Peach Berry Salad with Lemon-Mint Syrup

In case you haven't noticed, I've been on a bit of a hiatus.  My daughter and I spent a month and a half in Georgia visiting my family and planning a family reunion.  Once we got back, I was busy packing for said reunion.  Then we spent a week in Utah at the reunion and had a great time.  When we got back, school started for my daughter and that meant, for me, the return of Cub Scouts.

I was starting to get back in the swing of things when my grandfather passed away.  Back to Utah I went for his funeral.  It was a lovely service and I will miss my Papa.  Luckily, I'd gone to visit him during the reunion and had one last special visit with him.  It was a good day.

Anyway, you get a sense of why I've been neglecting this poor little blog.  I feel a little remorseful since summertime is when I get the best light for my photos (meaning I don't have to have a meal ready before 4 pm to get a decent photo of it).  Oh well.

A couple days ago, a friend on Facebook asked for a fruit recipe.  She was invited to a potluck dinner and was assigned to bring a fruit dish.  I had noticed that peaches and berries were on sale at Sprouts and so I suggested a recipe I'd seen on Pinterest and had always wanted to try.  I have no idea if she made it or not, but I was inspired to go ahead and try it myself.  LOVE IT!  I know we're winding down on the summer fruit, but if you can get your hands on some peaches and berries and a handfull of mint, take a moment and make this delicious "salad" from Once Upon a Chef.

PEACH BERRY SALAD WITH LEMON-MINT SYRUP
from Once Upon a Chef

4 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
1 cup (1/2 pint) fresh blueberries
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup (1/2 pint) fresh raspberries
1 cup (1/2 pint) fresh blackberries

Combine peaches, blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, and mint in a bowl and toss gently.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill until serving (up to 6 hours).  Just before serving, gently toss in raspberries and blackberries.  Taste and add more sugar, if necessary.  Garnish with a spring of mint.

I think this Lemon-Mint syrup would be great with a salad made up of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew.  Just mix the lemon juice, sugar, and mint until the sugar dissolves, then toss with the melon before serving.

Black Bottom Strawberries and Cream Pie

What could be better than strawberries and chocolate?  How about strawberries and chocolate AND a big, fluffy pile of creamy, dreamy deliciousness?  Dude, this pie is so easy but it looks like a million bucks and tastes like it too.  Do yourself a favor and make it NOW.


BLACK BOTTOM STRAWBERRIES & CREAM PIE
adapted from Butter With a Side of Bread

1 Oreo cookie crust (or graham cracker crust)

Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened (I use neufchatel)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Chocolate layer:
2 Tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
1/3 cup milk

Topping:
2 cups sliced or quartered fresh strawberries
2 Tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. shortening
 
Combine 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. sugar, cocoa, and dash of salt in a small, heavy saucepan; gradually add 1/3 cup milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spread chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared crust.  Cool.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add sour cream and mix well.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Spread evenly over chocolate layer (pie will be very full).  Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, arrange strawberries on top.  Microwave 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips with shortening in a ziploc bag on HIGH for 20 seconds.  Knead the melted chocolate and shortening until combined.  Snip corner off bag and drizzle chocolate over strawberries.

Creamy Fruit and Barley Salad

I got the idea for this salad from a wonderful woman at my church.  She brought something very similar to a get-together a couple months back and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.  Apparently she just threw some things together that she had in her fridge.  Wish I were that creative!

I use pearled barley in this recipe, which is not the same as the quick-cook variety.  I'm able to get it in the bulk foods section of one of my local stores, but you can also buy it pre-packaged in bags or boxes.  Look in the rice and beans section of your grocery store.  By the way, barley is good for you but it is not gluten free.

CREAMY FRUIT AND BARLEY SALAD

1 cup uncooked pearled barley
3 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz) container fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and quartered
2 (4.4 oz) containers fresh blueberries, rinsed
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup vanilla or honey vanilla Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1 - 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, to taste
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, optional

Combine barley, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and cook for 45-50 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temp.  Fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, orange juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon, if using.  Fold in barley and fruits.  Chill until serving.

Blackberry Pear Crumble Pie

We had our Thanksgiving with extended family this year and their tradition is for everyone to bring a different pie (or two).  I was excited for the opportunity to try out a new recipe that I'd been thinking about for a while.  I found a recipe for Pear Crumble Pie on Food.com and thought it sounded different and yummy.  It has a custardy fruit filling and a crisp crumble topping - what's not to love?  But, as usual, I wanted to mix it up and decided to add some blackberries with the pears.

I may be wrong, but it seems that the combination of blackberries and pears is a British thing.  Almost every "blackberry pear" recipe I found on Google was from a British website and all measurements were in metric.  What gives?  Are we Americans just not hip to this fruit combination? 

Anyway, my husband and mother-in-law liked this pie and I think it's darn yummy, myself.  If you are looking to make something different for a potluck or family party this year, here's your pie!

BLACKBERRY PEAR CRUMBLE PIE
slightly adapted from Pear Crumble Pie on Food.com

9-inch deep dish pastry shell, unbaked

4 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
12 oz. fresh blackberries, rinsed
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Crumble topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cold butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. flour, vanilla, and spices.  Fold in the pears and blackberries.  Carefully pour mixture into the pastry shell and bake for 40 minutes.*

While the pie is baking, make the crumble:  in a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.  After the pie has baked 40 minutes, sprinkle the crumble topping on.  Return to oven for 20 minutes longer.  Let cool before serving.  Refrigerate leftovers.

* To keep the crust edge from over-browning, I like to wrap the edge in aluminum foil before filling.  Then remove foil when adding the crumble topping.

Country Griddle Cakes With Blueberry Compote

Don't you hate it when a restaurant stops serving one of your favorite dishes?  That's what happened to me when IHOP stopped serving their Country Griddle Cakes.  I was so mad and I still don't understand what their problem is.  It took me years to find a decent copycat recipe and this one is the closest to the real thing.  It comes out of a cookbook that is made up entirely of copycat recipes of popular restaurant dishes.  If you want to purchase the book, you'll find it here. 

The recipe calls for instant Cream of Wheat.  I take this to mean the 1 minute kind that comes in a cream colored box:

I've had better success with this variety over the 2 1/2 minute kind in the red box.

COUNTRY GRIDDLE CAKES
from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup instant Cream of Wheat (dry)
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat griddle over medium heat (325 degrees).  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients, then add the egg, oil, and buttermilk.  Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth (do not over mix).  Pour the batter by 1/3 cup-fuls onto the hot griddle and cook for 1-3 minutes on each side or until browned.

BLUEBERRY COMPOTE
adapted from justapinch.com

2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice (fresh is best)

Combine 1 cup of blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes.  Add the remaining blueberries and cook for 8 minutes more (reducing heat if mixture thickens too quickly).  Serve warm. 

Banana Pudding Pie

I actually made this for our Easter dessert, so it's taken me quite some time to post this recipe!  My mother emailed it to me a while back thinking I'd be interested (naturally).  She got it from a family member over 20 years ago.  Some recipes stand the test of time.

Since this calls for fresh bananas it's best served the day it's made.  I took this photo the day after Easter and you can see that the bananas were already starting to darken.  It will still taste delicious but won't be as presentable after a day or two.  And the recipe makes a lot (it fills a 9x13 baking dish to the brim) so I'd save it for when you have to feed a crowd.

BANANA PUDDING PIE

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*
5-10 bananas (depending on size)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (16 oz - the large size) tub Cool Whip
1 large or 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
3 cups cold milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, cut the butter and flour together until crumbly; press into 9x13 baking pan.  Bake for 15 minutes; cool completely.

Slice the bananas evenly onto crust.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Fold in half of the Cool Whip and spread over the bananas.  Chill for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk pudding into milk, stirring constantly until thick (about 2 minutes).  Spread evenly over cream cheese mixture.  Top with remaining Cool Whip and refrigerate until read to serve.

