Banana Bread

 

Banana Bread

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. brown sugar, pressed into cup

1/2 c. sugar

3 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. allspice

1 1/4 c. mashed bananas (2 large)

1/2 c. milk

3 T. vegetable oil

1 egg

1/2 c. raisins

3/4 c. chopped pecans

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. grated lemon peel

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 2 loaf pans.

Mix all ingredients, stir until just combined. If mixture is too dry, add a little more milk. Pour evenly into pans. Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.

Apple Claufouti "Pie"

 

Apple Clafouti "Pie"

This pie is easy (if you're a fail at pie crust, which I am), unique and tasty... (Cuisine At Home magazine, December 2010)

For the filling:

1/2 c. dried cherries (dried cranberries will work)
1/2 c. apple liqueur or brandy
4 Jongold apples, peeled, cored & sliced (1 3/4 lb.) (Not sure what type of apple tree we have, but they're mild in flavor. I added a couple of Granny Smith apples with two from our tree--made good flavor)
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
3 T. unsalted butter (salted is fine)
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. vanilla extract

For the batter:

5 T. unsalted butter melted (salted is fine), 1 T held in reserve for the pie plate
3 eggs
1 c. half & half
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. table salt

For the topping:

Ground cinnamon & sugar

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cherries (or cranberries) and liqueur or brandy in a small bowl, set aside to plump. After 15 - 30 minutes drain, reserving liquid. Set aside.

Cook apples, brown sugar, 3 T butter, lemon juice, vanilla and reserved liquid from plumping cherries in skillet over medium heat until apples soften, 7 - 10 minutes.

Brush pie plate with reserved tablespoon of butter and place in oven while blending batter.

Blend remaining 4 tablespoons butter, eggs, half & half, granulated sugar, 1 t. vanilla extract and salt until smooth and frothy; set aside.

Pour half the batter in heated pie plate. Layer half the apples & cherries (reserving liquid) on top of the batter. Repeat layering. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake 25 - 30 minutes until center is set and pie is golden.

Simmer reserved juices in skillet until reduced by a third. When pie is done, drizzle with juices. Serve.

Baked French Toast

 

Baked French Toast from TastyKitchen.com

French Toast:

1 loaf crusty Sourdough or French bread

8 whole eggs

2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

3/4 c. sugar

2 T. vanilla extract

Topping:

1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg, if desired

1/4 t. salt

1 stick butter, cut into pieces

Grease 9" x 13" baking pan with butter. Tear or cut bread into chunks and evenly distribute in pan 

Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator several hours or over night.

In a separate bowl: mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut into the dry mixture with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven 350 degrees. Remove casserole from refrigerator and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions and drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.

Variation:

Cover evenly with fresh, sliced fruit to the top of the casserole before adding the topping--peaces or apples--and bake.

Black Magic Cake

 Black Magic Cake                     Hershey’s Homemade

2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa (don’t use Dutch processed)
2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. strong, black coffee or 2 t. powdered instant coffee plus 1 c. boiling water
1 c. buttermilk or sour milk* (I use powdered buttermilk I keep in the freezer. Mix powdered buttermilk with correct amount of water before adding to cake batter)
1 t. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9” round baking pans or one 13 x 9 x 2” baking pan. In large mixer bowl, blend sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil & vanilla; beat on medium speed 2 minutes (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes for round pans; 35-40 minutes for large pan or until wooden toothpick inserted in center tests clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

(If you don't have buttermilk: To make sour milk use 1 T. white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup)

Easy, Basic Cream Cheese Pie with Variations

 Basic Cheese Pie           ReaLemon Recipe Collection

1 (9”) graham cracker crumb crust
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese @ room temperature
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla extract

In large bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in lemon and vanilla. Pour into crust. Chill 3 hours or until set. Refrigerate leftovers.

Make It Yours

* Top Basic Cheese Pie with store bought fruit pie filling such as cherry, blueberry etc.
* Top Basic Cheese Pie with Glazed Strawberry: In a small saucepan combine 3 T. apple jelly and 1 T. lemon juice. Cook and stir until jelly melts. Combine 1/2 t. cornstarch and 1 T. water; add to jelly mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and clear. Cool 10 minutes. Arrange sliced strawberries over top of pie; spoon glaze over strawberries.
* Top Basic Cheese Pie with Ambrosia: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 c. peach or apricot preserves, 1/4 c. flaked coconut, 2 T. orange-flavored liqueur and 2 t. cornstarch. Cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Chill thoroughly. Arrange fresh orange sections (1 or 2 oranges) on top of cheese pie. Drizzle with sauce.
* Top Basic Cheese Pie with Cranberry Nut: In a small bowl, combine 1 c. chilled cranberry-orange relish; 1/2 c. chopped walnuts and 1 t. grated orange rind. Spread over pie. Garnish with orange twists if desired.

Fun Recipes to Make With Children

 
1 pkg instant pudding
1 1/2c milk
2c cool whip.
Dissolve pudding in milk, whip in cool whip. Spoon into 3 oz Dixie cups and insert Popsicle stick. Freeze.

Chocolate Banana Pops

Combine:
2 c. milk
1 package (4 serving size) chocolate pudding mix.

Gently stir in:
1 c. Cool Whip
1/2 c. mashed bananas.

Spoon into Popsicle molds. Freeze.

Graveyard Gelatin Dessert

2 1/4 c. finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies
Measure 1/4 crumbs and set aside.

Mix crumbs with

1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. melted butter
press into bottom of 13 x 9" pan. Refrigerate.

Beat:
1 8 oz. package, room temperature cream cheese

Stir in:
1/2 container, 8 oz. Cool Whip
Spread evenly over refrigerated crust.

Reserve & refrigerate remaining cool whip.

Boil:
2 c. water
Add:
2 3 oz. packages orange flavored Jello
Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved

Add ice cubes to:
1/2 c. cold water
measuring 1 1/2 c. ice cubes + water
Stir into gelatin and continue stirring until gelatin thickens.
Remove any unmelted ice and spoon gelatin over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 3 hours until firm.

Spread remaining Cool Whip over top of gelatin. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

Use Pepperidge Farm "Milano" cookies or similar type cookie as tomb stones. Stand these on end in the dessert. You might choose to decorate one end of each cookie with some epitaph, such as RIP, before sticking them into the dessert.

Bunny Salad

For each serving place:
1 lettuce leaf on plate
1 chilled pear half
2 raisins for eyes
1 red cinnamon candy for nose
2 blanched, slivered almonds pieces for ears
1 scoop cottage cheese for tail

Leg of Lamb

leg of lamb
2 - 4 (more will be needed if you have a large leg of lamb) garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
crushed rosemary
salt & pepper
melted butter

Make tiny incisions with a sharp knife and insert garlic slivers all over the surface of the meat. Rub down with rosemary. Season with salt and pepper.
Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees, fat side up, until meat reaches 135 degrees for rare, 140 degrees for medium. Or longer, if desired. Occasionally brush with melted butter.