Desserts Designed to Impress - Not Stress!

     Providing a special dessert that is not only delicious, but also looks fabulous is the ultimate compliment to guests.  It makes them feel they are important enough for the host to go to the trouble to prepare something exceptional.  Unfortunately, our busy lives leave little time to slave away in the kitchen – especially with the hectic holiday season approaching!  The desserts included here still look and taste wonderful, but they are super easy to make - thanks to some short cuts that can be taken!  Instead of whipping the cream up from scratch, Cool Whip can be used.  Likewise, store bought raspberry jam and lemon curd shave off lots of precious time that would be used making homemade sauces. Each of these desserts has a "history" in our family.  The tiramisu is a company dinner party dessert;  in the summer I use fresh raspberries in place of the wintertime toffee bits.  The ice cream bombe has been the finish to several wedding showers and the torte is a holiday favorite the girls would put together while the rest of the dinner cooked.

Toffee-White Chocolate Tiramisu

 

Ingredients:

2 (6 oz.) white chocolate baking bars

¼ cup heavy cream

1 (16 oz.) container of Cool Whip

1 (3 oz.) package of cream cheese

3 (3 oz.) packages of ladyfingers

¼ cup strong coffee

¾ cup toffee pieces (divided into ¼ cups)

Directions:

 

Put the white chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl and microwave it for 30 seconds.  It will keep its shape until it is stirred smooth. If necessary, microwave it again for about 15 more seconds.

. 

 In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Then beat the melted white chocolate mixture into the cream cheese. 

 

Take ½ of the Cool Whip out of the container and gently fold it into the white chocolate mixture. 

Next, line the sides and bottom of a springform pan (or glass bowl) with ladyfinger halves.  Brush the ladyfinger with the coffee (save some coffee for the next layer of ladyfingers).  Spread half of the white chocolate mixture over the ladyfingers and sprinkle the top with ¼ cup toffee bits. 

 

 Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers, coffee, white chocolate mixture, and toffee bits.  Cover with enough remaining Cool Whip to reach the top of the pan.  Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup toffee bits and refrigerate 4 hours. Remove side of springform pan before serving.

Ice Cream Bombe

 

 

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup peanuts (or 1 cup butter)

3 pints ice cream, each a different flavor

Bottled chocolate sauce

 

 

Directions:

 

Put graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and peanuts in food processor and process to mix.  Press mixture along the bottom and sides of a well-greased Bundt pan.

Slightly soften the ice cream.  Layer one flavor at a time on top of the crumb mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Freeze at least 8 hours.  To serve, submerge the bottom half of the pan into a bowl of hot water for 30 seconds.  Invert onto a serving plate, slice, and serve with chocolate sauce.

 

So Easy Raspberry Lemon Torte

 

Ingredients:

 

2 (8 inch) layers yellow cake

1 jar raspberry jam

1 jar lemon curd

1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip

 

Directions:

 

With a serrated knife, slice each cake layer in half through the middle.  Place first split layer on serving plate and spread with jam.  Top with a split layer and spread lemon curd over it. Top with the third split layer and spread jam over it. Place the last layer on top and frost the whole cake with cool whip.  Garnish with lemon slices and fresh or frozen raspberries.

 

 





 

Easy Scrumptious Butternut Squash Pizza

     I am a member of the "Lamest Book Club Ever".  I know that sounds disrespectful to the other members, but that is what we call ourselves!  Although we all love to read, coordinating meeting times to accomodate everyone's busy lives has been quite a challenge and we usually end up rescheduling just about every meeting.  However, another thing we love to do is cook and eat!  Last month we had a pitch-in dinner and my friend Tanya brought butternut squash that was so delicious that we all went crazy over it.  I knew Tanya was super smart, but I'd didn't realize how talented she was at putting wonderful flavors together!  Her dish added basil, walnuts, goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar to the squash and the result was amazing!  My craving for this yummy combination led me use the same ingredients, but I put it on a ready made whole wheat pizza crust.  My family declared it as "scrumptious"!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:



1 whole wheat ready made pizza crust

3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

1/4 cup diced shallots (or red onion)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

4 ounces goat cheese

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Place the squash cubes and diced shallots in an oven safe dish.  Toss them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Roast them in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they are tender.

Mix in the basil and the walnuts to the squash mixture.  Spread this evenly over the pizza crust.

Crumble the goat cheese over the top of the pizza.  Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees.

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar before serving.



Luscious Butternut Squash Soup!

          One thing we really enjoy when the weather starts to get cold is soup.  I especially love comforting bowls of thick creamy soup such as the kind chain restaurants have, but they can be a bit pricey and, I suspect, not very good for my waistline!  Our Aunt Lynn says you can take any type of vegetable or fruit, cook it until it's tender, and then food process or blend it into a lovely soup.  She says it's "the French way to make soup" and she should know - she lived in Switzerland for seven years.  I've adopted her technique and it works equally as well with my hand held immersion blender as it does with a food processor or regular blender.  It makes soup seem rich and thick without using flour for a roux -  good news for people who need to avoid wheat.  For this soup, I included Granny Smith apples and a bit of curry powder to add a tang and a kick that our family loves!

