The other neutral

Quick Pineapple Cake
The New Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Cookbook Copyright 2002, 2006

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in its own juice (undrained)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x13x2-inch nonstick baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix the pineapple, flour, sugar and baking soda. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Frost with the Cream Cheese Frosting while the cake is warm. Cool and serve.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 tablespoon margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and margarine until creamy. Add the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar, mixing until well combined.

Makes 24 servings. Per serving: 133 cal, 2 g pro, 28 g carbs, 2 g fat, 1 g fiber, 3 mg chol, 81 mg sodium.
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This was the other 'neutral' recipe I tried from this cookbook. I knew it was a gamble going in but I was intrigued. Not that the recipes in this book are complicated by any means, but this isn't one of those '5-ingredient' cookbooks so I figured if she threw in this very basic recipe, there must have been a good reason.

This was slightly missing the mark. The texture settled in after about a day in the refrigerator but early on it had an odd chewy, spongy texture. I did get distracted and slightly overbake it - whether that affected anything or not, I'm not sure. The taste wasn't bad yet it did seem like something was missing, more than just fat. Maybe it needed a pinch of salt and/or a dash of vanilla.

On the plus side, this recipe is egg-free for anyone dealing with egg allergies. Using a soy cream cheese and dairy-free margarine, you could alter the frosting to make this completely dairy-free. It doesn't use a preservative-rich boxed cake mix. It's a very basic recipe, again, for anyone dealing with food allergies or for anyone who likes to keep to basic foods. It's not exactly 'healthy' since it's loaded with bad carbs but but it is a step up from most butter-laden pineapple cakes.

This is the cookbook I'm giving away to one lucky winner this month. I have at least two more recipes on the schedule from this book so stay tuned.

It was in the high 70s yesterday and now they're calling for 4-6 inches of snow tomorrow! Argh! The grocery store will be crowded tonight. This better not interfere with my Costco run this weekend. I like to go early on Saturday morning, before the crowd.

Blast From The Past: Sour Cream Raspberry Swirl Loaf from August 2006. Just because.

Question of the Day: Do you like pineapple?