For the topping:
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
6 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into small pieces
For the filling:
4 cups of peaches, peeled, sliced and each slice cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the topping:
Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. With your fingertips, blend the butter pieces into the dry ingredients until large clumps form and the flour and butter are completely incorporated about 3 minutes.
For the filling:
Combine the peaches with lemon juice and cinnamon. Spread the peaches in a medium baking dish, greased with butter. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the peaches.
Bake until the topping is browned and crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes. Place the dish on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
My blueberry bushes are producing lots of berries right now, so I am busy thinking up ways to use them
Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
One 9-9nch prepared pie pastry
For the filling
3 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
For the topping
1cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°.Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Place the pastry in the pan and crimp the edges.
Make the filling: Mix blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl. Transfer to the prepared pie pan.
Make the topping: Stir together flour, oats, baking powder, melted butter, and salt. Using your hands, squeeze topping pieces together into clumps.
Sprinkle topping evenly overfilling. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
Bake until bubbling in center and brown on top, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Here in the deep south, the beginning of August is just about the end of the growing season due to the high temperatures. Peaches, summer squash, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, watermelon, basil, and okra are at their peak but will be difficult to get locally in the next few weeks. Here are some of my favorite recipes to make with August fruits and vegetables.
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
5 pounds of fresh tomatoes, quartered and seeded retaining as much pulp as possible
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large sweet onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 large cloves of fresh garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (chili)
1-2 teaspoons honey, if needed
Fresh Herbs
Place the following herbs in a piece of cheesecloth and tie the cheesecloth closed.
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh oregano
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of parsley
Directions
Pour the olive oil into a large stockpot over medium heat.
Add the onions, celery, garlic, and carrots.
Saute for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the tomatoes and sea salt.
Simmer on low heat, covered, for about an hour until the tomatoes cook down.
Remove the pot from the heat and using an immersion blender, process the mixture until smooth.
Return the pot to the heat and add the herb cheesecloth package.
Taste the sauce to see if the tomatoes were too bitter. Add the honey, if needed.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until reduced and thick, an hour to an hour and a half more. Remove the cheesecloth package and discard.
Pour the sauce into a refrigerator container and store the sauce up to 1 week, or freeze in batches.
Summertime Corn Chowder
For the corn stock ingredients
12 corn cobs (corn kernels removed and set aside for the chowder)
2 chive stalks
2 stems fresh parsley
2 stems fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Directions
Put corn cobs, chives, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and cold water to cover in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 1 1⁄2 hours. Strain, discard the solids and measure the broth.
If you do not have 6 cups add water to make the 6 cups. Set aside the broth.
For the chowder ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 leeks, white and light green sections, chopped
3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 carrots, diced
1 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups fresh corn kernels, divided
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup half-and-half or evaporated milk
6 cups corn stock or vegetable broth if you don’t make the corn stock
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Grated cheddar cheese, chopped chives or crumbled bacon, for garnish
Directions
Heat the butter in a Dutch oven or large soup pot.
Add the leeks, celery, carrots, bell pepper, jalapeno, and potatoes to the pot and saute for ten minutes until soft.
Add 3 cups of the corn, the 6 cups corn stock, chili powder and the thyme.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for an hour. Remove the thyme branches.
Take the pot off the heat and puree the contents with an immersion blender.
Add the half and half, salt and pepper to taste and the remaining 3 cups of corn.
Return the pot to the heat and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes.
Peach Crisp
Filling
4 cups peaches, peeled and sliced (about 8 medium peaches)
2-3 tablespoons honey or agave nectar, depending on the sweetness of the peaches
Topping
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup oats
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, combine the fruit and honey. Spread the mixture evenly in an 8×8-inch baking pan.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Stir the oil into the topping mix with a fork until you get a crumbly mixture forms.
Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the fruit in the baking dish.
Bake for 50 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden.
Quick Broiled Tomatoes
For each 2-person serving:
Ingredients
1 large beefsteak tomato
2 teaspoons prepared basil pesto
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Directions
Heat the broiler to high.
