Holiday Heat Relief

The heat is on, the people have gathered and it is time to keep things cool this holiday weekend. Here is a last minute idea that is fun, quick and plays a double role; beverage and dessert. Plus it is easy enough to leave you free to join in on the fun.

Happy Memorial Day!

7-UP Fruit Freeze - It's a dessert, it's a cocktail, it's a punch, it's a Blast!

1- 6 ounce can of orange juice concentrate

1- 1/2 cups of water

1 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of lemon juice

2 pkgs. of. Frozen strawberries, using the juice as well
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
6 bananas, diced

Combine all ingredients. Pour into 9 x 13 inch pan. Freeze. Take out 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Put a scoop of the fruit ice into glass of your choice and fill remainder of glass with 7-UP. It's just fruity, fizzy fun on a hot summer day.

Delicious Dilemma!

Even though its name implies dessert, this dish serves equally well as a side for your Thanksgiving fare. It is actually far less sweet than the traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows that we all are so familiar with. To a small degree it is slightly reminiscent texturally of a very moist stuffing due to the cake mix.

You just have to decide; dessert or side dish...I cannot think of a more delicious dilemma!

Sweet Potato Cobbler

1 box Betty Crocker yellow cake mix (any brand will do)

1 stick butter
Cinnamon

Water

1/2 c. sugar, brown sugar tastes best
1 lg. can sweet potatoes or yams or 3 small cans (you want about 27 to 29 ounces all together.
3/4 c. pecans, chopped or whole (opt.)

Place sweet potatoes, cut in large chunks on bottom of 10"x13"x2" pan. (Save juice in can.) Sprinkle most of sugar on top of potatoes. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top, cut stick of butter in chunks and place on top of cake mix. Sprinkle cinnamon to taste on top of cake mix. Sprinkle sugar to sweeten cinnamon. Add finely chopped pecans on top of cake mix.

Fill can potatoes came in with water and left over juice until can is 3/4 full (you want no more than 20 ounces of liquid roughly 2-1/4 cups. Pour over cake mix. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until top is light brown.

My Piece Of The Pie

photo/rwithtweezers/flickr

For some of us getting caught up in tradition overrides our senses, we may not necessarily like something but we do it for the sake of tradition. In my case this holds true for the seemingly mandatory dessert of pumpkin pie for thanksgiving. It's not that I hate pumpkin pie...well I have had a few that deserved to be hated! For the most part when it comes to pumpkin pie I can take it or leave it. I usually end up taking a small slice after our dinner because I get caught up in everyone's excitement and the fact that somehow thanksgiving becomes incomplete without it.

I am also the same gal that when they ask if I would prefer white meat or dark meat my answer is neither. Just give me the crispy turkey skin and a boat load of stuffing and I am quite happy and beyond thankful
I probably should be putting this post in closer to thanksgiving but all the Halloween pumpkins everywhere have been reminding me of the pumpkin pies that are looming in my not too distant future.....as a form of rebellion, I will not be posting a recipe for pumpkin pie!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

1- 2/3 c. flour
1 tbsp. pumpkin spice
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 lg. eggs
1 c. canned plain pumpkin
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Butter 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Mix flour, spice, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Beat sugar, oil, and eggs in large bowl. When well blended, beat in pumpkin and 1/3 cup water. Stir in flour mixture, then chocolate chips. pour batter into prepared pan, bake then cool in pan 15 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack.

Sip With Caution

Going to the portside of my previous sherry post I wanted a recipe other than one using meat. I have just always used port wine in primarily meat dishes either as a marinade or a sauce accompaniment and I wanted a totally different medium for the bold, sweet, spicy spirit. Well I sure think that I hit a bulls eye with this find....come on, its cheesecake how bad could it be? I will confess right from the beginning that I have not made this yet, so I cannot honestly tell you if it tastes good........come on, its cheese cake and its a cheesecake that contains port wine of course it's good!

This recipe only uses a third of a cup of port wine, so there will be plenty left in the bottle to sip while waiting for your cheesecake to be done. Try not to get carried away with the sipping or my next post will be titled; "Human Marinated in Port Wine".......we wouldn't want to start exciting the cannibal population!

Port Wine Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. melted butter

1) Mix crumbs, nuts, cinnamon and sugar with melted butter. Place and press into a 9x13 baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Cheesecake Mixture:

2 lbs. softened cream cheese
6 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. Port wine
1 tsp. vanilla

2) In large bowl, beat all ingredients until smooth; make sure there are no lumps. Pour over crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes.

Topping:

1 1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

3) In a bowl mix together sour cream, sugar and vanilla and pour over cool cheese cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely. Decorate with walnut halves and strawberries and serve.

Uncommonly Good

I can guarantee you that a recipe will always catch my eye when it makes use of an ingredient in an uncommon way. I have enjoyed split peas most of my life mainly due to the fact that my mother's favorite soup was split pea with ham. My mother made an enormous pot of that every month which meant we ate it a couple of times a week. Other than soup I have never made or seen split peas used in any other manner until now. I just think these are down right clever it makes you wonder if it will catch on the way that putting zucchini in bread did!

Split Pea Bars

2/3 c. dry split peas                                                                                                  photo/Rigib's/flickr
2 c. water
1 c. skim milk                                                                          
1/4 c. oil                                                                             
2 eggs (or 1/2 c. egg substitute)
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. chocolate chips (opt.)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. raisins
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. nutmeg

Combine split peas and water; cook about 1 hour over low heat to make a thick soup. (You may need to add a little more water to keep it from getting too thick to stir.)

Combine thick soup and milk. Combine oil, sugar and eggs. Beat well. Sift two cups in flour with other dry ingredients. Add sifted ingredients alternately with liquid, beating well. Dredge raisins and nuts (and chocolate chips, if used) in the remaining 1/2 cup flour and stir into batter. Spread into greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cut while still warm.

