Cinnamon Apple Cider Squares-Improv Challenge

Hubby has been bringing home lots of free apples lately, so this month’s Improv Challenge ingredients of apples and cinnamon were very timely for me.  For awhile now I have been wanting to try a recipe using dry Spiced Cider Mix.  This seemed like a good time to do that.

I decided to add an envelope of Spiced Cider Mix and finely chopped apple to a favorite butterscotch brownie recipe from my old Betty Crocker Cookie Book.  The result was both a failure and a success.  The resulting “brownies” were a bit too soft to serve as a cookie, but they were wonderful and delicious cut in bigger squares and served as a dessert.  I have made these several times now, and hubby always looks forward to them.

I also like the fact that this recipe can be be made with melted butter, margarine, shortening or vegetable oil, whatever you are comfortable using in your cooking.  I have used melted butter and vegetable oil.

Cinnamon Apple Cider Squares
adapted from Betty Crocker Cookie Book
1/2 c. butter, margarine, shortening, melted or vegetable oil
2 c. light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 .74 oz. envelope Spiced Apple Cider Mix
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 chopped apple, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Combine melted butter, margarine, shortening or vegetable oil with sugar and beat well.  Stir in eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended.  Combine flour, cider mix, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Add to fat/sugar/egg mixture and stir until well blended.  Mixture will be stiff.  Stir in apple and nuts, if using.  Spread in a greased 9x13-in. baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Cut into squares while still slightly warm.  Serve topped with ice cream and caramel sauce, if desired.  Makes 12 servings.

Improv Challenge is a monthly linkup of recipes with a given set of ingredients and is hosted by Lesa from Edesia's Notebook.  December's challenge is red and green and posting is the third Thursday of the month.  If you would like to join in the fun, you will find all the info on Lesa's Improv page.

An InLinkz Link-up

Peanut Butter ChocolatePudding Cake-Improv Challenge

I have been MIA from the Improv Challenge for a while, but when I saw that the ingredients for October’s challenge were chocolate and peanut butter, I knew I wanted to participate.   These are two of my favorite foods.

For Improv Challenge, you are assigned two ingredients each month, you make a recipe that contains those ingredients that is new to your blog, and post about it on the third Thursday.  Recently Lesa from Edesia's Notebook assumed hosting of the challenge from Kristin at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.  I have subscribed to Lesa's blog for some time.  She has great recipes there.

One of my "go to" desserts is pudding cake, the dessert that bakes up with a cake on the top and a sauce on the bottom.  I have several different recipes for these, but have never had a recipe that combined chocolate with peanut butter.  Since I had a recipe for a chocolate pudding cake and one for a peanut butter pudding cake, it seemed reasonable that I could take part of each recipe and make a chocolate peanut butter pudding cake.  Because of the way pudding cakes are made it seemed best to make a peanut butter cake with the sauce being the chocolate.

The chocolate mixture left a little residue on the cake top which gave it a sort of mottled appearance which I liked.  This can be served slightly warm, at room temperature or chilled.  We liked it just slightly warm with the sauce spooned over the top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding Cake
1 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. chunky peanut butter
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 c. hot water

Combine flour, 2/3 c . brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Stir to mix well.  Add milk, peanut butter, oil and vanilla and beat with a wire whisk until well blended.  Turn batter into a well-greased 8x8-inch baking dish.  In a separate bowl combine 3/4 c brown sugar, cocoa.  Mix well.  Add hot water and  stir until sugar and cocoa are dissolved.  Carefully pour over batter in pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cake part comes out clean.  Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.  Top with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

If you think that Improv Challenge sounds like fun, you can find all the information about joining in on the Improv Challenge page.  You will find the list of ingredients through 2015 there, and you are not obligated to participate every month.

An InLinkz Link-up

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding-12 Weeks of Christmas Treats

Already we are at week 4 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted by Brenda over at Meal Planning Magic.  This week I am posting a great fall recipe.  I am not sure I would call it a Christmas Treat, but I would call it very good.

Bread Pudding is a dessert that I am very fond of.  I love it when I can take everyday ingredients, including some that might have been thrown out, to make something delicious.  I recently decided to add some chopped apple and caramel bits to my old stand-by bread pudding recipe which came from a Better Homes and Garden cook book.  This addition added a nice autumn taste to the dish that we enjoyed very much

I  dry my left over bread and use it to make bread pudding, stuffing or bread crumbs.