*If using unsalted butter, I recommend adding just a dash of salt.

Orange Dream Salad

I discovered this gem of a recipe in a family cookbook.  It's now my favorite Jell-o salad to make for holidays and get-togethers.  The flavor is creamy and mellow; the combination of orange and vanilla reminiscent of a Dreamsicle.

I've made this with both name brand and store brand puddings and gelatin and I strongly recommend sticking with name brand.  The flavor and texture really is superior.

ORANGE DREAM SALAD

1 small box cook & serve vanilla pudding
1 small box cook & serve tapioca pudding
1 small box orange Jell-o
2 large cans Mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed


In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add the puddings and Jell-o and cook for 3 minutes stirring continuously.  Pour mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until chilled.  Fold in Cool Whip and oranges.

Cranberry Apple Butter

I have never been a fan of apple butter. (I think it's because I've only tried store-bought apple butter and let's be honest - homemade anything is usually better than store-bought.) My brother- and sister-in-law took my daughter and I to The Flying Biscuit Cafe in Sandy Springs, GA, this summer. They serve all of their biscuits with homemade cranberry apple butter. I liked it and thought, "Oh, okay. Apple butter ain't bad."

Fast forward a week and I couldn't get that stuff out of my mind. I was craving it like chocolate and wondering if they sold it by the jar. Lucky for me, an internet search turned up the very recipe that they use in the cafe (thank you, PBS!). I bookmarked it for future use when cranberries came in season again. And here we are!

This year I hope to use my brain and freeze a couple of bags of cranberries so I have them available at other times of the year. Wish me luck.

CRANBERRY APPLE BUTTER
from The Flying Biscuit Cafe

2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup orange juice (not from concentrate)
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups cranberries
10 Granny Smith apples (about 3 lbs.), peeled, cored, and sliced

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, orange juice, and spices. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add cranberries and simmer until berries begin to pop. Reduce heat to low and stir in apples. Cook, stirring frequently, until apples are soft; about 45 min - 1 hr. Remove cinnamon stick and either blend mixture with an immersion blender or puree in blender or food processor until smooth.

Let cool and refrigerate. Will keep in fridge for 2-3 weeks.

Or fill clean, hot jars with apple butter to within 1/2-inch of rim, wipe rims clean, and screw on hot lids. Immerse in boiling water bath for 10-15 minutes. Cool for 24 hours. If any lids "pop," refrigerate jars and use within 2-3 weeks. Properly sealed jars will keep at room temp for 18 months - 2 years.

Custard Pear Pie

I found this recipe on At Second Street last year and I finally made it! It was quite popular around here. I love that it uses pears, which are kind of the unsung fall fruit - always overshadowed by all those apple recipes. The almond extract gives it such a unique flavor and Kalleen made the suggestion of baking it in a springform pan instead of a pie plate. I loved that idea. Makes it very easy to serve!

CUSTARD PEAR PIE
from At Second Street

pastry for 1 crust pie*
3 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 pears; peeled, cored, and sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out pastry between two pieces of parchment paper. Place pastry in bottom and up sides of pie plate or springoform pan. Trim to fit.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, sugar, almond extract, and melted butter until smooth. Pour into pastry. Arrange pear slices in spokes radiating out from center. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 25-35 minutes or until custard is firm. Cool completely before serving. Garnish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

*For my crust I used this one on Pioneer Woman, cutting the recipe in half and using all butter. It was delish!

Plum Tart

It may be over 100 degrees here in AZ, but I'm pretending it's Fall. Plums were on sale a week or two ago and I decided to try a recipe I had bookmarked a long time ago. This has a great fall flavor and is very simple to make. It's not a large dessert - it will feed maybe 4-6. The crust is a little shortbread-y and could always be replaced by your favorite pie crust recipe.

