Peach-Rum Mini Bundt Cakes

Are you anticipating the fresh flavor of peaches? I am. To me, the perfect peach is just starting to soften, the aroma is intoxicating, and the juicer the better. Although peaches aren't in season yet, I thought I would supply you with a recipe that will satisfy you until they are available in the farmer markets across the county.

This cake is similar to babas but without the yeast. And the added moistness from the Peach-Rum Syrup takes it to another level.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons peach liqueur
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup rum
whipped cream
fresh peaches

Directions:
1. Let butter and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour six 3/4-cup miniature fluted tube pan. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and nutmeg; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons a a time, beating on medium-high speed about 6 minutes or until mixture is very light and fluffy.

3. Stir in the 3 tablespoons peach liqueur, the lemon peel, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating on medium-low speed just until combined. Pour into prepare pans.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks, flutes sides up. Prick the fluted top and side of each cake generously with tines of a fork.

5. For syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/3 cup granulated sugar, the water, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly and most of the sugar is dissolve; remove from heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup rum. Cool for 5 minutes.

6. Dip the top half of each cooled cake into syrup. Place cakes on wire racks set on large trays or baking sheets. Spoon or brush any remaining syrup over cakes. Cool cakes completely on wire racks. Serve cakes topped with shipped cream and fresh peaches.

Chocolate-Raspberry Tart

Sometimes simplicity is the best. This tart is just like the perfect little black dress, it's a classic. And it needs little adornment.... well maybe just a scattering of yellow raspberries. Ahhhh..... perfection.

Ingredients:
32 chocolate wafer cookies (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 ounces)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine cookies, sugar, and salt. Process until very fine crumbs form. Add butter and pulse until mixture just comes together. Press crumbs firmly into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, 20 minutes. Let cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine chocolate and pinch of salt. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a bare simmer over medium-high. Immediately pour cream over chocolate and let stand 1 minute. Stir gently until chocolate melts and mixture is completely smooth. Pour chocolate into cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, 30 minutes. To serve, remove tart from pan and scatter raspberries on top.

Cornmeal and Green Peppercorn Crusted Spareribs

Get your grill on! Thanks to Fine Cooking magazine, again. I was able to impress my friends with a crazy-good finger licking menu. When it comes to ribs, I don't want to skimp, so I used country-style. They are meatier.

Ingredients:
3/4 pound (2 cups) medium-grind yellow cornmeal
2 ounce (3/4 cup) dried green peppercorns
1 ounce kosher salt (1/4 cup if using Diamond Crystal; 2 tablespoons if using Morton)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon bourbon
2 racks St. Louis-style pork spareribs (5 to 6 pounds)

Directions:
1. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill fire for indirect cooking over low (300 degree) heat.

2. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, peppercorns, salt, maple syrup, oil,and bourbon. Coat the meat side of the ribs with the mixture and wrap each rack in foil.

3. Arrange the ribs meat side up in a single layer over the cool zone of the grill. Close the lid and cook the ribs until fork-tender, 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight. (If refrigerating overnight, let the ribs sit at room temperature for 1 hour before continuing.)

4. To serve, remove the ribs from the foil; scrape off the crust and reserve. Reheat the ribs meat side down over a medium-low (350 degree) direct gas or charcoal grill fire until nicely browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the ribs and pat or sprinkle with about half of the reserved crust (discard the rest). Cook until hot, 3 to 4 minutes more. Cut between the ribs and serve sprinkled with any of the cornmeal crust that fell off while carving.

I adapted this recipe somewhat to my own liking.

Lime in the Coconut Sorbet

This is such a fun recipe. Everything about it makes me giddy happy; the ease of the recipe, the rum, the catchy little song that will be playing in your head for the next three days, the rum, the wonderful tropical flavor, and the rum.

A band saw in Pap's workshop did a dandy job of cutting the coconut in half.

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, strained
2 tablespoons dark rum
zest from 1 lime

Directions:

1. Place the coconut milk and sugar in a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring the the mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally until the sugar fully dissolves, and continue to boil for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool, at least 1 hour.

2 Add the fresh lime juice and rum into the cooled syrup and stir well to combine.

3. Pour into a clean container, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

4. When ready, pour the chilled mixture into the ice-cream maker and process according to manufacturer's specifications. When the sorbet is about 5 minutes from being done, slowly add the fresh zest. Finish processing the sorbet.

5. Remove the finished sorbet from the ice-cream maker and place in plastic container. Cover with plastic wrap by pressing the wrap gently against the top of the sorbet, affix lid to container, and place int the freezer to fully harden before serving.

