Quick Praline Bars 24 graham cracker squares 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup pecans, chopped Heat oven to 350°. Arrange graham crackers in single layer in ungreased 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. Heat brown sugar and margarine to boiling; boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over graham crackers, spreading evenly; sprinkle with pecans. Bake until bubbly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into squares.
easy tiramisu recipe: Bel Gioioso's Basic Tiramisu The company that makes this particular brand of cheese (Bel Gioioso, pronouced "bel-joy-oso" Cheese Inc. of Denmark, Wisconsin) put this recipe on the side of its 8-ounce Mascarpone container. They call it their "Famous 'Tiramisu' Dessert Recipe," but then again, I guess every cheese company, every restaurant has a "famous" recipe. This one makes 6 servings. Ingredients EGGS, 3 large, with yolks and whites separated SUGAR, 1/2 cup MASCARPONE, 8 ounces EXPRESSO or STRONG COFFEE, 1 cup COGNAC or BRANDY, 2 tablespoons LADYFINGERS, toasted, 20 COCOA, 1/8 cup Directions Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon Espresso, sugar, and Cognac into the large mixing bowl. Beat 2 to 3 minutes. Add Mascarpone and beat 3 to 5 minutes until consistency is smooth. In another bowl, combine 3 egg whites and a pinch of sugar. Beat until mixture forms stiff peaks. Gently fold into Mascarpone mixture. Pour rest of Espresso into flat dish, dip one side of each Lady Finger, and layer on bottom of serving dish. Spread 1/3 of Mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with cocoa. Continue layering and finish with a Mascarpone layer. Sprinkle and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
here is one from emeril lagasse for italian fig cookies. i know it's kind of long but it is well worth the effort. my grandfather made these religiously every christmas (similar but not identical recipe....he rendered down apples to make a really thick apple butter type filling versus using figs). he also would take the cookie dough and make another dessert called "piggy's" which were rolled into little balls, deep fried, stacked into a mound, and then coated with honey (he'd empty an entire large jar to coat them). you'd then pick them off the "heap" and eat them. anyway, here is an italian classic (careful with the food processor and go slow since this thick a mixture can clog it up). italian fig cookies: Filling: 2 cups dried figs, hard tips discarded 1 1/2 cups dried dates, pitted 1 cup raisins 3/4 cup whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped 3/4 cup whole walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped 1/2 cup orange marmalade 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup brandy 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves For Dough: 4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 large egg 1/2 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash Colored sprinkles, for decorating To make the filling, in a food processor, combine the figs, dates and raisins and process to finely chop. Place the mixture in a medium bowl, add remaining filling ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. To make the dough, in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. Add the butter and blend with your fingertips until most of mixture resembles coarse meal. In a medium bowl, beat the egg, milk and vanilla together. Add to the dry mixture and stir to make a rough dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, cover, and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. On a lightly floured surface, one at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch square. Cut the dough into 4 by 3-inch rectangles. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling down the center of each rectangle. Fold the long sides of each rectangle inward to the center to enclose the filling; pinch the edges to seal. Turn the cookies seam-sides down and press gently to flatten the seams. With a floured knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide slices and arrange 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and decorate with colored sprinkles. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
here is a great sopapilla recipe (like a beignet with honey): SANTA FE STYLE SOPAPILLAS 6 c. flour 1 1/2 tbsp. oil 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 c. warm water Put all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add oil and rub through hands until blended. Add water a little at a time; until the dough feels the right consistency. Let it stand 10 minutes before rolling. On a well floured board, roll egg-sized pieces approximately 6 inches in diameter. Fry sopapillas in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Cut into quarters and serve hot with honey. NOTE: You may also use this same recipe to make tortillas. Roll egg- sized pieces into 6-8 inches diameter and fry on a lightly oiled cast iron skillet until it blisters. Turn, and cook other side. Serve hot.
here's another good dessert served in mexican restaurants.....fried ice cream: MEXICAN FRIED ICE CREAM 3 cups ice cream 2 beaten eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Vegetable oil (for deep-fat frying) 4 1/2 cups sweetened corn flakes or crisp rice cereal, crushed Place six scoops (about 1/2 cup each) of ice cream in a small pan. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm. Combine eggs and vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl. In a pie plate, combine cereal and cinnamon. Dip each frozen ball in egg mixture, then in cereal mixture. Return coated ice cream balls to pan and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Reserve remaining cereal mixture. Cover and chill remaining egg mixture. Remove coated ice cream balls from the freezer. Dip balls in remaining egg mixture, then roll them in remaining cereal mixture. Return to pan. Cover and freeze for several hours or until firm. Fry frozen ice cream balls, 1 or 2 at a time, in deep hot vegetable oil (375 degrees F) in a deep fat fryer or heavy saucepan for 15 seconds or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain for a few seconds. Return fried ice cream balls to the freezer while frying the remaining balls. Serve immediately with ice cream topping, if desired.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE FANTASY BARS Ingredients 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (12 oz) package (1 3/4 cups) M&M's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bits 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans Method Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass pan). In a bowl combine butter and cookie crumbs; press mixture into the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumbs. Combine the M&M' Baking Bits, coconut, and nuts. Sprinkle mixture evenly over condensed milk; press in lightly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely before cutting. Store in tightly covered container. Yield: 32 bars
Banana Blueberry Pie Ingredients 8 ounce package cream cheese 1/2 cup sugar 1 can blueberry pie filling 2 - 3 bananas sliced container whipped cream ready made pie crust (excellent with graham cracker curst also) Method Line bottom and sides of pie curst with sliced bananas. Blend cream cheese and sugar together. Smooth mixture over bananas. Pour pie filling over cream cheese mixture. add whipped cream, and smooth into your desired mounds, using as little or as much as you want. Chill 1 to 2 hours before serving! Enjoy
Caramel Apple Pie Ingredients 1 double crust deep dish unbaked pie shell 3/4 cup white sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 cups thinly sliced apples 1/2 cup caramel topping 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1 (16 ounce) container whipped dessert topping; optional Method Preheat oven and cookie sheet to 400°F. Stir together the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Toss with the apples in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the first unbaked pie shell then drizzle the caramel topping over the top. Sprinkle with pecans. Place the second pie shell over this and flute the edges. Cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape then place on preheated cookie sheet. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 1 hour before slicing. Top with whipped topping if desired.
Dirt Pie Ingredients 1 cup cold milk 1 (4 ounce package) chocolate flavor instant pudding 1 (8 ounce) container cool whip 20 chocolate sandwich cookies; crushed 1 1/2 cups rocks (granola chunks, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped peanuts, or any combination of the above) 1 graham cracker pie crust Method Pour milk into medium bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Stir 1 cup of the cookies and "rocks" into pudding mix. Spoon into piecrust. Sprinkle with remaining cookies. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