Cut the tomato in half and place in a baking dish, cut sides up.
Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto over each tomato.
Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs and then the grated cheese.
Drizzle each with a little olive oil.
Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the topping is nicely browned.
Baba Ghanoush
Ingredients
2-3 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
2 large cloves of garlic
1/2 cup lemon juice, more if desired
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Kosher salt
Directions
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat and place the eggplants directly on the grill. Directions for an oven version below.
Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until tender and charred on all sides, about 15-20 minutes.
The eggplants should be very tender.
Test the eggplants by sticking a skewer near the stem and bottom ends. If the skewer meets resistance, continue cooking.
When they are done, wrap the eggplants in foil and crimp the top to seal. Let the eggplants rest for 15 minutes.
Open the foil package, using a sharp knife slit open the eggplants and with a large spoon scoop out the soft flesh.
Transfer to a strainer set in a large bowl. Pick out any bits of skin and blackened flesh.
To roast in the oven:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Pierce the eggplants with a fork in several places. Place on an oiled baking pan and roast until soft all over, about 20 minutes.
Follow directions as above.
Put the eggplant in a food processor, add the garlic, lemon juice and pulse until it is smooth and creamy.
Add the tahini and pulse again until it’s combined. With the processor turned on, slowly add the olive oil in a thin steady stream.
The mixture will be pale and creamy.
By hand, stir in the parsley, honey, smoked paprika and salt. Taste to see if you’d like additional salt or lemon juice.
Put the baba ghanoush into a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve with warm flatbread or vegetables.
Baba ghanoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Let the eggplant dip warm to room temperature before serving.
Roasted Okra
Ingredients
1 pound small okra
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Rinse the okra, drain and dry on a kitchen towel. The okra should be dry.
Trim away the stem ends and the tips and place the okra in a large bowl. Toss the okra with the olive oil until coated. Generously salt the okra.
Place the okra on a rimmed baking pan in one layer. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, shaking the pan every five minutes.
The okra should be lightly browned and tender. If you don’t want them too brown, roast at 400 degrees F.
Remove the pan from the oven, toss with fresh thyme leaves and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a platter. Serve hot.
Making a BBQ dinner for friends is a great way to entertain, especially if the weather cooperates. I enjoy having guests for dinner and I usually plan my menu with dishes that can be prepared ahead of time. That way I am able to spend time with friends rather than doing a lot of food preparations while they are visiting.
You may have noticed that more and more of your friends are following different diets. Some are only eating low carb foods, others are on a Paleo diet, some are diabetic, others vegetarian and some vegan. It is a good idea to check with your friends to see what they can eat. I am always open to planning variations of what I am making to accommodate their diets. In this case a few friends are following a vegan diet, so instead of 8 beef burgers, four are beef and four are made from oats and beans. These vegan burgers are great on the grill, hold up perfectly and do not fall apart. Just be sure your grill is well oiled. The rest of the menu works for everyone.
Beef Burgers
For 4 servings
Ingredients
20 oz (1 ¼ lbs grass-fed organic ground steak for burgers
Steak seasoning (I like Penzey’s Chicago seasoning)
1 large sweet onion, cut into 4 ½ inch thick slices
Olive oil cooking spray
4 wheat burger buns
Directions
Shape the meat into four equal patties, about 5 oz each.
Sprinkle the steak seasoning on both sides of the patties and spray each with olive oil cooking spray.
Coat the onion slices on both sides with cooking spray
Heat an outdoor grill on high. Oil the grill grates. Place the burgers on the grill, cover, cook turning once, for a total of 8 minutes.
Place the onion slices on the grill and cook until grill marks form on the bottom, turn them over with a wide spatula and cook the second side for a total of about 4 minutes.
Toast the rolls at the same time. Place the burgers on the bottom half of the rolls and top with a grilled onion slice.
Serve with ketchup and your favorite burger condiments.
