Category: Fruit

Breads · Desserts · Fruit

Blueberry Scone* Fruit Dessert

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2015-09-04 19.38.44 Tonight we are headed to Babe’s for the best fried chicken in the state of Texas with my sister-in-law and her hubby. Because it will be served with creamed corn, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and biscuits, I thought it might be good to have a little lighter dessert afterward.

This morning, I made fresh lemon-blueberry scones (recipe is on the blog). Because it is still so hot out and the humidity is really high today, I thought I would cut up fresh fruit and serve over the scones with a spoonful of whipped cream. So that will be our dessert.

After sampling the peaches and blueberries, they weren’t exactly the sweetest, so I added cut up strawberries to the peaches and blueberries, and sprinkled a little strawberry jello to make a sweet syrup. This will be so fresh looking poured over the scones, which will be served in individual little triffle dishes. (Use pretty wine glasses or goblets if you prefer.) Topped with the sweetened whipped cream, and folks, I think we have a winner!

Great ending to our fried chicken dinner! Remember…All’s well that ends with a great meal!

*The scones are a Paula Deen Recipe

Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare

French Apple Creme Pie

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Taken again from the Gooseberry Recipes, a great pie for the cooler days that will soon be here. Surely, cooler days are coming, right?

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2 unbaked pie shells

Apple Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tables flour

1/2 teas cinnamon

1/2 teas nutmeg

1 Tables lemon zest, grated

5 cups Granny Smith applies, peeled and sliced

4 tables butter

Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add apples and stir to coat. Turn into one of the pie shells and dot with slices of the butter.  Top the pie with the remaining pie crust and cut a 2″ slit in the center of the crust for the air to escape while pie bakes.e ( usually sprinkle a little sugar over the pie crust before putting it in the oven.)

Bake for 10 minutes at 425 and then 30-35 minutes at 375. While the pie is baking, cook the crème sauce

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1 tables lemon juice

3 oz package of cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

In a saucepan, combine eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add cream cheese and sour cram. Take off heat and stir until well combined. Pour over slices of the apple pie when serving.

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare

Blueberry Buttermilk Bundt Cake

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Love, love, love blueberries! This recipe is taken from Food Network Summer Favorites!

Cake:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp, plus more for the pan.

3 cups plus 2 tables all purpose flour

2 1/2 teas baking powder

1 1/4 teas salt

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs, at room temp

1 teas vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups fresh blueberries (about 1 pint)

For the toppings

1 pint strawberries, halved or quartered

1 to 2 tables sugar

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tables unsalted butter, at room temp

4 to 5 tables milk

To make the cake, preheat oven to 350. Generously butter a nonstick 12 cup bundt pan.

Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat 2 sticks butter, the granulated sugar and the oil with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk, beating until incorporated. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk. Beat, scraping down sides as needed, until all is combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat 30 seconds. Finish blending the flour to avoid overmixing.

Toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 tables flour in a bowl. Spoon 1/3 of the batter evely into the prepared pan. Sprinkle in half of the blueberries, then top with another 1/3 of the batter. Scatter the remaining blueberries on top and cover with the rest of the batter, smooth the top. Bake until the cake is golden brown and tests done by inserting knife in center of cake and it comes out clean. It will bake about an hour to hour and 5 min. Transfer to a rack and let cool 30 minutes in the pan. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake, then invert onto the rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the toppings; Toss the strawberries with the granulated sugar in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes.

Just before serving, make the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, butter and 4 tables milk in a bowl. If glaze is still to thick, add up to 1 more tables milk. Pour the glaze over the cake. Serve with the strawberries and their juices over cake.2015-07-03 10.01.44

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit

Key Lime Coconut Angel Cake

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I have a cookbook from the ladies of First Bapt.,Jacksonville, Florida. A friend gave this to me years ago and it is still one of my favorite books to sit and look through. This recipe had not popped off the page at me until now. As much as I love Key Lime anything, I cannot believe I have not noticed this. But I have now and am buying an angel food cake next trip to the store.

