Going on Vacation!

Taking a much needed break with my daughter!  I will be back the end of August! 

Have a Great Summer!

Double Berry Muffins adapted from Barefoot Contessa

This recipes comes from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.  It is her Triple Berry Muffin Recipe.  I did not have strawberries in hand and I just subsituted more blueberries and blackberries from her original recipe.  It is a delicious recipe.  The only thing I do different with all my muffin batters is after mixing, I let them sit out for 1/2 hour before putting into my muffin tins.  This resting period gives you  a higher top muffin. 

Double Berry Muffins

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa (Triple Berry Muffin Recipe)

3 c flour
1 Tb baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c milk

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 c fresh blueberries
1/2 c fresh raspberries
1/2 c diced fresh strawberries
1 1/2 c sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line or grease muffin cups. Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl combine milk, eggs and melted butter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into the well, and stir until just combined. There will be lumps but don't overmix! Add the berries and sugar and stir gently. Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick comes out clean and tops are nicely browned. Makes 16-18 muffins.  I use a jumbo size muffin tin and paper liners.  I yield about 10-12 jumbo size. 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

These jumbo cookies are just delicous with a cold glass of milk or made into ice cream sandwiches.  My family loves chocolate, so these cookies are always a big hit. 

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

I use a silpat on my cookie sheet

2 sticks soften salted margarine, not butter (butter in not recommended)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 room temperature egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream your margarine and sugars for 5 minutes until light and fluffy, add egg, continue to beat for 4 more minutes. Add extract. In separate bowl mix flour, cocoa with soda, add to cream mixture. Add chips and pecan until well incorporated. Take a spatula and make sure that the dough on the bottom is mixed in well with the top dough on top. Let cookie dough sit on counter for 1 hour. Cover bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I use a silpat on my cookie sheet. I use a spring loaded ice cream scoop; 1 to 1 1/2 inch diameter. Put 6 scoops onto a cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Until lightly golden. Cool on cookie rack.

Nostalgic Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Oh the memories!  This cake brings back my childhood growing up in  Missouri.  This is such a classic, retro dessert and one of my favorites.  My mother and her friends would take turns hosting Coffee/Tea Parties, back in the 60's and 70's.  They went all out.  The best china, silverware, tablecloths, etc. were brought out for the ladies.  The sweeties were displayed with such pride.  The one sweetie that was always at the table was Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  All those ladies made everything from scratch and were very proud of their creations.  

I remember when my mother was hosting, I would be hiding up on the top of the staircase just watching the ladies dressed in their best attire, beehive updos, the scent of Shalimar, Tabu, Emeraude and Jean Nate' filling the air.  They would be just chatting away for hours.  I knew my mother would always put away a piece of Pineapple Upside Down Cake just for me. 

I really grew up around such amazing bakers and cooks. I think my love of baking and cooking comes from being surrounded by such wonderful delights and good times. Thanks Mom and to all your wonderful friends who have given me so much to remember.

Pineapple  Upside Down Cake adapted from Southern Cakes

Pineapple Topping:
One 20-ounce can pineapple rings (save the juice)
4 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
10 maraschino cherries

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 salt

1/2 cup milk

4 Tbsp butter, softened

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. pineapple juice
* Note I added to 2 T. of vegetable oil to my batter for a very moist cake.  Add to liquid ingredients.
Heat the oven to 350F.

Drain the pineapple well but save 2 tablespoons of the juice for the cake batter. Melt the butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Or, put the butter in a 9 inch round cake pan and put it in the oven for a few minutes as the heat melts the butter.

Remove the pan from the oven or stove and sprinkle the brown sugar over the buttery surface. Place the pineapple rings carefully on top of the scattered brown sugar and melted butter, arranging them so they fit in 1 layer. (You may have a few left over). Place a cherry in the center of each ring, and set the pan aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a fork to mix them together well. Add the milk and butter and beat well with a mixer, scraping down the bowl once or twice until you have a thick, fairly smooth batter, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the egg, reserved pineapple juice and the vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes more, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.

Carefully pour the batter over the pineapple arranged in the skillet or cake pan and use a spoon to spread it evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched lightly in the center. Cool in the skillet or pan for 5 minutes on a wire rack.

With oven mitts, carefully turn out the warm cake onto a serving plate by placing the plate upside down over the cake in the pan and then flipping them over together to release the cake onto the plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Simple Strawberry Shortcake

This month on Have the Cake, the baking challenge is Strawberry Shortcake.  I was so delighted with this June challenge.  This happens to be my favorite summer dessert.  In my opinion, I prefer a biscuit type cake rather than a soft spongy cake.  I used a soft tender cream scone that is to die for. I got this recipe from a very dear friend who happens to be from England, and they know their scones!  I used fresh strawberries with strawberry jam and a touch of water to make the luscious juice.   I finish it off with Chantilly Cream an it is delicious.   I hope you all give it a try this summer.  You will not be disappointed.  This will be my new recipe for strawberry shortcake.  Look no further!  This is the one!

I imagine you can also use blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and peaches!  Just subsitute the appropriate jams to match the fruit.  It is so simple.

