Good Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (60 ml)

1/4 cup sugar (60 ml)

1 tsp cinnamon (5 ml)

1 tsp ginger (5 ml)

1 tsp cloves (5 ml)

1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)

1 tsp baking powder (5 ml)

1 1/4 cups flour (300 ml)

1/2 tsp baking soda (2 ml)

1/2 cup fancy molasses (2 ml)

1/4 tsp baking soda (1 ml)

3/4 cup boiling water (175 ml)

1 egg, beaten

Instructions:

Cream butter and sugar.

In a separate bowl mix cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, baking powder and flour.

Beat 1/2 tsp baking soda into molasses until foamy.  Add to butter mixture.

Add the 1/4 tsp of baking soda to the boiling water.
Add this alternately with the dry ingredients to the butter-molasses mixture.

Fold in beaten egg.

The batter will be thin.  Pour into greased loaf pan

Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees F (200C) or until done.

Serve warm with whipped cream, lemon sauce, or ice cream.

 

Recipe originally from The Best of the Best and More

photo source:  Google images

Cherries 'n' Cream Dessert

(This is my sister's recipe and it is well worth making!)

This dessert makes a wonderful addition to any buffet or holiday meal. Although rich, it's light so you don't feel overstuffed if you have a smallish piece.  But I warn you, you'll want seconds, so save room -- skip the vegetables!

Cookie Crumble Crust:

1 cup butter plus 2 tbsp

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup finely chopped almonds

Filling:

1 250 g pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp almond extract

500 ml whipping cream

4 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping:

1 1/2 cans cherry pie filling

For crust, melt butter, then add flour, sugar, nuts and mix well.  Mixture will resemble soft cookie dough.  Spread on a large, ungreased baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.  Stir mixture often as it bakes, breaking it apart into fine pieces.

After baking, let crumbs cool slightly.  Reserve one cup for topping, press remaining crumbs into a 9″x13″ baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes, being careful not to overbrown.  Remove from oven and cool.  A few minutes in the freezer will speed the process nicely.

Meanwhile, beat together whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.  Refrigerate until needed.  Beat together cream cheese, sugar and almond extract until smooth.  Fold whipped cream into cream cheese.  Spread mixture onto cool crust.

Carefully layer cherry pie filling over cream cheese.  Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Maureen's Cinnamon Buns

For the dough:

3 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 pkg instant yeast

3/4 cup milk, 2%

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 egg, slightly beaten

 Reserve 1 cup flour.

Mix flour, sugar and salt first; then sprinkle yeast, mix.

Heat milk, water and butter until hot to the touch.

Stir the hot mix into the dry ingredients.  Add the beaten egg. Stir.

Mix in enough reserve flour to make a soft dough (you'll have left over).

Turn on floured surface.

Knead, adding reserve flour as needed so it's not sticking.

Knead about 5 minutes or until elastic.

Cover and rest 10 minutes*

(no, not you, the dough!)

Making the buns:

Roll dough to a 14" square. 

Spread 1/2 cup butter (approx) over the rolled dough

Sprinkle: 

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 Tbsp cinnamon 

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup pecans (opt)

Roll up and cut into slices

Preparing the Pan:

(I used one 9x9" and one round 8" pan)

Spread approx 1-2 Tbsp butter at the bottom, then sprinkle some brown sugar.

Lay the slices into the pans.

Cover and let rise approx 30 min.

Bake at 375 degrees F for approx 20 min.

After baking, immediately turn pans upsidedown and

remove them from the buns.

*Tip:  If my kitchen is cool, I like to turn on the oven and let the stove area warm up a bit. I put the rising dough in its mixing bowl near by on the counter to rise. The dough should rise enough to leave a hole when you poke it.

 

Blueberry Loaf Cake

Blueberry Loaf Cake

(adapted from Taste of Home recipe)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

Grease one 9x5" loaf pan

1/2 cup butter, softened (I use Becel too and it works)

1 cup sugar (I used less)

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

TOPPING:

2 - 4 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

recipe adapted from the Taste of Home recipe

 Cream butter and sugar till fluffy.  Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla.  Combine flour and baking powder; add to cream mixture just till combined.

