Fruit Pizza

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Ingredients:

one (18-ounce) package refrigerated cookie dough
one (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring (almond, orange, or lemon)
Fresh blueberries, banana slices, mandarin orange sections, seedless grapes, strawberry halves, kiwifruit (or any other
1/2 cup orange, peach, or apricot preserves
one Tablespoon water

Preparation:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an ungreased 14-inch pizza pan with cookie dough cut in 1/8-inch slices, overlapping slightly. Bake 12 minutes or until light brown; remove from oven & chilled on a wire rack.

In a small saucepan over low heat, make a glaze by heating preserves & water. Brush glaze over fruit, ensuring to cover the fruit that will turn dark. Refrigerate until prepared to serve.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, & vanilla extract or other flavoring; spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese layer in any design you require (use your imagination).

Note: This does not keep well, so plan on using it up. You may also use your own sugar cookie recipe than the refrigerated dough.

Makes 8 to ten servings

Pomegranate Jelly

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Place pomegranate seeds and 1/2 cup water in a heavy, non-reactive stockpot. Cover and cook for ten minutes until seed sacs are tender to the touch.

ten giant pomegranates, peeled, membranes removed, seeds separated and rinsed
one (three ounces) pouch liquid pectin or one box (1-3/4 or two ounces) dry pectin
two Tablespoons lemon juice
6 cups sugar

Preparation:

For liquid pectin: Place pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and sugar in a giant 10-quart non-reactive stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Add pectin and return to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for one minute, stirring constantly.

Place a colander over a giant bowl or pot. Line the colander with an ample double-layer of cheesecloth. Pour in the pomegranate seeds and liquid. Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth in to a pouch. Twist and squeeze the bag to extract all the juice (wear rubber gloves so your hands do not get stained). Discard the pouch of seeds. Measure pomegranate juice. You will need four cups (add water to make up any difference).

Fill hot, sterilized jars with the pomegranate jelly to within 1/4-inch of the rim. Wipe rims and screw on hot sterilized lids and rings. Place jars on a rack in a giant heavy stockpot and cover with boiling water. Heat to a simmer and simmer for ten minutes. Remove jars and cold on a towel for two days before storing.

For dry pectin: Place pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and pectin in a giant 10-quart non-reactive stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir in sugar and return to a rolling boil. Continue to boil for two minutes, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.

Yield: about 7 cups

Raspberry Custard Trifle

Ingredients:

1/2 c Sugar
    three tb Cornstarch
   1/4 ts Salt
    three c Milk
   1/2 c Dry white wine
    three  Egg yolks,beaten
    three tb Butter or
      -margarine,softened
    one tb Vanilla
  two 1/2 oz Whole blanched almonds
    two pk Ladyfingers (3oz)
   1/2 c Red raspberry preserves
    one pk Frozen red
      -raspberries (12oz)
    one c Chilled whipping cream
    two tb Sugar

Preparation:

  Mix 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch & salt in 3-quart saucepan; gradually
  stir in milk & wine. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring
  constantly. Boil & stir one minute. Gradually stir at least half of the hot
  mixture in to egg yolks; stir back in to hot mixture in pan. Boil & stir one
  minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter & vanilla until butter melts.
  Cover & refrigerate at least three hours. Soak almonds in hot water about three
  minutes; drain. Carefully cut almonds lengthwise in half with sharp knife.
  Split ladyfingers lengthwise in half; spread each half with raspberry
  preserves. Layer in 2-quart serving bowl 1/4 of the ladyfingers (cut sides
  up), 1/4 cup of the halved almonds, half of the raspberries & half of the
  pudding; repeat. Arrange remaining ladyfingers around fringe of bowl in
  upright position with cut sides toward middle. (It may be necessary to
  gently ease ladyfingers down in to pudding about one inch so that they stay
  upright.) Cover & refrigerate 30 minutes. Beat cream & two tablespoons
  sugar in chilled small mixer bowl until stiff; spread ocer top of dessert.
  Garnish with remaining almonds & reserved raspberries. NOTE: Do not use
  soft-type margarine in this recipe.

