Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c granulated sugar
3/4 c melted butter

1 5 oz. can evaporated milk
1 3 oz. pkg. instant lemon pudding
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese (neufachatel can be substituted)
2/3 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 c granulated sugar

3/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350*.
Mix graham crumbs, sugar and butter together and press into a 9" tart pan.  You can also use a deep dish pie plate.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges.

In a small bowl beat together the evaporated milk and pudding mix.  It will be thick. Set aside.

In a small saucepan on medium/low heat, stir together the lemon juice and 1/3 c. granulated sugar until sugar dissolves.  Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl of a mixer beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly incorporate the sweetened lemon juice; add the pudding mixture a little at a time and beat until well blended.  Pour into the cooled graham cracker crust.

Whip together the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Smooth over top of pudding mixture.  Chill for 3-4 hours before serving.

Strawberry Cheesecake Fluff Pie

Ingredients

Fresh whole strawberries, washed, hulled & patted dry
Graham cracker crust
1 3 oz. pkg. Strawberry Jello
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 T granulated sugar
1 12 oz. container Cool Whip

Prepare jello per pkg instructions and refrigerate to set completely.
Cover bottom of graham crust with whole strawberries.
In mixing bowl beat together cream cheese and sugar.
Add prepared jello and mix completely.
Using spatula fold Cool Whip into cream cheese mixture.
Spread a portion of mixture on top of strawberries, pressing to ensure all gaps between strawberries are filled.
Add remaining mixture, spreading evenly into dome shaped top. This is a very high pie!
Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

Recipe from ArtandtheKitchen.com

Tres Leches Layer Cake with Peaches and Dulce de Leche

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

5 egg yolks

5 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons warm water

¾ teaspoon cream of tartar

TO ASSEMBLE THE TRES LECHES LAYER CAKE

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

12 ounces evaporated milk

12 ounces coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon rum

14 ounces dulce de leche (Nestle La Lechera)

1 large can halved peaches, rinsed and patted dry and cut into slices (you can substitute fresh peaches as well)

1/2 c candied pecans, chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CAKE

With an electric mixer, mix egg yolks and sugar until well combined.

Add two tablespoons of water and keep mixing until a smooth pale yellow cream has formed.

Sift, in small batches, flour and salt into the creamed egg yolks and fold with a spatula in order to gently combine.

In separate container, beat the egg whites until foamy and soft peaks have formed (about 2 minutes).

Add cream of tartar and beat for another minute.

Add slowly (3 tablespoons at a time) and gently fold the beaten egg whites to the flour, sugar and egg mixture.

Pour the final mixture in an ungreased nonstick 9 inch spring form pan.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Once cake is out of the oven let it cool.

TO ASSEMBLE THE LAYER CAKE

In a bowl, combine the three milks with the vanilla and rum, set aside.

Take the cake out of the mold and cut into 4 layers. The trick I used to cut the cake evenly, was to start the cut with a knife but then continue the cut with the help of a fine thread or wire by pulling it through the cake.

Using the spring form pan again, place one of the layers in the bottom and cover it with the three milks mixture, making sure all areas of the cake were moist and covered by the sauce. Add peach slices to cover, then drizzle with warmed dulce de leche. 

Cover with the second layer of cake and repeat all the steps until you place the last layer. You will end up with 3 layers of dulce de leche.

The very top layer should be covered with the rest of the milks mixture but not dulce de leche.

Place the layer cake in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours but overnight would be even better.

Before serving it, cover the cake with sweetened whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired. 

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

1/2 pint heavy cream

1/3 c powdered sugar

Whip in bowl of electric mixer until stiff and holds its shape when you lift the beaters.

Recipe adapted from http://hungryfoodlove.com/2013/09/23/tres-leches-layer-cake/

Cinnamon Bun & Apple Upside Down Bread Pudding

 

If you do not have an oven-proof skillet for this recipe, I used a 10" cast iron skillet, then you can saute the apples and dump them into a 10" round cake pan.

Ingredients

2 cans cinnamon buns
2 C apples, cored, peeled & chopped
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c butter
3/4 c packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1/2 c heavy cream
1 T pure vanilla extract
1/2 c raisins (optional)
3 T pure maple syrup & more for serving
French Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375*.   In a 10" oven-proof skillet, melt butter and brown sugar; add cinnamon and apples (and raisins, if using); saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally until apples are soft, approximately 10 minutes.

Cut cinnamon rolls into quarters.  Place them over the apple mixture.

In a medium bowl, add eggs, heavy cream and vanilla.  Whisk until well blended.  Pour over apples & cinnamon buns.

Bake for 25 - 35 minutes, or until bubbly, and cinnamon bun pieces are baked through.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn upside down onto a plate while holding the place over the pan.  Drizzle with maple syrup.  Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.  Drizzle with more maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin & Apple Butter Spice Cake

Ingredients

2/3 C vegetable oil
1/3 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs
3-1/2 C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 C 100% pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 C apple butter
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C chopped pecans (I used candied pecans from a pkg.)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease bundt pan with vegetable shortening or PAM for baking. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugars with paddle attachment of electric mixer.  Add oil and eggs, and mix until incorporated. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Turn mixer to low and slowly incorporate dry ingredients Add pumpkin and apple butter and mix slightly, but not completely.  Add raisins and pecans and incorporate by hand.  Do not over mix or cake texture will be denser.  Add batter to prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until tester near center of cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove and cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar or prepare Brown Butter Maple (recipe below) glaze and pour over cake.  Serve cooled cake as it or try it with whipped cream cheese and/or apple butter.

