cookbook

Sea Salt Caramels

2011-12-10T20:30:00.000-08:00

Makes 40-50 caramels (depending on size cut)

4 cups heavy cream

3 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/2 tbsp sea salt

1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips (12 oz)

6 squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate (6 oz)

Line cookie sheet or lasagna pan with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray.

Add cream to a tall pot and bring to just a boil, reduce heat to medium low then add sugar and corn syrup. Watch for the bubbling up, it will happen. Reduce temperature, then add candy thermometer to pot, and boil on medium low approximately 20 minutes (or maybe more) stirring gently and occasionally. At around 240 degrees add butter and gently stir to blend into caramel. When candy reaches 246 degrees, pour into parchment lined pan. Do not scrape sides or bottom of pot after you pour as it will result in some browned or burned bits in your caramel. Let stand 10 minutes, then lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Cool completely, about two hours.

Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl on high in microwave for 1 minute. Continue melting every 30 seconds until most of chocolate is melted about 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from microwave and stir until all chocolate is melted. Do not overcook.

Cut caramels into 1 or 1.5 inch squares, then dip into melted chocolate, and allow to cool on parchment paper. Caramels keep up to two weeks in airtight container at room temperature.

Chicken Pillows

2011-12-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

1 can of 8 Pillsbury crescents
8 oz. block of cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2-3 cups shredded chicken, cooked (I usually just buy a Rotisserie chicken and shred it up to make it even easier)
1 egg
saltine crackers, crushed

TOPPING

1 can cream of chicken
sour cream (a couple spoon fulls worth)
milk
shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F

Soften 1/4 cup butter and 8oz. block of cream cheese. Then stir to a smooth consistency. Add cooked shredded chicken to the bowl.

Lay out the 8 crescents on a cookie sheet.

Stretch the crescent out. Place a couple spoon fulls of the creamy chicken mixture into the center of the crescent to fill it. Then fold the crescent around the mixture so that none of it is showing. "PILLOW"

In a separate smaller bowl, put the egg and a little bit of water, maybe a couple Tablespoons worth and beat together.

Dip the "pillow" into the blended egg.

After dipping into the blended egg, proceed to dip it into the crushed saltine crackers and place on cookie sheet. Repeat for the remaining 7 crescents.

Cook the pillows at 400 F for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them your oven might cook them quicker.

For the sauce topping:

Put can of cream of chicken and milk into a sauce pan. Add as much milk as you want to get it to the consistency you want i.e. thicker or runnier. When hot enough add 2 spoon fulls of sour cream and cheese

Chicken enchiladas with green chili sour cream sauce

2011-12-10T16:49:00.000-08:00

10 soft taco shells

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan

2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.

3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.

5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan

2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.

3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.

5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Easy Amazing Apple Dumplings

2011-12-10T08:31:00.000-08:00

2 medium Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
cinnamon (for sprinkling)
12 oz. (1 can) Mountain Dew or Sprite.
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Peel apples and cut into 8ths.

cut the cored, peeled, sliced apple in half, and then divided each apple into 8ths.

Open a can of crescent roll dough and carefully separate the dough along the perforations. Place 1/8 of an apple on one segment of dough

and then roll/wrap the apple in the dough. Place in the prepared pan and repeat with remaining apples and dough. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add sugar and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour butter/sugar mixture over the apples, then pour the can of Mountain Dew (or Sprite, although I’ve never actually tried it), on top of everything. Sprinkle the pan with cinnamon and bake for 40 minutes.

When the dumplings are done, remove from oven and serve with a ladle-ful of sauce. I usually plan on two dumplings per person, before they go back for seconds. And then breakfast. Then second breakfast. Then a little snack. For true transcendent awesomeness, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Gooey Cookie Pie Bites

2011-12-10T08:24:00.000-08:00

1/2 C butter (that’s 1 stick), melted and cooled
1 C sugar
1/2 C flour
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 C chopped pecans, toasted (are you a nut hater? Just leave ‘em out)
1 C mini chocolate chips*
9″ unbaked pie shell (I just use store-bought, but you could make your own)
mini muffin pan

*if you’re using another flavor of chips that doesn’t come in mini, give them a rough chop so they will distribute evenly

Preheat oven to 350.

