Category: Fruit

Cookies · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Strawberry Bar Cookies

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This month is flying by. We have had friends from California visiting and so much going on that I have really been in a baking mood. There is a book series by Joanne Fluke called the Hannah Swenson Mysteries. They all have desserts in the title and each book centers around the Swenson sisters who run The Cookie Jar in a small town. These little mysteries are easy reading and have recipes at the end of most chapters. The current book I am reading is the Raspberry Danish Murder.

The recipes are absolutely great. Last night I made the recipe called Sweet & Salty Strawberry Bar Cookies. I substituted Apricot jam as I didn’t have any strawberry jam in the house and didn’t want to run to the store at 8 p.m. Trust me on this, they apricot was wonderful. Am going to make the Butterscotch Marshmallow Bar Cookies next. The ladies who had them this morning at our house loved the Apricot Bar Cookies. So if you are not in the mood for a murder mystery which centers around food, here is the recipe.

The Crust & Topping

2 cups salted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teas vanilla
4 cups all purpose flour

(I actually halved this recipe for last night in case it wasn’t what I thought it would be and it turned out really good.) So will make the full version next time.

Strawberry or (Apricot) Filling

11.75 oz jar strawberry topping or preserves ( used an 11.5 oz jar of apricot preserves and it was fine)
1 cup white chocolate or vanilla chips
2 tables whipping cream
1 tesas vanilla 2 teas sea or other salt (the coast ground kind (I didn’t even use the salt)

Spray a 9×13 pan with Pam.
Using a hand electric mixer, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar. Beat on medium until mixture is light and creamy. Add the vanilla. Mix it in until well combined. Add the flour inhale-cup increments, beating at Low speed after each addition. Beat until mixture is well combined.
The dough will appear soft, that is how it should be.

Remove a generous cup of this dough and wrap it in Saran Wrap and place in fridge for about 30 minutes to chill. You will use this chilled dough to crumble on top of the preserves.

Using remaining dough, place in greased baking pan and using your fingertips, evenly spread in the pan, pressing all the way to the edges. Bake this crust in preheated 325 oven for about 20 minutes.

While crust is baking, take your preserves and empty them out in a microwave safe bowl. Add the vanilla chips and whipping cream to the preserves and cook in microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir mixture and place back in microwave in 20 second intervals to melt chips. When crust comes out of oven, allow to cool about 15 minutes before pouring the preserves over it. When chips are melted, add the vanilla and stir.

Pour the preserve mixture over the crust. Next sprinkle the salt over the fruit then Crumble the chilled dough over the preserves and place back in 325 degree oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool completely. Do not cut until they are cool as the filling will need to set. Cut in brownie size pieces.

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Apple Cinnamon Bread

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This bread sounded so good, I am headed to store to buy applesauce so I can make it. It comes from a ad in Paula Deen’s magazine from Sevierville, TN where they sell this bread at the Apple Valley Creamery Ice Cream and Bake Shop. So if it is in Paula’s magazine, it has got to be good!

3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
3 cups flour
1 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1 teas salt
2 table cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins (I use golden raisins as the flavor is a little milder)
1/2 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350
Cream first 4 ingredients until well blended.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Pour into 3 greased medium bread pans (loaf pans)
Bake at 350 for about 45 min or until bread tests done.

*I will probably add 1 teas vanilla and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

A jar of spiced peach jam was given to me by a dear friend that I cannot wait to spread over a hot piece of this bread (and of course a big slab of butter)!
Would love to hear back any comments after you bake this.

Breads · Breakfast · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Almond & Apricot Biscotti

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Have made this twice and each time, it gets great reviews from folks I share it with. Makes great hostess gifts or place in a decorated vase at each end of the dessert table. Great little dessert especially for people who don’t like a lot of sweets, but like just a little something to go with hot tea or coffee.

2 cups flour
4 tables butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teas salt
2 eggs
2 teas baking powder
1 1/2 teas almond extract
1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1 cup sliced (very thin) almonds

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add softened butter,mixing until coarse crumbs form. With mixer on low, add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition; add in almond extract; Stir in apricots and almonds; continue to stir until dough is in ball form, about 1 minute.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, shape dough into two 2″x12″ logs. Bake in preheated oven until dry and set, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire racks. Let cool completely.
Transfer to a cutting board and with a serrated knife, cut logs on the diagonal into 1/4″ slices. Bake on parchment lined baking sheets until golden, 15-20 minutes, (turn each slice over halfway through baking) and rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on sheets on racks.
Store in air tight container up to 1 week.

