Herbed Popovers from The Old Farmer's Garden-Fresh Cookbook Almanac

Am I lucky or what? Once again I've been given the previledge to review a cookbook. The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook is produced by Yankee Publishing Inc. of Dublin, New Hampshire. Its parent publication, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, has been delighting readers since 1792. 

The Garden-Fresh Cookbook is the resource for turning garden-fresh ingredients into kitchen delicious menus, meals, and treats. Gardening and the timeless tradition of sharing a wholesome meal with family and friends is at the root of this collection. Dig in and savor a guarantee of goodness every day with The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook.

The Old Farmer’s Garden-Fresh Cookbook is available for only $19.95 wherever books and magazines are sold. Folks who can’t find it in bookstores, supermarkets, or kitchen stores can order individual copies at (Almanac.com/Store) or by calling 800-ALMANAC.

Browsing through the cookbook made it difficult for me to choose a recipe. Everyone of them looked delicious. But I finally settled on a popover recipe because I wanted to play with my popover pan again. It was a good choice because the kitchen smelled wonderful from the herbs.

Ingredients for Herbed Popovers:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:
1. Postion a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 popover or custard cups.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Stir with a whisk or fork to blend thoroughly. Whisk the milk, eggs, and butter in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the well while beating the vatter. Continue beating for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Fold in the herbs.

3. Pour into the prepared cups, filling only halfway. Place the cups in the oven on the center rack and immediately lower the heat to 375 degrees. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until puffed and browned. Makes 12 popovers.

Popovers Variations

Lemon-Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

I'm suffering with cupcake fever. I needed something yummy. And then I discovered these amazing Lemon-Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes and the recipe incorporates the most luscious Lemon Curd. Have I died and gone to heaven? I think so because this is a delicious paradise of four layers of absolute goodness; a cookie base; a velvety, sweet strawberry cheesecake layer; a tangy, buttery lemon curd; and finally; a sweet, juicy, red jewel.

Ingredients for Cheesecake Cupcakes:
2 eggs
2-1/2 ounces cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 (8-ounces) regular cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup extra fruit strawberry jam (I made fresh strawberry jam)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 to 1 cup lemon curd, homemade or purchased
6 perfect fresh strawberries

Ingredients for fresh Strawberry Jam:
2 pounds fresh strawberries hulled
4 cups granulated sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Ingredients for Lemon Curd:
3 to 4 large lemons – 3/4 cup lemon juice
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

Directions for Lemon Curd:
1. Using 3 to 4 lemons, squeeze 3/4 cup juice.  Stir 3 eggs with sugar in a small saucepan.  Whisk in juice; add butter.

2. Whisk constantly over medium to medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Do not boil!

3. Remove from heat; place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on surface of curd. Cool until barely warm.  Leftover curd keeps well, covered, and refrigerated for a week or more, and can be frozen for months.

Directions for Cheesecake Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 375° degrees.

2. Line muffin cups with papers or silicone cups. Place eggs in a small bowl; cover with hot tap water to temper. Set aside.

3. Whirl biscuits in food processor until fine crumbs, makes about 1 cup. Whirl in melted butter until evenly coated. Dividing equally, firmly press crumbs into bottoms of cups. (I used Golden Oreos instead of the cookie crumbs and butter, way easier. )

4. Wipe out food processor bowl. Add cream cheese, eggs, jam, sugar and vanilla; whirl until combined. Spoon into cups; level tops by tapping muffin tin on countertop a few times. Bake 20 minutes or until just set and small cracks are visible in some cakes. Cool on a rack. Then cover and refrigerate until chilled or up to 2 days.

5. When ready to serve, top each cupcake with a dollop of lemon curd. Leaving green top intact, cut each berry in half lengthwise. Arrange decoratively on curd.

6. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Directions for Lemon Curd:
1. In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate.

Recipe adapted from Graces Sweet Life.

Baked Strawberry Cheesecake

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1-1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring
1 recipe Cream-Cheese Icing (recipe follows) (I used my Whipped Cream Frosting instead)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 3 (8-inch) cake pans.

2. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring; beat at medium speed with electric mixer until combined.

4. Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans.

5. Bake 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted near center comes out clean.

6. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pan, and cool completely on wire racks.

7. Spread Cream Cheese Icing between the layers and on sides and top of cake. Garnish with any additional crumb, if desired.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Icing:
1 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (2-pound) package confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, until desired consistency is reached.


Red Velvet Cake And Icing

Peas 'N' Dumplins

I love doing cookbook reviews. And certainly getting a free book is a wonderful perk. But it's also giving my opinion about the recipes and the whole general feel of the book. Well, with that said, I'd like to tell you about At My Grandmother's Knee by Faye Porter. It's a wonderful book filled from cover to cover with world-class recipes, heartwarming stories, and beautiful four-color photos. The book captures the love and guidance that so many of us soaked up from watching and listening to our grandmothers.

The good news is that you don't have to be southern to enjoy these down to earth recipe. You will experience love at first bite of classics such as spicy peach chutney, cheese biscuits, artichoke seafood dip, squash fritters, chicken 'n' dumplins, chess pie, and many more.

I decided to make the Peas 'n' Dumplins because I had some organic peas with carrots from Whole Foods. And the truth be told, I've never made dumplings like this before. They are more like thick noodles and I found that to be irresistible.

Ingredients for Dumplings:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Ingredients for Broth:
1 quart water
3 slices bacon
1 pound fresh or frozen peas
1/2 stick butter
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:
1. To make the dumplings, put the flour in a large bowl, making a well in the middle. Add the egg and salt and mix well. Add the milk and combine, making a sticky dough with the consistency of bread dough. Spread a thick layer of flour on a work surface and roll out the dumplings as thin as you can get them. Loosely cover with a clean dish towel and allow to dry out overnight.

2. To make the broth, boil the water with bacon in a large pot. Cook until the grease floats to the top. Leave the grease in. Add the peas, butter, black pepper, and parsley to the boiling water.

3. Cut the dumplings into 2-inch-wide strips. Pinch off 2 inches at a time from each strip and add to the boiling pea mixture. The dumplings will absorb the grease and butter. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, taste the peas and dumplings for desired tenderness.

Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Brulee Blackberry Coffee Cake

I really liked this coffee cake because it wasn't very sweet. The crunchy bruleed topping added the right amount of sweetness. Also, since this cake calls for very little butter and sugar, I recommend creaming them by hand or with a hand held mixer.

Ingredients:
1/3 c. unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
2. c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pint ripe blackberries
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan.

2. Cream together butter and 3 tablespoons sugar. In a medium bowl, toss the berries and the remaining sugar. Add the eggs to the creamed butter and mix thoroughly.

3. Sifted flour the flour with the baking powder and salt, add half of this mixture to the butter and eggs, and blend.

4. Add the milk to the batter gradually, mixing constantly. When it is completely incorporated, mix in the rest of the flour.

5. Spread half the batter across the prepared pan. Place the berries in a single layer on top, then spread the remaining batter over them. Bake for 30 minutes. (I had to bake mine 45 minutes.)

6. Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven, rub a pat of unsalted butter across the top. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top. Use a torch to melt and caramelize the sugar, or place the cake under the broiler for a minute to do so. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Serves 8-10)


Blackberry Almond Coffee Cake

Incredible Banana Split Bundt Cake

This moist tender cake combines bananas, pineapple pieces, strawberries and semi-sweet chocolate chips together to make a simple but elegant cake.

Recipe
1/2 cup butter
2 large eggs
2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 7 1/4 oz.) pineapple tidbits in juice, undrained
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup mashed banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted, divided
1 & 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1 cup chopped banana
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions:
Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and lightly flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Combine reserved pineapple juice and buttermilk in small bowl.

Beat butter in large mixer bowl on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, mashed banana and vanilla extract; beat well.

Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Sir in chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Gently fold in drained pineapple tidbits, strawberries and banana. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from; cool completely on wire rack. Drizzle cake with chocolate glaze and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

For Chocolate Glaze:
Heat 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons light corn syrup in small saucepan over low hear, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Use immediately.

