Peppermint Chocolate Cake

I love the combination of peppermint and chocolate. It’s just so festive and luscious. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. If you decide to make the Peppermint Meringues, you’ll find the recipe on this site as well.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ¼ cups boiling water
20 mini candy canes
3 8oz. Packages cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1-lb. box confectioners’ sugar
Peppermint meringues for decorating (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat three 8 x 2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper; spray the paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs and peppermint extract. Mix the milk mixture into the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Mix in the boiling water (the batter will be thin).

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, crush the candy canes and make the icing. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread 1 ¼ cups icing over the top. Top with another layer and 1 ¼ cups icing. Top with the last cake layer. Frost sides and top with the remaining icing. Gently pat the crushed candy canes all over the sides of the cake. Top with meringues (if using).

Makes 16 servings.

Peppermint Meringues

What a wonderful gift these would make! They’d also be great for decorations or just to eat all by themselves. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Woman’s Day magazine.

Peppermint Meringues

2 large egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red gel or paste food coloring

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large metal or glass bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. Set the bowl over (but not in) a saucepan of simmering water and cook. Whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the whites are very warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and, using an electric mixer, beat on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, until soft glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Beat in the peppermint.

Transfer 1 tablespoon meringue mixture to a small bowl and tint red. Using a paintbrush or a skewer and the red meringue mixture, paint 3 vertical stripes in a pastry bag fitted with a ¾-inch star pastry tip.

Carefully spook the white egg white mixture into the piping bag, being careful not to smear the red meringue. Pipe small stars (about ¾ inch) onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the meringues until just set on the outside, 20 to 30 minutes. Slide the sheets of parchment paper onto wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 9 dozen.

Gingerbread People

This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Cooking Light magazine. It reminds me of the gingerbread cookies my Gran used to make when I was a child. She always made at least one gingerbread man and woman, just for me. Of course, this recipe has way fewer calories and that is always a plus.

Gingerbread People

11 ¼ oz. all-purpose flour (about 2 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup golden cane syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 large egg

Icing
½ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare cookies, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, stirring mixture well with a whisk.

Place brown sugar and butter in a bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add can syrup, molasses, and egg; beat 1 minute or until well combined. Add flour mixture, and beat on low speed 1 minute or until just combined. Gently press mixture into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Roll each dough portion to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut with 5-inch cutters to form 26 cookies. (Reroll scraps as necessary.) Place cookies 1 inch apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar and milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Spoon icing into a small zip-top plastic bag. Snip a tiny hole off one corner of the bag. Pipe icing onto cookies as desired.

Makes 26 cookies at 124 calories each.

Mini Apple Pies

Maybe it’s a Southern thing but there’s just something about Mason jars. We use them for so many things, such as canning jellies or drinking sweet tea. A sweet friend even baked chocolate cake in them. Now here is the cutest little apple pies ever -- and they’re cooked in Mason jars.

This recipe is just too adorable not to share. It’s from the December 2012 issue of Family Circle Magazine

One thing I’ll mention is that I wasn’t familiar with Turbinado sugar. I found out it’s a minimally refined sugar that is often mistaken for light brown sugar because the colors are similar. The two sugars are made differently. Just ask at your grocery store and you’ll probably be able to get it.

Mini Apple Pies

2 boxes refrigerated piecrusts
8 tablespoons butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
½ cup dried cranberries (if desired)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set out 8 wide-mouth 8-oz. jars. Cut out eight 6-inch circles and eight small circles (using jar lid as guide) from piecrusts. Press into bottom, up side and over the lip of jars.

In saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking continuously, until golden brown, 2 minutes. Add granulated and brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over apples and, if desired, cranberries. Toss to coat. Spoon into jars.

Cut small dough circles into strips; weave into lattice and crimp edges. Brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Place jars 2 inches apart on large baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool.

Makes 8 servings.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

Fall is in the air. Really. It may not always feel that way in October in the Deep South but Halloween is coming up quickly, which means Thanksgiving isn‘t far behind. These yummy muffins are just the thing to get us all in the spirit. This recipe comes from the April 2013 issue of Coastal Living magazine. I saved it for the fall because there’s just something about pumpkin and cinnamon and cloves that just seems perfect for this time of year.

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¾ cups sugar, divided
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
4 tablespoons chilled butter
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Like 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with paper liners.

Stir together cream cheese, vanilla extract, and ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender until large crumbs form. Set aside.

Combine remaining 3 cups flour, remaining 1 ¾ cups guar, remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, pumpkin, oil and milk in a medium bowl; stir in egg mixture into flour mixture, just until moist. (Do not over mix.)

Spoon half of batter into prepared muffin pans. Dollop about 1 tablespoon reserved cream cheese mixture in center of batter, and top evenly with remaining batter. Sprinkle with reserved streusel mixture.

Bake 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen muffins.

White Sheet Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This recipe comes from the September 2013 issue of Southern Living. I rarely ever need a sheet cake recipe. But when I do, it seems that I'm always adapting. I love that is for a sheet cake.