Coconut Almond Cake

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: one hour

Ingredients:

12 (.6-ounce snack size) almond coconut sweet bars (such as Almond Joy®), chilled
two cups sifted all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter, softened
one cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
one teaspoon pure vanilla extract
two huge eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
one cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated coconut

Preparation:

Move rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil.

In a tiny bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Chop sweet bars in to rough 1/2-inch chunks. Pour in to a bowl and place in the freezer until needed.

In a huge bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Reduce to medium speed. Add vanilla, then eggs in a steady stream, beating until combined. Alternating between the flour mixture and the buttermilk, mix in third at a time until incorporated, scraping down sides as needed. Batter will be thick. Fold in 2/3 of the sweet bar chunks.

Pour in to prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 sweet bar chunks and grated coconut on top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out tidy.

Icy to room temperature. Lift cake out of the pan using the foil. Cut and serve.

Yield: 24 to 36 servings, depending on cut size

Rice Pudding With Sweet Brown Sugar

Cook Time: two hours, 30 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: two hours, 45 minutes


Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice
one cup dried cherries
1/2 cup raw rice
four cups milk
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Rind of 1/2 lemon, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 1-1/2 quart baking dish.


In a saucepan, heat the water and lemon juice to boiling. Remove from the heat and drop in the dried cherries. Let them sit for three minutes to absorb the liquid and plump up.

Combine the rice, milk, sugar, and salt. Bake in the prepared baking dish for one hour, stirring often so the rice doesn't settle to the bottom. Stir in the lemon rind, cinnamon, and cherries.

Return the dish to the oven and bake 1-1/2 hours more, or until the milk has been absorbed.

Yield: 6 servings

Apple Brown Batty

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: one hour, five minutes

Ingredients:

two cups soft breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
four cups tart sliced apples (four medium apples)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
one teaspoon ground cinnamon
two Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Grated rind of one lemon
1/4 cup water at room temperature

Preparation:

Preheat over to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C, gas four.)

Sprinkle your apples with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, & grated rind, & toss to blend. Place one-half of this mixture on top of the crumbs in the baking dish. Add another one-third of the crumbs, then the remaining apples, & a final layer of crumbs. Trickle the water in to the side of the dish to as not to dampen the top layer of crumbs.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the salt & melted butter or margarine, & divide the mixture in to. Place one-third in a greased 1-1/2 quart baking dish.

Cover & bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the cover & continue to bake until the apples are tender & the crumbs a delicious brown, perhaps another twenty or 30 minutes. Serve warm with cream or custard or top with a vanilla sauce.

Yield: 6 servings

Frozen Peach Yogurt

Total Time: ten minutes

Prep Time: ten minutes

Ingredients:

one bag (twenty ounces) frozen unsweetened peach slices
one container (8 ounces) plain lowfat yogurt
one cup confectioners' sugar
one Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Preparation:

Let frozen peaches stand at room temperature ten minutes.

In food processor with knife blade attached, method peaches until fruit resembles finely shaved ice, occasionally scraping down side with rubber spatula.

Try it with strawberries, blueberries, or your favourite combination of flavorful frozen fruits.

With processor walking, add yogurt, confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract. Method until mixture is smooth and creamy, occasionally scraping down side. Serve immediately.

Yield: four cups or 8 servings

Mango & Green Tea Sorbet

Cook Time: five minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: twenty minutes

Ingredients:

2/3 cup water
1/3 cup loose green tea leaves
1/2 cup sugar
three ripe mangoes
three Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

Peel mangos & cut fruit from pit. In a food processor or blender, puree mangos with lemon juice. Add tea & blend until smooth. Pour in to a glass 9-inch baking dish & freeze about three hours.

Merge water & tea leaves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat & let steep five minutes. Strain, discarding the leaves. (Do not press leaves to extract liquid, this makes the liquid bitter.) Return tea to neat saucepan, add sugar & bring to a boil. Boil until sugar dissolves, about one minute. Remove from heat & cold about 30 minutes.

