Quick Shake Fruit Cobbler

At a recent baby shower, my niece's mom-in-law brought a family favorite. The recipe she shared most likely comes from a Tupperware party, for reasons you can see. It literally is a quick shake in a gravy making container, using the lid for a measuring cup. Her recipe called for sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and she served it with a caramel sauce. Today I'm shaing it with sliced stone fruit, served plain with ice cream.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 quick shake seal of sugar (3/4 cup)
• 1 quick shake seal of flour
• 1 quick shake seal of milk
• 1 quick shake flip lid seal of oil (1 tsp)
• 2 tsp baking powder

Method:

1. Grease a pie plate and line with about 2 - 3 cups of sliced peaches, apricots and or nectarines. (canned peaches, drained, are good too)
2. In quick shake place egg, sugar, flour, milk and oil. Shake until well mixed. 
3. Open and add 2 tsp baking powder. Shake mixture about ten times and then pour over fruit. (It is important to just add the baking powder at the end like this. The first time I made this I added it with the flour in the beginning and the seal exploded with the shaking.) 
4. Bake at 350 F for 30 - 40 minutes until nicely browned and crisp on top.
5. Serve warm, with ice cream. I flip it upside down to serve. Makes 4 generous servings.

P. S.  The flip lid is the actual cup shaped lid while the seal is the tiny tunnel where the small, attached lid flips opens.
I have the old style (2 cup meas) shaker with the large top lid to measure with. If you have a new one with a flatter kind of lid, use a regular measuring cup.

Coconut Cream Bars

If you love coconut as much as I do you will want to make these delicious bars. A perfect dessert to serve family or company. We have coconut lovers in our family so this will disappear fast.
Adapted from All Recipes.

Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup butter

1. In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour and icing sugar.
2. Using a pastry blender cut in the butter until you have coarse crumbs.
3. Press into a 9 x 9" square pan.
4. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes until slightly golden in color. Place on cooling rack and allow to cool while making the filling.

Filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1. In a medium sized bowl whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add coconut milk and eggs and whisk until well blended.
2. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and add flaked coconut and extracts. 
4. Pour over the crust. Allow to cool to lukewarm, then place in refrigerator and chill for a few hours until firm.
5. Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut.
6. Serves: 9 generous pieces.

Oreo Salad

Today is our son's birthday! Every year he is so excited to celebrate his special day. One year his home manager brought this salad for his birthday and it's been a favorite of his ever since. His eyes will light up when he sees this bowlful arriving at the party! Actually I find this is more of a dessert but it's called a salad. Fruit can be added if desired. You would add fruit at the same time as the cookies. This recipe is adapted from Kraft's website.

• 4 cups milk
• 2 - large packages instant vanilla pudding
• 2 - 1 litre containers of whipped topping
• 2 packages Oreo cookies, chopped in coarse pieces. 

1. Combine milk and both packages of pudding in a large bowl. Whisk until pudding sets up.
2. Stir in whipped topping until well combined.
3. Chop cookies into coarse pieces. Put a few chopped cookies aside to decorate the top.
4. Fold cookie pieces into the creamed pudding mixture. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
5. Serves: Approx 15  That depends though if my son gets to it first it would serve less:)

Chocolate 'With a Hint of Spice' Pudding

What's better than chocolate? Chocolate with a bit of spice! I know you can hardly see the chocolate pudding but it's there in the cup, under the whipped cream and raspberries! We all know what chocolate pudding looks like so this is more about the taste..that 'hint of spice' and about presentation.
A few weeks ago I invited a few blogging friends for lunch, Char (mgcc), Susan (Mom's Recipe Collection) and Jeanine (Faithfully Gluten Free)..they came bearing gifts, don't you just love when that happens:) This cute cup and saucer is a gift from Susan. We got to talking and since I served chocolate pudding for dessert we all thought this would be a great little cup to serve pudding in and it was suggested for a future post. And here it is.
This pudding paired up with coconut rolls is just perfect!

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 1/2 cups coconut milk..you can use regular milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. In a large microwave safe bowl whisk together brown sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, cinnamon, chili powder, coconut milk, and heavy cream.
2. Cook in microwave for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until thick and smooth.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
4. Now if you don't like the 'skin' that forms on hot pudding, press plastic wrap directly on the pudding to prevent that. I like the 'skin' that forms on the pudding so I leave out this step.
5. Pour into serving dishes and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a few raspberries. 
6. Here's an idea: If you want to turn the spice up a notch sprinkle a few grains of cayenne on top.
7. Serves: 6

Stawberry Pudding Cake

Today in the U.S.A. many are celebrating the 4th of July or Independence Day with barbecues and other gatherings with lots of red, white and blue decorations. This dessert would be great to serve for this or any celebration.
This is an easy dessert to make with fresh fruit that is in season. I made a strawberry one and a blueberry one. Rhubarb would work, too. I saw this recipe on our garden store Facebook page and I modified it decreasing the sugar. It's good alone or with whipped cream or ice cream.

Strawberry Pudding Cake

2 cups sliced fresh strawberry or other fresh fruit
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 cup boiling water

Instructions
Cover the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch lightly greased square pan with fruit.
Mix 1/2 cup sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, extracts, milk and flour together. Spread evenly over the fruit.
Mix remaining sugar and cornstarch; sprinkle over mixture in pan.
Pour boiling water over the top. (This creates the glaze on the top of the cake and the pudding at the bottom).
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

You can serve warm in a bowl with ice cream, or let it cool a bit and serve it on a plate with ice cream or whipped cream.

 
Pudding cake with blueberries on the left and strawberries on the right. We all enjoyed both!
I also used canned pears and peaches that were drained of their liquid for the cake. 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Clouds

After enjoying a similar dessert at a friend's place on several occasions, I 'borrowed' the recipe from her and decided that strawberry season was a good time to give it a try.  The frozen 'clouds' are ready in the freezer anytime you might need a special dessert...and would be good with other fruit toppings as well.

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 quarts fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped with 1 Tbps. sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (for topping)

1. Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. 
2. Gradually add the cream, beating until thickened.
3. Spoon mixture into 10 mounds on a parchment or waxed paper-lined baking sheet. With the back of a spoon, shape into 3 inch 'nest-like' circles.
4. Freeze for at least two hours or overnight.
5. To serve, fill with strawberries and top with whipped cream. 

 
Yield: 10 servings.