I melted vanilla candy melts and drizzled it over each cooled slice.

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Browned Butter Banana Bread

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Is there anything that doesn’t taste better than browned butter? I remember the first time I tasted it. So much added nutty flavor and such an addition to already wonderful butter flavor. The praline frosting that is on the blog, which is made with browned butter is still one of my favorites. So when I saw this in an old magazine from Paula Deen, I instantly knew what I was going to bake next when the new bananas ripened.

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 1/4 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teas rum extract (extra, so since I don’t like rum flavor, will use vanilla)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter begins to foam. Continue cooking, without stirring, until butter is golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding any remaining solids. Let cool to room temp, then refrigerate for 30 minutes or until butter has solidified but is not cold.
Preheat oven to 325. Spray a 10×5″ loaf pan with Pam baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with mixer on medium until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and next 3 ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together banana, buttermilk, and extract. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until combined after each addition. Stir in nuts, if using them. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until bread tests done. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Stor in airtight container for up to 3 days or wrap tightly and place in plastic bag to freeze up to 3 months.

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Blackberry, Browned Butter & Almond Tart

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Taken from Southern Living Magazine, this recipe caught my eye and with a sack of blackberries already in the fridge, it sounded too good not to try. It is also one of those rare moments when I have almond flour in the house, which I had purchased to make another batch of french macaroons.

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

8 large egg whites

3 1/4 cups unsifted powdered sugar, plus more for dusing

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1 cup plus 1 tables all purpose flour, divided, plus more for pan

1 tables vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 cup fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 12 ” round tart pan with removable bottom; place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high and cook, stirring often, until butter releases a nutty aroma and milk solids are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Immediately transfer butter to a bowl; ;cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Beat egg whites with a heavy duty electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add almond flour and 1 cup of the all purpose flour; beat on medium low speed until incorporated. Add vanilla bean paste (if you don’t have vanilla paste, add 2 teas vanilla) and browned butter. Beat on medium-low speed until incorporated. Spread batter in prepared pan. Toss blackberries with remaining 1 tablespoon all purpose flour and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 42-45 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove sides of pan and cool 30 more minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Pies · Uncategorized

Banana Caramel Cheesecake Pie

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Paula Deen has just hit a home run with me. Just received my new PD magazine and every page is filled with either recipes for fried green tomato recipes, which included a BLT with the FGT or amazing summer ice box pies. If she had not been my favorite cook, she would be now. Every one of the recipes in this magazine are summer perfect! .It just makes me want to head out to the closet Farmer’s Market buy fresh corn (yes, this month she had fabulous recipes with fresh corn also), berries, green tomatoes and whipped cream by the gallon! The ice box pie I’m posting today sounds like it will become a favorite of mine. Thank you Paula for these wonderful summer recipes which should truly assure me that I won’t be fitting in my bathing suit for quite some time. But oh my goodness, the reruns on TV will be so much better with a piece of this luscious pie in front of me.

Banana Caramel Cheesecake Pie

1 (8.8 oz) package BiscottCookies, crushed

6 tables unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teas salt

1 1/2 (8 oz) packages (so 12 ounces in all) of cream cheese, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup sliced banana

1/2 cup caramel topping

Garnish: sliced bananas

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9″ deep dish pie plate with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, butter and granulated sugar and salt. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of prepared pan.

Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add cream and sour cream and beat until very thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in sliced banana. Spread into crust.  Dollop caramel sauce onto pie and gently swirl together, being careful not to disturb the bottom crust. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Garnish with more banana slices if desired. Serve immediately.  Thanks, Paula, this one is a keeper!

Daily Thoughts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Blackberry-Blueberry Cobbler

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Saturday I remembered I had fresh blackberries in the freezer that we got last summer. When I saw this recipe on the back cover of a Paula Deen Magazine, I quickly got the blackberries out and proceeded to make it. The recipe is from a Diner in Sevierville, TN and is called Black & Blue Southern Style Cobbler. We devoured it with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla on top.

