ORANGE CUPCAKES with WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

6 tbsps butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp freshly grated orange peel
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 large egg
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar, orange peel, baking powder and baking soda together until fluffy. On low speed, beat in the egg, then sour cream, then orange juice. At this point the batter will look curdled. Beat in the flour to blend. Spoon into the paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Then frost with White Chocolate Frosting, recipe below.

White Chocolate Frosting:
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tbsps orange juice

Melt chips as directed on the package; cool slightly. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the melted chips into a large bowl. Add the butter to the chips and beat with electric mixer to combine. Add the powdered sugar and orange juice. Beat the mixture on low speed until all is blended. Increase the speed to high and beat for about 2 minutes until the mixture is fluffy. Add a few more drops of juice if needed to get the right consistency for spreading. Tint frosting yellow or a light orange, if desired.

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LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD II

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
2 tbsp poppy seeds
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk

Glaze
2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon extract; mix well. Stir in poppy seeds.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture and milk to sugar mixture alternately, mixing well after each addition. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Loosen edges from sides of pans. Cool loaves in pans for about 10 minutes. Turn out on wire racks.

Make the glaze by blending the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle over the warm loaves.

NOTE: You can make a great spread to use on this bread by combining poppy seeds to softened cream cheese.

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CARAMEL NUT TART

1 1/4 cups Graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tbsps firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
35 caramels
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
3 cups toasted pecan pieces
1-oz (1 square-) baking chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix Graham cracker crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Unwrap the caramels into a large microwaveable bowl. Add the whipping cream and coffee granules. Combine the ingredients and microwave on High for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until the caramels are completely melted. Stir in the pecans. Spread the mixture evenly over the crust. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm. Melt 1 square of baking chocolate and drizzle over the top before serving, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings

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STRAWBERRY-ALMOND CRUMBLE

5 cups fresh strawberries, halved*
1 large apple, peeled, cored, chopped**
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsps all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine strawberries, apple, sugar, vanilla, and flour in a large bowl; stir to mix well. Spread mixture into a shallow baking dish and set aside.

*You may substitute unsweetend frozen berries
**In my opinion, Macintosh apples work the best.

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsps butter

Combine flour, oats, almonds, nutmeg, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the fruit mixture. Bake until the topping is light brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.

Serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

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ANGEL TRIFLE

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 cups plain fat-free yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend the above ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.

1 Angel Food cake, cubed or torn into bite-size pieces

1 pkg (12-oz) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
2 tbsp sugar

Gently combine the raspberries and sugar; set aside. Do not drain the raspberries.

2 large fresh peaches, peeled and diced
2 fresh pears, peeled and diced
1 large firm banana, thinly sliced

Fresh raspberries for garnish, optional

To assemble the trifle: Pour a half cup of the yogurt mixture in the bottom of a glass bowl. Place a third of the angel food cubes on top of the yogurt mixture. Top with a third each of the diced peaches, diced pears, and raspberries. Drizzle a third of the raspberry juice over the fruit and cake. Top with a third of the sliced banana. Pour a third of the yogurt mixture over the cake and fruit. Repeat the process twice.

Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow the cake to absorb the fruit juices. 

Garnish with the fresh raspberries before serving, if desired.

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CARAMEL-APPLE BARS

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, chilled
1 can (21-oz) apple pie filling
20 caramels, unwrapped
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, oats, and brown sugar in a bowl; mix well. Stir in baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Press the remaining mixture over bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes; cool slightly. Spread pie filling over baked crust.

In a medium saucepan, combine the caramels with the sweetened condensed milk. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. This will take approximately 5 minutes. Pour over pie filling. Mix reserved oats mixture and the walnuts in a bowl. Sprinkle over the caramel layer. Bake about 20 minutes until set. Cool. Cut into bars.

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MINT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

1/3 cup semisweet mint-chocolate chips

4-oz Neufchatel cheese, softened
16-oz pkg powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tbsps semisweet mint-chocolate chips

Place the 1/3 cup mint-chocolate chips in a microwave safe medium to large bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until the chips are almost melted. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

When chocolate is cooled, add the Neufchatel cheese and beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar to the mixture and beat until well blended. Press the mixture into a 6-inch square on heavy-duty plastic wrap and cover with additional plastic wrap. Chill at least one hour. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and cut truffle into 48 squares. Roll each square into a small ball and place on waxed paper. Roll half the balls in the unsweetened cocoa and the other half in the powdered sugar. Place the 2 tablespoons of the mint-chocolate chips into a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Microwave on high 1 minute or until the chips are softened. Knead the bag until the chips are smooth. Make a tiny snip in one bottom corner of the bag. Drizzle chocolate over the balls that have been rolled in cocoa. Serve at room temperature.

I got this recipe from Cooking Light in 1999.

