Strawberry Tiramisu

(from the Cottage Journal newsletter by Hoffman Media)

http://www.hoffmanmedia.com/CottageJournal/signup.aspx

Makes 2 servings
1/2 (3-ounce) package ladyfingers
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese, divided
1 (4-ounce) bar semisweet chocolate, grated
1 tablespoon strawberry extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, divided
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Garnish: chocolate curls, fresh strawberries

1. Line 2 (4-inch) springform pans with parchment paper. Lightly spray bottoms and sides of pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms of pans with ladyfingers, making sure they are very close together. Brush ladyfingers with coffee liqueur.
2. In a small bowl, beat half of mascarpone and chocolate at medium speed with an electric mixer until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, beat remaining half of mascarpone, strawberry extract, and 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar at medium speed until smooth .
4. In a medium bowl, beat cream and remaining 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
5. To assemble, spread chocolate-mascarpone mixture evenly over ladyfingers. Spread strawberry-mascarpone mixture evenly over chocolate-mascarpone mixture. Spread whipped cream over strawberry-mascarpone mixture. Freeze for 4 hours, or until firm.
6. To serve, remove from freezer, carefully release sides of springform pans, and remove. Garnish with chocolate curls and strawberries, if desired. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Raspberry Coconut Breakfast Bars

(recipe and photo from http://www.driscolls.com/)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup toasted unsweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

2 large egg whites

1 package (6 ounce) Driscoll's Raspberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, allowing an overhang on sides of pan.

Stir together whole wheat flour, oats, all-purpose flour, flaked coconut, sugar, nutmeg and salt until blended. Stir in coconut oil and egg whites until moist dough forms. Reserve ¾ cup of dough. Press remaining dough into pan until evenly spread.

Mash raspberries in a separate bowl and spread over dough in pan. Crumble remaining dough and sprinkle on top of raspberry layer.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Using overhang, transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely before cutting.

Lasagna Soup, Cookbooks and Stevie Wonder!

Way back in the day, when I was first on my own as a newlywed, I am sorry to say that I did not have much talent in the kitchen.  While my Mother still remains a fabulous cook at nearly age 85, I know I could have learned so much from her while I was still living at home, but I just didn't have the interest back then.  As a result of my lack of culinary knowledge, there were many not-so-successful attempts at meal planning and the actual preparation thereof.

My first lasagna became "lasagna soup".  I remember there being a lot of hamburger based meals. And, we went out.  A lot.   As time went on, I started copying Mom's recipes and my cooking improved.  By the time we moved into our first home, I was a much better cook.  Happily, I discovered the plethora of cookbooks at the local public library.  I started checking out several cookbooks each visit, along with my regular reading.  Eventually, I had quite a collection of recipes from these borrowed books and also started collecting used cookbooks from tag sales.

Fast forward many years later to my current library in CT.  As I was looking for the book, "Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef" by Gabrielle Hamilton and I very happily rediscovered the 640 section of the Dewey system......lots and lots of cookbooks; perhaps thousands and  I rekindled my old habit of checking out cookbooks.  My stash of recipes is enormous, so this latest round of reading cookbooks is for pure pleasure only, though I will happily to add to my collection!

I thought that perhaps Annie's Sweet Tooth might be a good venue to chat about my findings and hear of your recommendations! 

"Morning Food" by Margaret S. Fox, former owner of Cafe Beaujolais on Mendocino's coast and John Bear is an interesting yet not too surprising collection of breakfast and brunch recipes.  Being a bready type breakfast person, I gravitated toward the muffin and coffeecake recipes first.

The first recipe which gives me pause and a watering mouth was "Mocha Walnut Wonder Muffins", invented by party planner Anni Amberger in honor of  Stevie Wonder.  Key ingredients: black coffee, cocoa, walnuts and chocolate chips!  I think I will be adding this recipe to my stash.

The "Morning Glory Muffins" are made with carrots, apples, coconuts and pecans; the last Morning Glory recipe I saved was made with zucchini;  will have to search that out and compare!