Vegan Bean and Oat Burgers
For 4 servings
Ingredients
1/2 sweet onion, minced
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup oats
1/4 cup dry pinto beans
1/4 cup dry red or black beans
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 medium carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for grilling
For Serving
Grilled Onion slices
4 wheat burger buns
Ketchup or other condiments
Directions
Soak the beans overnight in water to cover and cook the next day for 30 minutes. Drain and cool.
Place the oats in the bowl of the processor and process until finely ground.
Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
Remove the mixture from the processor and shape into four patties. Cover with plastic wrap.
Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before grilling.
Brush the patties with olive oil and place on an oiled grill.
Cook for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Place on toasted buns and add a grilled onion slice. Serve with ketchup or other condiments.
Whole-Wheat Burger Buns
6 buns
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, stir together the flours, yeast, salt, wheat gluten and baking soda.
Add the warm water, honey and oil. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together around the paddle.
Switch to the dough hook and knead on low until the dough is smooth but slightly sticky.
Place in an oiled bowl, turning over once to coat all over with oil, cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside for 2 hours until the dough has risen.
Punch down the dough and divide into 6 smooth balls
Place the buns on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet, a few inches apart or in a greased burger baking pan.
Flatten the tops slightly with your fingers, and let the buns rise for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the buns in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.
Remove to a rack and allow the buns to cool.
Zucchini Fennel Salad
Ingredients
Salad
1 large zucchini, sliced very thin
Half red onion, sliced very thin
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
12 Italian green olives, pitted and chopped
Dressing
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
Directions
In a large serving bowl, combine the zucchini, onion, olives and fennel.
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well.
Pour over the zucchini mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate for several hours until chilled before serving.
Peach Crisp
Ingredients
Filling
4 cups peaches, peeled and sliced (about 8 medium peaches)
2-3 tablespoons agave nectar, depending on the sweetness of the peaches
Topping
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup oats
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 – 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, combine the fruit and the agave nectar. Spread the mixture evenly in an 8×8-inch baking pan.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Stir the oil into the topping mix with a fork until you get a crumbly mixture forms.
Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the fruit in the baking pan.
Bake for 50 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden.
Fresh fruit is so plentiful now that I can’t resist baking with some of it. The question is – which fruit to use? Cherries have a short season, so I take advantage of their availability now. Peaches are so flavorful at this time of year, you will want to bring home a bag full. Here in the south figs are everywhere and there are so many things you can make with them. What is your favorite summer fruit for baking?
Louisiana Fig and Pecan Cake
Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped fresh figs
½ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioner’s sugar, for serving
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a standing mixer, whisk the eggs briefly in the mixer bowl. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about one minute.
Add oil and beat until just combined.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and baking soda.
Beginning with the flour, add flour and buttermilk mixture alternately and mix until combined.
Add the chopped figs, cinnamon, cloves, salt and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Pour batter into a greased and floured tube pan, or into 2 loaf pans (8x4x2½).
Bake until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the cake, 60-70 minutes for the tube pan and 50-55 minutes for the loaf pans.
Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Garnish with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
Sweet Cherry Galette
Ingredients
1/2 package of refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury), at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch or other pie thickener
3 1/2 cups pitted fresh cherries (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Coarse sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface into an 11-inch circle.
Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Mix the pitted cherries with the brown sugar, salt and liqueur.
Spoon the cherries over the dough and leave a 2-inch border.
Drop pieces of butter over the cherries and fold the edges of the dough over, pressing lightly.
Sprinkle the crust with coarse sugar and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cherries are bubbling and the crust is brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Big Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
My children and grandchildren visit in the summer because they like all the water activities that are available at this time of year. A favorite dessert for all are chocolate chip cookies. I prepare a big batch before they arrive and store them in the freezer. Serving dessert is so easy – don’t even have to think about it.
If you do not want to make a big batch, the recipe ingredients can easily be cut in half.
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Heat the oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. I use four baking sheets for this recipe, so I can rotate them quickly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.
Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined (do not overmix). Mix in the chocolate chips by hand.
Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Place 12 cookies on a sheet.
Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden around the edges but still soft in the center, 14 to 15 minutes.
Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then slide the parchment paper with cookies on it to the kitchen counter to cool completely.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
I store the cookies in the freezer and when company comes, I take out a dozen or two the night before and store them in an airtight container.
You won’t have to worry about them for the next day. They will be all gone!
Peach Crisp
Ingredients
6 ripe medium peaches
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, diced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the topping by combining all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and, using your fingers, work the butter into the mixture until crumbs form. Set aside.
For the peaches:
Peel and slice the peaches about ¼ inch thick and place in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well with a spatula.
Butter an 8×8 inch baking dish and pour the peaches into the dish. Spread the peaches to make an even layer.
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the peaches.
Bake for about one hour until the peaches are bubbling away and the topping is brown and crispy.
Cool the baking dish on a wire rack. Serve the peach crisp warm with a spoonful of whipped cream on top.
Most people think of summer as the time for the best produce, but autumn is the season that gives us great fruit for baking. First of all, fall is apple picking season, and that means lots of muffins, pies, cakes and tarts all filled with sweet and tart apples. Then Bartlett pears arrive, followed by Bosc and Comice pears and Anjou pears in winter. Other fall fruits would be figs and cranberries, which are healthy and delicious.
This time of year the whole world seems to go pumpkin-crazy. Pumpkin ends up in almost every recipe, whether it’s drinks, breakfast, pasta or pastries. Besides pumpkin, other winter squash such as butternut and acorn are available for sweet as well as savory recipes.
There are some spices that are associated with fall recipes. Those spices are warm, nutty, slightly spicy and slightly sweet. They include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, chai, allspice, mace, star anise, cardamom, coriander, fennel and peppercorns.
Make your own Spice Blends
To make pumpkin pie spice blend, combine 1/4 cup ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons ground ginger, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground allspice and 1 teaspoon ground cloves. Mix thoroughly. Keep the mixture in a tightly sealed jar in your pantry.
To make apple pie spice blend, combine 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground allspice, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Mix all the spices together and store in an airtight container.
All these delicious, healthy fruits are in season now.
- Apple
- Bananas
- Dried Fruit
- Kiwi
- Melon
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Plum
- Pomegranate
Apple and Cranberry Crisp
Ingredients
- 8 cups thinly sliced, peeled baking apples (8 medium)
- 1 ½ cups cranberries
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
Topping
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a 2-quart rectangular baking dish combine apples, cranberries and apple juice.
In a small bowl stir together granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon apple pie spice. Sprinkle over fruit mixture; toss gently to coat.
For the topping:
In a medium bowl stir together oats, brown sugar, flour and 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle topping over fruit mixture.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm.
Bread Dough
Use this recipe for the fig rolls.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 cups bread flour
- 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Directions
In a 2-quart mixing bowl stir together the warm water and yeast until yeast is dissolved. Stir in flours, sugar, oil, and salt until combined. Cover with lid or plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place for 1 hour. Stir down. Cover and chill overnight. Before baking, let dough stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Italian Fig Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup finely chopped dried figs
- 1 teaspoon snipped fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 pound bread dough, recipe above and made the day before
- 2 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- Small fresh sage leaves
Directions
Line a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil. Grease foil; set aside.
For the filling:
In a small bowl combine figs, snipped sage and honey; set aside.
Cut dough into 12 equal portions. Shape dough portions into balls.
Working with one dough ball at a time, flatten it to a 3-inch circle. Top with a rounded teaspoon of the filling and a few pieces of the cheese. Fold dough over filling; pinch edges to seal.
Place rolls, seam side down, in the prepared baking pan. Cover and let rise until double in size (1 to 1-1/4 hours).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl whisk together egg white and the water; brush lightly over rolls. Gently press small sage leaves onto the tops of the rolls; brush again with the egg white mixture.