Transfer mango mixture to a food processor. Pulse until smooth, 30 to 40 seconds. Serve directly or store in the freezer for up to two months. Soften ten minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ravioli With Chestnut Filling

Cook Time: twenty minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

Pastry:
Whisk together egg yolks, water, wine, and olive oil. Sift flour onto a neat workspace and make a well in the middle. Pour the liquid in to the middle and start working the flour inward from the sides until you have a dough. Knead the dough until smooth, cover, and set aside.

Pastry:
two egg yolks
one Tablespoon water
1-1/2 Tablespoons white wine
four teaspoons olive oil
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
.
Filling:
1/2 pound cooked chestnuts or canned chestnut puree
1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel
three Tablespoons toasted almonds, chopped
2-1/2 Tablespoons grated bittersweet chocolate
1-1/2 Tablespoons amaretto liqueur
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
four teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Oil for deep frying
Powdered sugar for garnish

Preparation:

Roll pastry dough in a rectangle to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut 3-inch circles and place one tablespoon of filling on each. Fold over and press edges to seal.

Filling:
Merge the chestnut puree, candied orange, almonds, chocolate, amaretto, vanilla, honey, and cinnamon until well-blended.

Deep-fry in hot oil until golden and drain on paper towels. Let cold slightly and dust with powdered sugar.

Yield: 12 raviolis

Irish Mint Cream Cocktail

Total Time: two minutes

Prep Time: two minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 ounce clear creme de menthe liqueur
1-1/2 ounces Irish cream liqueur
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings
Kiwifruit slice

Preparation:

Pour clear creme de menthe in bottom of glass. Slowly add Irish cream liqueur down inside of glass to form a second layer. Add whipped cream so it mounds above glass rim. Garnish whipped cream with chocolate shavings. Do not stir; the liqueurs will subtly blend in to another, but keep their distinct tastes as they are consumed. Place kiwifruit slice over fringe of glass. Serve with spoon or spoon & straw.

Yield: one serving

Banana Foster Ice cream Pie

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: one hour, 25 minutes

Ingredients:

four tablespoons butter, cut in to cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
four ripe bananas, peeled and cut lengthwise in to halves
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/2 cup Myers rum
one quart cream
8 egg yolks
12 three-inch tart shells of graham cracker crust
3/4 cup caramel sauce
four egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Preparation:

In a giant saute pan, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the bananas and dampen them with the syrup for two minutes. Pull the saute pan off the burner. Carefully add the banana liqueur and rum. Place the pan back on the stove and shake the pan a couple of times. The pan ought to flame, if not, ignite the pan with a match. Shake the pan back and forth until the flame dies, basting the bananas continuously. Remove from the heat and icy . In a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, add the banana mixture and puree until smooth.

Add the banana/cream mixture to the electrical ice cream machine. Technique according to manufacturer's directions. Place a tablespoon of the caramel over each tart shell. Spread a heaping 1/2 cup of the ice cream over the caramel sauce, filling each tart shell . Place the tarts in the freezer until frozen, about one hour.

In another saucepan, add the cream. Bring the liquid to a light boil. Whisk the egg yolks together. Whisk one cup of the hot cream in to the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly. In a steady stream, slowly add the egg mixture to the hot cream mixture. Continue to cook for four minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and icy . Whisk the banana mixture in to the cream mixture. Mix thoroughly and icy .

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a wire whip, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to beat to stiff peaks. Remove the tarts from the freezer and spread the meringue over ice cream. Place the tarts on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the meringue is golden brown, about four to five minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Yield: 12 servings

Special Tomato Bloody Mary Mix..

Prep Time: ten minutes

Total Time: ten minutes

Ingredients:

two (46 ounces) cans tomato juice
one (ten ounce) can beef bouillon
one teaspoon coarsely-ground fresh black pepper
one teaspoon celery salt
one teaspoon Accent seasoning (MSG), optional
four ounces lemon juice
one (five ounce) bottle Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce to taste (for heat)

Preparation:

Combine tomato juice, beef bouillon, pepper, celery salt, Accent (if using), lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, & Tabasco sauce. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate.

