Red, White & Blue Fruit Pizza (Our Best Bites)

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/06/red-white-blue-fruit-pizza/


A great dessert for the Fourth of July!

Crust:

1 c. real butter (no substitutions!)
1 c. white sugar
1 egg (make sure to use a large or extra large egg)
1 tsp. almond extract
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. table salt
Zest of 1 orange

Creamy Topping:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (light cream cheese is fine)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. orange extract
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Pizza Topping:

1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, sliced, and patted dry
1 pint blueberries, washed and patted dry
1/2 c. dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy–about 2 minutes. Add in egg and extract and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  A very important note: It’s important to correctly measure your flour or you will end up with a dry, crumbly dough. Never, ever use your measuring cup to scoop up the flour.  Use a regular sized spoon and spoon the flour into the cup and then level it off with a knife.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined. Add the orange zest and mix until combined.

Spray a round pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray and using your hands and a rolling pin, spread the dough out to the edges of the pan. If desired, you can add a decorative finish (like fluting) to the edges of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

When ready to bake the crust, preheat your oven to 350. Bake the crust for 18-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and completely baked in the center. If you prefer a crisper crust, you can bake the crust for a longer amount of time. Allow to cool completely.

When the crust is almost cool, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, orange extract, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and combine well.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange the berries as desired over the creamy topping. Place the chocolate chips in a heavy-duty small Ziploc bag and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mashing the bag around until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 12 large servings and 24 smaller servings.

Amish Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg or 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 cups oatmeal (regular or quick)

Directions:

1.  Melt butter.
2. Grease 1 1/2 quart baking dish and drop in eggs and beat well.
3. Add brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon, and salt. Mix well, no lumps.
4. Whisk in butter and both measures of milk, then add oats.
5. Stir well, and refrigerate overnight.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-45 min, or until set in the middle.
7. Serve hot with warm milk poured over.

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups Homemade Baking Mix
• 1 1/3 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or raw sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Homemade Baking Mix

• 10 cups flour (I used freshly-ground whole-wheat. Doreen suggested doing half white and half whole-wheat.)
• 8 Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 cup powdered milk
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar or turbinado
• 2 1/4 cup coconut oil or shortening

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in shortening or cold coconut oil until you have fine crumbs. Store in a tightly covered container in a cool place (if you use freshly-ground flour, store in the freezer). Use in place of Bisquick.

Glaze (I made a little extra since we like lots of glaze around here!)

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 Tablespoons milk

Combine Baking Mix and milk. Turn onto a well-floured surface and knead at least ten times (the dough will be sticky). Roll dough out into a rectangle.

Melt butter and brush over rolled out dough. Mix together cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over melted butter. Roll up and cut into 12 rolls.

Place in a greased baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Mix glaze ingredients together and drizzle over Cinnamon Roll Biscuits as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve warm.

Zucchini Muffins (Aimee)

 

"For those of you who prefer to use oil over butter, be my guest (use 1 cup vegetable oil instead of the butter) but I have to tell you, I've made these both ways, and the butter version just tastes better."

Ingredients

• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini
• 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Directions

You don't need a mixer for this recipe.

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. 

Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using.

2 Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. 

Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes. 

Note, if you are including walnuts and dried fruit, you will likely have more batter than is needed for 12 muffins. I got about 14 muffins from this batch, and that included filling the muffin cups up as far as they could possibly go (above the surface of the muffin tin). 

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup (Brenna)

"I made this last night and everyone liked it. I didn't put the jalapeno, but it was still good and very easy to make." - Brenna

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 packages chicken tenders, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
• 1 tablespoon coriander, a palm full
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, 5 to 6 sprigs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 large bell pepper, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 bag white corn tortilla chips
• 1 cup shredded pepper Jack or sharp white Cheddar
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 4 scallions, chopped
• Handful fresh cilantro leaves or fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, begin to brown 4 minutes, add coriander, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, onions, bell pepper and jalapeno, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and stock, heat through.

While the soup is working, lightly crush some tortilla chips and divide among 4 bowls. You need a couple of handfuls per bowl. Top the chips with a little cheese. Toss the avocado with lime juice. Top the chips with ladles of soup. Garnish soup with avocado, scallions and cilantro or parsley.

 

Father's Day Breakfast

This Father's Day was a huge success! The kids and I made the YUMMY "Easy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole" for Daddy. I don't know what Daddy loved more the breakfast or that he was able to eat his breakfast in bed. If you haven't tried this recipe you need too. It is so good! I hope you and your family had a great Father's day. 

Squash Casserole (Aimee)

If you planted a garden this summer and already have a ton of squash, here is a great recipe. This would be great for summer parties. :) 

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

10-12 yellow squash / zucchini (or mix)- I had pretty big ones
1 onion
8 tablespoons butter
2 eggs beaten
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1 Preheat Oven to 350°F.
2 Chop yellow squash and onion into small, uniform pieces.
3 Add the squash and onion to a LARGE saute pan and cook in the butter over medium heat until al dente (I like it not mushy)
4 Season cooked mixture to taste with salt / pepper/ garlic
Remove pan from heat
5 Beat the eggs with a fork and add it to the squash mixture.
6 Add one and a quarter cup of shredded cheese to the mixture and stir until melted and mixed
7 Pour mixture into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
8 Bake for 30 min or until cheese lightly browned.