To Much Fun

Granny Turns 90!

Happy 90th Birthday Granny!!!

Happy Father's Day

Well on Mother's Day Mom got a different version of the fruit tart but on Father's Day Dad got his own fruit tart. I would really call it a fruit pie. In addition to Dad's fruit pie he also got a Peanut Butter Fudge Cake. Because Dad always says anything taste better with a little (or a lot) of peanut butter.

On the fruit pie - we made our own graham cracker crust with graham crackers about 20 (full cookie sheets) and 1/4 cup butter. You really just have to know the consistency you want. Or you can always buy the box of ground up graham crackers for the graham cracker crust. So ignore the part of the recipe that calls for the cake as the crust if you make your own. I'm sure it's just as good with the cake as the crust but I wanted more of a pie feel instead of the pizza look/feel. Soon to follow will be a sugar free butter cookie curst with the same pie. Stay tuned. On the fruit* I just used what I wanted and what I had on hand.

Fruit Tart/Pie

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix

½ Cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free lemon burst or French vanilla yogurt

1 box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix3 cups sliced fruits, berries and/or mandarin orange segments*

3 tablespoons apricot preserves

1 cup fresh raspberries*

Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease 12-inch pizza pan or bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix cake mix, butter and egg with spoon until crumbly. Press on bottom of pan.

Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In medium bowl, beat yogurt and pudding mix (dry) with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Spoon over baked layer. Smooth surface with rubber spatula.

Arrange fruit on yogurt mixture.

Heat preserves over medium heat until melted; brush over fruit.

*Mound raspberries in center.

Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Store covered in refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Fudge Cake
Makes: 16 servings (those would be really small servings)

Prep: 15 minutes

Chill: 1 hour

Bake: at 350 degrees F for 34 minutes

Ingredients

1 box (18.25 ounces) devil's food cake mix

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups chopped chocolate-covered peanut butter cups (about 8 ounces), plus more to garnish

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (I used Starbucks Dark chocolate)

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line with waxed paper; coat paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil on low for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high; beat for 2 minutes, scraping down side of the bowl after 1 minute. Fold in 2 cups of the chopped peanut butter cups.

3. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let layers cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto wire racks and cool completely.

4. Place chopped dark chocolate in a medium-size bowl. Bring cream just to a boil and pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts. Add peanut butter and whisk until smooth.

5. Trim top of cake layers flat with a serrated knife. Put 1 cake layer on cooling rack and place on a baking sheet. Pour 1 cup frosting on top; spread evenly with a spatula. Top with remaining cake layer. Pour remaining frosting over the top, allowing it to spill over the sides. Smooth top and sides with spatula. Refrigerate 1 hour to set. Transfer cake to serving plate and garnish with chopped candy, if desired.

Happy Mother's Day

Sweet Flaky Pastry
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch fine salt (kosher)
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (9 tablespoons), CHILLED
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus additional as needed
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Special Equipment
Food processor
9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
Parchment paper silicone baking mats
Rolling pin
Pie weights (dried beans)

1. In large mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt.
2. In add all dry ingredients to food processor mix in the butter.
3. Add the egg and process until it forms a dough ball.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (or silicone mat), and divide into two disk; wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours or up to over night.
5. Before rolling out, remove the disks from the refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes to soften.
Rolling out and blind baking tart shells:

1. On a lightly floured surface or silicone mat, roll on dough disk into a ¼ inch thick circle, approximately 12 inches in diameter.
2. Fold the dough in quarters, then place the point of the dough in the center of a buttered 9-inch tart or pie pan. Gently unfold the dough, and press into the sides of the pan. Chill 30 minutes before pre-baking
3. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork, and line it with parchment paper. Fill to the brim with pie weights (dried beans).
4. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 – 20 minutes.
5. Remove the parchment paper and weights, and return to the oven until fully baked, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove the crust from the oven when it is about 5 minutes left to bake. Brush the warm glaze over the bottom of the crust and about an inch up the sides. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more to set the glaze and brown the crust. Then, remove the tart pan from the oven, and cool the crust thoroughly on a cooling rack. The pastry sell will remain crisp for up to one day if left uncovered on the rack.

