoes, you could also use roma tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro rinsed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1 Jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon of good extra virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste (about 1-2 teaspoons each)

Directions

  1. Cut your avocados in half and remove the pit, then scoop out the flesh of the avocados with a spoon. Put into a bowl with your lime juice and mash with a fork or a potato masher works great. Don’t mash too much if you like your guac a little chunky.
  2. Cut and or dice all of your veggies and herbs and add to the bowl, along with your olive oil, salt and pepper. I like to start off with about 1 teaspoon each or salt and pepper, tasting as I go to see if more is needed.
  3. Stir all of your ingredients and you are done!

Tips: This, like a few of my other recipes requires you to taste as you go. For example, if you need more lime, garlic etc. just add more! I never actually measure my ingredients for this recipe. I just eyeball the amounts and taste it as I go, making sure to use a clean spoon every time if I am serving to others.

If you try this recipe please tag me on Instagram because I would love to see!

Side Dishes

The Best Macaroni Salad for any Potluck

Growing up, I was a very picky eater. I always loved my mother’s macaroni salad but I would pick out the things I didn’t like and just eat the noodles. To this day, her recipe is the best macaroni salad I have ever had, and my go to for potlucks!

For this recipe, I have never really measured the ingredients, I just add things and taste the sauce as I go. I know this recipe looks like it make a lot of sauce, but you need more than you think. The macaroni salad really absorbs the sauce overnight so I add half in when I make it, and then the rest of the sauce in the morning.

My favorite thing about recipes like this is that you can change it to accommodate your taste and its not set in stone. Taste as you go and add more or less of whatever you think is necessary. It also comes together very quickly so it is really easy to make.

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pound box or 454 grams of elbow macaroni cooked according to directions on the box
  • 2-3 stalks of celery finely chopped (I use about 1 cup of chopped celery)
  • 1/2-1 green bell pepper finely chopped or 1 cup
  • 1/4-1/3 cup of finely chopped red onion (I judge this by how hot the onion is)
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s)
  • 1 cup miracle whip
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup Italian dressing
  • 4 hard boiled eggs finely chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box, then drain and rinse with cold water because we don’t want it to stick together.
  2. Chop all your veggies and add them in a large bowl with your macaroni.
  3. Mix your mayo, miracle whip, mustard, Italian dressing, salt and pepper and taste to see if you like the flavor.
  4. Then pour HALF of you dressing into your pasta and stir until incorporated. We want to save the other have to add in the morning or the next day because your noodles will absorb a lot of the sauce overnight.
  5. Carefully stir in the eggs last so they don’t get pulverized with all the stirring.
  6. Put into an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight, then add your remaining sauce the next day, remembering to stir gently so your eggs don’t get mashed. Enjoy!