Raspberry Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:

3 T. softened butter
3 eggs, beaten
3 1/2 c. milk
1 pkg. frozen raspberries
2/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
8-10 c. cubed white bread (2 inch cubes)
2 1/2 T. cinnamon/sugar mixture

Cream Sauce:

3 T. butter, melted

1/2 c. sugar

1/8 tsp. cornstarch
1 pt. whipping cream at room temperature

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Mix softened butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk to make a the custard.

2. Put the cubed bread in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. The pan should be very full of bread, the custard will condense it. Spread the raspberries over the bread. Pour the custard mixture over the top and sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. You can also serve the sauce on the side or pour it over individual servings of the pudding. 

3. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until well set in the middle.

4. While the pudding is baking, mix the cream sauce ingredients well. Once the pudding is done, pour the cream sauce over the hot bread pudding.

5. Serve warm. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whip:
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
2/3 C. Butter softened
2/3 C. Shortening
2 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla

Mix:
3 C. Flour
1 1/2 C. Oats
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 C. Chocolate Chips (we use more)

Mix until barely blended
Bake @ 375 for 8-10 minutes

Made for me by Payton

Almond Sheet Cake with Butter Frosting

2 cups flours

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup butter

1 cup water

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. almond extract

sliced almonds, for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 15 x 11 jelly roll pan.  In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.  In a small saucepan, combine butter and water-bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Add to flour mixture and stir to combine.  

Stir in sour cream, beaten eggs, and almond extract .

Pour into buttered pan and bake 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Spread warm (not hot) cake with butter frosting (recipe below). Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Cut into squares and serve.

Butter Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk (the higher the fat content, the richer it will taste)

1/2 tsp. almond extract 

3 cups powdered milk

In a medium saucepan, combine butter and milk.  Bring to a soft boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and remove from heat as soon as it boils.  Whisk in almond extract, then gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Frost warm cake. 

Fruit Dip

1/2 cup brown sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
2 containers vanilla greek yogurt
5 oz. mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Mix together sugar and cream cheese.  Add vanilla yogurt.  Add heavy cream and whip until holds and peaks.  Add chocolate chips.
Serve with fruit of choice.

Peanut Butter Bars

I've searched high and low for a recipe for the peanut butter bars of my elementary school days and finally, finally found one that is almost spot-on...maybe even a teeny bit better.  These are so delicious, they feed a crowd, and are simple to make.  Recipe slightly adapted from The Food Nanny.

1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
3 c. flour
3 c. regular oats


Preheat oven to 350.  Cream together the peanut butter, butter, sugars, and vanilla.  Add the eggs one at a time while mixing on low and mix until blended.  Stir the dry ingredients in a bowl and then add the dry to the wet one cup at a time until well mixed.  Press the dough into a 17 1/2 by 13 inch baking sheet with your fingers.  Bake for 15 mins.  Do not over bake.  Let cool completely, then frost with chocolate frosting (recipe below).

Chocolate Frosting:

4 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softenend
1 TB vanilla
2 TB corn syrup
1/3 c. heavy cream

In a bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla and corn syrup.  Mix in the sugar mixture one cup at a time.  Mix in the cream, then whip on high speed for 3 minutes, adding more cream if necessary to make the frosting spreadable. 

Oatmeal Cake

1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Topping
6 TBS butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded coconut

Pour 1 1/2 cup boiling water over oatmeal and let sit for 20 minutes.
Sift flour, soda, salt and cinnamon together. Cream 1 cup brown sugar, sugar, and butter together; beat in eggs. Stir in flour mixture, oatmeal mixture and 1 tsp vanilla. Turn batter into greased 12x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Melt butter in saucepan; stir in remaining brown sugar, cream, coconut and remaining vanilla. Mix well and spread over hot cake. Broil until topping is bubbly and lightly browned.

Delicious cake from my friend Heather B.

Homemade Hot Fudge

This is great to serve on top of Texas sheet cake. Don't ice the cake if you are going to serve with hot fudge.