Yield: approximately 1-1/2 quarts

Raspberry-Lemon Whoopie Pies

Just in time for summer, I present a lighter version of everyone's favorite chocolate whoopie pie. This one, with its hint of lemon from the cookie, and the tart raspberry whipped cream, makes for the perfect summertime dessert for your family.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup fresh raspberries (4 ounces) I used frozen and it worked fine.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and lemon zest until light and creamy. Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with milk and ending with flour mixture (scape bowl as needed). Beat well to combine.

2. Drop batter in 2-tablespoon mounds, about 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until puffed and pale golden around edges, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cakes cool completely on sheets on wire rack.

3. In a large bowl, whip cream and 3 tablespoons brown sugar to soft peaks. In a small bowl, mash raspberries with a fork, then fold into whipped cream. Divide raspberry cream evenly among bottoms of half the cakes, then sandwich with remaining cakes.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

Spicy Beef & Sausage Ravioli with Classic Basil Pesto

Thank You Foodbuzz & Buitoni

Thanks to the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I was able to Opt-in for the Buitoni free product giveaway. When I received my coupon, I decided to go with the Spicy Beef & Sausage Ravioli. They were generously filled with savory beef, robust sausage, and coarsely chopped carrots. All the wonderful ingredients served as a bold counterpoint to a blend of imported grana padano and parmesan cheeses.

I certainly didn't want to mask the marvelous flavors of the ravioli with a heavy sauce. So I used a recipe for fresh pesto that was in the current issue of Fine Cooking. Are you getting sick of hearing how much I love this magazine? I hope not because you will be hearing more of my nagging to go get yourself a copy. Or better yet, a subscription. I'm not affiliated with them in anyway, I just know a good thing when I see one.

Ingredients for Classic Basil Pesto:
3-3/4 ounces (5 cups packed) fresh basil leaves

1/4 ounce (1/4 cup) pine nuts

1 large clove garlic, peeled

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more for storing

1 ounce grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

In food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the feed tube and process, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture forms a thick paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the Parmigiano. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

To store: You can store pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To refrigerate, transfer the pesto to an airtight container and pour enough oil over to create a thin layer. This will prevent the pesto from oxidizing and changing color. To freeze, omit the oil layer and portion the pesto into small plastic freezer bags or ice cube trays so you can defrost only as much as you'll use at one time. If using ice cube trays, freeze until solid, and then transfer the cubes to a plastic freezer bag for storage. Defrost ovenight in the refrigerator.

Chocolate-Zucchini Cakes with Pecans

Eat your vegetables!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely grated zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini)
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (3 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
nonstick cooking spray
24 pecan halves

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, stir together butter, sugar, salt, and egg until combined. add vanilla, zucchini, and sour cream and stir until incorporated.

3. Sift flour and cocoa powder into bowl and stir until combined. Stir in chocolate.

4. Spray two mini-muffin pans with cooking spray. Fill each cup with 2 tablespoons batter and top with a pecan.

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Let muffins cool slightly in pan on wire rack before serving.

Squash And Onion Cheese Bread

I know vegetable seedlings are just now being planted in gardens. But the summer months will whiz-by. And before you have time to count all the fleas on your dog, it will be time to harvest crops. Perhaps, one of them will be yellow squash. If so, then I have a wonderful recipe for you to earmark for later use.

This recipe has its roots in Southern-style squash casserole. Slice the loaf, and toast it with extra cheese for a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Or serve it along side of a tossed salad for a lite dinner.

Ingredients:
1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen yellow squash, thawed
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups biscuit and baking mix
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk

Directions:
1. Squeeze excess liquid from squash, using several layers of paper towels; coarsely chop squash.

2. Cook squash and onion in butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until onion is tender and most of liquid is evaporated; stir in salt. Remove squash mixture from heat, and cool completely.

3. Combine biscuit mix and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine egg and milk; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in squash mixture. Spoon batter into a well-greased 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 3" loaf pan.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf.

This bread is wonderful sprinkled with extra cheese, broiled, and eaten with breakfast.

Cinnamon-Sour Cream Streusel Loaf

Are you looking for a great coffee cake? Something quick, but moist and delicious. Something you can sink your teeth into while reading a sexy vampire story. Then give me a big thank-you because I found you the perfect recipe. And you might even have all the ingredients in your pantry and refrigerator at this very moment. Okay... let's get this coffee cake made in record time because vampires don't like to be kept waiting.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg, beating until blended.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla.

3. Combine pecans and remaining 3 ingredients. Pour half of batter into a greased and floured 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 3" loaf pan; sprinkle with half of pecan mixture. Pour remaining batter into pan; top with remaining pecan mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (cover with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning, if necessary.) Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely.