Batter: In a bowl combine the butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and vanilla. When combined stir in chocolate chips and toasted nuts. Wow, so hard, right? That’s your filling, set aside.

Crust: Right out of the box the pie crust is way too thick, so bust out a rolling pin and lightly dust your surface. I rolled mine out to approximately 13-14″. Look at my pictures and eyeball it. Just remember you want it pretty thin, and it will expand while cooking. You will need to cut out some circles and then re-roll the pie crust.

A 2.75″ circle fit my mini muffin pans perfectly. So use a cookie cutter, or grab a cup from your cupboard. Chances are you have one that’s the perfect size!

2011-12-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1 10.5 ounce bag peppermint mini marshmallows*
4 tablespoons real butter, plus extra to butter pan
5-6 cups rice krispie style cereal (I like mine a little more marshmallowy)
3 tablespoons semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
a few drops (about 1/8 teaspoon) peppermint extract
2-3 medium sized candycanes, crushed

*In place of the peppermint marshmallows, use regular marshmallows and add about 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract to melted marshmallow mixture. Or more to taste, I’m guessing on the amount.

Instructions:
Line a 9×13 pan with foil and lightly butter bottom and about 1 inch up sides.

Melt butter in a very large bowl in the microwave. Add marshmallows and stir to coat. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. (You can do that whole process on the stovetop as well.) Add rice krispie cereal and stir to evenly combine. With buttered hands, press mixture into prepared pan.

Place white chocolate chips and 1/4 teaspoon oil in a small bowl. Heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Repeat same process with semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips and add a few drops of peppermint extract. Drizzle both chocolates on top of rice krispie treats and sprinkle candy canes on top. Let sit until chocolate is set, place pan in fridge to speed process along. Cut into squares and eat up.

S'mores with Reese's

2011-12-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

Large marshmallows
Graham Crackers
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and/or Rolos

Break several sheets of graham crackers in half. Place the desired number of squares on a baking sheet and top each square with a marshmallow. Place the baking sheet in an oven and turn on the broiler. Broil the marshmallows for 2-3 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. Top each marshmallow with 1 peanut butter cup or 2 Rolos. If you want, you can pop the baking sheet back into the oven for another minute or so to melt the chocolate. Top with another graham cracker square and serve.

These can also be made the traditional way by toasting a marshmallow over an open fire.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Whoopie PIes

2011-12-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Cakes

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 c. oil
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
3 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Cream Cheese Filling

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1 8-oz. package cream cheese (you could use light)
3 c. powdered sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup of 1/2-1 tsp. maple extract
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Using a 1 tablespoon scoop or a 1/2 tablespoon measure, drop the batter onto a baking sheet (lined, if possible, but not necessary), leaving about 1″ between the batter. Try to keep the batter as circular as possible. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the tops are done and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

To prepare the filling, beat the butter on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, maple, and vanilla and beat until combined. Transfer to a large Ziploc bag and cut 1/2″-1″ off the corner.

Flip the cakes over on a flat surface. Squeeze about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per largewhoopie pie (less if you used a 1/2 tablespoon measure) onto every other cake. Top each pie with the remaining cakes. Serve immediately if possible; otherwise, these can be refrigerated in an airtight container. Makes about 30 large whoopie pies.

Caramel Apple Bread PUdding

2011-12-09T16:47:00.001-08:00

5-6 c. stale French bread cubes (about 1/2 of a standard loaf cut into 1″ cubes)

3 c. apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces

4 eggs

3 egg yolks

1 1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

2 tsp. pumpkin or apple pie seasoning

1 Tbsp. butter, chopped

1 recipe Buttermilk Syrup

*If possible, cut the bread into cubes and leave it out for several hours or overnight. If not, place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bread cubes are dried out but not toasted.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease or spray a 9×13″ baking dish with shortening or non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss together the bread cubes and the apple pieces. Transfer to the baking dish. In the same large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the butter. When combined, continue to whisk while pouring over the bread/apple mixture (just to make sure the spices are evently distributed). Gently combine the bread and egg mixture, making sure each piece of bread is soaking in part of the egg and milk mixture. Allow to stand for at least 15 minutes (longer, if you can; you could even do this the night before, cover it tightly, and then bake it in the morning).