 

The frosting isn't new. This recipe has been around for ages. I would suggest that you refrain from adding all the milk until you're sure you will need it. I've found that with the weather here in the South, sometimes you don't need as much as you do at other times.

 

This issue of Southern Living also includes a wonderful tutorial on how to make a Caramel Sauce and some more fabulous recipes.

 

White Sheet Cake

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
7 large egg whites, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until fluffy. Gradually add egg whites, one-third at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together cake flour and baking powder. (I just use a whisk.) Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with 1 cup water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9-inch pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. This takes about 1 hour. Remove from pan to a serving platter. Spread top and sides of cake with frosting.

 

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (16-oz) packages powdered sugar

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

Stir together milk and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

If desired, add food coloring to tint to your favorite color.

Hot Chicken Dip

This is another recipe from craft night at the County Extension Office. This is a little more detailed than the Pumpkin Dip but is wonderful too. Mary, the lady who made it, did not use the garlic or put the cheese on top. She put it in the microwave for 2 minutes and then in the oven for about 20 minutes.

 

I'll probably leave off the garlic but definitely use the cheese. I love cheese! One of the wonderful things about cooking is you can adapt recipes to fit your own taste buds.

 

Hot Chicken Dip

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
8 oz. package cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (you can save a little to melt on top the last three minutes of cooking)
2 cans chicken, drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic power or minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder or minced onion
1 can Rotel, drained
1 small jar chopped pimento, NOT drained

Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly and hot throughout.

Serve with corn chips, tortilla chips or crackers.

Pumpkin Dip

Once every quarter the County Extension Office hosts a do-it-yourself craft event. We pay $10 per person and leave with three completed projects and deeply happy hearts. It is just plain fun. Last month we decorated tiles, etched a candle holder and made a pumpkin out of scrapbook paper.

 

A highlight of the evening is the snack. Remember these ladies are all about crafting and cooking and canning and such. Anything they make is good. They served this Pumpkin Dip with ginger snap wafers. It was sooooo good I had to go back for seconds. I wasn't the only one. They didn't seem to mind.

 

Just look at it: Three ingredients mixed together and you've got a dip people enjoy so much they return for seconds. That is MY kind of recipe!

 

Pumpkin Dip

1 carton Cool Whip
1 box vanilla instant pudding
1 can pumpkin

Mix it all together.

Serve with ginger snaps and graham crackers.

Mini Bacon Broccoli Quiches

This recipe comes from the October 2013 issue of Family Circle magazine. The photo make the little quiches look too yummy not to try. The only thing I did different was substitute regular bacon for turkey bacon. I know. Turkey bacon is healthier but I just don't like the taste.

Mini Bacon-Broccoli Quiches

3 cups broccoli florets
4 oz. (6 strips) bacon
9 eggs
3 egg whites
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add broccoli. Cook 3 minutes; drain. Roughly chop and cool slightly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until slightly crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Dice and set aside to cool.

Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper, broccoli and bacon.

Coat a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle mixture among cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through.

Cool slightly. Remove quiches with a small offset spatula. Cool completely and refrigerate.

To serve: Wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, until warm.

Makes 12 quiches.

Ultimate Lime Pie

I almost didn't save this recipe. I've already posted another Lime Pie recipe (provided by Carnation) that is similar. So I put the Woman's Day magazine aside. But I kept going back to it, comparing it, considering it. I finally decided it was worth a try. What do you think?

The recipe is in the July 2013 issue and was shared by Susan Grubb from Hudson Valley, NY.

 

Ultimate Lime Pie

12 graham crackers
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon grated lime zest

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and 2 tablespoons sugar to form fine crumbs (you should have 1 1/2 cups crumbs total). Add the butter and pulse to combine.

Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, egg yolks and lime juice. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust; bake until the center is set, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack; let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Just before serving, using an electric mixer, beat the cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the pie and sprinkle with zest.

Canning Tomatoes

It's that time of year again. The tomatoes are ripening and it's time to can them. Now, I must be honest. When I talk about tomatoes ripening, I'm referring to the tomatoes my uncle grows. He can grow anything and everything. And he does. We're very blessed that he shares.

It's not that we don't try to grow tomatoes. It's just that something always seems to happen, be it varmints or too much water or fertilize or something. Now, we do grow grape tomatoes. In abundance. Grape tomatoes are not to be confused with cherry tomatoes. Grape tomatoes are the size of, well, grapes. We have them everywhere. Have I mentioned that I don't eat tomatoes?

But I'm getting away from the purpose of this post. I do cook with tomatoes so it's important to know how to can them. I've been asking a great many questions. I don't like all the answers. Question: How long do you cook them. Answer: Long enough. It's what happens when you're dealing with someone who has just always done something a certain way because her mother did it that same certain way. No timing involved. You just kind of know. And that makes it hard when dealing with a mother who, unlike her mother, doesn't want to teach or have help in the kitchen.

This recipe is for me probably more than for you. I want to remember just in case there comes a time when I need to.

Canning Tomatoes

 

Tomatoes

Salt

Wash and dry jars. We use pint jars.

Peel tomatoes, making sure to remove the ends. Put tomatoes in a large container and bring to a boil. Be sue to stir frequently to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. How long do you cook them? Until they're mushy. (I did warn you!)