 

Ingredients for 4 to 6 servings:

 

1 medium sized butternut squash

2 medium sized Granny Smith apples

1 medium sized yellow onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced or put through a press

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 (15 oz.) cans chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup half and half (optional)

Directions:

Peel the apples and the squash.  Scrape the seeds out of the squash and cube enough of it to make about 4 1/2 cups.  Core the apple and cube it also.  Set the apples and squash aside.

Dice the onion and saute it in the olive oil until it is soft and tender.  Then add the curry powder and garlic and saute for another 30 seconds.  Pour in the two cans of broth.

Add the cubed squash and apples along with the salt and the pepper.  Bring the mixture up to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer.  Cook until the squash and apples are tender.  A fork should go through them easily since they are going to be pureed.

Use an immersion blender or process the mixture in two batches.  If desired, add the half and half, stir well, and heat again if neccessary but do not bring the soup back up to a boil.  If you do not use the half and half, you might want to add at least 1/2 cup more broth so that the soup is not so thick.  Half and half is a splurge but it's lower in fat than cream!

Another splurge is serving them with croutons!  Cut bread into cubes and brown in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Asiago bread is great for this!

 



Easy Autumn Meal

     My favorite go-to meal for autumn entertaining evolved out of a sweet potato salad. The salad was developed as a way to ease our cousins' distress - their dad was (and is!) addicted to sweet potatoes and made them several times a week, but always with mini-mashmallows.  I tried to invent some tasty but easy alternatives he could try.  The resulting sweet potato salad and four other recipes became one of the most visited Yates Yummies posts. Since then, I started serving the salad on a bed of baby spinach and then topping it off with sliced grilled chicken. So far this month I've served it at three different gatherings - it's that quick and easy to make. Before grilling chicken or pork is rubbed with a fall-festive blend of sage, garlic, and other spices; it's aroma is heavenly! I also like to skewer pears, apples, and cheese on cake pop sticks tied the end with raffia. Then I chop up the extra fruit and put it in the apple cider served in canning jars.  Hot Caramel Pears (or Apples) Delicious over ice cream is a great dessert to finish this meal off - you'll find it under September.

The Menu:

     Sage Thyme Grilled Chicken

     Sweet Potato Salad on Baby Spinach

     Skewered Fall Fruit and Cheese

     Apple Cider

Sage Thyme Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

4 to 6 chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a press

1 sprig fresh sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Cut the sage leaves off their stem and chop them up.  Blend them with the rest of the ingredients to make a paste.  Rub the mixture on the front and the back of the breasts.

Grill them over medium low for about 7 minutes a side.  Or, bake them at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.  Let them rest about 5 minutes before you slice them to put on the salad.

Skewered slices of fall fruit and cheese make a great accent to this autumn entree salad. 

Autumn Sweet Potato Rice Salad

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 Granny Smith apples

2 stalks celery, diced

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch cubes. Cook them in salted water until tender, but not overdone. Cook rice according to package directions. Put sweet potato cubes, rice, apple, celery, and onion in bow.  Whisk vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together. Pour vinegar and oil mixture over ingredients in the bowl and gently toss.

Cider with the extra cut up fruit is just a bit more fun served in Ball glass canning jars!

 



Something Special - Sauced Scallops



       One summer when Caroline was about twelve and Jenn was nine, they spent two weeks in an overnight camp a couple states away.  I remember that after the six hour drive home, Allison (who was six), burst into spontaneous tears when we walked into our house without her sisters.  A few years later, all three of the girls attended camp at the same time and then it was me who felt like bursting into tears!  To cheer myself up, I got busy with several different projects like making curtains and painting - but I found what really made me happy was cooking dishes that veered away from our usual daily fare.  I got busy with my trusty Betty Crocker's International Cookbook and found a recipe for Coquilles Saint-Jacques a la Parisienne (Scallops in Wine Sauce).  Roy loved it and felt like it was something really special!  Yesterday Jenn flew to Argentina to visit Allison who is studying there for a year.  When I came home after taking her to the airport, I got that "empty house" feeling again.  Suddenly, I got the urge to make this yummy scallop dish; both Roy and I still think it's something special!

   

 

Ingredients for Four Servings:

1 pound jumbo scallops

2/3 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/3 cups sliced mushrooms

2 tablespoons of sliced green onions

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

 

 

Directions:

Place the scallops and wine in a saucepan.  Add just enough water to cover the scallops.  Bring them up to a boil and then turn down the heat and allow the scallops to simmer until they are white throughout.  Be careful not to cook them too long - they become rubbery of you do! Take the scallops out of the pan and set them aside.  Take the liquid out of the pan and set it aside.  Using the same pan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter; then add the mushrooms and green onions and saute them until tender.  Now take them out of the pan and set them aside.