MUD HENS

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 egg white, reserving 2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix butter, sugar,eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt together. Spread very thinly in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Beat remaining 2 egg whites until stiff and beat in the brown sugar. Spread over the nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Cut into 24 squares while still hot.

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WHITE CHIP APRICOT OATMEAL COOKIES

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
10-oz pkg Hershey's Premier White Chips
3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add flour and baking soda; beat until well blended. Stir in oats, white chips and apricots. Loosely form rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees 7 to 9 minutes or just until lightly browned. Do not over bake! Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

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RASPBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

6 oz white baking chocolate
1 stick butter
1 pkg (18.5 oz) white cake mix
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tbsp Raspberry extract
2 to 3 drops red food coloring
1 cup fresh raspberries, optional

Microwave white chocolate and butter in a bowl, stirring every 15 seconds until blended. Cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, milk, eggs, raspberry extract, and the butter mixture on low speed of electric mixer until moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat two minutes or until well blended. Pour batter evenly into two greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes then remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

FROSTING:
8-oz cream cheese
1/4 cup stick butter
6-oz white baking chocolate, melted
2 tsps raspberry extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until well blended. Add while chocolate and raspberry extract; mix well. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

To assemble:
Take 3/4 cup of the frosting and add the red food coloring from the cake ingredients. Mix until the color is well blended. Take 1 cake layer and place in the center of the serving plate. Top the cake layer with the tinted frosting, spreading evenly. Place the other layer over top of the frosting. Frost top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. If desired, arrange fresh raspberries around the top edge of the cake and around the bottom. Or put a few berries on the top in the center.

16 servings

 

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CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup light cream or half and half
1 pint strawberries, sliced
Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. Stir to blend. Gradually add the cream, mixing with a wooden or large plastic spoon until the mixture clings together. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 1 minute. Pat dough into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut pastry dough into 6 rounds using a biscuit cutter. Arrange rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Place in oven and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Split the shortcakes in half horizontally. Top half of the rounds with the strawberries, then the whipped cream. Replace the top half and top with a dollop of whipped cream topped with one or two strawberry halves. Serve immediately after assembling.

 

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CHAI BANANA SMOOTHIE

4 large bananas, peeled and sliced

1 cup 1% milk
1 regular-size chai tea bag
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

Place bananas in freezer for about 30 minutes or until frozen.

Pour milk into a microwave-safe measuring cup; microwave on high for 1 minute or just until milk reaches a boil. Add the chai tea bag to the milk and allow to steep for 20 minutes, pressing bag gently with a spoon to release chai flavor. Remove and discard tea bag; chill chai flavored milk for 10 minutes.

Combine frozen bananas, sugar, yogurt, and chai milk in a blender. Process mixture until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.

Yield: 4 servings

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FRUITY APPLESAUCE LOAF CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and eggs together. Add the applesauce and oil. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well blended. Stir in the raisins, walnuts, and dates.

Divide batter evenly among two ungreased 9 x 6 x 4-inch loaf baking pans. Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

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SWEET POTATO APPLE BAKE

How about a 'sweet' side dish?

3 cups sliced, peeled and cooked sweet potatoes
2 large tart apples, sliced and peeled
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of black pepper
3 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 1 1/2-qt casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Layer half the sweet potatoes and half the apples in dish. In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar with the maple syrup until blended. Add the nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper to sugar mixture. Sprinkle half the mixture over the apples. Dot with half the butter. Repeat the layers. Cover and bake 15 minutes. Remove cover and baste with juices. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes more or until the apples are tender.

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EASY APPLE COBBLER

8 cups sliced and peeled apples, preferably Granny Smith

1/3 cup apple cider
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp chilled butter, cut into pieces
1 sheet of refrigerated pie dough
1 tsp water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange apple slices in an 11x7-inch baking dish. Drizzle the cider over the apples. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off with a butter knife. Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle flour mixture over the apple mixture. Roll dough into a rectangle one inch larger on each side than the baking dish. Place the dough over the apple mixture and fold edges under and flute with your fingers. Cut two or three small slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Combine the water and egg whites, stirring together well. Brush the egg white mixture over the dough using a pastry brush. Sprinkle sugar over the top of the pastry. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings. 

 

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ROASTED PEARS

4 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, cut in half lengthwise
2 tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp maple flavoring
1/2 cup orange juice
1 pint vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange the pears, cut side down, in an 11x7-inch baking dish.

Combine the Splenda, cinnamon, lemon juice, melted butter, and maple flavoring. Spoon over the pears, turning to coat both sides. Pour the orange juice in bottom of the pan and let it surround the pears.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the pears are tender. Serve warm with a scoop of the sugar-free ice cream.