Place tomatoes in jar. Put 1/2 teaspoon of salt in. Do not try to mix this in with the tomatoes. Just leave salt on the top. He will disappear into the tomatoes. Place boiled lid on top, then screw on a ring top and tighten.

Put aside and wait for the pops to begin. The pops come when the lid seals. It's a joyous occasion!

Be sure to label and date all your canned goods. You think you'll remember but, trust me on this, you won't.

Chocolate Icebox Cake

I found this recipe in the June 2013 issue of Women’s Day magazine. It comes from the Casserole Queens, Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock.

Chocolate Icebox Cake

4 teaspoons instant espresso
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
20 ladyfinger cookies
1 0.25-oz. package powdered gelatin
1 10-oz. package bittersweet chocolate chips
4 cups heavy cream
6 large egg whites
Shaved chocolate, for serving

In a glass measuring cup or bowl, combine the espresso with 1 tablespoon sugar. Add ¾ cup boiling water and stir to dissolve. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with the cookies. Drizzle the espresso mixture over the cookies; set aside.

Place 2 tablespoons water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let sit for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the chocolate chips and ½ cup cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl until the chocolate is nearly melted, 45 to 60 seconds. Microwave the gelatin mixture until it melts, about 15 seconds. Stir the gelatin into the chocolate mixture until melted and smooth. Let cook for 5 minutes.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg white mixture.

In a second large bowl, using an electric mixer (with clean beaters), beat 2 ½ cups cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate-egg white mixture. Spread over the cookies and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days (making sure to cover it after 1 hour).

Just before serving, using an electric mixer, beat the remaining cup of cream and tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Spread over the chocolate mousse. Sprinkle with shaved chocolate, if desired.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bars

This recipe comes from the June 2013 issue of Coastal Living. It should be perfect with that fresh-canned Strawberry Jam!

Strawberry-Cream Cheese Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
2 cups regular or quick oats
1 ½ cups strawberry preserves or jam
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pulse flour, brown sugar, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar in a food processor 3 or 4 times until combined. Add butter; pulse until crumbly. Add oats; pulse to blend. Set aside 1 ½ cups of mixture.

Press remaining oat mixture into bottom of a greased and aluminum foil-lined 13-x-9-inch baking dish. Bake 10 minutes.

Spread preserves onto crust. Stir together cream cheese, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, and almond extract, if desired, in a small bowl. Spoon small dollops of cream cheese mixture onto preserves; sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; cut into bars.

Makes 2 dozen.

Crinkle Cookies

This recipe comes from the July 8, 2013, People magazine. It was provided by Carla Hall, who owns the cookie company Alchemy. They look delicious! I can’t wait to give them a try.

Crinkle Cookies

4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 large egg
½ cup sugar
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup mini-chocolate chips
¼ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Microwave butter and cocoa in a glass bowl on HIGH for 45 seconds. Whisk mixture until smooth; set aside.

Whisk together egg, sugars, salt and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Gradually add egg mixture to chocolate mixture, whisking until well-blended.

Whisk flour and baking powder together in a small bowl. Stir flour mixture into chocolate mixture until well-blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or until dough is firm enough to handle easily.

Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop dough and form into ¾-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar. Arrange cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes. Cool cookies 1 minute on baking sheet; transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Blackberry Cobbler

The blackberries are ripe. I'd about given up on them. We had a few earlier, barely enough to make one making of blackberry jelly. Then they sort of dried up. That was before the rain. Now they're making like crazy. I'm thrilled. Really.

 

So is Abby. This large dog/child sits right next to me and picks her own blackberries. She is crazy funny. Sammy, my other dog/child waits for me to pick blackberries for him. He's too dignified to deal with the thorns.

 

I needed to make a cobbler so I went to my go to cookbook, Southern Plate. Christy Jordan is an awesome Southern cook! I recommend this cookbook to anyone and everyone. This recipe is super simple. And I didn't have to use the mixer or anything.

 

I didn't cook it quite as long as Christy suggested. It was golden so I took it out a few minutes early. Every oven is different. That's something important to always remember when you're trying a new recipe. Also be sure to wash your berries. I know it should be obvious but some folks just don't think to wash fruit and vegetables before you cook them. It's just a good habit to develop.

 

Oh, and Christy says you can use other berries or peaches instead of blackberries. Did I mention that the peaches are almost ripe?

 

Blackberry Cobbler

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 cups blackberries (use can use fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the stick of butter in an ovenproof casserole dish in the oven while mixing the ingredients.

Place 1 tablespoon butter on top of the berries in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the sugar over the berries. Stir. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute so that the sugar begins to melt.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour and 1 cup sugar until blended. Pour in the milk and mix until blended.

After the butter is melted, take the casserole out of the oven and pour the batter on top of the melted butter. Pour the berries on top of the batter. Do not stir! Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the cobbler. Place in the oven and cook for 55 minutes, or until golden.

Makes 8 servings.

P.S. This is wonderful with ice cream!