Bake about 20 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Mini Cheesecakes with Pear Topping
Ingredients
Crust
- 3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 4 cups sliced fresh pears (4 medium)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Garnish
- 1/4 cup broken walnuts,toasted
- Crumbled blue cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line eight 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with foil or paper baking cups or lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
For the crust:
In a small bowl stir together oats, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon about 2 rounded tablespoons of oat mixture into each prepared muffin cup. Using the bottom of a narrow glass, press down lightly. Bake about 8 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
For the filling:
In a medium bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add egg; beat just until combined. Stir in the 1/2 cup blue cheese and the sour cream.
Spoon 1 well-rounded tablespoon of filling into each muffin cup. Bake about 20 minutes or until slightly puffed and set. Cool about 30 minutes.
Remove from muffin cups. Place on a tray, cover, and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
For the pear topping:
In a large skillet melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar and the cream. Cook and stir until bubbly; add pears. Cook about 5 minutes or until pears are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool slightly.
To serve:
Remove foil or paper liners from cheesecakes. Place cheesecakes in eight deep dessert dishes. Spoon pear mixture around cheesecakes. Sprinkle with the 1/4 cup toasted walnuts and additional blue cheese, if desired.
Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
12 doughnuts
Doughnuts
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Coating
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, optional
- 2 tablespoons REAL maple syrup, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans (see photo). If you don’t have doughnut pans, you can bake these in a standard muffin tin; they just won’t be doughnuts.
Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt and baking powder until smooth.
Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.
Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full; use a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well.
If you’re making muffins, fill each cup about 3/4 full; the recipe makes about 15, so you’ll need to bake in two batches (unless you have two muffin pans).
Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
If you’re making muffins, they’ll need to bake for 23 to 25 minutes.
Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges and transfer them to a rack to cool.
While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon-sugar.
If you’ve made muffins, sprinkle their tops with the cinnamon-sugar.
Optional: combine the powdered sugar with the maple syrup and drizzle the cinnamon coated donuts with the glaze.
Cool completely, and store (not wrapped tight) at room temperature for several days.
Apple French Toast Bake
Make ahead breakfast.
French Toast
- 1 day old Italian bread, about 18″ to 20″ long (12 ounces)
- 8 large eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 5 to 6 apples (1 3/4 to 2 pounds fresh apples), peeled and thinly sliced; such as Macoun, Empire, Cortland or Granny Smith
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Optional Garnish
- Cinnamon-sugar
- Maple syrup
Directions
Lightly butter a 9″ x 13″ baking pan or similar-sized casserole dish.
Slice the bread into 1 inch slices; you’ll need about 20 slices to fill the pan. Place the slices of bread into the pan. Be sure the entire bottom of the dish is covered with bread. You may have to cut some slices to fit.
In a medium-sized bowl beat the eggs, then whisk in the milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt.
Pour this mixture over the bread and let it soak in while you prepare the topping.
Peel and slice the apples thinly. Mix them with the remaining topping ingredients and spread them over the bread in the pan.
To bake immediately, preheat the oven to 375°F.
To bake up to 48 hours later, cover the pan, and refrigerate.
Bake the French toast in a preheated 375°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the apples are soft and the eggs set.
If it’s been refrigerated, remove the cover, and bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or drizzle with maple syrup.
Makes about 10 servings.
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You can find berries and melons in the supermarket in the winter, but these fruits do not have much taste. So instead, spend your money on fruit that actually tastes good now. We all know the winter holiday season is prime time for cranberries and yams, but have you considered persimmons, kiwi, citrus or pears? Winter is when most citrus fruits are at their sweetest and juiciest. Winter fruits are also excellent for baking. Here’s how to choose the best fruit, why it’s good for you and how to save money.
Oranges
How to buy:
In general, look for plump oranges that are free of blemishes or bruises. As the season wears on, you may find different varieties of oranges popping up, such as Cara Cara and blood oranges. Try them! Both of these varieties are very sweet and have a darker flesh, ranging from pink in the Cara Cara to dark red in the blood orange.
Why it’s good:
Oranges are loaded with vitamin C (a large orange has more than the daily recommended value of vitamin C), which may help smooth your skin. If you bite into a blood orange, you’ll also be getting anthocyanins, a compound that turns the flesh red and is associated with helping to keep the heart healthy and the brain sharp.
