Apple Streusel Bread

This bread is absolutely fantastic.  It has just the right amount of apple and the perfect combination of flavors.  We love it.  I love to make bread into mini loaves so I can give some away so I don't eat it all because trust me, I can and will do it.  Be sure if you make smaller loaves to decrease the baking time. 

Apple Bread:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

Streusel Topping:
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. To prepare topping, combine flour, granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside.
3. To prepare bread, combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs, lemon juice and vanilla.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until moistened. Add apples and stir gently to combine.
6. Spoon half of the batter into a buttered 9-by-5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the topping. Spoon remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with remaining topping. Finish by sprinkling evenly with brown sugar.
7. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the pan and set on a rack to cool. Makes 10 servings.

Recipe Source:  The Costco Cookbook

Quick and Easy Fruit Dip

This is a super quick and easy fruit dip.  I made this for a family get together, and it got demolished!  It only requires 3 ingredients.  This would be a great last minute appetizer for any party or barbecue!

Quick and Easy Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
8 oz. softened cream cheese
16 oz. marshmallow cream or fluff (or whatever you call the marshmallow in a jar stuff)
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions: 
Mix together until the dip is smooth and creamy.  Serve with you favorite fruits!

Recipe Source:  Kimmy's Creation

Sparkling Mango Lemonade

We've finally been getting some sun rays here in the Pacific Northwest!  Hallelujah!  I've been seeing all these lemonade recipes popping up all over blogs and decided it was time to partake of this delicious summertime beverage.  I decided to pair the lemonade with one of my favorite fruits of summer.  The Mango!  Oh how I love them and could eat them everyday of my life.  This lemonade was perfect.  Not too sweet.  Not too tart.  The mango flavor is very subtle.  Even if you don't care for mango, I'd bet you'd like this because the mango adds just enough to be there, but it doesn't overwhelm.  We loved this!   

Sparkling Mango Lemonade

Ingredients:
For the mango syrup:
1 heaping cup sliced mango
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. cold water
Pinch of salt

For the lemonade:
1 cup very hot water
2/3 cup sugar
1¼ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
4½ cups cold sparkling water or seltzer

Directions:
To make the mango syrup, combine the mango, sugar, lemon juice, water and salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth.
To make the lemonade, combine the hot water and sugar in a pitcher or glass bowl. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the lemon juice and water. Stir in the mango puree.

To serve, rub a wedge of lemon or one of the spent lemon halves around the rim of a glass and then dip in sugar. Fill with ice if desired and then lemonade. Garnish with sliced lemon or mango. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6-7 cups

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Annie's Eats

Linked to:  Blue Cricket Design, This Chick Cooks, Sweets for a Saturday

Rice Krispies Ice Cream Dessert

In honor of Valentine's Day, I had to repost one of our all time favorite desserts.  This dessert is fantastic!!!  A smooth, velvety vanilla ice cream, sandwiched between a sweet, semi-crunchy crust topped by refreshing raspberries.  Oh my!  Seriously, it will make you fall in love again, and again, and again.  You'll be sneaking into the freezer to get another bite only to meet your significant other there doing the same thing.  See...it will make you fall in love again.  It is bite after bite of pure delight.  It is really simple to make, but is the perfect dessert for big parties or just for a quiet night at home.

Rice Krispies Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
2 quarts vanilla ice cream
*1 package strawberry Danish Dessert (It's much better than the raspberry flavored.)
12-16 oz. bag frozen raspberries (thawed and drained, reserve drained juice)

Directions:
1.  Mix together the Rice Krispies and the chopped pecans in a medium sized bowl.  Set aside.

2. Mix together the melted butter and the brown sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Add the Rice Krispie/pecan mixture into the saucepan.  Mix and cool.

3.  After this has cooled, put half of the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread evenly. Put the vanilla ice cream on top of the Rice Krispie layer. Spread ice cream evenly. (You may want to let the vanilla ice cream sit out for about 10 minutes so it is easier to work with.)  Put remainder of Rice Krispie mixture on top of ice cream. Cover well and freeze.

Topping:
Make up Danish Dessert as directed on package for fruit sauce except substitute some of the water with the juice from the thawed berries. Allow the topping to cool then add the thawed raspberries and mix well. Add this topping to pieces of dessert just before serving. (Don't freeze the topping because it gels and crystallizes.)

Recipe Source:  My Momma-in-Law

*If you can't find Danish Dessert, use this recipe to create Homemade Raspberry Topping.