Popovers

According to Wikipedia, a popover is a light, hollow roll made from an egg batter similar to that used in making Yorkshire pudding. The name "popover" comes from the fact that the batter swells or "pops" over the top of the muffin tin while baking. They can also be baked in individual custard cups.

I confess that I've never made a popover before. But now that I've discovered how freaking easy they whip together, well, we'll be eating popovers, morning, noon, and night from now on. They have a moist, airy center and crisp, golden brown domes. They're the classic accompaniment to roasted meats and are also wonderful served with jam for breakfast.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray the cups of a 6-cup popover pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Pour 1/2 teaspoon of the melted butter into each cup. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then whisk in the egg mixture. Whisk vigorously until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter among the prepared cups and bake for 20 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and invert the pan onto a wire rack. Let the pan cool, then spray the cups with nonstick cooking spray, pour 1/2 teaspoon of the melted butter into each one and bake the remaining batter. Serve immediately. Makes 12 popovers.

French Onion Salisbury Steak

Sometimes putting a different spin on an old classic can be disastrous. But when I saw this recipe in Cuisine At Home Magazine, I knew I could trust them to come through with a delicious meal. And this recipe was a refreshing change from my usual ground beef cooked in mushroom soup. Yeah I know.... how boring is that? I might as well have purchased a TV dinner from the frozen food section of my grocery store.

The sauce is based on French Onion Soup. And it even includes, toasty, cheesy, bread.

Ingredients for the steak:

1-1/4 pounds ground chuck
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Ingredients for the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups sliced onions
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Ingredients for cheese toasts:
4 slices Italian baguette, cut diagonally (1/2-inch thick)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch of paprika
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan

Directions:
1. Combine ground chuck, 1/4 cup parsley, scallions, salt, and pepper. Divide evenly into four portions and shape each into 1/4 to 1-inch thick oval patties. Place 2 tablespoons flour in a shallow dish; dredge each patty in flour. Reserve 1 teaspoon flour.

2. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high. Add patties and saute 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan.

3. Add onions and sugar to pan; saute 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; saute until paste begins to brown, 1 minute. Sprinkle mixture with reserved flour, cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, salt, and thyme.

4. Return meat to pan; bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

5. Serve steaks on Cheese Toasts with onion sauce ladled over. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread on a baking sheet. Combine butter, garlic, and paprika; spread on one side of each slice of bread. Combine cheeses and sprinkle evenly over butter. Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes.

Memorial Day Cookout Giveaway

Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer even if the calender doesn't. And summer means cookouts. So as a give away, I've got a nice little ensemble of items for you to use at one of your backyard BBQs.

1. 6 large plastic glasses
2. 4 plastic dinner plates
3. 4 plastic snack plates
4. package of coordinating paper napkins
5. package of floating candles
6. an apron personally made by moi

And all you've got to do to be eligible to win. Is be a signed up follower on my blog page, leave a comment, and mention on your own blog about my giveaway. Winner will be announced on Memorial Day.

Don't you just love the fabric?

Nutter Butter Cheesecake

Does the mere mention of cheesecake stir your appetite into a feeding frenzy? And perhaps, you are one of many people that hold cheesecake in high esteem, as a delectable dessert to be served at only special occasions. Well think again. This is a recipe that you can easily whip together for any ordinary event. But the fact that there are pieces of Nutter Butter Wafer Cookies added to the filling will make it seem extra-special no matter when you decide to bake it.

Ingredients for Graham Cracker Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Filling:
32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
5 ounces of Nutter Butter Wafer Cookies

Garnish:
Chocolate whipped cream

Directions:
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wrap a 10-by-3-inch springform pan with two layers of heavy-duty foil, tightly wrapping the outside of the pan.

2. In a medium bowl, using a fork, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan, being sure to pack the crust down firmly. Set aside.

3. In the 4-1/2 quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed for 30 to 45 seconds, until creamy. Add the brown sugar and continue beating until blended. At low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Use a rubber spatula to scape down the side of the bowl. Add the sour cream and beat until incorporated. Drop the cookies, whole, into the bowl and beat at medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds, until the cookies are broken up. Pour the mixture into the reserved pan and place it in a large roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water, being careful not to splash water into the cheesecake pan, until it comes halfway up the side of the springform pan.

4. Bake the cheesecake for approximately two hours, until the center has set completely and the top is golden brown.

5. Remove the cake from the roasting pan and discard the two out sheets of aluminum foil. (What a waste to throw them away. I let mine dry out in the hot oven as it is cooling down. Then I store them away for the next time I make cheesecake.) Set the cake on a wire rack until it comes to room temperature. Cover the pan with more foil and refrigerate for several hours.

6. Garnish with chocolate whipped cream, if desired.