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
4 beaten eggs
2 c. milk
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
3 c. (4 slices) dry bread cubes (I just break the slices up with my hands)
1 medium to large, peeled apple, diced
1/3 c. caramel bits (Kraft) or caramels, cut into quarters

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.  Beat until sugar is dissolved.  Add bread cubes and let stand 5 minutes.  Meanwhile peel and dice apple and cut up caramels if necessary.  Stir apple and caramel into bread mixture.  Turn mixture into a 8-inch square baking pan or 2 qt. casserole.  (I use a round casserole dish and cut this like a pie to serve.)  Bake at 325 degrees 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Mixture will puff up and then deflate when it is close to done.  Let cool.  Can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.  This is great with some caramel sauce spooned over it and some whipped cream dolloped on top.  Store any leftovers, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.  Makes 6 servings.

What are some of your favorite Christmas treats?  You can find out how to share them with us by checking out Brenda's page here.  There are 8 weeks to go so there is still plenty of time to share some of your favorites.

Linking to 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats

Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Nutmeg Sauce-Improv Challenge

The two ingredients that Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker chose for February’s challenge are bread and butter.  Because we are bread pudding fans at our house, and I make it fairly often, since I usually have all the ingredients on hand, it seemed a good choice for this challenge
.
I usually make the recipe that is in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, playing around with it from time to time.  I often sub brown sugar for white sugar to give the pudding a more butterscotch-like flavor.  I use different spices and sometimes add dried cherries or cranberries.  (I am not a fan of raisins.)  The original recipe does not include butter.

This time I wanted to try to give the pudding a more caramelized flavor so I decided to butter the bread, spread brown sugar over the butter, cut the bread into cubes, bake the bread until the cubes were crisp and then proceed to make the pudding.

Instead of adding any additional spice to the pudding itself, it seemed that a spiced sauce might be nice to spoon over the pudding.  Although cinnamon would be the natural choice of spice I chose to use nutmeg.  Other spices could also be used.  Being a lover of Chinese 5-Spice, I will be giving it a try at some point.  The sauce can also be spooned over cake, pancakes, waffles or French toast.

I served the pudding at room temperature with the slightly warmed sauce and topped it with a dollop of whipped topping.

Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Nutmeg Sauce
6 slices day-old bread
3 T. very soft butter
1/2 c. brown sugar, divided
4 eggs
1 c. half and half (or use all milk)
1 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt

Spread each bread slice with 1/2 tablespoon butter.  Spread 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar firmly over butter to combine them slightly.  With a sharp knife, cut each slice of bread into cubes.  Place cubes, butter/sugar side up in a 10x15-inch baking pan.  Bake at 325 degrees 10 minutes.  Turn bread cubes over and bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and just beginning to brown.  Let cool while combining remaining ingredients.  In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until well blended.  Add remaining brown sugar, half and half, milk, vanilla and salt.  Add cooled bread cubes and let soak about 5 minutes.  Pour into a greased 8x8-inch baking dish.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Serve topped with nutmeg sauce and whipped topping, if desired.  Makes 9 servings.  Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Nutmeg Sauce
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 c. milk
1/4 . butter (1/2 stick)
1 t. vanilla

In a small saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg.  Cut butter into 4 pieces and add along with milk.  Cook over medium/low heat until butter melt and mixture starts to thicken slightly, stirring often.  Add vanilla extract and stir constantly until thick.  Do not boil.  Cool slightly and spoon over bread pudding, cake, pancakes, waffles or French toast.  Store, tightly covered, in refrigerator.  Make about 1 1/4 c.

To see the ingredients to be used in upcoming months and to get information about joining in the fun of the challenge, check out Kristen’s Improv Page.

Check out the links below to see what other bloggers chose to make with bread and butter

An InLinkz Link-up

Maple Pear Walnut Pudding Cake-Dessert Challenge

The flavors for this month’s Dessert Challenge hosted by Sheryl at Lady Behind the Curtain are maple and pear.   These both make you think of the crisp, cool days of fall.

I chose to do a version of what we used to call pudding cake, which is a batter with a liquid mixture poured over it that then bakes into a yummy sauce below the cake.  When served, the sauce can be spooned over the cake.