Homemade Raspberry Topping
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 (3 oz.) package raspberry flavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. cornstarch

In medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil.  Mix jello with cornstarch and gradually add to boiling mixture.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture is clear and thickened slightly.  Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Cool completely and mix in raspberries.  (Do not use any of the reserved juice in this recipe.) 

Linked to:
This Week's Cravings hosted by From My Tiny Kitchen
Sweets for a Saturday #4 hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies
Sweet Tooth Friday hosted by Alli 'n Son
Potluck Sunday hosted by Mommy's Kitchen

Banana Cream Pie

Here's a last minute pie for the Christmas festivities tomorrow. This is the best banana cream pie I have ever encountered. It doesn't have any of those imitation banana flavors or banana pudding. It does have a vanilla custard type filling with real bananas. It tastes fresh and delicious. I'm not even a huge banana fan, but this pie, oh my, I cannot resist it. I don't know why I haven't posted it before. My momma has made it my whole life. Whenever I'd be places where they offered pie, I'd think, "I'll get banana cream pie because I looooove it!" But then I began to realize, I don't love banana cream pie. I love my Momma's banana cream pie. Big difference! :)

Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
9-inch baked pie shell

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large bananas
1-2 cups sweetened whipped cream

Directions:
Bake pie shell. Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Blend milk and egg yolks; gradually stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; blend in butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto filling in saucepan and cool to room temperature or put in refrigerator to cool.

Peel and slice bananas; arrange layer of banana slices 1/2 inch keep in baked pie shell. Pour in cooled filling. Cover. Chill pie thoroughly, at least 2 hours. Best if chilled overnight. Just before serving, top pie with sweetened whipped cream. Then invite friends over to consume because you might be tempted to eat it all yourself.

Apple-Peach Crisp

This was a very yummy and easy fall dessert. We really enjoyed it! Slap some ice cream on the side. Mmm, mmm, good.

Apple-Peach Crisp

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced peeled apples

2 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 glass baking pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, toss apples, peaches and granulated sugar. Pour into baking dish. In same bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over fruit.

3. Bake 30 minutes or until topping is golden and fruit is teander. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe source: Betty Crocker Fall Baking Magazine

Blackberry Cream Pie

Incredible! Wonderful! Tantalize the Taste buds Good! This pie is a new version of a previously posted favorite. This is our favorite pie recipe with a new twist. Blackberries! Here in Oregon there are tons of wild blackberries to pick along the walking trails. There nothing better than free fresh blackberries to make this pie! I could eat this pie all by myself. Not even joking.

Ingredients:

1 baked pie crust

1 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

1 cup sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups fresh blackberries

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

Prepare and bake a single pie crust shell. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and the salt; stir to mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoons milk to sugar/flour and stir to create a smooth paste. Add remaining milk and stir to blend. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook pudding mixture until it begins to bubble; continue to cook 1 additional minute (mixture will be thick). Stirring egg yolks constantly, spoon a small amount of pudding into beaten egg yolks. Pour egg yolks into saucepan and stir well to mix. Return pan to heat and continue to cook until mixture thickens (very thick) do not allow to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool pudding.

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the cool pudding mixture. Spoon this mixture into the baked pie shell. Cover and chill pie for at least 1 hour to partially set.

In a medium saucepan, crush berries with a potato masher. (So I actually do it with my fingers because I take out the middle white part of the blackberry. I don't care to have those in the pie. Then I mash out the rest of the clumps with a masher if needed.) Add 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and water; mix well. Over medium heat, stirring, bring berries to a boil (berry glaze will be clear and thickened). Remove from heat and cool. Spoon berry glaze over pudding in pie shell. Refrigerate 2 hours to overnight to set. Garnish with an additional dollop of whipped cream or berries as desired. Enjoy!

Fresh Peach Pie

This is a great peach pie recipe! This recipe is from my momma-in-law.

1 baked and cooled pie crust

Filling:

1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese

1/2 pint whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Use a small amount of whipping cream to blend with the cream cheese. Blend with beater. In another bowl, whip the remaining whipping cream and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Then add it to the cream cheese mixture. Pour into baked and cooled pie shell. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Topping:

1 1/2 cups finely mashed fresh peaches (about 3 medium-large peaches)

3 tsp. cornstarch

2 Tbls. sugar

Extra sliced peaches for the top

Blend together mashed peaches, cornstarch, and sugar and cook over medium heat until thick. Cool. Spoon peaches over cream cheese mixture in pie crust. Top with the peach slices. You can top with additional whipped cream if desired.