Among the coffee cakes which stood out is "Rachel's Version of the Anchorage Petroleum Wives Club Coffee Cake" (a mouthful!) which has a yeasted  batter including cream cheese. (Already I love it!)  The recipe offers a choice of two fillings - Apricot Almond or Prune Pecan.  Yes! Yes! Yes!

Among the recipes which I keep thinking about is the Cherry Omelet.  Eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and some butter;  sour cream and chopped cherries added when eggs are set; fold and serve.  It is probably very tasty...I will try this!

There are many, many recipes including quite a few brunch appropriate options.  This is Margaret Fox's second edition of  "Morning Food".  If you are a morning food (aka breakfast) foodie, check out for this cookbook! 

Key Lime Cupcakes

(recipe and photo from MyRecipes.com)



• White Cake
• 1/2 cup butter, softened            1 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• Paper baking cups
• Vegetable cooking spray
• Key Lime Filling
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup Key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• Fresh Whipped Cream
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sugar 
  Toppings:
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Lime rind strips



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in extracts.
3. Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.
4. To prepare Key Lime Filling, stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl until blended. Chill 1 hour or until thick. Makes 2 cups. Fill each cupcake with cupcake with Key Lime Filling.
5. To fill cupcakes, insert the end of a wooden spoon or dowel into the center of the cupcake to make a hole. Fill a zip-top plastic freezer bag with filling or frosting. Use scissors or kitchen shears to snip about 1/4 inch from one corner of the bag; insert bag into the hole in the cupcake. Squeeze gently until filling comes to the top of each cupcake.
6. To prepare whipped cream, beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. Makes 3 cups. Frost each cupcake with Fresh Whipped Cream. Top with graham cracker crumbs and lime rind.

Jan Moon, Dreamcakes Bakery, Southern Living Big Book of Cupcakes, Oxmoor House 2011

Berry Lemon Scones

(from http://www.recipe.com/)



3-1/4  cups  all-purpose flour

2/3  cup  sugar

1  tablespoon  baking powder

1  teaspoon  baking soda

3/4  teaspoon  salt

6  tablespoons  cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1  tablespoon  lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 cup

1  cup  fresh blueberries

1  teaspoon  grated lemon peel

1    egg, lightly beaten

1    egg white

2  tablespoons  granulated sugar

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread a large sheet of parchment paper on countertop.

 

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter; mix with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gently stir lemon-juice-milk mixture into dough, along with blueberries, lemon peel and egg, just until combined.

 

With floured hands, pat half of the dough into a 7-inch circle on one end of the parchment paper. Repeat, with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with sugar. Cut halfway down but not through each circle, 6 wedges for each round. Slide paper with dough onto baking sheet.

 

Bake at 400 degrees F for about 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool slightly. Pull apart at cut lines. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ladyfinger Lemon Dessert

(photo and recipe from http://www.tasteofhome.com;/ originally submitted by Tawana Flowers of California)



1 @ 12 oz can evaporated milk

1 @ 3 oz pkg. of ladyfingers, split

1 @ 3 oz pkg. of lemon gelatin

1 cup boiling orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 teas. grated lemon peel

1 cup reduced fat whipped topping

1.  Pour milk into a small metal bowl;  place mixer beaters in the bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.  Line the sides of a nine inch springform pan with ladyfingers; set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in orange juice.  Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and peel; cool to room temperature.

3.  Beat chilled milk until soft peaks form; fold into the gelatin mixture.  Pour into prepared pan.  Refrigerate for at least three hours of until firm.  Spread with whipped topping.  Remove sides of pan.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Easy Raspberry Brownies

(from dashrecipes.com)

Easy Raspberry Brownies

1 @19.9 oz box Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix

1 @ 3.13 oz package of chocolate pudding mix

3 eggs

1/4 cup of water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup raspberry jam

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Coat a 9 x 13" baking pan with cooking spray.

3.  In large bowl, combine brownie mix, pudding mix, eggs, water & oil.  Beat well.  Transfer to baking pan.  Drop jam one spoonful at a time onto batter.  Swirl using a butter knife.

4.  Bake for 28 minutes or until done.  Cut into 24 brownies.  Top with fresh raspberries.



Now, how easy was that??