The cake batter is very thick and full of pears.  I used diced Asian pears because that is what I had on hand, and I like their firmness.  Any other ripe, fresh pear can be used.  Out of season, canned pears can be used.  I added chopped walnuts for some crunch and  maple flavoring to the sauce mixture to make a maple/brown sugar sauce.

Hubby gave this dessert a 10

Maple Pear Walnut Pudding Cake

Cake Batter
1 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. milk
2 c. diced fresh pears or 1 (16 oz.) can pears, well drained and chopped.
1/3  c. chopped walnuts

Sauce
3/4 c. boiling water
1/4 c. butter
1/2 t. maple flavoring
3/4 c. brown sugar

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in milk.  The batter will be stiff.  Add pears and walnuts and mix well.  Spoon into well-greased 8-inch baking pan.  In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine water and butter.  Microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes or until water is boiling and butter is melted.  Carefully remove from microwave and add maple flavoring.  Carefully stir in brown sugar until well combined. Pour over batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.  Makes 8 servings.

Next month's flavors are eggnog and cranberries.  If you would like to join in the fun, Sheryl has all the information here.

Linking to these great parties:
Full Plate Thursday
Tasty Thursday
Catch a Glimpse Party
Showcase Your Talent Thursday
Show Off Your Stuff Thursday

Check out the links below to see what other bloggers have made with pears and maple.

Cloud Cake Hearts

This is a fun and easy dessert idea for Valentine's Day, anniversaries or even birthdays.  This is more of a process than it is a recipe and comes from an idea I saw in Women's Day magazine a number of years ago.

The photos are of Twinkies as I took the photos before Twinkies were taken off the market.  The best substitute available now seems to be Little Debbie's Cloud Cakes.

Two cakes are needed for two hearts.  Cut one cake in half diagonally from upper left to lower right starting and stopping approximately 1-inch from the top of the cake.  Cut the second cake in half diagonally from upper right to lower left starting and stopping approximately 1-inch from the top of the cake.  See the photo below.

 Place one half of one cake together with half of the other cake to form a heart.  Repeat with the second cake.

Place a heart on a dessert plate.  From here what you do is only limited by your imagination.  The hearts can be topped with various sauces or ice cream and sprinkled with whatever you want.  In the photo below I topped the heart with some slightly melted cherry jam and some chocolate-covered toffee bits.

This is a fun idea for a children's party.  Have an adult or older child cute the cakes.  Set out various sauces (ice cream sauces are good) and items to sprinkle on the top.  Let the children choose the combinations they want.  We all need a Twinkie (Cloud Cake) heart once in awhile.

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats-Better than Pumpkin Pie Squares

We continue with week seven of 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted by Brenda at Meal Planning Magic.  This is the beginning of the second half so we are on the downhill slide right on to the end.

I am continuing to post recipes made with Holiday Cookie Mix.  Today’s recipe is what my family calls “Better than Pumpkin Pie” squares.  I have said before that I am not really into making pies so this has become our traditional Thanksgiving dessert.  It has a crust, the pumpkin filling and a wonderful brown sugar/pecan topping  and serves 12 to 15 so “fits the bill” well, I think.  This can also be cut into bars and served as part of a  cookie platter.

For those who might want to try this recipe, but don’t want to bother making the cookie mix, I am including directions to make the bottom crust without the mix.

The original recipe came from Homemade Cookies by Farm Journal published in 1971.  My copy of this cookbook is just about coming apart.  It is interesting that the pumpkin filling is the same one that has been on the back of the Libby Pumpkin can forever.  That is my favorite pumpkin filling recipe.  I am not sure who got what from whom.

For the topping, I combine the brown sugar and pecans, cut the butter in small pieces and mix it all together with clean hands.  I sprinkle it over the top of the filling and give myself permission to lick my fingers.

