Summer Fruit Torte:

Hi!  Last evening I decided that the Bing cherries I had in my refrigerator I was either going to make a cherry pie or a cherry torte.  I chose the torte because it is so super easy and quite honestly I didn't want to full around making a two crust pie.

If you like fruit this easy torte is something you will want to make.  This has to be one of the easiest recipes I have ever made.  If you are hesitant about making a crust this crust recipe is not only easy to do it turns out perfect every time and no worry about rolling. You can press it into shape with your hands. 
Note:  I use some wax paper and spread it around with my fingers.
  It's so easy you will be super proud of yourself.  The crust in this torte is so tender and buttery..Yum!! and make note you can use peaches too! ** Pat fruit gently before adding to cream cheese mixture.  Original 7/9/13

You don't have to add whipped cream but it adds a creamy restaurant like touch to most pie desserts.  Of course that's just me talking :)

Baked to perfection.  Cool completely before slicing

Cherry Pitter

I have made this torte before with peaches and peaches and Bing cherries with success both times.  Today I am making them with pitted Bing cherries all by themself.   Note:  Don't forget to pit the cherries.  This is where a cherry pitter comes in handy.  I love mine.  I may not use it a lot but when it calls for pitted cherries I am thrilled I bought this years ago.  

Happy Baking!

M.J. Vitelli 



Crust:

½ cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup chopped pecans optional (I eliminated the pecans)

½ tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) Package cream cheese softened

1 egg

¼ tsp. Almond extract

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp. Vanilla extract

 2 cups fresh pitted Bing cherries (if using a combination of fruit make sure it's total fruit is 2 cups)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

To make crust,  mix 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/3 cup sugar, flour, pecans and ½ tsp. vanilla extract in  a bowl..I used my electric mixer. After mixed well, press into the bottom of a 10 inch pie plate.( I used a Quiche pan) I liked it because it was deeper and less chance of crust browning to much.

Bake the crust in  preheated 450 degree oven for 5 minutes..Remove and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, egg, almond extract, ¼ cup sugar, and ½ tsp. vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.. Gently fold in cherries into cream cheese mixture. Spread the filling over the cooled crust.. Return to oven,  bake at 450 degrees for  10 minutes.. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

If you like peaches!  Here's what the peach torte looks like.  It is so simple to make.  It is a must try!

Raspberry bread pudding

On Saturday we had a social at our clubhouse and it's always a pot luck meal for the evening or a brunch casserole for the morning. Lots of food and great conversation makes for a very nice event.

I knew about this social for some time so when I was grocery shopping I picked up some fresh raspberries and thought I'd make a brunch favorite which is bread pudding.  Adding raspberries will make it wonderful.

4 cups dried bread cubes ( I used crusty Italian)and broke up bread in pieces and allowed to dry overnight. 
1/2 to 1 cup sugar( depends on how sweet you want it to be.) 
4 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons butter softened
2 tsp. pure vanilla


 Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla. Add melted butter.

Note:  To blend together better, I put all ingredients except bread and raspberries in blender and  blended on low speed.  


Slightly grease a baking dish with butter. (I used a square 9x9 baking dish)but you can use 13 x9 inch baking dish easily.

Place half of dried bread cubes in buttered 9x13” dish,  place raspberries over bread trying to spread them evenly and then add the remainder of dried bread to the top. Push down of bread slightly.

Slowly pour liquid ingredients over bread cubes and allow to set for 10 minutes so bread can soak up some of the milk.  Push down on bread to make sure all liquid covers bread.

 Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.. Bake 350 degrees  until set, about 40 to 45 minutes..  Check after 30 minutes with knife in center..  If it comes out clean it is ready if not place in oven for remainder of time.

Note:  Depending on oven temperatures and size of pan time varies.

Serve warm.

  Dust with powdered sugar or serve with maple syrup. Oh so yummy!

Tandy Cake

A great cake for a party or graduation.  Serves a lot of people.  Enjoy!