Hot Dill Pickles

This recipe comes from my Aunt JoAnn. It was a special request. My Aunt JoAnn is an incredible cook. She also does a lot of canning. Lots. And lots. Seriously. My uncle spends all his time growing things and she spends most of her time figuring out what to do with it all. She's amazing!

 

Because she is a Southern cook, you've got to use a little bit of common sense. Aunt JoAnn generally cans pickles in pint jars. How many cucumbers do you use? Enough to fill up the jars without packing them. What kind of cucumbers do you use? Pickling cucumbers . . . unless you're my mother and then you use whatever you have available. Like I said: use your common sense and work with it. Be sure to wash the cucumbers first. You probably already know that. Always wash fruits and vegetables before you use them.

 

Hot Dill Pickles

Cucumbers (Aunt JoAnn cuts hers round.)
1 quart white vinegar
2 quarts water
3/4 cup pickle salt
garlic (1 small bulb to a jar)
1 teaspoon dill seed
Hot peppers (2 to a jar)
1/2 teaspoon alum

Put sliced cucumbers in a jar with pepper, dill seed and garlic bulb.

Boil 1 quart white vinegar, 2 quarts water, 3/4 cup pickling salt and 1/2 teaspoon alum. Pour into the jars and seal them.

DO NOT OVERPACK JARS.

For questions: Call Aunt JoAnn. I don't do hot pickles. LOL

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie

This recipe card is from Grandma’s Kitchen. The mixture of chocolate, ice cream and Rice Krispies intrigues me.

The card offers a “secret” way to get a clean knife cut when serving the pie. It must be a Southern thing. I learned how to do it the same way from my Mama. Just wet the blade of a knife in hot water and cut. Then wet it with hot water again, wipe the knife clean, and cut again. It works really well on meringue pies as well.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie

½ cup chocolate syrup
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups crisp rice cereal
¼ cup sour cream
1 quart chocolate chip ice cream, softened

Coat bottom and sides of an 8-inch pie plate lightly with butter.

Combine chocolate syrup and chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH until hot, about 45 seconds. Stir until smooth. Reserve ¼ cup of the chocolate mixture.

Combine remaining chocolate mixture and cereal in a medium bowl and mix to coat cereal. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Combine reserved chocolate mixture and the sour cream in a small bowl and mix well. Spread half the ice cream in the prepared pie plate. Drizzle with half the sour cream mixture. Top with remaining ice cream and drizzle with remaining sour cream mixture.

Freeze pie, covered, until firm, about 1 hour.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Best Fresh Lemonade

This recipe come from the April 2013 issue of Relish, a newspaper insert. I saved it for just such a time as this -- summer in the Deep South.

The recipe suggested coating glass rims with Lemon Sugar and I’ve included that recipe. I’ll probably skip that step. I won’t be skipping the step to completely dissolve the sugar with boiling water. It really does make a difference in the final product. It's a secret I learned years ago when making Sweet Tea.

Best Fresh Lemonade

4 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 10 lemons)
Lemon Sugar for glass rims

Boil or microwave 2 cups water with sugar until sugar is dissolved. Let cool. Squeeze lemons to make about 2 cups juice. Combine juice, sugar water and remaining 2 cups water. Stir well and chill.

Drip the rim of each glass in a shallow bowl of water. Coat the rims with Lemon Sugar. Serve over ice and additional lemon slices.

Makes 8 servings.

Lemon Sugar

4 lemons
1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Peel lemons with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Place peels on a baking sheet. Place in oven and let dry about 2 hours, until light tan in color. When thoroughly dry, grind peels in a coffee mill or in a food processor. Mix ground peel with sugar.

Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Ice Cream Sundae Cake

This recipe comes from Mary Kay Andrews. Her new book, Ladies’ Night, comes out June 4^th. Ya’ll be sure to support this wonderful, bestselling, Southern writer and purchase her book. If it’s anything like the others I’ve read, it’ll be laugh-out-loud funny and so good you won’t want to put it down.

If you’d like to receive other recipes from Andrews, just go to her website and sign up for her newsletter. This recipe was included in her latest one, along with her book-signing schedule and other things of interest.

Ice Cream Sundae Cake

For Brownie Layer:
Vegetable oil spray, for misting the baking pan
1/4 cup cornstarch, plus cornstarch, for dusting the baking pan
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For Ice Cream Layer:
1 gallon ice cream, softened
1 jar ice-cream topping of your choice, butterscotch, caramel, hot fudge or combination
1 pkg. Heath Bar bits or crushed candy or cookie crumbs

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-by-11-inch baking pan by spritzing with vegetable oil spray, then dusting with cornstarch.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat, add cocoa powder and stir well. Remove pan from heat and stir in both kinds of sugars and vanilla. Add beaten eggs, quarter-cup cornstarch and salt and stir. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, till edges are firm, top is shiny and center is set.

Let brownies cool completely. With rubber spatula, smooth softened ice cream flavor of your choice on top of brownie crust, cover and freeze until hardened. Drizzle toppings over ice cream, sprinkle with Heath Bar bits or any other crushed candy or cookie crumbs. Cut in squares and serve.