5 cups blackberries

5 cups blueberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup Hillside Winery’s Black & Blue Wine

1/2 cup water

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

Crust:

1 cup sugar

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large pot, combine fruit, sugar,wine and water. Bring to a low boil, stirring often to keep the fruit from sticking. Meanwhile, mix sugar and flour in a bowl. Add milk, stirring as you add until batter is well mixed. Set aside.

Once the fruit mixture is hot, melt the stick of butter in the preheated oven in a 9×9 pan. Once butter is melted, pour fruit into the pan and stir to mix together.

Pour batter (crust) evenly over fruit and return to oven. Bake at 350 until crust is a golden brown. About 45 minutes. Top with ice cream or whipped cream.

Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Pies · Uncategorized

Spring & Summer Peach Pie

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IMG_4568A new friend who is my neighbor brought me this recipe. Her grandmother use to make it and she said it is just delicious and perfect for those spring and summer luncheons or just dessert when you are sitting out on the front porch enjoying the summer breeze. As soon as I read the recipe, I ran (well, actually I drove) to the store and bought peaches and orange jello and it is now sitting in my fridge, just waiting to be sliced onto a plate for our enjoyment. Seeing it sit there this afternoon, I couldn’t stand it, so I took a spoon and went in for the taste. It is so refreshing and so light, it is just a great recipe to cool you down after a barbecue or heavy dinner. Thanks so much Patti for sharing it. Think Dreamcicle! in a pie!

Crust:

Combine 1 cup flour

1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine the ingredients, except the pecans and cut with pastry cutter until butter is like small peas and well incorporated in with the flour and brown sugar. Then add the pecans.

Pat into a 9×13 baking dish and bake in a preheated 400 oven for about 12-15 minutes or until crust is a light golden color. Remove from oven and crumble with fork. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumbs and pat remaining crumbled mixture into a 9″ pie pan. Place in fridge to cool while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

2 cups of fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

1 cup hot water

3 oz box of orange jello (or you could use peach jello if you can find it in your area)

1 pint vanilla ice cream (Randy was so excited that we found Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla to use)

Add hot water (almost boiling) to jello. Stir until jello is dissolved. Add the ice cream and peaches. Stir and pour into chilled pie crust. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge until it is set. Serve alone or topped with whipped cream.

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

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img_2954Since it is officially Fall, there are now 6 cans of pumpkin in the pantry, 3 lbs of cream cheese in the fridge and I’m ready to bake. Spotted this beautiful Fall Baking Magazine at the store so, of course, couldn’t pass it up. This will be perfect to take to card night next week, (along with s’more bites to throw in our mouths ever time we change tables, which allows me to pass right by these little gems). Janece, this ones for you!

Ingredients

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, unless you buy the small sticks of butter, in which case would be two sticks)

1 tables water

2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts (will use pecans)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cup sugar (granulated)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teas baking powder

1 teas cinnamon (will make this a heaping teas as we love cinnamon)

1/4 teas ground ginger

1/4 teas salt

1/8 teas cloves

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8″ square baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, cook brown sugar, butter, and the water over medium heat until mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Pour sugar mixture into bottom of prepared dish; sprinkle with walnuts (pecans) and cranberry. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. Whisk until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves. Add pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula.

Bake until cake tests done, which will bake about 30-35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert pan onto a serving platter. Remove parchment paper. Serve warm with a spoon of whipping cream, or a drizzle of caramel (or BOTH)

 

appetizers · Breads · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Caramel Apple Grapes

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img_2946This is another recipe which we got in the class last Thursday, when we leavned about the Monster Cookies. These are so perfect to have on a platter, which can be picked up and pop in your mouth (with toothpicks). Great little party food. We had them in class and they were delicious.

Ingredients

As many seedless green grapes as you need, washed and dried

toothpicks

1 cup caramel bits

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup salted peanuts or pecans, crushed very fine

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the caramel bits with the heavy cream. Stir until melted. Keep warm on lowest setting, till you have the grapes ready to begin dipping.

Dip the grapes into the caramel sauce and then into the crushed nuts. Place on a sheet of waxed paper to set.

That’s it! Pop those babies in your mouth and enjoy!