When the egg/milk mixture has mostly soaked into the bread, dab the butter over the bread and place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the center is set but not dry or burned.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

2011-12-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Recipe by Our Best Bites

6 c. stale bread or croissant cubes
4 medium bananas, divided
4 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. brown sugar, divided
1/4 tsp. kosher salt1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. rum flavoring (optional; I leave it out because I don’t like the flavor of rum, but true Bananas Foster has rum in it.)
1 tsp. cinnamon, divided
2 Tbsp. butter, divided

Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. In a small mixing bowl, combine 3 sliced bananas (about 2 c.) with 1 Tbsp. melted butter. Combine 1/4 c. brown sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and then add them to the bananas and butter. Gently toss to combine and spread on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bananas are fragrant and tender and the sugar is starting to bubble and caramelize. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350.

While the bananas are caramelizing, use an electric hand mixer to combine the milk, whipping cream, egg yolks, eggs, vanilla, salt, remaining brown sugar, rum flavoring (if using), and remaining cinnamon. Spray a 9×13″ dish with non-stick cooking spray and spread 1/2 of the bread cubes over the bottom of the pan. Evenly spread the caramelized bananas and brown sugar mixture and then slice one more banana over the caramelized bananas. Spread the remaining bread cubes over the bananas. Whisk the egg mixture one last time and pour evenly over the bread cubes. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes (longer if possible), poking the bread down into the mixture so it can soak in the milk and eggs. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until puffed and golden (but not brown) and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve with Crème Anglaise (with 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon added), Buttermilk Syrup, or vanilla ice cream.

Cinnamon Caramel Popcorn

2011-12-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)*
1 C roughly chopped pecans
1 C brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 C Karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 squares almond bark

*You can use air popped or microwave popcorn. If using microwave, anything works, but I prefer a “natural” flavor that’s low in butter and salt.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside. And by large bowl, I mean like, twice as big as you think you really need. If you don’t believe me, then maybe you will believe the scorching hot caramel goo that’s splattered all over your hands while you’re stirring in your not-so-big bowl. Just a thought.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a big, microwave-safe bowl. Like a 2-quart bowl or Pyrex measuring bowl. Again, use a bowl larger than you think you need to avoid scorching hot caramel goo accidents. It’s really important to incorporate the cinnamon into the brown sugar at this point. For some reason, if you don’t it does crazy things. I don’t know why. Try it and then email Alton Brown and ask him if you really want to know.

Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup (or honey) over the top of everything.

Microwave on high for 30 seconds (just to soften the butter a bit) and then stir to combine.

Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

By this point it should be nice and bubbly like this.

If it doesn’t quite look like that you can microwave it a little longer, but just beware that if you overcook it, it will reach the hard candy stage and you’ll end up with a giant clump of tasty concrete-like substance with little popcorn pieces stuck to it. Don’t ask me how I know this.

Remove from the microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda.

The vanilla makes it bubble and pop and the baking soda makes it foam up, like this:

pour it right over the popcorn and pecans. Stir right away, and stir lots. Take too long and the caramel will harden on you. Keep stirring until everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take a piece out and let it cool. “Sample.” If it’s not crunchy enough, bake for another 5 minutes. When it’s done, give it a final stir and let it cool off for a bit while you melt your almond bark (just nuke it in the microwave according to the package directions) If you want, you can spread out your caramel corn on a clean piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil. I always do this because sometimes it sticks to the hot foil if I leave it on the original pan. I’m kind of a clean control freak and I like to have it on a nice, fresh surface.

Now, just use a fork and drizzle the melted almond bark over the popcorn mixture.

When it’s hardened (pop it in the fridge to speed that process along) break into chunks and enjoy!

