Dessert Bruschetta
Serves 6
Strange to eat bruschetta for dessert, eh? But with chocolate and bananas this is certainly a dessert. And since the base is toasted Italian bread what else could it be called but bruschetta.
6 slices (about 3/4 inch thick) Italian country bread
1/2 cup Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread, or similar
3 Tbsp chopped hazelnuts
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 medium bananas, thinly bias-sliced
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Toast bread and let cool; spread with chocolate hazelnut spread. In a mixing bowl combine nuts and sugar; set aside.
Layer banana slices on top of bruschetta and spread melted butter on them. Top with a Tbsp of the nut mixture.
Broil bruschetta about 5 inches from heat for 30 seconds or until the bananas just begin to glaze and nuts are toasted. Garnish plate with sifted cocoa powder, chocolate curls, and white chocolate curls, if you really feel it needs "fancy-ing up".
Banana-Peach Rice Pudding
Serves 4
As presented, this delightful dish should be under attack by your lucky eaters in about 5 minutes. That leaves 25 minutes to whip up your own rice pudding if ready-made bothers you.
16 oz yellow cling peaches in light syrup
2 medium bananas
1 lb prepared rice pudding
8 oz low-fat peach yogurt
mint leaves (to garnish)
Drain peaches, reserving a few slices for garnish, and coarsely chopping the rest.
Slice bananas.
In a medium bowl, stir together the rice pudding, yogurt, chopped peaches, and all but 12 slices of banana.
Spoon pudding mixture into four dessert bowls. Garnish with mint leaves and reserved peach and banana slices. Isn’t that a tasty – and pretty - dish to set before the eaters.>p>
Strawberry Trifle for the Severely Busy
Serves 4
If this were not a QUICK and EASY place I’d have you baking an angel food cake first and that would only take an hour or so. Got an extra hour in your life to bake a cake?
So buy a cheap white angel-food cake on the way home and spend about ten minutes creating this really terrific dessert.
2 cups cubed angel food cake
1 8-oz carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/4 of an 8-oz container whipped dessert topping
1 cup strawberries
Divide the angel food cake cubes (use a serrated knife to cube) among 4 dessert dishes.
In a small mixing bowl fold together the yogurt and whipped topping. Plop a glob* of the yogurt mixture on the cake cubes, sprinkle with berries and your spectacular dessert is ready.
*Fancy chef-speak for "Place a generous portion".
Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Makes 24 bars
I suggest doubling this one unless you plan to eat them all yourself, they’ll go fast.
1/2 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
5 Tbsp vegetable shortening
3/4 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup almond toffee bits, such as a smashed Heath bar or two
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Have a 9-by-13-inch baking dish ready.
In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In a hand-held or stand mixer on medium speed, combine the butter, shortening and brown sugar, mixing well. Add the corn syrup, egg and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Use a higher speed and you'll end up looking like the ghost of Christmas past.
Add 1/2 cup of the toffee bits, mix just to combine and spread the batter in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining toffee bits and the chocolate chips on top and bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.
Crunchy Raisin Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies
You might treat a cookie like this as you would another person: overlook the butter and sugar and feel good about the raisins and oats. I don’t know which side the coconut falls on so let’s call it neutral.
1 & 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup Raisin Bran Cereal
11/4 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and oats; set aside.
Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla; mix well and gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended after each addition. Add cereal, coconut and raisins; stir until well blended.
Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 14-16 min. or until lighty browned, then cool on baking sheets 4 min. then remove to wire racks to cool.
Healthful Chocolate Chip Cookies –
Ri-i-i-ight
Makes 18 CookiesHealth fans, get excited! Here’s a choclate chip cookie with rolled oats!
Now if we can just find great tasting substitutes for the butter, sugar and chocolate we'll really have something…
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F .Combine all ingredients, mix well and drop by tablespoon on to a lightly greased or non-stick cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
Oreo Shake
Serves 4
Okay, so I used a brand-name, but I think it's easier to remember than "Chocolate-Cookie-With-White-Stuff-Inside Shake". Or how about "Oreo-or-Similar Shake"?
2 cups chocolate ice cream
1 cup whole milk
2 Oreos, or similar
In a blender container, blend together ice cream and milk. Add sandwich cookie and blend until coarsely crushed.
Yinyersnap and Yam Parfaits
Serves 4That’s how my dear Swedish father-in-law might say it. And with lingonberry jam, gingersnaps and whipping cream in a recipe you can bet the Swedes and all the rest of us will love it.
3/4 cup lingonberry jam
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup creme fraiche
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp each ground ginger & ground cardamom
8 gingersnap cookies. crushed (about 1/2 cup)
Whisk together jam and lemon juice in a small bowl; set aside.
Beat the creme fraiche, cream, sugar, vanilla, and spices with an electric mixer until mixture holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in 1 Tbsp jam mixture with a rubber spatula, to make red swirlys.
Layer 1 heaping Tbsp each cream mixture,crushed cookies, and jam mixture in a small glass. Do it again and top with a blob of cream mixture. Now make 3 more and keep 'em cool until time for dessert - or forget about the meal and just eat the parfaits.
Easy Haystack Cookies
Makes 20 cookies
Never heard of "haystacks"? Make these yummies and you will never forget them. Mmmmm good. And since you're blending the ingredients why not just buy store-brand chips and candy. You'll likely save a couple bucks.
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
2 1 & 1/2 oz packages chocolate/peanut butter cups
2 cups chow mein noodles
1/2 cup peanuts
In a microwave-safe 1-1/2-quart casserole combine chocolate pieces and peanut butter cups. Micro-cook on high for about 22 minutes, stirring after 1 minute.
Remove from nuker and stir until nearly smooth.
Stir in noodles and peanuts until coated.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and stick them in your freezer section for about 8 minutes to firm up.
Didn't I say you'd never forget these? And so-o-o easy.
Tiramisu Veloce
Serves 4
This very fancy dessert is as quick & easy to make as it is pretty to look at. And don't let "mascarpone" frighten you; it's in the dairy section of any major supermarket.
15 ladyfingers
1 cup good strong coffee, freshly brewed
4 tablespoons sugar
1 lb, 2 oz mascarpone
2 vanilla beans
1/2 cup sweet sherry
Zest and juice of 1 orange
3 1/2 oz. best-quality bittersweet chocolate
In a medium deep bowl or dish about 8-10 inches across spread your fingers - ladyfingers, that is - snugly in layers on top of each other.
Put 2 Tbsp of sugar (or Splenda)in the coffee and pour it over the ladyfingers, being sure to completely cover them.
While that's soaking, put your mascarpone into a bowl and whisk it up with the rest of the sugar.
Cut the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the mascarpone. Keep on whiskin' and as you do so, drizzle in the sherry. You want a loose, shiny consistency. If it's stays too thick just squeeze a little of the orange juice to loosen it.
Squeeze the rest of the orange juice over the ladyfingers, then
smear the vanilla mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and grate all the chocolate over it.
Sprinkle a little finely grated orange zest on top and put it in the fridge until you're ready to proudly serve it.