Summer is here and all that is sounding good is cold desserts, full of lemon, strawberry or lime! This one is totally up my alley.

1 round angel food cake (store bought so you don’t have to heat up the kitchen)

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) ex: Eagle Brand

1/3 cup key lime or regular lime juice

12 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed, such as Cool Whip, Extra Creamy (or use real whipping cream, which you would only need 2 cups whipped)

1 cup flaked coconut

sliced kiwis and strawberries, if desired

Using a serrated knife, slice cake horizontally into 3 layers with a sawing motion, or use an electric knife, if possible.

Beat milk and lime juice in a large bowl with a wire whisk until smooth and thickened. Fold in whipped topping. You may use a little more juice for added flavor, but be careful not to make it to thin.)

Frost layers of cake as you assemble. Sprinkle with coconut and garnish with the fruit.

Place in fridge for several hours, to enhance flavors…Enjoy and be cool!

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Neapolitan Cheesecake

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Leave it to Taste of Home to publish a great and different cheesecake. I had never seen a recipe for this and it sounds quite good. Will be the next cheesecake I make. The recipe has won several first place ribbons at fairs and is from a lady who lives in Canada.

1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs

5 tables butter, melted and divided

3 packages ( 8 oz ea) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teas vanilla

5 squares (1 oz ea) semisweet chocolate, divided

2-1/2 (which will be equal to 2 1/2 oz) white baking chocolate, divided

1/3 cup mashed sweetened strawberries

2 teas shortening, divided

Combine crumbs, 3 tables melted butter; press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9″ spring form pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree  preheated oven for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Add vanilla. Divide into 3 portions, about 1 2/3 cup each.

Melt 2 squares semisweet chocolate; stir into one portion of batter. Melt 2 squares of white chocolate; stir into second portion. Stir strawberries into the 3rd portion. Spread semisweet mixture evenly over crust. Carefully spread with white chocolate batter, then the strawberry mixture on top of that. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300. Bake about 50 minutes or until center is nearly set. You want it to jiggle slightly. Remove from the oven; immediately run a knife around the edge. Cool then remove from pan.

Melt remaining semisweet chocolate, remaining butter and 1 teas shortening; cool for 2 minutes. Pour over cake. Melt remaining white chocolate and rest of shortening; drizzle over the chocolate glaze. Cool in fridge at least 4-6 hours.

Serves: 12-14

Breakfast · Desserts · Fruit

Wonders Never Cease

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By glancing at the title, you might be thinking, ‘wow, this must be a post of something really important”…and it is, if you like chicken salad like I do…and individual desserts. I learned a couple of things this week. (Besides the fact that I cannot eat a donut for breakfast, cookies with ice tea in the afternoon and a huge slice of pie after dinner and not expect to be able to fit in anything but a MuMu)

On Tues, I was at a friends house for a lunch and she served chicken salad. As we commented that it was really so very good, she told us to try to guess what was in it. Usually I’m pretty good at guessing different spices..(.yes, that is one of my talents, spice clarification!) but couldn’t figure out what made this salad taste so different. When no one could guess, she told us that besides the combo of using Greek yogurt, sour cream and mayo, she sprinkles in Lemon Pepper and dry Ranch Dressing. I just made it for Randy and take my word for it, it was so great!

Also, this week on Facebook I saw that someone posted individual apple pies, made with crescent rolls. So I immediately bought what was needed and that was out lunch dessert today.

I found a little can that has 4 crescent’s in them, (which yea, gives us two each) bought an apple and came home and put them together. Took 5 min of prep time and baking time of about 12 minutes. If you are looking for a simple yummy dessert, try this.