Butterscotch Pecan Pie

There is an absolutely wonderful article in the May/June 2013 issue of AAA’s Alabama Journey magazine. It’s all about the Pie Lab in Greensboro. It’s almost enough to make me want to climb in the van and head out. And, yes, they serve more than pies. They also serve meals and conversation. And all in downtown Greensboro, Alabama. Who knew?!

They were thoughtful enough to share this recipe. I can’t wait to try it.

Butterscotch Pecan Pie

3 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup corn syrup
1 ½ cups pecan halves
½ cup butterscotch morsels
1 9-inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a small saucepan. While butter is melting, whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in brown sugar, flour, vanilla, and corn syrup until combined. Add the melted butter.

Mix in the pecans and the butterscotch morsels. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Pom-Berry Shake

A few years ago my Dad decided he wanted a few strawberry plants. We love strawberries and they’re fairly easy to grow. You just have to take care of them and keep the weeds at bay.

He soon lost interest and the weeds and grass covered the strawberries. They appeared to be lost. A couple of years passed and he wanted to purchase more strawberry plants. He did and cleared and space in the garden and planted them there.

I wasn’t quite ready to give up on the older plants. I began pulling grass and weeds and, sure enough, the plants had survived. They produce large, juicy strawberries. I’m so glad I took the time to uncover them.

This recipe is from the May 2013 issue of Coastal Living. They’ve got some fabulous milkshake recipes, along with some tips on making awesome shakes. Be sure to check it out.

Pom-Berry Shake

½ cup pomegranate-blueberry juice
12 oz. frozen mixed berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 cup milk
Garnishes: whipped cream, fresh berries

Combine juice, berries, ice cream and milk in a blender. Process until smooth. Garnish, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake

Nothing quite says late spring or early summer to me quite like a lemon cake. It’s just so fresh, like a sunny day. I think this cake will be perfect with a little Blue Bell ice cream. Yum!

Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Cake Batter
½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
3 large eggs, separated
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup plan Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
¾ cup Quick & Easy Lemon Curd (recipe under separate entry)
¼ cup powdered sugar

Prepare Crumb Topping: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first five ingredients; cut cold butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Prepare Cake Batter: Beat softened butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Add 1 ¼-cups granulated sugar, beating 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Stir together flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon zest.

Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy; gradually add remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square (2-inch deep) pan. Dollop with lemon curd; gently swirl with a knife. Sprinkle Crumb Topping over batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack 1 hour.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Creamy Strawberry Pie

The first strawberries are beginning to ripen in the strawberry patch. My mouth is already longing for the taste of a strawberry pie. This recipe is from the April 2013 issue of Family Circle magazine. I can’t wait to try it.

The only thing I’ll do differently is how I make the crust. I grew up watching my mother use a rolling pin to make a Nilla wafer cookie crust for her Lemon Icebox Pie. It’s super easy and doesn’t require much cleanup. The result is the same. A yummy crust.

Be sure to check out the entire issue of Family Circle. The magazine also included several recipes for cupcakes!

Creamy Strawberry Pie

Crust
6 oz. Nilla wafer cookies (½ of a 12 oz. box)
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine Nilla wafer cookies and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs are formed. Transfer to a bowl and add melted butter; stir together until all crumbs are moistened.

Press crumbs into bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake crust at 350 for 14 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Place on wire rack and cool completely.

Filling
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup cran-raspberry juice
8 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced; divided
¼ cup cornstarch

In a medium-size saucepan, combine sugar, cran-raspberry juice, cornstarch and 2 cups strawberries. Gently mash berries with a potato masher. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 2 minutes or until liquid is clear and thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Stir in 6 cups strawberries, reserving several slices for garnish. Pour into cooled crust and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Topping
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

In large bowl, beat together heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pie, leaving a 1-inch border around edges. Garnish with reserved berries and serve.

Makes 10 servings, at 296 calories per serving.

Raspberry Almond Streusel Muffins

Once upon a time I baked a lot of muffins. Really. All kinds of muffins. Most of them were quite tasty though some were better than others. A particular favorite was Blueberry Muffins made with fresh blueberries.

Life changes, doesn’t it? I no longer cook to satisfy myself and I no longer head to an office five days a week. That was always a wonderful way to try out new recipes and not have to eat it all by yourself.

This recipe from the April 2013 issue of Coastal Living magazine might get me baking muffins again. Fresh raspberries and a streusel topping can only be described as heavenly. I hope you enjoy. And be sure to check out this issue of the magazine for more muffin recipes and some wonderful tips on visiting Galveston, Texas.

Raspberry-Almond Streusel Muffins

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup butter, melted
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 pint fresh raspberries
Streusel Topping (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, milk butter and almond extract in a medium bowl. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until blended. (Do not over mix.) Gently folk in raspberries. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans; top evenly with Streusel Topping.

Bake 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 3 minutes. Remove muffins from pans, and serve warm.

Makes 18 muffins.

Streusel Topping

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Combine flour, sugar and brown sugar in a bowl; cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in almonds.

Makes 1 cup.

Lemon Snap Icebox Pie

This recipes comes from the April 2013 issue of Relish, which is an insert in our local newspaper. It makes me think of sun and the beach instead of the dreary skies today has brought.

