Ha, Ha. I Might As Well Call This Blogsite Recipe Central

For real, I don't mean to have this many recipes vs. life-posts, but with the holidays upon us, I keep accumulating recipes and I have the continual need to *attempt* to de-clutter.

3 more delicious sounding recipes!


Molten Spiced Cabernet Cakes
(Makes 4 Servings)

4 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 Tbsp. Cabernet or Sauvignon or other wine
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
6 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Preheat oven to 425º F.

Butter 4 (6 oz.) custard cups or muffin souffle dishes. Place on baking sheet.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on high one minute or until butter is melted. Whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in wine, vanilla and sugar until blended. Whisk in eggs and yolk. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon evenly into prepared dishes.

Bake in oven 15 minutes or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand one minute. Loosen edges with knife. Invert onto serving plates. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.


Cinnamon-Pecan Shortbread
(Makes 32 wedges or 36 rounds)

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, room temperature
1 large egg white, beaten to blend with 1 Tbsp. water (for glaze)
1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted pecans for wedges, or 36 pecan halves for round cookies
Raw sugar*

Whisk first 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Mash with back of fork until coarse meal forms. Using fingertips, work dough until smooth; shape into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, but not hard, about 30 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325º F. For wedges, shape dough into two disks. Place on 2 heavy baking sheets; cover with plastic. flatten to 10-inch rounds. Remove plastic. Brush with glaze. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, then raw sugar; press to adhere. For round cookies, shape dough into 1-inch balls; arrange on two heavy baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Cover smooth bottomed glass with plastic. Using glass, press each dough ball into 2-inch round. Cut with scalloped cookie cutter, if desired. Brush with glaze; top with pecan half and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until golden, about 30 minutes for large rounds and 22 minutes for small rounds. Cool large rounds on sheets for about 10 minutes, then cut each into 16 wedges. Cool all cookies completely on sheets. DO AHEAD. Can be made 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.


Old-Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies
(Makes about 9 dozen)

1 cup halved dried cherries
1 cup dried currants (about 5 ounces)
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup golden raisins (about 5 ounces)
1 cup brown raisins (about 5 ounces)
1 cup chopped simple candied orange peel
6 Tbsp. bourbon, divided
6 Tbsp. dry Sherry (preferably imported), divided
9-10 dozen paper or foil bon-bon sizied (1 inch diameter) baking cups
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs

Glaze and Garnish
1 cup packed powdered sugar
4 tsp (or more) bourbon
4 tsp (or more) dry Sherry (preferably imported)
Diced or slivered simple candied orange peel

Cookies:
Toss first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in 4 Tbsp. each bourbon and Sherry. Cover; soak 2-24 hours.

Place rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 325º F. Arrange about 36 of the baking cups on each of 3 rimmed baking sheets. Stir in walnuts the one cup flour, baking powder, salt and spices in medium bowl.

Beat sugar and butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beat in dry ingredients, then remaining 2 Tbsp. each bourbon and Sherry. Fold fruit into mixture. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls into baking cups.

Bake cookies, one sheet at a time until light brown, about 23 minutes, cool.


Glaze and Garnish:
Mix sugar and 4 tsp. each bourbon and Sherry in bowl. Add more liquor by 1/2 tsp. in equal amounts to thin if necessary.

Spoon glaze over cookies; garnish with peel. Let stand until glaze sets, at least 2 hours.

Can be made a week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container at room temperature.

More Recipes

I "borrowed" these first two recipes from Splenda, I have not tried them yet, I'm just attempting to de-clutter my desk a bit, it's getting crazy.

Creamy Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumb
1/4 cup Splenda (granular)
3 tsp butter, melted
(Mix these ingredients together and press into a spring form pan.)

Filling:
1 lb. regular cream cheese
1 lb. fat free cream cheese
1 1/4 cups Splenda (granular)
1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
Pinch of salt
4 large eggs


Preheat oven to 350º F.

Beat cream cheese and Splenda until well mixed and smooth. Add lime juice and a pinch of salt, beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour filling over crust and bake 50-60 or until slightly firm to the touch. Let cool 15-20 minutes before placing in the refrigerator. Refrigerate 4-6 hours before serving.


Old Fashioned Apple Pie

9 inch double pie crust
1 cup Splenda (granular)
7 Cups baking apples, thin sliced and cored (about 7 medium apples)
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt


Prepare or purchase a double pie crust and set one crust into a 9 inch pie pan.
Preheat oven to 425º F.
Place sliced apples into a large bowl and set aside.
Combine Splenda, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a small bowl.
Sprinkle the mixture over apples and toss.
Spoon apple mixture into pie crust.
Place the second crust over the filling.
Seal edges, trim and flute. Make small openings in the top of the crust in your preferred pattern.
Bake in oven until top of the crust is golden brown (40-50 minutes)
Serve warm or chilled.


This next recipe I have flexed out in so many different ways and it always turns out the same way; amazing. I encourage you to try out different flours, different kinds of baking chips, different kinds of nuts. One of the richest combos that tasted so good and hearty; whole wheat flour, white chocolate chips and almonds.
Explore, get creative and enjoy!!

Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 ripe bananas- mashed
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Grease and flour bread pan. Preheat oven to 350º F.

Mix flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Mix in slightly beaten eggs, melted butter and mashed bananas. Stir in nuts at this time if desired.

Bake for about an hour, when you touch it, it should spring back. (Usually it would be golden brown, but with whole wheat flour, it will be darker.)