Yield: one gallon

Apple Butter

Prep Time: ten minutes

Cook Time: one hour

Total Time: one hour, ten minutes

Ingredients:

two cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup sugar
one teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Pinch ginger
Pinch cloves

Preparation:

In a saucepan, combine applesauce, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, & cloves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat & simmer for one hour. Cold. Serve as a spread.

Yield: 2-1/2 cups

Refrigerate any leftovers.

Spiced Orange Cider

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: ten minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

three cups fresh orange juice (reserve rind of one orange)
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
Rind of one orange, sliced in to strips
three cinnamon sticks
one Tablespoon whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
6 quarts unsweetened apple cider
three oranges, each cut in to 8 wedges for garnish

Preparation:

In a heavy saucepan, bring orange juice, brown sugar, orange rind, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg slowly to a boil, stirring often until brown sugar is melted. Reduce heat and simmer for twenty minutes.

Place apple cider in a bigger pot. Strain the orange mixture in to the cider. Heat until steaming.

Serve hot, garnished with orange wedges.

Yield: 24 servings, 8 ounces each serving

Lollipops

Prep Time: five minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: twenty minutes

Ingredients:

one cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
1-1/2 tsp extract of your choice (vanilla, mint, cinnamon, coconut, etc)
Food coloring (optional)
Lollipop molds & sticks

Preparation:

one.: Prepare your molds by spraying them with nonstick cooking spray & inserting lollipop sticks in to the molds.

two.: Merge the sugar, corn syrup, & water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. One time boiling, insert a sweet thermometer.

three.: Permit to boil, without stirring, until sweet reaches 295 degrees Fahrenheit (146 C).

four.: One time the sweet reaches 295 F, remove it from heat. Permit it to sit until it stops bubbling . Stir in the extract of your choice, &, if desired, food coloring.

five.: Spoon the sweet in to the mold cavities, ensuring to cover the back of the stick.

six.: Permit to icy & remove one time hardened.


seven.: Store Lollipops individually wrapped, in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to a month.

Coffee Syrup

Prep Time: five minutes

Cook Time: five minutes

Total Time: ten minutes

Ingredients:

one cup sugar
one cup additional strength brewed 100% Colombian Coffee (1-1/2 cups ground coffee to 16 ounces icy water)

Preparation:


Merge sugar and coffee in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Lower heat and simmer for minutes, stirring often.

Store coffee syrup tightly covered in refrigerator, up to month. Use to flavor milk drinks or over ice cream.

Use with Coffee Nut Drop Cookies.

Yield: one cup syrup

White Chocolate Key Lime Cake

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: one hour

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
two teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
one stick (8 Tablespoons or 1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
one cup sugar
two giant eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons grated Key lime zest (about three Key limes - zest first, then use them for the juice)
one Tablespoon (one to two Key limes) fresh Key lime juice (see Note)
2/3 cup buttermilk
one cup white chocolate chips
.
Key Lime Glaze:
one cup powdered sugar
1/8 cup (about three Key limes) fresh Key lime juice
Additional powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil or grease liberally with butter.

Blend the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a tiny bowl. Set aside.

In a giant mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together with a mixer, beating until blended. Add the eggs, 1-1/2 teaspoons Key lime zest, and one tablespoon Key lime juice.

In to the butter-cream mixture in the giant bowl, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring by hand until combined. Add 1/3 of the buttermilk, stirring until combined. Continue alternating one-third of each until all is mixed well. Fold in white chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in middle comes out tidy. Spread Key Lime Glaze (instructions below) evenly over top of the warm cake and cold to room temperature. before serving, cut in to serving pieces, and sift powdered sugar (optional) over the top of the pieces. Serve immediately.

Key Lime Glaze:

While the cake is baking, whisk powdered sugar and 1/8 cup Key lime juice together until combined and smooth. Use to glaze warm cake.

Yield: 24 to 36 servings, depending on cut size

Note: Key limes are about the size of a golf ball and yellow when ripe. The flavor is a bit sweeter and less acidic than Persian limes. In case you cannot find fresh Key limes, bottled Key lime juice is available at most markets. As a last resort, standard Persian limes may be used.