Rustic Plum Tart

From Everyday Food Magazine

Crust
*1 cup flour
*1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
*1/2 tsp sugar
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

In a food processor, pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining. Add 2 tbsp ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if needed, add up to 2 tbsp more ice water, 1 tbsp at a time.) Do not overmix.

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface; knead once or twice. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic and refrigerate at lest 1 hour.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Flour a large piece of parchment paper. Place dough on paper. Using your knuckles, press edges of dough so it doesn't crack during rolling. Lightly flour top of dough to prevent sticking; roll out a 14" round. Transfer dough, still on parchment, to prepared baking sheet.


Filling
*1 1/2 lbs plums, quartered and pitted, sliced 1/4 inch thick
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 tbsp flour
*1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water (egg wash)

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, toss plums, sugar and flour. Mound plum mixture in center of prepared crust, leaving a 2" border all around. Fold border over the fruit. Brush dough with egg wash.

Bake tart until crust is brown and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a rack; let cool 20 minutes.

Lemon-Lime Mousse

Serves 10
From Everyday Food Magazine

*6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
*1 1/3 cup sugar
*2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
*1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
*2 tbsp fresh lime juice
*1 tsp grated lemon zest
*1 1/2 cup heavy cream

Make lemon curd: in a medium saucepan, whisk together butter, 1 cup sugar, eggs, yolks, lemon juice and lime juice (mixture may appear curdled). Place over low heat; cook, stirring til smooth, 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat back of spoon.

You can make the lemon curd up to two days ahead; keep it refrigerated. The curd is also good on shortbread and scones.

Remove pan from heat; stir in the lemon zest. Transfer mixture to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream and remaining 1/3 cup sugar to soft peaks. Whisk lemon curd to loosen, then gently fold in whipped cream. Spoon into 10 glasses. Cover, chill at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Just before serving, garnish with zest.

Ginger Pumpkin Bread

From Everyday Food Magazine
Makes 2 loaves

*12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
*2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
*2 tsp baking powder
*2 tsp ground ginger
*1 tsp salt
*1 cup granulated sugar
*1 cup packed light-brown sugar
*15 oz. can pumpkin puree
*3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Butter and flour two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, powder, salt and ginger. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugars, melted butter and eggs; add flour mixture and stir til just combined.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cranberry Walnut Bread

From Everyday Food
Makes 1 loaf

*2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
*2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for pan
*1 1/2 tsp baking powder
*1/2 tsp baking soda
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 cup sugar
*1 large egg
*1 tsp grated orange zest
*1 cup fresh orange juice
*1 cup fresh cranberries
*1 cup toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 325. Butter and flour a loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, powder, soda and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until combined. Add egg, and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until combined (dough will appear very dry). Reduce speed to low; beat in orange zest and juice. Fold in cranberries and walnuts.

Spread batter in pan, smoothing the top. Bake 50 minutes to one hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; run a knife around the edges of loaf and invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Pear Sauce

From Everyday Food
Makes 2 cups

*4 firm, ripe Bosc pears, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
*1 tsp grated lemon zest
*juice of one lemon
*1/8 tsp salt
*1-2 tbsp honey

In a medium sauce with a lid, combine pears, 1/4 cup water, lemon zest, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until pears are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and mash coarsely with the back of a spoon. Cook pears to preferred chunkiness, or process until smooth in food processor.

Hershey's Double Chocolate Mint Cookies

From hersheys.com

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Mint Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. 1. Heat oven to 350°F.
   
   
2. 2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in mint chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
   
   
3. 3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or just until set; do not overbake. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

Ruby Fruit Salad

Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 2

*3 tablespoons light brown sugar
*juice of one lime
*2 plums, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
*1 1/2 cups cherries, halved and pitted
*1/2 pint blueberries
*2 tbsp mint

In a medium bowl, stir sugar and lime juice and let stand 10 minutes. Add the fruit and mint and toss to combine.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Filling

*3 cups rhubarb, sliced crosswise into 3/4 " pieces
*3 cups strawberries, sliced
*1 cup sugar
*2 tbsp cornstarch
*pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 400 with rack in the lowest level.

In a large bowl, toss rhubarb and strawberries with sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into pie shell. Either cover the pie with a top crust and make slits with a knife, or sprinkle with a crumble topping. Place on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and reduce heat to 375. Bake about 50 minutes, when crust is lightly browned.

Carrot Bread

From my mother
Makes 1 loaf

*1 cup sugar
*3/4 cup cooking oil
*2 eggs
*1/4 tsp salt
*1 1/2 cup grated carrots
*1/2 cup walnuts
*1 tsp soda
*1 1/2 cups flour
*1/2 tsp cinnamon
*1/2 tsp nutmeg

Mix sugar and oil together. Add eggs and salt, mix well. Stir in carrots and nuts. Sift together dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Stir only until well-mixed. Pour batter into greased 9"x3" loaf pan. Bake at 350 for one hour.