Fruit Tart with Lemon Curd
Lemon Curd:
6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5 small lemons)
2 tablespoons finely minced lemon zest, divided (about 4 small lemons)
1 stick of unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ inch cubes (8 tablespoons)

Fruit:
½ cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons water
1 fully baked Flaky Pastry Shell*
2 cups ripe seasonal fruit **

1. For the lemon curd: whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and half of the zest in a large metal bowl.
2. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 20 – 25 minutes. (Can use Double Boiler if you prefer)
3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring o=constantly, until the butter is incorporated.
4. Strain through a course strainer into a bowl, then stir in remaining zest. Cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until needed. (make sure the plastic wrap touches the top of the lemon curd to prevent ‘crust’ from forming on top)
5. For the fruit: in a small sauce pan, mix the preserves and water over low heat until melted. Half of the glaze will be spread on the bottom of the tart shell, and half will be used to glaze the fruit.
6. Spread 1 cup of Lemon Curd over the bottom of the prepared, fully baked pie shell; arrange the fruit in an attractive pattern on top. Lightly brush the remaining melted preserves over the fruit, and serve immediately. (Note: Reserve the remaining half cup of curd for another use.)
Fresh seasonal fruit may include bananas, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, kiwis, apricots, grapes, mangoes, pears or any combination of fruit that you choose.

Easy as Pie

Used:     

1 Box Pillsbury Pie Crust

2 Cans of your favorite pie filling

1 Biscuit cutter

1 Set of decorative cookie cutters (small)

1 mini muffin tin

In the Box

Some times good things come in a box!

Happy Easter and Happy Spring.

Buffalo Pizza

The amount of each ingredient is really up to you and your taste. I just made this up from something I saw on Food Network. I did not follow a recipe – but I’ll give you an estimate of how much of each item I used.

2 bags of Publix Pizza Dough (ours is in the bakery counter)
4 pre-cut celery sticks chopped into small pieces (reserve 1)
Texas Pete Buffalo Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese (I used two kinds pre-shredded and a block, Just so I could see if there was a taste difference – I did use the low fat of both)
Marie’s Blue Cheese Salad Dressing (the one in the produce section)
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

Follow directions on pizza dough. I don’t think I need to tell you how to place the pizza dough in a pan – I did not have a pizza stone so I just used the cookie stone to make the 2 pizza’s I don’t know why the dough was so high but it was good - I don’t like thin crust. But again you can follow the directions on the pizza dough bag for how to make thin crust.

Boil chicken breast and one celery stick (broken into 3 pieces), salt and pepper to taste. After chicken is done slice or shred with 2 forks. In small bowl combine shredded chicken and buffalo sauce to taste (1/3 cup).

Spread chicken mixture over pizza dough, sprinkle with celery, cover with cheese (to your liking), and then drizzle with blue cheese dressing (1 ½ large tablespoons).

Bake according to pizza dough directions.

I served it with a side of blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Enjoy.

Most Requested Chocolate Cake

4 eggs
1-2/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla, divided
2 cups flour
1-1/3 cups water
1 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup milk

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper.

BEAT eggs, granulated sugar and 1 tsp. of the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour, water, dressing, 2/3 cup cocoa, the baking soda and baking powder; beat until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 min.; remove from pans. Immediately remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire racks.

BEAT butter and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add combined powdered sugar and 3/4 cup cocoa alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition. Use to fill and frost the cake layers.

Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 55 min Makes: 16 servings

Kraft Foods

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

1 cup milk

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Eggs

Powdered sugar, if desired

Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour, or spray with baking spray with flour, 10- or 12-cup fluted tube (bundt cake) pan. In medium bowl, beat dry cake mix, milk, cream cheese, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes longer. Pour into pan.

Bake 40 to 46 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; turn upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate and remove pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Place cake on serving plate; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Betty Crocker Recipes

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