Fruity Popcorn

2011-12-09T16:14:00.001-08:00

8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 C butter (that’s half a stick)
3 T light corn syrup (honey is a good substitute)
1/2 C sugar
1 3.5oz box jello, any flavor (not the sugar free kind)

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a jelly roll pan with foil or parchment. If using foil, spray lightly with non-stick spray and set aside. Place popcorn in an extra large mixing bowl.

Place butter and syrup in a sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until butter is melted. Add sugar and Jello and stir to combine.

Increase heat and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat so it just simmers. Continue simmering for 5 minutes.

After the sugar mixture simmers for 5 minutes, immediately pour over popcorn in bowl. Be careful, it’s super hot!! Mix right away and keep stirring so everything gets well coated. Spread mixture onto prepared pan and spread out evenly.

Pop in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

2011-12-09T16:11:00.000-08:00

2 bags of Simply Salted (or similar) popcorn (or about 20 cups of popped popcorn)

2 c. honey roasted peanuts

3 c. peanut butter chips (I used Reese’s)*

2/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips *

1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening or oil

* If you want more chocolatey flavor in your popcorn, substitute 1 c. of the peanut butter chips with 1 c. of chocolate chips and then still drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn at the end.

Place the peanuts popped popcorn in a very large bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and vegetable oil or shortening and heat for 2-2 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Drizzle the melted peanut butter chips over the popcorn and peanuts and toss to combine.

Spread the popcorn onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. In a Ziploc bag, heat the semi-sweet chocolate chips until just melted and smooth (about 1-1 1/2 minutes, mashing the bag every 20-30 seconds). Cut a small corner in the Ziploc bag and drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn. Allow to stand long enough to become solid (you can transfer the pan to the fridge or freezer to hurry this step along). When done, break the popcorn into small pieces and enjoy!

Sweet and Salty Caramel Snack Mix

2011-12-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

6 cups graham cracker cereal (like Honey Grahams)
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup salted cashews or macadamia nuts--any salted nuts are good
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups Pretzel M&Ms or any M&M's you like (about 1 large bag)

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or wax paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Toss together the cereal and the nuts in a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and Karo syrup and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to boil. Allow to boil for 2 minutes (3 if you’re at a high elevation) and then remove from heat. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Drizzle the caramel mixture over the cereal/nut mixture and stir quickly to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. When the caramel mixture has cooled but isn’t solid yet (just a few minutes), add the Pretzel M&Ms and toss gently to combine. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Cake Mix Rice Krispies

2011-12-05T11:20:00.000-08:00

Cake Batter Rice Krispies Recipe(From How Sweet Eats)

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. butter
1 (10 oz.) bag of mini-marshmallows
1/4 cup yellow cake mix (the dry cake mix, not prepared into a batter!)
6 cups crispy rice cereal
1 (1.75 oz.) container of sprinkles

Method:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in (dry) cake mix one spoonful at a time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting. I find spraying a knife with nonstick spray helps to cut them.

Ali’s Tip:

I actually increased the cake batter to 1/3 cup for my recipe to give it a little extra cake batter kick (the 1/4 cup seemed just a little too subtle to me), but add as much in as you like!

***Note: Many readers have asked what to do with the remaining cake mix. If you would like to use it to whip up a batch of cake mix cookies, just measure out 6 oz. of the remaining cake mix, and combine it with 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil, and 1 egg. Stir until mixed. Then form into cookie dough balls, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.***

Ham and Cheese Sliders

2011-12-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

Ham and Cheese Sliders

adapted slightly from the Recipe Club

24 good white dinner rolls

24 pieces good honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup miracle whip

Poppy seed sauce (you probably could half this...I had plenty extra)
1 Tablespoon poppyseeds
1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm.

** sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Creamy Cranberry Jello Salad

2011-11-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 (6 ounce) package red gelatin mix
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 cup orange juice
1 apple with peel, grated
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup whipping cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

Directions

Process cranberries in blender or food processor; pour sugar over cranberries and stir to dissolve.
Bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil; stir in gelatin and let cool. Stir cooled gelatin into cranberries, and add pineapple, orange juice, apple and pecans. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Whip cream and beat in cream cheese.
In a glass serving dish, layer half of the cranberry mixture, then the whipped cream mixture, then the remaining cranberry mixture.

Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

2011-11-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

These start with 2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls. Roll each crescent roll out and cut lengthwise in 2. This recipe will make 32 mini croissant. Each croissant will get a generous tablespoon of this luscious pumpkin pie filling:

1/2 block of cream cheese
1 cup of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3 T sugar

Beat together until fluffy and creamy.

Mix together 4 T sugar and 1 T pumpkin pie spice and roll each pumpkin pie croissant in it!
Bake at 375* for 15-18 minutes. These are sweet but not so-much-so - sublime little bites of pumpkin pie heaven that are easy and portable and the perfect addition to any fall celebration.

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

2011-10-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

Salted caramel brownies

from Baked Explorations
yield | 12 large brownies

Ingredients

For the caramel filling
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel (sea salt)
1/4 cup sour cream

For the brownie
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions

For the caramel filling, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan, stirring carefully so as not to splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350F or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream, and then the Fleur de Sel. Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.

For the brownie, preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal 9 x 13 inch pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder.

Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of the double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler, and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature at this point.

Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining two eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage, or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is a just a trace amount of the flour mixture visible.

To assemble the brownie, pour half of the brownie mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Drizzle about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care to make sure the caramel does not come in contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn. Use your spatula to spread the caramel evenly across the brownie layer. In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer. Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with an extra 1 1/2 teaspoons Fleur de Sel and 1 teaspoon coarse sugar.

Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.

Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownies

2011-09-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

1 batch of your favorite brownie recipe for a 9x13-inch pan

1/2 cup salted peanuts

8 Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Prepapre the brownies according to the directions and bake for about 5 minutes less than the recipe states. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups. Return to the oven and bake for 5 additional minutes.

While they finish baking, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the cereal to evenly coat. Remove the brownies from the oven and evenly pour the chocolate and peanut butter mixture over the top. Spread to cover evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Chunky Pecan Pie Bars

2011-09-20T19:10:00.000-07:00

Crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Filling
3 large eggs
3/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup coarsely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, or chocolate chunks
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.

For the crust, mix together the flour, butter, and brown sugar until crumbly. Press into the baking pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown.

For the filling, beat the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla extract with a wire whisk. Stir in the chunks and pecans. Pour evenly over the baked crust and bake for 25-30 minutes or until set.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cool completely and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Chewy No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2011-09-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

One 16-ounce package of crispy chocolate chip cookies (the bars won't stay together if you use soft, chewy cookies)

5 cups (1 bag) of large marshmallows

4 tablespoons of butter

Place chocolate chip cookies in food processor (or smash in a large Ziplock bag with a rolling pin) and pulse until crumbly, but not ground.

Melt marshmallows and butter in a microwave-safe bowl until puffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove and pour in ground cookies.

Quickly stir to combine, then transfer to a 8x8-inch baking dish lined with foil.

Allow to set for 10-15 minutes. Remove bars out of pan by the foil edges. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Chewy No Bake Oreo Cookie Bars

2011-09-20T19:02:00.001-07:00

1 (16-ounce) package of Oreo cookies
5 cups (1 bag) of large marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter

Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, allowing the foil to hang over the edges, and set aside.

Place Oreo cookies in food processor (or crush in a large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin) and pulse until crumbly, but not ground.

Melt marshmallows and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl until puffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove and pour in ground cookies. Quickly stir to combine, then transfer to baking dish.

Allow to set for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bars from pan by foil edges. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Rocky Road Brownie Bites

2011-09-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

Brownie batter (your favorite recipe or a boxed mix)
2 cups of mini marshmallows
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup chopped peanuts or pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Chocolate candy melt, almond bark, or more chocolate chips for melting

Preheat oven according to brownie recipe or boxed brownie mix. Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Prepare brownies according to directions and fill muffin cups about 1/2 full. Bake according to recipe. When done, place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

When cooled, place the brownie cups on a baking sheet or in a jelly roll pan and prepare rocky road mixture.

