Strawberry Banana Bread

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup light-brown sugar
2 small pink grapefruit
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
whipped cream (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Put 4 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round baking pan. Place the pan in the oven just long enough to melt the butter. Remove pan from oven; scatter ½ cup brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.

With a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit, removing all pith (the white stuff). Slice into small rounds. Arrange the slices to cover the bottom of the pan. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and allspice. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat remaining butter until creamy. Add granulated sugar and remaining ¼ cup brown sugar; beat until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add dry ingredients and milt to butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Pour batter over grapefruit in pan. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; turn cake out onto serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream if desired.

from: Matt & Jess Nichols

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cups milk
1 ½ cups mixture coarsely chopped bananas and strawberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 5×9 inch loaf pan. Cream 1 cup of the sugar, and butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the flour. Sift the remaining flour with baking powder and salt. Mix flour alternately with milk into creamed mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Combine the reserved 2 tablespoons flour with fruit and gently fold into batter.

Turn into prepared pan and bake 1 hour fifteen minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes then pierce gently with a fork. Makes 1 loaf.

Brownie Swirl Cheesecake

from: Jess Nichols

Ingredients
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups water
1 cup milk
12 oz can evaporated milk

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Slowly stir in water and bring to a boil. Add milk and evaporated milk and heat thoroughly. Ladle into mugs.

from: 103

Ingredients
pudding
1 18-inch loaf of french bread
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter

sauce
1 stick butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sugar
¼ cup bourbon

Directions
Break bread into bite-size pieces in a large bowl. Cover iwth milk and soak 60 minutes. Mix well. Add egg and sugar. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins. Melt butter in a 9X13X2 inch baking dish, tilting to coat all sides. Pour pudding into dish. Bake at 375 for 60 minutes. To prepare sauce, heat butter and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in egg. Cool slightly. Add bourbon. Serve warm over pudding or in a sauceboat on the side.

from: Zack Newton

Ingredients
1-8oz. pkg. brownie mix
2-8oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 teas. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. milk chocolate pieces, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 9″ spring-form pan. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake at 350 for 15 min. Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Pour over brownie layer. Spoon melted chocolate over cream cheese mixture; cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan: cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

Margarita Cheesecake Freezes

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
1 ½ pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup water

Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until chunky. Pour half mixture into a bowl. Process the rest until smooth. Pour into 3 ounce molds or plastic cups and insert sticks or wooden spoons. Freeze until solid – at least 8 hours.

from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
1/3 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon grate lime zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more for glasses
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 graham crackers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
coarse salt for glasses

Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, confectioners’ sugar, lime zest, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec; beat until combined. In another bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form; fold into cream-cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Pulse graham crackers and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Stir in butter.

To serve, place lime juice on one plate and salt on another. Dip rims of glasses in juice, then salt. Remove mixture from freezer, and scoop into glasses; sprinkle with topping. Let soften slightly before freezing.

Banana Boats

from: Girl Scouts

Ingredients
bananas
milk chocolate chips
mini marshmallows

Directions
Take your banana, skin on, and slice it lenthwise, through the skin, cutting through the banana, but not penetrating the skin on the opposite side. Carefully pull apart the cut of the banana and stuff it with the marshmallows and chocolate chips. Use lots!! You'll need 'em.

Then all that's left to do is cook the banana. Wrap it in some tin foil and cook it on a bed of hot coals (or in the oven if you don't happen to be camping). You want the marshmallows and chocolate chips to get melty and the banana to get nicely cooked.

Once it's done, pull back the foil and consume with a spoon and maybe some milk…. mmmmmm

Buttermilk Pie

from: Everyday Food September 2004

Ingredients
2 lemons, halved
2 medium onions, halved
4 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a large knife blade
coarse salt
commercial seafood spice bundle or home made (see ingredients below)
3 pounds medium red potatoes, scrubbed
8 ears fresh corn, shucked and broken in half
3 pounds unshelled large shrimp, tail on
spicy butter for serving (mix up some tabasco and butter, mmkay?)

Directions
Bring 5 quarts of water to a boili in a 10-12 quart pot. Squeeze lemon juice into water then add the halves. Add onions, garlic, salt, and spice bundle. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Add potatoes to pot; return liquid to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered until opotatoes are almost tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add corn; continue cooking 5 minutes more.

Remove from heat. Stir in shrimp, submerging them completely. Cover, and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Ladle 2 cups of broth ino a glass measuring cup; drain the restr in a large colander, discarding the liquid.

Divide reserved broth among small bowls for dipping. Trans fer shrimp and veggies to a large platter and serve with spicy butter, if desired.

from: Everyday Food September 2004

Ingredients
3 beefsteak tomatoes, cored, each cut into 8 wedges
1 English cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
salt and ground pepepr
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions
Cut each tomato wedge into four pieces; cut c ucumber into 3/4 inch chunks. In a bolw, whisk vinegar with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, oil, and basil. Add tomatoes and cucumber; toss gently.

from: Everyday Food September 2004

Ingredients
1 prepared 8-inch graham-cracker crust
1 large egg white, beaten until frothy
2/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk, well shaken
3 tablsepoons unsalted b utter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt

for raspberry sauce:
1 cup raspberries
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions
Heat oven to 350. Place crust in its pan, on a b aking sheet. Brush lightly with eggwhite. Bake until crisp and slightly darkened, about 6 to 8 minutes.