Banana Cake Bundt

Chocolate Madness Truffle Pie

Chocoholics, let me boggle your minds. This pie is loaded with deep-dark chocolate. So be prepared, the first bite is like heaven on earth.

Ingredients for Truffle filling:

2/3 cup heavy cream

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1 9-inch prepared pie crust

Ingredients for Whipped Chocolate filling:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients for Whipped Cream topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. For the truffle filling, in a saucepan, bring 2/3 cup cream to a simmer. Place the 6 ounces chocolate chips in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then gently whisk until smooth. Spread truffle filling over the bottom of the prepared piecrust. Freeze for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for the shipped chocolate filling, in a double boiler or a microwave set on low power, heat the 6 ounces chocolate chip with 1/2 cup of the cream until the chocolate is just melted, stirring often. Let cool to room temperature. In a chilled bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup cream until thick. Add the chocolate mixture and the vanilla and beat until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped chocolate mixture over the truffle filling in the crust. Refrigerate overnight.

3. Just before serving, for the topping, beat 1 cup cream on medium speed of an electric mixer until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie. Serve immediately.

White Chocolate and Oreo Mousse Pie

It's a Guy Thing Bacon Ketchup

There's a grilled hot dog buried beneath this manly ketchup. It's like Heinz on steroids. 

Makes:12 servings (1/4 cup each)

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced into small pieces
10 raw garlic cloves, diced into small pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen® whole peeled tomatoes, strained and chopped
4 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, destemmed and chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or more to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5 pieces thick bacon

Directions:
1. Saute onion and garlic until tender and caramelized in a tablespoon or two of oil.

2. Add brown sugar to caramelized onions and garlic, and cook a couple of minutes until well integrated. Add tomatoes, roast bell peppers, paprika, bay leaf and fresh thyme. Simmer about 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add balsamic vinegar at the end. (This will balance the sugar.)

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bacon strips on a baking sheet in the oven until it is crispy all over. Drain on paper towels, and dice into small pieces; fold into ketchup.

4. Serve warm with hamburgers, French fries, grilled cheese, or anything else you wish had some bacon on it. Keeps well in a refrigerated container for about three weeks.


Ketchup

Orange Poppy Seed Drops

I saw these pretty little butter and poppy seed cookies at A Farmgirl's Dabbles. I love the orange sugar sprinkled on top. It's so pretty, so fresh looking. But when I made them I had a bit of a problem. I think the recipe has too much butter. My cookies didn't hold their shape nicely. I think next time I will cut the amount of butter in half. Other than that, they were delicious.  

Ingredients for the cookies:

2 c. all-purpose flour

3 T. poppy seeds
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (I made the correction. It originally was 1 pound of butter.)
1/2 c. sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

Ingredients for the orange sugar:

1/3 c. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. orange zest

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the egg yolks. Mix in the vanilla and orange zest. With the beaters on low speed, mix in the flour mixture just until the dough starts to come together. Using your hands, work the dough into a ball.

4. To make the orange sugar, whisk the sugar and orange zest in a small bowl. Set aside.

5. Pinch off small clumps of dough and roll into balls about 1" in diameter. Place on the prepared cookie sheets, about 1-1/2" apart. Press down on the balls with your fingers to form rounds that are a scant 1/2" thick. Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of orange sugar onto the top of each round (I liked the 1/2 teaspoon amount), pressing down gently so the sugar adheres.

6. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and tops feel mostly firm. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

7. These cookies keep very well. Layer between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Yield: 50 cookies

Linguine and Zucchini with Bacon Corn Pesto

I love the combination of zucchini ribbons, linguine and the corn pesto. It's a light fresh meal. I urge you to give this a try. It's extra special and completely delicious!

