Blueberry Danish Puff

I was asked to contribute to the Coffee Hour after church on Easter Sunday.  My memory recalled many hectic Easter mornings of Easter Egg Hunts and getting children ready for church when I would have loved to have a morning treat that looked nice, went together quickly and tasted as good as this does.  This is a keeper!

Ingredients: 

1 box puff pastry {2 sheets}, thawed to room temperature
Filling
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1-1/2 cups frozen blueberries

 

Frosting (I skipped this)

1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
1 tsp Almond Extract
3 shakes of salt
chopped almonds (optional)

Directions:
Lay one whole pastry sheet onto a greased cookie sheet.Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, and almond extract together until well blended.  Spread on top of pastry sheet.
Top with frozen blueberries.
Cut second puff pastry sheet into 10 long strips.  Weave strips on top of blueberries.
Bake at 375 F for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.
I sprinkled mine with powdered sugar.  The recipe states: you can pipe the frosting on for a fancy effect and sprinkle with chopped almonds if desired.

Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

Date Nut Bars

Things must get so hectic at Christmas that I forget to write about my Christmas cookie traditions.  I know I planned to because I found pictures of them on my phone!  This recipe is one that my mother made up until her last Christmas, when Rob baked them for her.  I've continued, and this easy bar cookie is found on the plates of cookies and candy I give to my friends neighbors every Christmas.  Thanks to my sister-in-law, Mary, for asking for it, which caused me to realize I had yet to include it here.  As I was writing it I realized it was one of those recipes mom did by sight, so no times were included.

Date Nut Bars

Heat oven to 350

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour plus 4 Tablespoons flour
4 egg whites
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 cups of chopped walnuts
2 cups of chopped dates
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Powdered Sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Cut butter into brown sugar and 2 1/2 cups of flour.  (I use the food processor)  Press in to a cookie sheet and bake  until light brown.

Beat egg whites until stiff.  Mix in 4 T. of flour along with remaining ingredients.  Spread over top of cookie base and bake until brown on top.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut into squares.

Click here for printable recipe

Honey-Orange Pork Tenderloin

 Honey Orange Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1/3 cup orange marmalade 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons honey 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 2 tablespoons marmalade mixture. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Turn pork over; brush with 1/4 cup marmalade mixture. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Turn pork over; brush with 1/4 cup marmalade mixture. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 150°. Remove pork from pan; brush with reserved 2 tablespoons marmalade mixture. Let stand 10 minutes; slice.


Source:  Cooking Lignt

To Printable Recipe

Tuscan Coffee Cake

This is where it all began.  

My sourdough starter needed to be replenished, or "fed" and I hadn't mixed the sponge for waffles on Saturday Night.  I began searching for something to make for breakfast so as not to have to throw a cup of the starter away.  On the King Arthur Flour site I found a recipe for popovers using half a cup of the starter, then I'd only have to throw away 1/2 cup. 

.  The search continued, coffee cake sounded good for a change.  Clicking on sourdough starter led me to this coffee cake.  The recipe called for dates and golden raisins, having lots of dried cherries I substituted them.  It was a successful substitution.  I can imagine this cake with dried apricots and almonds.  

We were in such a hurry to eat breakfast that I forget to take a picture before we chowed down! 

My husband is so thoughtful, Super Bowl Pre-Game is turned on for me as I type this, ...like I care.  He's in his office working!  Ok honestly, I am enjoying the stories about the two Harbaugh brother coaches, their parents win no matter what!  Go Giants!  Oops, I meant 49ers!

                STARTER  

 (I used my sourdough starter, and didn't start the night before)
 

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cool water
1/16 teaspoon instant yeast

Mix the starter ingredients in a small (about 1-quart) bowl, and let rest overnight at room temperature.

DOUGH
all of the starter
2/3 cup water
2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large egg
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

FILLING
1 cup toasted walnuts, very coarsely chopped
3/4 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup dried cherries

TOPPING
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon water

 

Combine the dough ingredients, mixing and kneading to form a smooth, supple dough. It’ll be very slack; for this reason, I suggest kneading in a bread machine, or with a mixer, rather than by hand. Place the dough in a bowl, and let it rise about 1 hour. It may not double in bulk; that’s OK.

Gently deflate the dough, and knead the nuts and fruit into it. Shape the dough into a flat ball, and place it in a 9-inch round cake pan. Cover the pan with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the loaf to rise for 30 minutes, or till it barely crests over the top of the pan.

Combine the sugar, vanilla and water, and drizzle this mixture over the top of the risen coffeecake. Bake it in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and the internal temperature registers 190°F. Remove it from the oven, and after 5 minutes, carefully turn it out of the pan. Allow it to cool on a rack. Yield: 1 cake, about 8 to 10 servings.  

Printable Recipe 

Slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour