Au Revoir Covid, Berry Me Naked Cake is a reduced calorie cake filled with flavor. The calorie savings come from a reduced cake size and tossing the icing. Review the recipe and let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you.

What is your cooking challenge or trick?

Please comment and tell me what else that you would like to see on my site. Do you have a cooking dilemma? What makes you nervous in the kitchen? Do you love to entertain or does the idea make you sweat?

Or please share your best cooking trick that you have learned. We would love to hear from you. Cooking takes practice because no one starts out as a Master Chef. I love this recipe, so let them eat Berry Me Naked Cake.

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Apparently, we’re baking like there is no tomorrow. And someone is hoarding all the yeast! How many Netflix, Hulu or Amazon prime series can you really watch and stay sane? Cooking as always been a creative outlet for me. Focusing on creating lovely meals is a good way to reflect on something other than the crazy covid-ness.

A home made from scratch cake is a great way to show appreciation to someone you care about. Whatever your age it is important that you master at least one cake in your repertoire. Why do you need this recipe and what is a naked cake?

What is a naked cake?

Naked cakes have no or minimal icing which allow you to see the texture of the cake. Clearly I am a big fan of this type of cake. If you have ever read the ingredients on icing for a cake, you understand why I have created this recipe.

As a lover of almost all really good foods, I have to find new ways to reduce. Besides wanting to cook and bake, I want to eat cake. Life is not fun without dessert or happy endings. This recipe reduces the size of the cake layers and uses a filling in lieu of traditional icing.

Au Revoir Covid, Berry Me Naked Cake recipe has a huge calorie reduction when you dump the icing and bake thinner cake layers. Truly I am not saying that this is diet food but it does have less sugar, flour, butter and eggs.

Why do I need Au Revoir Covid, Berry Me Naked Cake recipe?

Summer berries scream to be added to a cake. The fresh bite of berry is just enough to add sweet without too much. In creating this cake, I wanted to reduce sugar, size of the layers and calories without sacrificing the cake. A triple layer cake looks pretty but I wanted the finished cake to be smaller.

There are literally billions of cake recipes on the internet. If you combine that with cookbooks you could never try all of the recipes. So, why am I creating another one? Over time as I cook an item, I start to experiment in my lab called kitchen. As an exercise I review the good, bad and what would make it better.

Not to mention, I have Grill Man who cannot help himself when it comes to providing unlimited data on anything that I cook. It is almost like having a professional FCIR, (food critic in residence). Yes of course I appreciate his candor.

Yet, I don’t always want to hear it. Sometimes I just want to savor the moment and enjoy. Trail and error with additional discussions does help me to try and improve a recipe. Everything does not come out as I intend or perfect. In our kitchen, I am famous for burning bread. Success and failure is just part of the cooking and creating process.

Is Berry Me Naked Cake hard to make?

As in any skill your cooking experience should improve over time. The more you do it, the better you will become. If you can read and follow instructions, then you too may cook. If you have secured your own Grill Man or taco master, it is great to have extra hands in the kitchen.

When is the last time you made a homemade cake for your love? Au Revoir Covid, Berry Me Naked Cake is an easy cake for anyone. This recipe would certainly look great on any table. The blueberry and strawberry pattern on top would be fitting for any celebration.

Shout out to Alexa for Def Leppards, Pour Some Sugar On Me.

With Love from,
Mimi’s Kitchen

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After about day 8 of picking loquats, I needed a new recipe. Over the weekend I wanted to make loquat preserves. Yet canning anything is a labor of love and time commitment. Before I started this undertaking, I needed to find a recipe that did not require hours or make a big mess.

One of Grill Man’s prize possessions is a plastic bag that contains a Home Economics Cookbook that is literally hand-stuffed with handwritten recipes. The cookbook and handwritten notes of recipes belonged to his Grandmother. When I want to spoil him, I look in the bag and cook a Grandmother recipe.

In addition to making him cobbler, she spoiled him rotten.

Over the years I heard him describe how lovely her cobbler was to eat. Oddly enough, I had never tried to make it. All of the other recipes in “the bag” were good so no doubt this one would be as well.

Before I knew it, I picked more loquats and located the cookbook stuffed with handwritten recipes. After reading the recipe, I knew instantly what to add in order to tempt Grill Man with cobbler.

How to make Sun Kiss Loquat Cobbler and why?

Any time I am able to make a recipe in just one bowl without a mixer, I’m in. If you’re in a hurry, you really don’t have time to whip up multiple items for one dessert. No one ever wants to make a mess in the kitchen, but sometimes there is no way around it.

Sun Kiss Loquat Cobbler may be mixed with a whisk and only using one bowl. This leaves you more time to move on to other things. If you don’t have loquats, peaches or strawberries may substitute. Recipe is easy to bake. Cobbler is delicious on its own but a single scoop of ice cream might make your smile a little bigger.

Loquat fruit for sweet or savory recipes

Gulf Coast of Alabama is loaded with loquats bursting from the trees whispering, “Pick me. Pick me.” If you have beaucoup loquats, read LOQUATS Eat, Ferment, Freeze, Preserve, Steep and Share. If you have not tasted a loquat it has the texture of a cherry with a flavor that is bit of peach, plum and mango with a hint of citrus.

By this point, I had eaten my fair share for smoothies and loquats in other dishes. One night I created a salsa for a piece of salmon. Soon I hope to add this recipe at a later date. Be inventive and add loquats to sweet or savory recipes.

Fruit is lovely and nutritional. All very good reasons to pick, eat and share. Pick loquats and cook Sun Kiss Loquat Cobbler. Let me know what you think. Grill Man and I have taste tested more than our fair share.

Loquats are luscious and remind me of bites of sunshine. In Alabama we have lots of green spaces to escape to during this covid-colored-world. If you can’t escape, turn up the music and pray for better days. Stay safe and wash wash your hands.

Alexa Shout out to Natasha Bedingfield for Pocketful of Sunshine.

Take me away (take me away)
A secret place (a secret place)
A sweet escape (a sweet escape)
Take me away (take me away)Take me away (take me away)

To better days (to better days)
Take me away (take me away)
A hiding place (a hiding place)I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine.

I got a love, and I know that it’s all mine.

With love,
From Mimi’s Kitchen

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Share Mimi’s Gluten Free Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Brownies with Coconut

This brownie recipe is just chocolate and nuts with right amount of coconut and cranberries. You may even forget that it’s gluten free. I should warn you though, this brownie recipe is not a light cakey brownie. Yet if gluten free nutty fudgy indulgent brownie with coconut sounds good, bake this soon.

Baking this brownie recipe is easy since it may be mixed together by hand in a single bowl. Then popped in the oven in order for the batter to marry together with heat. In a short time, you will remove a hot baking pan will surely tempt.

Once the brownie is cooled completely, it will be ready to cut into smaller pieces. And this is a brownie that you want to sink your teeth into. Just the right amount of nutty fudgy indulgent brownie with a slight crispness.

What would take this brownie recipe to another level?

As I am writing this, I have another idea for this recipe. Should I share it now or make you wait with chocolate anticipation? Although this brownie may stand alone on a dessert plate all by itself, what would take it to another level? My friend Monsieur Pierre would surely tell me to add ice cream.

Ice cream would be the perfect addition to Mimi’s gluten free brownies. Brownie structure would support ice cream well. Whether served in a martini glass or made into an ice cream sandwich, this brownie will make you smile.

For another smile, shout out to Alexa for Miles Davis song Chocolate Chip. It has a rich sexy beat that will accompany Mimi’s Gluten Free Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Brownies with Coconut just fine.

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What is Italian Rossa Black?

Stella Rossa is only one line of wines created by the Riboli family. For over a hundred years this family has focused on creating wines. Before our wine tasting I had never heard of Stella Rossa before. Since I wanted to include their wine in my bundt cake, I needed to know more.

In 1917, the Riboli family started making wine in California. The Riboli Family winemakers survived World Wars, prohibition, Great Depression and navigated an ever changing business climate. Is it true that a family that creates wine together stays together?

The Stella Rossa Black is created from Italian grapes selected from the region of Asti a province in Piedmont. Asti area is the birthplace of Maddalena Riboli, the family matriarch. Maddalena is part of a wonderful legacy and known for her passion about wine. In fact, Southwest, The Magazine included her along with other Spirited Women- 20 Experts Revolutionizing the Spirit Industry.

“A family legacy built on hard work, family values, and a love for the land.”

