Peach and Blackberry Cobbler

Yum, I didn't get to take a picture of this because we had friends over and couldn't wait to EAT it!! Right now peaches and blackberries are in season, the peaches were delicious. It was pretty easy and I used the food processor for the dough.

Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:
~*~Filling~*~
8-12 peaches (peeled, pitted, and cut into 1" cubes)
2 tablespoons corn starch (I used about one 1T extra)
1/3 c. brown sugar
1t. lemon juice (fresh or good quality bottled)
2 cups blackberries

Toss all ingredients except blackberries together. Carefully fold in the blackberries. Pour it all into a baking dish. (I used a medium sized corningware dish - maybe use about 9"x9"? higher sides helps prevent spill over)

~*~Topping~*~
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour (I used ALL whole wheat it was yummy)
1/2 t. salt
3 T. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. ground ginger
3/4 of a stick of butter (6T.)
1/2 c. milk

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & ginger into food processor. Cut the butter into small pieces, pulse a few times until it looks like breadcrumbs. Drizzle the milk into and continue to pulse until moist clumps (don't over process). Put on floured board. Add flour if necessary so you can knead it a few times. Shape into 20 small balls. Place on top of fruit.

Bake for 30-45 mins. Until the topping has browned and the juices are bubbling.

Serve with ice cream :-)

Mock Lemon Chiffon Cake

Mock Lemon Chiffon Cake








INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix cake and vanilla pudding mix together then follow cake mix directions (I substitute Mayonnaise for oil in cake recipe) and bake as directed for 2 - 9 inch round pans. Allow to cool.
2. To Make Filling: Mix together lemon pudding mix with milk until thickened. Fold in 8 ounces of the whipped topping. Spread half of lemon pudding mixture on one cake layer and top with sliced strawberries.
3. Add second cake layer and spread with remaining lemon filling. Arrange sliced strawberries over top of lemon filling. Frost sides of cake with remaining 8 ounces whipped topping.

7 Layer Cookies/Bars

I kind of eyeball it as I make it but this should be about right...

Preheat oven to 375

1/2 bag of chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet)
1/2 bag of butterscotch chips
2 cups coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 package graham crackers
1 stick of butter
1 cup chopped un-salted peanuts (or your favorite nut) (optional)

Melt the butter
Crush the graham crackers
Mix the two together (they should stick together... add more butter or cracker until they do)
Pat in the bottom of a 10 x 13 pan to make a crust
Dump in the chocolate and butterscotch chips and spread them out
Put coconut and nuts on top
Pour the sweetened condensed milk all over the top of it trying to get it even

Bake 15-20 min on 375 (or until the top starts to turn golden brown... it is longer in my oven)

Allow to cool and then cut into squares

The infamous Persimmon Pudding

Can't say I have tried this. I was planning to last thanksgiving until John decided we needed to fly back to Indiana for the real thing :-)

Just because I know a lot of you might be curious - this is it. I got the recipe "gifted" to me during my shower.

2 c. persimmon pulp in a large bowl

beat in:
2 eggs
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. melted butter
2 1/2 c. half and half
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ground cloves

grease an 8x12 pan and bake for one hour at 325.

Oaty*chocolaty*pecany!*Cookies

Great cookies, and pretty tasty, the trick to making great cookies - use an ice cream scooper. You'll always get the same size cookies everytime. Only 80 calories per cookie.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup regular oats
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk; set aside.
Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned.

Cinnamon Rolls

very large recipe. Another tried an true favorite from my home-ec days.

Good thing I'm copying this to online, I'm not sure how much longer the paper version will last:

--DOUGH--
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. milk
3/4 c. sugar
2 t. salt
2 packages yeast (about 2 T)
2 eggs
7 1/2 c. flour

--FILLING--
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 T. cinnamon

--FROSTING--
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. butter
~ 2 c. powdered sugar (maybe more)
1/2 t. vanilla
2 t. milk
(beat all ingredients on med. until smooth)

Preheat to 350

directions - (Dough can be made with the dough hook in the kitchen aid)
combine 3/4 c. shortening, 1 c. milk, 3/4 c. sugar 2 t. salt in microwave bowl. Microwave 3 mins. or until melted.
Cool until lukewarm.
Combine yeast, 1/2 t. sugar, 1/2 c. warm water. Let stand (it should bubble).
Add 1 c. cold water to shortening mixture, then add 2 eggs (if it's not hot) then add the yeast.
Begin adding the flour add until dough can be handled (about 7 c.). Put on floured counter (or silicone mat)
Knead dough for about 3 mins.
let stand until it doubles in size.
Punch it down and let it raise again.

