Cherry Breakfast Swirl

Cherry Breakfast Swirl

20 servings

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp almond extract

4 eggs

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 21oz can cherry pie filling

1/2 cup (2oz) sliced almonds

Butter a large jelly roll pan. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the sugar with the butter until fluffy. Beat in extracts and eggs. Beat in flour and baking powder on med-low speed just until blended.

Spread 2/3 of the batter in the buttered pan; it will be pretty thin. Scatter small spoonfuls of the cherry filling over the top and dot with tablespoonfuls of the remaining batter. Using the spoon, flatten the mounds of batter just a little. Sprinkle on the almonds. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned, 28-30 minutes.

Banana Cream Cake

Banana Cream Cake
serves 12

2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 medium)
1/2 cup Smart Balance stick margarine
1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
8 oz lowfat sour cream
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup broken pecans

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Add banana, margarine, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low until combined. Add eggs and beat on medium for two minutes. Stir in the finely chopped nuts.

Pour batter into a greased 9x9x2 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, for frosting, in a small bowl, stir together sour cream and brown sugar. Spoon evenly over warm cake in pan. Sprinkle with broken nuts. Bake about 5 minutes more or until frosting is set. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

drew raves!

Peanut Butter Cream Pie
8 servings

8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened (I used lowfat)
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I used natural and it was fine)
6 T milk (I used skim)
8 oz Cool Whip, thawed (I used lowfat)
9-inch graham cracker crust
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar and peanut butter; mix well. Gradually add the milk. Fold in Cool Whip; spoon into crust. Sprinkle with peanuts. Chill overnight.

Perfect Brownies

Perfect Brownies: Fudgy, Chewy, Cakey
yield: 16 brownies

2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
10 T unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and set a rack in the lower-middle level. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fit an 8x16 inch sheet of foil into the pan and up and over two sides, so you can use the foil overhang as handles to pull the cooked brownie out of the pan. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water (or in a double boiler). Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Continue to whisk until the mixture is completely smooth and glossy. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with wet crumbs, 35-45 minutes (it took 40 in my oven). If the toothpick comes out clean, the brownies are overcooked!

Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Use the foil handles to pull the one big brownie out of the pan and turn it out on the rack upside down to cool completely, at least 3 hours.

Cut into 16 squares and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Root Beer Bundt Cake

Root Beer Bundt Cake

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For the cake:

2 cups root beer (not diet)

1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

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For the frosting:

2 oz dark chocolate (60% cacao) melted and cooled slightly

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup root beer

2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively butter it, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

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In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.

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In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

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In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy -- do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough.

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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack.

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To make the frosting, pulse all ingredients in a food precessor until smooth and shiny. I don't have a food processor, so I just made it like regular frosting. I cut the butter into the dry ingredients and then stirred in the root beer. Use a spatula to spread the frosting over the crown of the bundt in a thick layer and allow to set. Serve with vanilla ice cream on the side.

Double-Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Double-Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

yields 4-6 dozen

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 3.9 oz pkg instant chocolate pudding mix

2 eggs

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk. Combine the butter, sugars, vanilla, and pudding mix in a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chips (the batter will be quite stiff). Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet (I lined it with parchment paper). Bake 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly crisp around the edges. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

In the picture above, I actually forgot to add the brown sugar, so the cookies turned out much more cakelike and puffier than usual. They were still delicious though.