Happy Fourth of July -- Rice Krispie Style!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb GOODNESS

Filling Ingredients:
2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb (cut stalks down the center so pieces are not large)
2 cups lightly mashed strawberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.

Place rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan . Bring to a simmer while constantly stirring. Reduce heat to low and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. I usually transfer to a glass bowl and place the bowl in the sink with cold water and ice cubes to cool quickly.

Combine flour, soda, baking powder salt and cinnamon in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth and blended. Spread in the prepared pan. Spoon cooled filling mixture over the cake batter. Combine the topping ingredients, mix well and sprinkle evenly over the filling layer. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cake is firm and topping is lightly browned.

Enjoy!
~Lori

Jewish Coffee Cake

I got this recipe from my husband’s family friend before she passed away. It is a coffee cake that you can count on everyone just loving!

JEWISH COFFEE CAKE
1/2 C. (1 Stick) Butter/Margarine
1 C. White Sugar
3 Eggs
2 C. Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Sour Cream

TOPPING:
1 T. Flour
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 T. Butter (Room Temp)
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 C. Chopped Nuts

Cream the butter and sugar together and then beat in the eggs. Add baking soda, baking powder and salt to the flour, then combine with the creamed mixture. Now add vanilla and sour cream. Set aside.

Mix topping ingredients together. Grease Bundt pan and pour 1/2 of the topping mixture into the bottom of the pan then pour 1/2 of the batter on top of that and then repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Raspberry Amaretto Tiramisu Daring Bakers February 2010 Challenge

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

From the moment I read the recipe, I thought of my mom and her love of Tiramisu. I don’t LOVE coffee, and when I do drink it I have to have 90% flavored creamer and 10% coffee. My husband and parents tease me all the time! I knew that I needed to modify this recipe to make it something that I had a strong desire to make, not something that was just a challenge to make. So, I decided that with my love of raspberry and amaretto, I was going to do a fruity liquor tiramisu instead of the standard coffee recipe. I made my tiramisu in a Trifle dish and froze it for when we have company! With the extra cream mixture I spooned it on plates and topped it with lady fingers and raspberry/amaretto sauce…don’t worry mom, the kids had “Virgin” Tiramisu! The husband, kids and neighbor gave it the thumbs up. I don’t know that I would ever go through all the time and effort to recreate this recipe again, but it was fun and I learned a lot. I never thought that I could make cheese at home…it saved me like 10 bucks too!

RECIPE SOURCE:
Mascarpone Cheese – Vera’s Recipe (Baking Obsession) for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese.
Savoiardi/ Ladyfinger Biscuits – Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home
Tiramisu – Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )

 
TIRAMISU:
2 cups brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
I OMITTED THE FIRST THREE INGREDIENTS AND USED RASPBERRY SAUCE THINNED WITH AMARETTO TO SOAK THE LADY FINGERS IN, INSTEAD OF THE ESPRESSO, RUM EXTRACT AND SUGAR!
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Optional, again I didn’t use this with my Raspberry version, but you still could)

Method:
For the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (Amaretto), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the Pastry Cream: Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

MASCARPONE CHEESE
(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz mascarpone cheese
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream (36 % Fat)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Method:Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl,
I used a Stainless Steel bowl in order for the heat to conduct better! then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.
Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.

Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS (Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small ladyfingers.
Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

Method: Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.
To assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice—I used a Trifle dish!

Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar (OR Raspberry/Amaretto Sauce)in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. I used my kitchen aid with whisk to completely smooth the mixtures! Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso (Amaretto/Raspberry Sauce), about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

Emeril's Molten Chocolate Cakes

Emeril's Molten Chocolate Cakes is the name of this recipe, but I think that it should be called, A Little Heaven On Earth with a gooey center!  This recipe was pretty easy and surly impressive for the one the that you are making it for!  I believe that the recipe can be made ahead of time and then baked, but I will have to check on that one!

Molten Chocolate Cakes
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus 1/4 pound (1 stick)
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease and flour 4
(6-ounce) ramekins or baking dishes with the 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of flour in each,
tapping out the excess flour. Set on a baking sheet.

In a double boiler, or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the remaining 1/4 pound of butter with the chocolate, cream, and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt until thick ribbons form, about 3
minutes. Sift 2 tablespoons flour into the egg mixture and fold together. Fold the chocolate into the egg
mixture. Divide among the prepared dishes and bake until the sides of the cake are set and the tops are puffed
but still soft, about 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the ramekins for 2 minutes, then unmold onto dessert plates.

Serve with vanilla ice cream!!

-Lori

Nanaimo Bars-January 2010 Daring Bakers Challenge!

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.
 
