Blueberry Streusel

1/2 c dark brown sugar
1 c flour
1/4 lb butter, chilled
2 pints of blueberries
1/4 to 1/2 c sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the sugar and flour in a large bowl.  Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers or cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

2. Combine the blueberries and sugar in another bowl.  Pour the berries into an 8×8 baking dish (or individual ramekins.)  Generously mound the streusel on top and  bake for about 20 minutes until the streusel is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Note:  I suggest you place the baking dish on a sheetpan covered with parchment as the blueberries tend to bubble and sometimes overflow.  No need to clean up a sticky mess later!

So I came home and made my own version of banana pudding.  I really was feeling indulgent and used a combination of half and half and whole milk… It can also be made with only whole milk (or even 2%) and the result will be good but not nearly as rich and creamy.  I justified making the full fat version because I only made half of the recipe.  :P  Makes sense to me!

Banana Pudding Recipe

2/3 c sugar
1/3 c cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 c half and half
2 c whole milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c sour cream
1 box vanilla wafers
6-7 ripe bananas

1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a small bowl.  Whisk together the half and half, milk and egg yolks in a medium sized heavy bottom saucepan.  Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the saucepan.

2. Heat over medium heat until pudding mixture becomes thick and smooth, whisking constantly.  This takes about 2 minutes after the mixture is simmering.  Do not overcook or the mixture will get chunky.

3. Fold in the vanilla extract and sour cream.

4. In a 2 quart dish, layer about a third of the vanilla wafers in a single layer.  Slice about 2 bananas and layer them over the cookies.  Add 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the bananas, gently spreading out evenly.  Repeat again with the cookies, bananas and then the vanilla wafers.

5.  Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate.  This helps to avoid the yucky “pudding skin.”  When ready to serve, crush a few more cookies and sprinkle on top.  You can also top with whipped cream or meringue, but I prefer it without either.  I like the crunch of the crumbs on top.

Makes about 8 servings

Note: This can be eaten warm or cold.

Instead of making a traditional cake, I made Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Peppermint Filling.  Our photography studio has been very busy this month with last minute photo shoots and holiday cards and there just wasn’t the time to make a real birthday cake.  It’s OK, though.  Stephan really doesn’t like traditional birthday cake.  I only made them in the past because it seemed like the right thing to do.  So this year, I not only combined his birthday and Christmas present, but I combined his birthday cake and a Christmas cookie.  Yeah, I know… not cool.  I’m definitely not winning the wife of the year award!  Thankfully, the whoopie pies are really yummy and made up for the lack of birthday-ness!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Peppermint Filling Recipe
(adapted from Better Homes & Garden Magazine)

1/2 c butter, softened
1 c packed brown sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c buttermilk
1 1-oz bottle red food coloring (or enough paste to color it dark red)

6 oz cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until well combined, at least 1 minute. Scrape bowl occasionally.  Add the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and beat until combined.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, again scraping bowl.  Alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Stir in the food coloring.

3. Drop batter by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet pan.  Bake in oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are set.  Do not overcook, as the texture should be like cake, not a cookie.  Cool for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  If you’re reusing the same sheet pan, make sure to let it cool completely before baking the next batch.

4. While the cookies are baking beat the cream cheese, butter and peppermint extract until light and fluffy.  Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating well.  If necessary, stir in a few drops of milk to make the filling spreadable.

5. Spread filling on bottoms of half of the cookies.  Top with the remaining cookies, bottom side down.  If desired, sprinkle with small broken pieces of candy cane before serving.

Makes about 40 sandwich cookies.

When I first started blogging back in 2007, I had the plan to make easy food that tasted good. This cookie recipe is just that.  Simple. Quick. Tasty.  What’s not to like?

Oatmeal Cranberry & Raisin Cookie Recipe
(Adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)

2 1/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 c rolled oats
3/4 c raisins
3/4 c dried cranberries
1/2 c finely chopped toasted almonds

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

2. In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Then mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract.  Add the oats and the flour mixture and beat thoroughly.  Mix in the raisins, cranberries and almonds.  Chill the mixture for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before proceeding.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

4. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the parchment lined sheet pans, leaving several inches between cookies for expansion.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

5. Cool the cookies on the sheets for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Cherry & Apricot Crisp
(adapted from The Essential Baker, Carole Bloom)

1/2 lb cherries, washed, dried and stems and pits removed
1 lb fresh apricots, washed and dried
2/3 c rolled oats
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
2 oz (4 tbsp) cold unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the cherries into an 8 x 8 inch square pan. Using a sharp knife, slice the apricots in half along the seam. Remove the stone and cut each half into quarters. Place the apricots in the baking pan. Toss the cherries and apricots together lightly to mix evenly.

3. In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the oats, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pulse briefly to blend.

4. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Pulse until the butter is cut into very small pieces, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Evenly sprinkle the topping over the fruit in the baking pan.

5. Bake the crisp for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is light golden. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. Serve with whipped cream.

Makes 8-10 servings

Note: You can use nectarines, peaches or apricots in this recipe.