Summer Dessert Time

Here is a great recipe you can adapt to just about any flavor

Lemon Lush Dessert

(other flavors to try:

Strawberry cream – using strawberry cream pudding and fresh strawberries for garnish

Banana cream – use homemade vanilla pudding(adding banana extract) and banana slices

Coconut cream - – use homemade vanilla pudding using coconut milk (or adding coconut extract instead of vanilla extract) and coconut to filling and garnish with toasted coconut

For the Crust:

·                 1 c. butter, softened but not to room temperature

·                 2 c. flour

·                 1/4 c. sugar

·                 1/2 c. pecans, chopped in small pieces (toast first for a deeper flavor)

For the Cream Cheese Layer:

·                 2 (8oz) packages Philadelphia cream cheese

·                 1 c. powdered sugar

For the Pudding Layer

·                 2 cups fresh  lemon curd

·                 2 cups fresh whipped cream

For the topping

·                 lemon zest, to garnish (optional)

·                 2 cups fresh whipped cream

Instructions

Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and chopped pecans in a mixing bowl. A fork works really well to get everything mixed together. Press into a 9x13 baking dish and bake 15-20 minutes at 350°, or until a light golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy and smooth. Spread over cooled crust.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together lemon curd and whipped cream (gently). Spread on top of the cream cheese layer.

Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

Spread whipped cream over the pudding layer. Cut into 18-24 pieces 

Chocolate Chip Awesome Cookies

Chocolate Chip Awesome Cookies - Not the ones your Mama Made!

4 dz cookies  325° oven

1 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Salt

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped nuts, optional

DIRECTIONS

In a sauce pan, melt butter & add sugars.  Stir until dissolved. Pour into mixing bowl. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes. Stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt. Add to butter mixture. Stir in chips and nuts.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
Roll by hand into walnut size balls. Place on a cookie sheet. (I line mine with parchment paper).  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown

Chocolate Meets Cracker

Julia wanted a treat...no time to bake..so I took some graham crackers and broke them in half.  I made "sandwiches" with each pair by filling with something yummy...Nutella, Peanut Butter, Caramel..whatever. After I made the "sandwiches" I coated them in melted chocolate and dipped them in sprinkles...English Toffee bits  are the BOMB! I popped them in the freezer for about 5 minutes..some had to be flipped over and out back in to set.

CHRISTMAS baking time....

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

1 pound almonds (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 egg white
1 teaspoon cinnamon syrup, optional
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.   Preheat oven to 250. Lightly grease a 10x15" jellyroll pan.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg white with a fork until frothy.
3.  Add the vanilla and syrup

4.  Add the nuts and stir till well coated. 

5.  Mix the sugars and cinnamon.   Pour over nuts..  Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the prepared pan.

6.  Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until golden. 

Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge 
3 cups of sugar

¾ cup of butter

2/3 eggnog

1 7oz jar of marshmallow crème

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 12oz bag of white chocolate chips

Stir butter, sugar, and milk into a heavy pan and bring to a full boil, boil 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in chocolate stir until all chocolate is melted then mix in vanilla and marshmallow crème. Pour into a buttered 8×8 baking dish, and cool at room temperature.

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1 cup crushed peppermint candy canes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow creme, candy & vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 9x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

3 cups canned pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

4 cups white sugar

6 eggs

4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1  to 1 1/2 cups Milk chocolate chip morsels

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

Cranberry Nut Bread Recipe:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan.
Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf.

Sugar Cookie Kisses

Cream Together:

2/3 C margarine (not butter)          

2 eggs                                              

1 tsp vanilla                                               

2/3 C sugar                                      

1/4 C milk                                        

Mix in:

2 ½ C flour                                      

½ tsp salt                                        

2 ½ tsp baking powder                   

1 bag Hershey kisses - candy cane

green sugar sprinkle

Mix well.  Dough will be gooey.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Roll into walnut size balls.  Coat with sugar.  Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.  As soon as they are removed from oven, push a kiss slightly into the middle of it.

Christmas Dessert  Raspberry Tiramisu

1 cup raspberry flavored Italian soda

1/4 cup raspberry jam, seedless

6 tablespoon(s) Grand Marnier, optional

1 pound(s) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

1 cup(s) heavy cream

1/4 cup(s) granulated sugar

40 dry Italian ladyfingers (2 packages)

3 to4  cups fresh raspberries, (1/2 dry pint each, about 3 3/4 cups total) (can use frozen, byt keep frozen until

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Stir together the syrup, jam and 4 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier in a small bowl to blend.

Stir together the mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier in a large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream & granulated sugar, in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, stir a fourth of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold the remaining whipped cream in to the mascarpone mixture.

Line the bottom of a 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking  dish or other decorative serving dish with a third of the ladyfingers. Spread a third of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers. Spread a third of the mascarpone mixture over the jam mixture, then cover with a third of the fresh raspberries. Repeat layering with the remaining ladyfingers, jam mixture, mascarpone mixture, and raspberries. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Dust the confectioners' sugar over the top and serve.

For added fun, color the whip cream Green!

When You Can't Eat Just One....

This post is dedicated to those food items where ONE is just so incredible, why stop!

Try this one...my mom gave me this recipe MANY MANY MOONS ago.  Sounds gross, but when they are bakes..you will eat the WHOLE batch.

ButterHorns

1 cup margarine or butter

1 1/2 cup cottage cheese

2 cups flour

Cream butter and cottage cheese.  Add flour.  Refrigerate 4 hours.  Divide dough in 3rds.  Roll into circles.  Cut into wedges.  Rollup lightly starting at the wide end.  Place point down on  cookie sheet.  Bake 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown..

Frost lightly with confectioner sugar glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 TB butter

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 TB milk




Here is another yummy dessert...Low cal..NOT!

Hello Dolly Bars

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup flour

2 cups chocolate chip morsels

2 cups coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Grease and flour 9x13 pan.

In a medium size bowl, add all dry ingredients except sugar.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add flour.  Press into pan. Sprinkle with chips and coconut. Drizzle with milk.  Bake until golden brown.

OPTIONS:

Substitute butterscotch chips or peanut butter.

Use half and half - peanut butter and chocolate.

Chocolate chips morsels - use milk and semi sweet together or even Dark chocolate.

Oh I will add more..I PROMISE!!!!