Zucchini and Linguine with Bacon Corn Pesto
(adapted from Bon Appetit & Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice)

6 slices bacon
4 cups corn, fresh cut from about 6 ears
4 garlic cloves, minced, evenly divided
1 1/4 teaspoons sea or coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh grated, plus more for serving
1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup + 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 -1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces linguine (like Barila whole grain)
1-2 tablespoons Olive oil
2 medium zucchini, cut in ribbons using a potato peeler or mandolin

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy and brown, set aside on paper towels to drain. Drain grease from skillet all but 1 tablespoon. Over medium-low heat add corn, garlic, salt and pepper sautéing until corn is tender but not browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer 1 and 1/2 cups corn to small bowl and set aside. Add remaining corn to the bowl of a food processor along with Parmesan, pine nuts and 1/3 cup basil. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth, set aside.

2. Start the pasta water cooking in a large pot of boiling salted water cooking until al dente and reserving 1 and 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Meanwhile in the same skillet heat 1 to 2 tablespoons over medium-low heat, add garlic and zucchini ribbons saute about 5 minutes just until zucchini starts to break down and becomes tender.

3. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add half of the corn pesto and corn kernels, tossing over low heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta water by 1/4 cupfuls and additional corn pesto if needed until you get a smooth thin consistency and all the noodles are coated evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup basil leaves over top and serve with a sprinkle of bacon crumbles and Parmesan cheese.

Tate's Bake Shop Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and a Giveaway

 

Tate's Bake Shop wanted me to do a review of their wonderful cookies. I was so excited when the gift pack of assorted cookies arrived in the mail yesterday. Since then, Pap and I have been munching on Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Chip Macedonian Nut. And Tate's Bake Shop is kind enough to offer 15% off anything on their web store for the month of April. You just need to enter the code ‘cookies1’ at the checkout.

In addition to the yummy cookies, they sent me a fabulous cookbook. So last night I browsed through it looking for a recipe that contained everything I already had in my pantry. And the first thing this morning I mixed together the Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. Just because that's the way I roll, I added a nice swirl of chocolate on top. Pap and I ate one warm from the oven..... it was pure heaven.

Now comes the great part. Tate's Bake Shop is offering one of my followers the same super gift pack with 3 packages of cookies and a cookbook. All you need to do is be a follower and leave a comment.
The contest closes on midnight of April 30th.

Retro Jello Strawberry Pie

Are you looking for the perfect ending to your Easter dinner? Here's a beautiful pie that's a family favorite. And it's simple to assemble.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugars
1 1/2 cups water
3 oz box strawberry Jell-O
2 cups sliced strawberries
Pre-bake a 10" pie shell.

Directions:
1. Line bottom with the sliced strawberries.

2. Combine cornstarch, sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the Jell-O and stir until dissolved. Pour over the strawberries and refrigerate until set.

Coca-Cola Biscuits from Southern Biscuits Cookbook

I love cookbooks. And I'm not just whistling Dixie when I say that. I have over two hundred of them. So when a publicist emails me and asks if I would review a cookbook, I do my happy dance. And when they say the book is about making biscuits. All I can say is "Hot Dang".

So about a week later I was drooling over each and every recipe in the book, Southern Biscuits. Authors, Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart bring all their knowledge and experience together in this ultimate biscuit cookbook. It's filled with beautiful photography, including dozens of how-to photos showing how to mix, stir, fold, roll, and knead. You will rediscover traditional Southern biscuits as well as new variations, laced with ingredients such as silky goat butter, crunchy pecans, and savory pimento cheese. With this cookbook, you will proudly serve your family layered, fluffy, buttery, feathery light biscuits.

Ingredients for Coca-Cola Biscuits:
2 cups commercial biscuit mix
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Coca-Cola, divided
Water, if needed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
Softened butter, for brushing

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Select the baking pan by determining if a soft or crisp exterior is desired. For a soft exterior, use an 8- or 9-inch cake pan, pizza pan, or ovenproof skillet where the biscuits will nestle together snugly, creating the soft exterior while baking. For a crisp exterior, select a baking sheet or other baking pan where the biscuits can be placed wider apart, allowing air to circulate and creating a crisper exterior, and brush the pan with butter.