Super Easy Stuffed French Toast

So we had all this left over bread hanging around from a family reunion. I couldn't freeze it because my freezer is packed. I was trying to think of some way to use the bread because I hate wasting food. This stuffed french toast was the perfect solution. This was so easy to make and so good.

Ingredients:

12 pieces of bread

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

cinnamon

5-6 oz. cream cheese

2 Tbls. sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

whipped cream

berries

1. Soften the cream cheese and mix in the sugar and vanilla. Spread this mixture on a slice of bread and top it with another piece of bread. Repeat with remaining bread.

2. Heat your griddle. Mix the eggs, milk, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Dip the stuffed bread in the egg mixture. Turn to coat all sides. Then place on griddle and cook.

3. Top with whipped cream and berries. Delish! (Makes 6 pieces of stuffed french toast.)

Linked to: 
This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking

Heavenly Grilled Pineapple

Let me just say that I love grilled pineapple. I love, love, love it!!! I have been looking for a recipe for it. I came across this one on the coupon site The Krazy Coupon Lady. It is fantastic. The hubby grilled this for me for dessert. Everyone loved it, and I was in heaven!

GRILLED PINEAPPLE SPEARS WITH BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Ingredients:
One whole pineapple, cut into long spears
2 tablespoons butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon
lemon juice

Directions:

Fire up the grill to medium heat. Before putting the pineapple down, sprinkle the spears with half (1 tsp.) of the cinnamon and a little bit of brown sugar. This will facilitate a sweetness and instant carmelization when they hit the grill. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar and the rest (1 tsp.) of the cinnamon. Heat until bubbly and the sugar is properly melted. Grill the pineapple spears over direct heat about 2-3 minutes per side, turning occasionally. Each time it turns, baste with a brush of glaze. When finished, plate up and drizzle a final amount of glaze on top.

Butterscotch Apple Dip

This comes from Heidi at Tasty Sensations. I just made it for the family for an after Thanksgiving snack and was reminded of how delicious it is.

Butterscotch Apple Dip

8 oz butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cinnamon
apples

Melt above ingredients together in a double boiler and serve.

Pineapple Coconut Crunch Muffins

This is the winning muffin recipe from Mimi's Meaningful Muffin Contest.  Can I hear a - FABULOUS!!!  We LOVED these delectable muffins. This is the description of the muffins: "The combination of pineapple and coconut creates a delightful taste sensation in these tender tropical muffins. Crowned with a crunchy coconut and macadamia nut crumb topping, these flavor-packed gems inspire pleasant thoughts of dazzling sun-drenched beaches and gentle trade winds."  Ditto - 'nuf said. 

Pineapple Coconut Crunch Muffins

by: Linda Amendt

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons finely chopped, unsalted macadamia nuts

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Muffin Batter

1-1/3 cups flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, chopped

2 large eggs

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple

3/4 cup drained canned unsweetened crushed pineapple.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Line a 12-cup regular muffin pan with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, coconut, sugar and macadamia nuts. Whisk together until well blended. Using a fork or clean fingers, work in the butter until evenly combined and mixture resembles coarse crumbs and starts to come together.

4. Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk eggs until lightly beaten. Gradually whisk in oil until well blended. Stir in pineapple juice.

5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in pineapple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Crumble topping over top of batter.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Raspberry Cream Pie

Okay, so it has been a long time since my mouth has watered over something, and I have craved something. But this pie did it. It was so delectable. I had just gone raspberry picking and had tons of fresh raspberries to use. Seriously, I didn't have any will power to resist this pie. I have eaten a piece everyday. (Maybe even more.) We were going to invite people to share it with, but guess what, we ended up eating it all ourselves. It was that good! Loved it!

I got this pie recipe from my friend Summer's blog. She got it from here.

Raspberry Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 baked single pie crust
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 cups sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups fresh raspberries

1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Method:
Prepare and bake a single pie crust shell. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar and the salt; stir to mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoons milk to sugar/flour and stir to create a smooth paste; add remaining milk and stir to blend. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook pudding mixture until it begins to bubble; continue to cook 1 minute (mixture will be thick). Stirring egg yolks constantly, spoon a small amount pudding into beaten egg yolks. Pour egg yolks back into saucepan and stir well to mix. Return pan to heat and continue to cook until mixture thickens (very thick) do not allow to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool pudding.