Lemon Snap Icebox Pie

Crust
1 ½ cups gingersnap crumbs
¼ cup melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar

Cream Cheese Layer
4 oz. cream cheese
2 cups whole-milk ricotta
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
½ cup sugar

Creamy Lemon Curd
3 egg yolks, well beaten
1/3 cup sugar
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
Sliced lemons

To prepare crust, combine crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into a 9-inch springform pan.

To prepare cream cheese layer, combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Puree until very creamy. Spoon into crust. Cover and refrigerate.

To prepare curd, combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until curd is thick (about 5 minutes). Let cool completely. Spoon over chilled pie. Top pie with thin lemon slices.

Makes 10 servings.

Key Lime Pie with Raspberry Sauce

Spring is finally in the air. Hooray! This is such a beautiful time of year when we get to enjoy the outdoors after the cold has left and before the blazing heat has arrived.

What better time to bring on the Key Lime Pie? It just so tropical and fun. This recipe comes from the March 2013 issue of Coastal Living.

Key Lime Pie with Raspberry Sauce

2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons lime zest
¾ cup fresh lime juice
Almond-Graham Crust (recipe below)
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Raspberry Sauce (recipe below)
Garnish: lime slices, lime zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, eggs, lime zest and lime juice until well blended. Pour mixture into Almond-Graham Crust.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until pie is set and edges are golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack about 1 hour. Chill 2 hours or until firm.

Combine sour cream and powdered sugar; spread mixture over top of pie. Serve with Raspberry Sauce and garnish, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Almond-Graham Crust

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup chopped sliced almonds
¼ cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs, almonds and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in butter. Press mixture firmly into an 11-inch tart pan or 9 ½-inch deep pie plate. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 1 piecrust.

Raspberry Sauce

1 12-oz. bag frozen raspberries
½ cup sugar

Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, crushing raspberries against side of pan and stirring constantly, 6 minutes or until sugar melts. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with a spatula or the back of a spoon; discard seeds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Makes ¾ cup.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

I never expected to be drawn to recipe in the Wal-Mart sales paper. But there it was. I know. They’re just trying to sell products. And they’re doing a good job, I might add. This recipe sounds like just something I would love and all the items in the recipe as items I generally have on hand. That’s always a plus. You just never know when you’re going to happen on to a wonderful recipe.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

1 bag Ore-Ida Hash Browns
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of chicken soup
2 cups Daisy Sour Cream
1.2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1.3 cup green onions, sliced
¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
¼ cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13 x 9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together soup, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir in cheese, onion, and hash browns until well mixed. Spoon evenly into baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together cereal and butter. Sprinkle evenly on top of hash brown mixture.

Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional sliced green onion if desired.

Marshmallows

I’ve always wanted to make my own marshmallows. I’m not sure why. Maybe because there are so many possibilities. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Family Circle. I hope you have a lot of fun with it.

Marshmallows

½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 envelopes (.25 oz. each) unflavored gelatin
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cherry or lime extract or flavoring (optional)
Food coloring (optional)

Sift confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch into a small bowl. Line a 9 x 9 x 2-inch pan with foil. Coat with nonstick cooking spray. Sift 2 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar mixture into the pan, tilting to coat sides. Leave any excess in pan.

Place 2/3 cup water in a large bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Soften for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt in medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Strain into bowl with gelatin.

Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 12 minutes, adding flavoring and food coloring if desired. Spread into prepared pan and smooth top. Dust with 2 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Let stand 2 hours until set.

Lift marshmallows from pan with foil. With a wet knife, cut into 4 squares. Cut each square into 12 pieces. Spread remaining confectioners’ sugar mixture onto sheet pan. Toss marshmallows in sugar mixture; let stand 1 hour. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings (6 marshmallows each), at 207 calories per serving.

Pina Colada Icebox Pie

The folks at Southern Living can cook. They’ve been doing it a long, long time and they’re good at it. This recipe was in the March 2013 issue of Southern Living magazine. It sounds heavenly. As soon as it warms up again and actually feels like spring, I plan to give it a try.

Pina Colada Icebox Pie

2 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs (about 16 cookies)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
¼ cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple in juice
1 ½ cups cream of coconut, divided
2 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream

Garnishes: lightly toasted shaved coconut, pineapple wedges, fresh pineapple mint sprigs

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir together cookie crumbs, flaked coconut and butter. Firmly press on bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plat.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a small heavy saucepan. Stir in pineapple. While stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook (keep stirring!) 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, using whisk attachment, until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup cream of coconut, beating at low speed just until blended. (Chill remaining ½ cup cream of coconut until ready to use.) Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Spread cooled pineapple mixture over bottom of piecrust. Spoon cream cheese mixture over pineapple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 38 to 42 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Beat whipping cream at high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining ½ cup cream of coconut, beating until soft peaks form. Spread over pie.

Makes 8 servings.

Creamy Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna

This recipe comes from the January 2013 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. I love that it only makes four servings. Most lasagna recipes make enough to feed an army (or at least a large gathering of folks). I wish it had fewer calories and I will definitely reduce the garlic. Otherwise, I think this will be wonderful!