Better than Pumpkin Pie Squares
adapted from Homemade Cookies, Farm Journal, 1971
2 1/2 c. Holiday Cookie Mix
1/2 c. quick oats
OR
1 c. flour
1/2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. butter or regular margarine

1 (1 lb.) can pumpkin (2 c.)
1 (13 1/2 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 T. butter

Combine cookie mix and quick oats and press into a foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pan.  OR Combine flour, oats and brown sugar.  Stir to mix well.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Press in a foil-lined 9x13-inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes.  While crust is baking combine in a large mixing bowl the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt and spices.  Beat with a whisk until well blended.  Pour mixture into hot crust and return to oven to bake 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine pecans and brown sugar.  Slice butter into small pieces and mix with pecans/sugar until well blended.  Sprinkle the topping over the partially baked filling mixture and return to oven to bake 20 minutes more or until filling is set.  (A toothpick inserted into filling will come out clean.)  Cool in pan on a rack and cut into large squares to serve as a dessert or into bars to serve as part of a cookie platter.  Makes 12 to 15 dessert servings or 24 to 32 bar cookies.

To recap the recipes posted so far:
Glazed Cinnamon Toffee Bars-Basic Holiday Cookie Mix is here
Buttermilk Rum Bars
Krispie Nut Bars
Chocolate Cottage Bars-This is a Saturday Sweets post that uses the mix
Tropical Dreams
Tart and Tasty Lemon Bars
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars

Check out the links below for great recipes from other bloggers.  There is still time to join us, and you can find all the information on Brenda's 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats post.

Ingredient Spotlight-Red Hot Baked Apple

I have never cared for the skin on apples so usually peel them when I eat them.  It seems that one can never know when the skin will be nice and tender or tough.

Baked apples are usually baked in their skins.  Many years ago I had a recipe called Crystal Apples in which the apples were peeled before baking.  I lost the recipe so have not made them in forever.  Recently I decided to recreate the recipe as best I could but add cinnamon red hot candies to the cavity of the apple.  This is not so much a recipe as a method, I guess.

A good baking apple is needed:  some choices are Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Jonathan, Jonagold, Cortland, Granny Smith, Winesap, Rome Beauty, Gala and Honeycrisp.  The apple variety available will depend on where you live.  I used Honeycrisp.  These all hold their shape well when baked.

I did bake mine a little too long and had my apple collapse.  Of course, that only affects the look of the apple, not the flavor.

Red Hot Baked Apple
Your choice of baking apples, 1 large apple per person
Melted butter, about 1 T. for each apple
Sugar, about 2 T. for each apple
Cinnamon Red Hot Candies, 1 T. for each apple or enough to fill apple cavity
!/4 to 1/2 c. water

Peel and core the apples.  With a pastry brush coat each apple with melted butter.  Place sugar in a shallow pie pan or dish.  Roll the apples in the sugar.  Place apples in a baking pan.  Spoon enough cinnamon red hot candies into the cavity of the apples to fill them.  Pour enough water into the baking dish to just cover the bottom.  Bake apples at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender.  Carefully remove each apple to a dessert plate.  Spoon sauce from apple cavity over the apple.  Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight
Cast Party Wednesday
Wow Me Wednesday
What I Whipped Wednesday
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Show and Share Wednesday
Look What I Made

Pear Crumble

This week's Saturday Sweet is Pear Crumble.  This is the second dessert I recently made with some pears that we were given.  This is like a crisp so why it is called a crumble I do not know.

I liked this cold, but hubby liked it just barely warmed with a scoop of ice cream on top.  I just heated a serving in the microwave for about 30 seconds to warm it.

Pear Crumble
4 fresh pears; peeled, cored, sliced
2 T. flour
1/2 t. cinnamon; divided
3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. finely chopped nuts

Place pear slices in the bottom of a lightly greased 8" square pan. Combine 2 flour and 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon. Sprinkle over pears. Combine flour, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, sugar and salt. Cut in butter and add nuts. The mixture will be crumbly. Spoon topping over pears. Bake uncovered at 350F for 30-35 minutes until pears are tender.  Serve slightly warm with ice cream or chilled.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Makes 6 to 8 serving.

Linking to:  Strut Your Stuff
Seasonal Inspiration
Weekend Potluck
Show Your Stuff
I'm Lovin' It
Saturday Nite Special
Recipe Sharing Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Must Try Monday
Mop It Up Monday
Making Monday Marvelous
Made by You Monday
Mangia Monday
This Week's Cravings

Pear Pudding Cake

The Saturday Sweet for this week and next will feature pears.  Although I have used fresh pears in quick breaks and such, I have made very few dessert recipes in which they were more or less the star of the dessert.

