Lemon Blueberry Bread

For the Loaf:

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sour cream -- whole fat kind
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed

For the Lemon Syrup:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

For the Lemon Glaze:

1 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of one 9 x 5-inch loaf pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.
To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

Yields: 1-9×5 loaf

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies with Hearts

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Sugar
48 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped (or in this case, heart shaped chocolates)

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg; mix with electric mixer on low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 milk chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets.

I made some of mine larger (you can see one in the photo with the colored sugar), and baked for the larger for 12 minutes. The smaller (normal size) I baked for 10.

The chocolate will keep its form, but will take at least a couple hours to set back up, so be sure not to touch it.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
cinnamon & sugar to taste

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Oil the bottom & sides of a loaf pan and then sprinkle with flour.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Pour into a floured loaf pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and generously with cinnamon & sugar - as much as YOU like and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Chicken Pot Pie

2 Deep dish pie crusts
2-3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts OR 4-5 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp (heaping) flour
1 frozen bag of mixed veggies (I use the California mix; broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
1 can cream of chicken & herbs soup
1 egg
splash of water

Put chicken in the crockpot on low for several hours; until done. Take out and shred the chicken with two forks; set aside.

Boil veggies, but not too much they should still be crisp.

Whisk together milk & flour.

In a large bowl stir together chicken, flour/milk mixture & veggies. Pour in pie crust, top with the can of cream of chicken & herb soup. Put the second pie crust on top and pinch the sides together. Whisk egg with water and brush on top of the pie crust. Cut 2-3 slits in the top of the crust to allow for venting as it bakes.

Bake at 400* for 20-25 min or until the crust is golden brown. I put a pie shield around the outside to prevent burning after the first 10 minutes of cooking.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans, and you can use as little or much as you liking)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 box (3.4oz) butterscotch pudding (NOT instant)

Filling:minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into squares. If desired, serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Sore in refrigerator.
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
1 (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 350*. In a large bowl, mix all crust ingredients until well combined. Press mixture in bottom of ungreased 9x13 pan.

In same bowl, beat eggs. Stir in all remaining filling ingredients until well blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into squares. If desired, serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Store in refrigerator.

New York Crumb Cake

Baking Time 20-25 Min. Pre-heat the oven to 325*

Sift together:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk together:1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine both by stirring with wooden spoon. Grease and flour baking pan, apporx. 12x8 (brownie/bar pan). spread batter evenly, it will look scanty but don't worry.

Topping:
1 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

Stir topping ingredients together with a fort, or crumble together by hand. Sprinkle crumbs thickly on top of cake battter. Bake cake for approx. 20 minutes.

Cook cake (in the pan) for 10 minutes, then sift a bit (about 1/4 cup) of confectioners sugar over the top, cut into squares and serve.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie - Quick & Easy

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs Carmel ice cream topping, divided
1 Graham pie crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp pecan pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 packaged (3.4 oz each) vanilla instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 8z tub Cool whipped topping thawed & divided

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into pie crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.

Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and cinnamon with whist until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cool whip. Spread into crust.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Top with remaining cool whip. drizzle remaining Carmel on top of that and then sprinkle remaining pecans on top.