Creamy Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 10-oz. package frozen leaf spinach
1 10-oz. package frozen broccoli florets
1 15-oz. container part-skim ricotta
6 oz. part-skim mozzarella, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup grated Romano cheese
1 cup whole milk
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces
Pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, ¼ each salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

While the onion is cooking, thaw the spinach and broccoli according to package directions. Squeeze the spinach of excess moisture and pat the broccoli dry. Roughly chop both and place in a large bowl. Mix in the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Romano.

Add the milk to the onions and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the cream cheese, nutmeg and remaining ¼ cup Romano. Gently simmer (do not boil), stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 ½ noodles (breaking as necessary to fit). Spread a third (about 1/3 cup) of the remaining sauce over the top. Dollop with a third (about 1 1/3 cups) of the ricotta mixture. Repeat twice.

Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella, cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the noodles are tender (a sharp knife should go through with no resistance) and the top is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings, at 662 calories per serving.

Ambrosia Cream Cheese Mold

My all-time favor cookbook is The Southern Living Cookbook. This recipe comes from that. It is the first cookbook I reach for when I need something right now. You probably know what I’m talking about.

In this case, I needed a congealed salad to take to church for the feeding of a family in mourning. I offered to bring a casserole or dessert. I was told they had plenty of those but really needed a congealed salad or a fruit salad. I quickly considered what I had on hand and volunteered to make a congealed salad. Have I mentioned that I generally don’t eat congealed salads so I rarely make them?

This one turned out wonderfully. Even I liked it. LOL It just tastes tropical. Of course, I did change things up a bit. I can’t seem to find a 15 ½-oz. can of pineapple chunks so I used an 18 oz. can. It worked just fine. I also didn’t have a fresh lemon so I used RealLemon juice. Oh, and instead of peeling an orange (which I did have) I used a small can of orange slices. And I left out the pecans because, while I love them, sometimes it’s not good to add nuts when you’re taking something off from home and you don’t know the folks who’ll be eating it all that well.

I also didn’t use a mold. I have several Tupperware molds. And if I’d had a day or two or a week or so I would have surely found one of them. But time was a factor so I opted to use a take-off-from-home container that I wouldn’t need to get back. It’s also easier to transport. When I take food for something like this, I always try not to take something that requires someone to wash and return a bowl to me. I figure the family or, in this case, the ladies organizing things have enough on their plate without added dish washing and delivery.

I did, however, put a little bit of the salad (before it had firmed up) in a small container and set it aside for me. I figured I probably needed to at least try the salad to make sure it was okay before I took it off from home. It was. Wonderful. Really. So good! I may have to make another one, even though I really don’t eat congealed salads. LOL

Ambrosia Cream Cheese Mold

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
½ cup cold water
1 (15 ½-oz) can pineapple chunks, undrained
1/3 cup sugar
Juice of one lemon
2 (3 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 orange, peeled, sectioned, and diced
½ cup flaked coconut
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute.

Drain pineapple, and reserve juice; add enough water to juice to make 1 cup. Place juice in a 2-quart saucepan; heat to boiling. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, lemon juice and cream cheese, using a wire whisk to blend. Chill until consistency of unbeaten egg white. Fold in pineapple chunks, orange, pecans, and coconut.

Spoon mixture into a lightly oiled 1-quart mold. Cover and chill until firm. Unmold on lettuce. Garnish with lemon slices, is desired.

Makes 6 servings.

St. Patrick's Day Green-and-White Cookies

How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Some of us simply ignore the day. Others might wear green (to keep from getting pinched) but otherwise just go about a normal day. Others really, really celebrate with parades and drink and a big party.

One town celebrates by hosting the world’s smallest St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Seriously. One person, dressed appropriately in green or other St. Paddy’s Day décor, walks down the street. Folks like the sidewalks and cheer. It’s great fun and a little ridiculous when you think about it. But, hey, it brings folks downtown and gives us all a reason to smile.

This recipe comes from the March 2013 issue of Family Circle magazine. It seems like the perfect hostess gift or festive snack for this awesome day.

St. Patrick’s Day Green-and-White Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2 minutes. Add buttermilk, egg and vanilla, beating until smooth. Gradually beat in dry ingredients until combined.

Chill batter for 15 minutes.

Drop batter in 2 tablespoon mounds onto ungreased baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 13 minutes, until just set. Remove from sheet onto a wire rack and cool.

Frosting

2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon mint extract
Green food coloring

Beat together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth and a good consistency, adding an extra 1 to 2 teaspoons milk if needed.

Into half the icing, beat in mint extract and a few drops green food coloring.

Spread half of the flat side of each cooking with white frosting. Let dry. Spread other half with green icing and allow it to dry.

Makes 24 cookies

Mac and Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

It was the photo that got me. I turned the Woman’s Day magazine (March 2013) as I finished it and there, staring up at me, was a scrumptious looking casserole. I had to read the ingredients. I had to share the recipe.