PLUM TART
adapted from Allrecipes.com

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 Tbsp. cold water

Filling:
2 cups sliced plums (about 3 plums)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg, lightly beaten
sugar

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt; cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with fork until a ball forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer while you make the filling.

In a bowl, combine the plums, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.

Roll dough into a 12-inch circle between two pieces of parchment paper. Place dough on cookie sheet and place filling in center. Bring edges of pastry up around filling, leaving the center uncovered. Brush pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool. Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Raspberry Lemonade Bars

Boy have I had a time with these. This is a combination and an adaptation of two different recipes I found online. The first recipe was Strawberry Lemonade Bars on Baking Bites. I made them several months ago and though the crust was great and they were a cute pink color they were way too tart for my taste. Then I saw Raspberry Lemonade Bars on Sophistimom and made them for my nieces' blessing dinner. I really didn't like the crust on those and there was too much filling (and still too tart). So I thought and thought for a few months and decided to try combining the two. So the crust is from the Baking Bites recipe and the filling is adapted from the Sophistimom recipe. Since raspberries have a more distinct flavor, I stuck with them for the filling versus strawberries.

RASPBERRY LEMONADE BARS

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed

Filling:
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. lemon zest
3/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 (12 oz) bag frozen raspberries, thawed
powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Pour thawed raspberries into a fine mesh sieve placed over a glass measuring cup. Using a rubber spatula, press and scrape raspberries to extract juice:

You will need 1/2 cup. Discard seeds and pulp.

To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press firmly and evenly in bottom of baking dish and bake for 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest, flour, salt, and raspberry juice. Pour into hot crust and return to oven for 18-20 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely on a wire rack then chill for at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars with a clean, wet knife.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

This is another recipe from SkinnyTaste.com. I am really loving that site! These muffins are lowfat and are packed with flavor. The bananas keep them moist and the chocolate chips are wonderful little punches of richness. I've already eaten 5 of them myself over the last two days.

I have noticed that they stick pretty badly to the wrapper the first day. To avoid this problem (I think it comes from the lack of fat), you can lightly spray the liners with Pam before filling.

Gina also drizzles the tops with a powdered sugar glaze for aesthetics. I think it looks nice but it's not really necessary and the muffins soak it up pretty quickly anyway. If you want the directions for the glaze, click on the original recipe link below.

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA MUFFINS
from SkinnyTaste.com

3 1/2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (packed)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Lightly spray liners with cooking spray, if desired.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg whites, bananas, applesauce, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture at low speed until combined; do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips and pour batter into muffin cups.

Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes. Let muffins cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

These are the best blueberry muffins I've had in a long time. I've been trying out different blueberry muffin recipes lately trying to find an all-time, go-to recipe and I think this one is it.

My first requirement is great flavor and texture. These have it.

My second requirement is that it had to have streusel on top and not just any streusel, but brown sugar streusel. I'm still searching for the perfect brown sugar-to-flour-to-butter-to cinnamon ratio, but this one works for now. If I find something better, I'll re-post. (Just so you know, these are great without the streusel, too!)

My only regret about this recipe is it makes an odd number of muffins - around 15-18, depending on how much you fill the cups. That bothers me because standard muffin tins make an even dozen. And you know when you bake those last 3-6, they cook faster and can sometimes get burnt - so watch them carefully.

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL MUFFINS
adapted from Blueberry Cream Muffins on Allrecipes.com

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I substitute half applesauce)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Streusel:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin (makes 15-18) with paper muffin liners.

In large bowl, beat eggs; gradually add sugar while beating. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil (and applesauce if using). Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream/yogurt. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full.

In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden and muffins spring back when touched with a finger. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Cherry Berries on a Cloud

This recipe is in my Betty Crocker cookbook but I also found it on Allrecipes.com. For years I've thought about making it and I finally had all the right ingredients at the same time, so I made it for Father's Day. This is a light and fluffy dessert but the cream cheese does make it rich. You also need to plan ahead to make this since the meringue needs to sit in the oven overnight.

