LEMON-RASPBERRY MOUSSE SQUARES

In celebration of my 13th anniversary today, I made my sweetheart this delicious dessert!!! It is so fresh and flavorful.

48 Nilla Wafers, divided

3/4 cup boiling water

1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Gelatin

1 cup ice cubes

1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tub (8 oz.) Cool whip, thawed

1/3 cup raspberry preserves

1 1/2 cups fresh fruit

Stand 16 wafers around edge of plastic wrap-lined 8-inch square pan. In small bowl, add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in ice until melted.

In another bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest with mixer until blended. Gradually beat in gelatin. Whisk in 2 cups cool whip.

Pour half the gelatin mixture into prepared pan; cover with 16 wafers. Microwave preserves on HIGH 15 sec. or until melted; brush onto wafers. Top with remaining gelatin mixture and 16 wafers.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Invert dessert onto plate; top with remaining cool whip and fruit. ENJOY!!

Molasses Oatmeal Whole Wheat Bread

I wanted to try a new bread with molasses as a sweetener, I tried several before I found this, it is beautiful and delicious! Follow the directions exactly, the mixture needs to be hot to soften the oatmeal, but if it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

Molasses Oatmeal Whole Wheat Bread

2 pkg active dry yeast
1 T molasses
1/4 c. warm water

3 T molasses (not black strap)
1/4 c butter
2 tsp salt
1/3 c brown sugar
2 T white sugar
2 c oatmeal (either kind)
1 c boiling water
1 c cold water
2 c ground whole wheat flour
2 1/2-3 c white (unsifted) flour

In a small bowl combine yeast, water, and 1 T molasses. Let stand until bubbly (about 15 minutes).

In your mixer combine butter, 3 T molasses, salt, sugars, oatmeal, and boiling water. Stir until the butter melts, then add the cold water and the yeast mixture. Add in the wheat flour, one cup at a time, then the white flour, mix until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Cover and let rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Punch down, knead only slightly (it won't raise well if kneaded too much here). Divide in half, shape into loaves and placed into 2 greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven @ 350 for about 1 hour, until the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Cool on rack, Rub with butter while still hot.

Swedish Visiting Cake

I wanted to try something new for a family gathering on Sunday, so I decided to try this cake. Several people thought it was yummy. I liked it too. I will definately make it again.

Rub the lemon zest into the sugar.

Swedish Visiting Cake

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Center a rack in oven and preheat to 350 degrees. I used an 8" cake pan brushed with Crisco, and dusted with flour. Pour sugar into a medium bowl. Add lemon zest and blend zest into sugar with your fingers until sugar is moist and aromatic. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Whisk in salt and vanilla and almond extracts. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in flour. Finally, fold in milted butter. Scrape batter into prepared skillet or pan and smooth top with rubber spatula. Scatter sliced almonds over top and sprinkle with sugar. If using a cake or pie pan, place pan on baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and a little crisp on outside; the inside will remain moist. Since I used a smaller pan (8"), I baked it for 35 minutes. It turned out perfectly.

Crockpot Applesauce

A friend recently requested this recipe,in her words "the very best applesauce I have ever tasted" and I can't believe I didn't post this before, it is so easy and good! I got apples on sale last year for like .49/lb, I bought like 30 lbs, seriously, and made jars and jars of applesauce! (My friend Angel Gladden gave me the recipe).

Crockpot Applesauce

7 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (an apple-peeler-corer really helps here!)

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

(1/2 tsp cinnamon - add at end)

Toss in crockpot, cook on high 4 hours, mash up with a potato masher, add cinnamon, Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day - here is my family's recipe.Irish Soda Bread
This isn't my photo, but mine looks pretty similar, only I add icing to mine - that's our favorite part!
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Then add the egg and buttermilk. Don't over mix. Form into 2 round loaves. (Dough is sticky, much like making buttermilk biscuits.) Cut an X in the tops.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 min

Drizzle with powder sugar icing

Perfect Popovers

I love popovers and have always made Martha Stewart's recipe. I found this recipe on Melissa d'Arabian's show. I tried them and we ate the first batch in 5 minutes. I have another batch in the oven and will probably make more tonight. She has great tips and puff so big! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons melted butter, divided
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk, warmed for 30 seconds in the microwave (should be lukewarm to warm)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a pastry brush, coat 8 muffin cups with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and put the tin in the oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the eggs in a blender until light yellow. Add the warmed milk and blend. Add the flour, salt and remaining melted butter, and blend until smooth. Pour the batter into the warmed muffin tin and return it to the oven to bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Fudge Brownies with Macadamia Nuts

I found this recipe in Family Circle - tried it and loved it and will make it over and over. I love dark chocolate, so I used Ghiridelli dark chocolate chips in the recipe - they are not those sugery sweet store bought brownies. But if you like a sweeter taste, I would use milk chocolate chips.

1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 plus 3 TB chopped macadamia nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Line an 8-inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter until smooth (microwave or stovetop). Whisk in sugar, then eggs. Stire in flour and salt until smooth. Fold in 2/3 cup of the nuts and the vanilla. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake at 350 for 25 to 29 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining 1 cup chocolate chips over brownies and return to oven for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and spread melted chips until smooth. Sprinkle with 3 TB chopped nuts. Regrigerate 1 hour until firm.