Pour 1/2 the batter into the greased pan.  Gently layer blueberries over top,  add the rest of the dough over the berries.*  Sprinkle the topping and bake about 50 minutes (or until done).

Cool in the pan about 10 minutes before removing.  Cool completely.

* My tip:   Adding the blueberries this way rather than mixing them into the dough prevents you from getting 'blue dough.'

Harvest Fruit Dessert

Harvest Fruit Dessert
(originally from What Cooking magazine, Fall 2008)

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
1/3 cup sugar

1 cup flour

12 pkg (250 g) cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup, divided
1 egg

2 plums, thinly sliced
2 small apples, thinly sliced
1/4 cup ground toasted pecans

Heat oven to 375 F. Mix margarine and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Add flour; mix until blended. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.

Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until blended. Stir in 3 Tbsp. syrup and egg. Spread onto crust. Top with fruit and sprinkle with nuts. Bake 40 - 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Let stand 5 minutes.

Run knife around rim of pan to loosen; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 3 hours. Drizzle with remaining syrup.

Marie's Light Fruitcake

Marie’s Light Fruitcake

3 cups light raisins                                       1 lb butter, softened

2 cups mixed glazed fruit (one tub)             2 cups white sugar

6 slices candied pineapple, chopped           10 eggs

1/3 cup chopped orange peel                      rind of one lemon

1/3 cup chopped lemon peel                       juice of one lemon

1 cup green glazed cherries                        2 tsp almond flavoring

1 cup red glazed cherries                            1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups whole blanched almonds             3 cups flour

1 ½ cups pecan halves                                1 tsp salt

1 cup flour                                                  1 tsp baking powder

Prepare 3 loaf pans – line with 2 alternating layers of brown paper and grease.  Mix all fruit and nuts with one cup flour.

Cream butter with sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Stir in flavorings and lemon rind and juice.  Combine flour, salt and baking powder.  Add to creamed mixture, stir well.  Mix in fruit and mix well.  Divide batter between 3 pans.

Bake at 275 F for 2 – 2 ½ hours, or until toothpick comes clean.

Cool in pans.  When cool, remove and brush with brandy.  Wrap in plastic.  Ripen for 2-3 weeks, brushing 3 more times with brandy, and then may be frozen.

Almond Cherry Balls

 

Almond Cherry Balls


Preheat oven to 325 F

1 cup butter
1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup ground almonds
18 candied cherries, halved

Cream butter and icing sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla, flour and almonds. Mix well. Mixture will look pastry like. Take a teaspoon of dough and start to form a ball. Push half a cherry into the dough and finish forming the ball (the cherry should be hidden inside).

Bake on greased cookie sheet for 30 - 35 minutes. Roll in icing sugar while still hot. If you wish, once the cookies are completed cooled, you can roll them again for another layer, as the sugar melts the first ime.

Makes 3 dozen tiny delicious morsels.

Sugar Plums

Sugar Plums

2 cups whole almonds

(toasted in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes,

cooled, then finely chopped)

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp grated orange zest

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup finely chopped dried apricots

1 cup finely chopped pitted dates

1 cup icing sugar (confectioner's)

Combine the honey, orange zest and spices. Add almonds, apricots, dates and icing sugar. Mix well. Using a teaspoon, take pieces of the mixture and roll into balls. Then roll in extra icing sugar.

Store in single layers between wax paper in airtight containers in the refrigerator, up to one month... except, they're so yummy with tea you won't have to worry about them getting stale!

Almost Martha's Hot Fudge Sauce

A couple of years ago, I traveled to another city for a week-long conference. I stayed at a friend of a friend's place. Although we'd never met, from the first moments we spent together, my hostess made me feel so welcome in her home.

The most amazing thing was that even though I'd arrived late in evening, she asked me if I'd be interested in a bowl of ice cream with homemade fudge sauce. She was just thinking of making some for herself when I arrived. Sounds good to me, I replied. And it was!!

