Peachy Cheese Coffee Cake

Peachy Cheese Coffee Cake
By: Doris Christopher

Coffee cake and filling:
2 (8oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 can (21oz) peach, cherry or apple pie filling *I used peaches for this recipe*

Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Unroll crescent dough. Separate into 16 triangles, reserving 4 triangles for decorations. On a large pizza pan, arrange 12 triangles into a circle with wide ends toward the outside edge of round baking pan and points toward the center (points will not meet). Using lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 14 inch circle, pressing seams together to seal. There should be a 3 inch diameter opening in the center. Form a slightly raised rim along inner and outer edges of dough.

With an electric mixer in a large bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk and vanilla or almond extract. Mix until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over dough to within ½ inch of edge. Spoon pie filling evenly over cream cheese mixture.

Using a pizza cutter, cut each remaining dough triangles lengthwise into 3 strips. Arrange dough strips evenly in spoke-like fashion over filling. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes.

For glaze, combine powdered sugar and milk; mix until smooth. Drizzle evenly over coffee cake. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.

Makes 8-12 servings

Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar

Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar
By: Todd Wilbur

Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup dried cranberries, diced

Topping:
¼ cup dried cranberries, diced
6oz white chocolate, cut into chunks

Frosting:
4oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla

Drizzled icing:
½ cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening (Crisco)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger and salt and beat well. Mix in flour until smooth. Mix ¾ cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into batter by hand. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake is light brown on the edges. Allow the cake to cool.

Make frosting by combining cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.

Sprinkle ¼ cup of diced cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

Whisk together ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, and shortening (Crisco) until smooth. Drizzle icing over the cranberries in sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip to drizzle frosting across the top of the cake.

Allow cake to sit for several hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (long way) once through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times, making a total of 8 rectangular slices. Slice each of those 8 slices once diagonally, creating 16 triangle slices.

Makes 16 bars

Popeyes Buttermilk Biscuits

Popeyes Buttermilk Biscuits
By: Todd Wilbur

2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter, cold (1 stick)
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup milk

To brush on top:
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

Slice cold butter into cubes and use a pastry knife or potato masher to cut butter into dry mixture until no large chunks of butter remain.

Add buttermilk and milk and stir with a spoon until dough forms. Roll out to ½ inch thick on floured surface.

Cut biscuits with a 3 inch biscuit cutter and arrange on a lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until tops begin to turn light brown. Remove biscuits from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes, then brush each biscuit top with melted butter.

Makes 10 biscuits

Health Choice Chunky Tomato, Mushroom & Garlic Pasta Sauce

Health Choice Chunky Tomato, Mushroom & Garlic Pasta Sauce
By: Todd Wilbur

2 (10 ¾ oz each) cans tomato puree
1 cup water
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
¾ cup sliced white button mushrooms
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup minced white onion
5 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Dash ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until sauce is thick.

Makes 2 ½ cups

Candy bar Cookies

Candy bar Cookies
By: Rosanna

1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (1 stick) softened (leave at room temperature for 45 minutes to soften; It should be soft, yet still firm. Using butter that is too soft will cause cookies to spread.)
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (any type will work)
1 cup Sees semisweet chocolate chips or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks of another brand
1 candy bar, broken into chunks the size of the chocolate chip chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In an electric mixer beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add in flour mixture.

Stir in 2/3 cup of the nuts and 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips into the dough.

Using a large scoop drop 6 level scoops of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet (you will need 2 sheets). Cookies will spread slightly while baking. Flatten each scoop slightly with the palm of your hand. Lightly press the remaining nuts, chocolate chips and crushed candy bar into tops of cookies.

Bake for 14 minutes. Cool 7 minutes on the baking pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 1 dozen cookies (12)

Culinary Definitions (Part 9):

Wasabi; wasabe as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“This Japanese version of horseradish comes from the root of an Asian plant. It’s used to make a green-colored condiment that has a sharp, pungent, fiery flavor. Wasabi, which is also called Japanese horseradish, is available in both paste and powder form in specialty and Asian markets as well as supermarkets. Some specialty produce markets carry fresh wasabi, which may be grated like horseradish. In Japan, sushi and sashimi are served with condiment of wasabi mixed with soy sauce.”

Wehani rice as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“Considered an aromatic rice, Wehani is a light clay-colored brown rice that splits slightly when cooked. It resembles cooked wild rice and has a fragrance akin to popcorn. Wehani, which is related to Basmati rice, was developed at the famous rice-growing Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale, California.”

White chocolate as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“Not really chocolate at all, white chocolate is typically a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter, milk, solids, lecithin and vanilla. It can’t be officially classified as “chocolate” because there is no chocolate liquor in it, which means there’s also very little chocolate flavor. Melt white chocolate very slowly over low heat to keep it from scorching and clumping.”

Wild Rice as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“Known for its luxurious nutty flavor and chewy texture, wild rice isn’t really rice at all. Instead, it’s a long-grain marsh grass native to the northern Great Lakes area, where it’s harvested by the local Indians. There’s also now commercial wild rice production in California, as well as several Midwest states. It’s important to clean wild rice thoroughly before cooking it. The best method is to place the rice in a medium bowl and fill it with cold water. Give it a couple of stirs and set aside for a few minutes. Any debris will float to the surface and the water can then be poured off. Depending on the method used, wild rice can take up to an hour to cook; overcooking will produce starchy results. Admittedly, wild rice is expensive, but both pleasure and budget are extended by combining it with brown rice or Bulghur wheat. Wild rice is also called Indian rice.”

Worcestershire Sauce as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“Though this condiment was originally developed in India by the English, it takes its name from the fact that it was first bottled in Worcester, England. It’s a thin, dark, rather piquant sauce used to season meats, gravies, soups and vegetable juices, and as a table condiment. It’s also an essential ingredient in the popular Bloody Mary cocktail. Worcestershire’s formula usually includes garlic, soy sauce, tamarind, onions, molasses, lime, anchovies, vinegar and various seasonings. It’s widely available in supermarkets.”