 

 

 Next, melt the three tablespoons of butter and whisk in the 3 tablespoons of flour.  Cook over low heat until this mixture is bubbly.  Whisk in one cup of the reserved liquid and cook over low heat - stirring constantly - until the liquid thickens. 

 

 

 Take it off the heat and add in the reserved scallops, mushroom mixture, 1/4 cup of the cheese, half-and-half, salt and stir until combined.  Spoon the mixture into four oven proof serving dishes.  Divide the remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the four servings.

 

 

  Mix the bread crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle some over each serving.  Place the dishes in the oven and broil until the bread crumbs are toasted.  Watch carefully!  They burn very quickly if left unattended!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Caramel Apples Over Ice Cream

 

 An old family recipe called Hot Caramel Pears Delicious is the basis for this recipe.  My mom would use a one pound 13 oz. can of pears in heavy syrup when she made this favorite dessert.  I have given way to choosing pears canned in their own juice and then further tweaked the recipe by cutting back on sugar and cornstarch in the recipe below as well as using fresh apples.  However, I think there  would be a some disappointment on the part of my family if I didn't include the original recipe for Pears Delicious at the end of this post - it's now yellowed, dog-earred, almost unreadable, as well as been lost and found  more than once, and  my girls have been after me to type it up for quite a while!

Ingredients:

(About 6 servings)

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced

2 cups apple cider

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 quart vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Put the apple slices and cider in a pan and heat to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer until the apple slices are tender.  A fork should go into them easily, but you don't want them to get to the point of being mushy or like apple sauce.  While the apples are cooking mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a bowl.  When the apples are ready, take them out of the apple cider and set them aside.  Turn the heat back up to high and slowly whisk in the sugar/cornstarch/cinnamon mixture. Let it get to a boil. Turn the heat back down to a simmer and stirring constantly, let it cook for 2 minutes.  By now the mixture should be nice and thick.  Add the butter and stir until mixed in.  Gently put the apple slices back into the sauce.  Put a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream into each serving dish and spoon the sauce over the ice cream.  If desired,  Garnish with cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of additional cinnamon.

Original Recipe for Hot Caramel Pears Delicious

1 can (1 lb. 13 0z.) pear halves

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup pear syrup (from can of pears)

1/4 cup (1/2 stic) butter

1 quart vanilla ice cream

Drain Pears, reserve syrup.  In sauce pan, combine cornstarch, brown sugar, and cinnamon; mix well.  Stir in syrup.  Cook, stirring constantly until sugar boils, reduce heat and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Add butter and pears and heat to serving temperature.  For each serviving place pear half in dish with a large scoop of ice cream, spoon sauce over ice cream and top with additional cinnamon if desired.  Makes 8 servings.

It's Chili Season! - White & Red

White Chicken Chili, Red Beef Chili, and Savory Corn Green Chili Muffins

     Amanda, the daughter of good friends of ours, recently got married.  It was a hectic summer so she opted for a shower after all the other festivities calmed down.  It seemed to be a great idea to include the guys by having a  couples shower with an autumn theme.  Amanda and her new husband Darren love chili, so I spent today digging out two of our family favorites - regular tomato ground beef chili and white chicken chili. They have a track record of satisfying a man-sized appetite.  Both of them call for the very same spices, but due to the difference in the major ingredients, they are strikingly at opposite ends on the chili spectrum! We like black beans in the red chili, but kidney beans are great as well.  I like to keep a large jar of the spices used in this recipe already mixed up.  I use this spice combination in almost any Tex Mex dish I make and my family never seems to get tired of it.  The basic proportions are: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.  To go with the chili, I baked up some savory corn muffins.  They feature mild green chilies, monterey jack cheese, and cumin.  The aroma of these flavors baking together is amazing! 

Red Beef Chili



Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 onion diced

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

2 teapoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 

Directions:

Brown the ground beef along with the diced onions over medium heat.  When the meat is evenly browned, drain off any grease.  Add everything else to the pot and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.  Top with diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese, oyster crackers, fritos, sour cream, fresh jalapeno slices, etc.

 

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 (15 oz.) cans chicken broth

1 (15 oz.) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed and drained

3 to 4 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1/3 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions:

Saute the onions and celery in the olive oil until they are nice and soft.  Add the chicken broth, chicken, beans, spices and simmer for at least 15 minutes.  Take the chili off the heat and either serve it this way with the sour cream and cheeses as garnisher OR (what I do),  stir in the sour cream and cheeses and garnish the bowls with sliced green onions.

Savory Corn Green Chili Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1 cup corn, frozen or canned (drained)

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1/4 cup canned diced green chilies (4 oz. can)

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients together, then add the wet ones in and stir until everything is blended together.  Use cupcake liners or a nonstick muffin pan. (I still "grease" my nonstick muffin pan with a little butter).  Spoon 1/4 cup of batter into each well in the pan.  Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  They should spring back when you tap them and be browning on the top and sides.