Peach Cobbler

Original Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

This is one of my husband's favorite treats.  He loves the combination of the sweet fresh peaches with the biscuity topping.

Fruit Layer;
4 cups (give or take) fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1/3-2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Cobbler Layer:
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1/4 cup milk


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients for fruit layer in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until hot and bubbly.  Remove from heat and transfer to a 2 quart glass baking dish.

In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder.  Stir in egg and milk.  Mix well until just moistened.  Drop topping in small mounds over filling.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in topping comes out clean.  Serve warm.

Tips and Hints
*You can use frozen fruit.  Just thaw before cooking.
*I used nectarines instead of peaches this time.  My husband said they were a little more tart, but still worked.
*You can also use blueberries, apples, or pears in this recipe.  For apples or pears, reduce water to 3 Tbsp and add 1 Tbsp lemon juice.  Omit the corn starch.
*This is best served warm.  Heat individual servings for 30 seconds in the microwave.
*You can serve this with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, as desired.

Blueberry Buckle

Original Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

This is one of my favorite things to do with blueberries.  Perfect summer treat or breakfast--moist cake, blueberries, and a crunchy topping.

Cake Layer
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine


Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom and sides of 9x9 or 8x8 square pan.

Cake:  Beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add egg and beat well.  In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking powder.  Alternate addition of dry ingredients and milk to shortening mixture, beating until smooth after each addition.  Batter will be thick.

Topping:  Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Spoon cake batter into prepared pan.  Sprinkle blueberries over top.  Press berries into the batter slightly.  Sprinkle topping over the blueberries.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden.  Serve warm.


Tips and Hints
*You can make this with any kind of berries, fresh or frozen.  Thaw frozen berries before using in this recipe.  *I like this best served warm.  After the original serving, heat individual portions in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

These look really impressive, but are super easy to make!


1 pkg (8 oz) semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tub (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Coatings of your choice

Microwave chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl on high for 2 minutes, or until almost melted, stirring after 1 minute.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted, microwaving in 30-second intervals as needed.

Stir in peanut butter until well blended.  Gently stir in whipped topping until just blended.

Refrigerate 1 hour.

Scoop truffle mixture with melon baller or teaspoon, then shape into 1 inch balls.  Roll in coating.

Store in refrigerator.  Makes 3 dozen.



Tips and Hints:
*Do not over-mix the whipped topping.  Stir just enough to incorporate it into the peanut butter mixture.
*After refrigerating, let mixture sit for about 5 minutes at room temperature.  The softer mixture is easier to scoop.
*Suggested coatings: powdered sugar, chopped nuts, sweetened shredded coconut, finely crushed cookies, colored sprinkles, crushed Butterfinger bars.  I used powdered sugar and Butterfingers.
*For extra peanut flavor, use chunky peanut butter and roll truffles in crushed peanuts.

Luscious Four Layer Pumpkin Cake

Originally from Kraft Food and Family Magazine

1 package (2 layer size) yellow cake mix

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin, divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

4 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1/4 cup caramel topping

1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9 inch round cake pans.  Beat cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, the milk, oil, eggs, and 1 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice in large bowl until well blended.  Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 28-30 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.  Beat cream cheese in small bowl until creamy.  Add sugar, remaining pumpkin, and remaining 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice; mix well.  Stir in the whipped topping.

Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife.  Stack layers on serving plate, spreading the cream cheese filling between layers.  (Do not frost top of cake)  Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving; sprinkle with the pecans, if desired.  Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Thoughts and Tips: 

With fall in the air, I was in the mood for pumpkin and this cake definitely hit the spot!  The cake is just the right texture and has an excellent combination of flavors.  I love the filling, and will probably use it in other recipes as well.

Lemon-Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

Crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

3/4 cup butter, chilled, cut up

Filling

2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp flour

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

Topping

1 pint strawberries, sliced

3 Tbsp strawberry jelly, melted

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 13x9 inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Place 1 1/2 cups flour, powdered sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp lemon peel in medium bowl; mix until combined.  Add butter and use pastry blender to combine until mixture is crumbly.  Press into bottom of pan.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.

Meanwhile, place cream cheese, 2 Tbsp flour, condensed milk, lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon peel and vanilla in large bowl.  Mix until smooth.  Scrape sides of bowl and add eggs.  Mix until just blended.  Pour filling into crust.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set and edges are slightly puffed.  Center will look less done but will firm during cooling.  Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Arrange overlapping rows of sliced strawberries over top; lightly brush with melted jelly.  Cut into bars.  Serve cold.

Thoughts and Tips:

You can mix both the crust and the filling using a food processor if preferred. 

These were delicious, but really not very lemony.  I would add extra lemon juice to the filling (probably 1/4 cup) and definitely make sure that you use fresh lemon peel.  Otherwise, they end up being no different from any other cheesecake with strawberries.

Brownie Chunk Cheesecake

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

Crust

31 crème filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling

3 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 eggs

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped brownies

Topping

8 oz. milk chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 oz white chocolate, melted

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  In medium bowl, stir together all crust ingredients.  Press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch springform pan.  Wrap pan with heavy-duty foil; freeze 30 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla at medium speed until blended.  Beat in sour cream and 1 cup cream.  Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended.  Slowly beat in flour.  Fold in brownies.