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Stir approximately 1/4 whip cream into cool pudding mixture; fold in remaining whipped cream; spoon pudding mixture into baked pie shell, cover and chill pie for at least 1/2 to 1 hour to partially set.

In a medium saucepan, crush berries with a potato masher; add 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch and water, mix well. Over medium heat, stirring, bring berries to a boil (berry glaze will be clear and thickened). Remove from heat and cool. Spoon berry glaze over pudding in pie shell. Refrigerate 2 hours to overnight to completely set. Garnish with an additional dollop of whipped cream, additional fresh berries and a mint leaf as desired. Makes 1 pie.

Peach Cobbler

(This one is done in an 9x9 pan instead of a 9x13. Thanks for the picture Summer! :))

Okay peeps! This is a great peach cobbler because you can use it year round. It's actually geared toward using canned peaches. It is really delicious! I love it!

1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large (29 oz) cans of peaches, drained

Topping:
1/3 cup of cinnamon/sugar mixture (You determine how much cinnamon and how much sugar you want, but altogether it should be 1/3 a cup.)

1. In 9x13 pan, place 1 stick of melted butter. Smear it all around until the pan is coated really well and evenly.
2. In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt.
3. Pour batter over melted butter in pan.
4. Drain two large cans of peaches. Place the peaches (lay them individually) over the batter.
5. Sprinkle the peaches and batter with the 1/3 cup cinnamon/sugar mixture.
6. Bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes.

Fruit Pizza

(The fruit pizza in this picture is half of this recipe. I made two smaller fruit pizzas out of the recipe.)

FRUIT OF THE SEASON SUCH AS:
Strawberries
Kiwi
Grapes
Fresh Pineapple
Bananas
Blueberries
Peaches
Etc.

1 Pint Whipping Cream, Whipped with a little powdered sugar added after cream is whipped almost stiff. (Do not, I repeat, do not use Redi-Whip or any other aerosol whipping cream.)

CRUST:
(Preheat oven to 350 degrees)

Cream together:
½ cup margarine
¾ cup sugar

Add:
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
Mix

Then add:
1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Mix

Spread dough for crust evenly on pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool. Then spread sweetened whipped cream over crust. Decorate entire surface with fresh fruits.

Nectarine and Red Pepper Salad

I absolutely love this salad. Especially when the nectarines are at the perfect ripeness. The dressing for this is super delicious! Enjoy!

NECTARINE & RED PEPPER SALAD

1 large bag of spinach
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 nectarines, sliced thin (optional)
3-4 ounces feta cheese
½ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup dried sweetened cranberries
Salt and pepper

Dressing for Nectarine and Red Pepper Salad

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 cup oil
1 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1. Mix sugar, vinegar, salt, dry mustard, and onion in blender.
2. Add in oil, blend.
3. Add kiwifruit and mix until dressing has thickened. Fold in poppy seeds.

3's Jello

I first encountered this dish at a huge Thanksgiving dinner with friends in Kentucky.  I remember thinking, "What's that pink fluffy stuff?"  Then as I tasted it, my mind shouted, "Only one of the best things you've ever tasted!!!"  Is it weird to think that about jello?  This jello is fabulous!  It makes it appearance at all the best occasions like Christmas, Valentines, Thanksgiving, and just when we have that cravin'!
1 - 3 oz. box raspberry jello (NOT instant)
1 - 3 oz. box vanilla cook and serve pudding
1 - 3 oz. box tapioca cook and serve pudding
1 - 12 oz. bag frozen raspberries
1 - 8 oz. tub of cool whip

Add the boxes of pudding and jello to 3 cups of water.  Boil for three minutes and let cool (in pan, not in fridge) for 3 hours.  Thaw and drain the berries.  Put the pudding mixture in a large bowl.  Mix cool whip and berries into the pudding mixture. You can use a hand mixer or just do it by hand. Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  Our fabulous friend, Sherstine Mortensen

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

2 - 32 oz. tubs of lowfat vanilla yogurt
12-14 oz. of granola
1 ½ lbs. of strawberries, sliced
6 oz. container of blueberries

In a 9x13 pan, layer 1 of the tubs of yogurt on the bottom and spread til smooth. Sprinkle half the granola on top of the yogurt. Then put a layer of sliced strawberries on top of them. Then repeat by putting the other tub of yogurt next, the rest of the granola, and top with the rest of the sliced strawberries and the blueberries.

The finished yogurt parfait. It's delicious!

This is the granola I got. It had granola and almonds in it. The almonds are really delicious in the parfait. Any type of granola that you prefer would work.