LEMONADE CONCENTRATE

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice

For lemon syrup, combine sugar and lemon zest in a food processor. Process until lemon zest is finely chopped and sugar starts to turn yellow. Transfer sugar mixture to a small saucepan; add the water. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Cool 20 minutes.

Strain lemon syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart jar; discard lemon zest solids. Stir lemon juice into lemon syrup. Cover and chill concentrate up to 1 week.

To make lemonade:

Mix equal parts concentrate and water (1 to 1 ratio) and serve over ice. Taste, and adjust flavor by adding water a little at a time.

To make Lavender Lemonade:

2 cups still or bubbly filtered water

1 1/2 cups Lemonade Concentrate

1/2 cup lavender syrup (such as Monin brand)

Ice cubes

Lavender sprigs or buds for garnish, if desired

To make Pina Colada Lemonade:

1 cup Lemonade Concentrate

1 can (15-oz) cream of coconut  (such as Coco Lopez brand)

3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice 

1/2 cup filtered water

Small pineapple wedges

Toasted desiccated coconut

Crushed ice

Combine Lemonade Concentrate, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and filtered water in a pitcher; stir well.

Wipe the rims of glasses with a pineapple wedge. Dip in toasted coconut. Carefully add crushed ice and pour lemonade mixture into glasses. Garnish with the pineapple wedges.

file photo for reference only

SUPER-EASY MARSHMALLOW ICING

Love this icing from King Arthur Flour.

• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy or whipping cream
• 1 bag (10 to 10 1/2 ounces) marshmallows; mini-marshmallows are easiest to use
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, optional

1) Place the cream, marshmallows, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large, deep saucepan.

2) Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the marshmallows melt completely.

3) Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla, if you're using it.

4) Pour the icing into the bowl of your stand mixer or another mixing bowl, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

5) Remove the icing from the refrigerator. Beat it at high speed, using your stand mixer or an electric hand mixer; it's impossible to beat thoroughly enough by hand, so please use a machine. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure you're incorporating all of the chilled icing.

6) Beat until the icing is smooth and glossy; this will probably take less than a minute. The icing will thin out and become almost sauce-like. Once it's smooth, set the icing aside to rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes; it'll stiffen as it sits, bringing it to spreadable consistency.

7) Spread or pipe the icing atop cupcakes, or use it to fill a round layer cake, or ice a 9" x 13" sheet cake.

Yield: 3 to 4 cups icing, enough to ice 24 cupcakes, one 8" or 9" round layer cake, one 9" x 13" cake, or a typical recipe of whoopie pies (about 12 to 18 pies, depending on size).

Variations: 

• This basic white icing can be flavored to taste. To make chocolate icing, add 1/2 cup Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder to the marshmallows and cream before heating. For coffee icing, add 2 teaspoons espresso powder to the marshmallows and cream before heating; once the marshmallows are melted, increase the flavor, if desired, by adding additional espresso powder to taste.
• Personal Note: For really white icing use clear vanilla available in cake supply stores.

MEYER LEMON PIE

1 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers (6-oz)

1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

Pinch of fine sea salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice (2 large Meyer lemons)

Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish

Meyer lemon slices, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.

Stir together vanilla wafer crumbs. 1/4 cup of the melted butter and the sea salt in a medium bowl. Press mixture evenly into bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish. Baked until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, for filling, in another medium bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and lemon juice until smooth. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup melted butter until thoroughly combined. Pour filling into the crust. 

Bake until filling is just set, 22 to 26 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.

To serve, cut into 8 slices. Garnish each slice some whipped cream and a lemon slice.

Yield: 8 servings

Note: Untopped pie may be kept refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days.

file photo for reference

BANANA CAKE WITH COFFEE FROSTING

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 medium-size (1 1/2 cups) ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. 

Combine the flours, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with bananas and sour cream, beating well after each addition.

Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 to 3 tbsp milk

In a small bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Dissolve coffee granules in milk; add to butter mixture and beat until smooth. Spread over cake.

Top each piece of cake with a couple of fresh banana slices when serving, if desired.

Yield: 12 - 15 servings

Note: This is my version of a recipe I got from an old TOH Holiday Celebrations Book.

