Velvets' Easy Cheesecake

Graham cracker crust, prepare and smoosh into a 9 in spring form pan, bake for 8 mins @ 350'F.
In the mixer, add two 8oz. packages of softened low fat cream cheese or regular, add 2 cups of low fat sour cream or yogurt, mix together till creamy. Add 3/4 cup sugar, a dash of salt, a teaspoon of lemon zest, a dash or so of vanilla, mix together, add 3 eggs and mix till it's all blended.
Bake @ 375 for 35-40 mins. Cool and then put in fridge for 3 hrs or so. Eat and enjoy!



Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350'f

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2 cups old-fashioned rolled Quaker oats

4 cups water

In a large pot, add water, & good pinch of salt and bring to a boil.

Add oatmeal, stir well.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring occassionaly.

Once cooked add...

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, light colored

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 beaten eggs

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup cup heavy cream OR 1/2 & 1/2

Add 1 tablespoon melted butter to 8x9 square baking dish.

Add pre-mixed oatmeal to prepared baking dish.

Bake un-covered,for 45-55 minutes.

Cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Can be served warm or slighly chilled.

Top with whipped cream, ice cream OR cool whip.

May be sprinkled with nutmeg.

Fresh cuy-up fruit is an option too.

Zucchini Cobbler

Zucchini Cobbler
Crust:
4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cold margarine or butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:
8 cups peeled, shredded zucchini
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For filling:
In a large saucepan, over medium low heat, cook and stir zucchini and lemon juice for 5 to 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; simmer 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat; set aside.

For crust:
Combine flour and sugar in a bowl/ cut in margarine until mix resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup zucchini mixture. Press half of crust mixture into a greased 15 x 10 by 1 inch pan. Spread zucchini over top; crumble remaining crust mixture over zucchini. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 375F for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Raspberry-Peach Cobbler with Cornmeal Topping

Raspberry-Peach Cobbler with Cornmeal Topping

Cornmeal adds a bit of crunch to the biscuit topping in this deep-dish cobbler, bursting with juicy peaches and ripe raspberries.

Serves 8 to 10

For the cobbler dough:
7-1/2 oz. (1-2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar or packed light brown sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. table salt
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
1/4 cup (1-1/4 oz.) finely ground cornmeal

To finish the cobbler:
4 cups sliced ripe peaches (cut into 1-inch-thick wedges)
4 cups fresh raspberries
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1-1/2 Tbs. for sprinkling on top
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Pinch table salt

Make the dough:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

In a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse briefly to blend the ingredients, about 10 seconds. Add the butter pieces and pulse until they are the size of small peas, 5 to 7 one-second pulses.

Dump the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the cornmeal and stir until evenly dispersed. Add the sour cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently smear the ingredients together until the flour is evenly moistened and the dough begins to form large, soft, moist clumps. Bring the dough together into an 8-inch log. Divide the dough into 10 roughly equal round pieces. Refrigerate the pieces in the bowl while preparing the fruit.

Assemble and bake the cobbler:

Put the peaches and raspberries in a large bowl. Gently toss with the sugar (use 1/2 cup for very ripe, sweet fruit and 3/4 cup for fruit that's not perfectly ripe and sweet), flour, lemon zest, and salt, making sure to mix everything evenly.

Pile the fruit into a 9x13-inch glass baking dish, scraping in any remaining juices or sugar from the bowl, and spread evenly. Remove the pieces of dough from the refrigerator and arrange them randomly on top of the filling, leaving spaces between the pieces. Don't be tempted to flatten the doughl the large pieces are important for proper and even baking of the filling and topping. Sprinkle the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. of granulated sugar evenly over the cobbler.

Bake until the filling is bubbling and the topping is browned, 50 to 60 minutes. Let sit about 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle. You can serve this cobbler hot or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if you like.


CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER WRAPS(camping recipe)

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER WRAPS(camping recipe)

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Spread 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on each tortilla. Sprinkle 1/4 cup
of marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on half of each
tortilla. Roll up, beginning with the topping side. Wrap each tortilla
in heavy-duty foil; seal tightly. Grill, covered, over low heat
for 5 to 10 minutes or until
heated through. Unwrap and eat.

Grilled Cinnamon-Sugar Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream & Bourbon



Grilled Cinnamon-Sugar Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream & Bourbon

This dessert is a little reminiscent of a grilled Bananas Foster. The secret to grilling bananas is leaving them in their skin to hold them together and protect them from the flame. The bonus is that you know that your bananas are done when the skin starts to separate from the flesh.Serves six to eight.
Vegetable oil for the grill
4 bananas, ripe but not overly soft
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pint best-quality vanilla ice cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup toasted pecan pieces
2 Tbs. best-quality bourbon, such as Maker's Mark or Woodford Reserve
Prepare a medium charcoal or gas grill fire. Brush the grill grate clean.
Slice the bananas, still in their skin, in half lengthwise and then crosswise so that each banana yields four pieces. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle the cut sides of the bananas with some of the cinnamon sugar (you may not need it all). Let sit 5 minutes so the sugar can start to dissolve.
Put the bananas cut side down on the grate and cover the grill. Grill until marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the bananas, cover the grill, and cook until the skin starts to pull away from the banana, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the grill and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Peel and serve the bananas on top of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with the pecan pieces and drizzled with bourbon.

Strawberry Fool!

Strawberry Fool!

TIME/SERVINGS

Total: 20 mins, plus cooling and chilling time
Active: 20 mins
Makes: 6 servings (3 cups)

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces strawberries, washed, hulled, and cut into large dice about 2 1/2 cups
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch fine salt
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest from 1/2 medium lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
1.  Place strawberries, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and salt in a medium, nonreactive saucepan and stir until
strawberries are coated in sugar. Mash with a potato masher until about half of the strawberries
are completely smashed but some medium-sized chunks remain.

2.  Place the pan over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form along the edge,
about 5 minutes. Skim any foam from the surface of the sauce with a spoon and discard. Add lemon
zest and juice, stir to combine, and bring to a full boil, about 2 minutes more.

3.  Remove from heat. Skim foam and discard. Transfer sauce to a heatproof container and let cool to
room temperature. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. (If not using right away, cover and
refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.)

4.  Once the sauce has cooled, whisk the cream in a large bowl until it reaches soft peaks (the peaks
should bend like a soft-serve ice cream cone). While whisking, gradually add the remaining 2
tablespoons sugar. Add vanilla and continue to whisk until the cream reaches stiff peaks (standing
straight up).

5.  Measure 1/4 cup of the strawberry sauce and set aside. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining
sauce into the whipped cream until nearly incorporated, leaving a few streaks of whipped cream and
sauce. Divide the fool among six 1/2-cup serving bowls or ramekins and garnish with reserved
strawberry sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.