Yet, no surprise that spirited women work in a business that has lasted for so long. From humble beginnings of San Antonio Winery to the Estate grown grapes of Riboli Family Wines it is a company to discover. Within the Riboli business they manage operations to preserve and protect natural resources. Never fail spirited Italians raising the next generation.

Another aspect of their legacy includes sustainability. The company operates a winery entirely powered by Solar Panels, Smart Technology and recycles 100% of all water used. In a state that suffers with water problems this is a smart move for the winemaker. Truly they are setting great examples for generations to come as they operate as good stewards and make wine.

Stella Italian Rossa Black is a semi-sweet and semi sparkling red wine. “Slip into your sexy and seductive side with Stella Rosa Black, a sultry semi-sweet, semi-sparkling red blend from the Luxury Collection. There’s a mysterious nature about this one – about you – that is undeniably alluring.”
Riboli Family Wines.

When you open this wine, set two cups aside to bake Never Fail Spirited Italian Rossa Bundt Cake. A perfect cake to accompany your next wine tasting or soiree. A glaze seals in the soul of a cake.

Shout out to Alexa for Eric Claptons song Bottle of Red Wine. “Get up and get your bottle of red wine.” Try the Stella Rossa Italian Black if a semi sweet wine is on your list. Save a portion and make the Never Fail Spirited Italian Rossa Bundt Cake.

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Even if you’re tolerant of gluten it is good to have a gluten free recipe. Anytime you host a large group of people, odds are someone is gluten intolerant. It helps to have at least one dessert that everyone may eat regardless of their standing with gluten.

Of course it is awful to tell a guest intolerant of gluten, “No dessert for you”. Mimis Gluten Free Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Mint Chocolate Brownie recipe will please your guests whether they are a gluten fan or not.

How to serve Mimi’s Gluten Free Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Mint Chocolate Brownie?

This brownie is nutty, fudgy and delicious. Yet it is not a cake-like brownie. My brownie recipe is yummy without the addition of whipping cream or ice cream. However if you want to wow your sweetheart or dinner party serve in a martini glass and add both.

Boozy Version Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Mint Chocolate Brownie

1.Place one or two brownies into the glass
2. Add a dollop of Gluten free cream or scoop of gluten free ice cream.
3. Add a fresh spring of chocolate mint for a garnish.
4. Boozy Touch-Add a drizzle of Kahlua on top of the ice cream.

Does this sound tempting? Yes I want brownies. Where did brownies get started? Legend has it they started in Chicago at the Palmer House Hotel. A small confection was needed for ladies visiting the Worlds Fair in 1893. Isn’t a small confection always needed?

Machias Cookbook and Kitchen Wisdom

Brownies first appeared in print in Machias Cookbook titled Brownies Food. Machias Cookbook was compiled by Mrs Willis H Allen and presented to The Ladies Social Circle in 1899. Machias struck me as an odd name until I discovered the meaning.

Also, I totally understood the sentiment especially Hungry and thirsty folks to satisfy.

As an lover of all things chocolate, I love brownies. Please try Mimi’s Gluten Free Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Mint Chocolate Brownie and let me know what you think. Enjoy a brownie or a brownie with ice cream and Kahua.

Finally, shout out to Alexa for Dharia’s song called Sugar and Brownies. Dharia is a fourteen year old singer songwriter from Romania. It will be interesting to see where her career leads. With popularity of this song on the internet she has started off with a bang.

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What should I make for dessert?

What should I make for dessert? I usually have the answer after I assess the following:

How much time do I have?
What number of servings will I require?
Is this an easy recipe?
Do I have the ingredients on hand?
Is it possible to make this recipe ahead of time and set aside?

Upon review of this list, I am able to select a drool worthy dessert that will work for my schedule. Here are a few of my favorite recipes for entertaining. Please consider adding to your Fall Dessert Table. Over the years many a house guest has enjoyed one of my dessert recipes.

What if I have still have questions?

Please let me know if you have any questions about the dessert recipes. Leave a comment or question and I will respond asap. In addition, I am happy to be a entertaining resource and share what I have learned over time. It is not necessary for you to make the mistakes that I made while learning how to cook and entertain.

Cooking food for anyone is a labor of love. It allows you to create something special made by you. This one act says that you took the time necessary to wow your guests. Yet, even I purchase desserts to go from my favorite shops when I am short on time. Although my preference is to make something home made with love from my kitchen.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes. A few of these recipes reach back from the beginning of my site. While reviewing you may notice changes in my site. Over time I am working hard to improve my writing and photography skills. Like my site, I am a work in process flawed but ever changing.