IN a food processor, process sugar and flour until well combined. Add eggs; process until smooth. Add bu ttermilk, butter, and salt; process just until blended. Pour into crust.

Bake until filling is almost set but center still jiggles slightly when pan is gently sh aken, 35 to 40 minutes.

Transfer pie to rack; ccool completely . Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

To make raspberry sauce, combein raspberries, sugar and zest in a bowl. LIghtly mash about half the raspberries with a fork. Let sit at least 10 minutes to allow juices to release.

Sever immediately with pie.

Jambalaya Bourbon Bread Pudding

from: Jess Nichols

Ingredients
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups water
1 cup milk
12 oz can evaporated milk

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Slowly stir in water and bring to a boil. Add milk and evaporated milk and heat thoroughly. Ladle into mugs.

from: 103

Ingredients
pudding
1 18-inch loaf of french bread
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter

sauce
1 stick butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sugar
¼ cup bourbon

Directions
Break bread into bite-size pieces in a large bowl. Cover iwth milk and soak 60 minutes. Mix well. Add egg and sugar. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins. Melt butter in a 9X13X2 inch baking dish, tilting to coat all sides. Pour pudding into dish. Bake at 375 for 60 minutes. To prepare sauce, heat butter and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in egg. Cool slightly. Add bourbon. Serve warm over pudding or in a sauceboat on the side.

Strawberry Pops

from: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2003

Ingredients
1 ½ pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup water

Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until chunky. Pour half mixture into a bowl. Process the rest until smooth. Pour into 3 ounce molds or plastic cups and insert sticks or wooden spoons. Freeze until solid – at least 8 hours.

Scrumptious Popcorn

from: Martha Stewart Kids

Ingredients
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and each cut lengthwise into eight wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or other)
8 slices bacon cooked or crumbled
2 green onions thinly sliced

Directions
Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, toss potato wedges with the oil, salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Arrange wedges in a single layer in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until underside is golden, about 8 minutes. Turn potatoes and transfer skillet to oven.
Roast until potatoes are golden and crisp on the outside and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven.
Sprinkle potatoes with cheese, bacon and scallions; return to oven and continue baking until cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot.

from: unknown

Ingredients
4 quarts popcorn (popped!)
½ cup sugar
½ tbsp salt
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cinnamon
½ cup butter

Directions
Place popcorn in shallow baking dish. Melt butter in sauce pan and combine with salt, sugar, cinnamon and oil. Cook on very low heat until sugar melts slightly. Drizzle over popcorn and bake for about 8 minute, or until the cinnamon/sugar has hardened.

Homemade Ice Cream

from: Jess Nichols

Ingredients
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups water
1 cup milk
12 oz can evaporated milk

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Slowly stir in water and bring to a boil. Add milk and evaporated milk and heat thoroughly. Ladle into mugs.

from: 103

Ingredients
pudding
1 18-inch loaf of french bread
2 tablespoons vanilla
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter

sauce
1 stick butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sugar
¼ cup bourbon

Directions
Break bread into bite-size pieces in a large bowl. Cover iwth milk and soak 60 minutes. Mix well. Add egg and sugar. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins. Melt butter in a 9X13X2 inch baking dish, tilting to coat all sides. Pour pudding into dish. Bake at 375 for 60 minutes. To prepare sauce, heat butter and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in egg. Cool slightly. Add bourbon. Serve warm over pudding or in a sauceboat on the side.

from: Zack Newton

Ingredients
1-8oz. pkg. brownie mix
2-8oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 teas. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. milk chocolate pieces, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 9″ spring-form pan. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake at 350 for 15 min. Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Pour over brownie layer. Spoon melted chocolate over cream cheese mixture; cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan: cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

from: 102

Ingredients
3 cups heavy whipping cream
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
whatever fruit you like

Directions
Puree a cup of fruit and set aside. If you want slightly chunky ice cream, chop another ½ cup of fruit and set aside, otherwise omit the chopped fruit. Separate your eggs. Combine cream, yolks, and sugar in a sauce pan and heat on medium heat, stirring frequently. Heat until mixture is warm, and thickens slightly. Once heated, remove from heat and cool. Add the fruits to the mixture. Then pour into ice cream maker canister and follow manufacturer's directions to freeze the ice cream. Make sure to stir during setting for “chunk distribution” if you have chosen the chunky route.

Grilled Peaches with Chilled Sabayon

from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup champagne or sparking wine
2 tablespoons peach liqueur (optional)
3/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
2 peaches, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

Directions
Heat grill or grill pan. Prepare an icebath; set aside. Make the sabyon: combine yolks, sugar, champagne, and liqueur in a large metal bowl and set over a large pan of simmering water. WIhisk until mixture is very thik and has expanded in volume, about 7 minutes. Place bowl in ince bath; let cool completely.

Place cream in a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into egg-yolk mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator at least 20 minutes.

Line grill or pan with heavy-duty foil. Brush peaches with butter; sprinkle with brown sugar. Grill cut side down until peaches are tender and sugar is carmelized, 6 to 7 minutes. Divide sabayon amon four dishes and top each with a peach half.