How to save:
Buy them in bulk (they may be cheaper in a bag than when sold individually) and store them in the refrigerator to extend their life by a couple of weeks. If you stumble across a few fruits with a grainy texture, use them for juicing or cooking.
Bananas
How to buy:
Bananas are in season year-round and are different from other fruits because they can be picked while they are still far from ripe. If you do buy green bananas, wait until the skin ripens to a yellow and the starches convert to sugars.
Why it’s good:
Bananas are one of the best sources of potassium, which is associated with healthy blood pressure. Also, a medium banana is an excellent source of cell-building vitamin B6 and is a good source of vitamin C and fiber.
How to save:
Though bananas are relatively economical—ripening bananas cost about 70 to 90 cents per pound—overripe bananas are often on sale for less. Even if banana peels have started to brown, the insides often remain sweet, ripe and unblemished. Buy a bunch or two and peel the extras before sticking them in the freezer. They will keep for several months and are excellent in banana bread, pancakes and smoothies.
Pineapples
How to buy:
Avoid green pineapples—they are not ripe. A ripe pineapple should smell like a pineapple. There should be a golden color present—starting at the base—and the more yellow a pineapple is, the better it will taste throughout. Some people claim that pulling leaves easily from the top of a pineapple is an indication of ripeness, but this has not been proven. Your best bet is to go with color.
Why it’s good:
Pineapple is loaded with vitamin C, delivers a healthy dose of fiber and is an excellent source of manganese, a nutrient involved in bone formation.
How to save:
Cutting into a pineapple for the first time may be intimidating. But where your wallet is concerned, it may be worth learning how to do. Prepared pineapple chunks in the produce section cost more per pound—about 50 cents an ounce more—than a whole pineapple. Check your market for whole, peeled and decored pineapples. My market sells these pineapples at the same price as an unpeeled pineapple.
Pomegranates
How to buy:
Color is not a good indicator of a ripe pomegranate. Instead, choose a fruit that feels heavy in your hand.
Why it’s good:
Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants, natural compounds found in plants that help protect the body from harmful compounds that damage tissues and may contribute to a variety of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Although you don’t get as many antioxidants eating the seeds as drinking the juice, you will get a bit of fiber and abundant punicic acid, a polyunsaturated heart-healthy oil.
How to save:
Pomegranates aren’t the cheapest fruit in the produce bin (about $2.50 each), but the good news is that one fruit goes a long way. Your best bet is to compare prices at competing stores, and buy the cheapest you can find.
Grapefruit
How to buy:
Like oranges, select fruits that are free of blemishes and bruises. Buying ripe grapefruit can be tricky—the skin color of the fruit is not always a reliable way to tell if the fruit is sweet inside. If the fruit is heavy in your hand, that may be a good indication of its juiciness.
Why it’s good:
Grapefruits are high in vitamin C and are a good source of fiber. Studies have shown that the soluble fiber in grapefruit may even be beneficial in lowering cholesterol. Half a medium grapefruit has only 60 calories. One exception: if you take statins to lower cholesterol levels, consuming grapefruit juice or the fruit may prevent the statins from breaking down in your system, causing the drug to accumulate in high amounts in the body.
How to save:
If you regularly buy organic, you may make an exception for grapefruit. According to the Environmental Working Group (a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization) it is a fruit that is less likely to be contaminated with pesticides.
Tangerines
How to buy:
Choose tangerines with a deep orange color that are firm to semi-soft and heavy for their size. Avoid tangerines that have dull or brown coloring or soft spots.
Why it’s good:
One tangerine contains 2.3 grams fiber, 13% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A and 40% of vitamin C. Tangerines are smaller than oranges with bright orange skins and slightly looser peels than oranges. They are great for eating and you can also juice tangerines. Tangerines are less acidic than most citrus fruits. Use them as you would oranges in salads, stirred into yogurt or cottage cheese or as a topping for dessert.