Brown Butter & Maple Glaze

1 stick of salted butter
1to 1-1/2 C confectioners' sugar (start with 1 C and add an additional 1/2 C if needed)
2 T milk
1-2 T pure maple syrup

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Keep heating until butter begins to turn brown and smells nutty.  This takes 4-5 minutes.  Watch closely as once it starts to turn brown it goes very quickly!  Remove from heat and add confectioners' sugar, milk and syrup.  Stir until smooth.  If glaze is too thick to pour, add more milk a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the proper consistency. Pour over cake.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Oat Bread

Ingredients

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

½ cup sour cream

¾ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup vegetable oil

2½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned oats

¼ teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

zest of 1 lemon

1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9x5 loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl gently combine brown sugar, milk oil, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs.

Add remaining dry ingredients except nuts and blueberries and slowly mix together.

Dust blueberries lightly with flour to prevent from sinking when baking. Gently fold in blueberries and walnuts. Pour batter evenly into loaf pan. Top with additional oats if desired.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until an inserted test toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Gently remove from pan and let cool on a rack for 2 hours.

Sprinkle top with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Keep covered. Bread will be fresh for approximately 4 days.

Recipe adapted from PenneyLane

Creamy Cheesy Berry Delight Pie

Blackberries, Blueberries & Pitted Bing Cherries

Strawberries & Blueberries

Ingredients

1-1/4 c graham crumbs

1/4 c granulated sugar

5 T butter, softened

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

Berries of your choice, approx. 1 cup

For the crust, combine the first 3 ingredients thoroughly until the crumbs are moist and mostly hold its shape when squeezed together.  Add to a 9" pie dish and press in bottom and up sides.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add the sweetened condensed milk scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth.  Add the lemon juice and mix until incorporated.  Add fresh berries and mix in my hand.  Pour into graham crust and chill about 4 hours before slicing and serving.

Yummy!!

Tres Leches & Strawberry Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:
1½ cups (191 grams) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (227 grams) granulated sugar
5 eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Pint fresh strawberries, capped & thinly sliced

For the Three-Milk Glaze:
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (237 ml) half-and-half

For the Whipped Cream:
2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (227 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. (This will appear to be a very small amount of batter.)

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. Remove the cake to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

5. Make the Three-Milk Glaze: In a 4-cup measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half. Once combined, slowly pour the glaze evenly over the cake. Refrigerate the cake for at least four hours, or overnight.

6. Make the Whipped Cream: Using an electric mixer, whisk together the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla on low speed until stiff peaks form. Increase to medium speed and whip until thick. Spread sliced strawberries over top of cake. Spread the topping over the strawberries and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyes Baker

Enjoy!

Maple Bacon Crack

Ingredients
1 lb. bacon
1 pkg. Pillsbury crescent rolls
1/2 c pure maple syrup
3/4 c brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees°F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet (like a 15×10) with foil and liberally grease the foil with cooking spray.
3. Unroll the crescent rolls into one single plane of dough and pinch any perforations together to seal.
4. Stretch the dough out to fit the size of the pan with your hands so it’s even.
5. Prick the dough with a fork all over. Set aside.
6. Meanwhile, cook your bacon till lighter in color and not quite crispy.
7. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.
8. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the maple syrup over the crescent roll dough.
9. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the brown sugar.
10. Top with torn pieces of the cooked bacon.
11. Drizzle the remaining maple syrup on top of the bacon pieces, and top with the remaining brown sugar.
12. Bake for approx. 25 minutes or until bubbling and caramelized.
13. Remove from the oven and allow the pan to come to room temperature.
14. Cool before cutting into pieces.

Recipe from Get In My Belly.

Olive Oil & Blackberry Bundt Cake

Ingredients
5 large eggs
1-1/2 c sugar
2/3 c olive oil
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c almond flour
1-3/4 c unbleached cake flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c milk
1-1/2 c fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 325*. Grease a 10-12 c bundt pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until very light and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Add the olive oil and extracts and beat until incorporated.  In a separate bowl combine the flours, salt, and baking powder.

Add the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth.  Gently fold in the blackberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Turn it out of the pan onto a rack after about 10 minutes to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.

Enjoy!

Zeppole With Ricotta Cheese & No Yeast

This is a quick and easy version of the traditional yeast dough Zeppole.  While the taste is different, it still satisfies the craving for a fried donut smothered in confectioners' sugar.

Ingredients
Canola oil
2 eggs
1 c all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 c whole milk ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla
Confectioners' sugar and/or cinnamon sugar

Heat 2" of oil in a heavy duty pot until it reaches 350 degrees.  In the meantime, make the dough.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.  Add the ricotta and vanilla.  Continue mixing only until incorporated. Do not overmix. Using a 1" cookie scoop, add dough to hot oil a few at a time so as not to lower the oil temperature greatly.  Cook for about 3 minutes or until a deep golden brown.  Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet.  Add confectioners' sugar to a brown paper bag and toss in the zeppole. Shake them up until well covered.

Recipe adapted from Hard Core Italians.

Enjoy!