PW Burgandy Mushrooms, Olive Cheese Bread, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This post should be titled, "Things I've been waiting for my Mom to come and visit so I can make because nobody in this house will eat, including me".

Except for the cake. OBVIOUSLY.

The mushrooms take like 9 hours to make. I did 1/4th this recipe because I was making them only for my mom and her hubs. I should have 1/8th'd it, but it's already tricky dividing the recipe! You basically simmer white mushrooms in red wine, chicken and beef bouillon, and some other stuff like all........daaaaay............

I don't eat fungi, so these aren't for me.

This was later in the day, starting on the cake, you can see the mushrooms STILL cooking.

Luckily they didn't kill too much of my cake-scent mojo in the kitchen.

The cake starts with melting butter (shockingly) in the cast iron, then sprinkling brown sugar. You wait until the brown sugar dissolves, then add the batter. Be sure to add the pineapple rings and batter BEFORE the sugar starts to burn, even if all the brown sugar isn't dissolved, or you will start to see a few bubbles of black, burned sugar boil up. Trust me. Oh, and put the skillet on a cookie sheet in the oven. Just in case.

This is Olive cheese bread. It is mayo, chopped green and black olives, butter, and cheese mixed together and spread on a loaf of french bread. I made this earlier in the day, then popped it in the oven right before dinner. Again, the mass quantity problem. This mixture could have covered 2 loaves (4 halves) easily I think. But I just piled it up on there. When will I learn?

I also don't eat olives. But I was willing to try this at least. Pat on the back, right?

I discovered I think the black olives aren't so bad, but the green ones = nast.

It did get rave reviews, so that's good.

Here's the mushrooms. Also got rave reviews. I took their word :)

And then.....ta da!! (never mind the burnt sugar part in the back.)

OMG YALL THIS WAS AMAZING.

I've only made Pineapple upside down cake once before, forever ago, from a box mix. (Just add pineapples!) This was really easy to make, and the brown sugar made kind of a caramelized crust on top. It almost candied the pineapples. GOOD NIGHT.

Here is is about 30 seconds after taking the first picture:

Note: cast iron skillets are heavy. Even small ones. Especially when filled to the brim with heavy cake.(I forgot to take a picture of it out of the oven in the chaos). I definitely needed help flipping it over on the plate. It was hot and heavy and it seemed you were supposed to flip it over pretty quickly instead of waiting for it to cool. Good thing I had help or I might have gone into labor right there!