On the site, please let me know if you have tried any of the recipes. What is your favorite dessert? Is there something that you didn’t like? Is there a recipe that you would like to see on my site?

Dining With Mimi’s Favorite Desserts for Entertaining

Chocolate Heavenly Mini Bite Tarts

Southern Comfort and Oh That Chocolate Pie

Mimi’s Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Pecan Bar

St Germain Creamy Cheesecake

Southern Comfort and Oh That Chocolate Pie

Persimmon and Walnut Sticky Bread

Love the Family and Oh my That Pecan Pie

Chocolate Mint Cookie Bites Filled with Coconut Cloud

It’s Not Your Mama’s ‘Tater Pie

Updated 100 Year Old Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Never Fail Spirited Fig Pecan Bundt Cake

No matter which sweet treat that you decide, I am sure it will be special. Dining With Mimi’s Favorite Desserts for Entertaining will give you plenty to choose from. Listen to music while cooking and enjoy the process. Turn on the stereo or shout out to Alexa for Nina Simone for “I Want a little Sugar in my Bowl”

Love from Mimi’s Kitchen

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Sharing words, recipes and breaking bread with your loved ones is certainly not a new idea. At some point in our modern society cooking at home developed a negative stigma. Maybe it started with women who felt chained to the kitchen and housekeeping. As a wife, Mother, Mimi and business owner, I understand how challenging feeding a family becomes on a daily basis.

You’ve Come A Long Way Baby!

With the daily struggles of taking care of our family, innovations and appliances have assisted in making our life easier. I recall the horror I felt when my Grannie described washing clothes the old fashioned way.

Clearly, times have changed and technology has brought us many inventions. Now we have devices to reduce time spent on menial tasks, eliminate repetitive steps, automate our lives and provide much needed convenience.

Addiction to convenience

Yet, with our addiction to convenience I believe that we have been led astray when it comes to cooking. Big business wants us to believe that frozen or prepared foods are just as healthy as cooking from fresh fruits and vegetables. It just isn’t true. More importantly, vegetables and fruit lose up to half their nutritional value within a week of harvesting.

So when did they harvest the produce in the grocery store? Who knows but it is ideal to have your own garden or grow vegetables in container pots. Also, buy veggies from your local farmers, farmers market or CSA. Supporting local farmers is good for you, local community and our environment.

Fresh produce picked locally will provide the best nutrition. Preparing meals at home will allow you to control the amount of calories, salt, fat and sugar. Also, the amount of chemicals and preservatives that you introduce and feed your family will be greatly reduced. Paying attention to these things help improve our health.

Start making small changes

It is impossible to follow these guidelines all of the time. Time and circumstances dictate that we eat out, grab fast food or cook frozen dinners. What I am suggesting is that you start making small changes to improve your cooking and overall nutrition. Occasionally we all need instruction in the art of eating.

When I cook at home it is a labor of love. Thankfully my mentors introduced me early to the joys of cooking. If you struggle with this, please let me help you, First Stop- Mimi’s New Food Column. We can start small and work our way up. Before you know it you will want to show off your cooking skills.

Love from Mimi’s Kitchen

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Loquat trees are beautiful to look at but they also offer a world of food and flavor. Grill Man planted our trees about five years ago. As with most who visit the area, my trees love Fairhope and all it has to offer on our acreage. Lots of clean air, warm sunshine, rain and space to grow. My trees are fat and happy.

Driving around the county, I have noticed other loquat trees everywhere fully loaded with fruit. Granted, dealing with produce on any grand scale is alot of work. It is ready when its ready and it doesn’t matter what you have going on in your life. Produce demands to be picked or it will ripen and fall on the ground. Fruit on the ground will attract rodents and other uninvited guests to your garden.

I am happy to share my loquats but not everyone wants to pick, wash, and process the fruit. I get it, it is labor intensive but what a great way to teach your little ones about nature. A good way to spend quality time with your children and teach then about Mother Earth. Grab scissors to cut the loquats from the tree and large baskets for your fruit. Now, where do I get them?

What if I don’t have Loquat Trees?