Easy Mac and Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

4 tablespoons Country Crock Spread, melted, divided
1 cup 2% milk
8 oz. cooked rotini pasta
2 cups diced cooked chicken
4 cups frozen vegetables, thawed
2 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine 3 tablespoons Country Crock with the milk, pasta, chicken, veggies and cheddar cheese in an 8-inch baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and remaining Country Crock in a small bowl; sprinkle on top.

Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings.

English Toffee

I’ve never been one to make candy. That was always what my Mother did. I baked. I love to bake. But sometimes you’ve just got to give in and make a little candy.

This recipe comes from a yellowed newspaper clipping. I have no idea which newspaper.

English Toffee

1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup milk chocolate, shaved

Sprinkle ½ cup almonds on buttered 10-x-6-inch baking pan.

Combine butter and brown sugar to medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to full boil. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches hard crack stage, or temperature of 290 degrees on candy thermometer, approximately 12 to 14 minutes.

Pour mixture over nuts. Sprinkle shaved chocolate on top of nut mixture. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.

When cool, break into pieces.

Makes 1 lb., or about 12 servings.

Parslied Buttermilk Biscuits

My Grandmother made the best biscuits ever. She would throw together the ingredients in her flour bowl, mix the ingredients with her hands, pat them into balls and place them in a greased pan. She dabbed a bit of grease on top and baked them until they were brown.

I wanted desperately to learn how to make those biscuits. And she was willing to teach me. But she couldn’t. She was one of those Southern cooks who never measured anything. By the time I came along, I don’t think she even thought about it as she made the biscuits. She’d just made so many over the years it was as natural as breathing to her.

This recipe comes from the November 1990 issue of Redbook magazine. Yeah. I know. Another clipping I saved. And, yes, I can make biscuits that are pretty good but not as good as the ones my Grandmother used to make.

Parslied Buttermilk Biscuits

2 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ solid vegetable shortening
2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¾ cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly green large cookie sheet.

Sift 1 ½ cups flour and salt into large bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in parsley.

Pour in buttermilk all at once; stir with fork until dough just holds together. Don’t overwork; dough should be wet, sticky and a little lumpy.

Flour hands with some of the reserved flour; pull off ¼-cup piece of wet dough. Toss dough lightly in bowl of flour to coat; roll gently into smooth ball between palms of hands. Inside of biscuit will still be very wet; place biscuit carefully on prepared cookie sheet.

Repeat procedure with remaining dough, flouring hands as necessary and placing biscuits as they are made on cookie sheet so they just touch. Pat each gently to flatten slightly.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Makes about 8 biscuits, at 202 calories per biscuit.

Note: If desired, use 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted with 5 teaspoons baking powder instead of self-rising flour. Increase salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

This recipe comes from Pillsbury. What a wonderful, tasty appetizer!

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

 

1 can (8 oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz.) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet

2 tablespoons ranch dressing

1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces or 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

1/2 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz.)

1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

 

If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12-x-4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12-x-4-inch rectangle.

 

Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, Cheddar cheese and onions. Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Makes 16 servings.

McCormick Red Velvet Cupcakes

I found this recipe in the February 2013 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. I’ve also seen it in several other magazines. It’s included in an advertisement for McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract.

Anybody else love red velvet cake and cupcakes? Yeah. I thought so. Just don’t wait around until another Valentine’s Day or Christmas. Go ahead. Indulge.

McCormick Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup milk
1 bottle (1 oz.) McCormick Red Food Color
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Spread with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Makes 30 cupcakes.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 box (16 oz.) confectioners’ sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.

Chocolate-Amaretto Cheesecake

Chocolate and Valentine’s Day seems to go together. Ask anyone. It’s a great marketing concept. Buy her (or him) a box of chocolates to show your love and affection. Or you could make a luscious cheesecake. Just be sure to start early so you can give this cheesecake plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator.

This recipe comes from the Light and Easy Cooking Collection. It’s another one of those I received in the mail and kept. Don’t miss the variation at the bottom of the recipe. Crème de menthe is a wonderful variation.

You can also use an 8-inch pan for this recipe. Cook the larger cheesecake 45 to 50 minutes.

Chocolate-Amaretto Cheesecake

6 chocolate wafers, finely crushed
1 ½ cups light process cream cheese product
1 cup sugar
1 cup 1 % low-fat cottage cheese
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup amaretto
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate mini-morsels
Chocolate curls (optional)

Sprinkle chocolate wafer crumbs in bottom of a 7-inch spring form pan. Set aside.

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add cream cheese and next 7 ingredients, processing until smooth. Add egg, and process just until blended. Fold in chocolate morsels.

Slowly pour mixture over crumbs in pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Let cool in pan on wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Remove sides of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

Makes 12 servings, at about 200 calories per serving.

Chocolate-Mint Cheesecake

Substitute ¼ cup crème de menthe for amaretto.

To make chocolate curls: Melt 3 squares semisweet chocolate. Pour the melted chocolate onto wax paper, and spread to a 3-inch-wide strip. Let stand until cool but not firm. Pull a vegetable peeler across the chocolate, and transfer curls to a plate. Store chocolate curls in the freezer.