Chocolate Mixed Nut Pie

Chocolate Mixed Nut Pie

From Better Homes and Gardens

Not really a pecan pie but mixed nuts and a kick of chocolate in every bite.

1 recipe pastry for single-crust pie

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 ¼ cups dry-roasted salted mixed nuts, coarsely chopped

3.3 oz. Dove dark chocolate bar, chopped

Vanilla ice cream or Cinnamon whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350º.   On a lightly floured surface, slightly flatten pastry. Roll into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate, fold pastry under even with rim, and crimp as desired.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter until combined. Stir in nuts and chocolate.

Carefully pour filling into pastry shell and carefully place in the middle of the oven. To prevent over- browning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 25 minutes; remove foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until pie seems mostly set. Cool on a wire rack. Cover; chill within 2 hours. Serve with cinnamon ice cream or Cinnamon whipped cream.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

In a chilled small bowl beat ½ cup heavy cream, 1 Tbsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. vanilla, and 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon with a mixer on medium until soft peaks form.

Mackinac Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Mackinac Lemon Blueberry Muffins

From Cooks Country

This recipe is from Stacie and is a light blueberry muffin with a zip of lemon.  Actually, when we made them, I forgot to put the lemon zest in the muffin batter and they still had a nice lemon flavor with the lemon in the topping.

Topping: 

¼ cup sugar

2 t. lemon zest

Muffins:

2 ½ cups flour

4 t. baking powder

¾ t. salt

1 ½ cups sour cream

5 T. butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 ¼  cups sugar

1 T. grated lemon zest

1 ½ cups frozen blueberries

Heat oven to 400º.  Spray 12-cup muffin tin, including top, with baking spray.  Combine ¼ cup sugar and 2 t. lemon zest in small bowl; set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Whisk sour cream, melted butter, eggs, sugar and lemon zest together in large bowl.

Using wooden spoon, fold flour mixture into sour cream mixture until just combined.  Fold in blueberries until evenly distributed; do not overmix.  Using greased 1/3-cup measuring cup or #12 scoop, portion batter in prepared muffin tin.  Brush batter with 2 T. melted butter and sprinkle with topping mixture.

Bake until muffins are golden brown 20 to 25 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking.  Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Serve warm.  Makes 16 to 18 muffins.

Hint: If using muffin cup papers, spray them with a bit of baking spray and the papers won’t stick to the muffin.

Challah Bread

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 T. yeast
1/2 cup sugar
6 cups flour
2 t. kosher salt
4 large eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 t. almond extract

Combine the yeast, 1 T. sugar and warm water in a small bowl and let sit to soften.  In a large bowl or Bosch mix the sugar, flour, and salt.  Whisk together the eggs, oil and almond extract.  Add the yeast and egg mixture.  Mix and knead for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth.  Add more flour if needed (but I usually don't)

Cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Put out on a tea towel that is lightly dusted with flour.  Divide in 2 or 3 portions.  Take a portion, divide in 3 and roll in a long rope.  Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet and braid the bread, tucking the ends under.  Brush lightly with an egg wash: 1 egg whipped with 1 T. water.

Let rise for 30 minutes.  Bake in a preheated 375º oven.  Begin checking for doneness at 25 minutes.  Bake until golden brown.  

Zucchini Cupcakes

What a fantastic way to use Zuccchini!  The frosting is carmely and I love the taste of these - Certainly a new fall staple.  Kids / Adults all like these.

Taste of Home Sept./Oct. 2016 magazine recepe here

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• CARAMEL FROSTING:
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and extract. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

For frosting, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm.

Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes.Yield: 1-1/2 to 2 dozen.

Originally published as Zucchini Cupcakes in Taste of Home August/September 1997, p25

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

1 cupcake: 327 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 45mg cholesterol, 305mg sodium, 52g carbohydrate (38g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.

Bacon Wrapped Barbecue Chicken and Pineapple Skewers

Chelsea and Dan made these the other Sunday and they were delicious!

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

1 - 2 pounds bacon

About ¼ cup brown sugar

1 ½ - 2 cups barbecue sauce – mixing KC Masterpiece and Sweet Baby Ray’s is yummy.  Set aside ½ cup for brushing on during grilling

1 large pineapple cut into chunks 

Combine chicken pieces with barbecue sauce and marinade for 2-3hours (this step can be omitted if pressed for time, but add some extra barbecue sauce while grilling)

 Lay out bacon strips on a cookie cooling rack and place rack in a regular cookie sheet (so the bacon grease will drip into cookie sheet) brush each strip with the brown sugar and bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes just enough to make sure the brown sugar cooks into the bacon. This step is important for wrapping the chicken and getting crispy on the grill. 

