Fresh Fruit Tart

Sweet Tart Crust:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the salt. Place the butter in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball. Line the bottom of a 9-10 inch tart pan or torte pan with parchment paper. . Evenly pat the chilled pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Lightly prick bottom of pastry crust with the tines of a fork (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Place tart pan on a larger baking pan and bake crust for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until dry and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before filling. Can be covered and stored for a few days or frozen.

*you can brush the cooled tart with apricot jelly and let it dry, which will seal the crust and prevent it from getting soggy. Its a useful thing to do if you know the tart will not be eaten right away. I don't always do this, and it doesn't get really soggy if you eat the tart the same day you make it.

Cream Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 TBS sour cream
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract

In an electric stand mixer, beat cream cheese & powdered sugar until smooth, add remaining ingredients and whip on highest setting for 3-5 min. Spread evenly over crust.

Top tart with sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, kiwi, and/or any other favorite fruits.

**if you don't like the cream cheese filling, you can use a
traditional pastry cream, but it requires a little more work and must be cooked & cooled before you can use it.

Key Lime Pie

I like to make this and put it in ramekins for fun little mini pies. It's a very elegant dessert when topped with whipped cream and twisted lime slices. Enjoy!

1 Pre-baked Pie Shell or Graham Cracker pie crust

2 cans Sweetened Condensed Milk

3/4 cup Sour Cream

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Vanilla

3/4 cup {Key} Lime Juice

1 TBS Grated Lime Zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine condensed milk, sour cream, salt, vanilla, lime juice, and lime zest. Beat well. Pour into pie shell or 4 ramekins with pie crust or graham cracker crust pressed into the bottom. Bake for 11-12 minutes, do NOT brown on top. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

{Kings} Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

 Yum. That's really all that needs to be said about these rolls. Going to a potluck or having friends over and looking for a crowd pleaser? THIS recipe is the one! I promise.

Ingredients:

2 cups pineapple juice, warmed

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 TBS yeast

3 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

7 {ish} cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm pineapple juice and sugar, let stand 5 minutes until yeast begins to get fluffy. Add salt, eggs, vanilla, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Beat well. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Slowly add remaining flour until a soft dough forms (in an electric mixer add flour until dough pulls away from sides). You may need a little more or less flour depending on your elevation & humidity. Knead for 4-6 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60-90 min. Punch down. Divide into 24 pieces. Roll balls in your palm on the countertop. Place on buttered cookie sheet (I can fit all 24 on one pan). Cover with oiled plastic wrap and a warm towel. Allow to rise for another 45-60 min. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min, or until golden on top. Remove from oven and brush with butter.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are really yummy! They have that delightful flavor of your momma's banana cookies, but the oatmeal gives them some texture and keeps them from falling apart.

 

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 sticks butter, softened (1 1/2 c)

2 eggs

4 bananas

3 1/2 cups oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Beat in softened butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Add eggs, bananas, and quick oats to bowl and beat until fluffy.

Add chocolate chips and walnuts.

Spoon onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, then place on a rack to cool.

Luscious Lemon Cake Roll

Cake:

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2/3 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon curd
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Dash salt
Yellow food coloring (optional)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Line a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed or parchment paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in oil and lemon extract; set aside.
In another large bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved, this will take several minutes. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; fold into egg mixture.
Pour into to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Gently peel off paper. Roll up cake in towel, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For filling, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon curd, salt, lemon extract, lemon juice, lemon peel and food coloring. Fold in whipped cream. Unroll cake; spread filling over cake. Roll up again. Place seam side down on aluminum foil and wrap tightly. Chill in freezer 2-4 hours.  Remove from freezer 20-30 minutes before serving. Place seam side down on a platter and dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, lemon juice and extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini and lemon peel. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves.

Glaze:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons lime juice (to taste)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
3/4 cup sugar

Combine and brush over slightly cooled loaves, repeat until glaze is gone.

Pucker Up!

Layered lemon Pies

* Pastry for 2 single-crust pies

* 1 1/2 cups sugar

* 6 TBS cornstarch

* 1/4 tsp. salt

* 2 cups cold water

* 3 egg yolks, beaten

* 1/3 cup lemon Juice

* 1/4 cup butter, cubed

* 1 tsp. grated lemon peal

* 1 tsp. lemon extract

* 3 drops yellow food coloring, optional

Second Layer

* 8oz cream cheese, softened

* 1 cup powdered sugar

* 1 1/2 cups cold milk

* 2 small pkg. instant lemon pudding

Top Layer

* 8oz cream cheese, softened

* 1 cup powdered sugar

* 1 carton cool whip (16 oz)

1. Cook pie crust according to directions on package.

2. In a large sauce pan, combine sugar, cornstarch & salt. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over med-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat, cook 2 min longer. Remove from heat.

3. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yokes; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 min longer.

4. Remove from heat, gently stir in lemon juice, butter, lemon peal, extract and food coloring. Cool to room temp without stirring. Spread lemon mixture into crusts. Refrigerate for 30 min or until firm.

5. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. gradually beat in milk. Add pudding mixes; beat 2 min longer. Let stand 2 min until soft set; spread onto pies. Refrigerate 30 min.

6. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and powered sugar until smooth, fold in cool whip. Spread over tops of pies. Refrigerate until set.

*Recipe from Taste of Home, Feb/March 2010

Lemony No-Bake Cheesecake

This cheesecake is really light and creamy! I made mine sugar free and low carb (believe it or don't!), so I didn't make a crust, but there is a recipe for crust included. This makes a small cheesecake so I would recommend doubling the recipe and using a 9 or 10 inch pan for a larger group (no need to double crust or lemon topping). Ingredients:

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 pkg knox unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 TBS butter

2-3 tsp stevia powder* (to taste) or 2/3 cup sugar

16 oz (2 pkg) cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1 TBS stevia powder* (to taste) or 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

If you want to use a crust:

Combine 1 1/2 cups graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs, 2 TBS sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice, let stand 1 minute. Over meduim heat, bring to a boil and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved; measure out 1/4 cup and set aside to cool. Add water (and sugar if you're using it- do not add stevia yet!) to remaining lemon juice and bring just to a boil. Slowly whisk hot lemon mixture into beaten egg yolks, being careful not to cook them (you just want to temper them). Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium low heat until bubbly. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Cool completely and whisk in stevia powder.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and stevia (or sugar). Slowly beat in reserved 1/4 cup lemon juice & gelatin mixture. Beat in vanilla and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Gently spread into an 8 inch springform pan. Pour cooled lemon mixture over cheesecake. Cover and chill overnight.

*I use NuStevia brand white stevia powder. All brands are different, so add it to taste. If you add too much, it can be really gross. Beware of brands that cost significantly less than others because they are often very bitter or really weak. I have also used Truvia brand and it has a good flavor but is a little weak so you may need to add more. Also, I have found that stevia does NOT like to be heated- it gets too strong and a little bitter, so be sure to add stevia to cooled mixtures.

Tootsie's Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 TBS sour milk (add lemon juice to make it sour)
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
3 mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs, bananas, and then dry ingredients. Mix well. Add milk & nuts. Pour into bread pans and bake at 350 for 60- 75minutes.