The Buttery Rum Orange Liqueur recipe was created from the availability of different liquors and liqueurs in our liquor cabinet. Making cocktails and after-dinner drinks isn't standard around the Latta household these days.

The question is...what to do with all the fabulous booze in the cabinet. I thought, why not cook with it. There are many wonderful recipes to be created from our stash of goodies. The first of those recipes is the heavily infused boozy cake. 

Let's begin with the ingredients for the cake:
Cup of chopped walnuts
Package of yellow cake mix
Package of vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
Four eggs
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup of a freshly squeezed orange
A teaspoon of orange zest
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dark rum (I like Myers's)
3/4 cup of unsweetened coconut

Ingredients for the glaze:
A stick and a half of unsalted butter
1/4 cup of water
2/3 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of dark rum
1/4 cup of orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, triple sec, whatever you have in the cabinet)

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the Bundt pan with butter and flour. Then, add the cup of chopped walnuts to the bottom of the pan.

In a large bowl, add the yellow cake mix and the vanilla pudding mix. Mix together. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the whisked eggs to the large bowl along with the 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup squeezed orange, oil, 1/2 cup rum, and orange zest. Mix all ingredients to a smooth batter. Sprinkle in the coconut and stir. 

Add the cake mixture to the greased Bundt pan. Place in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, the cake is baked. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes and take it out of the pan. Set aside. 

For the glaze, mix together in a saucepan over medium heat the butter, 1/4 cup water, and 2/3 cup sugar. Once it comes to a boil, stir until the sugar melts (approximately 4 - 5 minutes). Stir continuously. After the mixture comes off the heat, add the rum and orange liqueur. 

Once the glaze is ready. add half of the mixture back into the empty Bundt pan. Place the cake back into the pan as originally baked. Pour the remaining glaze on top of the cake (which of course is the bottom of the cake). Let it sit for a couple of hours if you have the time, so the cake soaks up all the glaze. When ready to serve, flip the cake out of the pan. FYI: If you don't have time to wait for the cake to soak up all the glaze, brush it on until all the glaze is gone. 

Using fresh whipped cream on top of each slice of cake makes it extra special. Also, if you want to add a sprig of mint to the whipped cream for presentation, it's a dessert meant for fine dining. 

If you haven't watched the Netflix series High on the Hog it's time to sit down and binge. The food elevates the senses and the backstories reach deep into the soul. The entire four-part series will leave you wanting more.  

High on the Hog features stories about African American cuisine and how these dishes came to be. For me, part of the joy of cooking is trying something new.

Much of my knowledge of cooking has deep Southern roots. My grandma was an excellent cook, and many of her dishes have been passed down to my mom, aunts, cousins, and me. 

That said, I try to put my own spin on many of the generational recipes. It's more fun and hopefully, healthier. 

Bellevue broth is an absolute delight to the palate. I had my husband give it a try and he said it's so good, it tastes like the first course from a five-star restaurant. I have to agree. 

I don't have the complete recipe from the show. I listened carefully and have my way of preparing the shellfish stock and a quick and easy way to nip the chicken stock in the bud. 

Bellevue Broth is part of shellfish stock and chicken stock. To begin with, I didn't make the chicken stock. I bought the Knorr chicken bouillon cubes and followed the directions. I did make the shellfish stock from scratch using my recipe. 

Shellfish stock:
Leftover shells from cooked shrimp, crab, King crab legs, etc. Since I knew I was going to make this broth, I took home my leftover King crab leg shells from a local restaurant, placed them in a baggy, and stuck them in the freezer. Once I decided to make the broth, I took the shells out of the freezer, beat them with a rolling pin, and they were ready to go. 
Ingredients:
1/2 pound shells (or pound if you want to double the recipe).
1/2 yellow onion
Carrot
Celery
2 cloves of garlic
2 T. olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
Lemon squeeze
Five cups water
In a large stockpot, add your olive oil, shells, carrot, celery, and onion. Sauté for 15 minutes or until turning brown. Add the garlic for a two-minute sauté. Add your squeeze of lemon to get the brown bits off the pan. Pour in the water. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Strain the broth using a cheesecloth and throw away the veggies and shells. 

Knorr Chicken Bouillon: I made three cups by following the directions

Whipping Cream: Buy heavy whipping cream, whip it. Add a pinch of salt while whipping. 

The assembly of Bellevue Broth. It's a one-to-two ratio. One part shellfish stock to two parts chicken broth. Mix these together. Add a dollop of whipped cream just before serving and top with a bit of parsley. 

Incredibly delicious. Quick and Easy (be sure to bring home your shellfish shells from the local restaurant...or make your own). You'll believe you've died and gone to heaven. If you enjoy learning about different cultures and how food originated, you'll love the Netflix series, "High on the Hog." 

It's a joy to cook in the summertime with all of the fresh vegetables. I've seen pictures of gardens growing all over Facebook. The Latta garden is producing and we're very excited. 

I've got to give my mom a shout-out; it's her garden too. She has the perfect spot and graciously agreed to share the space. First, it was the green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, and romaine. Now, it's the squash's turn. 

Pepperidge Farm Cheesy Garden Squash Casserole

Five average size squash
1/3 onion (chopped)
Four pats of unsalted butter
1/3 bag sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
2/3 cup Pepperidge Farm Stuffing
Salt/Pepper to taste

Slice the squash. Cover with water. Boil until soft (approximately 15-20 minutes). Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt after the water comes to a boil. Drain the squash in a colander. 

In the pot used to boil the squash, add two pats of butter to sauté the onions (the buttery onions will be added to the squash). Salt to taste to bring out the sweetness of the onion. 

Combine the squash and the sauté onions in a square or round glass bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheeses (reserve a bit of the parmesan for topping) and the sour cream. Mix together.

In the same pot, add two pats of unsalted butter and melt. Add the stuffing and sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese. Mix together. Pour on top of the squash and cheese mixture. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, take the aluminum foil off. Watch for the bubbles on the side of the casserole. 

​Take out and let sit for five minutes and serve.