September 14, 2014 | Posted in:

Honey Apple Cake

With Rosh Hashanah coming up, I turned to our friend Norene Gilletz from Gourmania.com for a great holiday recipe. She suggested her Apple Honey cake from “The NEW Food Processor Bible” (whitecap books). You won’t be disappointed by this recipe – it’s a moist and delicious treat that’s perfect any time!
applehoneycakelow

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 medium apples, peeled and cut in chunks
3 eggs plus 2 egg whites (or 4 eggs)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup liquid honey
3/4 cup cold tea
1/4 cup brandy

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Steel Blade: Process flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger for 10 seconds, until blended. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Process apples until finely minced, 8 to 10 seconds. Measure 1 cup firmly packed and set aside.
Process eggs and egg whites, sugar, oil and honey for 2 to 3 minutes, until light. Do not insert pusher in feed tube. Add dry ingredients to batter alternately with tea and brandy. Process with quick on/off pulses, just until blended. Do not over-process. Add apples and process with quick on/off pulses, just until mixed.

Pour batter into sprayed 12-cup fluted tube pan (Bundt pan). Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until cake tests done. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out dry. If necessary, cover top of cake with foil to prevent over-browning. Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes. Carefully loosen with a flexible spatula; invert cake onto a serving plate.
Yield: 15 servings. Freezes well.
Note: If you don’t have a large processor, add beaten egg mixture to dry ingredients in mixing bowl alternately with tea and brandy. Mix with a wooden spoon until blended, about 45 seconds. Stir in apples.
Additional Comments: If you don’t have brandy on hand, you can substitute Grand Marnier, orange juice or peach brandy. Apple juice can replace half of the tea for a delicious taste.

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April 13, 2014 | Posted in:

Hot cross buns

Nothing says Easter like hot cross buns, especially when they’re home made. This recipe comes from Jennifer L.’s book, in North Branch , MN, although I’ve made a few tiny tweaks.

Hot cross buns

Ingredients

4-4 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash ground cloves
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. granulated sugar

3/4 cup currents
(1/4 cup candied orange zest and 1/4 cup candied ginger, cut into small cubes)
1 egg white
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp milk (or more if needed)

Preparation instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 c. flour, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In a pan heat and stir milk, butter, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt until warm (120°-130°) and butter almost melts.
Add milk mixture to dry mixture. Add eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed 20 sec. scraping bowl. Beat on high 3 minutes. Stir in currants and orange peel and ginger (if desired), and as much remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1-1 1/2 hrs).
3. Punch dough down. Turn onto floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 20 portions. Shape portiions into smooth balls. Place balls 1-1/2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise till nearly double. (45-60 minutes)
4. Using a sharp knife, make a crisscross slash across top of each bun. In small bowl combine beaten egg white and 1 tbsp water. Brush mixture of egg white and water over rolls. Bake in a 375° oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly. For icing, in a mixing bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or juice. Stir in additional milk or juice, 1 tsp at a time, until icing is of drizzling consistecy. Drizzle icing into slashes atop each bun. Serve warm.

Submitted by: Jennifer L

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March 3, 2014 | Posted in:

Banana Caramel Napoleon

Here’s a quick and easy four ingredient recipe (five if you count the optional rum!) that you can throw together in a flash. It’s sure to impress guests!
IMG_2583_edited-1

Ingredients

1/4 package of frozen puff pastry
4 ripe bananas
1/2 cup Dulce de Leche
1 tsp rum (optional)
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
1/4 cup sugar

Preparation Instructions

Thaw puff pastry, roll out, and cut into 2″ squares. Bake according to package instructions. Let cool completely.
Cut bananas into slices or quarters. Place in a saucepan with Dulce de Leche and rum. Heat until boiling, and let boil 3 minutes.
Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and continue whipping.
To assemble Napoleons, pull one puff pastry square in half. Layer warm bananas, whipped cream, and pastry top. Top with more whipped cream and drizzle caramel sauce over top.

Hint: Puff pastry makes a wonderful topping for a meat pie. I often use if when I’m making leftover chicken or turkey pot pie…

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February 6, 2014 | Posted in:

Decadent molten chocolate cake

I grew up knowing this cake as Flourless Chocolate Cake, so was amused as an adult to learn that it actually does have flour in it! It’s a rich, thick cake that’s almost like a brownie, delicious served with custard sauce, raspberries, whipped cream, or just plain.
A glass of bubbly is always nice on the side too!
Decadent chocolate cake

Ingredients

6 oz good quality baking chocolate (dark, not milk)
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 320. Grease and flour an 8 or 9″ pan.
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Add butter and stir until melted. Beat egg yolks with sugar until soft ribbon forms. Add to chocolate mix and stir. Add flour and mix.
Beat egg whites until smooth. Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture.
Bake 40 minutes, or until just set.

