Cream Puffs

 

 

I made these cream puffs for Easter dinner.  They are a favorite of my husband and my father.  My Nana used to make them every year for Easter, as well as other times throughout the year as a special treat.  I will be filling them tomorrow with vanilla pudding.  Other fillings ideas are chocolate pudding, whipped cream, ice cream, sherbet, and fresh fruit.  I've also done mini ones and filled them with chicken salad. They are perfect for an afternoon tea. I've also drizzled melted chocolate over the tops for a wedding reception.  I used pink and green to coordinate with the wedding colors.   

 

 Here's the recipe I use:

 

Cream Puffs

 

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup water

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

 

Filling of you choice

Powdered Sugar

 

In a saucepan, combine butter, water and salt; bring to a boil.  Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously.  Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that does not separate.  Remove from heat.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time,beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth.  Drop batter by heaping tablespoons, 3 inches apart, onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or till golden.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Split puffs and remove any soft dough inside.  Fill with the pudding and replace tops.  Lightly sift powdered sugar over the tops.  Makes 12.  Enjoy!

 

~peace and blessings~

Lisa



Candy Cane Peppermint Cheesecake

Candy Cane Peppermint Cheesecake

 

Each Christmas Eve, I like to serve a special dessert, along with the usual spread of cookies and candies.  In the past, I've purchased (yes...I know...) "fancy" desserts.  This year, I made my own.  Here's the recipe:

 

Ingredients12 ounces creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, broken into pieces
3 tablespoons melted butter
1- 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
4 eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candy

Preparation
1. Place cookies in a heavy zip-lock plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour into a buttered 9-inch round springform pan and pour melted butter over crumbs; mix to coat, then press evenly over bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Bake in a 300° oven until crust is slightly darker and looks a bit dry, about 10 minutes (leave oven on).
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in flour, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture into pan over baked crust.
3. Bake until edges are just golden and center jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan rim. Place pan on a wire rack and cool cheesecake completely in pan. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Run a knife around rim again, then release rim. If any liquid has pooled on surface of cheesecake, blot dry gently with a paper towel.
4. Decorate top of cake with crushed peppermint candy, pressing it in gently with your hands.

 

Enjoy!

 

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

 



Caramel-Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe comes from Betty Crocker. It reminds me of a Snickers bar, with the cookie layer, caramel, peanuts and chocolate. They were a bit time consuming, but well worth it!

Caramel~Peanut Butter Bars

Cookie Base
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
15 miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cup candies, coarsely chopped

Filling
36 caramels (from 14-oz bag), unwrapped
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup peanuts

Topping
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy milk chocolate frosting
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in candies. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

2.Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat caramels and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted. Stir in peanut butter. Heat to boiling. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup peanuts. Spread over warm cookie base. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

3.Spread frosting evenly over filling. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
Makes 36 bars

Enjoy!

~peace and blessings~

Lisa

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

This recipe was in the June 2011 edition of The Food Network Magazine. It was a yummy, quick from scratch dessert that my family enjoyed. I used 7 ounce ramekins and found they worked just as well, but took about 5 more minutes to bake.

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Brush four 4-ounce ramekins with butter. Sprinkle brown sugar in the bottom of each and line with sliced pineapple. Whisk 1 egg, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 3 tablespoons melted butter and a dash of vanilla in a bowl, then stir in 1/2 cup flour, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and a pinch of salt. Divide among the ramekins. Bake at 350 degrees F, 20 minutes. Let cool, then unmold and top with confectioners' sugar.

Enjoy!

~BLESSINGS~

Lisa

Fresh Peach Cake

In case you didn't know, when summer rolls around I am a magazine addict...okay, well I'm a year-round addict, but in the summer it really gets crazy. I bought the Food Network Magazine for the first time ever on Friday, along with 3 other magazines. I sat at camp on Saturday and read it cover to cover. I love food and all things food, and yes, I do read cookbooks like novels, so this magazine was perfect for me! I found several recipes that I'd like to make in the June issue and below is one of them... Fresh Peach Cake. It's so delicious and moist. YUM!!

Fresh Peach Cake

Ingredients
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch-square baking pan.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.


Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.

Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Blessings and peace,

Lisa

Chocolate Mint Trifle

I made this for our Christmas Eve Dinner Desert. I didn't really follow a recipe, but here is my version.

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake, baked in a 13 x9 pan, cooled and cubed

2 boxes instant chocolate pudding, prepared according to package directions

1 tub Cool-Whip Light (8 ounces), thawed

Andes mints, chopped

In a trifle bowl, layer half of the cubed chocolate cake, half of the pudding, half of the chopped candy and half of the cool-whip. Repeat using remaining cake, pudding and cool-whip, ending with candies. Chill for 4 hours or overnight to let flavors blend. Serve chilled. Enjoy!

Blessings,

Lisa

Jewelry Party Desserts and More

On Friday evening, I hostessed a Lia Sophia jewelry show. It was a good time

and the hostess benefits are awesome! If you have an opportunity to hostess a party, do so. If you are local please contact me and I'll help you book a show with Debbie. I just wanted to share my goodies:

Death by Chocolate

1 devil's food cake, baked in a 13x9 pan, cooled and cubed

1 large chocolate instant pudding, prepared with 3 cups milk

1 tub of cool whip lite

2 Heath Bars, chopped

In a clear glass or trifle bowl, layer ingredients using 1/2 of the cake, then 1/2 of the pudding, 1/2 of the cool whip and half of the candy bar. Repeat one time for a regular size trifle bowl ending with the chopped candy bar on top. Chill for a few hours before serving. Enjoy!

Angel Lush

1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple in Juice, undrained
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 pkg. (10 oz.) round angel food cake, cut into 3 layers
10 small fresh strawberries

Mix pineapple and dry pudding mix. Gently stir in cool whip.
Stack cake layers on plate, spreading pudding mixture between layers and on top of cake.
Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with berries.

I made my own angel food cake and left out the berries because a friend is allergic to strawberries.

Enjoy!

Nibbler Tray

A friend at Magical Holiday Home suggested this for my party. Thanks Kim!

I couldn't find skinny bread sticks, so I made regular breadsticks. The nibbles included mozzarella balls, marinated artichokes, balsamic marinated mushrooms, and wine marinated olives. The tray was well received. I like that it was different from the usual crackers and cheeseball.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lisa

Lemon Creme Bars

This recipe is from Betty Crocker. I first saw it on an email newsletter I receive and thought it would be something a bit different. DD and I made the bars last night. There were lots of things a little chef can do and help mom with while making these bars. Our little chef liked to spin, I mean mix ;0), the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest together. She was able to pour the lemon juice into the bowl as well. She helped to pat the crust into the pan, too.

The bars tasted good. The creme layer adds a nice texture to the bar after the crunch of the oatmeal layer. The bars did not have as much lemon flavor as I thought, but the creme is still yummy! Here's the recipe:

Lemon Creme Bars

1/2 cup cold butter
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix
1 egg
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice ( I used one large lemon to get 1/4 cup of juice.)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix, using fork or pastry blender. Stir in egg until mixture is crumbly. Press half of cookie mixture into bottom of pan; bake 15 minutes.

3. In small bowl, stir condensed milk, lemon peel and lemon juice until thick. Spread over baked crust. Crumble remaining cookie mixture over top. Bake about 25 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set. For bars, cut into 5 rows by 5 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Lisa