3. Fork-sift or whisk the biscuit mix and brown sugar in a large bowl, preferably wider than it is deep Make a deep hollow in the center of the mix with the back of your hand. Combine the sour cream and 1/4 cup Coca-Cola in a small bowl. Pour this mixture into the hollow and stir with a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, using broad circular strokes to quickly pull the biscuit mix into the liquid. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of Coca-Cola and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the sticky dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If there is some flour remaining on the bottom and sides of the bowl, stir in 1 to 4 tablespoons water, just enough to incorporate the remaining flour into the shaggy wettish dough. If the dough is too wet, use more flour when shaping.

4. Lightly sprinkle a board or other clean surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the dough out onto the board and sprinkle the top lightly with flour. With floured hands, fold the dough in half, and pat dough out into a 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick round, using a little additional flour only if needed. Flour again if necessary, and fold the dough in half a second time. If the dough is still clumpy, pat and fold a third time. Pat dough out into a 1-inch-thick round. Brush off any visible flour from the top. For each biscuit, dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter into the reserved flour and cut out the biscuits, starting at the outside edge and cutting very close together, being careful not to twist the cutter. The scraps may be combined to make additional biscuits, although these scraps make tougher biscuits.

5. Using a metal spatula if necessary, move the biscuits to the pan or baking sheet. Bake the biscuits on the top rack of the oven for a total of 14 minutes, or until light golden brown. After 7 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven so that the front of the pan is now turned to the back, and check to see if the bottoms are browning too quickly. If so, slide another baking pan underneath to add insulation and retard browning. Continue baking another 7 minutes until the biscuits are light golden brown. When the biscuits are done, remove from the oven and lightly brush the tops with softened or melted butter. Turn the biscuits out upside down on a plate to cool slightly. Serve hot, right side up.

Dark Shadows Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

"For most men, time moves slowly, oh so slowly, they don't even realize it. But time has revealed itself to me in a very special way. Time is a rushing, howling wind that rages past me, withering me in a single, relentless blast, and then continues on. I've been sitting here passively, submissive to its rage, watching its work. Listen! Time, howling, withering!"
-- Barnabas 1967

Ingredients for Brownies:
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Ingredients for cheesecake batter:
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream

Directions for cheesecake batter:
1. Place the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and Baileys Irish Cream in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.

Directions for Brownies:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. To make removing the brownies easy, line the pan lengthwise and widthwise with two 7-by-12-inch sheets of parchment paper or aluminum foil, shiny side up, and use the overhang as handles.

2. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and set in a wide pan or skillet of hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring 4 to 5 times, and let it melt completely. Stir until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Set aside.

3. With a stand or hand mixer set on low speed, beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla until blended. Alternately blend the dry ingredients and the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in increments. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the walnuts. Stop when the ingredients are just blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Set aside.

4. Bake about 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs clinging to it. Transfer to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely, then lift from the pan using the overhanging parchment. Cut into squares.

5. Place large spoonfuls of the cheesecake mixture on top of the chocolate mixture and, using a butter knife, swirl to partially combine.

6. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until set (do not over-bake).

EatStrong Review

I was recently asked by Organic Works if I would review two products from EatStrong. "Yes", I emailed back. Then a few days later the Trail Mix and Energy Bar arrived in the mail. Pap is a spry old man and he immediately confiscated the box and laid claim to the contents. 


All is not lost, I did manage to get a few nibbles. To be honest with you, I'm not a big fan of energy bars. So I was in for a delicious surprise with my first bite. It was more like a candy bar..... a very healthy yummy candy bar. Oh yeah, I could eat a boat load of these.  
  

Unfortunately, I didn't get any of the Trail Mix. Pap ate the whole thing. But he did give me his in depth opinion. "Mmmmmmmm!!!!!!"

With hiking and camping season upon us. EatStrong products are the perfect take-along. 

.Trail Mix

• A hearty blend of walnuts, cashews, pistachios and almonds
• Sprinklings of flax and sunflower seeds to enrich with fiber and a plentitude of vitamins and minerals
• Chocolate drops crafted from organic cacao for a sweet sensation

Energy Bar

• Finely crushed flax, sunflower and hemp seeds, a potent trio packed with a well-balanced ratio of the Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential fatty Acids vital to energy production, nervous system functioning, and efficient immune response
• Whey Protein Isolate to build and fortify lean muscle mass
• Chocolate drops crafted from organic cacao to satisfy that sweet tooth

Energy foods fall into three categories: sawdust inspired edible doorstops; sweetener soaked preservative packs (see also: candy); and EatStrong, satisfying, healthy food for the body and soul.

