Burrata With Caramelized Donut Peaches

Burrata With Caramelized Donut Peaches

Makes For A Perfect Summer Appetizer!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 Burrata

5-7 Donut peaches, ripe, not mushy 

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp apple cider vinegar 

minced parsley, garnish

olive oil for drizzle

Focaccia Bread 

Cooking Tools

Frying pan 

Directions

Cut peaches into cubes and place on heated pan and saute until some juices run out.  Sprinkle in the sugar, vinegar and continue to saute until sugar melts and starts to caramelized, remove from heat and cool.  Place cut open Burrata on a serving dish and place cooled peaches over Burrata.  Garnish with minced parsley, drizzle with olive oil and serve with Focaccia bread.

Serves 4 

Dutch Apple Pie

Dutch Apple Pie 

Just A little Bit Of Work Creates This Beautiful Show Piece For Your Holiday Table!

Difficulty: Moderate

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 1 hour + 30 minutes

Ingredients

Apple Pie Filling

5 Granny Smith Apples, peeled & sliced

3 Honeycrisp Apples, peeled & sliced

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tsp. pumpkin or apple pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp of cornstarch

1/2 stick cold butter, cubed

 

Cooking Tools

Le Crueset pie dish

Kitchen Aid Food Processor

1 Stainless mixing bowls

1 medium mixing bowl

Rolling pin

Parchment paper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Prepare pie dough, roll out to fit pie dish, Prepare crumble topping. Place all the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss well until every piece of apple is coated.

Cook's Notes: I give my sliced apple a vinegar or (lemon) & water bath to prevent apple from browning. Drain from water and dry completely before adding in ingredients.  Place apple in the prepared pie dish and top with crumble, bake in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove apple pie from oven and let completely cool 5-6 hours so it has time to set up.

Serves 8

Butter Pie Crust

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour + dusting

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 cold stick butter, cubed

8 tbsp ice water

Directions
Place dry ingredients in a food processor, add cubed butter.  Pulse flour and butter, drizzle in water until ingredients combine.  Remove and place on floured surface, combine to form a disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill. Place dough on a lightly floured parchment paper and roll out your dough to fit the pie dish, trim off excess dough and pinch the edges.

Crumble Topping

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 stick cold butter, cubed

Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to create crumbles.

 

 

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffin

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffin
Healthier Version, With No Oils Or Butter!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

2 large ripe bananas, smashed

1 cup plain yogurt

2 eggs

3/4 cup maple syrup 

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

3 cups quick cook oatmeal + topping

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup blueberries

Cooking Tools

Muffin tin

Muffin liners

Medium mixing bowl 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together; bananas,yogurt, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, baking powder, vanilla extract, milk, salt & oatmeal. Place muffin liners in muffin tin.  Pour batter into each muffin liner 3/4 full. Place 4-5 blueberries on top and sprinkle some dry oatmeal on top of each muffin and bake in oven for 35-40 minutes.
Yields 6 large or 8 medium or 12 small

Chocolate Pear Cake

Chocolate Pear Cake
A Box Cake Mix Can Be Elevated To Something Elegant!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients

Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Cake Mix

3-4 whole pears, peeled, stem on

1 cup milk

3/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil + greasing

2 tsp almond extract

3 eggs

confectioners sugar for dusting

Cooking Tools

Nonstick loaf pan

Parchment paper

Medium mixing bowl 

Directions
Preheat oven 350 Degrees F.  Whisk together dry and liquid ingredients until well blended. Grease loaf pan and line the long side of pan with parchment paper allowing for some overhang (this allows for easier lifting of the cake out of the pan). Pour some batter to line bottom of pan.  Place 3-4 pears in the center of the bake pan allowing for space in between. Pour the batter slowly and evenly around the pears. Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes, insert toothpick to see if it comes out clean. Remove from oven and let rest in pan for 15 minutes before removing.
Yields 1 loaf 

Raspberry Lemon Cloud

Raspberry Lemon Cloud
Just Heavenly And No Baking!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required
Cooling Time: 3+ hours

Ingredients

8 oz. fresh raspberries

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 Lemon Jell-O Instant pudding mix

1 cup cold milk

1 cup lemon curd (jarred is fine)

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Cooking Tools

1 medium mixing bowl

1 large mixing bowl

Electric hand mixer 

Directions
In a medium mixing bowl; whisk milk and Jell-O pudding mix and refrigerate.  In a cold mixing bowl, whisk; heavy cream and vanilla bean paste until almost fully whipped. Slowly whip in the pudding mix, lemon zest and sweetened condensed milk. Whip on high until fully whipped. Place dollops of lemon cloud in a serving dessert dish.  Dollop of 1 tbsp of lemon curd and top with fresh raspberries.  Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Serves 6

