Buttermilk Doughnuts

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: one hour

Ingredients:

Doughnuts:
two cups buttermilk
two large eggs, beaten
one cup granulated sugar
five cups sifted flour
two teaspoons baking soda
one teaspoon baking powder
one teaspoon salt
one teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or shortening, melted
Oil for frying
.
Glaze:
three cups powdered sugar
one Tablespoon margarine, softened (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Milk or water

Preparation:

For the Doughnuts:
Merge the buttermilk, eggs, and sugar. Set aside.

Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir. Stir in the melted butter or shortening and knead until a soft dough forms.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness (roll narrow for best results). Cut with a 2-1/2-inch or larger doughnut cutter. In a deep-fat fryer or electric skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Fry the doughnuts on each side for about one min. or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dip in a powdered sugar glaze while hot and decorate with nuts or sweet sprinkles if desired.

For the Glaze:
Merge the powdered sugar, margarine, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix well and add  mild or water until glaze is the consistency you desire. (A thinner consistency will produce a narrow glaze on the doughnuts or a thicker consistency will be more like a frosting.)

Yield: about three dozen

Baked Orange Marmalade Pancakes

Prep Time: five minutes

Cook Time: ten minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:


1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
two large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (one stick) butter
1/3 cup orange marmalade
two Tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Heat a immense heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter & swirl until the bottom of the pan is coated & butter has melted. Pour the pancake batter in to the hot pan, swirling to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, & salt. Add milk, eggs, & vanilla. Whisk until blended, but do not over-beat.

Place in to the preheated oven & bake until puffed & golden. Remove to a serving plate & spread with the orange marmalade. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, cut in to quarters, & serve.

Yield: four servings

Creamy Pomegranate Parfait

Total Time: 15 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups (two whole pomegranates) pomegranate seed pips
1/2 cup currants
3/4 cup slivered almonds
one medium ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, & cut in to chunks
Juice of two oranges (about 1/2 cup orange juice)
four ounces low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 dried plums
6 lime slices
12 mint leaves

Preparation:

Place papaya, orange juice, cream cheese, & cinnamon in to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Method until pureed & smooth.

Gently stir together pomegranate, currants, & almonds until combined. Divide between 6 goblet glasses.

Garnish each dessert with one dried plum, one lime slice, & two mint leaves.

Divide papaya sauce evenly between the goblets, covering the pomegranate mixture.

Chill for one hour before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Apple Balsamic Syrup

Prep Time: five minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Apple juice concentrate
Balsamic vinegar

Preparation:


Merge equal amounts of defrosted apple juice concentrate & balsamic vinegar in a shallow saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, & simmer, uncovered, for twenty to 30 minutes (possibly longer), until it is reduced by slightly over half. Remove from heat, & let it chilled to room temperature.

Store in a tightly capped bottle or jar in the refrigerator, & serve at any temperature. It will keep indefinitely.

Serve in small glass pitchers for a attractive sunlight meal. Open the windows in the coursework of the cooking -- there will be fumes!

Lovely with Red Flannel Hash.

Yield: varies on amounts used

Fruity Cup Cakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
two teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
one package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
one cup sugar
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
two teaspoons vanilla
three eggs
one cup dried pineapple, finely chopped
one cup dried apricots, finely choppe
one cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
one cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 6 mini bundt or loaf pans or six 6-ounce glass custard cups.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, butter and vanilla in a medium-size bowl until blended and smooth. Beat in eggs, separately, until well mixed. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture until blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Drizzle frosting evenly over cakes. Sprinkle with reserved dried fruit and nuts.

Reserve one tablespoon each of dried pineapple, apricots, cranberries, and pecans for garnish. Stir remaining dried fruit and nuts in to batter until blended. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Run a knife through batter to remove any air pockets. Bake in heated 350-degree oven 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out tidy. Cold cakes in pans on wire racks ten minutes. Turn cakes out on racks to cold .

Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together two tablespoons softened cream cheese and one tablespoon fresh lemon juice in a medium-size bowl until smooth. Sift in 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar; beat to combine. Beat in 1/4 cup heavy cream and one teaspoon vanilla until blended and smooth. If thick, add one tablespoon milk to narrow. Makes about one cup.

Yield: 6 cakes (two servings each)

Fresh Peach Dumplings

Prep Time: twenty minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: one hour

Ingredients:

one package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed but chilled
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup (four Tablespoons or 1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut in to cubes
two Tablespoons lemon juice
6 medium, ripe freestone peaches
one egg beaten with one teaspoon water
two Tablespoons sugar crystals
Caramel sauce (see recipe link below)

Preparation:

Line a baking sheet with Silpat baking liners or parchment paper.

Place white sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, & nutmeg in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse one time or two times to combine. Add chilled butter cubes & pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour in to a shallow bowl.

Roll puff pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut in to six 7-inch squares. Place squares on the prepared baking sheet & refrigerate while you prepare the peaches.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Bring a giant pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully place whole peaches in boiling water & blanch for ten seconds. Drain & peel. Cut the peaches in half & remove the pits. Dip each half in to the lemon juice, then in to the sugar/flour mixture until coated. Distribute the remaining sugar/flour mixture evenly in to the centers of the peach halves & press them back together in to whole peaches.

Place each whole peach in the midst of a puff pastry square. Dampen the edges of the squares with water, using your finger. Bring each of the four corners of the square up over the top of the peach & press seams to seal. The peaches ought to be entirely enclosed in the puff pastry.

Brush each peach dumpling with the egg water mixture & sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Prick a few holes in the top to let steam escape. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, until golden brown & peaches are soft. Let rest for twenty minutes to icy.

Place one tablespoon of caramel sauce on each of 6 serving plates. Middle the dumplings in the sauce, & drizzle with additional sauce on top.

Yield: 6 servings

Strawberry Snapple Ice Tea

Prep Time: five minutes

Cook Time: one hour, ten minutes

Total Time: one hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

two quarts (8 cups) water
three Lipton tea bags (orange pekoe and pekoe cut black tea blend)
3/4 cup granulated sugar or 16 ounce bottle light corn syrup
1/3 cup and one Tablespoon lemon juice
one Tablespoon strawberry extract

Preparation:


Boil the water in a immense saucepan. When the water comes to a speedy boil, turn off the heat, put the tea bags in to the water, and cover. After the tea has brewed about one hour, pour the sugar or sweetener in to a 2-quart pitcher, then add the tea. The tea ought to still be warm, so the sugar or sweetener will dissolve basically. Add the lemon juice and strawberry extract (and additional water if needed to bring the tea to the 2-quart line). Chill.

Yield: two quarts