Rhubarb Custard Bars

Rhubarb bars are reminiscent of rhubarb custard pie. From my friend, Pat Farr.

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbs sugar

1/2 cup butter, cold

          

Filling:

2 cups sugar

7 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 eggs, beaten

5 cups fresh rhubarb, finely chopped, or frozen (thawed and drained)

          

Topping:

1 pkg. (6 or 8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped*

Preheat oven to 350° and grease 9-in. x 13-in. baking pan.

Prepare crust by combining the flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into prepared pan, and bake for 10 minutes.

While crust is baking, prepare filling. Combine sugar and flour in a large bowl. Whisk in the cream and eggs, and then gently fold in the rhubarb. Pour over the crust and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the custard is set. Cool completely.

Prepare topping by beating cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth then fold in the whipped cream. Spread the topping over the top and cover and chill. Cut into bars before serving. Store bars in the refrigerator.

* Can substitute Cool Whip

Candied Walnut and Pear Salad

A delicious and simple to salad with fresh sliced pears, avocado, cranberries and feta cheese.  Drizzled with a lemon poppyseed dressing this salad is mouthwatering and full of flavor!

1/2 of a 10 ounce bag spinach

1 Asian pear, diced

1 cup candied walnuts

1/3 cup dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds

1 large avocado

1/3 cup goat, feta, or blue cheese

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard do not use regular

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tablespoon poppyseeds

Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, onion powder, Dijon mustard, salt and sugar in a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until completely smooth. Slowly pour in the vegetable oil and blend.

Stir in the poppyseeds.

Toss all of the ingredients together with the dressing, add some cheese, and enjoy immediately.

If not enjoying immediately, do not add the dressing until right before eating.

If desired, add some grilled chicken to this salad.

Blueberry Sour Cream Torte

This yummy dessert came to us after a delicious dinner at our friend, Craig Domski's home. It is loaded with fresh blueberries, giving you a delicious blueberry crunch in every bite. Don't even think about using less blueberries than the recipe calls for.

1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup graham crackers, crushed
3 Tbs sugar
6 Tbs butter, melted
1½ cups sour cream
1 cup sugar
5 Tbs flour
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp almond extract, or less*
½ tsp salt
4 pints FRESH blueberries
8 Tbs flour
5 Tbs chilled butter, cut into pieces
½ cup chopped pecans
3 Tbs sugar

FOR CRUST: Process graham crackers and 3 Tbs sugar until fine. Pulse in walnuts and butter. Press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes @400º.

FOR FILLING: Mix sour cream, 1 cup sugar, and 5 Tbs flour. Blend in eggs, almond extract, and salt. Stir in blueberries. Spoon into crust and bake until set, about 35 min.

FOR TOPPING: Using fingertips, mix 8 Tbs flour and butter in a medium bowl, until small clumps form. Mix in pecans and 3 Tbs sugar. Spoon over torte. Bake until topping browns lightly, about 12 min.

Cool torte to room temp, and then refrigerate.

*It's just a little too much almond flavoring for my taste buds. I recently had it with half the amount (½ tsp) but I think it could stand just a little bit more. Next time I will use ¾ tsp almond flavoring.

Breakfast Muffins (Eggs, Bacon, on English Muffin)

These are just wonderful.

- 12 hard boiled eggs chopped into small pieces

- 2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

- 1 c mayonnaise

- 6-8 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled       

- 1 Tbs of Dijon mustard (heaping)

- 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

- 6 whole muffins split

1.   Combine everything except the muffins. Place in a container with a cover and chill for 2 hours, or overnight.

2.   When you are ready to make, just cover the egg mixture onto each muffin half then arrange the halves on a cookie sheet.

3.   Set your oven for broil and broil these keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn. Check after 2 mins. They are done when hot and bubbly.

Honey Maple Roasted Carrots

These are like candy. This recipe definitely transforms carrots into something spectacular. They look so pretty on the plate.

2 pounds carrots peeled and sliced on a long angle into pieces approximately 3 inches long

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

2 tablespoon honey

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives

½ cup pomegranate arils or seeds

Preheat oven to 450˚. Lightly oil a sheet pan.

Place carrots on prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup and honey. Sprinkle with coriander, sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat (I like to use my hands for this to get them well coated, but a spatula will work too). Spread carrots out on pan in a single layer.

Roast for 10 minutes, then stir to redistribute. Return to oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Carrots are finished when they are tender and some of the edges are caramelized.

Sprinkle sesame seeds and herbs over carrots and stir. Taste and season with a bit more sea salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter with the pomegranate arils. 

Serve hot.

Lemon Meringue Pie ~ Excellent

Using marshmallow creme instead of sugar in the meringue makes a denser meringue that maintains it's shape. As with all meringues, don't make it on a humid or rainy day, and cool it after baking in a draft free area.
Also, be sure to sufficiently cook the filling.


Pastry: 

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup Crisco vegetable shortening, plain or butter-flavored

1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt 

3 tablespoons ice water 

Filling: 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch 

1 1/2 cups water 

3 large egg yolks, beaten 

3 tablespoons butter 

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 

Meringue: 

3 large egg whites, room temperature 

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 

1  jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

For Pastry:Mix flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter, until mixture resembles the texture of tiny split peas. Add the ice water and combine with a fork. 

Using a floured rolling pin, roll out dough disk on a lightly floured surface from the center out in each direction, forming a 12-inch circle. 

Place dough in an ungreased 9-inch regular or deep-dish pie plate. Gently press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Trim excess pastry, if needed and flute the edge. Prick crust thoroughly on the bottom and sides with the tines of a fork. 

Bake crust at 425º for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool completely before filling. 

For Filling:
Mix sugar and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in water gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Cook and stir 1 minute. 

Remove from heat and stir half of the hot mixture quickly into beaten egg yolks, then blend into remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Reheat to boiling; add lemon juice cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, mixing well. Pour into baked piecrust. 

For Meringue:
With electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar into soft peaks.. Beat in marshmallow creme, beating until stiff and glossy. Add vanilla. Do not under beat. 

Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling; spread over filling, spreading meringue to edge of crust and adhering to prevent shrinking. 

Bake at 400º for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until a delicate golden brown. Cool away from drafts. 



NOTES:Original recipe called for 1-1/2 cups sugar, but it was just a bit too sweet. It also calls for adding the lemon juice AFTER you finish cooking the filling, but the second time I made this the filling was runny. So I amended the recipe to add the juice and then continue cooking for one minute.

Also, you have to beat the meringue quite awhile after adding the marshmallow creme, or else it will shrink. Lesson learned the hard way.

Crunchy Apple and Grape Waldorf Salad

This is one great Waldorf salad.

    

FOR THE DRESSING:

    1 cup Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt

    ⅓cups Granulated Sugar

    ⅓cups Brown Sugar

    ½ cups Mayonnaise

    Juice From 1/2 A Lemon

    ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

   

 FRUITS:

    4 Apples (your Choice), Cored And Diced

    1 Pear, Cored And Diced

    1 Stalk Of Celery, Diced

    ½ cups Silvered Almonds

    ½ cups Walnuts, Chopped

    2 cups Seedless Grapes, Halved

Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Stick this in the fridge while you make the salad.

Once you have all the fruit and nuts chopped up, pour the dressing over and stir gently to coat.

Refrigerate any leftovers.