SANDRA'S OLD-FASHIONED CHERRY PIE

One fabulous dessert that's not too difficult to prepare
and is so very, very satisfying!

Serves: (6 to 8)

Prep:

Bake: 45 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Pie:

1-1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 (14.5 oz. cans) pitted red tart cherries, drained,

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pkg refrigerated pie crusts (Pillsbury: 2 will be enclosed)

Crust topping:

2 teaspoons milk

1 teaspoon granulated sugar + 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

METHOD

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set a 9" glass pie plate aside.

Lightly dust working surface with flour, gently unroll pastry, and use a rolling pin to slightly enlarge, just enough so pastry is a bit larger than pie plate. Repeat for top pastry crust.

In a large bowl, mix sugar and flour. Stir in cherries; fold to incorporate, and spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over cherries.

Cover with top pastry. Brush with a pastry brush the inside of crust (not edges) with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cut slits cut in top pastry crust; seal and flute.  Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cover edge with 3" strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; return to oven and continue baking for 25 more minutes, until golden brown and juice bubbles through slits in crust..

Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving with French vanilla ice cream. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA'S NO-BAKE CHERRY YUM YUM

Truly, truly a ''yummmm...yummm" dessert

in both this cherry version ~ or the alternate blueberry option!

Servings: (12)

Prep Time: 15 mins

Refrigerate to set: Minimum of 4 hrs or overnight

INGREDIENTS

Crumb mixture:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Creamy mixture:

1 (8 oz. pkg.) regular cream cheese, room temperature (not whipped)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 (16 oz. container) whipped topping, thawed (or 2, 8 oz. containers)

Filling:

1 (32 oz. can ) prepared cherry pie filling (or 2, 16 oz. cans) - Blueberry is an option too!

Garnish:

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted over top

METHOD

Using a fork, combine crumb mixture ingredients in a medium bowl.

Press half  of the crumb mixture in a glass 9x12x2" rectangle baking dish, set remaining aside.

In large bowl, add all creamy ingredients in 3 increments; switch to using a wooden spoon to fold in each addition until smooth.

Spread half of the creamy mixture on top of crumb crust. Top with pie filling. Add remaining creamy mixture in small dollops and sprinkle top with other half of crumb mixture, then press lightly to adhere.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. Generously dust top of dessert with a couple of tablespoons of confectioners' sugar sifted through a fine-mesh sieve. Cut into squares, and serve. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S SUMMERTIME RHUBARB and CHERRY CRUMBLE

Rhubarb is in season here

in Juneau, Alaska,

so this is the perfect

summertime dessert just now...

Serves: (8)

Prep: 15 Mins.

Bake: 35 Mins.

INDREDIENTS

Filling:

4 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into ½ half moons

2 cups ripe cherries, de-stemmed, cut in half, with seeds removed

¾ cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pinch fine-grain sea salt

Crumble:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (I use double-acting)

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

METHOD

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, gently fold the rhubarb and cherries with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt. Spread filling in prepared baking dish.

In another medium bowl, whisk the egg whites with the vanilla until light and frothy.  Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt, and add to bowl.  Add the brown sugar to the crumble mixture, and using a fork combine until the crumble resembles small peas. Distribute the crumble mixture evenly over the filling in the baking dish.

Gently drizzle the melted butter over the crumble mixture.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown and the filling is bubbly and baked through. Let stand for about 30 minutes before serving.  

Serve the dessert topped with French vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S TANGY RHUBARB-CHERRY CHUTNEY

This chutney is great with salmon, poultry,

lamb, pork, or any rich meat complemented

by the punch of a sweet and tangy condiment.

You can also serve the chutney with cream cheese

and crusty bread or crackers as an appetizer...

Yields: 2 cups

Prep: 5 Mins.

Cook: 10 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup chopped Vidalia (sweet) onion

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 lb. rhubarb stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 3 cups)

1/3 cup dried cherries

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

METHOD:

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, allspice, paprika, cayenne (if using), ginger, salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes, just until softened.  Add rhubarb, dried cherries, brown sugar and water to the skillet, and simmer, uncovered, until the rhubarb is tender, about 5 minutes; you don’t want rhubarb to fall apart.  Remove from heat and stir in red wine vinegar. ~ Enjoy.

SANDRA’S PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN ORANGE-JELLO-POKE-CAKE

A fabulously moist and flavorful 
creation I came up with today ~ 
You'll find that the Orange Jello 
compliments the pineapple to the extreme...

Servings: (8 to 10)

Prep: 15 Mins. |
Bake 30 Mins. |
Stand: 30 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

***Pineapple Upside Down:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided

1-2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided

4 (8 oz. can) pineapple slices, drained; reserving juice

View of the Orange-Jello-Poke-Cake

1 (8 oz. can) crushed pineapple, drained; reserving juice

 -- (refrigerate reserved pineapple juice to chill)

4 maraschino cherries, halved

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

3 eggs, at room temp.