Mango BBQ Ribs

Mango BBQ Ribs
Make Your Own Tasty BBQ Sauce!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 rack of ribs

1 ripe mango, diced

1 cup ketchup

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup onions, diced

1 tsp worchestershire sauce

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp harissa powder

salt

pepper

Cooking Tool

Outdoor grill

Saucepan

Food Processor

Directions
Preheat outdoor grill on medium low.  Coat ribs evenly with garlic powder, onion powder, Harissa, salt & pepper.  Grill ribs for 1 hour, turning on occasion. Prepare Mango BBQ sauce while the ribs are cooking. Place diced fresh ripe mangoes, ketchup, garlic, onions, worchestershire sauce, vinegar and brown sugar.  Cook on medium heat until mangoes and onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Place sauce ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth.  Pour puree back in saucepan and salt and pepper to taste, keep warm.  Baste ribs with the Mango BBQ sauce the last 15-20 of cooking. Save some sauce to pour on top of cooked ribs.
Serves 2

 

Filipino Mango Float

Filipino Mango Float
Refreshing Burst Of Mango Flavor
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required
Chill Time: 3 hours +

Ingredients
3 ripe mangoes, diced
2 cups cold heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups crushed graham crackers
3 tbsp butter, melted
mint leaves for garnish

Cooking Tools

1 medium mixing bowl

1 freezer ziploc bag

4 dessert cups/bowls

Electric hand mixer 

Directions
Place graham crackers in a ziploc bag and crush.  Mix in the melt butter into the crushed graham crackers and coat well. In a mixing bowl, whisk heavy cream and vanilla extract until almost completely whipped. Slowly add sweetened condensed milk in a steady stream as you continue to whip with the electric hand mixer. Layer each dessert cup with the crushed graham cracker, sweetened whip then diced mangoes, repeat another layer. The last layer should be mangoes and sprinkle of graham cracker crust.  Garnish with mint leaves. Chill in refrigerator for 3 hours before serving.
Serves 4

Sun Melon & Mango Yogurt

Sun Melon & Mango Yogurt
A Healthy Start To Your Morning Routine!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients

1 ripe Sun Melon, halved & seeded

2 cups plain Greek Yogurt

1 ripe mango, small dice

1/4 cup raspberries 

honey

mint leaves

Cooking Tools

No tools required 

Directions
Prepare melons by removing seeds allowing for a well. Add 1/2 cup yogurt in the melon then add some diced mango.  Add another 1/2 cup of yogurt, top with more diced mangoes, raspberries and drizzle with honey.  Garnish with mint leaf.
Serves 2 

Lemon Strawberry Crumb Cake

Lemon Strawberry Crumb Cake

The Tasty Combination Of A Crumb Cake And A Strawberry Shortcake!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients

1 box Dunkin Hines Lemon Cake Mix

4 cups fresh strawberries, diced

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp sour cream

zest of 1 lemon

juice of half lemon

1 cup water

butter for greasing

whip cream for topping

Cooking Tools

Rectangle glass baking dish

Large mixing bowl

Medium mixing bowl

Electric hand mixer

Medium sauce pan

Pastry cutter 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. In the mixing bowl, whisk on high the cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, water and whisk until smooth and blended. Pour batter into the greased baking dish. Evenly layer the diced strawberries on top, no need too press down. Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and evenly layer the crumb topping (recipe below) on top of the half cooked cake. Place back in the oven and cook for additional 25-30 minutes.  Cool cake, serve with Strawberry Sauce and whip cream.
Serves 8 

Crumb Topping
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick cold butter, diced
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl, using a pastry cutter, blend. Combine until mix of large and small crumbs.

Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
3-4 cups, fresh strawberries, diced
3/4 cup sugar
juice of half lemon
Directions
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook for five minutes on medium heat.  Remove from heat and cool.

Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Buckle
5 Ingredients Makes This Tasty Dessert!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients3 cups flour
1 stick cold butter, diced
1 cup sugar
16 oz. fresh blueberries
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cooking Tools
Pastry cutter
Medium baking dish
Medium mixing bowl

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, add; flour, diced cold butter, sugar and vanilla.  Use the pastry cutter to cut butter into the flour, then use your hands to create pea size and larger clump ( This will create your bottom and top crust).
Put half of the crumbs to line the baking dish, add the blueberries evenly spread out.  Add the rest of the crumb topping evenly on top of the blueberries.  Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature then cut & serve.
Serves 6

Watermelon With Mint Simple Syrup

Watermelon With Mint Simple Syrup
This Is So Refreshing, Especially For The Hot Days Of Summer!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
Watermelon slices
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
10 mint leaves
1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped

Cooking Tools
Small sauce pan

Directions
In a small sauce pan on low heat, add; water, sugar and mint leaves.  simmer for 15 minutes to reduce liquid.  set aside in a glass container and cool, you can also refrigerate.  Pour Mint simple syrup over watermelon slices and garnish with chopped mint leaves.
Serves 4

Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream
No Ice Cream Maker, No Problem With This No-Churn Recipe!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required
Cooling Time: 5 + hours

Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberry slices
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup super fine sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Cooking Tools
2 medium mixing bowls
Electric hand mixer
Container for ice cream

Directions
Add strawberry slices and sugar in a mixing bowl, toss and set aside to create the strawberry juices. Whip the heavy cream and vanilla bean in a separate bowl until whipped.  Mix in sweetened condensed milk and buttermilk into the strawberry mixture. Fold in whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until well incorporated.  Place strawberry ice cream mixture into a container and freeze for 5-6 hours+.
Serves 4

 

Fruit Cocktail Panna Cotta

Fruit Cocktail Panna Cotta
Fun, Fruity, Creamy And Delicious!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Cooling Time: 4-6 hours

Ingredients
2 cup heavy cream
1 cup half & half
1/2 cup super fine sugar + 1 tbsp
1 packet gelatin
2 tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 cup raspberries
1 cup strawberries, small diced
1 cup pineapple, small diced
1 cup blueberries
1 cup Mandarin oranges
1/4 cup Chambord
mint leaves (garnish)

Tools

Medium saucepan

Medium mixing bowl

Dessert cups 

Directions
In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat, simmer together heavy cream, half & half, sugar and vanilla bean paste.  Bring liquid to a small boil and remove from heat. Dissolve gelatin in the water and pour into the hot liquid and whisk.  Let hot liquid cool slightly before pouring into dessert cups.  Place filled dessert cup into the refrigerator and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.  Right before serving, place all the fruit into a mixing bowl, add in sugar and Chambord.  Toss fruit in the liquid until sugar dissolves. Spoon fruit on Panna Cotta before serving.  Garnish with some mint leaves.
Serves 6

Mango Parfait

Mango Parfait
Refreshing Dessert On The Hot Days Of Summer!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required
Cooling Time: 1 hour +

Ingredients
1 8oz container Noosa Honey yogurt
8oz whipped cream cheese
2 ripe mangoes, peeled & cubed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp agave syrup
1/4 cup almond slices
1/4 cup sweetened coconut shavings
mint leaves 

Cooking Tools
Food Processor
Hand mixer
Medium mixing bowl

Directions
Place cubed mangoes in the food processor until pureed smooth.  In a mixing bowl, add; Yogurt, whipped cream cheese, 1/2 of the mango puree, vanilla extract and agave syrup.  Whip ingredients with a hand mixer until whipped smooth.  Place equal amount of whipped mango mixture in dessert glasses.  Top with the other half of the mango puree equally and top each dessert with almond slices and coconut shavings, garnish with mint leaves.  Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Serves 2-4

Poached Pears With A Ginger Marsala Syrup

Poached Pears With A Ginger Marsala Syrup
Delicate Flavors Infuse the Pears!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 3 hours

Ingredients
4-6 Honey Bell Pears
3 cups water
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup crystalized ginger slices
peel of 1 orange
3/4 cup raw sugar
1 cup Agave syrup
2 sprigs of Tarragon leaves
Mint leaves for garnish

Cooking Tools
Deep medium size saucepan
Shallow saucepan
Vegetable peeler

Directions
Into the deep stock pot, add; water, Marsala wine, ginger, orange peel, sugar, Agave and Tarragon leaves. Bring liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer liquid for 30 minutes.  Remove 1 1/2 cups of liquid and transfer to the shallow sauce pan. While the liquid is simmering, peel pears but leave stem intact. Place peeled pears into the simmering liquid and simmer for 15 minutes.  Do Not Overcook!! Take off heat and place a small dish, smaller the the circumference of the saucepan and place on top of pears to submerge them under the liquid. Let the pears in liquid come to room temperature then place in refrigerator for a few hours to chill.  For the reserved liquid in the shallow sauce pan, reduce liquid on a low simmer until it comes to a syrup like consistency. Cool syrup to room temperature and set aside.  Remove pears from poaching liquid and place pear in a serving bowl and drizzle about 1 to 2 tbsp of the syrup.  Garnish with a mint leaf.  Cook's Note: Save the poaching liquid in the refrigerator for cocktails, salad dressings, pickling  and drizzle over fruit!
Serves 4-6

 Poaching Liquid

Simmer Poaching Liquid For 30 Minutes To Infuse the Flavors Of The Ingredients!

                                             Save The Poaching Liquid!