Here's her recipe (she said it was a Martha Stewart recipe):

Hot Fudge Sauce


1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light cream*
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Put everything in a saucepan. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes over medium heat. Stir constantly.

*I have substituted the cream with milk (even skim) and it still works amazingly well. Which is good if you need to watch your fat or calorie intake.

Phantom Rhubarb Muffins

Phantom Rhubarb Muffins
'The Best of the Best and More Cookbook'

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup diced rhubarb
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Blend together sour cream, oil and egg. Set aside. In another bowl, stir remaining ingredients together and combine with sour cream mixture. Mix just until moistened. Fill muffin pan. (I find this is a 9 muffin recipe, so I increase the recipe by 1/4 to get 12 muffins.)

Topping

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp melted butter

Combine all ingredients and spoon on top of each muffin. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. (I also increase this recipe by a 1/4.)

NB.  These make great desserts served warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

We made this recipe yesterday afternoon. It is a recipe my aunt gave me a few years ago when I visited her.

It was delicious then, it's delicious now. And the best part was the fun of sharing some of it with special friends and a good neighbour!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Oven - 350 F
9 x 13 pan

Beat the following together:

1/2 cup butter or marg
1/2 cup oil (I used olive and it was fine)
1 3/4 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup less)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla


Combine the dry ingredients in separate bowl:

5 Tbsp cocoa
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt (opt.)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon


In a measuring cup, mix together:
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp baking soda

2 cups shredded zucchini

Add wet and dry, alternately. Add zucchini. Mix. Put into greased baking pan.


Topping

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Spread on top of mixture. Bake 30 - 35 minutes.

Cherry Crunch

We tried a new cherry recipe last night from Joy of Cooking. It was yumyum!!

In my usual cooking style, I sorta followed the recipe but not totally. I didn't have tapioca on hand, so I thickened the cherries and juice with corn starch. So here's my version of..........

Cherry Crunch

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 350F

Part 1:

In a saucepan, begin cooking

2 cups of sour cherries
1/2 cup sugar (approx, enough for your taste)

As they cook, they make a lot of juice, so when they are almost done, I added

1 - 2 tsp cornstarch (approx) and cooked until thickened. Set aside.

Part 2:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients until crumbly. In a 9x9 baking pan, put half of this mix on the bottom. Spread the cherry mixture on top. Sprinkle remaining crumble over cherries.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brown.

Serve with low fat vanilla yogurt ice cream (well, you gotta cut back somewhere)!

Cherry Compote

Cherry Compote
(from my ancient Purity Cookbook)

2 quarts sour cherries, pitted, set aside

In a saucepan,

combine and boil for 5 minutes:

2 cups dry red wine
1 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Add cherries, cook until syrup is reduced to 2/3 of original volume.

Combine and blend into syrup:

1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water

Simmer 5 minutes and flavour with:

2 Tbsp Kirsch or cherry brandy.

Can replace with Almond Extract, but use less

Pour syrup over cherries.

Ladle into sterilized jars. Makes 6 6-oz jars.

Very nice over ice cream or pancakes.

Fresh Cherry Pie

Fresh Cherry Pie
(from The Joy of Cooking )Preheat oven to 450 F

One 9-inch double-crust pie

4 cups fresh sour cherries, washed, drained, pitted

Combine, then mix gently with cherries:

2 2/3 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
1  1/3 cups sugar
2 drops almond flavouring or 2Tbsp Kirsch

Let fruit mix stand 15 minutes.

Then pour fruit into pie shell and dot with

2 Tbsp butter

Cover with a well-pricked top or lattice. Bake 10 minutes at 450F, then reduce heat to 350F and bake about 40 minutes longer until nicely brown.

Sour Cream Cherry Pie

Sour Cream Cherry Pie
(from The Joy of Cooking)

Preheat oven to 325F

1 9-inch single-crust pie or 4 tarts

Fill shell with the following cherry custard:

3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cultured sour cream (I use no fat kind -- it works)
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted

Bake until the custard is firm, about 1 hour.

Serve very hot or very cold.