BananaLicious

My first tasty experience with a frozen banana was many years ago when I was vacationing as a child in Disney World Florida. To give you an idea as to just how long ago that was Epcot Center didn't even exist. While there visiting all the different attractions my aunt and I kept spotting these little carts along the way with a sign that read; frozen bananas on a stick. Well needless to say that perked our curiosity along with the fact that it was 90 degrees and the thought of anything cooling was very inviting. So my aunt and I took the plunge and each got one, they just looked like fun to eat. They were so pretty enrobed in all that chocolate and generous coating of chopped peanuts. The first bite was difficult as they were frozen rock hard. But once we succeeded we were in taste bud heaven. The crackle of the chocolate coating and the crunch of the peanuts were a delightful experience but the true star was that texturally amazing frozen banana. You would swear that we were eating high butter fat banana custard, it was rich and creamy just like ice cream without the drippy mess you would normally get with ice cream on a hot day.
Just recently a local ice cream parlor where we live started carrying frozen bananas dipped in chocolate and coated with various things such as nuts, sprinkles, crushed cookies and the other day they even had some coated with different types of cereal.
Soon the obsession crept in and we were going to purchase these little gems a few times a week until we realized it was taking a ridiculous toll on the pocket book.
That is when we decided that it would probably be easier and a lot less expensive to make these ourselves. It was a delicious decision and now whenever we open our freezer we know that there is something special waiting for us to enjoy.
Just have fun with these, they are so easy to make and keep for weeks in the freezer. The perfect treat for the entire family to make and enjoy together.

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas

6 tbsp. butter
1-1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate morsels
8 Ripe but not too ripe bananas
8 wooden sticks
Assorted coatings; Nuts, sprinkles, cereal, crushed cookies whatever you like it's completely optional because these taste just as good with the banana and chocolate alone.

Another tasty suggestion: split bananas lengthwise and spread a little peanut butter on flat side then put halves back together. Now you have a whole banana filled with peanut butter ready to dip in chocolate, these are really good!

Melt butter and chocolate together and simmer over low heat stirring until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into a dish and set aside. Peel bananas; insert stick into end of banana. Immediately dip each banana into melted chocolate and coat evenly, then roll in your choice of coatings pressing gently into chocolate. Place on waxed paper lined tray and freeze until firm, about 2 hours, serve frozen. To store wrap each in aluminum foil and keep in freezer, these will keep for weeks if people can stop eating them long enough!

photo/ae/flickr

Bourbon Drops Keep Falling On My Head...

It was raining bourbon for us this past weekend, it was in our glasses, it was in our appetizers and it was even in our dessert. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and with each and every bite and sip the day just kept getting sunnier and sunnier.
We began our day with bourbon over ice and nibbled on pineapple chunks that had been soaked in bourbon. Not to go overboard we left the bourbon out of the main entree` which consisted of chicken and dumplings, green beans and a tossed green salad with garlic herb bread. But we just had to end the dinner in the same great way we started so our dessert too got rained upon. Here's hoping that there is bourbon forecasted in your neck of the woods!

Bourbon Peach Cobbler

1 cup butter
2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of self rising flour
1 cup of water
2-13 oz cans of sliced peaches in heavy syrup
1/2 cup of bourbon, mix in with the peaches and syrup

Melt butter. Mix all ingredients together except for peaches and bourbon mixture. Pour into 13x9x2 inch dish. Pour peach mixture over batter, do not stir.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until golden brown.

Serve with your favorite ice cream or a touch of whipped cream.

Caution....Women Eating Dessert....Do Not Disturb!

I cannot think of a better way to spend an evening than by getting together with some of your favorite women friends for an all girls night. Nothing but great food, endless conversation and dessert of course! A million different topics, laughter and giggling so loud it could raise the roof…….until dessert is placed on the table. In an instant all goes quiet, then it starts; “ooooooh, aaaaah, oh my God is this good” then for one brief moment your kitchen sounds more like the bedroom on a really good night. Nothing quiets a woman like a very rich, very creamy, very sticky, very decadent dessert…. I know because I did not utter a word until I scraped the last little bit of sticky goodness off the plate almost taking the designs with it!.
My dear friend Christine planted the idea in my head about coming up with a dessert using one of our favorite treats, “Schutts Homemade Fry Cakes”. Schutts is an apple and cider mill located in Webster NY. It is a family tradition for many Rochestarians. It’s a charming little place wafting with the aromas of fall; cinnamon, clove, apples and lets not forget the smell of fry cakes sizzling away in the hot oil”! They make their fry cakes fresh daily they are sooooo good to eat warm with a glass of their fresh pressed cider or how about one of their infamous apple freezes (a must try)!
Anyhow, Christine and I played around with several ideas for recipes using their fry cakes and ultimately agreed on this one. Please give it a try, you will not be disappointed, if not from this area use your own favorite local ingredients.

Caramel Apple Fry Cake Sundaes

Amounts will vary depending on number of people you are serving.

Ingredients Needed:

Fry cakes (use your favorites) we decided on the sugar cinnamon fry cakes for this recipe.
Apple pie filling (homemade or canned works just fine)
Vanilla Ice Cream or whatever flavor you prefer
Caramel Sauce (jarred or homemade)
Candied Walnuts

Just lightly warm apple pie filling, place fry cake on a plate, spoon a little apple pie filling on top add a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with nuts and just repeat the process depending on how many you are serving!

To candy the walnuts place 1 cup of walnuts, 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a fry pan set to medium. Watch closely and stir often so it does not burn takes about 15 minutes but just eyeball it you will be able to tell when all nuts look like they are encased in crunchy candy.