Pear Pecan Chocolate Chip Bread

This recipe makes a deliciously moist and flavorful bread perfect for a breakfast, brunch, or even dessert treat.

• 1 pear, shredded and squeezed dry
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (I did 1/4 cup of each mixed with a dash of buttermilk)
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, pecans, and chocolate chips
3. In another bowl mix the remaining ingredients
4. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones just until combined
5. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center
6. Cool for 30 minutes in the pan on a rack, then turn onto rack to cool completely

Zucchini Coconut Craisin Bread

This recipe makes a deliciously moist and flavorful bread perfect for a breakfast, brunch, or even dessert treat.

• 1 cup zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup Craisins
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (I did 1/4 cup of each mixed with a dash of buttermilk)
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut, and Craisins
3. In another bowl mix the remaining ingredients
4. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones just until combined
5. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center
6. Cool for 30 minutes in the pan on a rack, then turn onto rack to cool completely

Passover Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

This cake is moist, light, and absolutely delicious-hard to believe you can eat it for Passover!

 

 

For cake layers:

• 12 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
• 6 tablespoons water
• 12 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant espresso
•  

Optional:

• raspberry jam
• mini chocolate chips

 

For filling:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons confectioners sugar, sifted

 

 

Make cake layers:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease four 9-inch circular cake pans and line bottoms of circles with a piece of parchment paper
2. Melt chocolate with water and espresso in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring. Cool to lukewarm
3. Beat yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer
4. Fold in melted chocolate until blended. Beat whites with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks (you will need an enormous bowl for 12 egg whites)
5. Gradually add remaining 2/3 cup sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into melted-chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly
6. Split batter evenly into 4 pans and bake until puffed and top is dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating cakes between racks to ensure they bake evenly
7. Transfer pans to cooling racks and if necessary, loosen edges with a knife
8. Sift cocoa powder over top of cake layers and place a piece of waxed paper over the top of the pans
9. Place a baking sheet over paper and invert cake onto it, gently peeling off wax paper lining
10. Place layers in the freezer for about an hour, until they are firm enough to be carefully lifted without breaking

 

Make filling:

1. Beat cream with powdered sugar with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks.

 

 

Assemble trifle:

1. Bring first cake layer out of the freezer and drop into trifle bowl, cocoa side down
2. Spread 1/4 of filling evenly over the cake
3. Bring the next cake layer out of the freezer, placing it gently over the filling, again cocoa side down
4. Spread 1/4 whipped cream on
5. Repeat this process until all layers and whipped cream are used
6. Top with mini chocolate chips

 

 

 

Note: *Spread raspberry jam on 1st and 3rd cake layer before whipped cream for extra surprise!

 

On 2nd and 4th layers, sprinkle mini chocolate chips

 

 

 

 

Keep cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. Two hours should be more than enough to assure that the layers are no longer frozen.

 

 

 

 

Dark chocolate grated into curls with a vegetable peeler makes for an excellent garnish.

Philly Cooking Creme Tomato Basil Pizza

This is a very quick and easy weeknight meal that even the kids can help with! The base is Italian Philly Cooking Creme, herbacious and creamy, different from your normal pizza sauce.

• 1 ready-to-use baked pizza crust (12 inch)
• 1/2 cup Philly Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425º
2. Spread pizza crust with cooking creme; top with remaining ingredients
3. Place crust directly on middle oven rack
4. Bake 10 to 12 min. or until cheese is melted

Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

This is a cake that comes out delightfully moist everytime.  It can be made with just about any seasonal fruit, or no fruit at all!

 

 

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup plus 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• Fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

1. Butter/flour a 10 inch springform pan and lay a parchment circle down, then rebutter/flour
2. Lay berries in a single layer, sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on top
3. Sift dry ingredients together, set aside
4. In a mixer, cream the butter and remaining sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes
5. Add the eggs, 1 at a time
6. Add in both extracts, the juice, and lemon zest, mix thoroughly
7. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts (start and end with flour mixture)
8. Pour the batter over the berries and smooth the top
9. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
10. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes on a rack, then run a knife around the edge and remove pan sides
11. Invert the cake onto the rack, peel off the parchment, and sprinkle powdered sugar on top
12. Let cool completely

 

*Note: Don't like lemon and blueberries together?  Leave out the lemon juice, but keep the zest-it brightens the blueberry taste

 

This cake tastes fabulous warm or room temperature!

 

Maple Cranberry Apple Chicken

This is a fairly quick and easy meal great all year round!  It is a sweet dinner, but not too sweet.  A bonus is, there is enough glaze left over to use in a pot of cous cous to marry the foods together.

Serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 apples-something tart like Granny Smith or Pink Lady, diced
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup Craisins
• Cous Cous (your favorite kind) plus all necessary ingredients
• Large handful Craisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix the syrup, chicken broth, and honey-set aside
3. Pound the chicken so it has an even thickness
4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides
5. Place in a preheated ovenproof skillet that has been greased with 1 turn of the pan of vegetable oil (you don't want the taste of olive oil in this recipe) on medium-high heat
6. Carefully place the apples around the chicken
7. Let the chicken brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side
8. Stir the apples as you flip the chicken, just so they won't burn
9. Pour about 3/4 of the syrup mixture in the pan, and add all of the Craisins
10. Mix everything so nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pan
11. Place the skillet in the oven, and let everything cook, stirring apples/Craisins once for approximately 30 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through)
12. Meanwhile, make Cous Cous according to the box directions, adding a large handful of Craisins and the remaining syrup mixture at the beginning
13. Serve the chicken with Cous Cous beside it and the apple mixture spooned over the top