Wellness aficionada Sophie Pachella is the founder of EatStrong, a company empowering people to make smart food and lifestyle choices and the maker of a fresh new line of honestly healthy snacks.  The new EatStrong Trail Mix and Energy Bars are made with all-natural, power-packed ingredients that engage both your senses and the engines within—food isn’t just about fuel, it’s also about flavor and fun.

When hunger calls, fuel your fire with EatStrong Trail Mix, a savory assortment of walnuts, cashews, pistachios and almonds.  Great in a cereal, smoothie or on its own, this blend powers snackers with protein and delivers an onslaught of Omega-3s to help burn fat and regulate appetite.  Flax and sunflower seeds bolster the body with vitamins and minerals, while organic chocolate drops made from all-natural cacao amp things up with a little sweetness. 

Whether the day involves corralling kids or scaling tall buildings in a single bound (or both!), the daily grind does not always afford ample time for sit-downs.  EatStrong Energy Bars are pocket fuel for healthy eating on-the-run.  Organic chocolate drops meet finely crushed flax, sunflower and hemp seeds in a take-care-of-business medley of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will.

"Stuff It" Peanut Butter Oreo Cookies

Stuff it. You heard me. I said stuff it!!! Every one's doing it. You don't want to be the last in the foodie blogosphere to bake one of these artery clogging, freaking delicious cookies? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Eating an Oreo is bad enough. But with this recipe you wrap peanut butter cookie dough around each Oreo. I'm going to give you a direct order. You must eat one right from the oven.... they are down right sinful. So did I talk you into baking a batch? If so, I guess I'll be seeing you in the cardiovascular unit sometime in the near future.

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar , packed
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
28 Oreos (1 package)

Directions:
In the large work bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully mixed in.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Slowly stir in flour mixture, 1/3 at a time until completely incorporated. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place 1 tablespoon of cooking dough on top of an Oreo cookie. Place a second tablespoon underneath. Gently press the dough down around the Oreo, sealing the cookie dough edges together so that no Oreo shows through. Transfer the cookie to a prepared baking sheet and repeat, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies have just started to brown around the edges. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

I love salads. Often times if I have a choice of a really good salad or a dessert, I will go with the salad. And this one is particularly delicious. The hot bacon dressing is perfect in every way. And the dark green spinach is super healthy..... yum. Enjoy!

PREP TIME: 20 Minutes
SERVES: 4

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh spinach, cleaned and stemmed (I used baby spinach and left the stems on)
5 slices lean bacon, chopped finely
2 tbsps minced shallot or red onion
½ cup cider vinegar
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 boiled egg, diced
½ cup sliced mushrooms
¼ cup sliced red onion
1 Roma tomato, diced

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over moderate heat, turning it until it is crisp. Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, and discard all but 2 tbsps of the fat. In the remaining fat, cook the shallot or red onion for 1 minute. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard, and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. In a large salad bowl, place cleaned spinach, diced egg, mushrooms, red onion and diced tomato. Toss well. Add hot dressing and toss to cover each leaf of spinach with the dressing.

"Honeyed Bacon" Baklava

The marriage of bacon with walnuts, cinnamon, and honey is perfect. To the unexpected, the first bite will give you a hint of something different. Second bite, mmmmm..... what is that? Third bite, this is so good!

Foodbuzz is asking featured publishers to come up with a unique recipe using bacon. Together with their newest Tastemaker, Denny's, they're celebrating one of life's greatest pleasures: BACON! And they are offering everyone a chance to win your post featured in the Flavor of the Month section, $500 cash, and a $100 Denny's gift card.

