Strawberry Pretzel Salad

recipe from Paula Deen

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients


2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
2 cups boiling water
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
Whipped topping or whipped cream, to garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.
In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.
To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping.


Yields: 8-10 servings

Baked French Toast with Praline Topping

recipe from Paula Deen

Baked French Toast with Praline Topping

Ingredients


1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup
Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.


Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Almond Biscotti

recipe & photo from Nook & Pantry

Almond Biscotti

1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/2 C yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp (half stick) butter, at room temperature
2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C almond slivers or chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Toast the chopped almonds or almond slivers in the oven or stove top. If you are using whole raw almonds, toast them first before chopping. If using the oven: toast them on a tray at 350 degrees for 5 - 10 minutes, shake occasionally until fragrant and golden. On the stovetop: place the almonds in a skillet over medium heat, shake frequently until the almonds are fragrant and golden. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl, add the butter, oil, and sugar and whisk until smooth. Add the extracts and one egg, whisk until smooth before adding the second egg.

Add in the dry ingredients and almonds and mix until no streaks of flour remain.

Scrape half of the dough onto one side of the prepared baking sheet. Shape the dough into a rectangle about 2.5 inches wide, roughly 10 - 12 inches long, and 3/4 inch high. Do the same with the other remaining half of dough. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until the logs are golden brown on top but still soft to the touch. Remove the pan from the oven and cool the logs until they are cool enough to handle.

Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F. Slice the logs at a slight angle into slices about 1/2 - 3/4 inches thick. Stand the cookie up like dominoes on the baking sheet. Bake for another 20 - 30 minutes or until the cookies are firm and dry. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature.

Orange Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Recipe & photo from Nook & Pantry Blog

Orange Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
(this recipe keeps well for shipping & gifting)

2 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C pistachio halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pistachio halves, and cranberries. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly incorporated.

Divide the dough in half and form two logs that are about 10 to 12 inches long and 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide. Bake for 30 minutes, rotate the pan halfway into the baking time.

After baking, cool the loaves on a rack until they are cool enough to handle.

Then using a serrated knife cut the cookies about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick at an angle. The length of your cookies will depend on the angle at which you cut the cookies.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Place the cut biscottis on a rack placed on a sheet tray and continue to bake for about 20 minutes, until the cookies have completely dried. If you don't have a rack for your pan, place the cookies directly on the pan and bake for 10 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes.

Let the cookies cool completely before storing them. Or dip them in some chocolate if you prefer.



Orange Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti (butter dough)
(this recipe is better for eating day of)

2 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C pistachio halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and orange zest and mix. In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pistachio halves, and cranberries. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough comes together and everything is evenly incorporated.

Proceed shaping and baking same as the recipe above.

Fritatta

recipe from Hostess with the Mostess

Fritatta

1 cup cubed ham
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, sliced into rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
½ cup parsley, minced
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup green onions, chopped
6 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon hot paprika


Directions:

In a large, oven safe skillet, heat oil. When hot, sauté, onions (not green onions), garlic, mushrooms and ham about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are translucent. Add parsley and peas, stir. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together eggs, paprika, cheddar, salt, pepper and green onion. Add butter to the skillet and stir. Pour egg mixture over the skillet. Tilt the skillet slightly and turn to coat the ingredients in the skillet with the egg mixture. Keep on medium heat and cook about 15 minutes or just almost set-the top should still look “loose” and uncooked. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the top is just beginning to brown. Remove from pan and slice

Sweet Potato Pecan Waffles with Praline Peaches

recipe from Hostess with the Mostess

Sweet Potato Pecan Waffles with Praline Peaches


Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) sweet potatoes or yams in light syrup, not drained
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 cups buttermilk waffle mix
2 large eggs, separated
2 cans (15 ounces each) light sliced peaches, or sliced peaches in juice, not drained
1 can (8.5 ounces) light sliced peaches, or sliced peaches in juice, not drained
1 tablespoon honey
Non-stick spray oil


Directions:

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons chopped pecans and brown sugar. Stir until sugar melts and coat the nuts; be careful that they do not burn; set aside.

Purée sweet potatoes with their liquid and milk in a blender until smooth; set aside.

Preheat a non-stick waffle iron. Mix waffle mix, sweet potato mixture and egg yolks in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the remaining, uncooked pecans; set aside

Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with a whisk until they hold a shape and fold into the waffle batter; set aside for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, strain juice from peaches into a large skillet. Stir in honey and boil over high heat until lightly thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in peaches and reserved sugar-glazed pecans; keep warm.

Lightly coat the interior of the preheated waffle iron with spray oil. Pour about 1/3 of batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook until puffed, brown and crisp, according to manufacturer’s directions. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately with peach topping

Pecan Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Almond Citrus Syrup

from Hostess with the Mostess

Pecan Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Almond Citrus Syrup

Ingredients:

Filling:


1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla


Toast:

14 pieces of Texas toast
4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
butter (about 4 Tbsp)


Syrup:

1 cup Smucker's Apricot preserves
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

Mix together cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in chopped pecans. Spread on one side of 7 slices of Texas toast a spoonful of the filling mixture. Top with remaining 7 slices of Texas toast. (I did this the night before and put the sandwiches in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator. Then I took the bread out of the fridge while I prepared the syrup and made the egg mixture.)

At this point make your syrup. Combine the syrup ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. The syrup will thicken up while it cools. You want it to cool for about 15 minutes.

Mix your egg, milk, and vanilla together.

Preheat the oven to 400F . Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place in oven to warm up. Melt 1/2 tbsp or so of butter in a frying pan. Take the sandwiches, one by one, and place in the egg and milk mixture, turning so that the mixture covers both sides. Transfer the sandwich to the pan and cook until the first side is lightly brown. Flip over and cook the other side. When both sides are lightly brown, place the sandwich on the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

Serve with the Almond Citrus Syrup or regular syrup.