Peanut Butter Bread

It's Spring, and time for picnics in the park!  Tired of the same old peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  Why not bake this delicious peanut butter bread and pack your favorite jam to spread on when it's time to eat!  This bread takes around an hour to bake, so plan ahead.  You can prepare your picnic basket while it bakes so you'll be ready to leave as soon as it comes out of the oven.  Simply wrap it in tin foil to keep it warm until you reach your destination.  I hope you and your family will enjoy this rich warm bread on your next lunch outing. 

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
3/4 c. peanut butter
(reduced fat or generic brands are NOT reccommended for this recipe)
Your choice of jelly or jam

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add egg, milk, and peanut butter; stir just until combined.  Pour into a greased 8x4x2 inch loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.  Slice and serve with your favorite jam! 

Blueberry Dumplings

It's a dreary, chilly, Spring day here in South Georgia; and I thought our family could use some blueberry dumplings to warm us up!  My Nanny Nora made blackberry dumplings when I was a kid, and they are equally delicious!  However, when making blackberry dumplings, you must thoroughly squeeze the berries in a cheesecloth to extract all of the seeds.  That can be quite time consuming, so these blueberry dumplings are a great substitute to the sweet treat I grew up eating. 

Blueberry Dumplings

Berry Juice:
1 quart blueberries (rinsed thoroughly)
1 c. sugar
1-2 c. water


Dumplings:
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter (room temperature)
milk

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  With a fork, cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly.  Add a little milk to make the dumplings doughy.   Set aside.  In a large pot, bring blueberries, sugar, and water to a rolling boil.  Drop dumplings in with a regular size teaspoon.  Shake pot after dropping several dumplings in.  Do not stir!!!  Once all dumplings are in, place lid on pot, reduce heat, and cook for about 20 minutes.  Do not open lid!  Shake the pot several times throughout cooking.  Do not stir!  Remove lid and let dumplings stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

*Tips:

1. Freezing blueberries?  Don't wash them!  Simply place them in a Ziplock storage bag and freeze them.  When it's time to use them, measure out what you need and wash them at that time. 
2. My Nanny Nora used flat dumplings in her origional dish of Blackberry Dumplings.  She may have made them from scratch, or simply bought them from the freezer section in the grocrey store.  Sometimes I make the thick, drop dumplings (above recipe), and sometimes I buy the frozen flat dumplings to use.  It's all up to you!  Try them both!  =)
3. I do not eat these with icecream, but I'm sure if you're an icecream kind of person it would be delicious with this dessert!  Try it and see!  I do remember Nanny pouring evaporated milk over hers at times. 

Raspberry-Lemon Whoopie Pies

This desert is dreamy!  A wonderful way to welcome in Spring...











Lemon Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup 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 coarse salt

1 cup whole milk

Raspberry Cream Filling

3 tablespoons light-brown sugar

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure lemon extract 

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup fresh raspberries (4 ounces)

Directions

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 3 additions, alternating with milk and ending with flour mixture (scrape bowl as needed). Beat well to combine.

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 racks.

In a large bowl, whip cream, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, and lemon flavoring 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.

You can make the cookies for these whoopie pies a day ahead and fill them just before serving.  They are beautiful when dusted with powdered sugar! 

Tip: 

After plating these, dust them with powdered sugar and garnish the corner of the plate with lemon slices and fresh raspberries. 

How to Make a Latte

For my 30th birthday, my husband bought me an espresso machine so I could make my very own lattes at home!  I do not make these daily, but it is very nice to have the option when you're craving one!  I wanted to give a sort of "how to" recipe for making a latte since that is the overall title and inspiration for this blog. 

You will have to convert this according to your own espresso machine, but here is the overall idea...

Espresso
3/4 to 1 cup Milk
Flavor of choice

Pour 1 to 2 ounces of desired flavoring into a 12-16 oz. cup.



Tamp the ground espresso into the portafilter firmly and lock it into the group head on the espresso machine.  Start the shots.



Pour the shots of espresso into prepared cup.
(This is a photo of the espresso brewing.  When brewing is complete, you pour the shots over your flavoring.)



Fill the metal pitcher with 1 cup milk, or 3/4 cup if using a flavor.

Place thermometer securely inside the steel pitcher.
(As you can see here, I don't normally do this.)

Steam milk between 155ºF and 165F. It will scorch above 170ºF.


The steam wand should be inserted diagonally just below the surface of the milk.
(This will help you get the thick foam you desire.)

Pour steamed milk over espresso.  Do not let your shots sit very long before pouring steamed milk over them.  The steaming process should be done accuratly, but quickly.  When pouring use a spoon to regulate the flow of the foam. Make sure no foam enters the drink until you are about 1/4 in. from the top, where you can remove your spoon. The result should be a nice brown foamy top with a small white foam center.

 

For an added touch, drizzle chocolate or caramel on top of the foam.  Or, add whip cream to the top for sweeter sipping.

Pistachio Salad

When I was a little girl, I'd ask my mom to make "green stuff".  This wonderful salad (as they call it), is wonderfully refreshing.  So if you're looking for something green to mix up for St. Patrick's Day, here is a quick, easy, and delicious treat!

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple

2 (3 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed in refrigerator

1cup miniature marshmallows

In a large bowl, combine the pineapple and dry pistachio pudding mix. Fold in thawed whipped topping and marshmallows until well mixed. Refrigerate until chilled and serve.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Spring is in the air, and I am a big lemon fan.  Here is a wonderful way to sweeten up the delicious lemon flavor for your dessert this week!

Crust
1 box lemon cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted

Filling
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 (16 oz.) box confections' sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13" pan with non-stick cooking spray.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well.  Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.  Using the same bowl and electric mixer (no need to wash), beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs, lemon flavoring, confectioners' sugar, and melted butter.  Mix well.  Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly.  Bake for about 40 minutes depending on your oven.  The center should be a little gooey.  Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares. 

Cola Chicken

This recipe was a hit the first time we tried it.  I discovered it in the kids section of a Quick Cooking magazine and tried it out with rice, broccoli, and biscuits.  The cola and ketchup turn out tasting like a sweet BBQ sauce.  It is simply wonderful!

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
garlic salt
pepper
1/4 - 1/2 c. chopped onion 
2 T. vegetable oil 
1 (12oz.) can cola
1 c. ketchup
4 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
3 T. cold water

In a skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add chicken; sprinkle garlic salt and pepper over chicken; brown on all sides. Carefully add cola & ketchup. Cover and simmer for 25-30 min. or until chicken juices run clear. Remove the chicken and keep warm. Combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth; add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Return chicken to the pan and heat through. The can of cola gives a nice barbecue flavor. The gravy is wonderful when served over rice.

Meal suggestion:
Cola Chicken
Rice
Steamed Broccoli
Biscuits and Honey Butter