1 pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup margarine
2 cups powered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 can evaporated milk
Place chocolate chips & butter in a glass measure. Microwave 1 1/2-2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir in remaining ingredients beat with mixer until smoothing microwave for 5 minutes or until bubbly.

Conference Crepes

2 eggs
2 tbsp of sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups of milk
1 cup of flour
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
oil for pan (I have found this to be optional if using a good non-stick pan)

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients in a mixer or a blender really well and let sit for a few minutes.  Heat a non stick frying pan with a 1/2 tsp of oil really well or spray it generously with cooking spray.  It is very important that the pan is hot.  Pour 1/4-1/3 of a cup of the crepe mixture, or more depending on your pan size, into the pan and spread the mixture to cover the entire pan, by rotating the pan.  Leave about 1 to 2 min per side then flip over or until you see the edges of the crepe starting to brown a little bit. Once the crepe is done on one side it will also be able to slide it around and flip it over.  Repeat steps until you've prepared all the crepes.  You can just pile them all up on a plate as you cook them.

Fill crepes with berries, bananas, nutella, jam, cookie butter, pastry cream, cream cheese mix (see recipe below), whipped cream, etc. and roll and serve.

Cream Cheese Filling for Crepes:

8oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temp
8 oz Extra Creamy Cool Whip (defrosted in the fridge overnight)
2 tsp. Lemon Juice
1/2 c. Powdered Sugar (or to taste)
Mix all ingredients well and serve in crepes.

Best Apple Crisp

Recipe taken from: Tastes Better From Scratch

• For Crumb Topping:
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• dash of salt
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, diced into small chunks
For the Apple filling:
• 3-4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• dash of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium size bowl combine the crumb topping ingredients with a fork or pastry blender until it resembles small crumbs. Refrigerate while you prepare the apple filling.
3. For the Apple Filling: In a small bowl, combine melted butter and flour until well blended. Add lemon juice, milk and vanilla and stir well. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour butter mixture over apples and toss to coat. Pour apple mixture into an 8x8-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the apples. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and top is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

3 to 4 medium Meyer Lemons (about 1 lb.)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Preparation:

Finely grate enough zest from lemons to measure 2 teaspoons and squeeze enough juice to measure 1/2 cup. Whisk together zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a metal bowl and add butter. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmer water and cook, whisking. Once mixture gets warm, add the butter in 4 additions, whisking well after each until incorporated. Continue whisking until thickened and smooth and an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees F. This can take anywhere from 6 to 15 minutes (depending on how well your bowl is conducting heat). Force curd through a fine sieve set into another bowl. Serve warm or cover surface of curd with plastic wrap and cool completely.

*Of course you can make this recipe with regular lemons as well. In that case increase the sugar to 3/4 cup. This curd will keep well covered in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

Lemon Berry Tart

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still cold
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/3 cup lemon curd (recipe here or buy it in the store)
1 pint raspberries
1/4 cup good seedless raspberry jam, warmed
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
For the tart: Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Unfold the thawed out puff pastry on a lightly flour dusted area and gently roll into a 10x11 inch rectangle. Carefully transfer to your baking sheet.

Brush edges with a little bit of water and fold over all 4 sides to create a lip. Using a fork, poke holes all over the center of your tart. Gently brush the entire tart with an egg wash and sprinkle about 2 tsp. of sugar over the center. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully with the back of a spoon press the center back down if it has puffed. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the filling: In a bowl combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Mix with a hand-mixer or by hand until smooth and the sugar is well incorporated. Add the heavy cream and mix for about 1 minute. Fold in the lemon curd. 

To assemble the tart: Carefully spread your lemon cheesecake mixture over the center of your cooled tart crust. Arrange berries decoratively over the curd and drizzle with the warmed jam. Dust the tart with powdered sugar.

Notes: This tart is best made and eaten on the same day. You can prepare the tart along with the cheesecake filling ahead of time. Refrigerate the filling and assemble the tart right before eating.