A few weeks ago we were given some Bartlett pears which, of course, managed to all ripen at about the same time.  I decided to make a couple desserts with them, and this is one that I made.

It is one of those cake on top, sauce on the bottom dishes which we like a lot.  I will be making this again.  Although it was very good cold, it was wonderful just slightly warmed with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream on the top.  After the first day, I just microwaved each serving for abut 30 seconds and added the ice cream.

Fresh or canned pears can be used in this recipe so it can be made year round.  I like to add chopped walnuts or pecans for a little-added crunch, but that is entirely optional.

Pear Pudding Cake
2 c. flour
1 1/3 c. sugar (may reduce sugar if using canned pears)
1 T. baking powder
1  t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
Dash ground cloves
1  c. milk
2 to 3 pears, peeled, cored and chopped or 1 (16 oz.) can pears, drained and chopped (bite size pieces) save juice
1/2 c. toasted chopped walnuts or pecans (opt.)

Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and blend well.  Stir in milk until well blended.  Add chopped pears and stir.  Turn batter into a well-greased 9x13-inch baking dish.  Combine the following ingredients, stirring until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted.  Gently pour over the top of batter.

1 1/2 c. boiling water (if using canned pears use drained juice as part of the water)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla

Bake at 375degrees for 45 minutes.  Serve at room temperature or just slightly warm with ice cream if desired.   Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator.  Serves 12 to 15.

Linking to:  Sweets for a Saturday
Strut Your Stuff
Show Your Stuff
I'm Lovin' It
Seasonal Inspiration
Saturday Nite Special

Frozen Chocolate Coconut Almond Joy

Here is another sweet recipe for a Saturday.  When I received my Foodie Penpal package this month, I received a package of these cookies.

I did not even know that coconut Oreos were available.  Well, I ate a few, and they were very good.  So good I decided that I wanted to make a dessert with some of them.  Chocolate and almonds always go well with coconut so I created this.

 

I used the cookies to make the bottom crust, then added a layer of cream cheese, powdered sugar, whipped topping and coconut.  I topped this layer with sliced almonds and then put chocolate no-machine ice cream on the top.  Tried this on hubby, and he approved.

Although this is a very easy recipe, there is chilling time involved, and it must be made ahead.

You won’t need the entire package of the cookies, so feel free to eat the excess.

Frozen Chocolate Coconut Almond Joy
1 pkg. Coconut Oreos (make 1 3/4 c. cookie crumbs)
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat)
1 c. powdered sugar, sifted
2 c. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 to 2 t. coconut extract (optional, but I use it)
3/4 c. sweetened flaked coconut, toasted in oven until moisture has evaporated (watch carefully)
3/4 c. sliced almonds
2 c. whipping cream
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (can be fat free and you can make your own.
2 to 3 T. cocoa, depending on how chocolatey you like your ice cream

Combine crushed cookies and melted butter until well blended.  Press into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.  Chill 30 minutes.  Combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended.  Fold in whipped topping.  Stir in coconut extract and coconut.  Spread cream cheese mixture on top of chilled cookie crust.  Sprinkle sliced almonds over the cream cheese mixture.  Press almonds into cream cheese mixture carefully with your hand.  Chill at least 30 minutes.  Whip cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  In another bowl combine sweetened condensed milk and cocoa until well blended.  Fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture.  Spread whipped cream mixture over cream cheese mixture.  Cover and place in freezer at least 6 hours before serving.  This is very rich and will serve at least 12 to 15 people.  Enjoy.

Linking to Weekend Potluck
Sweets for a Saturday
Strut Your Stuff Saturday
Weekend Bloggy Reading
I'm Lovin' It Party
Busy Monday

SRC Reveal Day-Peanut Butter Banana Cream Squares

 I was so excited recently when, after waiting a nearly a year, I got an email asking if I still wanted to join The Secret Recipe Club.  Boy, did I!  So I signed up and received my very first assignment.  The blog I was assigned is Eat Laugh Love.

This is a fun blog with many interesting recipes.  Although some recipes are more sophisticated than what I usually eat, I found many recipes that I want to try.  Among them are Baked Egg Rolls, Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan and Bacon, Company’s Coming Apple Cake, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondes.

