Saturday, December 31, 2011

Grilled Fruit with Bourbon Glaze


Ingredients
1/4 cup bourbon
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar, packed firmly
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup water
Assorted fruit cut in 1/2 (peaches or plums)


Directions
Put the bourbon into a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. 


Boil for 1 minute to burn off the alcohol. 


Add the butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil whisking until all the sugar is dissolved. 


Simmer for 5 minutes. 


Let cool to thicken. 


Toss fruit with the glaze to coat or brush glaze over fruit with a pastry brush. Place fruit on the grill and turn once when light grill marks appear. 


Serve with ice cream and drizzle the remaining glaze over the fruit.


SOURCE

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Easy Blueberry Skillet Cake


Ingredients


Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Coffee Cake:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 (12-ounce) tube buttermilk biscuits
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen and thawed


Directions
For the streusel topping: Combine the almonds, sugar, butter, flour, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until large crumbs form.


For the coffee cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.


In a 9-inch cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, cook the butter and brown sugar over medium heat until melted. Arrange the biscuits in a single layer in the skillet. Scatter the blueberries over the biscuits, and then distribute the streusel topping over the berries. Bake until the biscuits are golden and a tester inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and serve from the skillet.


SOURCE

Strawberry-Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast


Ingredients
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
12 slices white bread
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
Butter, for cooking
Maple syrup, for serving
Strawberry Syrup, for serving, recipe follows
Confectioners' sugar, for serving


Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and granulated sugar. Spread the cream cheese on half of the bread slices and top with strawberries. Top with the remaining 6 bread slices and press around the edges to seal.


Melt butter on a griddle over medium-low heat. Dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture for a few seconds on each side. Cook the sandwiches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with maple syrup, Strawberry Syrup, or confectioners' sugar.


Strawberry Syrup:
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the strawberries are soft and the syrup is thickened and reduced by 1/3 to 1/2 in volume, 15 to 18 minutes.


Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before serving.


Cook's Note: If a thinner syrup is desired, strain the hot syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container and let cool.


SOURCE

Fruit Salad with Cream Cheese-Pecan Topping


Ingredients
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 cups cubed cantaloupe
2 cups halved green grapes
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 starfruit, sliced
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Directions
In a serving bowl, combine the blueberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, and starfruit.


In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and lemon juice at medium-low speed with an electric mixer until smooth.


In a separate medium bowl, beat the heavy cream at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until slightly thickened. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the cream cheese mixture; spread over the fruit. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Serve immediately.


SOURCE