Christmas Crack

1 (12.8 oz.) box of rice chex cereal
1 (12 oz.) box golden graham cereal
1 (7 oz.) bag shredded coconut
1 (4 oz.) bag slivered almonds
1.5 cups butter (3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl and mix well.  In large sauce pan, cook butter, sugar and corn syrup until it comes to a "soft ball" stage.  234 degrees on cookie thermometer.

Pour over cereal mixture and stir until well coated.
Pour onto 2 large cookie sheets to cool.  Stir occasionally to prevent clumping.  Store in air tight container.

Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies

Cookie

1 Devil's Food cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening (I use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 coconut oil and it still turns out)
Combine and roll into balls, flatten slightly, bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Frosting is the Wilton Class Buttercream Icing:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 

2 TBS. milk

In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in vanilla.

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.  Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.  When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.

Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add meringue powder so the frosting stiffens up.

Take part of icing and add mint extract and green food coloring.  

Add cocoa powder and more water to the rest of the icing until it tastes good and is spreadable.

Frost the cooled cookies with the mint icing, let dry (meringue powder helps with this) then frost with chocolate icing.

Apple Crisp...

10 cups of your favorite baking apple
1 cup white sugar
1 TBS. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 - 1/4 cup water
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C)

Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.

Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Lemon Blueberry Poppyseed Bundt Cake

1 box white cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 (3.4 oz-3.9 oz) pkg. lemon instant pudding mix
1 TBS. poppy seeds
1 1/2 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

Lemon Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 TBS. lemon juice
2 TBS. butter, melted
Fresh blueberries for decoration


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bundt cake pan.

1.  Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove any lumps; set aside.
2.  In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, milk and yogurt.
3.  Add cake mix and instant pudding mix;  stir well.
4.  Stir in poppy seeds
5.  Gently fold in blueberries
6.  Dump into bundt cake and and spread evenly
7.  Bake for 38-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
8.  Let cool in pan and then turn out.
9. Lemon glaze: whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and butter.  Add more lemon juice if you want a thinner glaze or more powered sugar to make it thicker.
10. Pour glaze over the cooled cake and serve with fresh blueberries.

Cream Cheese Butterhorn Cookies aka Rugelach

Cream Cheese Butterhorn Cookies aka Rugelach

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts (I prefer pecans)
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly.
2. Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks...wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.
3. Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins).
4. Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
6. After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers...they freeze very well.
7. Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets.

Like Cinnabon Cream Cheese Frosting

Like-Cinnabon Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 cube butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together the cream cheese and the butter.  Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Beat the mixture together on high for 10 minutes.  It's all about light, fluffy airy frosting, so don't skimp on the mixing!  When you are almost done with the mixing, add the lemon juice and vanilla.

Easy Cinnamon Bubble Bread

Easy Cinnamon Bubble Bread

Rhodes White Frozen Rolls
1/2 c. butter, melted
2/3 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar.  Roll each piece of frozen dough in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.   Place them in a greased 9x13 metal pan, following the directions on the back of the roll package for rising.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Apple Pie Crumble...

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3/4  cup quick oats
1 cup melted butter

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
3 TBS. corn starch
1 cup water
3 cups diced and peeled apples
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions

In a bowl combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and butter.  Keep 1 1/2 cups for the crumble top of the pie.  Press the remaining into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cornstarch.  Bring the mixture to a boil until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the apples, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon juice.  Pour this mixture into the pie crust and then top with the rest of the crumble topping.

Bake for 35-45 minutes on 375.  If the pie starts to look to brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining cooking time.  Cool on wire rack.

Gingersnap Pie Crust...

30 Gingersnap Cookies
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
5 TBS. melted butter

Directions.  Process the gingersnaps in a food processor until fine.  Add to a bowl along with the coconut and melted butter.  Mix until combined.  Press firmly into the bottom and the sides of a 9 inch pie pan.  Bake for 10 minutes on 350 degrees and let cool completely.

This crust pairs nicely with a banana cream, coconut cream, or lime pie.