You will notice that the last two recipes listed are for sweets so it is no surprise that the recipe I chose to make is for a dessert.  When I saw the recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie I knew that is what I would be making.

This recipe had a number of things going for it.  I love peanut butter, bananas, cream cheese and chocolate so what could be better than a combination of all of these?  I'm also inherently lazy so love quick, easy and make ahead recipes.  Lastly, we are having a heat wave which makes a frozen dessert seem even better.

Instead of making a pie, I chose to put this in an 8-inch baking pan.  To be sure there was enough crust to cover the bottom of the pan, I increased the crust ingredients by half.  The recipe posted here reflects that change.

I wanted lots of banana so cut my slices about 1/2 inch thick.  I still took only two bananas of the size that I had.

I made my homemade Chocolate Sauce because I think that it tastes much better, but purchased can be used.

This was very good, and we will be having it often at our house.

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Squares
Adapted from Eat Laugh Love
1 1/2 c. crushed vanilla wafer cookies (about 40 small ones)
6 T. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 c. less fat)
1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed (I used light)
2 bananas, sliced
Chocolate sauce, homemade or purchased

In a bowl mix together cookie crumbs and brown sugar.  Add brown sugar and mix until all the crumbs are coated.  Pour into an 8-inch baking pan which has been very well sprayed with nonstick spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for  10 minutes.  Set on a wire rack to cool completely. When crust has cooled, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter together until smooth.  Add the vanilla and mix well.  Fold in thawed whipped topping until everything is well combined.  Cover the cooled crust with the banana slices.  Spoon the peanut butter mixture over the bananas.  Smooth the top and drizzle with the chocolate sauce.  Cover and freeze at least 8 hours.  Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.  Makes 9 servings.

Linking to Food on Fridays

Eggnog Cranberry Bread Pudding with Cranberry Sauce

This was supposed to be my recipe for the December Improv Cooking Challenge, only I missed it.  I thought the recipes were supposed to be posted today, but it was actually Thursday. 

This is a recipe for that good ole comfort food, bread pudding.  I  adapted my favorite bread pudding recipe which comes from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.  I have had several editions of this cook book, and I think that the same bread pudding recipe has been in every one.

I am giving a range for the amount of bread to use.  If you like a more custard like bread pudding, use  4 slices of bread.   If you like a firmer bread pudding that you can slice and serve, use  6 slices of bread.  The bread pudding in the photo was made using 6 slices of bread.

I like to pour hot water over the dried cranberries to plump them up a bit, like raisins, but it is not necessary to do so.

I first made a rum sauce for this, but then decided that I wanted a cranberry sauce to pour over the bread pudding.  When I did a internet search, the results were all for the type of cranberry sauce served at Thanksgiving.  I then decided to do a search for cranberry syrup and found several; but most used fresh or frozen cranberries.  I wanted a recipe that used cranberry juice and found one at Taste of Home.  The recipe was submitted by Teresa Gaetzke, North Freedom, Wisconsin.  I am going to post the Rum Sauce, also; so take your pick.

 

Eggnog Cranberry Bread Pudding
Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook, 1989
4 to 6 slices dried Italian bread
4 eggs, at room temperature (or put in warm water for 10 minutes)
1/4 c. sugar (can be white or brown)
1 c. eggnog
1 c. milk
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. rum extract
1/2 c. dried cranberries

If bread is not dried, place slices on a baking sheet and dry in a 300 degree oven, about 10 minutes on each side.  Let cool slightly and cut into cubes.  ( I actually just tear the bread into small pieces since I like a more rustic dish.)  Set aside.  Beat the eggs in a large bowl until very well beaten.  Add the sugar and stir well.  Mix in the eggnog, nutmeg, and rum extract.  Stir in the cranberries.  Pour into an 8x8 greased baking dish.  Bake at 325 degrees 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  May be served warm or cold.  Refrigerate any leftovers.  Makes 6 to 9 servings.

Cranberry Sauce
Taste of Home, Teresa Gaetzke
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. cranberry juice
1/2 c. light corn syrup

In a 2 qt. saucepan, combine the sugars and cranberry juice.  (Do not use a smaller saucepan, the mixture can boil over.)  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, about 7 to 10 minutes.  Boil for 4 minutes, stirring.  Add corn syrup; boil and stir for 1 minute more.  Cool slightly.  This can be used warm or cold.  Makes 2 cups.  Store in refrigerator.  If you want sauce just to top the bread pudding, halve the recipe.

