Spring must be in the air because last night we enjoyed strawberry shortcake for dessert. I wanted to make the shortcake, but I wanted a different twist on the old favorite. Not that strawberry shortcake ever needs to be improved...I just wanted to try something new. This was elegant and oh-so-yummy!!
Strawberry Shortcake Royale
1 package instant vanilla pudding
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (can use skim)
2 tablespoons shortening (I used 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Make pudding according to package directions. Cover and chill.
-Sprinkle strawberries with 1 cup sugar and let stand about 1 hour.
-Heat oven to 350 degrees. Blend remaining ingredients in large mixer bowl on low speed 1/2 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat 4 minutes on medium speed.
-Pour batter into a greased and floured square pan, 8x8x2".
-Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.Cool slightly and cut into squares. Split squares; spoon sweetened strawberries between layers and over top. Pour pudding mixture over all.
From Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cookbook Chapter Four "Be-My-Guest- Best" with adaptions by annie
I don't know why, but in my search to find a new recipe I pulled out my very old Bisquick cookbooks. Perhaps some of you may recall when Bisquick put a little cookbook in each box of Bisquick. My goal was to get every one of them. I don't know if I accomplished that, but I do have many of them. I was lucky enough to get, somewhere along the line, the notebook that Bisquick put out to corral and store all of those little cookbooks in!
If you are looking for an elegant, easy, low-fat, dessert...look no further. You have stumbled across just that!
Labels: cookbooks, desserts, strawberries
By: Sharon Pickering | 3/12/2007 at 5:58 PM | | If you want, you can leave a comment by clicking here.
I have no claim to being Greek. But, I do lay claim to making a mean Spanakopita! This is a traditional Greek dish which has become a regular on our table. I don't know if mine is a true Greek version. It is close enough for me.
Spinach Pie
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 large eggs
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup crumbled feta chese
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried dillweed (or 1/2 cup fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Butter cooking spray
1 box frozen Phyllo dough, thawed
Saute onions until tender and golden. Thaw and drain the spinach well. Combine first eight ingredients. Set aside. Unfold phyllo and cover with a slightly damp towel to prevent pastry from drying out. Place 1 sheet of phyllo in a 9 x 13" baking dish. Spray with butter cooking spray. Repeat 8 times. Place the spinach mixture over the phyllo. Place 1 sheet of phyllo over spinach. Spray with butter cooking spray. Repeat 8 times. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 30-45 minutes or until top is golden brown.
The more traditional way is to brush melted butter over each sheet of phyllo. I find that using cooking spray is so much easier, and not nearly as oily.
Working with phyllo dough can be tricky. I have gotten fast, and the phyllo dough now comes in a more user friendly size which makes layering so much easier. If you feel that you may take a little time, I recommend covering the phyllo with a large sheet of plastic wrap (a clean trash can liner works well) then placing the damp towel over the bag. This is really an easy meal to prepare, but tastes like you worked all day on it!
Labels: casserole Spinach Phyllo
By: Sharon Pickering | 3/11/2007 at 5:58 PM | | If you want, you can leave a comment by clicking here.
I would just like to thank all the little people that made this possible. To the poor person that obviously lost their mind and let this machine go. (I hope you are seeking help.) To the wonderful pricer at my local Goodwill Store that had a moment of insanity and put a $9 sticker on it. To the woman I ran over to get to the machine. (I hope that swelling goes down.) To all of you...a heart felt thank you!!
Yes, I am a proud owner of a new-to-me Zojirushi #BBCC-V20. I put it to the test today with a loaf of Basic White Buttermilk Bread for Zojirushi. Oddly enough, I've had this recipe for a long time and have made it often in my Breadman. It is an all-time family favorite. I never dreamed that one day I would actually be making it in a Zojirushi!
Basic White Buttermilk Bread for Zojirushi
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons yeast
Measure milk, butter, sugar, salt and flur into baking pan. Sprinkle yeast in center of flour. Insert pan securely into baking unit and close lid. Select BASIC WHITE BREAD setting. Select MEDIUM baking degree setting. Press START. The COMPLETE light will flash when bread is done. Using hotpads, remove pan from unit and pull out kneading paddle. Turn out onto cooling rack and cool before slicing.
As you can see, the pan is oblong. What you can't see is the two paddles at the bottom for kneading. I think that makes all the difference. This machine does it all. I can even program it for different rising times! Or, just let the machine knead the dough, then shape it and bake it in my oven. When it did the kneading, it was quiet, and didn't walk across my counter.
Look how nice the bread rose, and just how darn pretty it is! (I get excited over bread.)
This bread tastes every bit as good as it looks. A beautiful, tender loaf of fresh bread.
Simply heaven.
Labels: bread machine, breads, buttermilk
By: Sharon Pickering | 3/06/2007 at 5:59 PM | | If you want, you can leave a comment by clicking here.
This was a first for me. I bartered a pie for man-power. We had an armoir downstairs that, of course, we wanted upstairs. My husband kept bringing it up and looking at me like "Why don't we move it now?" I kept coming up with excuses...the shower drain is clogged, I have to clean the closet, I think my big toe is broke. The list went on and on. Until one day, it came to me . I asked him to call his friend and let me speak to him. Within the hour, I had a man at the door with bag of apples in hand, ready to move my end of the armoir!!! It was a defining moment in my life. My pies can move mountains!! (Well, at least move large bulky, extremely heavy pieces of furniture.) Not only did said friend move the armoir for me, he also peeled the apples. What a deal.
My husband, always on the lookout for a pie opportunity, wanted his own. He chose a pecan pie. It really turned out great.
Pecan Pie
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups pecans
1 pie shell
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the pecans in the bottom of the pie shell. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over pecans. (The pecans will rise to the surface of the pie.)
2. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the filling has set.
3. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
This opens the door for all sorts of bartering. Mowing the lawn. Shoveling the snow. Clean the gutters. I have a million ideas!
Labels: desserts, pastry, pecans, pies
By: Sharon Pickering | 3/03/2007 at 1:26 PM | | If you want, you can leave a comment by clicking here.
