Tag Archives: desserts

July 2, 2012

Summertime Fruit!

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

Now that it is officially summer, we are seeing more small fruits make their appearances:  strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black-raspberries, current’s, and numerous others. I think probably my favorite would be all of them!!! And there is no better way to eat them then all combined. Three-berry pies, smoothies, sauces, cobbler’s, fruit bars – all of these can be made with your choice of berries.

I snagged this recipe from COOKS.com. I have used that website now several times for recipe’s. They have oodles of them!!!

 

THREE – BERRY SAUCE
1 c. fresh strawberry halves
2/3 c. fresh raspberries
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. cold water
1/3 c. pitted bing cherries or 1/3 c. blueberries
Combine berries and sugar in medium saucepan; let stand until sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch with water and add to berry mixture. Increase heat to high and stir constantly until thickened and clear. Remove sauce from heat. Stir in cherries or blueberries.Serve immediately.

Yield: 1 1/3 cups.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Appetizers, Breakfast, Cakes, Desserts, Dressings, Fruit, Raspberry, vegan, Vegetarian

March 25, 2012

Peanut Butter Frosting

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

Due to a busy weekend for me (Elizabeth), Hannah (see last week’s post) volunteered to help me out with a blog post this week. Thanks Hannah!! 

 

Did you know that the peanut is not really a nut? Comment on this post to see if you know what peanuts really are without looking it up! George Washington Carver came up with over 300 different uses of peanuts which included plastics, paints, cooking oil, and peanut butter. This Peanut Butter Frosting has been a family favorite for years. It is really simple to make and very delicious. (especially for peanut butter lovers)

Peanut Butter Frosting

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons crisco

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/3 cup milk (approximately)

1. Combine above.

2. Beat until fluffy.

 

2 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Cakes, Desserts, Food

March 18, 2012

Double Chocolate Cookies (with a secret ingredient)

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

::I was having much trouble trying to write a blog post today, so my sister Hannah offered to do it this week. She wrote a guest post over at From Scratch Club this summer, and therefore is highly qualified. ::

A couple weeks ago, I entered the Saratoga Farmers Market Cookie Contest. I was super excited because my favorite thing to bake is cookies. The rules were that you had to use at least two market ingredients but could get more points for the more you used. I found a way to incorporate beets into one of my families favorite cookie recipes, used Battenkill Valley  Creamery cream to make my butter, used our eggs, and tada! I found a new favorite. I didn’t win the contest of around twenty entries, but it was still a fun experience.

I’ll give you the recipe with the beets and include the original beside any changes.

Double Chocolate Cookies (with a secret ingredient)

-Original recipe taken from No-Guesswork Cooking: Recipes You Can Trust, by Kim Cahill.

-1 1/4 cup butter softened

-1 1/3 cup white sugar

-1 1/4 cup brown sugar

Lightly cream in mixer with flat paddle.

-3 eggs

-2 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-2/3 to 3/4 cup finely shredded beet (exclude to make original recipe)

Add. Mix till smooth

-3 3/4 cups flour

-1 cup cocoa powder (3/4 plus 2 tablespoons) if making without beets.

-3/4 teaspoon salt

-1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Combine in separate bowl.

-1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

-1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips

Add dry ingredients alternately with chocolate chips and white chocolate chips to butter/sugar mixture. Mix evenly until combined. Pinch off 1″ balls, round, and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Flatten to 1/2″ thickness. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes or until slightly firm. DON’T OVERBAKE!

ENJOY!!!

3 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Chocolate, Desserts, Food

July 16, 2011

Fresh Berry Bars

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

Since we (ahem!) didn’t manage a dessert recipe on Monday, I decided to do one for today’s post. This recipe came to us from one of our workers; she brought it in one day for someone’s birthday. I must say, we all fell in love with it. When you take the peanut butter and combine it with the berries, it’s almost as good as combining chocolate and mint!!!

With all the berries in season now (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries……), you can really make this recipe with whichever type you choose. I like it with blueberries and/or blackberries best. But, be creative and come up with new combinations!

Fresh Berry Bars

3/4 cup softened butter (or butter substitute)

3/4 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup jam (choose one to match your berries, or mix and match!)

4 cups berries (you choose!)

 

Heat oven to 35o degrees: Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil

Beat butter and peanut butter on high for 30 seconds. Add sugars, baking powder and salt; mix. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in flour.

Spread dough into pan. Pack down evenly. Bake 25 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Cool completely on a rack. Using foil, remove from pan. Discard foil and return to pan if desired. Spread jam and top with berries. Dust with powdered sugar. Yum!!

 

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Desserts, Food, Fruit, vegan, Vegetarian

May 21, 2011

Life.

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

I feel like I have been sadly neglecting you all that so kindly visit Cooking From the Ground Up. It’s called Life. Preparing for my student’s recital (tonight!), milking my cow, working, cleaning up after my family(it never ends), caring for the rest of my animals, and cooking a little. There is more, but it would take up the rest of this post you would probably get bored pretty quickly. But there is a bright side to that (even though there isn’t anything bright outside now and I think we are going to float away pretty soon). Teaching is done until September and I think now I might be able to find time to breathe………..wow, that feels better.

We are actually making this to serve on ice-cream tonight. We’ve made it for years and it is much healthier than store-bought chocolate sauce.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Combine the following in a double boiler:

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cook over boiling water for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally. This sauce will be thick. It keeps well for a month in a jar in the refrigerator. Great as ice cream topping.

