Jenn’s Cook Book

 Normally, I don’t care for canned fruit. To me, most of it just doesn’t taste the way I think fruit is suppose to taste. In this smoothie, however, canned pears work better than fresh pears. Pears are not in season and can take days to ripen, and who wants to wait for a smoothie? Canned pears are softer and gentler on my much abused blender. Also, the syrup helps intensify the pear flavor. If you want to use fresh pears, go for it, but you will want to add pear nectar or apple juice to get your smoothie going.

If you would like to turn this into a breakfast smoothie, substitute yogurt for half of the blueberries (or use blueberry yogurt instead) and add 2 tablespoons of wheat germ. You could also drain the pears and add 1 cup of soy milk.

1 can (15 oz) pear halves or slices in light syrup
1 cup frozen blueberries
2-3 ice cubes
sprig of mint (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender, including pear syrup. Puree until smooth, adjusting ice to achieve desired consistency. Garnish with mint (if desired).

Makes a tasty snack for one or a healthy dessert for two!

Who spiked the strawberries?

I did! I came across a recipe for strawberries “spiked” with balsamic vinegar at Eating Well magazine’s website and it reminded me of a summer salad I used to order at TGI Friday’s. I don’t know if they still serve the salad, but I always loved the balsamic-soaked strawberries, so I altered the recipe slightly to get that same taste. These strawberries can be served alone as dessert or thrown into salads or wraps (try them with spinach!).

Balsamic-Spiked Strawberries
adapted from Eating Well 

1 pint fresh strawberries
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1-2 sprigs fresh mint

Rinse strawberries and cut off the tops, then halve or quarter if large. In a large bowl, toss strawberries with balsamic vinegar and sugar. Let stand for 20 minutes (chill in the refrigerator if desired).

Finely chop or mince fresh mint, reserving a small amount for garnish (optional). Toss chopped mint with strawberries and serve.

The standing time allows strawberries to macerate, or soak up the vinegar and release the natural juice in the berries. The leftover liquid in the bowl makes a tasty salad dressing.

From Midnight Snacks chapter 1:15 AM Under the Covers, these snacks are perfect when  you want to “head to bed and call it a wrap.” The recipes in this chapter are designed for those occasions when it seems there is nothing to eat in the entire house, using a little creativity and scant supplies to produce a tasty treat.

These might be a little labor intensive if you are in a hurry first thing in the morning, but if you have the time these can also make a mighty good breakfast. “Here’s how to turn a lowly slice of soft sandwich bread into a lovely turnover.” My version is posted below, but the authors gave several suggestions for fillings, which are posted following the recipe.

Jenn’s Chocolate-Cream Cheese “Tossovers”
4 slices of bread, crusts removed
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 oz cream cheese, divided
4 tsp mini-chocolate chips, divided
cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out crust-free bread with a rolling pin (bread should be flattened to the thickness of a saltine cracker).

Brush the edges of the flattened bread with melted butter. In the center of each piece, spoon 1/2 oz of cream cheese and 1 tsp chocolate chips.

Fold the bread into a triangle and press the edges together. Crimp edges with a fork if necessary.

Arrange triangles on prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Other topping suggestions:

A spoonful of preserves and a smear of cream cheese
A dollop of jelly and a layer of peanut butter
Pieces of a dark chocolate candy bar
Fresh berries, peach or plum slices, or chopped apples sprinkled with sugar
Small slice of cheddar cheese and applesauce
Caramel sauce, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans

Feel free to improvise, making your own personal creation.

Celebrate National Peach Cobbler Day with this easy impostor. Okay, this is more of a crisp than an actual cobbler, but it’s the thought that counts! Since cherries and peaches are a distant memories here in mid-April Michigan, I used frozen fruit and it tasted great. Be sure to thaw fruit completely first. Wheat germ adds a toasted, nutty taste to the crumbly topping.

2 bags (16 oz each) unsweetened frozen sliced peaches, thawed
1 bag (12 oz) unsweetened frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 cup quick oats
2 tbsp wheat germ
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
frozen yogurt, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F and coat a 13×9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Pour thawed peaches and cherries into prepared pan, including any juices from the bags. Toss fruit with cornstarch and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Set aside.

In a food processor or chopped, combine flour and butter. Pulse until butter is in pea-sized pieces. Add remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, quick oats, wheat germ, and cinnamon. Pulse until just combined.

Sprinkle topping over prepared fruit. Bake 20-25 minutes, until topping is golden and fruit mixture is bubbly. Serve warm with frozen yogurt, if desired.

Shown below, served with vanilla frozen yogurt and garnished with mint:

Here’s another crisp recipe, this time a combination of the Spring strawberry and late Fall persimmon. Persimmons are just starting to come out of season, so I snagged what might be the last batch. Think of this as a meeting of the season, a way to celebrate moving from cold, dreary weather to the bright, cheerfulness of Spring. This recipe would be great with any berry coming into season, such as blueberries or blackberries. Add in some sliced peaches, fresh or frozen.

Crisps and crumbles are great for fruit that looks past its prime but still taste good. The combinations are endless, today it’s strawberries and persimmons, but tomorrow it could be blackberries and peaches or raspberries and nectarines. Update the recipe based on the fruit that’s in season, creating new combinations over the summer. See Jenn’s General Crisp Recipe for tips and ideas.

2 pints fresh strawberries
3 fresh persimmons
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour

Topping:
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt 

Preheat oven to 350F and coat a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Rinse strawberries and remove tops. Cut into halves or quarters if large and place in prepared baking dish. Cut persimmons in half and scoop flesh into a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth and add persimmon puree to baking dish. Toss puree and strawberries with sugar and flour. Spread strawberry mixture into an even layer.