Recipe

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment

Make 6 scones

English  Cream Scones

2 cups flour

1 T. baking powder

5 T. unsalted cold  butter

pinch salt

3 T. sugar

1 cup cold heavy cream

In a food processor use metal blade, process all the dry ingredients; add butter and continue to process, until a fine meal.  Add cold cream slowly until a ball forms.  Remove and shape into a round disk about 1 inch high.  Flour your suface board and place dough on board and cut into six wedges.  Refrigerate for half hour.  Remove from fridge and place on sheet pan; bake for 10-15 minutes.  Watch carefully you do not want to burn your scones.

Cool completely before slicing in half.

Strawberries:

2 cups sliced strawberries

1/3 cup strawberry jam

1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients together and let marinate for 15 minutes.

Chantilly Cream

2 cups cold heavy cream

3 T. powder sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whip until firm peaks form.

Assembly:  Slice cooled scone, layer strawberries and drizzle juices over biscuit.  Pipe or spoon on Chantilly Cream, put scone top on top of cream.  Sift powder sugar on scone and drizzle extra juices around scone for  a decorative element.  YUMMY!

Chocolate Fudgey Gooey Pecan Bars

This recipe is a Hershey Recipe and it is yumilicious!

This will satisfy any sweet tooth with gooey chocolate satisfaction.

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

9 x 13 baking pan; greased well

Pie Crust

2 3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, cold

pinch salt

1 to 2 tsp. very cold water if needed

Process in food processor; add cold water little at a time until a ball comes together. Press into prepared pan, prick with fork to prevent air bubbles in crust.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Filling:

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch salt

2 cups coarsley cut pecans

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (preferably Hershey)

In mixer, cream eggs with sugar and syrup.  Add salt and vanilla.  Stop beating with spoon add nuts and chocolate chips.  Stir well.  Pour over crust and bake an additional 30- 35  minutes. 

Important:  Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 2 plus hours before cutting.  These bars are gooey.  Clean knife with hot water and towel before each cut. They are worth the extra trouble.  If it is hot weather,  keep bars refrigerated and serve.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Humble Pie

Humble Pie

This is truly a humble pie.  The ingredients are plain and simple and it is nothing fancy.  It is put together very quickly and all the ingredients are probably in your cupboard. My 10 year old daughter just loves it.  Serve with a little Chantilly Cream or ice cream.  You will have a quick dessert that your family will love.  

This one is Kid Approved!!! 

Recipe: preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pie crust:  Makes enough for 2 pies (Or use your own favorite)

2 cups flour

2 cups unsalted cold butter

pinch salt

1 T. sugar

1 cold egg

In a food processor;  process flour, salt, sugar and butter until you get a fine meal.  Add egg continue to process until dough comes together.  If you need to add a little bit of cold water for it to form a ball, go ahead but very little at a time. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour and roll into a 9 inch pie plate.  The extra dough can be put into a Ziploc freezer bag, labeled and saved for another pie. 

Filling: 

1 stick soft butter

1 cup sugar

2 T. creamy peanut butter or crunchy

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

pinch salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

1 cup chocolate chips

Since I have my processor out, I will process my nuts and remove to a bowl.  Add butter, sugar,eggs, vanilla and process until smooth and creamy.  Add your flour and pinch salt, process until incorporated and smooth.   Add chop nuts and chocolate chips and stir with spoon; do not process.  Pour into pie crust, put pie on cookie sheet and bake for 50-55 minutes until golden brown.  Cool or serve slightly warm with ice cream and chocolate sauce. YUM!  I served mine with Chantilly cream.

Chantilly Cream

2 cups cold heavy cream

3 T. powder sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whip with whip attachment until cream forms either soft or firm peaks.  If you are going to pipe rosettes on your pie it needs to be firmer.  If you just want to dollop with spoon, it should be softer.  It is your preference.

Note:  You can reheat a pie slice in microwave for 10-15 minutes to serve warm with ice cream!

Hershey Chocolate Walnut Streusel Bars

This is an official Hershey Recipe.  One of the chefs I know, has a friend who worked for Hershey Park and that is where this recipe came from.  I was lucky enough to get a stack of wonderful recipes from Hershey that I will be sharing down the road with you.  My family loved these bars.  I think I would double the recipe, because I like thicker bars.  Honestly, you can just follow the recipe as is.  I like to play around.   

This would be great with Ice Cream when it is still warm out of the oven. 

I am sure it would be great with pecans, too!

I love this recipe because it can be put together in minutes if you use a food processor to do your crust, and chop up your nuts. 

Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease 9x13 pan with release spray

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa

1/8 tsp. salt

1 stick butter

1 egg

1 can sweetened condense milk

2 cups Hershey's special dark or semisweet chocolate chips (divided)

1 cups chopped nuts

1. In a food processor, process flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and butter until a fine meal.  Add butter continue to process. Add egg and process until well incorporated.  Reserved and set aside 1 1/2 cups of streusel mixture.   Press remaining crumb  into pan and bake for 10 minutes.

2. In a microwave glass bowl, add sweetened condense milk, 1 cup chocolate chips, heat and mix until well incorporated.

3 Spread sweeten condense milk chocolate mixture on crumb bottom.  Mix remaining 1 cup chocolate chips, nuts into the reserved crumb topping.  Drop streusel topping evenly on top, bake for 25 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.