Homemade Cherry Crisp

One of my favorite things about the start of summer is the return of fresh fruit from fruit trees. This spring we planted an apple and a pear tree so that we can have fresh fruit in the future. But they won't produce for a few years. Luckily I have a very nice neighbor whose cherry tree was doing very very well this year.  My husband and I spent some time picking cherries and we got about 16 cups.

After a few hours of pitting I was ready to make some sour cherry goodness. I made a batch of  sour cherry jam, some dried cherries and a couple cherry crisps. Today I will share the recipe for the cherry crisp I made. 

Sour Cherry Crisp

Filling:

1 lb pitted sour cherries (you can use sweet cherries or frozen cherries from the store too)

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Topping:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cherries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a stock pot. Heat on medium heat until cherries start to juice. Bring it to boil, stirring constantly. Turn down heat and simmer until the mixture starts to thicken. Pour into 9 X 13 pan.

Place all ingredients for topping in medium bowl. Mix together with a fork until well mixed. Sprinkle on top of the cherry mixture. Put in oven uncovered and bake for 30 minutes or until topping is browned.

You can also use this topping for other crisps as well.

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Gluten Free Breadsticks- New Food Friday

Last week I posted about my dietary changes due to a suspected food allergy. I am avoiding dairy, soy and gluten. This recipe is for gluten free breadsticks. They are also dairy and soy free, but if you don't have to avoid dairy adding cheese to these breadsticks would be amazing.

This recipe turned out pretty good- not as good as regular breadsticks, but for a gluten free product it was amazing.

Gluten Free Breadsticks

Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

1 medium Onion

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp minced Garlic

Basil

Oregeno

Garlic Powder

Parmesan Cheese (optional, I didn't use this)

Marinara Sauce

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2  Tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp basil

2 tsp oregeno

2 Tbsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Mix Pizza Crust according to package directions.

While you are letting your pizza crust rise heat olive oil in medium skillet.

Saute onions until they are clear.

Once Pizza Crust has risen add sauted onions and minced garlic to crust.

Press onto greased baking sheet. This is a little bit difficult because the dough will be more sticky than a regular pizza dough. Mine didn't turn out the prettiest but it worked.

Sprinkle with garlic powder, basil, oregeno and parmesan (optional).

Bake according to directions on Pizza Crust package.

While breadsticks are baking combine all ingredients for marinara sauce on the stove. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Cut breadsticks into pieces and enjoy!

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Gluten Free Chocolate Cake- New Food Friday

Due to a suspected food allergy I have removed gluten, soy and dairy from my diet. The hardest part for me so far has been desserts. So for the Super Bowl I decided I wanted to make a dessert that I can enjoy to. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and I followed it to the letter.

I was really surprised at how well this turned out. The texture was a little more dense than regular chocolate cake, almost more brownie-like. The flavor was wonderful though. One of my coworkers suggested adding some cherry pie filling on top to make it like a black forest cake and that sounded amazing too!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (I got the kind that were dairy and soy free)
1 (19 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
powdered sugar for dusting
or cherry pie filling for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 9-inch round cake pan.

Put chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and cook in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Combine beans and eggs in food processor. Process until smooth then add the sugar and baking powder. Pour in the chocolate and blend until well mixed. Scrape sides and blend again.

Put batter in the greased cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool in pan. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Enjoy!

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Rapunzel Tower Cake

Last Saturday way my niece Marley's 3rd birthday party. She is obsessed with the movie Tangled as are a lot of 3 year old girls I know. She wanted a "Dark Purple Tangled Birthday Party" and her Mom delivered! I helped out with the cake and frosting the cupcakes.

The bottom part of the cake isn't actually cake it is an oatmeal container filled with rice for weight. We decorated paper to look like the tower from Tangled. The roof is also decorated paper. The top of the cake is 3- 8" layers of white and strawberry cake. We used buttercream frosting and used yarn for the hair.

Marley wore the Rapunzel Costume that I made for her for Halloween and the hair that my mother helped make.

Birthday Girl being sassy!

We also made cupcakes with Pascal and the Tangled Sun on them. I should have taken a picture the night before- some of the frosting colors bled!