Comfort food big time!

I remember long ago when Tastycake cupcake company came out with the now famous Tandy cake cupcake.  We all loved those cupcakes and still do after many many years.  White cake with lots of peanut butter on top and then coated with milk chocolate.  OH how we loved and still love that cupcake!! I remember warming them slightly in the microwave so the chocolate would start to melt.  Do you have any of those memories?  I think if you have never tried a recipe like this today or this week would be a great time to make some food memories.

Today I decided to make the sheet cake version of that cupcake.  It's been a favorite from long ago and I thought you may like to make this for the family.  Warning!!!!! It is addicting!  Yum!

1 large cookie sheet (greased lightly)



1 cup milk
4 T margarine or butter(I like butter)
Warm milk, margarine and set aside to cool

Blend well in mixer:
 4 eggs
2 cups sugar (I cut back to 1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt or a little less

Add 2 cups flour, 2 T baking powder  to above while adding milk mixture slowly to blend.  Beat until soft.   Mixture will be runny.

Pour into greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or more depending on your oven.  Use the toothpick in center test.

Note:  Cool 10 minutes before placing softened peanut butter on cake.

Last layer "Chocolate"!

While cake is baking place approx. 12 oz. creamy peanut butter in a measuring cup and place in microwave to soften, approx 30 seconds.

Stir peanut butter until it looks soft enough to spread.  Spread on slightly cooled cake and refrigerate until set.  Remove from refrigerator and top with melted chocolate*. 

*Place(2) two 8 oz. Large broken in pieces Hershey Bars in microwave and melt stirring occasionally to soften enough to spread on top of peanut butter.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Allow to set out of refrigerator a few minutes before slicing.  Cut in pieces.

Note:  Chocolate candy topping hardens so allowing cake to set for several minutes is a good idea.  I actually enjoyed the cake before I refrigerated it.  Just sayin :) 

1/28/14

5/5/15

No Bake Pineapple and cream cake

A very nice, easy dessert that is great for summer.  Loaded with pineapple and topped with whipped cream and coconut this is one dessert that everyone will enjoy and you don't have to spend hours preparing and baking.  No baking required.

I made this before I went to bed last night and it was perfect for serving today.  It isn't rich, but light to the tastebuds so a nice piece will definitely be enjoyed.  Happy NO BAKE dessert!

1 box vanilla wafer cookies (Nilla Vanilla type wafers)crushed
1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple with natural juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package coconut or less
 8 oz. drained maraschino cherries or as I used Bing cherries( save a little juice to drizzle)
1 pint heavy whipping cream(you can use Cool whip) but freshly whipped cream makes it so good..
1/2 cup chopped pecans(optional)


In a large bowl place crushed pineapple(juice too), condensed milk and lemon juice.  Stir well.

In a medium bowl beat whipping cream with 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 cup confectionery sugar until it forms soft peaks.

In a 13 x9 inch glass pan place half box of wafers. Slowly pour half of pineapple mix over wafers.  Add the other 1/2 box of wafers of top and push down gently the wafers into the liquid.  Top with whipped cream and coconut and refrigerate several hours but preferably overnight.

Top with a few cherries when serving.

Enjoy!

Biscotti with less sugar and fat!

In my quest to not change the taste of my Biscotti and texture today I decided it was a good day to experiment with my original recipe I had posted when I started blogging.

I cut the sugar in half of what the recipe called for and today trying to cut fat I used 1/2 butter and  4 oz unsweetened applesauce . I flavored them as I usually do and added chopped almonds and cranberries to some.
  Use my Almond Biscotti recipe in labels.https://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2018/11/almond-biscotti-my-favorite.html

The result!  Not as sweet and a little more dense than my original but with coffee or alone (hubby ate loads) they are fine and maybe it'll take a bit of the guilt away from overindulging..

Happy Baking from my kitchen to yours,

1/8/16
1//3/12