How to save:
Buy them in bulk (they may be cheaper in a bag than when sold individually) and store them in the refrigerator to extend their life by a couple of weeks.
Making Healthy Desserts With Winter Fruits
Lemon Pudding Cakes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup skim or lowfat milk
- 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray six 6-ounce ramekins with vegetable oil spray. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar with the flour. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the butter until well blended. Whisk in the milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour the lemon mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until firm peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins and transfer them to a small roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake the pudding cakes for 35 minutes or until they are puffy and golden on top. Using tongs, transfer the ramekins to a rack to cool for 20 minutes. Serve the cakes in the ramekins or run a knife around the edge of each cake and unmold onto plates. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pudding cakes can be refrigerated for 2 days.
Chocolate Crepes with Orange and Chocolate Sauce
8 crepes
Ingredients
Crepes
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
- 1/4 cup water
Orange Syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- Zest from 2 oranges, cut into very thin strips
Filling: 1 cup frozen yogurt (vanilla or flavor of choice)
Topping: Chocolate Sauce (recipe follows)
Directions
To make crepes:
Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon oil and water in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or for up to 24 hours.
To make orange syrup:
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, add orange zest, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the syrup has thickened and the zest is tender. Several times during the cooking, brush the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to keep sugar crystals from forming on the sides. Remove from heat and let cool.
To cook and assemble crepes:
Heat a small nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when sprinkled on the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low. Brush pan with a little of the remaining 1 teaspoon oil as needed to prevent sticking. Pour about 2 tablespoons of batter on the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom evenly. Cook 30 to 40 seconds until the top of the crepe has a dull surface and the edges begin to curl. Flip and cook for 20 to 30 seconds, or until the crepe is firm. Remove to a plate and cover with a dry cloth. Repeat with remaining crepes. (The crepes may be stacked between wax paper sheets until serving time.)
Place a crepe on a dessert plate. Spread 2 tablespoons of frozen yogurt across the middle. Fold in half and spoon 1 tablespoon Chocolate Sauce over the top or beside it. Spoon 2 teaspoons orange syrup and zest over the folded crepe. Repeat with remaining crepes.
Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons skim milk
- 2 tablespoons honey or 1 1/2 tablespoons agave necter
- 1/4 teaspoon canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Sift together cocoa, cornstarch and sugar in a small saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisk in honey. Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in oil and vanilla.
Orange Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup smooth, unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
Directions
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in pecans and dried cranberries.
Whisk 1 cup sugar, applesauce, oil, orange zest and juice in a medium bowl until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until well blended.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
Roll the dough with floured hands (it will be very moist) into 1 1/2-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookies until barely golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the pan for 1 minute; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake
12 servings
The cream cheese in the batter makes the cake quite moist. Because it’s so tender, use a serrated knife for cutting.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup stick margarine or butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounces block style low fat cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups chopped, peeled baking apples (about 2-3 apples)
- Cooking spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, margarine, vanilla and cream cheese at medium speed until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Add 2 tablespoons or the cinnamon mixture to the apples and mix. Fold apple mixture into the batter.
Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray and sprinkle the top with the remaining cinnamon mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
NOTE: You can also make this cake in a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan; just reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.
Healthy Pear Crisp
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
- 8 fresh pears (about 2-1/2 lb.), peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup cold butter, cut up
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- Frozen yogurt, optional
Directions
Heat the oven to 375ºF.
Grate enough lemon peel to measure 1/2 teaspoon zest. Squeeze enough juice to measure 1-1/2 tablespoons.
Mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl. Add pears, lemon zest and juice; toss until pears are evenly coated.
Spoon into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Mix brown sugar and remaining flour, granulated sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts and sprinkle over the pears.
Bake 40 to 45 min. or until topping is golden brown and pears are hot and bubbly. Serve warm topped frozen yogurt, if desired.
NOTE: You can also bake this dessert in 9-inch square baking dish or shallow 2-qt. casserole instead of the 8-inch square baking dish.
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