Charming Cherry Coconut Bars

The red cherries in these bars are so pretty for the holidays and very easy to make. They are delicious! 

Charming Cherry Coconut Bars

1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 cup( 1 stick) cold unsalted butter – cut into 8 pieces

Filling:

2 eggs- lightly beaten

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries- chop before measuring

1/2 cup coconut

In a bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar; cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. May need to use fingers to mix well.  Press into a lightly greased 8 x 11 or a 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. 

For filling –

Stir together the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the egg mixture.  Stir in walnuts, cherries and coconut.  Spread over crust.  Bake for 25- 30 minutes until light golden brown.  Cool, then cut into bars.

Date Pinwheel Cookies

I love dates and I love this good old fashioned cookie. I like to bake one log and freeze the other to
bake later. 

Creamy Fudge

I have been making this fudge since December 24^th 2004

Creamy Fudge                                                                 

                                                                        

1 (7) ounce jar marshmallow cream (I put jar in a bowl of hot water while cooking the sugar mixture)

1 ½ cups white sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk (not whole can)

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups (1- 11.5 oz. bag) milk chocolate chips- have measured and ready to pour and mix

1 cup semisweet or Ghirardelli 60 % cacao chocolate chips- have measured and ready to pour and mix

½ cup chopped walnuts-optional

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8x 8 inch pan with aluminum foil. I fold a long piece of foil in half and place it in the pan to cover the bottom and over-hang on two opposite sides so I can lift it out easily. Set aside. Sometimes I make it in a small glass dish and I don’t use the foil.

In a 2-3 quart saucepan, over medium heat, combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring constantly. I use a wooden spoon. Remove from heat (work quickly) and add marshmallow cream and vanilla and stir. Quickly add chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts (or sprinkle on top once fudge is in pan). Pour into prepared pan and cool. Chill for 2 hours. Holding foil over hang on each side, lift fudge from pan and put on cutting board. Remove foil and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator in air tight container.  Let set out at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for creamier texture (or eat it cold from the fridge).

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake

This is a very moist cake. I sprinkle nuts on only one side of my cakes because of one picky eater in the house. I love nuts in my cake, so as long as they are added somewhere on it, we are all happy!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional but I have them so I add them)

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and oil- fill a liquid measuring cup to about 2/3 cup with the yogurt, then finish it off with vegetable oil to equal ¾ cup total

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 (21 oz.) can of cherry pie filling

1 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts

powdered sugar for dusting

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients; set aside.  In a mixing bowl, mix together yogurt, oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and combine. Add vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in cherry pie filling and nuts.

Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely. When cool, dust with powdered sugar.

I love this pan! The cake fell right out!

Sage Dressing or Stuffing

Sage Dressing (or Stuffing)

A cold November day, a warm kitchen with steamy windows and in the background, the Macy's parade on t.v. A skillet full of onion, celery, poultry seasoning and sage cooking in butter... smells like Thanksgiving to me!

I love dressing..or stuffing. I grew up calling it dressing but now I will sometimes call it stuffing. Either way...it's delicious and dressing/stuffing, along with cranberry relish, must be on my plate!  It’s my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. I have become the dressing/stuffing maker in our family and I love to make it…..and eat it! I have never stuffed dressing in a turkey and I don't plan to start. I need a crispy top!