Smiths' Favorite Lemon Surprise Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix
¾ cup Wesson oil
¾ cup water
1 pkg lemon gelatin
4 eggs
½ tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients at once. Grease a oblong cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the stove, and while the cake is hot, punch holes in the cake with a fork.

Glaze
¾ cup powdered sugar 6 TB lemon juice
Mix the sugar and lemon juice together. Pour over the cake while its hot and spread down into the holes that were made with the fork.

WHITE BEANS-INDIAN-STYLE

I enjoy beans and I remembered how my friend, Nirmala, who is from the Gujarat region fixed some pinto beans one day. I used a can of Northern White Beans and this is my original recipe for this dish. I just created it tonight.

Ingredients
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 TB of olive oil
1 tsp of chicken base
1/2 of yellow onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
3/4 cup of water or chicken broth if you didn't have any chicken base
Salt and pepper to your taste

Use a sauce pan and heat the oil on medium heat. When it's hot, drop in the cumin and listen for the "singing" Add the mustard, and turmeric stir together then add onion and celery. Saute' until slightly transparent. Add 3/4 cup of water and the beans, and base. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.

I have several Indian cookbooks and now I'll go and check to read up on it. It's been fun to try my hand at this one.

VIRGINA MCDONALD'S EASTER BUNNY SALAD

EASTER BUNNY SALAD

"This is especially cute for children's parties."
Virginia McDonald

Canned Barlette pears Lettuce
in halves Mayonnaise
Cloves Pecan nut meats,
Almond nut meats chopped
Marshmallows Pineapple, chopped
Pimiento

Place half of pear on individual salad plate, cut side down. Using small end for Head of bunny, insert cloves for eyes (might want to use chocolate chips), almonds for ears, and a sliver of pimiento for the mouth. To the other end of the pear attach with a toothpick, half of a marshmallow for a tail. To one side of the bunny place a lettuce cup filled with mayonnaise to which has been added the chopped pecans and pineapple.

Virginia McDonald was famous for her tea room and her cookbooks. She lived in Gallatin, MO. Duncan Hines ate at her restaurant and featured her in one of his books.

Source: How I Cook It by Virginia McDonald.

Today, while shopping in an emporium type store, I found this cookbook with its cover. It was on sale for $1.50. I had never heard of her. I noticed that an introduction was written by Duncan Hines. I didn't even know that Duncan Hines, (you know the name on the cake mix box) had written the introduction. After I got home, I opened the book and saw that it had been autographed by the author.