In a clean food processing cup, combine flour and butter. Pulse several times until butter is in pea-sized clumps. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle topping mixture over strawberries.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Want to make your own crisp? Follow this easy recipe:

Topping:
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Filling:
3-4 cups fresh or frozen fruit, coarsely chopped or sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup lemon or orange juice

Preheat oven to 350F and coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Combine flour and butter in food processor. Pulse until butter is in pea-sized clumps. Add quick oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse 3-4 times to combine.

Toss cut fruit, sugar, flour, and lemon or orange juice in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit. Top with chopped nuts, if using.  

If you would like both a topping and a bottom crust, double the topping ingredients (except nuts and salt). Press half of mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Add nuts into second half of mixture and use as topping.

Mix up the ingredients for different fruit combinations, for example:

Strawberries and rhubarb with walnuts
Frozen cherries, ginger, and sliced almonds
Fresh or frozen sliced peaches, blueberries, and pecans
Pears, nutmeg, and chopped hazelnuts
Plums, honey (in place of juice), and mixed nuts  

Is it Spring yet? I’ve decided that it is. So, to celebrate the beginning of Spring (albeit a week or so early), I made a yummy, fruity, crispy dessert to enjoy the first tastes of the season. Last week, my local paper ran a great article on Cobblers, Crisps and Crumbles, the easy alternative to pies and tarts. Last summer, I made a Rhubarb Crisp that turned out awesome, so this time I modified a recipe from Simply in Season to make this Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp.

While I used fresh fruit, you could certainly use frozen fruits and berries of nearly any variety. What is great about these desserts is the versatility and ability to swap flavors and spices so readily to make a completely personalized dessert. Rhubarb is just now available, and will be until early to mid-summer, and pairs wonderfully with fresh strawberries. Serve this dessert warm and bubbly with vanilla ice cream.

10 stalks rhubarb, roughly chopped
1 pint strawberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened  
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F and coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine chopped rhubarb and strawberries in a large saucepan. Stir in sugar, orange zest and juice, and vanilla extract. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil and stir frequently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat until crumbly and moist. Press half of the flour mixture into the bottom pan to create a crust. Pour fruit mixture over crust and spread into an even layer.

Mix walnuts into remaining half of flour mixture. Sprinkle mixture over fruit filling. Bake for 25-35 minutes until topping is golden brown and fruit mixture is bubbly. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes, then serve.

Celebrate the beginning of National Chocolate Month without ditching all of your New Year’s resolutions with these deliciously dark brownies from Everyday Food. Instead of lots of oil and butter, these brownies use applesauce and reduced-fat sour cream (yes, that’s sour cream). Add some dark brown sugar and heart-healthy dark chocolate, and you’ve got moist brownies without all the guilt. “These brownies have a triple helping of chocolate: cocoa powder and melted chocolate in the batter, plus chocolate chunks on top” Everyday Food. If bittersweet chocolate is a bit too much for you to take, swap it for semi-sweet or use a 50/50 combination.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (not chunky)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, room temperature
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (2 oz melted, 2 oz coarsely chopped)
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly coat a square baking pan (8×8 or 9×9) with cooking spray.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a slightly larger bowl, whisk together dark brown sugar, applesauce, sour cream, melted chocolate, eggs, and oil until combined. Add flour mixture and mix just until moistened (do not over mix).

Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle top with chopped chocolate. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 to 35 minutes.

Allow brownies to cool completely. Cut into squares. Share the goodness!

Matches made in heaven: chocolate, orange, and hazelnut. This “bark” recipe from Everyday Food magazine combines these ingredients into a tasty treat, perfect for the holidays.  According to Everyday Food, “the slight bitterness of the orange zest and a sprinkling of salt round out the richness of the chocolate and hazelnuts.”

Hazelnuts are available pre-chopped, shelled, or unshelled. For this recipe, I bought unshelled hazelnuts and cracked them the old-fashioned way. After shelling, I roasted the hazelnuts at 250F for 15 minutes, then wrapped the nuts in a kitchen towel. The towel allows the nuts to steam, which loosens the skins. The skins can then be rubbed off and the nuts chopped. The roasting also draws out the hazelnuts nature oils and intensifies the flavor, which is worth it if you are able to take the time.

1 navel orange
8 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup hazelnuts, skins removed and coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp coarse salt

Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil. With a vegetable peeler, remove zest from half of the orange, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible (reserve the rest of the orange for another use). With a sharp knife, cut zest into very thin strips about 1 inch long.

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set oven (not in) a pan of simmering water, or use a double-boiler. Stir until melted and completely smooth. Mix in half the zest and hazelnuts. Immediately pour onto prepared baking sheet with a flexible spatula. Spread mixture about 1/4 inch thick in a rectangle on the prepared baking sheet, avoiding the sides of the baking sheets.

Sprinkle with remaining zest, nuts, and coarse salt. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. To serve, break or chop into pieces. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Imagine a vanilla cheesecake, drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with pecans. Now, imagine that cheesecake swirled in with dark chocolate brownie batter and baked to perfection. These are delicious Turtle Cheesecake Brownies from Brownie Mix Magic. All you need is a box of brownie mix, some cream cheese, caramel ice cream topping, and chopped pecans. This simple but decadent treat is my tasty tribute to National Chocolate Brownie Day.

1 box (19.5 oz) dark chocolate brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 large eggs
8 oz (1 bar) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 13×9 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine brownie mix with oil, water, and 2 eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are mixed. Spread into the bottom of a prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract and remaining egg. Spread over brownie batter (it does not need to cover completely). Dollop caramel over batter. Drag a knife through brownie batter, creating a swirl pattern. Top with chopped pecans.

Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden and just set in the middle. Allow brownies to cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate if desired. Cut in to squares and enjoy.