Lauren chose these Canadian favorite bars in honor of the 2010 Winter Olympics!

Although the challenge was suppose to be gluten-free, I didn’t want to go to the extra expense of all the non-gluten flours that I probably wouldn’t use again, so I made my Graham Wafers with Whole Wheat Flour or Graham Flour as many would expect to use.
I whipped out the food processor and zapped all the ingredients for the graham wafers together. I split the dough into 2 balls and refrigerated the dough overnight. The next day I rolled out the dough onto a Sil-pat and then transferred the Sil-Pat to the baking sheet. The dough was VERY sticky and even stuck to my new silicone rolling pin.
I trimmed the wafer dough with my quilting rotary trimmer and cut them into cracker size pieces.
I then punctured the dough with a fork to prevent it from puffing up in the oven. Off to the refrigerator they went again and then to the oven they went for what was suppose to be 25 minutes. YEAH, suppose to be 25 minutes because one of my little helpers used the microwave and turned off the timer while they were heating up a slice of pizza. So, I suddenly smelled something burning and remembered, OH MY the GRAHAM WAFERS!!! TOO late, Lori! So, now all of my hard work and time was GONE! I didn’t remake the wafers, I just used the store bought ones to complete the rest of the challenge.
For the Nanaimo Bars it was too easy to assemble these. I was glad since I had already been through the trouble of making the Graham Wafers that I couldn’t even end up using! For the first layer I just added the butter, sugar, cocoa to a double boiler that I melted together and then beat in an egg. I added this mixture to graham wafer crumbs, almonds that were finely chopped and some coconut.
The second layer was simple also. It consisted of butter, heavy cream, custard powder (which I had thanks to my British neighbor, Caroline!) and then some confectionary sugar all mixed together.

I smoothed this over the crust layer and then prepared the top chocolate layer.
The top layer was just melted chocolate and butter. I poured over the 2 layers and smoothed out.

Notes for Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars:
• The graham wafer dough is very sticky. Make sure you are flouring well, or the dough will be difficult to remove from the surface you roll it out on. Also be sure to keep it cold. You do not want the butter to melt.
• In the Nanaimo Bars, it is very important that the chocolate be cool but still a liquid, otherwise the custard layer will melt, and it will mix with the chocolate, being difficult to spread. Allow the chocolate mixture to come to room temperature but not solidify before spreading the top layer on.

Preparation time:
• Graham Wafers: 30 to 45 minutes total active prep, 2 ½ hours to overnight and 45 minutes inactive prep.
• Nanaimo Bars: 30 minutes.

Graham Wafers Recipe:
2 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp of all-purpose wheat flour
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar, Lightly packed
1 teaspoon Baking soda
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
7 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (Cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen)
1/3 cup Honey, mild-flavored such as clover
5 tablespoons Whole Milk
2 tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. If making by hand, combine aforementioned dry ingredients with a whisk, then cut in butter until you have a coarse meal. No chunks of butter should be visible.
2. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.
3. Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured with flour and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into 4 by 4 inch squares. Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place wafers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.
5. Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.
7. Prick the wafers with toothpick or fork, not all the way through, in two or more rows.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Might take less, and the starting location of each sheet may determine its required time. The ones that started on the bottom browned faster.
9. When cooled completely, place enough wafers in food processor to make 1 ¼ cups of crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large zip lock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.

Nanaimo Bars Recipe:
Bottom Layer:
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 1/4 cups Graham Wafer Crumbs (See previous recipe)
1/2 cup Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)
1 cup Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)

Middle Layer:
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Vanilla Custard Powder (Such as Bird’s. Vanilla pudding mix may be substituted.)
2 cups Icing Sugar

Top Layer:
4 ounces Semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

Directions:
1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.
2. For Middle Layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light in color. Spread over bottom layer.
3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

Additional Information:
These bars freeze very well, so don’t be afraid to pop some into the freezer. The graham wafers may be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

-Lori

Chocolate Raspberry Triple Torte With Chocolate Ganache

                          Laura’s Beautiful Chocolate Cake!

OH MY , if you gave up sweets for your New Years resolution, stop reading NOW!  A very dear friend of mine has passed along a simply delicious recipe to me that I just had to try.  I have had the recipe for almost a year now and until her most recent post on Facebook, I had forgotten about it.  Laura is a wonderful cook and we always joke that she can make us dinner (a fabulous one for that fact!) and I will make the dessert.   When I saw the photo of this cake that she had created, I almost passed out.  WOW, that cake looked like it was from a posh West Bloomfield Bakery, not from Laura’s country kitchen!  I immediately had to email her to compliment her on the beautiful cake and to ask how hard the cake was to make.  I got all the answers and just had to wait for a special occasion to make the cake….

