Conni's Cooking Corner
By Conni Attwell
Let's celebrate summer by having some Very Berry recipes to try. Enjoy!
Mixed-Berry Cream Tart
Pile on the berries! Love every delicious forkful of crunchy granola crust, creamy filling and tart berries. .
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup boiling water
1 box (4-serving size) strawberry-flavoured gelatin
3 pouches Nature Valley* Crunchy Fruit Granola Bars
1 pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
Thawed whipped topping, if desired
In a small bowl, crush 1 cup of the strawberries with pastry blender or fork. Reserve remaining 1 cup of strawberries. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over gelatin; stir about 2 minutes or until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir crushed strawberries into gelatin. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, leaving granola bars in pouches, crush granola bars with rolling pin. Sprinkle crushed granola in bottom of 9-inch ungreased glass pie plate, pushing crumbs up side of plate to make crust.
In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Drop by the spoonful over crushed granola; gently spread to cover bottom of crust.
Gently fold blueberries, raspberries and the remaining 1 cup strawberries into the gelatin mixture. Spoon over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm. Serve topped with whipped topping.
Berry-Pear Crisp Pie
An irresistible pie, made fast with a prepared crust and finished with a crunchy oat and walnut topping.
1 box Pie Crusts
Filling
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
Topping
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired
Vanilla ice cream, if desired
Heat oven to 425ºF. Unroll crust. Place in 9-inch glass pie plate; flute edges. In large bowl, gently toss filling ingredients. Spoon filling into pastry-lined pie plate. In large bowl, beat topping ingredients with electric mixer on medium-low speed until crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Line baking sheet with foil. Place pie plates on foil-lined baking sheet. Cover pie with foil; bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375ºF; bake 45 to 50 minutes longer or until bubbly. Remove foil from pie; bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown. Cool completely on cooling rack.
Blueberry-Peach Cobbler with Walnut Biscuits
A delicious and unusual cobbler
Fruit Mixture
8 medium fresh peaches peeled, each cut into 6 wedges (Note: Two bags frozen sliced peaches, thawed, can be used in place of the fresh peaches, if you like).
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Dash salt
Biscuit Topping
1 cup Bisquick* mix
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp milk, if desired
1 tbsp coarse sugar
Heat oven to 400ºF. In medium bowl, stir together fruit mixture ingredients; let stand 10 minutes to allow sugar to pull juices from peaches. Transfer to ungreased 8-inch square glass baking dish. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes or until fruit is bubbling. Remove from oven; stir. Bake 10 to 12 minutes longer or until bubbly around edges (fruit must be hot in middle so biscuit topping bakes completely). Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir all biscuit topping ingredients except 2 teaspoons milk and coarse sugar until firm dough forms. Drop dough by 6 spoonful's onto warm fruit mixture. Brush dough with 2 teaspoons milk. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden brown and bottom of center biscuit is no longer doughy. Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Serve warm.
By Conni Attwell
From the Company's Coming Kids Cookbook
3 cups rolled oats (not instant) 1/2 cup margarine
1 cup long thread coconut 3 tbsp corn syrup
1 cup raisins 3 tbsp honey
1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1 large egg
1/2 cup peanuts (chopped) 1 tsp vanilla
1.2 cup mashed banana
Combine first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat the next 6 ingredients in smaller mixing bowl with electric mixer until light & fluffy. Add the banana mixture to the rolled oat mixture. Combine well.
Spread in a greased baking pan and press down well. Bake in a 325° oven until firm and golden brown.
When cool, cut into 36 bars.
By Conni Attwell
From the Company's Coming Kids Cookbook
3 egg whites (large eggs)
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups cornflakes
1 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla
Beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add sugar gradually while beating. Add vanilla flavouring and keep beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in the cornflakes and coconut using a spatula.
Lay some wax paper on an ungreased cookie sheet. Take tablespoons of the mixture and drop onto the cookie sheet. Bake in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes until lightly browned and crisp. Makes about 2 dozen macaroons.
By Conni Attwell
From the Company's Coming Kids Cookbook
1 medium orange 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup orange juice 1 tsp. baking powder
1 large egg 1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup hard margarine 2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 tsp. salt
Cut the orange into 8 pieces. Place in blender with the orange juice until finely chopped. Add the egg and margarine and process, then add the cranberries until processed.
Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir to moisten. Divide the mixture into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake in a 400° oven until golden brown (about 15 mins) Let stand for 10 mins (if you can?)
2 Individual boneless, fully cooked ham slices
1 large sweet potato. peeled and thinly sliced
2 canned peach halves
1 tbls brown sugar
1 tbls butter
Place each ham slice on a double thickness of heavy duty foil (about 12 inches square). Layer with potato and peach halves. Sprinkle with brown sugar: dot with butter. Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly. Place on baking sheet.
Bake at 350° for 30-35 mins or until heated through and potato is tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.
1/4 cup plus 1 tbls all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 medium ripe banana
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Maple syrup or spreadable fruit, optional.
In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Combine the banana, egg and vanilla: stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
Pour batter onto a hot griddle, coated with cooking spray: turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown. Serve with syrup or spreadable fruit.
4 tbls Dijon mustard
2 tbls honey
4 slices sourdough bread
4 ounces thinly sliced ham
8 thin slices apple
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 1/2 tsp butter, softened
Combine mustard and honey. Spread 2 tbls of the mixture over two bread slices. Layer with ham, apple and cheese.
Spread remaining bread with remaining mustard mixture: place on top . Butter the outside of the sandwich. In a small skillet, toast for 2-3 mins on each side or until cheese is melted.
(makes 25 squares)
3/4 cup juice-packed canned pineapple chunks, drained
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with aerosol spray.
2. Measure out 1/4 cup of the pineapple chunks. Puree until smooth in a food processor or blender. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together pureed pineapple, egg, pineapple juice, orange extract, and oil. Add the flour, baking soda and powder and beat again Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup pineapple chunks.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake for 25 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool and cut into 25 squares.
(makes 4 servings)
4 1/4-inch slices of French or Sourdough bread
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 medium tomato, finely diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 cup assorted fresh herbs such as basil, chives, dill, flat-leaf parsley, or tarragon), minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt (optional)
freshly ground pepper
1. Grill or toast bread on both sides until golden and crisp. Rub hot bread on one side with garlic. Place bread slices on an individual salad plates. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine onion, tomato, cucumber, herbs, olive oil, and salt (if using).
3. Spoon a quarter of the mixture onto each slice of bread. Season each with freshly ground pepper. Serve at once.
(makes 6 servings)
olive oil cooking spray
1 small, Russet or all-purpose potato
1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1 pound extra-lean ground sirloin
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 1/2-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
2 cups shredded green cabbage
salt (optional)
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 to 3 tablespoons purchased taco sauce
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
2. Peel and grate the potato into a bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spread evenly over the bottom of the prepared casserole. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until potato is browned and crispy.
3. Meanwhile, brown ground sirloin, onion, and garlic in a large non-stick skillet, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon as it browns. Discard any excess fat. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, chili powder, and the cabbage. Season with pepper to taste. Sauté, stirring, for a minute or two. If mixture seems too dry, add 1 tablespoon of the bottled taco sauce, adding up to 2 tablespoons more, if needed, if mixture seems too dry.
4. When potatoes are done, spoon beef mixture on top of potatoes. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until casserole is hot and bubbly. Serve at once.