Delicious Strawberry Pie Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. + cooling Bake: 10 min. + chilling

YIELD: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
• 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• Fresh mint, optional

  Directions

  1. Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
  2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until slightly cooled.
  3. Meanwhile, arrange strawberries in the crust. Pour gelatin mixture over berries. Refrigerate until set. Garnish with mint if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings.

   

  TEST KITCHEN TIP Sue often uses whole fresh strawberries and arranges them pointed side up in the pastry shell for a different presentation. It also is a time-saver because she doesn't have to slice the berries.

  
  

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Pumpkin-Spice Cheesecake Brownies

Brownies/Bars, Cakes, Desserts

Oct 192010

This is a recipe that you will love.  Not only does it taste good, it is surprisingly SO easy to make.  I got this recipe from Cara’s Cravings.   It is also just in time for “pumpkin day”. I baked it for my girlfriends at my  book club tonight and everyone  had seconds!!!   Flavor and texture are “heavenly”–not too mention they smell good too!!  Thanks for sharing this recipe Cara!!


INGREDIENTS
BROWNIE
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
CHEESECAKE BATTER
6 OZ cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 teasp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each of ground ginger and cloves

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Grease and 8×8 square metal pan–I didn’t have a square pan so I used a pie plate–and it wasn’t metal, it was glass, ….but that didn’t change the flavor…
Beat together melted butter, sugar and vanilla.  Next beat in the eggs one at a time.  Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then gradually stir into butter mixture with a wooden spoon.
In a separate bowl beat together all the cheesecake batter ingredients.

Spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into prepared pan and spoon cheesecake batter over that.  Dollop the remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter.  Swirl the batters together to make a marble effect by running a knife back and forth through the pan.
Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set.  Cool completely on wire rack and chill before serving.  These brownies taste better chilled and even better the next day because they really need to chill because of the cheesecake filling.   I love that pumpkin pie smell–its one of those “fall” memory things…

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Italian Rainbow Cookies

Italian Rainbow Cookies
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce)can almond paste
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
12 drops red food coloring
10 drops green food coloring
12 drops yellow food coloring
1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 cup milk or semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease three 9×13 inch baking pans, then line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 ends, then grease paper.
2. In a large bowl, break apart almond paste with a fork, and cream together with butter, 3/4 cup of the sugar, egg yolks, and almond extract. When mixture is fluffy and smooth, stir in flour and salt to form a dough.
3. In a separate bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Add 1/4(remaining) cup sugar a little at a time, beating at high speed until whites hold stiff, slightly glossy peaks.
4. Fold egg whites into the dough. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Mix one portion with red food coloring, one with green food coloring and one with yellow food coloring. Spread each portion into one of the prepared baking pans.
5. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Carefully remove from pan and parchment paper, and cool completely on wire racks.
6. Line a baking sheet with enough plastic wrap to wrap all three layers. Place pink layer onto the plastic wrap, spread pink layer with raspberry jam, and top with yellow layer, spread yellow layer with apricot jam, and top with green layer. Enclose with plastic wrap. Place a heavy pan or cutting board on top of wrapped layers to compress. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
7. Remove plastic wrap. Bring layers to room temperature. Melt the chocolate chips with butter and milk/cream, Quickly spread half of chocolate in a thin layer on top of cake. Chill, uncovered, until chocolate is firm. Cover with another sheet of wax paper and place another baking sheet on top, then invert cake onto sheet. Quickly spread with remaining chocolate. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.Cut lengthwise into 4 strips then cut strips crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide cookies.

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Rainbow Cupcakes

Rainbow Cupcakes – The pot of Gold when done eating these is smiling faces!

