Butterscotch Brownies

April 24, 2012 Sonte Leave a comment

The Grandsons are staying over for a couple of nights during a school week which means making lunches for them. The last time they were here on a school night I made Brownies and was quickly informed that “I don’t do Chocolate, Granny!” Ooops…so after dinner tonight, while the oven was still on I popped a pan of Butterscotch Brownies into the oven; the verdict is in, they are a huge hit!

1/2 cup Butter
2 cups Brown Sugar, lightly packed
2 large Eggs
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup chopped Pecans, optional

Lightly spray a 9X13 (4l) pan with vegetable oil spray.
Preheat oven to 350F.

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter, stirring often.
Remove from heat.
Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
Stir in eggs and vanilla.
Add flour, baking powder and salt all at once and stir until well combined.
Finally add chopped pecans, if using, mixing well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake in 350F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, cool, in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with Butterscotch chips, if desired, gently pushing them into the Blondies.
After cooling for a few minutes, cut into desired amount of squares and allow to cool completely.

Desserts

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

April 23, 2012 Sonte Leave a comment

There is no taste like home! The smell of Pineapple Upside Down Cake followed by the sight and taste of it is like a trip down memory lane! Not that we had it often when I was growing up, but what a special treat!

1 (420g) can Sliced Pineapple, drained, reserving the juice
1/4 cup Butter, melted
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
Maraschino Cherries (optional)

2 3/4 cups Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Butter
1 1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1 1/3 cup Juice (from reserved juice and enough water added to measure 1 1/3 cup)

Lightly spray a 9x13inch pan with Vegetable Oil Spray.
Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
Drain Pineapple, reserving liquid.

Pour melted butter into prepared pan; sprinkle with brown sugar.
Arrange pineapple slices over butter/brown sugar mixture.
Place a cherry in the center of each ring.

In small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla and beat for one minute.
Add flour alternately with pineapple juice, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Evenly spread batter over pineapple rings.
Bake in 350F (175C) oven for 40 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes, the turn out.

Serve warm with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream or a dollop of Whipped Cream.

Variation:
Fruit Cocktail Upside Down Cake: Substitute a can of Fruit Cocktail for the Pineapple. Add 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract with the Vanilla.

About, Squares and Bars

Sonte’s Granola Bars

April 23, 2012 Sonte Leave a comment

When making up your weekly batch of Granola, have another bowl on hand to mix up the ingredients for these Granola Bars so you can have a healthy, nutritious snack at work, at school or at play!

1. 4 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2. 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
3. 1/2 cup Wheat Germ
4. 1/4 cup Ground Flax Seed
5. 1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
6. 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
7. 1/4 cup Sesame Seeds
8. 2 generous teaspoons Cinnamon
9. 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
10. 1/2 cup Flour
11. 3/4 cup Raisins (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained well)
12. 1 cup Coconut
13. 1 cup chopped Dried Apricots (optional)

3/4 cup Honey
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup Applesauce
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

2 cups whole Blanched Almonds

Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
Prepare a 11x15x1 inch (28x38x2.5cm) baking tray by spraying lightly with vegetable oil spray.

Combine first 12 ingredients together in a large bowl.
In small mixing bowl, combine honey, eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce and vanilla.
Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients until well blended.
Press into prepared pan.
Bake in 350F oven for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven, sprinkle evenly with whole almonds, gently press the almonds into the granola bars.

Return to oven and continue baking for 12 to 17 minutes.

Score into bars and let cool for 30 minutes.
Cut into bars and allow to cool completely.

Store in airtight container.

NOTE: Luke loves chocolate so when they are finished baking, I sprinkle with 200g Chocolate Chunks, return to turned off oven for 2 minutes, remove from oven and spread melted chocolate to cover the whole pan of granola bars.
Looking for a yummy yogurt topping to replace the chocolate….

Desserts

Ultimate Cheesecake

April 23, 2012 Sonte Leave a comment

Cheesecakes take a little extra work to make but are so worth the effort. This version of cheesecake is inspired by one I found in a Canadian Living magazine.

Ultimate Cheesecake - Add Topping of your choice

Crust
1 1/2 cups Cookie Crumbs; Chocolate, Arrowroot, Gingersnaps, Vanilla
1/4 cup sugar, give or take, depending on what kind of cookie crumbs you use
2 Tbsp Honey if using Arrowroot, Vanilla or Gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 cup Butter, melted

Cheesecake
2 (250g) pkgs cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Sour Cream

Topping of your choice: Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Cherry, Apple Crumble

Crust:
Preheat oven to 325F.
In small mixing bowl, combine cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
Press into 9″ Springform pan.
Place springform pan onto a large square of foil; press foil up sides of pan, rendering springform pan watertight.
Bake in 325F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Cool.

Cheesecake:
In large mixing bowl, on low speed, beat cream cheese just until no lumps remain.
Gradually add sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time.
Gradually beat in lemon juice, vanilla, salt and sour cream; beat on low speed for a few minutes.
Pour into prepared crust.

Set foil covered springform pan in a larger pan
Pour in enough hot water to come 1″ up the side of the springfrom pan.
Bake in the centre of a 325F oven and bake for 60 minutes or until no longer shiny and edge is set. The middle may appear to still be a bit jiggly.
Run knife around edge of cheesecake.
Cool cheesecake for an hour in turned off oven, with door ajar.
Remove cheesecake from bain marie and cool completely on wire rack.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To serve, remove side of pan, top with fruit topping of your choice and a dollop of whipped cream.

Desserts

Black Forest Cheesecake

April 23, 2012 Sonte Leave a comment

Rich and creamy, heavenly chocolately, melt in your mouth goodness! There are a few steps to get through but it is worth the effort…guaranteed!

1 cup Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
1/4 cup Butter, melted

2 pkgs 250g Philly Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup (100g bar of chocolate) Dark Chocolate, melted
1/3 cup Cream
2 Tablespoons Kirsch (Cherry Brandy)
1 can (425g) pitted Cherries, drained and reserving liquid

1 can (425g) pitted Cherries, reserve 8 – 10 whole cherries for garnish
Reserved liquid from first can of cherries
1 /3 cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

2 cups Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon Icing Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Curls/Shavings

Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter.
Press into an 8″ Springform pan.
Chill.

Preheat oven to 300F (150C)
In tall mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
On low speed, stir in the chocolate, cream and kirsch just until smooth. Do not over beat.
Stir in the first amount of drained cherries.

Pour into prepared crust and bake in 300F oven for 45 minutes.
Edges will be puffy and centre still a bit wiggly.

Turn oven off, allow cheesecake to cool in oven with the door ajar for about an hour.
Remove from oven and cool completely, then chill for two hours.

While cheesecake is chilling combine second can of cherries, reserved liquid from first can, and 1/3 cup sugar.
Bring to a boil.
In a small bowl, using a fork, stir together 2 tbsp of water and the cornstarch.
Add cornstarch paste to cherries and return to a boil; cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat and cool.

In tall mixing bowl that has been chilled along with mixing beaters, whip the cream until slightly thickened.
Add icing sugar a lil at a time.
Add vanilla and whip cream to desired stiffness; do not over whip.

Building the Black Forest Cheesecake.
Load piping bag with whipped cream and pipe a border around the top edge of the cheesecake.
Fill center of Whipped Cream border with the chilled Cherry mixture.
Sprinkle the Cherry filling with chocolate shavings/curls.
Decorate with reserved cherries.

Aysontespli's Kitchen

Butterscotch Brownies

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Sonte’s Granola Bars

Ultimate Cheesecake

Black Forest Cheesecake

Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.