Recipe: Down South Chess Pie

If you've never had a chess pie, you're in for a real treat! As with most delectable desserts, of course it consists mostly of butter and sugar, but once in a while it's okay to indulge. Chess pie is a classic Southern dessert somewhat similar to a pecan pie, but without the pecans. Give it a try sometime for a special occasion, and you won't be disappointed!

Down South Chess Pie

Ingredients:

Chess pie. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp plain white cornmeal
1 unbaked pie crust

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set unbaked pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan and crimp edges.
2. In a bowl, mix together butter, both sugars, salt, and vanilla.  In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, then to the eggs add in the sugar mixture; stir to combine.
3. Add milk and cornmeal to the bowl; stir to combine.
4. Pour this mixture into unbaked pie crust in pie pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to 300 degrees and continue to bake pie for 40 to 45 more minutes or until pie is golden brown.

Remove and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe: Easy Morning Quinoa

Start your day off right with this easy and tasty dish full of protein, fiber, and flavor. It will fill you up and keep you from being hungry until lunchtime - no snacking needed! Even the kids will like the mild flavors and sweetness of the dried fruit - especially if you tell them this is porridge the Three Bears ate for breakfast! :-)

Easy Morning Quinoa
(Serves 3-6)

Red quinoa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well
1 1/2 cups whole milk or rice milk
1 cup chopped apricots
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp golden raisins

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and milk and bring to a slow simmer over medium heat, cover and cook for fifteen minutes until quinoa is tender. Stir in vanilla, apricots, and raisins.
2. Transfer about 1 1/2 cups of quinoa mixture to a blender and purée.
3. Return this puréed mixture to the pan and stir well to mix. 
4. Serve immediately or chilled as desired. 
5. Yields six 1/2 cup servings.

Recipe: Easy Walnut Cookie Squares

Mmmm-mmm-mmmm! Nothing like using superfoods as an excuse to eat cookies, right?  :-)  This recipe incorporates lots of heart-healthy walnuts, and fresh eggs full of Omega 3's - and it's fast and easy, and really tasty! Try this one to satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling too bad about it.

Easy Walnut Cookie Squares

Walnuts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped
2 eggs (from pasture-raised hens)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

•  Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
• Add the brown sugar and walnuts and mix until blended well.
• In separate bowl, whisk eggs together with vanilla extract.
• Stir egg mixture into dry mixture and stir until combined.
• Press dough onto bottom of baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until browned lightly.
• Remove and let cool on rack, then cut into squares.

Recipe - German Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a great idea for dessert at a picnic. You can make them ahead of time, and they're easy to transport and eat. This new twist on an old favorite is perfect for an old-fashioned picnic! Just keep them cold until ready to serve, so the yummy frosting doesn't melt - that's the best part! :-)

German Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes

German Chocolate II (Photo credit: SisterMaryEris)

Cupcakes Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted, then cooled

Frosting Ingredients:

3 large egg yolks
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag (7 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:

To make cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line regular muffin tins with muffin papers.
2. In a medium bowl, put the dry ingredients (cake flour, baking soda, and salt) and whisk to mix. 
3. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl on medium-high speed until pale yellow in color and fluffy.
4. Keeping the mixer running in the butter-sugar bowl, start adding eggs, one at a time, until blended well; then add vanilla.
5. Reduce the mixer to low speed and start adding the flour mixture, dividing into three steps with the buttermilk;  first a third flour, then half buttermilk, third flour, half buttermilk, final third flour.
6. Finally drizzle in the cooled chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined.
7. Pour batter into paper cups in muffin tins about 3/4 full.
8. Put tins in preheated oven and bake in preheated oven at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes, making sure you turn the muffin tin halfway through the cooking time.  Cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
9. Remove muffin tins from oven and set on rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove paper cups from muffin tins and place on rack to cool completely.

To make frosting: 

1. In a saucepan, put egg yolks, evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes thick, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Pour into a heat-resistant bowl and add vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans, stirring gently to combine.  Let cool at room temperature.

To assemble cupcakes:

• Use a sharp knife and, from the top, remove a “core” of cupcake from the center, being sure you don't puncture the bottom.  
• Fill the core (hole) with frosting, then add frosting to top of cupcake.  (Save the cupcake you remove and crumble to use as ice cream topping.)

Summer Recipe: Grilled Peaches with Pecans

Create a surprise treat on the grill this summer with this amazing summer dessert. This takes fruit to a whole new level! Sweet ripe peaches enhanced with brown sugar, over ice cream and topped with pecans - you really can't get much better than that....  Plus it's a really fast and easy dessert if you've already got the grill fired up. Impress folks at your next barbecue with this innovative yet easy recipe. For an adult twist, try adding a splash of brandy instead of the vanilla.

Grilled Peaches with Pecans
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

4 peaches (ripe, but not mushy), cut in half and pit removed
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp soft brown sugar (you can use less if the peaches are very sweet)
Large handful of chopped pecans
Frozen low-fat vanilla yogurt - enough for 4 servings

Instructions:

1. Place the peaches into a bowl and add the sugar and drizzle with the vanilla extract. Toss to coat lightly. Set aside and allow to soak up the flavors for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat a grill to medium-high and grill the peach halves for about 5 - 8 minutes, then turn over and grill for a further 2 - 3 minutes. There should be grill marks on the peaches. 
3. Divide into 4 dishes and serve immediately with frozen yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.

Recipe - Coconut Cocoa Oatmeal Drop Cookies

We don't usually post a lot of dessert recipes here, but hey, dessert is okay once in a while too! Depriving yourself of everything you crave leads to binge eating, which as we all know is not healthy. Packed with cocoa, coconut, and oatmeal, these hearty cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth - and they're drop cookies, so they're easy to whip up from scratch in a jiffy - no artificial flavorings or preservatives here! The secret is in moderation - try these next time you get a craving - just remember to stick to a few, and put the others in the cookie jar for later!

Enjoy!

Coconut Cocoa Oatmeal Drop CookiesImage via Wikipedia
(Makes about 4 dozen.)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed solid
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the butter and both sugars in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer until well blended, light and fluffy.
3. With beater running on slow, add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
4. In separate bowl, blend together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, then slowly add to butter mixture with beaters running until blended.
5. Add the coconut and oats and stir with a large spoon until mixture is well blended.
6. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet by tablespoons and bake 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, let cool for a minute, then slide off onto a wire rack to cool completely.