                                                My Chocolate Cake
                    (Couldn’t be to creative since I had to transport!)

So, this week marked the 30th birthday of my friend, Saniya.  I thought what a perfect time to try out that cake that Laura has mastered.  I was a little worried about it since I waited until after I put the kids to bed to make this creation.  But I got out the mixer, fired up the oven and got busy.  The husband had no idea what the heck I was doing, so I had to fill him in on my madness. 

About an hour later, I had 3 layers of cake that were ready to be assembled.  The only problem was that I didn’t have all the ingredients for the Ganache, so I had to wait until the next morning to put the cake together.   After getting my heavy whipping cream, I made the Ganache and assembled the cake.  Then I was off to meet up with my friends for Birthday Lunch.

The cake was really good, I mean GREAT!  I cannot believe that I made something so great in such a short amount of time!  Saniya liked the cake so much that she ate 2 slices at lunch.  I will take that as the best compliment anyone could give!  With that being said, I present you with the recipe for Chocolate Raspberry Triple Torte with Chocolate Ganache. 

CAKE INGREDIENTS
Spray Crisco/Pan with flour
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen raspberries packed with sugar, thawed
1 pkg (18.25 ounces) devil's food cake mix with pudding
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 – 2 tbsp. Chambord (raspberry liqueur; or raspberry extract)
Chocolate Ganache ( recipe below)
1 tablespoon Chambord (raspberry liqueur; or  raspberry extract)
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, for garnish (optional)

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Makes 1 3/4 cups, enough to thinly frost a 2- or 3-layer cake
Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. liqueur of Chambord or Raspberry extract (optional)
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans with shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the
excess flour.

2. Place the cake mix, raspberries and their juice, sour cream, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side, or if your oven is large enough, separate on two different racks.

3. Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 25 to 28 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool 30 minutes or more.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Ganache.  Place the cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring. Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate in a large stainless-steel mixing bowl. Remove the cream from the heat, and pour it over the chocolate. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted, then add raspberry and almond extracts, if desired, after all the chocolate
has melted.

To use this ganache as a glaze, let it stand at room
temperature for 10 minutes before spooning it over a cooled cake or dip tops of cupcakes into.

To use the ganache as a frosting, let it stand for 30 minutes at room temperature, or chill it for 10 minutes, until it has thickened enough to spread with a metal spatula.

5. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with ganache frosting. Place the second layer,
right side up, on top of the first layer. Spread the top with ganache. Place the third layer, right side up, on top of the
second layer and frost the top and sides of the cake. Work with clean, smooth strokes. Decorate the top attractively with
the fresh raspberries, if desired.

6. Place this cake, uncovered or in a cake saver, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. Then cover the cake with waxed paper, or place it in a cake saver or under a glass dome, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or
freeze it in a cake saver for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

This is a poor little piece that I brought home and snapped a photo of it before the “Hubby” gobbled it up :)  This is a fabulous recipe to try to Valentine’s Day!!! Send me a photo of your creation!

-Lori

Apple Cranberry Salad

My mom found this recipe and oh my gosh is it tasty and so easy too!  It is perfect for a special holiday or just a good ole Sunday Dinner.

6 oz package raspberry or strawberry Jell-O

1 c. boiling water

16 ounce can whole cranberry sauce

16 ounce can crushed pineapple

1 granny smith apple, cored and diced

1/4 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are good)

1/4 c. golden raisins (options, my kids wouldn’t eat it if added!)

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Add cranberry sauce and stir until berries are separated.  Add remaining ingredients; chill until set.  Makes 12 servings!  YUMMY!

September's Daring Bakers Challenge

The September 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon. She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

Mandatory parts of the challenge: We must make Michel Richard’s recipe for puff pastry (as seen below), and form at least part of it into vols-au-vent.
Optional parts of the challenge: Make your vols-au-vent large or small, and may fill them with whatever you choose (savory or sweet).

Since I have used puff pastry before, I was excited for this month's challenge. After thinking about what filling I would want to make and fill the pastries with, I choose to make a cheesy spinach filling. I filled my circular pastry "cups" with the spinach and cheese filling and with the left over filling, I made it into a cream sauce by making a rue to start and then adding the filling and milk to thin the mixture. I then drizzled the spinach cream sauce on the plate and placed the puff pastry on top of it. It was very delicious and I plan to make it again when I am out to impress, but would possibly used the frozen premade phyylo instead of making my own.

Spinach Cheese Filling:
4 cups chopped fresh spinach ( I used 2 packages frozen spinach. drained)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/2 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cut up
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Sauté spinach and onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cream cheese until blended. Stir in mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, cheddar cheese, egg yolk, flour, nutmeg and cumin. Set aside until your pastries are ready to be filled.

