Dutch Boterkoek (Butter Cake)

2/3 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 t. almond extract

1 egg

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

Mix first three ingredients. Beat egg and set aside 2 teaspoons.  Add the remaining egg to the butter mixture. Sift flour and baking powder and add to the mixture. Pat into an 8x8 inch square pan. Brush the top with the reserved egg. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes. Cool before cutting and serving.

Cook's Notes: I make this with a gluten-free flour blend and it turns out very good.

Mini Tea Party Cheesecakes

 

Crust

3 oz. cream cheese, softened 

½ c. butter, softened 

1 c. flour (can use gluten-free) 

Mix until dough forms. Divide into 24 balls and press into mini muffin tins.

Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 t. vanilla 

1 egg

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg, mixing until blended. Spoon into shells. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool. Top with a dab of lemon curd or jelly. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Cooks notes: I make these with Bob’s Red Mill 1to1 gluten-free flour (the blue label) and they turn out great. 

Chocolate Pudding

 

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa powder 

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/2 t. salt

4 c. whole milk

2 T. butter

2 t. vanilla 

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Spoon into individual serving dishes. Chill until serving. 

Carrot Cake

8 oz. can crushed pineapple

2 c.  all-purpose flour

1 c. sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 t. baking soda

2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

4 eggs

½ c. vegetable oil

2 c. shredded carrots

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons juice (discard remaining juice or save for another use). In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil, carrots, pineapple and reserved juice; beat until combined. Stir in walnuts. Transfer to a greased 13-in. × 9-in. X 2-in baking dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting. Makes 12 servings. 

FROSTING:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. butter, softened

2 t. vanilla extract

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cake. 

Cooks note: This cake was a hit at the church potluck the first time we made it. I sprinkled a little cinnamon on top of the frosting as decoration, which added nicely to the flavor. (My son, Ethan, decided that this would be the perfect wedding cake if it were paired with the unsweetened frosting that he prefers.)

Orange Butter Frosting

¾ c. butter, softened

9 c. sifted powdered sugar (about 2 Ibs.)

¼ c. orange juice

1 t. finely grated orange peel

2 t. vanilla

Orange juice

Food coloring (optional)

In a very large mixing bowl beat butter until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the ¼ cup juice, grated peel, and the vanilla. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar. Beat in enough additional milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired. tint with food coloring. Makes: about 4 cups. This frosts the tops and sides of two 8-or 9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost a 13×9×2-inch cake.)

Chocolate Cream Cake

1 c. water, boiling
2 squares Bakers unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. + 2 T. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt chocolate in water; cool. Meanwhile, cream butter, vanilla, and sugar. Add egg, one at a time, and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and slowly mix into butter mixture. Stir in sour cream, then slowly add in the chocolate mixture. Place in a prepared cake pan (size?) and bake for 75 minutes.

Butter Pecan Crunch Dessert

 

16 graham crackers, crushed

16 soda crackers, crushed

1 stick butter, melted

2 pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 3/4 c. milk

1 qt. butter pecan ice cream, softened

1 c. heavy cream, whipped 

6 Heath bars, crushed

Combine first three ingredients and pat firmly into a 9X13 inch pan. Refrigerate while making filling. Combine the pudding mix with the milk. Mix 2 minutes then fold in the ice cream. Spread on the crust and let set. Frost with the whipped cream and sprinkle Heath bar crumbs on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Fresh Strawberry Pie

 

1 c. sugar

3 heaped T. corn starch

1 c. water

2 T. light corn syrup 

1/4 c. strawberry jello (powder?)

1 quart whole strawberries, washed

1 pie shell, baked

Combine sugar, cornstarch, water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Cook until thick and clear, stirring continuously. Stir in the jello powder until dissolved. Cool. Add strawberries. Pour into prebaked pie shell. Serve with whipped cream.

Rhubarb Pie

4 c. diced rhubarb
1 c. sugar
1 T. flour
pinch of salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 t. cinnamon
9” unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rhubarb in pie shell. In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Slowly mix in eggs and cream. Pour mixture over rhubarb. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake for about an hour.

Almond Flour Pound Cake

1/2 c. butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 c. almond flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9X5-in. loaf pan. Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add in almond flour while beating on medium speed. Pour into prepared pan and bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. 

Recipe notes: Moist, looks and tastes like normal pound cake. 

Peppermint Ice Cream Pie

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips 

6 T. butter

4 c. crisp rice cereal 

1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream, softened 

Melt the chocolate and butter together. Stir into the cereal. Press into 2 small buttered pie pans. Fill pans with softened ice cream. Freeze before serving. (Cut the crust BEFORE pies are completely frozen, because it’s nearly impossible to cut after.)

Recipe Notes: This was one of Grandma Vi’s favorites and her traditional birthday treat. 

Berry Cobbler

4 c. fresh or frozen berries
1 T. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 egg
6 T. butter

Combine berries and lemon juice in a 13 X 9 inch glass baking dish. Mix sugar, flour, and egg in a bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over berries. Melt butter and drizzle over flour mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Recipe notes: This started out as a blackberry cobbler recipe that I found while searching for ways to use surplus eggs. Much to my surprise, cobbler doesn’t normally contain eggs. I have since made it with blueberries and strawberries with rubbarb. All variations have been well received.