Yield: 8 servings

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MACADAMIA BUTTER COOKIES WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

2/3 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place nuts in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl once during the process, to make macadamia butter. Combine the macadamia butter, 1/2
cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat mixture at medium speed until blended. Add the vanilla and egg to the mixture and beat well. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, whisk to blend well. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the cranberries. Chill dough for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 30 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place the 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Lightly press each ball into the sugar then place ball, sugar side up, on a parchment covered baking sheet. Gently press the top of each ball with a fork. Dip the fork in water and gently press each top again to form a crisscross pattern (like peanut butter cookies). Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies from the cookie sheets and cool on wire racks.

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LEMONY DROP SUGAR COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar + additional sugar for topping
2/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, whisk eggs until blended. Add sugar, oil, vanilla, and lemon zest; mix well. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until well blended. Chill, covered, for at least 30 minutes. Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about two inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Mist the bottom of a 3-inch flat-bottom glass with water and dip glass in additional sugar. Press tops of cookies lightly with the glass, misting with water and dipping into sugar for each cookie. Bake cookies until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for two minutes then remove to wire racks to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.
These cookies freeze well.

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DONNA'S ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

This recipe is from an old fire department cookbook.

5 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 can of coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the sugar, shortening, butter and vanilla together. Separate eggs and set whites aside. Add egg yolks and mix in with the creamed mixture. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Add the coconut and nuts. Beat the egg whites and fold into the batter. Pour into 3 8-inch cake pans that have been well greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

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BLUEBERRY FRUIT SPREAD

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup water
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Combine the gelatin with the 1/4 cup water; stir well and set aside.

Combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup water, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes; stir frequently. Remove saucepan from heat and add gelatin, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

Cool mixture to room temperature. Pour into glass jars and cover tightly. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours until chilled completely. Store in refrigerator up to 1 month.

Yield: 2 half pints

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HANNAH'S RED VELVET SURPRISE CUPCAKES

This delicious recipe is from NYT Bestselling Author Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen Mystery novel RED VELVET CUPCAKE MURDER. I love her recipes.

Before you can make the cupcakes, you must make the CHOCOLATE APRICOT SURPRISES.
6-oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (that's one cup of chips)
2 tbsp apricot jam
2 tbsp salted butter

If the jam has big pieces of apricots, cut them into smaller pieces before you measure out the jam. You can also simply pick them out and only use the clear part of the jam.

Place the 3 ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. (A 2 cup measuring cup works fine.)

Microwave on high 1 minute. Take the chocolate mixture out of the microwave and stir the contents until smooth.

Tear off a piece of waxed paper and place on a piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet right next to the chocolate mixture.

Use a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop out the mixture. Scrape it out of the spoon with your clean finger and drop onto the waxed paper in little mounds. If it spreads too much and won't mound, let it cool for a minute or two longer.

Once you start making the chocolate mounds, be sure you make 24 mounds for your 24 cupcakes.

Refrigerate the chocolate surprises until you are ready to use them in your cupcakes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and make the RED VELVET CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp red food color gel* (Betty Crocker Classic Gel Food Colors are great)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (packed down in the cup when measured)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp red wine vinegar (white vinegar may be substituted)

Line 24 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners (best to use 2 liners per cup or heavier liners like parchment or foil).

With electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, and vegetable oil until nice and fluffy. Mix in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder; be sure to mix in thoroughly.

Add the food color gel and vanilla extract. Beat until the color is mixed in thoroughly.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add 1 cup of the flour and mix in thoroughly. Turn off mixer and scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber or silicone spatula.

Pour in 1/2 cup of the buttermilk and mix in thoroughly at low speed. Add a second cup of flour, mix in thoroughly then turn off mixer again and scrape down sides of bowl. Add in remaining buttermilk and mix well. Add the remaining flour and mix thoroughly.

Mix in the vinegar then turn off mixer and give the batter a final scrape down and stir with the spatula. Note: Vinegar may make batter foam up a bit but that is okay.

Fill cupcake liners 1/3 full of batter.

Remove chocolate surprises from the fridge and peal off the waxed paper. Place one in the center of each cupcake, pushing them down slightly. Be care not to push them all the way to the bottom! Continue filling liners with batter until 3/4 full. (These cupcakes do not rise much so don't worry about that being too much.

Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. DO NOT REMOVE FROM PAN UNTIL COMPLETELY COOLED.

Frost cupcakes with the following CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
4-oz cream cheese
1/4 cup salted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar (packed down in the measuring cup)

Place cream cheese and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. Stir. If you can stir the cream cheese and butter smooth, take the bowl out and put on counter. If it's not soft enough to stir, microwave on high in 20-second intervals until it is.

Add the vanilla extract and stir it in.

Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cups at a time, stirring after each addition. Continue to add powdered sugar until the frosting is spreadable, but not runny.

When frosting, work out from the center and don't go all the way to the edge. Allow a little red to show.
Sprinkle frosting with a little red decorating sugar, if desired.

Yield: 24 cupcakes
*Do not mistake red food color gel for red decorating gel, they are not the same. If using liquid food coloring, double the amount.

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