Right now at Denny's, it's BACONALIA, a celebration of all things bacon with brand spankin' new delicious bacon items like the new Bacon Maple Sundae, BBBLT Sandwich, Bacon Flapjacks and more. Bacon is no longer a side dish - it is king.

It's time to pull out the big (bacon) guns. Okay, how about  cookies? Been done. Cupcakes? Been done. Ice cream? Been done. Mmmm.... I haven't seen baklava yet. And I really think bacon would compliment the walnuts, cinnamon, and honey.

Makes 24 servings. Begin about 3 & 1/2 hours before serving or early in the day.

Recipe:

1 (16 ounce) package walnuts (4 cups) 

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (16 ounce) package frozen phyllo, thawed

1 cup butter, melted

1 (12 ounce) jar honey

1 (16 ounce ) package of bacon, fried crisp

Directions:

1. In large bowl of food processor, add walnuts, bacon, sugar, and cinnamon. Pulse until walnuts and bacon are chopped; set aside. (Be sure to fry the bacon to a crispy stage. Then it will chop up finely and evenly.)

2. Cut phyllo into 13" by 9" rectangles. In greased 13" by 9" baking dish, place 1 phyllo sheet; brush with melted butter. Repeat with phyllo and butter to make 5 more layers, overlapping any small strips of phyllo to make rectangles, if necessary.

3. Over phyllo in baking dish, sprinkle 1 cup walnut mixture.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 3 more layers (4 layers total). Place remaining phyllo on top of last walnut layer; brush with butter.

5. With sharp knife, cut just halfway through layers in triangle or diamond pattern.

6. Bake in 300 degree oven for 1 hour and 25 minutes or until top is golden brown.

7. In small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat honey until hot but not boiling. Evenly spoon hot honey over hot baklava.

8. Cool Baklava in dish on wire rack at least 1 hour; cover with foil and let stand at room temperature until serving.

9. To serve, finish cutting, with a sharp knife, through layers to make triangles or diamonds.

Savory Bread Pudding with Demi-Glaze Drizzle

One of the rewards for being a Foodbuzz featured publisher is being a taste tester. We get the awesome opportunity to taste products and review them. So I give a BIG thank-you to Foodbuzz and Nature's Pride for giving me the chance to sample one of this delicious product, Hearty Wheat with Flax Bread.

I wasn't sure at first what I wanted to create. And naturally, my mind went to bread pudding. But this needed to be a savory bread pudding. So I searched and found the near perfect recipe. The original had ingredients that I didn't want to use so I changed things to suit my liking. And as a delicious extra, I wanted to use some of my frozen demi-glaze to drizzle over the top. In my opinion, this rich, custard-like stuffing was super delicious.

The original recipe is listed below. I changed things by cutting the recipe into fourths. It's just Pap and I after all, we don't need a huge amount that will take us days to eat. And besides, I have to many other recipes waiting to be made. Anyways, I used two small casserole dishes and it was perfect.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients
1 (1-pound) loaf crusty country-style white bread (I used Nature's Pride Hearty Wheat and Flax)
1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (I didn't have fresh thyme so I used dry)
1 large garlic clove, minced

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (such as crimini, button, portobello, and stemmed shiitake), thinly sliced (Pap doesn't like mushrooms so I didn't use any)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (I didn't use the Parmesan cheese because I used the demi-glaze drizzle)
Demi-Glaze

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread and discard. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups loosely packed). Place cubes in very large bowl. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss to coat. Spread cubes out on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Return toasted bread cubes to same very large bowl.

2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, and bell pepper. sauté until soft and juices have evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add sautéed vegetables and parsley to bread cubes.

3. Whisk heavy cream, eggs, salt, and ground pepper in large bowl. Mix custard into bread and vegetables. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Sprinkle cheese over. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake stuffing uncovered until set and top is golden, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes.

Four Giveaways and the Winners

Winner of the Vintage Campbell Kid Dolls "1980" Giveaway is Mississippi Artist.

The winner of "Tis A Touch Of The Irish" Checkerboard Cake and Giveaway is The Mom Chef.

The winner of The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book is Tanna. 

The winner of "Growing at the Speed of Life is Pam