TOH Photo

CHERRY CRUNCH DUMP CAKE

I got this recipe from another facebook post probably 10-12 years ago. I think it was the seasonedmom or something like that. It is very good.

Aunt Bee's 5-Minute Cherry Crunch Dump Cake

Author: The Seasoned Mom

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  45 mins

Total time:  50 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 (20 ounce) can of crushed pineapple (not drained)
• 1 (21 ounce) can of cherry pie filling
• 1 package of yellow cake mix
• 1 cup of pecans, chopped
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Spread pineapple in its juice evenly into the prepared pan.
4. Spoon pie filling over the pineapple.
5. Sprinkle DRY cake mix evenly over the mixture. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
6. Slice the chilled butter into thin strips and place the strips evenly over the nuts and other ingredients.
7. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

 

BERRY-FILLED DOUGHNUTS

Oil for deep-frying

2 tubes (6-oz each) small refrigerated flaky biscuits (5 count)

1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 350-degrees. 

Separate biscuits, press each to flatten slightly. Fry biscuits, a few at a time, 1-1 1/4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Cut a small hole in tip of a pastry bag and insert a small pastry tip. Fill bag with jam. With a small knife, pierce a hole into the side of each doughnut and fill with jam.

Toss with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm 

Yield: 10 donuts

TOH recipe and photo

TEXAS SHEET CAKE COOKIES

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 pkg (15 1/4 oz) chocolate cake mix

1/3 cup olive oil

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp baking cocoa

3 tbsp whole milk

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Sea salt, optional 

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add the cake mix and oil until combined.

Drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls into parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350-degrees until edges are set, 7 to 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a small saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and milk. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth.

Spoon the frosting over the cooled cookies and sprinkle with the sea salt, if using.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen

recipe idea and photo TOH

SUNDAE CONE CAKE

This is a fun recipe from Kraft Foods.

1

tub   (1.75 qt.) vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

6

 sugar cones, divided

4

oz.  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1

Tbsp.  oil

1/4

cup   chopped PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts

USE back of spoon to pack ice cream into foil-lined 1-1/2-qt. bowl. Crush 4 sugar cones; place over ice cream. Press gently into ice cream to form even crust. Freeze 4 hours or until ice cream is firm.

UNMOLD dessert onto plate. Remove foil. Break remaining cones into pieces; press into side of dessert.

MELT chocolate as directed on package just before serving dessert. Stir in oil; cool slightly. Drizzle over dessert; sprinkle with nuts.

Note: Dessert can be store in freezer up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature about 10 min. to soften slightly before serving.

GRAHAM CRACKER PECAN PIE CRACK

48 (or enough to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan) graham crackers

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pecan pieces

Completely cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with aluminum foil allowing foil to go up slightly on sides and allowing it to hang over on the ends. This will allow you to lift out of the pan when almost cooled.

Put butter and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn burner to med-low and cook, stirring around 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Gently pour mixture over the graham crackers.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, watching to be sure edges don't get too brown. Cool on a wire rack. Remove from pan and when cooled enough for handling, break into pieces.

file photo for reference only

 

PECAN CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Love this recipe from Positively Splendid.

For the shortbread layer

1. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3. 1/2 cup butter, softened
4. 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
5. For the cheesecake layer
   1. 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
   2. 1/2 cup sugar
   3. 1/2 cup milk
   4. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
   5. For the pecan pie layer
   1. 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
   2. 1/2 cup light corn syrup
   3. 1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
   4. 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
   5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
   6. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
   7. 1 1/2 cups pecans
   6. Instructions
      
      1. Preheat oven to 350.
      2. For the shortbread layer: In a medium bowl, combine flour and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Press mixture evenly into bottom of a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven, and cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
      3. For the cheesecake layer: Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with a paddle attachment, and beat at medium speed until smooth. Beat in sugar. Add milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and beat until combined. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cooled shortbread layer. Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
      4. For the pecan pie layer: In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter. Gently stir in the eggs, salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in 1 1/2 cups pecans. Pour pecan mixture over cooled cheesecake layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until center is set and pecan pie layer is a rich brown color.
      5. Adapted from Southern Lady Magazine