Fresh Pineapple

Fresh Pineapple is in season!  I know you can get them all the time but they are particularly good beginning now and under $2 each if you shop around.  I bought this one at Walmart for $1.78.   Sometimes I spirialze them and occassionaly I like large chucks eaten by itself.  I could tell by looking at it that it would be good with a firm looking skin and dark, hydrated and healthy looking crown. This is the second one I bought in a week.  It was ready to eat immediately and seems to be at it's peek!  They are in season beginning now through July!  

Nestle's Mini Skillet Cookies

Have you ever gone to a restaurnant and ordered a hot cookie and it came served in a mini skillet?  I knew we would have fun with the mini skillets I gave to my son for Christmas!  We were at Costco and my son wanted to buy a tub of Nestles Cookie dough.  First, it was larger than we would eat in a month.  Second, I told him I didn't think it had real butter and in reading the label, I was right.  Third, it was $7, not a bad price, but I already had all of the needed ingredients at home.  

I offered to make the cookie dough which I store in a plastic container so he could bake the mini skillet cookies when he wanted.  We've made 3 skillets twice so far and I think we have enough to make 3 more, if not 3, then 2.  The only thing that would make it better is to place a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on top when serving!  But this is an awesome dessert!

Preheat oven to 375.  Lightly grease each skillet with a thin coating of Crisco.  Make the Nestle's cookie dough using the recipe found on the package.  Scoop about 1/2 Cup of dough into each skillet and press with the back of a spoon to even it out.  They will rise when baking.  Bake for about 12 minutes and reduce the heat to 350 to let them finish cooking.  Mine seemed brown on the edges and still light in the middle, so I decided to reduce the heat for an even bake.  Let rest for no more than 5 minutes and enjoy with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or a cold glass of milk!

Brie Bites in Phyllo Cups

This is one of those simple recipes.   I don't know what magazine this came from.  I cut it out and threw the magazine away when I was getting ready to move.  I made a couple of adjustments after making it a second time, so this is what I have.  

Preheat oven to 350.  

Buy 2 Packages of Phyllo Cups in the frozen secion.  They come pre-baked and 15 per box.  Place them on a cookie sheet.

Cut the rind off an 8oz Wheel of Brie.  Cut into strips about 1/4" thick.  Cut the strips into pieces about 1" long.  Add 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Jelly to the bottom of each cup.  Place Brie piece on top of the jelly and press down lightly.  Top with a Pecan half.  Brush the pecan with Melted Butter.  

Place in oven for 8-10 min until chesse is melted and bubbly.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Fresh Pumpkin Cupcakes

I love baking with fresh pumpkin.  Though I've only done it once, I prefer it to canned pumpkin.  The color is just gorgeous.  After buying souped-up Candy Apples at the NC State Fair, I decided to make cupcakes this weekend and decorate them in a variety of ways.  






Yesterday, I removed seeds and peeled the skin away from the pumpkin using a sharp knife

and then cut the flesh into large chunks.  I steamed the Pumpkin for about 10-15 minutes til tender and then once cooled, pressed the chucks through my ricer.  If you don't own a ricer, you can always mash.  This made enough for 24 Cupcakes, I froze 2 cups for a Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie, and still have enough to make cookies or pancakes.  A medium Pumpkin netted about 5 Cups for Pumpkin and cost $3 at a farmers stall.

Preheat oven to 375. 

In a mixing bowl, add 2 Sticks Butter (Room Temperature).  Add 1 1/2 Cups Fresh Pumpkin, 1 tsp Vanilla, and 1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar.  Mix until smooth.  

To a bowl add 2 3/4 Cups Flour (NOTE: this will vary depending on how wet the batter is and how humid it is), 1 Tbl Baking Powder, 3/4 tsp Salt and 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice.   Stir with a wire whip to combine.  Measure out 3/4 Cup Milk.  Add flour and milk to pumpkin mixture, alternating, flour and milk, beginning and ending with the flour.  

In a separate bowl, beat 3 Eggs until combined, add 1 1/2 Cups Sugar and mix on high until light ribbons and fold into batter.   

Ready muffin tins with foil liners.  Using a scoop, fill tin 2/3 full.  Place in hot oven and immediately reduce oven to 350.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Let cool before icing.

For Meringue Icing.  Set up double boiler using a bowl that will fit into a pot of simmering water.  To the bowl add, 3 Egg Whites, 1/2 Cup Cold Water, 1 tsp Cream of Tartar, and  1 TBL Sugar.  Place bowl into the pot and using a hand mixer, beat on high for about 15 minutes til whites "cook" by warming and hold their peak when you remove the beaters.  Once firm peaks are formed, remove bowl from the pot and place in an ice bath to chill.  Beat every few minutes until cool.  

Fill a pastry bag fitted with the desired tip and frost the cooled cupcakes.   Top as desired.  I used a variety of small candy as well as toffee peices and sprinkles.  

Lemon flavored Ricotta with Tomatoes

I really wasn't sure how to label this recipe.  Before we moved, I cut out recipes that interested me before throwing the magazines away.  Sometimes the picture and recipe weren't on the same page.  This must have been one of those times because I can't find the recipe.  