Rainbow Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
food coloring (red, blue, green and yellow)
Directions:

1. Put butter in a mixing bowl.
2. Sift dry ingredients together in separate bowl.
3. With a mixer, mix the dry ingredients in slowly with the butter.
4. Add 1/2 cup milk and the egg to the dry ingredients and beat until flour is fully moistened.
5. Add the remaining milk, vanilla and almond extract and beat for about another minute.
6. Evenly divide the batter into six small bowls. Dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color; Purple – 9 red and 6 blue drops, Blue – 12 drops, Green – 12 drops, Yellow – 12 drops, Orange – 12 yellow and 4 red drops and Red – 18 drops.
7. Line 12 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, green, yellow, orange and then top with red, following the order listed. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.
8. Bake at 375F for 15 to 18 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

I frosted these with a basic buttercream frosting however I divided the frosting in three parts and colored the divided frosting red, blue and yellow. I then put the frosting side by side in a piping bag and piped the frosting on the cupcakes. Don’t be afraid to load up on the frosting either because the cupcakes aren’t overly sweet. You could also leave the frosting white to be a cloud on top of the rainbow cupcakes.

I have seen these rainbow cupcakes in several places on the internet and I loved how colorful they were and had to try them. However I only saw the rainbow cupcakes with people using a cake mix so I wanted to try to make them from scratch and use my basic cupcake recipe. Let me tell you something though these suckers aren’t quick and easy to make, especially if you are OCD like me:) I had to make sure I had a perfect color layer in each liner. I am sure these would be a little faster if I just put the colors in the liners and didn’t worry about making it perfect but I can’t seem to do that! I have to admit that these cupcakes were so bright and colorful, and tasty that I am super glad I made them.

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Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake

I had been hearing numerous raves about Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake and was waiting for an excuse to make it. I finally broke down yesterday and, with no good reason, made the cake anyway It definitely lived up to all its hype, without question. It’s the best chocolate cake I have ever had. I chose to frost it with the equally sinful “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting.Really, this cake is too good for words…


 
“Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting (Source: Hershey’s)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add small additional amount of milk, if necessary (I did not need to). Stir in vanilla. Makes ~2 cups frosting.

Here, I saved you a piece… ENJOY!

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	Premium Tres Leches Cake Three forms of leche, or "milk," are poured over a baked cake to create its signature indulgence. Cake mix and ready-to-spread frosting make it easy.
	Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 1 hr 55 min Servings: 15 servings

Ingredients

• 1  box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
• 1 1/4  cups water
• 1  tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 4  eggs
• 1  can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
• 1  cup whole milk or evaporated milk
• 1  cup whipping cream
• 1  container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease and flour or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan.
2. 2 In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
3. 3 Bake 29 to 35 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Poke top of hot cake every 1/2 inch with long-tined fork, wiping fork occasionally to reduce sticking.
4. 4 In large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and whipping cream. Carefully pour evenly over top of cake. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until mixture is absorbed into cake. Frost with frosting.

Tips & Techniques

• Did You Know?

  Typical yellow cake? Not! You'll savor a very moist cake that's been soaked in three full-flavored milks ("tres leches" in Spanish). The preparation is similar to a ""poke" cake, where a cake is first baked, then poked and a mixture poured over it. This cake can vary by region, having fruit or chocolate, but the three-milk soaking is the key to its authenticity.

• High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):

  No change.

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	Raspberry Poke Cake Poke around your cupboard and freezer and you'll probably find everything you need to make a classic "poke" cake. Some things just get easier.
	Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 3 hrs 45 min Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1  box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
• Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
• 1  box (4-serving size) raspberry-flavored gelatin
• 1  cup boiling water
• 1/2  cup cold water
• 1  container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed (3 cups)
• Fresh raspberries, if desired

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
2. 2 Make and cool cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan.
3. 3 Pierce cooled cake all over with fork. In small bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until smooth; stir in cold water. Pour over cake. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate 2 hours. Frost with whipped topping; garnish with raspberries. Store covered in refrigerator.

Tips & Techniques

• High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):

  Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box.

• Substitution

  Use any flavor of gelatin that you like for this recipe. Try strawberry gelatin and garnish the cake with strawberries, or experiment with strawberry-banana, strawberry-kiwi or sparkling berry gelatin.

• Special Touch

  You can also whip your own whipping cream to top this classic recipe. In chilled medium bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.

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