Rum Sauce
Pillsbury Holiday Baking & Gifts, 1995
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. corn syrup, light or dark
1 T. butter or margarine
1/2 t. rum extract

Combine all ingredients except extract in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.  Reduce heat to low, simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in rum extract.  Serve warm.  Makes about 1 cup.  Store in refrigerator

Linking to:  Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Must Try Monday

Cooking from the Blogs-What I Made

I recently made a couple of desserts from the blogs.  Both were very good.

If you still have an abundance of zucchini, MAKE THIS!  This is from At Home My Way and the recipe title says it all:  Zucchini Cobbler Just Like Apple.  It really really does taste just like apple.  You will amaze your family and friends.  I took this to work and called it Mystery Cobbler.  Everyone that tried it guessed that it was apple.  I don't know what the magic is, perhaps cooking the zucchini in the lemon juice.  I used the trick she suggested and sliced the zucchini to look just like apple slices.  I thought that there was too much crust for me personally, but everyone else proclaimed the crust just right.

When I came home from work Friday night, hubby said that a neighbor had brought us some peaches and tomatoes.  Upon checking the peaches out, I found that they were very ripe and needed to be used soon.  I decide to make a peach crisp with them yesterday.  I have several recipes for peach crisp, but always like to look through the blogs to see what I can find.  I was scouting around and found Sriracha Peach Crisp over at Budget Bytes.  I really wanted to make this one, but wasn't sure how well it would go over with hubby.  Well, she just happened to have Peach Almond Crisp on her blog also.  I chose to make that one.  I doubled the recipe as I had a lot of peaches to use up.

This recipe uses softened butter in the topping instead of firm.  I may have softened mine a little too much.  The topping will be more clumpy and the taste more caramely than a topping with firm butter.  It was a nice change.  This is a new-to-me blog.  She gives the costs of her recipes, kind of like $5.00 Dinners.  Her cost was $3.37 for the entire recipe or .42 a serving for 8 servings.  I figure that, even though I doubled the recipe,  my cost was much less since the peaches were free.

I will definitely be making both of these dishes again.  Thanks gals for two great ones.

Ingredient Spotlight-Frozen Peaches and Cream Crisp-GF

Since I am the self-proclaimed queen of layered desserts, when peaches were the Spotlight Ingredient a few weeks ago, I began thinking about creating a new one.  Unfortunately local fruits are very behind here this year, and California peaches were just beginning to hit the super markets.  I decided to wait, so posted the Peachy Keen Barbecue Sauce at that time.

I continued to think about something with peaches, and when I found the Easy No-Machine Ice Cream recipe, I knew I had a base to work with.  I then decided to use an Oatmeal Crust from an old cook booklet called The Quaker Oats Wholegrain Cookbook put out in 1979.  I wanted the flavor of peaches and cream (my favorite way to eat peaches), so I added a cream cheese/powdered sugar/frozen whipped topping layer and now present Frozen Peaches and Cream Crisp.

The oat base has no flour in it so this dessert can be eaten by my gluten-free friends if gluten-free oats are used.   An additional 1/2 c. of oats, wheat germ, or unprocessed bran can be used instead of the nuts for those who do not like nuts or have allergies.  I would try whipped cream (1/2 c. unwhipped) or Greek yogurt for the frozen whipped topping in the cream layer if I did not want to use the topping.  If a thicker “cream” layer is wanted, double the ingredients.

I have Gladware baking pans with lids that I use to make this, but I don't know if they are still available.  If a pan is used that may be needed before the dessert is eaten up, line the pan with a piece of heavy duty foil, letting the foil extend beyond the short ends.  When the dessert is completely frozen, lift it from the pan using the foil as handles.  Wrap foil around dessert then wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

I prefer to add 1 to 2 chopped peaches to the ice cream layer.  My hubby, however, bought cling peaches which were so difficult to remove from the pit, I did not add any to the dessert in the photo.  Any other pureed fresh fruit or berries can be used in place of the peaches.  Do not puree the fruit too smoothly.  I use fresh fruit as much as I can, but well-drained frozen or canned fruit can be used in the winter.  Though not necessary, I added a couple drops each of red and yellow food coloring to get the peach color.