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January 29, 2014 | Posted in:

Madeleines

These buttery treats are half way between a cake and a cookie. They were made famous by the french writer Proust, who is whisked away to his childhood by the their heavenly taste. In the “madeleine incident”, as it’s known to the literati, they are remembered as being dunked in linden tea, although I think coffee would work just as well! If you can’t get your hands on a madeleine pan, the bottom of a muffin tin makes tiny little cakes that are just as good!
madeleines

Ingredients

2 eggs
10 tbsp melted butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
grated zest from half a lemon
pinch of salt

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375.
Whisk the egg in a bowl. Slowly add the melted butter and whisk until blended. Add the sugar and mix for about a minute.
Add the vanilla and lemon zest. Mix.
Add the flour and pinch of salt and mix until smooth.
Bake 12-15 minutes, depending on which pan you are using.

Thank you to my friend Nancy Wigston for sharing her recipe!

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December 2, 2013 | Posted in:

Gingery pumpkin cheesecake bars

These decadent treats have a chewy gingery crust, a creamy layer of pumpkin cheesecake and crunchy spiced pecans on top. And they’re surprisingly easy to make!
pumpkinsquares_edited-1

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snaps (about 30 cookies)
1/2 can sweetened condensed mil

1 brick of cream cheese
2/3 cup of pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 sour cream

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
100 gr (small bag) chopped pecans

Preparation Instructions

Preheat over to 350.
Line a 9″ square baking pan with parchment paper.
Place crushed cookies into bottom of pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk over top. Place in over for 5 minutes. Remove from over and mix until combined.
Mix cream cheese with pumpkin and brown sugar. Beat until smooth. Gradually add eggs one at a time, and beat each time until smooth. Pour over cookie base.
Bake 35-40 minutes, until set. Cool completely.
Prepare spiced nuts: (you could just as easily add store bought pralines here!)
In a frying pan, add sugar, spices and butter. Heat until melted. Pour pecans in. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour out onto parchment paper to cool.
Before serving, top squares with cream cheese and pralines. Cut and serve immediately.

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October 3, 2013 | Posted in:

Oreo cookie balls

from Mandy D.’s book, Colton, SD
Try this three ingredient treat this Halloween! Decorated with a Jelly bean, they make perfect mini pumpkins!
halloween pops_edited-1

Ingredients

1 (20 oz.) pkg. Oreos
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
12 oz. of chocolate coating

Preparation instructions

Place cookies in food processor; cover and process until finely crushed. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and crushed cookies until blended. Roll into 3/4 inch balls. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Dip into melted chocolate. Drizzle with white chocolate if desired.

Submitted by: Kim D

Virginie’s note: I used Orange Candy melts. Before they were completely dry, I used a toothpick to draw the lines of the pumpkin.

 

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September 19, 2013 | Posted in:

Pumpkin Bread – Heritage cooks

from Tynetta G.’s book, Imperial, MO
Pumpkin loaf

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup pecans

Preparation Instructions

Mix all ingredients together and bake in a bread pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Heritage note: I tried this recipe with roasted pumpkin seeds and chocolate chips as well- delicious! I lessened the baking soda to 3/4 tsp and salt to 1/2 tsp.
Thanks Tynetta for this great recipe!

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October 10, 2012 | Posted in:

Date filled cookies

from Jennifer L.’s book, North Branch , MN

Ingredients

1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. shortening
2/3 c. sour cream
1 tsp soda
2 1/2 c. oatmeal
3 c. flour
1 tsp vanilla

Preparation instructions

Cream together sugars, shortening, sour cream, and vanilla. Then mix in soda, oatmeal and 2 cups flour.
The other cup of flour will be used for rolling out and cutting.
Roll out dough on pastry cloth or “tupperware” sheet. Use cookie cutters of your choice.
Bake @ 350° for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Date filling:
Microwave ingredients on high for 3 minutes, stir , then microwave on high for 3 more minutes. Allow to cool a bit, then spread on cookies and sandwich.

Submitted by: Jennifer L

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| Posted in:

Carol’s brownies

from Jennifer L.’s book, North Branch , MN

Ingredients

2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
4 eggs
4 rounded tbsp cocoa
6 tbsp hot water
1 c. flour

Preparation instructions

Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg yolks and mix. Beat egg whites and set aside.
Mix rounded tbsp cocoa with hot water (make a thick “gravy”), add this to the above butter/sugar mixture and mix.
Blend in 1 c. flour.
Stir in beaten egg whites.
Bake in greased 9X12 pan for 30 minutes at 350°.

Frosting:
Cook (on stove top) sugar, whipping cream, milk and chocolate square. Cook to a “firm ball” stage, add butter.
Cool in ice cold water, stir until cooled and remove from water. Continue to stir until frosting holds peaks.
Frost brownies.

Submitted by: Jennifer L

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