Just unroll the crescents and tear them apart where they are perforated. Spread softened butter on each roll. Sprinkle some cinnamon and brown sugar over the butter. Peal and slice an apple and cut into 4 wedges. Place a wedge on each roll and roll up, placing the large side up. Sprinkle a little more butter, cinnamon and brown sugar on top. Bake at 375 for about 12-14 min. or until tops are golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream or just plain. Individual Apple Tart

Desserts · Fruit

Summer Sweets

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A friend of mine has asked me to contribute a easy summer recipe for her blog. I thought it best to give her a choice of 3 great refreshing desserts. This first one, the Cheesecake Filled Strawberries, I found on Pinterest. They look so pretty and they are so easy to put together. Can’t wait to have ladies over to make them.

1. Cheesecake Filled Strawberries

1 lb large strawberries

8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tables powdered sugar
1 teas vanilla
Graham cracker crumbs *(I added a little about 1 teas sugar to crumbs to make them taste more like graham cracker crust)
Directions:
Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top and hollow out with a paring knife, being careful not to cut through to the outside of the strawberry. Prep all strawberries and set aside to dry, covered with a towel, so they don’t dry out.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy. Put cream cheese mixture into a piping bag or a ziplock bag which you will cut the tip of the bag to allow you to fill strawberries with the cream mixture. Fill each strawberry with the cream cheese mixture. Once all the strawberries are filled, dip the top in graham cracker crumbs. If not serving immediately, place covered in fridge until ready to use. Better if eaten the same day.
Recipe #2
Frozen Fruit Mallow
1 (9 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 (3 o) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (7 oz) bottle lemon-lime soda (*I used Sprite)
2 (10 oz) packages frozen sliced peaches
1 cup halved green grapes
1 cup heavy cream, whipped (until stiff peaks form, but be careful not to whip it till it becomes like butter)
1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
Blend undrained pineapple and cream cheese. Stir in Sprite (or 7 Up); add fruits. Freeze until partially set. Then fold in whipped cream and marshmallows. Pour into 9″ square pan or a 2 qt dish. Freeze until firm. Yield 6-8 servings.
Recipe #3
Lemon-Strawberry Trifle *Taken from Taste of Home
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups milk
1 package (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix
2 teas grated lemon peel
2 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided (or use a mixture of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
1 tables orange juice or water
1 tables powdered sugar
1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 oz)
In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and yogurt. Add the milk, dry pudding mix and lemon peel; beat until smooth. In a blender, process 1/2 cup strawberries (or mixed berries) with orange juice or water and powdered sugar and blend until smooth.
Tear cake into 1″ cubes; place a third of the cake cubes in a trifle bowl or 3 qt serving bowl. Top with a third of the pudding mixture and half of the remaining strawberries. Drizzle with half of the strawberry sauce. Repeat. Top with remaining cake then pudding mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. * I topped mine with sweetened whipping cream (or Cool Whip if you prefer) Decorate with whole berries before serving if desired.
Yield 12-14 servings.
Desserts · Fruit

When Words Fail You, Pies Never Do

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I just saw those words in a Taste of Home magazine over an advertisement for Lucky Leaf Blueberry Pie filling. As I sat there and pondered (and yes, I know, I need to get a life more than dissecting and trying to find meaning through recipes)

that statement, I remembered that all the years growing up, the nights when I got stood up (thankfully there weren’t TOO many of those), or didn’t make the grade I wanted, or having a bad hair day,( which there were so many of those, living in a humid windy city) walking into the kitchen and finding a homemade chocolate, cherry or buttermilk pie…well, I didn’t need to hear any words from my Mom or Dad, I just had to sit down with a great big glass of sweet tea and a piece of pie. It just made everything seem a little better. Pies just always seem to say, Welcome Home, I’m glad you are here.

When I was leafing through this old Taste of Home magazine, I came across this cream cheese stuffed blueberry pie. It sounds delish so think I will make it this weekend, you know, just in case I miss the 12 hour sale at Stein Mart or find that after stepping on the scale, that I have obtained a muffin top on top of the one I already have. I don’t know why I keep gaining a few pounds every year! Must be all the carrot sticks I keep munching on; note to self…give up the carrots so I will have more tummy space for pie!