Regarding meringue, here are a few tips to help you if you are new to making it:

• Meringue works best on a cool, dry day. For some parts of the country, that is a problem. Just accept that if you have a lot of humidity you will probably see your meringue "sweat." This is when the meringue absorbs moisture from the air and becomes sticky. It may develop beads of sugar syrup on the top. Not really a big deal for this recipe since you will cover it up with the filling.
• Separate your eggs very carefully. Even just a speck of yolk will keep the egg whites from fluffing up.
• For best results, let your egg whites come to room temperature before beating.
• Add the sugar slowly (about 1 Tbsp. at a time), so the crystals are absorbed and your meringue will be smooth and not grainy.
• After adding the sugar, keep beating the egg whites until stiff and glossy peaks form when you lift the beater(s):
  

I also recommend using a stand mixer if you have one, because this takes some time and it will free you to do other things while you wait for the meringue to fluff.

CHERRY BERRIES ON A CLOUD
adapted from Allrecipes.com

Meringue:
6 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar

Filling:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 pkgs. (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping:
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
2 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan with shortening or butter (cooking spray won't be enough).

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time; keep beating until egg whites are stiff and glossy. Do not under-beat. Spread into greased baking pan.

Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven, leaving meringue in the oven with the door closed overnight or for at least 12 hours.

Beat whipping cream in chilled large bowl on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in another bowl until blended. Gently fold cream cheese mixture and marshmallows into whipped cream. Spread over meringue. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Cut into serving pieces; top with topping.

For topping, combine strawberries, pie filling, and lemon juice.

Brownie Fruit Pizza

I made this for our Memorial Day dessert. It's somewhat patriotic with the berries and topping making it red, white, and blue. I actually prefer it to fruit pizzas made with a sugar cookie crust because it seems less sugary and you have the added bonus of chocolate.

My round pizza pan is in a box somewhere in storage, so I made this with a shallow 10x15 cookie sheet (baked for about 18 minutes in my convection oven). Whichever kind of pan you use, just be careful of cooking time. The larger the pan, the less cooking time. You just don't want to overcook the brownies because then they taste nasty.

Make sure the brownie mix you purchase is for a 9x13 size so you have enough batter. I like Betty Crocker's Dark Chocolate brownie mix.

BROWNIE FRUIT PIZZA
adapted from Tablespoon.com

1 box brownie mix (and everything needed to make it)
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3-4 cups fresh sliced fruit (such as strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
1/2 cup apple jelly, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 for a dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of a 12-inch round pizza pan. Prepare brownie batter according to package directions; spread evenly in pan. Bake 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base. Arrange berries over cream cheese mixture. (Optional: in a small bowl, whisk apple jelly until smooth. Brush over berries for a glossy look.) Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled. Cut into wedges to serve. Store covered in refrigerator.

Strawberry Pie

Love this pie! When I made it, the glaze was not quite thick enough (making the pie slightly runny) so I've adjusted the recipe. You might think it's too thick when you make it, but it needs to be because the berries start to seep their own juices and thin it out a bit. I don't use all of the glaze created just as a personal preference - I like the pie to be more about the berries. I just add enough to thoroughly coat the strawberries before adding them to the crust. If you use all of the glaze, eat the pie the same day or you may end up with a soggy crust (or just add more berries and make a fuller pie).

And speaking of crust! If you don't make your own, I recommend you use either Mrs. Smith's or Marie Callendar's brand frozen pie crusts. Store brands (especially Wal-mart - don't get me started) just don't cut it. This was the last time I will use a store brand pie crust.

STRAWBERRY PIE

1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked and cooled
2 quarts (32 oz) fresh strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. margarine
whipped cream (garnish)

Combine 1 cup sliced strawberries, sugar, water, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a blender and puree. Pour into a small saucepan and add margarine. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Pour glaze (as much as desired) over remaining berries in a medium bowl and fold gently until evenly coated. Pour into pie crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (Any remaining glaze can be saved for a warm ice cream topping or for a second pie.) Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Orange Jell-o Salad

This recipe is from my late Aunt Renee. It's one of my favorite Jell-o salads and it makes a lot so it's great for company.