My in-laws visited in late July and I had a lot of various cherry tomatoes growing in my raised bed at the community garden.  I happened upon this photo in my file but couldn't find the recipe ~ I really wanted to use the tomatoes so I made one up!  I got lucky, it turned out tasty!   Yesterday, my brother S, his wife D and son J overnight, visited overnight as they treked across the state to see the total eclipse of the sun.  

Again, I had lots of tomatoes and knew they would like this kind of hors d'oeuvre.  Turns out I was right!  This time I decided to photograph the results and post the recipe the way I made it.  I can see in the original photo that there may have been sesame seeds and I didn't add them.  In other words, feel free to change it up any way you wish.  Things such as flavoring the ricotta with blue cheese and adding bacon.  Or crisping the shallots first.  It's quite forgiving as long as the flavors combine well.  

Our Harris Teeter makes a perfect bread for this sort of recipe called Pane di Casa.   It's a large loaf allowing me to top the individual slices before cutting them into thirds.  It makes a perfect 3 to 4 bite hors d'oeuvres.  You can lightly grill the bread first but I prepared them al a minute as we chatted around the kitchen island catching up, so we used untoasted bread.  Once there was 1 for everyone we began eating.  

Add 8 oz. Ricotta to a bowl.  Next, Zest 1 Lemon, then juice the same lemon into the bowl.  Add 1 teaspoon or 2 of Fresh Parsley and Salt and Pepper to taste.  Stir.  Slice bread to desired thickness.  Cut in half Cherry Tomatoes in assorted sizes and colors.  Slice both halves of an Avocado (I have a tool that makes this faster).  NOTE: 1 Avacado and 2 cups cherry tomatoes made 5 slices of bread.  Thinnly slice a large Shallot.  

Next, assemble by speading ricotta mixture, topping with cherry tomatoes, avacado, and shallots.  Drizzle with very high quality Olive Oil, top with freshly ground Salt and Pepper.  I find the flavors come together if you let them sit for about 10 minutes.  Serve at room temperature with libations!

PS- The next day, I made French Toast with the leftover loaf, cutting thick slices and serving with with berries and Vermont Maple Syrup.  

Homemade Caramel

This recipe come from a dessert found in Gourmet March 1997.  The dessert is wonderful but I have been wanting to double the Caramel to have on hand for other uses.  My son has wanted me to buy prepackaged Apples with Caramel ($1 each) for his school lunch so I decided to make my own.

This is such a delicious caramel recipe that I hope you give it a try!  It's wildly fun to make.  It definitely falls into the category of "I can't believe I just made this!!"

For the purpose of just making caramel, this recipe is doubled and can easily be cut in half.  Do all the measuring first because you will not have time once you get going.

• Measure 2/3 Cup Sugar directly into a thick bottom saucepan.  I use All-Clad.

• Measure 1 Cup Light Corn Syrup into a 1 Cup Measuring Cup and have a rubber spatula set out.    

• Measure 1 1/3 Cups Heavy Cream into a 2 Cup Measuring Cup.  

• In a small dish, combine 2 tsp Corn Starch with 2 Tbl Water.  

• Have at the ready a Candy Thermometer, a bottle of good quality Vanilla, and a measuring spoon.

First, place the pan with Sugar over moderate heat and stir with a fork until it melts.  This will take about 5-7 minutes.  At first, it will appear lumpy but as it melts it will get smooth.  Caution: IT IS VERY HOT!

Continue to cook without stirring and swirl the pan until it turns a golden brown color.  





Add Corn Syrup, scraping with the rubber spatula to get it all.  Boil over moderate heat, stirring with a wire whip until well combined.  This will take some effort.  Don't give up even though it looks like a lump of golden brown candy in the corn syrup.  Again, as it melts, it will combine to a smooth consistency.

Place candy thermometer in the saucepan.  Add Heavy Cream to caramel.  It will steam, so use a mitt for pouring.   Boil, stirring occasionally,  and cook until the thermometer reads 210 degrees.

Stir Corn Starch mixture into the caramel.  Boil for 1 minute, stirring with a wire whip, the entire time.  Remove from heat.  When caramel stops bubbling, add 1 tsp Vanilla.  As the caramel cools it will firm up but still remain runny.

Dip Apple Wedges into Caramel for a snack or dessert, top Apple Pie Ala Mode, serve warm on a Sundae Bar, or just ladle over Vanilla Ice Cream.  Either way, it's delicious and you won't believe you made it!!

Chobani Yogurt

I am not sure which is better, Chobani Yogurt (might I add, non-fat) or the Chobani success story.

Unless you have your head in the sand you must have heard of Chobani Yogurt.  They supplied the Olympic athletes and their ads ran during the 2012 Summer Games.  They caught my attention but I didn't buy any.  Shame on me.  A few months ago, I saw the founder of the company in a 60-Minutes interview that was both endearing and intriguing.  The interviewer tried it for the first time on the air.  OK, his reaction moved me to buy it.