2/3 cup whole milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cherry extract

***Orange-Jello-Poke:

1 (3 oz. Pkg.) Jello, orange flavor (I used sugar-free)

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup cold, reserved pineapple juice

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Spray, with butter spray, a 9”x13 glass baking dish (so the sides of the cake won’t stick while baking).  Melt 1/4 cup butter, and pour into bottom of prepared glass baking dish.  Evenly sprinkle 2/3’s cup of brown sugar over melted butter. Arrange pineapple sliced halves decoratively over brown sugar, the crushed pineapple around them, and place one cherry half in the center of each halved pineapple slice.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  

In a large bowl, beat with a hand mixer the eggs, and remaining 1 cup of brown sugar, until the mixture is smooth and slightly stiff. Gradually beat in milk, and vanilla and cherry extracts. Melt remaining 1/4 cup of butter, and beat into egg mixture.  

Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, while beating until smooth; occasionally scrape down sides of bowl.  Carefully spoon cake batter over the pineapple slices, starting from the outer edge and working towards the center.

Place cake in preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick poked into center comes out clean.  Remove and let stand in baking dish, while making jello poke mixture.

 

Using a skewer, poke holes in cake ½” apart. 

Dissolve Jello in boiling water, stirring about 2 minutes. Add chilled pineapple juice, and stir to incorporate.  

Spoon over cake, and use a pastry brush to assist in absorbing Jello into cake. Let stand for 10 minutes. 

Cut around edges to loosen cake with a knife. Invert onto a large foil-lined baking sheet placed on top of glass baking dish. Flip over and let stand 1 minute to allow time for the hot pineapple topping to release. Remove glass baking dish. Scrape any loose toppings out of bottom of glass baking dish and put back on top of cake.  Let cake stand to set for 20 minutes, and serve with whipped cream, if desired. – Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip:  I at times have substituted chopped candied pecans in place of the crushed pineapple to change this dessert up a bit.

SANDRA'S DECADENT GERMAN-STYLE BAKED APPLES

This recipe was created due to an 
influx of wonderfully
delicious apples I had on hand...

[Today (12-18-11) I just found that 
two sites re-posted my recipe 
and this photo @ the following links:
1) Driving and Dining; and
2) What's for Dinner]

Also, at http://aquieterstorm.tumblr.com/page/44

Servings: (4)

Prep: 10 Mins.
Bake:  1 Hr.

INGREDIENTS

4 organic apples (I used Cripps Pink – also called Pink Lady; fall apples from Washington)

4 tablespoons fireweed honey

1 tablespoon butter, room temp.

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (I used half of a scraped organic bourbon vanilla bean)

1-1/2 teaspoons organic ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon organic ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped candied pecans

1 teaspoon chopped organic crystallized ginger

Optional:

--French Vanilla Ice Cream

--Caramel Sauce

--4 Whole Maraschino Cherries, with stems

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour ¼” deep of lukewarm water into bottom of a square 8”x8” baking dish, and set aside.  Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

Cut the very top off of the apples and scoop out the core; leaving a well while taking care not to cut all the way through the bottom.  Using a vegetable peeler, remove a strip of peel around the middle outer diameter section of each apple (so they can breathe while baking).

Method in which to prep
the apples

Equally fill each apple with stuffing mixture from small bowl. 

A filled apple

Place filled apples in the prepared baking dish. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for 20 additional minutes, or until apples are tender to your liking.

Fresh out of the oven
dripping in gooeyness

Serve the baked apples while hot in individual bowls, top each with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle them with caramel sauce, and top with a maraschino cherry. – Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~

Tip:  I prep all the ingredients beforehand to make assembling a breeze, except for the apples that I do lastly to prevent oxidation prior to baking.

SANDRA'S PUMPKIN PIE SPICE BLEND

A perfect blend of spices
that you'll find I refer to in many
of the recipes posted on this site...

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1-1/2 tablespoons ground ginger

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1-1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom

METHOD

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.

Store in a “labeled” airtight container in your pantry.

You are able to add this to many baking recipes, such as homemade fruit and berry pies, cookies, cakes, and many
other dishes (I feel that this blend is much improved over
the store-bought brands).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIP: When using dry spices place in palm first and rub with finger to activate oils before adding to recipes.

SANDRA'S SMOKED SALMON STUFFED CHERRY TOMATO APPETIZER

A vibrant and flavor-popping appetizer, 
which provides a  great addition 
to any gathering...

Yields: (2-1/2 doz.)
Prep: 30 mins.

Posted: by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

--30 cherry tomatoes

***Salmon Mixture:
3 ozs. smoked salmon (or regular cooked salmon), finely chopped
1 green onion, finely sliced
1/3 cup red pepper, finely chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon old bay seasoning
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste

***Cream Cheese mixture:
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon milk

--garnish with fresh chives, chopped
--torn individual lettuce leaves (30 pieces total)

METHOD

Cut the top off of each cherry tomato, and use a melon ball scooper (or small spoon) to remove inner pulp, and discard. Place cherry tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain. In a large bowl, combine the salmon, green onion, red pepper, spices, lemon juice and mayonnaise, mixing well. Spoon into tomatoes.

In a small bowl, beat with a hand mixer the cream cheese and milk until smooth. Insert a large star tip into a pastry (or plastic) bag. Pipe a small amount of cream cheese mixture over salmon mixture on top of tomatoes. Garnish with chopped chives, and place each tomato on individually torn lettuce leaves placed around serving platter. – Enjoy!