Quick and easy cinnamon vanilla pudding

From Parents Magazine...

1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ground cinnamon

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, and gradually add milk.  Cook 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour into 4-6 individual cups or bowls and cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap.  Chill at least 30 minutes, serve sprinkled with ground cinnamon.

1-2-3 Pear Tart

1-2-3 PEAR TART, from Pamela Hendrix

2 pie crusts (thawed if frozen)

3 T. butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

5 firm pears, peeled, cored & quartered

2 T. flour

1 egg

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; add sugar & cinnamon; stir and add pears. Cover and cook for 15-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until pears are tender. Add flour and mix well; pour into one of the piecrusts. Beat an egg in a bowl and brush edge of pastry; put second crust on top; brush edge again with more egg; press edges with your thumb to seal; use more egg if needed to patch any broken spots; brush top also with some egg. Bake at 375 degrees (190 Celsius) for 25-30 minutes. Let stand 45 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Perfect Piecrust

Martha Stewart's recipe for 2 crusts:

2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces, divided
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup ice water

Lay out three-quarters of the butter pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate rest of butter.

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.  Add refrigerated butter and pulse to combine 10 times.  Add frozen butter and pulse until mixture resembles course meal with some blueberry-size clumps.

With food processor off, add ice water all at once and immediately pulse until water is just incorporated- about 10 times.  Don't pulse so long that it forms a ball.  Squeeze a small amount of dough to see if it holds together.

Lay out two pieces of saran wrap.  Empty half the dough onto each piece.  Bring the edges of the dough together and press into disks.

Roll out disks, still wrapped in plastic, to 1/2 inch thick rounds 8 inches in diameter.  Refrigerate at least 45 minutes (and up to 2 days).  Can be frozen for 1 month.

Apple-Cranberry-Walnut pie

Ocean Spray recipe

4 cups sliced apples
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
two pie crusts (refrigerated store-bought or homemade)

Preheat oven to 325.  Line a deep pie plate with one pie crust.  Mix remaining ingredients, pour into pastry-lined plate, and cover with top crust.  Seal edges and cut several slits in top crust.  Bake 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream

This recipe is super easy and quick- no egg separating, no cooking, no chilling for hours.

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk- put in the fridge for a few hours before making recipe
4 cups half and half
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine chilled ingredients and place in ice cream mixture!

Egg white cake with coconut topping

I had 6 egg whites leftover from making ice cream, and happened upon this recipe.  It turned out to be a great light cake to go with the ice cream!

6 egg whites at room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut

1- Preheat oven to 325 deg. F. Position rack in the center of the oven.

2-Beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 2 Tbsp at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

3- Sprinkle flour over egg white mixture; fold in carefully. Gently fold in flavoring.

4- Pour batter into an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle coconut over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan about 40 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cut into squares to serve.

Fondant au chocolat

Fondant au chocolat (also known as Moelleux au chocolat) is Doug's favorite French dessert.  This recipe turned out perfectly like a French bakery.  You'll need a kitchen scale.  I used a stand mixer, but you could also use a wooden spoon.

7 oz GOOD QUALITY chocolate (preferably at least 70% cacao), finely chopped
5 oz butter, softened (10 tablespoons)
5 oz sugar (3/4 cup)
2 oz flour (1/2 cup)
3 eggs
1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar for decorating

Preheat oven to 300.  Melt chocolate in a double boiler or heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.  Remove once melted and allow to cool slightly.  In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar into a smooth paste.  Add eggs one at a time, alternating with flour.  Mix thoroughly.  Stir in melted chocolat, mixing thoroughly until a smooth batter is obtained.  Butter the sides of a round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.  Pour batter into cake pan and spread evenly.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean but with a few crumbs sticking to it.  Allow to cool, then remove by inverting on a cooling rack.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and refrigerate until 2 hours before serving.

Pineapple Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

This recipe makes two 9" square cakes or one 9x13 cake.

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
20-oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup pecans
pinch salt

Cream sugar and eggs.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.  Add pineapple and pecans.  Bake 300 degrees for 45 minutes.  Let cool completely before icing cake.

Icing:
4-oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine with mixer and spread on cooled cake.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Banana Smoothie

This smoothie is surprisingly delicious.  The oatmeal gives a nice texture.  I also added some ground flax seed and spinach.  It tastes like a milkshake... but is a bit healthier!

serves 2:
2 bananas, sliced, frozen
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4-1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
2 tablespoons flax seed
handful of spinach

Put oats in the blender and blend until powdery.  Add other ingredients and blend until smooth.  Voilà!

Chocolate-covered pomegranate arils

I bought a pomegranate (actually Doug bought it) last week, and I used the arils for garnish on a few dishes over the weekend.  We still had a bunch left, so I made this recipe.  It couldn't be easier!

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup pomegranate arils

Melt chocolate in a double boiler, then set aside to cool slightly.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner, wax paper, parchment paper, or aluminum foil.  When the chocolate is no longer hot (but still melted), stir in pomegranate arils.  Use a fork to gather small clumps and place on the lined baking sheet.  Work quickly as the arils will harden the chocolate.  Place baking sheet in the oven for 1 hour or until the candy has hardened.

Java Chip ice cream

This ice cream is seriously delicious. Not the healthiest (it is very thick... a frozen custard), but good for a treat.