In a large bowl, microwave the marshmallows and butter until puffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Quickly stir in chopped peanuts or pecans, then gently fold in chocolate chips. This is where it gets messy. Working quickly, use a spoon or your hands to scoop out small tablespoons of the rocky road mixture and place it on top of each brownie cup. Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least fifteen minutes, until hardened enough to dip. It's okay if they don't look perfect... you're going to dip them in chocolate!

Melt almond bark, chocolate melts, or chocolate chips before removing brownies from the freezer. Dip the tops in melted chocolate, then place on a wax-paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until set.

Peanut Butter Cup Treats

2011-09-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

About 1 bag of miniature peanut butter cups

Combine butter, sugars, egg, peanut butter, and vanilla in mixing bowl; beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Cover dough and chill. (I chilled my dough for about half an hour).

Preheat oven to 375°F.

When cold enough to handle easily, roll in small (walnut-sized) balls; place each ball in greased miniature muffin tin. Bake for 8-9 minutes.

Remove from oven; gently press one peanut butter cup into each cookie. Cool in pan at least 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Store in a cool place until serving time.

Makes about three dozen cookies.

Oreo Cheescakes

2011-08-24T22:50:00.000-07:00

6 Oreo Cookies

4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature (half a pack)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tablespoon flour

1 egg yolk (if you double the recipe just use the whole egg)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

chocolate chips or Oreo pieces for toppings

If you want to cheat to bring your cream cheese to room temperature, just remove it from the wrapper and microwave it for about 30 seconds at 20% power.

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 6 muffin tins with cupcake liners and put an Oreo in each.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and stir until well combined. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter onto each Oreo. Bake at 350 for about 14-17 minutes, or until the cheesecake looks set and not browned. Remove cheesecakes from muffin tins and top with 5 or 6 chocolate chips or Oreo pieces while they're still warm.

Once the cheesecakes are completely cooled, store in the refrigerator.

Source: loosely inspired by Swirled Cheesecake Nibbles at verybestbaking.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Recipe {like a pb cup you can eat with a spoon}

2011-08-24T22:46:00.000-07:00

1/8 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 cup cocoa powder

3 large egg yolks

1 3/4 cups half-and-half or whole milk (I used whole milk)

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup (heaped) dark chocolate chips (you could use semisweet if you're not a fan of dark chocolate)

Whipped cream and sprinkles for topping

Sift together the cornstarch, sugar, salt, and cocoa powder and put it into a medium pan. Slowly whisk in the milk, until the mixture is combined and smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until smooth. If you don't have a whisk, just use a fork. That's what I did.

Cook the pudding over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the pudding starts to thicken and large bubbles form and plop on the surface of the pudding. Reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking, stirring continuously for 1 minute. Your pudding is done when you can run your finger across the back of the stirring spoon and it leaves a trail that does not immediately fill in.

Remove from the heat and stir the vanilla, peanut butter, and chocolate chips into the hot pudding until thoroughly melted and combined.

Pour the pudding into a bowl and cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the pudding until very cold, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

This recipe came from This Chick Cooks

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

2011-08-24T16:37:00.001-07:00

These smoothies mix peanut butter, frozen banana, milk and oats. Don't worry. The oats get ground up before you start so you'll hardly even realize they're in there. My 6 year old said that this smoothie is so good that I should open an ice cream store :) After giving up refined sugar (excluding my weekly dessert) it seems like nature's "sweets" have grown to have a whole new level of flavor and depth that I never quite appreciated before. You could add a little bit of honey to these if you want to, but I recommend that you try it without the honey first. In my opinion it is just perfect without any extra sweetness added. It feels like you're indulging in a treat, but they're actually chock full of good for you stuff.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe
serves 2

2 bananas sliced and frozen
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup milk

Put oats in blender and blend until they're powdery. Add remaining ingredients and blend until there are no more chunks of frozen banana. Garnish with fresh banana slices if desired.

