Apple Strudel

• 1 Package of Filo dough
• 3/4 to 1 stick of butter, melted

• 1 cup of toasted panko breadcrumbs (I forgot to toast them and it was fine) 
• 2 green apples, peeled and sliced thin

• 1/2 tsp.cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 large clean kitchen towel (used to roll strudel)

1.Mix apples with crumbs (crumbs help to keep juice in strudel instead of flooding pan).
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a dish.
3. Place one filo sheet onto the towel, then brush lightly with butter.
4. Repeat the buttering and laying until 6 sheets are stacked one on top of the other.
5. Place apples on prepared filo layers that have been brushed with butter. Start spreading apples about 3 inches from the edge closest to you (you need a clean area so you can get it in the pan. Completely cover the rest of the filo dough with apples. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mix over the apples. Now take the edge of the towel near you and slowly start to make a big roll by pulling up and towards you. This is not as hard as it sounds. As you are rolling it you can roll it right into a greased pan. Check out this youtube video, about 8:40 into the video. It shows how to roll the dough up.

6. Tuck the ends of the strudel underneath itself. Brush top with more butter and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Brush after 20 min. with butter. Strudel is done when it looks a nice golden brown.
7.Cool and cut into slices and dust with powderd sugar.

You can vary the filling by adding chopped walnuts, or raisins. If you add raisins you must first soften them in hot water and then dry them before using.

ChocolateTruffles

Ingredients

• 3 cups (18 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• COATINGS
• Finely chopped toasted nuts, flaked coconut, chocolate sprinkles, colored sprinkles, unsweetened cocoa, powdered sugar or colored sugars

1. MELT chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
2. POUR into medium bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours or until firm.
3. SHAPE into 1-inch balls; roll in desired coating and/or decorate with frosting and candies. Chill 1 hour or until firm.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Beat the butter until creamy, 2 minutes. Add the sugars, beat for 2 more minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar butter mixture.

2 Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours.


3 Preheat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake until light brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.
For chewier cookies, bake at 300°F for 15 minutes.
Yield: Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Blueberry Turnovers

Makes 18 turnovers        Oven 400 degrees

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
2. 1/2 c sugar
3. 2 T cornstarch
4. 1-2 T fresh lemon juice
5. Lemon zest from 1 lemon
6. 2 T butter
7. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets

Combine  ingredients 1-6 in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Stir in butter and let cool.
Unfold the pastry dough sheets and cut each sheet into 9 pieces.
Spoon 1 teaspoon of cooled filling into the center of each dough piece and fold over, pinching the edges tightly.
Place on slightly greased cookie sheet or silpat.
Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees approx. 10 minutes.

Pizza Crust July 2011

½ cup warm water
2¼ tsp. instant yeast
4 cups (22 oz.) bread flour, plus more for dusting
1½ tsp. salt
1¼ cup water, at room temperature
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle the yeast over the top. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bread flour and salt, mixing briefly to blend. Measure the room temperature water into the measuring cup with the yeast-water mixture. With the mixer on low speed, pour in the yeast-water mixture as well as the olive oil. Mix until a cohesive dough is formed. Switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 1½-2 hours.

Press down the dough to deflate it. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Form each piece of dough into a smooth, round ball. Wrap one of the balls of dough in plastic wrap, put in a freezer bag and freeze for later. (When it's time to use the frozen dough, put it in the fridge in the morning, then take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you're ready to use it.) Cover ball of dough with a damp cloth. Let the dough relax for at least 10 minutes but no longer than 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven and a pizza stone to 500° F. Sprinkle a large baking sheet lightly with cornmeal. On a countertop lightly dusted with flour, gently roll out the pizza dough into a large circle, leaving a thicker ring around the edge for the crust. (If the dough doesn't want to stretch and roll out, let it rest for a few minutes and come back to it. I find that if it's been frozen and thawed it's a little harder to work with, but letting it rest a bit usually helps make it more workable.) Carefully transfer the dough to the baking sheet and top with toppings and cheese as desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Makes two medium pizzas.

Recipe from Annie's Eats.

Itty Bitty Cinnamon Roll Bites

 

 

 

1 can Pillsbury “Simply” refrigerated biscuits, 10 count

5 tablespoons softened butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream, or just milk if that's what you have on hand

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Unroll biscuits onto a clean countertop and press out with fingers to about 3 inches wide.
3.Spread each biscuit with 1/2 tablespoon of butter then top evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon. 4.Starting at the bottom of each round, roll up jelly roll fashion with seam side down on countertop.
5.Use a sharp knife and cut 1/2 inch slices and place onto prepared baking sheet. I cut 6 slices per biscuit making 60 small cinnamon rolls.
6.Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until light brown and cooked through. Remove from oven.
7. Place powdered sugar and heavy cream into a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over hot rolls. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Best served warm with a tall glass of milk!

Makes 60 itty bitty bites
http://picky-palate.com/2011/04/18/itty-bitty-cinnamon-roll-bites/

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (use the clear if you have it)
• up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

1. Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
2. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
3. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/