6 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Chocolate, Desserts, Vegetarian

March 15, 2011

Fudge Nut Brownies

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

We’ve been making these brownies for five years now and they never get old. If Mom doesn’t put the extra’s in the freezer, there won’t be any left by 9 o’clock the next morning! I’ll admit that it isn’t just the boys that eat it. :) I snitch some too! We’ll often make them for company or for various functions. Every one loves them and always asks for the recipe!

Taken from the No Guesswork Cookbook

Yield: 16-18 servings

10″x15″ pan

Oven: 350 degrees

Base:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

3/4 cup butter, cold

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. water

Combine dry ingredients in 2 quart bowls. Cut butter into 1/2 Tbsp-size pieces. Add to dry ingredients. Cut in with pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add vanilla and water and mix until moistened. (Mixture should look crumbly, like streusel.) Set aside 3/4 cup of crumbs for topping. Press remaining crumbs into baking pan to form base of brownies.

Filling:

2/3 cup flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/16 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup melted butter

3 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. corn syrup or brown rice syrup

Combine dry ingredients in 2 quart bowl. Add butter and mix until moistened. Add eggs, vanilla,  and corn syrup to filling mixture. Mix until evenly blended and smooth. Pour over base mixture and spread evenly. Crumble reserved base mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until barely firm. DO NOT OVER-BAKE! Cool completely before cutting.

Don’t forget that the apron giveaway ends tonight! If you haven’t entered, hurry and do so!

6 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Chocolate, Desserts, Giveaways, Uncategorized

February 23, 2011

Chocolate Cake recipe Correction

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

For all of you who may have copied the chocolate cake recipe from 2/24/2011, you’ll have to make a slight correction!

It should be 2 tsp. baking soda and 1tsp salt. Not 1 tsp. baking soda!

Sorry! I fixed it on the blog post, but wanted to make you all aware of that!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Chocolate, corrections, Desserts

February 15, 2011

My Mom’s secret recipe…from the hills of Africa

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

1986. Swaziland, Africa. Mom and Dad were spending three months in Africa so that Dad could gain experience by working in a hospital there. During that time, they went with some missionaries for a church service out in the “bush” country.  The land was mountainous and as my mom just said “absolutely beautiful.” The missionaries provided dinner for the natives and this was the dessert they served. It is the most amazing chocolate cake that you will ever eat. With a crunchy outside and a moist center, this cake makes the perfect dessert for a special someone’s birthday or just as a special mid-week treat! We like to dress it up by sprinkling it with powdered sugar, topping each slice with whipped cream, or frosting with our special peanut butter frosting! It’s great warm. However you decide to serve this cake, you will be sure to make it again! and again – and again!

Just so you know, we’ve been making this for 25 years now…that says a lot.

Chocolate Cake ~Marsha McCoy

3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder (this cake is phenomenal with black cocoa)

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Sift and blend into mixing bowl.

In a one up measure, put 2 tbsp. white-distilled vinegar and 2 tsp. vanilla. Fill remainder of cup with oil. Add to dry ingredients. Add two cups water.

Stir or mix until smooth. Pour into 9×13 in. pan, two 9 in. layer pans, or cupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. If you desire to do cupcakes, bake for 30 minutes. May use 8×8 and cut recipe in half.

Enjoy!

8 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Desserts

January 26, 2011

Cookies You Dream About

By Anna Dagarin

For the past week there have been 16 people living in my house- give or take a few! My older sister and brother along with their families were visiting. So the whole family crowded under one roof. It was awesome! All week there wasn’t a clean dish in site, or an inch of counter space. There were however plenty of snowstorms, laughing kids, Shrek reruns, late night card games, early morning chats, and pots, and pots of coffee!

A few of my sibling want to open a coffee shop in town. It’s sort of become a dream of ours.  A little fantastic and probably unlikely…. Still, its lots of fun to think about! Of course it would be the best coffee shop around! My younger brother Andrew could fill  the shop with his amazing pastries.

I’ll admit, my brother Andrew is a far better baker than I am. Baking is his specialty! His chocolate chip cookies are becoming famous! They are better than any cookie you could find at any coffee shop. They’re a delicious crowd-pleaser. At least the crowd at my house loves them! So until we get that coffee shop up and running, try them out yourself.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
  4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Tip: If you have a little extra time, try refrigerating the cookie dough before baking the cookies. It just makes them that much better!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

11 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Chocolate, Desserts, Food

January 10, 2011

Dessert Monday! Raspberry Chocolate Bars

By Elizabeth Kilpatrick

Yeah for dessert! Yeah for Dessert Monday! I love desserts! Especially when they are semi-healthy! Raspberry Chocolate Bars are one our families favorite bar desserts and others love it too! In fact, my mom had given the recipe to several friends of ours and these bars have begun to appear at graduation parties and other events! This is a great recipe to take as a finger food or just to serve as a special dessert. The raspberry sauce combined with chocolate makes this an extra special dessert!

Raspberry Chocolate Bars

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 cups finely chopped pecans

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 12oz jar raspberry sauce

1 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, pecans, butter, and egg; stir until crumbly. Set aside 1 1/2 cup of this pecan mixture. Press remaining mixture into the bottom of a greased 13x9x2 pan. Spread raspberry jam over all. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, then with remaining crumb mixture. Bake 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Cool completely in pan on wire-rack. Cut into bars. Makes 3 doz.

Note: We use our own homemade raspberry jam and it tastes just as good!

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Chocolate, Desserts, Food, Raspberry

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