Blue Ribbon Stuffed Crust Blueberry Pie (substitute cherry or apple, if you like)*If you use the apple, omit the almond extract)

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 teas grated lime peel

1 teas lime juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teas almond extract

2 (9″) pie crusts (if using refrigerated crusts, let them get to room temp)

1/4 cup slice almonds

1 (21 oz) can Lucky Leaf Premium Blueberry Pie Filling or Cherry

Preheat oven to 425. Beat cream cheese, lime peel, lime juice, sugar and almond extract until creamy. set aside.

Unroll one pie crust and press into sides and bottom of the pie pan. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and press them lightly into the crusts. Top with 3/4 of cream cheese filling.

Unroll second crust; place on filling. Flute edges to form double crusts; pierce with fork. Spread Pie Filling on top of crust.

Add remaining cream cheese filling over the fruit filling and swirl with a spoon, being careful not to disturb the crust underneath.

Bake at 425 for 15 min; reduce oven to 375 and bake 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden around the edges. Cool and refrigerate before serving.

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit

Apple Sharlotka

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2015-04-11 13.07.27

Saw this in a cookbook that was being passed out at Costco. Randy loves apple anything, so when I saw this, I knew I would be making this. So easy!

7 Eastern or Red Delicious, Empire or Jonagold, peeled and diced into 1″ cubes.

3 large eggs

1 cup super

1 teas vanilla

1 cup flour

1 teas baking powder

1 teas cinnamon

1/4 teas nutmeg

Powdered sugar for dusting

Ice cream or whipped cream for topping

Preheat oven to 350. Line the bottom of a 9″ springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. Butter the pan and paper.

Place diced apples in the prepared pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar, beating well. Add vanilla, then stir in dry ingredients, just until blended.

Pour the batter over the prepared apples, smoothing it over and into the apples. Gently tap the pan on the counter to even ly distribute the batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cake tests done.

Let cool in pan for 20 min. Flip the cake onto a plate, then again onto a serving platter.

When cool, dust with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Desserts · Fruit

Lemon Ice Cream Bars

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What a great recipe for Spring and Summer. While waiting in the salon with dye all over my head, I began to leaf through magazines that the owner brings to the shop. I took pics of this one and one that I will post tomorrow: Donut Tiramisu. Can’t wait to make that one either. I have recipes for bread pudding made with donuts (thank you very much Paula Deen) but had never heard of this one so will be anxious to get to donut shop and buy the necessary donuts to make that one next week.

In the meantime, will be making these, as lemon just screams, “SPRING”. So we are off to a great start to a most beautiful time of year; except all the green junk that is all over our driveway, sidewalk and porch.

For the lemon Curd:

6 large egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup fresh lemon juice

12 tables unsalted butter

1/2 teas grated lemon zest.

Or if you are in a springtime lazy mode, buy the lemon curd already made.

For the Bars:

2 (5-6 oz) boxes shortbread cookies,

3 tables unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teas grated lemon zest

2 pints vanilla ice cream, slightly soft

Powdered sugar for dusting

Make the lemon curd: Combine the egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook, whisking until the mixture begins to thicken, about 8 minutes. Stir in the butter, 1 chunk at a time, with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 7 more minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and salt. Pour into a bowl that will sit on top of a large bowl, which you will fill halfway with ice. Set the bowl of curd on the ice and let cool completely, stirring occasionally.

Make the bars:

Coat an 8″ square baking dish with cooking spray and line with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides. Pulse the cookies in a food processor until finely crushed. Slowly add the melted butter and lemon zest and pulse until  the mixture starts coming together..

Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared baking dish and press firmly into the bottom. Spread the ice cream over the crumb mixture with a rubber spatula; spread the lemon curd on top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

When ready to serve, lift out of the pan using the overhanging foil. Cut into pieces and dust with a little powdered sugar. Makes

about 9 squares