Blackberry Coconut Almond Bars

I N G R E D I E N T S
 CRUST:
   2 1/2--3 cups flour (add the full 3 if the dough is too wet)
   1 1/2 cups sugar
   1/4 tsp salt
   1 1/2 cups butter, chilled and cubed
   3/4 cup coconut
   1/2 cup slivered almonds


 FILLING:
   4 eggs
   2 cups sugar
   1 cup sour cream
   3/4 cup flour
   1/2 tsp salt
   zest of small lemon
   6 cups blackberries


D I R E C T I O N S

1. Preheat oven to 325° convection (350° conventional) and place rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Generously butter a 9 x 13" baking pan.  
3. In food processor, combine dry crust ingredients well.  Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly and butter is well-distributed.
4. Reserve about 2 cups of mixture, then spread the rest in the bottom of the baking pan.  Press well to create an even layer, then bake until golden brown, 20 minutes in our oven.  Remove and cool 15 minutes.
5. Combine all filling ingredients except the blackberries, and mix well. 
6. Sprinkle berries over cooled crust, then pour filling over top.
7. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture on top of filling.
8. Bake until bars have puffed up and feel firm through to the center, and top is golden brown, around 1 hour.

    We had these warm out of the oven with homemade vanilla ice cream.... yum.

found this on vegetablematter.blogspot.com, and changed it up a lil.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

my lil bro ate SIX of these the morning i made them.

 INGREDIENTS

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems
• 
  
• DIRECTIONS
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

thank you, BAREFOOT CONTESSA

{may result in a lovely purple tongue}

Apple French Toast

Combine in a medium saucepan:
   1/2 cup butter
   1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
   1 Tbsp water
      
    -----Heat to boiling, stirring. Pour into 9X13 pan. Cool 20-30 minutes
   
   3-4 Granny Smith apples, peeled
   1/2 c. raisins (optional)


   -----Place sliced apples in pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon (about 1/2 tsp). Slice 1 load french bread into think slices (1 1/2 inches) and arrange in the pan over the apples.


Mix and beat:
   1 1/2 c. milk
   6 eggs
   1 tsp. vanilla


   -----Pour over bread and lightly sprinkle with nutmeg.
   -----Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Bake @ 350 for 45 minutes. Remove the foil to lightly brown, about 15 minutes more.


Topping:
   1 c. whipping cream
   1/2 c. powdered sugar
   1 c. sour cream
   1/2 tsp. almond extract


   -----Beat whipping cream until stiff. Add powdered sugar. Fold in sour cream and almond extract.

eat up folks! you will want more, i promise.

*thank you, Emily Copier's mom

Thai Mango Coconut Rice

I always order this at my favorite Thai restaurant in St. George... it's amazing. I decided to be a copy cat. This tastes just as good.

1 cup uncooked sticky rice (I used Jasmine)
1-2 ripe mangos, cut in slices
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp. coconut flavoring
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water


Prepare the rice as directed on the package. In a saucepan combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, salt coconut flavoring, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened and smooth. When thickened, remove from heat. (You don't want to boil the sauce or you will lose the good coconut flavor) Add more sugar if desired.


To serve, spread a layer of rice on a plate. Pour coconut sauce, and top with sliced mangos.

Yum.

Pavlova

Pavlova:

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 Tbsp corn starch

Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
1/8 to 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to taste)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Fresh fruit: strawberries, blueberries, mangos, kiwis, raspberries, peaches, etc.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place rack in the center of oven. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In bowl of electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar one TBSP at a time until very stiff peaks form. Test the mixture by rubbing it between your fingers. If you can feel the gritty sugar, keep mixing. Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the meringue and fold in with a rubber spatula.

Spread the meringue on the parchment either in one big mound or in several small mounds. (I do small mounds and make a little nest in the middle for the topping) Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry and takes on a pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and allow the meringues to cool in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.)

Beat the whipping cream, add the sugar and vanilla. Spoon on top of meringues and top with fruit. (i made a boysenberry sauce by combing a spoonful of seedless boysenberry jam, tsp of sugar, tsp of water, and heating in the microwave. drizzled over top.)

http://www.joyofbaking.com/Pavlova.html

Mini Fruit Tarts

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:

 1/2 cup powdered sugar

 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and sliced

FILLING:

 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

 1/2 cup granulated sugar

 1 tsp. vanilla 

TOPPING: 

 strawberries, raspberries, kiwis, mangos, blueberries, etc

 1/4 cup apricot jam (or other flavor seedless jam)

 1 Tbsp water

DIRECTIONS:  Preheat oven to 350

Combine crust ingredients in a food processor and combine until mixture forms a ball. I didn't have tarts pans, so i just used muffin tins. I pressed about quarter sized balls into the bottom of the pan with my fingers so it came up about 1/2 inch on the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

For the filling, beat the 3 ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Spread into cooled tart shells and top with a variety of fruit. This is the fun part:) 

In a small saucepan, combine the apricot jam and water until simmering. Use a pastry brush to paint over the finished tarts, making them shiny. These are sooo good! the crust is divine.