ORANGE JELL-O SALAD

2 large boxes (6 oz, each) orange flavored Jell-o
4 cups boiling water
1 (12 oz) can orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 small cans mandarin oranges, with juice
3/4 cup ice or cold water

In a large bowl, dissolve Jell-o in boiling water. Stir in orange juice concentrate, mandarin oranges with juice, and ice until thoroughly combined and ice melts. Pour into a 9x12 glass dish and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Apple Crisp

The perfect autumn dessert! If you have one of these:
now is the time to use it! Just peel your apples first and then stick 'em in your wedger. It's a quick way to get uniform slices that will bake up evenly.

APPLE CRISP

10 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (Granny Smiths are good)
1 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup (a stick and a half) butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix apples with 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon until evenly coated; pour into 9x13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly; sprinkle evenly over apples.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Snowy Glazed Apple Pie Squares

image via Noodlehead

I made these tonight and let me tell you, they were popular. I follow a craft blog called Noodlehead and she shared this recipe a week or so ago. Her photo is far superior to anything I could produce, so I've included it here.

I made two mistakes in making these: 1) I forgot it called for corn flakes, but luckily had just enough Frosted Flakes on hand to substitute (and I therefore reduced the sugar by 1/4 cup) and, 2) I accidentally added 1 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon instead of teaspoons. And these still turned out fantastic! And I'm not a big fan of apple pie (I know for some that makes me a communist or something).

SNOWY GLAZED APPLE PIE SQUARES
from Noodlehead

8 medium-size tart apples; cored, peeled, and sliced (ex: Granny Smiths)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening
2 eggs, separated
milk
1 1/2 cups cornflakes, crushed
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly. In a glass measuring cup, beat two egg yolks. Add enough milk to equal 2/3 cup. Add to mixture; toss lightly. Divide pastry in half. On lightly floured surface roll out first half to cover bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with crushed corn flakes.

Spread apples over corn flakes. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Roll out last pastry half and cover; seal edges. Brush with beaten egg whites.

Bake for 1 hour. Cool slightly. Make glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Drizzle over crust. Can serve warm or cooled.

Fried Apples

These are very similar to the fried apples you can get at Cracker Barrel. I found the recipe here and made some adjustments. I think the ones at Cracker Barrel simply have cinnamon in them (and maybe even butter?), but I'm not completely sure.

These are great as a side, over pancakes or waffles, or as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A fantastic fall comfort food for sure.

Do be patient as you heat them. It says to simmer gently, which helps prevent the apples from falling apart. I got impatient and turned my heat up too high and they started to boil and break apart. Once the cider heats up, the apples will cook fairly quickly. I have lots of broken apples in mine and at first I was devastated but then I remembered the ones at Cracker Barrel are often broken, too. So it's okay!

FRIED APPLES
adapted from Cracker Barrel Fried Apples Recipe at CDkitchen

2 1/2 cups apple cider, divided
5-6 large Golden Delicious apples, cored and sliced into 1/2" wedges (with skin)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. apple pie spice*
4 Tbsp. sugar

Combine apple slices and 2 cups cider in a large skillet over medium heat. Simmer gently, constantly turning apples until fork tender but not mushy. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and put in oven-safe dish.

In a blender, combine 1/2 cup cider, cornstarch, spice*, and sugar. Blend until smooth. Whisk into hot cider in skillet and increase heat to med-high. Whisk and cook until thickened and bubbly; pour over apples and serve warm.


*If you are like me and don't have Apple Pie Spice in your pantry, here is a substitute:

1 tsp. of Apple Pie Spice =

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
dash of cloves
dash of ginger

Go light on the ginger and cloves since they are pretty strong.

Or you can always just use a teaspoon of cinnamon. Still yummy!