Roll it out (long rectangle) and generously spread with butter. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and roll it up.
cut it into 1 1/2 inch spirals. (tip - use a clean piece of thread. place it under the roll, and pull up to cross to "cut" the spirals).

Place all spirals in a casserole dish or in pie plates/other pans. Bake for 35-45 mins. Cool slightly and then frost. Makes about 18 large rolls.

apple pie filling

this is pretty simple, but it's written on the same card as my crust so I thought I would add it. It's the best with golden yellow/green apples right off the tree.

1 c. sugar
2 T. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg
1/8 t. salt
6-8 medium sized apples
2 T. butter

combine sugar, flour, salt, and spices. Mix in apples. Fill pastry, dot with butter and put the top crust on - make sure you cut out "vents" in the top crust.

best.pie.crust.ever.

I made this in my advanced home-ec classes (years and years ago) but it usually gets lots of compliments, so here goes.

3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 1/2 c. shortening
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
cold water (~5-7 T)

mix salt and flour, cut in shortening (this can be done in the food processor, but I never bother - I like feeling the consistency with a hand pastry blender gadget - pampered chef's is really nice). Mix in egg, vinegar, and water. This should make 3 crusts (or 2 if you are rolling pin impaired and need extra to ensure you get a round piece). I LOVE the silicone mats for rolling (still use a little flour, but it's easy to just pick the whole mat up, flip over and position your crust in the pie plate.

Bake at 400 or whatever your pie recipe calls for. If you are doing a pie with a top crust I totally recommend those pie crust shields. Put them on for 1/2 the baking time and you will get a consistent crust every time!

Hawaiian Banana Bread

ahhhh, memories of Hawaii. The drive to Hana has many banana bread stands and I usually stop at at least two - for research purposes only...

Here is the closest recipe I have found for my favorite!

3 c. flour
3/4 t. salt
2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 1/4 c. chopped pecans (or macadamia nuts)
3 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. mashed bananas
1 8oz can crushed pineapples (drained)
2 t. vanilla

preheat oven to 350

combine flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon in large bowl. Mix in nuts. In mixer bowl combine remaining ingredients. Stir in dry ingredients until moistened. Spoon batter into 2 greased/floured loaf pans.

bake 1 hour 15 mins. Cool for 10 mins or so then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Simple banana bread

Sooooo easy. I use to make this with the kids I nanny'd for all the time. (It's even easier if you have a kitchen aid/mixer)

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 bananas
2 beaten eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 T milk w/ a drop of vinegar (to make it "sour")

Preheat oven to 350
mix butter and sugar, mix in flour and baking soda - alternating it with the milk. Drop in the eggs. Mix in the bananas (mash them if you are not using a mixer).

Extras - stir in 1 c. chocolate chips or nuts, or coconut (or all, haha - my fav is 1 c. choc chips and 1/2 cup coconut)

makes 2 medium sized loafs

Bake for 1 hour. Toothpick inserted in center will not come out completely clean, but use your best judgement.

Deep Dish Coffee Brownies!

Enjoy! I love chocolate & brownies! Here's the only brownies you'll ever make!

**For the chocolate I used, Ghirardelli chocolate bar & cocoa powder. They have the best chocolate ever. Coffee Liqueur I used was from Costa Rica, but I think the Starbucks Coffee Liqueur would be just as good, too.**

*I made a double batch of this last night because I brought it in the office for my boss's bday.*

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, cold
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Use an 8 by 8 silicon baking pan or line a similar sized metal or glass baking dish with foil or parchment paper so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch. Spray the prepared pan completely.

I prefer double boiler method of melting chocolate. You would put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer. Place the bowl over, not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. It should be nice and creamy. *You can also melt the chocolate & butter in the microwave, but I hate the mess it would make!*

Stir the brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and coffee and beat vigorously until fully incorporated and the batter is thick and glossy. Add the cocoa, flour and baking soda and stir just until it disappears.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if not using silicon).

Red Velvet Cupcakes: Perfect for the kitchenaid!

This recipe can be found many places on the web (and I have a pretty good idea that it was taken from the famous Magnolia Bakery's Cookbook)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3 ⅓ cups cake flour (not self-rising) **
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 ¼ cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons red food coloring (wow it's a lot, buy at least one 2oz. bottle)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

**Must be cake flour. You can substitute 1 3/4c. all purpose flour and 1/4c. corn starch for the same result
- Grease and lightly flour three 9 x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper (unless making cupcakes!)
- To make the cake: In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.
- In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overheat.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
- When the cake has cooled, spread the frosting between the layers, then the ice top and sides of the cake with frosting.