Soon after, I was at Sam's and noticed they sold a 12 pack with 3 flavors, so I bought one.  I tried it out when I walked in the door and it was nothing less than outstanding.  I am a yogurt eater and now I am yogurt hooked.  Not just any yogurt but Chobani Yogurt.  I made my homemade granola and ate the entire box within a few weeks.  Then I bought another one!

You surely have noticed that now all yogurt makers are coming out with their new (and similar) packaging and their claim to be Greek Yogurt.  I bought Yoplait after scanning the Chobani flavors and seeing Key Lime thought I would get one.  I didn't even notice it wasn't Chobani.  But when I opened it just now, I thought, ok Chobani, you didn't fill this one up.

When I folded over the yogurt, (the proper mixing method), looking for the Key Lime, there wasn't any.  I thought, hmmm, then I tasted it and it was just like, well Yoplait, the one I have eaten for years.  A bit runny, not creamy or thick.  That made me check the outside of the package to find, it wasn't Chobani.

The portion Chobani gives is generous.  I wonder if they give you 6 oz of yogurt and add the filling after as a sort of lagniappe.  It is the creamiest and has the most delicious flavor.  When I noticed that the Yoplait portion was scant, it prompted me to check the portion size.  The Chobani states 6 oz and lo and behold, the Yo-Plait 5.3 oz.  But just to fake out the consumer, if but only once, it's in the same size cup as the Chobani. 

So all you yogurt eaters, if you haven't tried Chobani, you must!  Check out my fresh Granola Recipe, add crainsins and/or fresh fruit and you will have a huge non-fat breakfast that will keep you full until lunchtime!

Just for good measure, Chobani has a live culture to promote good digestive health, too!  Wow, addicting stuff.

Chocolate Filled Raspberries

I saw this on Pinerest and thought it looked awesome.
I used 1 Pint Fresh Raspberries and 1/2 Cup Nestles Chips but you can use White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate or a combination.
I brought these to a tennis match one morning when I was partially responsible for snacks that day.  I assembled them in the morning and froze them before heading to the courts.  They were really tasty and easy to snack on!

Craisin White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

It wasn't the best day to bake since it's still humid and it wasn't as cool as I like, but for some reason I decided I wanted to make chewy cookies by using coconut.  I looked at the ingredients I had on hand and settled on White Chocolate, Craisins, Nuts, and of course, coconut. The results were scrumptious! 
NOTE: Butter is VERY expensive now but I still prefer to use UnSalted Butter in my cookie recipes.  If you are unable to do that, you can use margarine or even a stick of each. 
In any event which ever you choose, it should be cool but not soft.

Preheat oven to 375.  Cream 2 Sticks of UnSalted Butter with 3/4 Cup Sugar and 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar.  Add 1 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla and combine for another 20 seconds.  Add 2 Eggs, 1 at a time and cream until just combined.  Add 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Baking Soda and 1/2 Cup Oatmeal and combine for another 20-30 seconds.  Add 2 Cups Flour and cream until dough comes together.  Rough chop 2 Ghirardelli White Chocolate candy bars.  Rough chop 1 Cup of either Walnuts or Pecans. Add the following to the dough by hand, white chocolate, nuts, 1 Cup Craisins, and 1 Cup Coconut.  Scoop onto sheet pans and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Eat while warm!

Granola and Fruit Served in a Waffle Bowl

I play tennis in a league and the home team provides the snacks for all of the players.  We pass around the duties throughout the team and there are always good things to eat where ever we play.

This week was my turn and yesterday we got rained out so I have all this food to eat!  Here is my idea for the Yogurt, Homemade Granola (recipe in this blog already), Ocean Spray Craisins, and Bananas all served in an edible Joy Waffle Bowls.  This is a prefect serving vessel for many occasions and will work nicely out on the courts.   Will have to try it again the next time we are the hosting team.

Fresh Strawberry Fruit Bars!

Our strawberry season is about to begin and there is nothing better than walking away from a local fruit stand with a flat of freshly picked strawberries. If you have farms that allow you to pick, I suggest you pick your own! Make certain you have plenty of uses because a flat of stawberries is a lot of berries! After you give half of them away, you are still left with 6 pints. I bought a bar mold to extend the life of my strawberries. How I wish I had bought 2 or 3 of them at that time because I have not found the exact same shape again.
My mold makes 10 bars and here's my fresh fruit bar recipe!
Rinse and remove stems from 1 1/2 Pints Fresh Strawberries (Where ever you live you should try to use local berries). Add 1/2 Tbl Sugar and whirl in food processor til it is juicy but a few chunks of fruit remain.

In a separate bowl, add 3 Bananas and 3 Tbl of Heavy Cream. Mix with a hand mixer until blended and chunks of fruit remain. If you don't have heavy cream, use 1/2 & 1/2 or milk. Once the bananas are peeled, you need to be committed to making these for the bananas will quickly turn brown.

Fill mold alternating the banana and strawberry filling. Wipe the top of the mold clean and place on lid. Add sticks and freeze. Within about 4-5 hours you can remove bars from the mold. I place my bars wrapped loosely in a deli paper stacked in a Gallon Zip Lock Freezer bag. Place bag back into the freezer so they become very hard. Wash mold and make another batch. Enjoy this wonderful snack or dessert.