So if you don’t have any loquat trees, drive around they are everywhere and maybe the home owner will share. It is possible they will be happy to have you pick them from the tree before they have to remove loquats from the ground. Offer to purchase them first, although they may be happy to give them to you. If they say no, thank them and move on to another tree loaded with fruit.

If your homeowner says yes, be sure to thank them before you leave and don’t make a mess in their yard. Mail them a thank you note to show your appreciation for sharing.

Use the scissors to cut the loquats from the tree and place gently in the basket. The fruit will bruise easily and lose its freshness quickly. DO NOT PICK GREEN LOQUATS OR EAT THEM. Green loquats are toxic and not ready to eat. Only pick what you will be able to eat and process. You can always pick more later.

Prior to our trees, I was not very familiar with loquats. Trees grown from a seed take 8-10 years to bear fruit. Loquat trees grafted from plants may produce in 2-3 years. Definitely go the grafted plant route, so that you’re not waiting forever. Visit the local nurseries to purchase loquat trees.Once you have secured your loquats, what’s next? Before you get your hands dirty, turn on your favorite music. Loquats- Eat, Ferment, Freeze, Preserve, Steep and Share. Wash the loquats several times before you eat any loquat fruit. Do not eat the seeds without researching.

What do I do with loquat seeds?

With a knife cut a slice into the loguat and pop out the seeds. Loquat seeds are brown and you may find one or many. Set seeds aside. I have not made loquat liqueur yet but its on my list for this season. Check out the recipes on Eat The Weeds web site. This recipe looks interesting to me, Getting a Grip on Grappa.

What do I do with Loquat Fruit?

Place loquat fruit into a bowl. Drizzle with lemon and toss occasionally so that the fruit does not change color. Eat while you work. Give your little one an apron and allow them to pop out the seeds and place into a bowl. Explain that they may eat the fruit but not the seeds. They will enjoy cooking with Mommie and making memories.

With the fruit, your options are endless at this point. Eat loquats. Make smoothies. Freeze loquats to process later. Learn to preserve and make jelly, marmalade, loquat leather, margaritas or chutney. Leaves from Loquat tree leaves may be used to make tea. I am sure that they would be good in a cake, fruit bread, salsa for fish, fruit salad, etc

Loquat Cheesecake

This week I made a Loquat cheescake using my St Germain Creamy Cheesecake recipe with the following changes:
-do not add St Germain
-Add 3 Tablespoons of pureed loquat fruit Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. (Use the waterbath method to prevent cracking)

Internet has a world of information about loquats and only waiting for you to google. Loquats are good to eat and offer lots of nutritional benefits. What are you waiting for? Pick em’ if you got em’. If not, go loquat hunting but please remember your manners. I would love to hear all about it.

For more information check out Loquat World.

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Reasons I love this dessert

Yet smiling does not stop with the melt in your mouth goodness of this dessert. Busier than ever, I love a dessert that may be quickly mixed in a bowl, baked and topped with magic will make me smile every time. Add in the fact that ingredients are common and always on hand makes for a great last minute dessert recipe.

Simply stated if you desire a dessert to wow your guests with presentation look no further. Serve this dessert in a martini glass with a scoop of Creole Cream Cheese ice cream. Creole cream cheese adds more tang and a bit of sweet that plain cream cheese does not.

Recipe for Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Chef John Folse offers recipes to make creole cream cheese and his version of this lovely ice cream. If short on time, Blue Bell offers this flavor and it will pair beautifully with richness of Mimi’s Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Pecan Bar.

Top with a sprig of fresh chocolate mint and a tiny drizzle of dark coffee liqueur over white Creole Cream Cheese ice cream. With this served in a martini glass, how could your guests not be in love with this dessert? Easy to make and elegant to serve. You may not want to share our secret.

Hopefully dessert or chocolate is not on your list to abstain. With most of us trying to watch our food intake daily, it helps to serve a small dessert loaded with lots of rich flavor. Yet, Mimi’s Nutty Fudgy Indulgent Pecan Bar is a perfect size for serving to a dinner party, bridge, bunco or canasta group.

With this in mind, Alexa shout out to The Archie’s for song Sugar Sugar. Do you remember this song written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim? Song spent 4 weeks as number one in 1969 and 22 weeks on Billboards top 100. “Pour a little sugar on me, oh yeah.”

Finally, if you want a sweet treat, try this recipe. Let me know what you think, I would love to hear from you.

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