Walnut Baklava

4 c. finely chopped walnuts

¼ c. sugar

1 T. ground cinnamon

1 c. butter, melted

16 oz. frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Syrup:

2 c. sugar

1 c. water

1/2 c. honey

2 t. lemon juice

2 t. vanilla extract

In a bowl, combine the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Grease a 13-inch x

9-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter. Unroll phyllo dough sheets (keep dough covered with plastic wrap while assembling). Place one sheet of phyllo dough in baking dish; brush with butter. Top with a second sheet; brush with butter. Fold short ends under to fit the dish. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the nut mixture. Repeat 18 times, layering two sheets, brushing with butter and sprinkling with nut mixture. Top with remaining dough; brush with butter. Cut into 2-inch diamonds with a sharp knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Pour over warm baklava. Yield: about 3 dozen.

Double Layer Chocolate Pie

1 prepared pie crust
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. + 1 T. milk or 1/2 & 1/2, divided
1 T. sugar
12 oz. thawed Cool Whip, divided
2 pkg. (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding

Place cream cheese, 1 T. milk, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Gently fold in 1 1/2 cups of  Cool Whip. Spread on the bottom of pie crust. Pour 1 1/2 cups milk into bowl. Add pudding and whisk until thick. Fold in 2 cups of Cool Whip and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Garnish with remaining Cool Whip.

Blackberry Pie

1 T. gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
scant pinch salt
1 pint blackberry juice and berries*
1 pie crust, baked
1 c. cream or evaporated milk, whipped

Soak the gelatin and salt in cold water for about 5 minutes. Heat berry juice to boiling; add to gelatin. When almost set, add the whole berries and pour into pastry crust. Refrigerate until firm. When ready to serve, cover top with whipped cream. (This can be sweetened and egg whites can be beat with cream to make it very stiff.)

*This recipe is for canned fruit, but fresh fruit can be used adding necessary sugar. Use other berries in the same way.

Molasses Cake

1 egg
1 c. molasses
1/2 c. boiling water
2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. ginger
3/4 c. raisins
1/3 c. vegetable oil

Beat the egg and stir in molasses. Add boiling water. Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside 1/2 c. to mix with the raisins.  Slowly add remaining dry ingredients to the molasses mixture. Sir in the flour-coated raisins and the oil. Bake in a 9X12 inch pan at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Lorraine's Lemon Meringue Pie

1 c. sugar
1 T. butter or margarine
1 1/4 c. water
1/4 c. cornstarch
3 T. cold water
6 T. lemon juice
1 t. grated lemon zest
3 egg yolks
2 T. milk
1 pie crust, baked

Combine sugar, butter, and water; heat until sugar dissolves. Combine cornstarch with cold water; add to sugar mixture. Cook about 8 minutes. Add lemon juice & zest; cook 2 minutes more. Beat egg yolk with milk and slowly add to the mixture. Heat to boiling. Cool; pour into baked pie crust.

Meringue:
3 egg whites
6 T. sugar
1 t. lemon juice

Beat egg whites until stiff; add sugar and lemon juice gradually, beating until mixture is stiff and glossy. Pile lightly over cooled filling, spreading completely to edge of pastry. (Grandma O. used to make little peaks across top of the pie that browned as it baked.) Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned. 

Angel Cream Pie

1 t. gelatin
1 T. cold water
1 c. milk
 1/2 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
 3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. heavy cream
9-in. pie crust, baked
1 oz. grated chocolate

Soften gelatin in cold water, set aside. Scald milk in a double boiler. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add to milk and cook until thick and smooth. Cook 15 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Separate egg whites from yolks and set aside. Beat yolks well and slowly add milk mixture to them,  a little at a time. Return to double boiler and cook a few minutes longer. Add gelatin and vanilla. Cool. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into cooled mixture. Whip cream and fold into the mixture. Pour mixture into baked pie crust; sprinkle with grated chocolate. Chill in refrigerator several hours or until firm.

Blueberry Pie

Crust:
1 c. flour
2 T. powdered sugar
1/2 c. margarine, melted

Mix together and pat into pie plate, no roller needed. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool.

Filling:
3/4 c. water
4 c. blueberries, divided
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch

Combine the water with 1 1/2 cups of the berries. Cook 5-10 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch and add slowly to the hot berries. Cook until thick. Cool. Add remaining berries (uncooked) and pour into pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate.

Recipe Notes: The directions on the original recipe are a little confusing. Hopefully I interpreted them correctly.

Lorraine's Frost Bite

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
3 eggs, separated
1 c. sugar
2 c. milk
2 T. corn starch
(2) 1 oz. squares semi sweet Baker's chocolate
1 c. whipped cream
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla


Combine gelatin and cold water, set aside. Beat the egg yolks and combine with the sugar, milk, and corn starch. Cook until thickened. Stir dissolved gelatin into the egg mixture. Add salt and vanilla. Cool. Grate chocolate and sprinkle half of it into a greased pan. Beat egg whites until peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat whipped cream until stiff. Fold eggs into cooled custard, then fold in whipped cream. Spread over grated chocolate. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate. Refrigerate 24 hours before serving.