This is definitely a “make ahead” dessert and makes 15 servings so is great for a party.  Of course, it keeps well in the freezer so there doesn’t need to be 15 people to eat it at one time.  At our house, I make this up, and we eat it over a couple of weeks.

Frozen Peaches and Cream Crisp

2 c. quick rolled oats
1/2 c. finely chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese softened (can be 1/3 less fat, but I’m not sure why one would bother considering the other ingredients)
1 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 c. frozen whipped topping,thawed
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (or make your own)
1 c. pureed peaches (about 4 small peaches)
2 c. (1 pt.) whipping cream, whipped till soft peaks form
1-2 additional peaches, peeled and chopped
1-2 drops each red and yellow food coloring

Combine oats, nuts, brown sugar, and melted butter mixing well.  Measure out 1 c. and spread evenly in an 8-in. square pan.  Do not press down.  Put remaining mixture into a 9x13-in. baking pan (preferably one with a cover) and press down evenly to form a crust.  Bake both pans at 375 degrees 8-12 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven.  Set crust pan aside to cool 30-45 minutes.  When cool enough to touch, crumble mixture in 8-in. pan with your fingers and set aside.
In a medium bowl combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar stirring until well blended.  Fold in whipped topping until well blended.  Spread mixture over cooled oat crust.  Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
Peel, chop and puree peaches, using a blender or food processor.  In a large bowl mix peach puree and sweetened condensed milk until very well blended.  Gently fold in the whipped whipping cream until very well combined.  Fold in chopped peaches.  Add the red and yellow food coloring and mix well, adding additional coloring until the desired shade is reached.  Pour this mixture over cream cheese mixture in pan.  Sprinkle the reserved oat mixture over the top.  Cover tightly with a piece of plastic wrap.  Place in freezer and freeze at least 6 hours.  To serve, remove from freezer, cut into squares with a moistened kitchen knife and place on dessert plates.  Makes 15 servings.  For extended storage cover dessert tightly.

Linking to
Made From Scratch Tuesday
Ingredient Spotlight
Cast Party Wednesday
These Chicks Cooked
Foodie Wednesday
Recipes I Can't Wait to Try
Sweets for a Saturday
Strut Your Stuff

Cooking with the Journal-Hot Milk Sponge Cake aka Strawberry Shortcake Cake

I am not fond of the biscuit type of strawberry shortcake but prefer a more “cake-like” strawberry shortcake.  This Hot Milk Sponge cake is very easy and has a texture somewhat like the little sponge cakes available at the grocery store.  Those are not only expensive, they contain additives I would rather not eat.  The picture above is to show the texture of the cake.

This is the recipe that I use to make Strawberry Shortcake.  The slight lemon flavor goes very well with strawberries or any other berries.  One could also use almond extract, but I would reduce it to 1/4 t. to start.  The almond flavor is great with peaches for peach shortcake.  This is a fairly low-fat cake, having only 1 T. melted butter in it beside the fat in the egg yolks.

The cake, of course, can be frosted if one likes.  It is also good topped with ice cream with warm Chocolate or Butterscotch Sauce spooned over it.

This is a very old recipe that I have seen in other old recipe books, but this one is in Farm Journal’s Family Favorites from Country Kitchens.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake
Family Favorites from Country Kitchens
Farm Journal, 1973

1 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1.4 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. lemon extract.
1/2 c. hot milk
1 T. butter or regular margarine

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat eggs with electric mixer until foamy.  Slowly beat in sugar, 1/4 c. at a time, beating well until thick and lemon-colored.  Beat in vanilla and lemon extract.  Place milk and butter (cut into pieces) in a glass measuring cup.  Heat in microwave 1 minute or until butter melts.  Beat in dry ingredients at low speed.  Slowly beat in hot milk and butter.  Pour batter into ungreased 9-in. square pan.  Bake in 350-degree oven 30 minutes or until cake is done.  Place on rack to cool.  Makes 9 servings.

To make shortcake, cut servings of cake and split in half.  Place in dessert dish and top with sliced strawberries, other berries, or sliced peaches and whipped cream or topping.

Linking to Ingredient Spotlight