Let bacon cool enough to handle and wrap bacon strip around each chicken piece and skewer. Then thread pineapple and bacon-wrapped chicken. I like to alternate pineapple chunk, bacon wrapped chicken, in a pattern until skewer is filled to my liking.

Grill kabobs until chicken reaches 155-160 degrees F. Slather remaining barbecue sauce onto bacon-wrapped chicken when they are nearly cooked.

Serve with a green salad with avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers and croutons.  Enjoy!

Grilled Garlic Cajun Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers

Another winning summer recipe from Chelsea.

For marinade:

½ cup unsalted butter

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 T. McCormick Perfect Pinch Cajun Spice (process light heat; it's not spicy, but it gives great flavor)

1/2 tsp salt - omit if using salted butter

1 T. lemon juice

Other ingredients:

2 lbs. large tail-on pre-cooked peeled and de-veined shrimp (phew that was wordy!) Usually 20-25 count. (I get mine already pre-cooked and de-veined, etc from the butcher. You can do uncooked but pre-cooked grills and preps faster and I'm all about quick meals ha!)

1 large pineapple cubed into 2 in cubes

Combine all marinade ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Once heated and butter is melted remove from heat and pour half of marinade into a bowl - you'll brush on half the marinade now and brush on remaining marinade while grilling and after.

Thread a shrimp then a pineapple cube alternating until skewer is filled.  I use metal skewers instead of wood because I don't like taking the time to soak the wood ones - again easy prep. Once skewers are filled lay them out on a baking tray.

Brush one side of the skewered shrimp (shrimp only not the pineapple) and place in the fridge for 2 minutes until butter marinade firms up, then flip over and marinade the other side, again placing in fridge until marinade firms. 

Place skewers on the grill with lid on 2-5minutes per side until heated through (and no longer transparent if working with uncooked shrimp) with some nice grill marks. Brush on remaining marinade while shrimp is grilling and use any leftover and brush again once taken off the grill. Be careful not to overcook or they will become rubbery. 

Serve with Caesar salad, watermelon, and breadsticks. Enjoy!!!

Fairy Bites

Cute little shortbread.  Make with or without the nonpareils.

1/2 cup butter, slightly softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 1/4 cup All Purpose flour – start with 1 cup and see from there

1/4 tsp salt

4 tsp multi-colored nonpareils

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 8-inch square baking pan with plastic wrap (or cut parchment to fit) leaving 1-inch overhang. 

Combine butter, sugar and almond extract in medium bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low, add flour and salt. Beat until well mixed. Stir in nonpareils if using.

Knead mixture 4-5 times in bowl until dough forms a ball.  Pat dough evenly into prepared pan. Use overhang to lift dough from pan. Cut dough into 1/2-inch squares. Gently place squares 1/2 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake approximately 15 minutes or until bottoms just begin to brown.  

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the Our Best Bites gals (again).  If you want a little tiny amount of cookies, this is your recipe. If you want more than that, double or triple it.  I use a small size scoop so the cookies are only about 2 inches across.  I usually do a mix of mini M&M's, white chocolate chips and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.  I will measure the extra chips into Ziploc bags and put them in the freezer, then I just pull a bag out and throw into the cookie dough.

3 tablespoons real butter, softened

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 large egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch table salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips, or add-ins of your choice 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Place butter in a small-medium sized mixing bowl and microwave for about 8-10  seconds. It should be soft enough to mix easily with a spoon, even semi-melted to  completely melted is okay. Add sugar and beat with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon till  fluffy. Add in egg yolk and vanilla and mix well until fully incorporated. Add flour,  baking soda, and salt all at once and mix until all combined. Add your chocolate chips or  other add-ins and mix.

Use a cookie scoop, or roll into balls. Bake for about 9-10 minutes. Cool for 1-2 minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to cooking rack.  Makes about 15.

Notes

     You can make this recipe with softened butter, or completely melted butter.

Crystal's Sourdough Pancakes

Mix up the night before you want to serve them and put the salt, soda and sugar in a ziploc and just throw that in with eggs and oil right before serving.  Easy!  These are wonderful served in the canyon or out of doors.  They are great for a crowd and cheap.

2 cups flour

1 T. dry yeast

2 cups very warm water

Stir flour and yeast together.  Add water and stir together.  Let sit overnight.  In the morning add:

1 t. salt

1 t. soda

1 T. sugar

2 eggs

2 T. oil

Cook on a griddle with a little oil and enjoy.  Serves 6.