Michel Richard’s Puff Pastry Dough
From: Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan
Yield: 2-1/2 pounds dough
Ingredients:2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. salt (you can cut this by half for a less salty dough or for sweet preparations)
1-1/4 cups ice water
1 pound very cold unsalted butter
plus extra flour for dusting work surface
Mixing the Dough:
Check the capacity of your food processor before you start. If it cannot hold the full quantity of ingredients, make the dough into two batches and combine them.
Put the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse a couple of times just to mix. Add the water all at once, pulsing until the dough forms a ball on the blade. The dough will be very moist and pliable and will hold together when squeezed between your fingers. (Actually, it will feel like Play-Doh.)
Remove the dough from the machine, form it into a ball, with a small sharp knife, slash the top in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Wrap the dough in a damp towel and refrigerate for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the butter between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and beat it with a rolling pin until it flattens into a square that's about 1" thick. Take care that the butter remains cool and firm: if it has softened or become oily, chill it before continuing.

May Daring Bakers "Apple Strudel" ALMOST.....

Here we are and another month has gone by and this means that it is time for the Daring Bakers monthly baking challenge. The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers. They chose to make a Apple Strudel which I have NEVER made. I was excited about this challenge and of course left it to the last minute as usual!

The family and myself went to look for trees last weekend and visited one of my favorite markets/nurseries. I picked up about 8 pounds of granny smith apple anticipating this challenge. I got all the other ingredients that I was missing while we were out too! I was so excited to start this recipe!

I began by making the filling part of the strudel. I mixed up the rum and raisins and then mixed the cinnamon/sugar. I then started adding the ingredients to my Kitchen Aid to prepare the dough, I got that going and then I made the breadcrumbs on the stove and then decided to preheat the oven AFTER I had already peeled and cored A LOT of apples. I SUDDENLY SMELLED SOMETHING BAD.....GAS, gas from my GAS oven! I immediately turned it off and called Best Buy for a service man to come out. So, I didn't get to even finish my strudel. I plan on finishing it when my part, an ignitor comes in for the oven. Yeah, I am glad I didn't have an explosion! Here is the recipe:

Preparation Time

Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes

15-20 min to make dough

30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling

20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough

10 min to fill and roll dough

30 min to bake

30 min to cool

Apple Strudel

From “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

2 tablespoons golden rum

3 tablespoons raisins

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, divided

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

strudel dough (recipe below)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

2 pounds tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.
4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough

From “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups unbleached flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons water, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches. Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet wide and 3 feet long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Tips- Ingredients are cheap so we would recommend making a double batch of the dough, that way you can practice the pulling and stretching of the dough with the first batch and if it doesn't come out like it should you can use the second batch to give it another try;- The tablecloth can be cotton or polyester;- Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and wrists, and wear short-sleeves;- To make it easier to pull the dough, you can use your hip to secure the dough against the edge of the table;- Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled, making (most of) the holes invisible.
Both Courtney and I did a trial run on making the strudel. Below are our notes:
Courtney's notes- She couldn't get it to stretch to 2 feet by 3 feet, it turned out more like 2 feet by 2 feet. But the dough was tissue thin nevertheless;- She got some serious holes, but after rolling it wasn't noticeable;- She used a large cheese cloth which helped manipulate and stretch the dough more than a heavier cloth would have.

My notes- I made the dough by hand, just mixed the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Kneaded it for about 5 min like you would bread dough. This worked as well. Haven't tried using a stand mixer so I don't know how it compares.- Instead of cider vinegar I used red wine vinegar;- I used bread flour;- Picking up the dough to let it stretch didn't work well for me, holes appeared pretty much instantly. Instead I stretched the dough while it was lying on the tablecloth by putting my hands underneath and stretching it out further and further;

Big Boy's Strawberry Pie (BUT BETTER)

This recipe is so easy but people will think that you spent the entire afternoon making it!! If you've ever been to Big Boy and had their Strawberry Pie, this is very similar, ONLY WAY BETTER!!!

First you start by taking off the tops of the berries and slicing them

Then layer into a graham cracker pie shell
Until it is stacked way HIGH!
Add 1 1/2 C. Water
2 Tbls. Cornstarch
2 Tbls. Sugar to a pot and cook until thickened
and clear, then remove from heat
Now add 2 Tbls. Lemon Juice
1 pkg (3 ounces) Strawberry Jello
Stir together and allow to cool a little
Pour cooled Jello mixture over strawberries and
put in refrigerator for a couple of hours prior to eating!
Top with Cool-Whip if desired!

ENJOY!!!