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New Food Friday- Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies were just amazing! I decided to make them last minute for a Cotton Bowl watch party and wow was I surprised how good they were. I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen here. I only changed a few things- I used crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy and I didn't add the peanut butter chips, just mini chocolate chips.

The best part about these was that they were super moist. The peanut butter and chocolate were delicious together. Luckily they all got eaten at the party so I didn't have to try and resist them at home!

Peanut Butter Cookies-
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (I used chunky)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

For sprinkling: 1 Tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside

In large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until smooth. Add the egg, milk and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookies sheets. Using a fork lightly press with criss-cross pattern.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. They may appear underdone, but they aren't.

Let cool on cookie sheet for a minute, then let cool completely on rack.

Enjoy!!

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Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping- New Food Friday

For Christmas this year I decided to take a pie to my in-laws Christmas gathering. I technically have made this pie before (or one like it- I couldn't find the recipe!), but it was about 4-5 years ago so we will call this one a new recipe.

I used this recipe as a base, but I changed it a lot.

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping-

Makes 2 pies

Filling:

2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed- (3 medium sweet potatoes)

1 cup butter, softened

1 can (10 oz) Evaporated milk

2 cup white sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 unbaked pie crust

Topping:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 bag (10 oz) chopped pecans

Steam sweet potatoes until they are tender- about 12 minutes.

Put steamed sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, milk, eggs and seasonings in bowl and blend with mixer. You can also use a food processor for this step if you wish.

Place filling in unbaked pie crusts and bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F. Pie will puff up while it bakes, but come down later.

When pies are done remove from oven and let cool while you make topping.

Heat butter until melted on low to medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir until mixture starts to thicken. Add pecans and stir.

Pour topping over pies and let cool.

Enjoy!!!

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Bierocks from Scratch- From Zoe's Kitchen

I had never actually heard of bierocks until I was dating my husband. He loved these things and he used to buy them from a bakery near his hometown and keep them in the freezer. They are a traditional German dish and I have found that I love bierocks too!

I started making these ones the summer after we got married and I wasn't working, so I thought I would teach myself how to make some of my husband's favorite dishes. I altered the original recipe that I found on allrecipes.com to make them half whole wheat.

These are really easy to freeze in freezer quart bags and reheat later.

The other great thing about this recipe is that you can use the dough and fill it with other fillings too. Some variations I have made are:

Ham, broccoli, and cheese.

Chickpeas, sour cream, salsa and cheese.

Tuna, broccoli, and cheese.

They all have been good!

I am hoping to try a breakfast bierock recipe soon.

Bierocks:

Dough:

2 cups warm water

2 (.25 oz.) packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup margarine softened

1 egg

2 tsp salt

3 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 lb lean ground beef (I use ground deer most of the time)

1 large chopped onion

6 cups shredded cabbage

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash or two of Worcestershire sauce

To prepare dough:

In large bowl dissolve yeast into warm water- let set 10 minutes to activate.

Mix in sugar, margarine, egg, and salt.

Add half of the flour and beat until smooth.

Gradually add 1/2 cup remaining flour at a time, mixing until dough pulls together.

Place in oiled bowl, cover and let dough rise about 1 hour- until doubled in size.

While dough is rising prepare filling mixture:

Brown meat in skillet.

Add onion, cabbage, salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Simmer about 30 minutes until cabbage and onions are tender.

Remove from heat and cool until room temperature.

Punch down dough and divide into 20 pieces.

Roll each individual piece flat with rolling pin.

Place 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in center of dough.

 

Pull up all edges and pinch together.

Place on oiled cookie sheet.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place cookie sheet on oven, cover with cloth and let rise for 1 hour.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until dough is golden brown.

Serve with ketchup and mustard.

 

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From Zoe's Kitchen- Oatmeal Scotchies

No New Food Friday this week! I have been so tired I haven't even cooked this week, unless you count Brussel sprouts!

Here is a recipe my sister gave to me a long time ago. These are my husbands absolute favorite cookies. I bought the butterscotch chips a while ago to  make these for his birthday and I forgot, so he got them last week.  Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do!

Oatmeal Scotchies

1 cup softened margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups oats

1 bag butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat together the margarine, sugars, eggs, and vanilla

In separate bowl mix flour, soda, cinnamon and salt.

Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture. Stir in oats and fold in butterscotch chips.

Bake for about 9 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

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