If you are making more than one batch at a time, for 4 cups flour still use just 1 T. yeast.  For 10 cups flour use 2 T. yeast.

Simple Vanilla Ice Cream - Cuisinart

makes about 14 1/2 cup servings

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/8 cups granulated sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Turn the machine on; pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20-25 min.

If a firmer consistency is desired transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hour.  Remove from freezer about 15 min. before serving.

sorry I had to post - I panicked when I couldn't find this recipe. 

Deer Valley Carrot Cake

A classic at Deer Valley resort and a favorite of Heather's.  This carrot cake is moist and delicious but the best part is the frosting.  It is a smooth, not too sweet, cream cheese frosting.  Yummy!

Deer Valley Carrot Cake

4 eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup canola oil (or regular oil)

2 cups flour

1 ½ t. cinnamon

½ t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

1 lb. carrots, grated (about 4 cups)

2/3 cups walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350º.  Spray 2 round 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray.  Line bottoms with circles of parchment or waxed paper.  Whip eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until thick.  Add the oil.  Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Add to the egg mixture and mix well on low speed, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.  Add the carrots and walnuts.  Pour the mixture into the two prepared pans.  Bake until the cake springs back when touched with your finger, about 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool completely.  

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup butter, softened

2 (8 oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, softened

½ t. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

½ cup finely chopped walnuts

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth.  Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure there are no lumps.  Add the cream cheese and mix well, scraping the bowl again.  Add the vanilla, salt and powdered sugar and mix on low speed.  Be careful not to mix too much or the frosting will be runny.

Frost the first layer of the cake with cream cheese frosting, put on the second layer and frost.  Top with the ½ cup chopped walnuts and chill before serving. 

Croutons

Um so I'm not sure where I've been my whole life... Homemade croutons are the BEST.  Liz gave me this tip to make your own with leftover artisan bread and it is awesome and who doesn't love a crunchy bread in their salad or soup....

It makes quite a bit if you cut into bite size pieces and you don't have to pay big prices at the store. . .

Ann Romney, The Romney Family Table Cookbook pg. 111

Croutons:

cut day-old French bread into small cubes (I used leftover sourdough and it was awesome).  Toss with enough olive oil to coat cubes. Spread evenly in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake at 250 degrees F until crunchy, about 30 minutes.

Luscious Layered Pumpkin Dessert

So this was amazing and it's hard to describe but the title Luscious Layered Pumpkin Dessert is a good title.  It isn't as dense as cake, more oomph than a moose, and more kick than a jello type dessert.  I was a huge fan and I think the top layer would be fun to die green for St. Patrick's day or Pink/Blue for a fall baby shower or blessing etc...  Worth trying and I eat pumpkin year round kind of gal...

Makes 12 servings:

25 gingersnaps, finely crushed (about 1 1/3 cups) (I probably doubled the cookies I bought a small Winco brand box of gingersnaps and used the whole box and liked the extra crust and didn't mind the stronger ginger taste and I hate spreading crust to the littlest possible degree)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 cups canned or cooked pumpkin puree
1 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice  (pumpkin pie spice substitution: make your own 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. cloves or allspice, 1/2 tsp. ginger)
2 eggs
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 (8 oz) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (skipped this part and still devine!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the gingersnap crumbs and melted butter.  Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar and beat until blended.  Add the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and mix well.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended.  Pour mixture over cooled crust and bake until center is almost set, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a rack to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the pudding mix and milk and beat until well blended.  Gently fold in 1 cup whipped topping to combine.  Spread pudding mixture evenly over cooked pumpkin mixture and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.  Spread remaining whipped topping evenly over top and refrigerate for 1 more hour.  Sprinkle with pecans before serving.

Recipe from Pumpkin It Up!  by Eliza Cross pg. 108

better than ever FUNERAL POTATOES

Potatoes and Bread are my favorite foods so I'm sort of picky and must be hard wired to consume carbs and starch..

Enjoy this easy winner.  A request every Christmas Eve Dinner with the Olsons.

6 cooked and grated potatoes or 2 lb. bag of shredded hash browns
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 carton sour cream (16 oz.)
1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup green onions (I always add a tinch more since I love them)
Corn flakes and butter

Combine the first six ingredients.  Place in a 9x13 pan.  Top with buttered crushed corn flakes.  Bake at 350 for 45-60 min. depending on your preference.  

If you make the day before they need to cook a little longer.  For the corn flakes I dump in about 2 cups of corn flakes into my food processor, and pulse into small flakes and melt 3-4 TBS. of butter and combine and then add to the top of my potato casserole.

I think it would be fun to mix around and play with the type of cheese you put in as well :)