Zucchini Bread

From my mother
Makes 2 loaves

*3 cups flour
*2 tsp baking soda
*1 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp baking powder
*3/4 cup chopped pecans
*3 eggs
*2 cups sugar
*1 cup vegetable oil
*2 tsp vanilla extract
*2 cups shredded zucchini
*1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained

Combine dry ingredients and pecans, set aside. Beat eggs lightly in a large mixing bowl; add sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Add dry ingredients, stirring only until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter into 2 well-greased and floured 8"x4x3" loaf pans. Bake at 350 for one hour. Cool 10 minutes in pans; turn out on rack and allow bread to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

From Barefoot Contessa Parties

*1/2 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
*1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
*3/4 cup granulated sugar
*2 eggs, room temperature
*2 tsp vanilla extract
*1 cup smooth peanut butter
*2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*1 tsp baking soda
*1 tsp kosher salt
*1 lb. semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and peanut butter and mix. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the batter, mixing only until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and drop the dough onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 17 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone. Do not overbake.

Dr. Pepper Chocolate Layer Cake

From Lambert's

For the cake:

*2 cup all purpose flour
*1 cup white sugar
*1 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
*1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
*1 1/2 tsp baking soda
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 cup Dr. Pepper
*1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
*8 tbsp butter, softened and cut up
*2 large eggs
*1 cup buttermilk
*1/2 cup canola oil
*1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans.

Heat the Dr. Pepper in a small saucepan over medium. When it starts to bubble, reduce heat to low, add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Turn off heat and stir in butter. Set aside to cool 10 minutes.

Sift together flour, sugars, cocoa, soda and salt. Set aside.

With electric mixer, beat the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla for two minutes. At lowest speed, add Dr. Pepper mixture and beat for one minute. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat til smooth.

Divide evenly between pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the Silky Chocolate Butter Frosting:

*3/4 cup white sugar
*1/4 cup flour
*3 tbsp cocoa
*1 cup milk
*1 cup butter
*1 tbsp vanilla extract
*1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together sugar, flour and cocoa until evenly combined. Add milk and stir until smooth- don't worry if there are a few lumps because they will smooth out as you cook.

Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring, constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Reduce heat to low, cook 2 minutes, stirring. Remove saucepan from heat; cool completely. This should take 40 minutes to an hour.

In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually beat in cooled milk mixture, vanilla and melted chocolate.

Frost the cake.

Peach Cobbler

From Emily

Combine in baking pan:
*1 1/4 cup flour
*1 cup sugar
*1 tsp salt
*1/8 tsp baking powder
*1/2-3/4 cup milk
*1 stick butter, melted

The batter should have the same consistency as pancake batter.
Next, combine in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes (or until syrupy):
*1 bag of frozen peaches
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1/2 stick butter
*2 tsp cinnamon

Spoon the peaches over the batter. Drizzle a little bit of the syrup over the batter too. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, when toothpick comes out clean.

Basic Applesauce

From Everyday Food Magazine

*3 lbs. apples, a combination of gala, golden delicious and mcintosh
*1 cinnamon stick
*3/4 cup water
*2 tsp lemon juice

Peel, core and cut apples into 1/2" think slices. In large saucepan, combine apples, cinnamon stick and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick. Stir in lemon juice.

Puppy Chow

*9 cups Chex
*1 bag chocolate chips
*1/2 cup peanut butter
*1/4 cup butter
*1 tsp vanilla
*1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

In large bowl, measure cereal and set aside. Melt chocolate, peanut butter and butter in an uncovered pot and stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring to evenly coat. Pour into brown paper grocery sack with powdered sugar, fold the top over and shake until the cereal is coated with sugar. Spread on wax paper to cool.

Saucepan Brownies

From Jeannine

Preheat oven to 350. In a heavy 3 qt. saucepan over low heat, melt 2 sticks butter, 2 cups sugar and 2/3 cup cocoa. Remove from heat. Mix in 4 eggs, one at a time.

Stir together 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp soda and then add to saucepan.

Mix in 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups good chocolate chips, 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts. Macadamia nuts are good for a special occasion.

Spread in a greased 13" x 9" x 2" pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until sides pull from pan and top begins to crack. Don't overbake.

Ghiradelli Brownies

*2 eggs
*3/4 cup sugar
*1 tsp pure vanilla extract
*1/2 cup butter, melted
*3/4 cup Ghiradelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa
*2/3 cup flour
*1/4 tsp baking powder
*1/4 tsp salt
*1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
*1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Using a spoon, stir eggs with sugar and vanilla; add butter. Sift Sweet Ground Chocolate with flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into a greased 8" square pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Cherry Cake

From Linda

*2 cups powdered sugar
*2 1/2 cups flour
*1 cup butter, softened
*3 eggs
*1 1/2 tsp vanilla
*1 can sour pie cherries, drained

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Add flour.

Spread about half of batter in greased 7" x 11" pan. Cover with drained cherries. Drop remaining batter on top by spoonfuls and spread a bit, does not have to cover.

Bake 45 minutes (or a little longer) at 375. If dark on top but not done in middle, turn oven to 350 or 325.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Pecan Pie Tarts

From Linda

Crust:
*1/2 cup butter
*4 oz. cream cheese, softened
*1 cup flour

Mix all ingredients and form into balls. Press into muffin cups.

Filling:
*1 egg
*3/4 cup brown sugar
*1 tbsp melted butter
*1 cup pecans
*1 tsp vanilla
*powdered sugar for garnish

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Fill the crusts. Bake at 400 for 18 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool. Filling should be bubbly and edges of crust just starting to brown.