1/2 cup sugar plus 6 tablespoons

2 cups milk

2 cups cream (I used 1/2 and 1/2)

3 tablespoons coffee beans

10 egg yolks

pinch salt

3/4 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

Place coffee beans in a bag and gently roll over with a rolling pin until they are broken up. In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup sugar, milk, cream, and coffee beans. Heat just until simmering, then remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour. After 1 hour, return to heat and bring back to just a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar until thick and smooth. Strain 1/2 cup cream mixture and add to egg mixture and whisk until well combined. Slowly strain and add rest of cream mixture to bowl, being careful to constantly stir so you won't scramble the eggs. Return combined mixture to saucepan and heat over medium-low, constantly stirring, until thickened and steaming (don't let bubble). Add pinch of salt, strain mixture into bowl, and place in refrigerator until cool, stirring occasionally. Pour cooled custard into an ice cream maker, following manufacture instructions. A few minutes before ice cream is finished, add chopped chocolate.

Egg white cake

I had several egg whites leftover from making ice cream and wanted to try something different (normally I do meringue cookies with extra whites), so I decided to try this recipe. It was okay when it came out of the oven, but it was actually really good the next day and the 3rd day. I'll definitely make it again!

6 egg whites
1 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick butter, melted, then cooled
optional- flavoring (vanilla, almond, orange extract, etc)- I mixed a tablespoon of vanilla in with the butter

Mix egg whites with hand mixer or in stand mixer until foamy, then gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar. Mix until thick. In a separate bowl, sift together sugar, flour, and baking powder. Sift into egg white bowl, folding to combine. Stir in flavored butter. Pour into greased Bundt pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Cool slightly, then invert onto cooling rack.

Fresh lavender-lemon ice cream

This was very good and refreshing!

2 cups milk

2 cups cream

1/2 cup fresh lavender

zest of 1-2 lemons

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

Mix cream and milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Steep lavender and zest in the cream mixture for 20 minutes. Whisk together yolks and sugar in a bowl. Add one cup of strained cream mixture and mix well. Add the rest of the strained cream mixture and return to pot for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely, then pour into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. Serve with a sprig of fresh lavender or lemon slice.

Peach Sorbet

Delicious.

2 lbs fresh peaches

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

juice of one lemon

Peel, pit, and purée peaches; refrigerate until cool.

Mix water and sugar in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; refrigerate simple syrup until cool.

Combine cold peach purée, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Transfer to ice cream maker and follow instructions.

Lemon cheesecake ball

I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it last night. It was very tasty! I cut the recipe in half and it was more than enough for 5 people.

10 oz cream cheese

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

zest of 1 lemon

4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 graham crackers

Mix cream cheese, sugar, zest, and juice with an electric mixer until blended. Transfer to plastic wrap, form into a ball, and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. After 3 hours, remold back into a ball and refrigerate until nearly ready to use. Before serving, crush graham crackers on a plate and roll the ball in the crumbs. Serve with crackers, cookies, fruit, etc.

Mango-lime sorbet

This is great, and although it contains sugar, it doesn't have any cream... so that makes it healthy, right??

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1 lime- need zest and juice

4-5 mangoes, peeled, seeded, chopped

Mix water, sugar, and zest of lime in a small sauce pan. Stir over heat until sugar dissolves. Transfer this simple syrup to the fridge while you chop the mangoes. Place chopped mangoes in food processor and cover with lime juice and simple syrup. Pulse and process until smooth. Place puréed mixture in refrigerator until cool (at least 3 hours).

Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.

PB-chocolate-banana ice cream

This is not only EASY, but HEALTHY! No added cream or sugar! And if you were going to be reeeeally healthy, you could make it plain banana. Or, if you wanted to dress it up more, you could add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, sub other fruits for the pb/choc, honey, etc.

4 bananas, peeled, cut into 1/2" slices

2 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons peanut butter (I am a big pb fan, so I added 3 Tbsp)

Freeze banana slices for 1-2 hours. I used a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat for easy removal... you could also use parchment paper, wax paper, aluminum foil, etc.

Place bananas in food processor and pulse for several minutes, frequently scraping down sides. Once bananas are smooth, add peanut butter and chocolate and continue to process until smooth and blended. For soft-serve, dish immediately. For traditional ice cream, place in freezer-safe container in freezer.

Cherry Chocolate Heart-Smart cookies

These cookies are delicious- you wouldn't even know they are healthier than other choc cookies.

ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup dried cherries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

No-bake cookies

Why have I never made these before???

This has been one of my favorite treats for a long time. Our 2nd mom in Winston-Salem, Mrs. Branch, used to make them and hide them... with 5 kids in their house (and 2 "adopted" girls from down the road), they never stayed hidden for long. Leslie would also make them for special occasions. Yum.

Well today I finally made them. They are so DANGEROUS because they are made with all pantry staples and they are very quick and easy. Uh oh!

No Bake Cookies

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 cups oatmeal
• Waxed paper

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened.

Apricot Bars

These were absolutely delicious. And so easy. Yum.

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 stick salted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing dish

1 10-12 oz jar apricot preserves

Grease a 8" square baking dish with butter. Mix everything but the apricot preserves in a large bowl until mixture is combined and crumbly. Press one half of the mixture into the prepared dish. Spread with 10-12 oz apricot preserves. Sprinkle second half of mixture on top and pat lightly. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until light brown. Let cool completely, then cut into squares.