Place springform pan in large baking or blroiler pan.  Pour batter into crust (batter will come to within 1/4 inch of top edge).  Add enough hot tap water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.  Bake 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until edges are puffed and top is dry to the touch.  Center should move slightly when pan is tapped but should not ripple as if liquid.

Remove springform pan from baking pan; remove foil.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Refrigerate overnight.

Melt milk chocolate and 1/3 cup cream in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Pour over top of cheesecake.  Let stand 10 minutes.

Pour white chocolate into small resealable plastic bag.  Snip off corner of bag and drizzle chocolate over cheesecake.  Refrigerate at least one hour.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Thoughts and Tips:
You can use any kind of brownies that you desire in this.  For ease, I made a batch of Betty Crocker from a box.
Leave fairly good size chunks of brownie and fold them in gently.  If the pieces are too small, you lose the flavor in the final cheesecake.
There will be water in the foil around the pan, so have a towel handy when you remove it and be very careful as it will be hot!
You can melt the chocolate for the topping in the microwave.  Place chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat on high for 30 seconds, stir, then heat in additional 15 second increments until completely melted.

Let's face it, brownies and cheesecake and chocolate glaze are probably a bit of an overkill, but WOW is this a great dessert!  The cheesecake is nice and creamy and the combination of flavors is definitely amazing.  Cut small pieces (about 1/16th of the cake) because it is very rich.

Lemon Mousse Squares

48 vanilla wafer cookies, divided

3/4 cup boiling water

1 pkg (3 oz) lemon flavor gelatin

1 cup ice cubes

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed, divided

Cover bottom of 8” square pan with 16 wafer cookies; line sides of pan with an additional 16 cookies.  In a small bowl, add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved.  Stir in ice until melted.

Beat next 3 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended.  Gradually beat in gelatin.  Whisk in 2 cups of whipped topping.

Pour half the gelatin mixture into prepared pan; cover with last 16 cookies.  Top with remaining gelatin mixture. 

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Top with remaining whipped topping.

Thoughts and Tips:

If desired, warm 1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves in microwave until melted (15-25 seconds in microwave).  Brush  over first layer of gelatin mixture before adding cookies.

If desired, garnish with fresh fruit before serving.

This has rapidly become one of my husband's favorite desserts.  I am generally not a fan of anything involving gelatin, but like the combination of cream cheese with it in this dessert.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

My amazing husband made this up as a surprise for my birthday!

15-20 Mint filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

2 cartons (1 1/2 quart) mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened

1 jar hot fudge sauce, warmed to pouring consistency

15-20 Chocolate filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crumbled

Press crushed mint cookies into bottom of 9” round springform pan.  Spread ice cream over top to about 2 inches thick (you may not use a full carton).  Pour hot fudge sauce over ice cream, sprinkle with chocolate cookies.  Spread another 2 inch layer of ice cream over top (again, you may not use all the ice cream).  Freeze for several hours or overnight.  Remove from freezer and allow to soften at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Thoughts and Tips:

Do not use premium ice cream for this, as it will freeze too hard.  We like Kroger brand mint chocolate chip ice cream for its texture and flavor.  Generic brand cookies and hot fudge sauce are just as good as the name brand as well.

If you don't have a springform pan, you can make this in a round cake pan.  Line the pan with foil so you can lift the cake out for easy serving.

If desired, top with additional fudge sauce.

This was amazingly good and pretty easy to put together.  Leave some larger chunks of the chocolate cookies in the middle; if you crumble them too small, you lose the flavor and texture they add.

Luscious Tropical Dream Cake

Originally from Kraft Food and Family Magazine

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)

1 pkg (2 layer size) yellow cake mix

1 pkg (3.4 oz) lemon flavor instant pudding

1 1/2 cups cold milk

2 cups thawed whipped topping

1/2 cup coconut, toasted

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare cake batter as directed on package, substituting 1 cup reserved pineapple juice for 1 cup of the water.  Pour into greased 15x10x1 inch pan.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Beat pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 minutes.  Stir in pineapple.  Spread over cake; cover with whipped topping.  Top with coconut and nuts.  Keep refrigerated.

Thoughts and Tips

If you don't like lemon, you can make this with vanilla pudding instead. 

You may not be able to get a full cup of pineapple juice from the crushed pineapple.  If not, just add water to make a cup.

The cake comes out fairly thin, but it is a good proportion to the topping.

It is hard to spread the whipped topping over the pudding without mixing the pudding into it.  Don't worry if it looks a little funny--once you sprinkle the coconut and nuts you can't tell.

This cake is delicious!  The combination of flavors is excellent and it is not too rich.  It's like a little taste of the tropics.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

 1 pouch sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 to 1/2 tsp mint extract

6-8 drops green food color

1 egg

1 cup crème de menthe baking chips

1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Mix cookie mix, butter, extract, food color, and egg in bowl until soft dough forms.  Stir in both types of baking chips.

Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Serve warm or cool completely.

Thoughts and Tips:

These cookies are awesome!  Super easy to make and everybody loved them.  If you like mint chocolate chip ice cream, you will love these!

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toffee and Coconut

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups self-rising flour

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup white baking chips

3/4 cup toffee bits

3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease baking sheets. 

In large bowl, beat butter and shortening at medium speed 30 seconds or until blended.  Add sugar and brown sugar; beat until combined.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended.  At low speed, slowly beat in flour.  Stir in chocolate chips, white baking chips, toffee bits and coconut.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets.  Bake, one sheet at a time, 10 to 12 minutes or until  light brown.  Place cookies on wire racks; cool completely.

Thoughts and Tips:

If you don't have self-rising flour on hand, for each cup of flour you can substitute 1 cup of flour plus 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp baking soda.

I really didn't think that the coconut added anything to these and will leave it out the next time.  They also didn't have enough toffee or chocolate for our tastes, so I will probably double the amount of each of those chips and leave out the white chocolate chips next time.  Definitely do not over bake or they get really hard.  Err on the side of underdone!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Cake

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 Tbsp butter, melted

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cartons (1.75 quart) vanilla ice cream

4 cups chocolate chip cookies, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and cinnamon in medium bowl until crumbs are moistened.  Stir in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips.  Press into bottom of 13x9 inch baking pan.  Bake 6 minutes until set.  Cool completely on wire rack.

Meanwhile, heat cream in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot and steamy.  Remove from heat.  Add bittersweet chocolate chips.  Let stand 1 minute; stir until melted and smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Cool 20 minutes or until room temperature.

Place ice cream in refrigerator 20 minutes or until slightly softened.  Spread half of the ice cream over crust; quickly spread with spatula to level.  Sprinkle half of the cookies over ice cream.  Quickly spoon 1 1/4 cups of the chocolate sauce over cookies and ice cream; spread with spatula to cover.   Freeze 15 minutes to firm sauce.

Quickly spread remaining ice cream over sauce.  Sprinkle with remaining cookies.  Drizzle with remaining sauce.  Sauce will not completely cover top.

Freeze 2 hours to firm.  Wrap tightly; freeze overnight or up to 1 week.  Remove from freezer to soften slightly before serving.  Cut with warm knife.  Store in freezer.

Thoughts and Tips:

Do not use premium ice cream in this; it freezes too hard!

Soften the ice cream only to the point where it's easy to spread.  If it melts too much, the texture will not be good after it refreezes.

If ice cream is not soft enough to spread when you start, microwave in 30 second intervals on 50% power.

We liked this, but it was a bit of a pain to put together.  The graham cracker crust wanted to stick to the ice cream; if I were making it again, I would experiment with making a cookie crust instead.  I used homemade cookies, but you could definitely use store bought.  The bittersweet chocolate sauce was a little too dark for most of the family; I would use semi-sweet the next time.

No-Melt Sundae Pie

Originally from Kraft Food and Family Magazine

15 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (approx. 1 1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed, divided

1 cup cold milk

1 pkg (4 serving size) vanilla flavor instant pudding

2 squares Semi-Sweet baking chocolate OR 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate.  Reserve 1/2 cup whipped topping; refrigerate.

Pour milk into large bowl.  Add dry pudding mix.  Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.  Gently stir in remaining whipped topping.  Spoon into crust.  Mix melted chocolate and condensed milk until well blended.  Spoon over pie.  Cut through chocolate mixture several times with knife for marble effect.

Freeze 6 hours until firm.  Remove pie from freezer 15 minutes before serving.  Top with reserved whipped topping.  Garnish with maraschino cherry if desired.

Thoughts and Tips:

To speed up the process, use a premade chocolate crust instead of the cookie crumb crust.

Melt chocolate easily in the microwave:  use a microwave safe bowl.  For one square of chocolate, microwave on high for one minute, stirring after 30 seconds.  (squares will retain their shape.)  Add 10 seconds for each additional square.  Continue to microwave in 15 second intervals until melted.

I was a little dubious about this pie--frozen pudding?!-- but it turned out to be delicious.  The filling is super creamy and it has just the right amount of chocolate so you can still taste the vanilla.  Emily especially was a fan of this one.

Lemonade Stand Pie

(Originally from Kraft Food and Family Magazine)

1/3 cup lemonade flavor drink mix

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed

1 graham pie crust (6 oz)

Place drink mix in a large bowl.  Add water; stir until mix is dissolved.  Add ice cream.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.  Gently stir in whipped topping.  If mixture is too runny, freeze for about 10 minutes until thick enough to mound.

Spoon into crust.  Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight, until firm.

Allow pie to stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes prior to serving, until it can be easily cut.  Store leftovers in freezer.

8 servings

Thoughts and tips:

Make sure you use a presweetened lemonade powder (I used Countrytime) or this will be REALLY tart!

To soften the ice cream, place the carton in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before you are ready to add it to the other ingredients. 

An electric mixer is definitely helpful for this recipe to make sure everything is combined.

We all really really liked this-- the lemon was refreshing and not too overpowering.