Captain Crunch Peanut Butter Bars

2011-08-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

3 T. butter
3 T. creamy peanut butter
30 large marshmallows
6 c. Cap'n Crunch Cereal
1 1/2 c. M&M's

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large pot on the stove melt butter, peanut butter and marshmallows on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Once mixture is melted and all combined, remove from heat. Add cereal and M&M's quickly and stir quickly to well coat. As the marshmallow mixture cools it will become harder to mix.

Pour into prepared pan. Coat your hands with a little extra butter and press down the mixture into the pan to get it as even as possible. Allow to cool completely and cut into squares.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches for the Crockpot

2011-08-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1 (17.5 oz) bottle buffalo wing sauce (I used Buffalo Wild Wing Sauce)
1 oz. pkg of dry ranch salad dressing mix
6 sandwich or hoagie rolls

Put the chicken in the crockpot. Pour 3/4 of the bottle of the hot sauce over the top of the chicken and then sprinkle the salad dressing mix over that. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.

Once the chicken has cooked, shred it right in the crockpot and let it continue to cook for a few minutes to soak up the sauce.

Pile chicken onto rolls and splash with some of the remaining wing sauce if desired. Cover with provolone cheese and stick under the broiler until the cheese melts.

Cheerio Treats

2011-08-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

Cheerio Treats

• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. corn syrup
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1 t. vanilla
• 5 c. Cheerios (I used Honey Nut Cheerios)

In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat.

Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat.

Add peanut butter and vanilla to mixture and mix until smooth.

Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.

Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

Makes approximately 2 dozen.

Chocolate Covered Popcorn-easy

2011-07-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

If you've never tried chocolate covered popcorn, you don't know what you're missing!

This version is quick and easy....

Pop 1 bag of butter flavored popcorn.

Spread the popcorn out on a baking sheet.

Melt 2-3 squares of almond bark or white chocolate in the microwave

Using a fork, drizzle the chocolate all over the popcorn.

Either leave the tray on the table for the chocolate to air dry or pop the tray into the freezer for 2 minutes.

You can make this ahead of time and store it in plastic Ziploc bags.

It's great for gift-giving, too!

MMM!! Delicious!

cheesecake stuffed strawberries

2011-07-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

What You Need:
Whole Strawberries
Philadelphia Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake filling
Good Quality Dipping Chocolate

What You Do:
Carefully wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the stems from the berries.

Using a small paring knife, core the center of each berry being careful to leave the bottom in tact.Fill a plastic baggie with the cheesecake filling. Fill each berry with cheesecake continuing on top of berry with a pretty design.

Line a small baking sheet with wax paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt dipping chocolate at 30-second intervals until chocolate is smooth and creamy. Dip each strawberry into chocolate, covering 3/4 of the berry. Lay on baking sheet. Fill a second plastic baggie with chocolate and drizzle over the berries in a pretty design. Chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

**Tip sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the cheesecake filling**
Store in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator.

2011-06-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 cups slivered almonds
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
24 thick slices French bread
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons canola oil or coconut oil
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons butter
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

this recipe is for 12 servings it can be scaled down if needed

Place almonds in a small saucepan over low heat. Tossing frequently, toast until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, salt, baking powder, almond extract and vanilla extract. Soak bread slices in the mixture until saturated. Place slices in a shallow pan. Refrigerate slices approximately 1 hour.
Heat canola oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. One at a time, press one side of soaked bread slices in the almonds to coat. Fry bread slices on both sides until golden brown. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving,

Granola

2011-06-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

8 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups wheat germ
1 1/2 cups oat bran
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup honey
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups raisins or sweetened dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil.
Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.

