Lemon Fruit Dip (French Cream)

Recipe from Paula Deen

§ 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

§ 1 cup powdered sugar

§ 1 cup whipping cream

§ 1/4 cup granulated sugar

§ 1 lemon, zested and juiced

§ Pineapple juice (used to thin out if needed - I rarely need to)

Directions

Soften cream cheese and then whip with powdered sugar. Whip cream and sugar together until it forms soft peaks. Combine beaten cream cheese, whipped cream, lemon juice and zest; continue to beat, adding just enough pineapple juice to achieve desired consistency. Serve with fresh fruit tray or fruit salad. (I think this tastes best with apples, but Gavin's aunts were even using celery to dip in it!)

Dinner Rolls

2 1/2 C hot tap water

1 Cube butter

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 tsp salt

2 eggs

7 C flour

1 1/2 Tbsp yeast

Put water, butter, sugar, salt and eggs into blender (or bosch with whisk attachment). Blend for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp yeast; blend for 1 minute. Pour mixture over 7 C of flour. (or if in bosch, just add it and switch to the bread hooks). Mix well. Let rise (1-2 hours). form into rolls; (by rolling out and cutting like a pizza into small triangles). Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 1 hr. Bake at 400 degrees 10-12 minutes. Makes 36 rolls.

Pumpkin Bisque

Pumpkin Bisque (Recipe from Laurel Cummins) (Picture from Google-mine was not this cute).

1 lb can of pumpkin

4 cups seasoned chicken stock

¼ cup chopped onion

3 scallions chopped

½ teaspoon of salt

1/ cup light cream

2 medium tomatoes (optional)

Bring chicken stock, onions, and white of scallions to a boil. Add pumpkin after 15 minutes of simmering, blend well. Reboil, simmer 5 minutes. Remove to blender (or use immersion blender) and purée. Cool, add cream and blend. Garnish with cream, scallions, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with green part of green onions.

Caramel Apple Pie

Caramel Apple Pie (picture taken from google-I forgot to take a picture of mine. Quite frankly it was much messier than this, but it was delicious!)

6 cups apples peeled and thinly sliced (about 8 apples)

1 Tbsp. lime juice

¼ Cup flour

¾ Cup sugar

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Pastry for a 2 crust pie

2 Tbsp butter

¼ cup butter

2 Tbsp. heavy cream

½ C brown sugar

½ C pecans, chopped (optional)

Sprinkle apples with lime juice. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and spices. Sprinkle over apples and lightly toss. Place in a 10-inch deep pie plate lined with unbaked pie crust. Dot with 2 Tbsp. butter. Top with pie crust pastry. Seal and crimp the edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes. In a saucepan, combine ¼ cup butter, heavy cream and brown sugar. Stir on medium heat and bring to a boil for two minutes. Pour over hot pie and sprinkle with pecans if desired. Place on a baking sheet or foil. Return to oven for an additional 3-4 minutes until caramel bubbles. Serve warm. Note: Rome Beauty of Braeburn apples work best in this pie.

Easy Cornbread Muffins

This is such a simple recipe but it is much more moist and sweeter than regular cornbread.

1 yellow cake mix

2 jiffy corn bread mixes

Oil, milk and eggs according to directions on both packages

Preheat oven according to directions on cake mix box. Combine cake mix and corn bread mixes in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil and milk according to package directions (replace all water with milk). Mix together according to cake mix directions.

Bake according to times and temperatures on the cake mix box. Makes 24 corn bread muffins.

Chipotle Chocolate Chili (Our Best Bites Cookbook)

Don’t be scared of chocolate in a chili recipe: it just adds richness and depth.

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper chopped

1 pound lean ground turkey or beef

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 Tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not chocolate milk mix!)

2 15oz cans diced tomatoes

2 14.5oz cans kidney beans drained and rinsed

1 15-oz can beef broth

Chipotle sauce from a 7oz can of chipotle chilies

3-4 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar

½ ounce unsweetened chocolate (1/2 of an unsweetened baking cube) chopped. Optional – don’t use more than this, or the chili will be bitter.

Chopped green onions, sour cream or shredded sharp cheddar cheese for garnish, optional.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium. Sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground turkey or beef until meat is cooked through. Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, tomatoes, beans and beef broth. Add all or most of the sauce from a can of chipotle chilies. If you don’t like too much spice, be careful here. Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer (uncovered) stirring occasionally until thickened as desired (about 30-40 minutes.

If desired, add some chopped chipotle chilies. Stir in 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Add chopped chocolate a small amount at a time until desired richness is reached. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness of the chili.

When thickened and seasoned as desired, serve with toppings.

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread (adapted from ahintofhoney.com)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm water (100-110 F)
1 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (or pinch of each ground garlic, dried oregano, and dried basil)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (I choose to leave this out. I don’t like the taste it brings out)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bread flour + extra for kneading
1 egg, whisked + 1 Tbsp. water, for egg wash
dried rosemary, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes to proof.

2. Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, olive oil, and whole wheat flour. Add the bread flour and stir until the dough forms a ball. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth.

3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about1 hour.

4. Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf. Place it on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel or parchment paper; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 400 F. Once the dough has risen, gently brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with dried rosemary.

6. Bake on preheated stone for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Makes 1 round loaf.

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 Tablespoon reserved oil from sun dried tomatoes/olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

¾ cup shredded carrot

4 cloves garlic minced

2/3 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes undrained

1 14oz can chicken broth

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

3 ounces reduced fat cream cheese

Garnishes: grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Place oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Add sun-dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. If you’re using red pepper flakes, add them now. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer soup to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add cream cheese. Remove center piece of blender to allow heat to escape. Process for a few minutes until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper to taste then serve.