Carolei Phelps Granola

2011-06-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

*Crunchy Granola* 
 
 4 cups rolled oats 
 1 cup wheat germ 
 1 cup chopped walnuts or silvered almonds

(we used almonds and used 1 - 1 1/2 cups) 
 1/2 cup coconut

(Mom used the finely grated kind at Sprouts) 
 1/2 cup sesame seeds (we didn't use these) 
 1/4 cup brown sugar or replace with honey
 1 Tb. cinnamon 
 1/4 tsp. salt 
 1/3 cup almond oil (I bet coconut oil would be good

too) 
 1/3 cup honey (we used agave, if you use agave reduce to 1/2 the amount)
 1/3 cup water 
 1 (6 oz) pkg. dried sweetened cranberries or other dried fruits (we didn't 
 use these) 
 
 1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl stir together the oats 
 wheat germ, nuts, sesame seeds, brown sugar, cinamon, and salt.  Make a well 
 in the dry ingredients and add the oil, honey, and water.  Toss the mixture 
 until it is well comvined, then spread it evenly on a cookie sheet. 
 
 2. Bake the granola until lightly browned, about 40 mins. stirring every 10 
 mins. to keep the mixture from sticking.  Let it cool completely, then stir 
 in the cranberries or dried fruit.  Makes about 7 cups.

Oreo Truffles

2011-06-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided (not double stuff)
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted or Almond Bark is what I use

Directions

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter. put into the freezer for awhile (maybe 10 minutes) so the chocolate will stick better to the cookie mixture
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.
My favorite batch is the one where I add crushed BUTTERFINGER to the Peanutbutter Oreo cookie mixture. I use about 2-3 regular sized candy bars to 1 pkg Oreos. There are so many options with this recipe...nutter butter, mint oreos try different things

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

2011-06-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust or a shortbread cookie crust
1 (8oz) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time, fold in the sour cream. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust. I baked this in a water bath at 350 for 1 hr (till the middle jiggles like jello), then turn off the oven, prop the door open and let the cheesecake sit for another hour, I promise you it will not crack at all. I used a 10in springform pan
then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

Shortbread crust

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Stir together flour and baking powder; blend into butter mixture. Pat into a 9 inch pie plate.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.

Feta Cheese Foldovers

2011-06-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
8 ounces feta cheese I used flavored feta cheese
1 egg
1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk

Directions

In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water.
Crumble cheese, and blend with green onions and egg.
Cut pastry into twelve 3 inch squares. Place a mounded tablespoon of filling in the center of each square. Moisten edges with water, and fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. Brush tops lightly with egg mixture. Cover, and chill until ready to bake.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees) for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

**variations might be to add some spinach, or sundried tomatoes and basil

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

2011-06-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter (no substitutes), softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Additional sugar

Directions

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
Roll into 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

Baked Beans

2011-06-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 (16 ounce) can pork and beans, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

In a large skillet, cook beef, bacon and onion until meat is done and onion is tender. Drain any fat. Combine all remaining ingredients except beans. Add to meat mixture; mix well. Stir in beans. Place in a greased 2-1/2-qt. casserole. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until heated through.

Blueberry Buckle

2011-06-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
TOPPING:
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup cold butter

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in the blueberries. Pour into greased 9-in. square baking pan.
For topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over blueberry mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

White Chocolate Fruit Pizza

2011-06-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
1 (10 ounce) package vanilla or white chips, melted and cooled
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
You can use any fresh fruit you like....
GLAZE:
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour; mix well. Press into an ungreased 11-in. tart pan with removable bottom or 12-in. pizza pan with sides. Bake at 300 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat melted chips and cream. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice; set juice aside. Arrange the pineapple, strawberries, oranges and kiwi over filling.
For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool; brush over fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Strawberry Cheesecake

2011-06-27T19:32:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 eggs
1 tablespoon water

Directions

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a blender or food processor, combine strawberries and cornstarch; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Set aside 1/3 cup strawberry sauce; cool. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce for serving. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in milk. Add lemon juice; mix well. Add eggs, beat on low just until combined. Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over crust. Drop half of the reserved strawberry mixture by 1/2 teaspoonfuls onto cream cheese layer. Carefully spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over sauce. Drop remaining strawberry sauce by 1/2 teaspoonfuls on top. With a knife, cut through top layer only to swirl strawberry sauce. Bake at 300 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove side of pan. Thin chilled strawberry sauce with water if desired; serve with cheesecake. Store in the refrigerator.