Cherry Pie Bars

Cherry Pie Bars
You can bake up a pan of these cheery Cherry Bars in just 30 minutes with staple ingredients and pie filling.

A classic cherry dessert is almost like pie. Just a couple of cans of cherry pie filling and you have a delicious, and tasty treat.

Ingredients:
For the bars:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 (21 oz.) cans cherry pie filling For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Gradually add flour.
Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread with pie filling.
Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, extracts and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.

Making A Traditional Yorkshire Pudding

Traditional Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding is an English food made from batter consisting of eggs, flour, and milk or water. It is often served with beef and gravy and is part of the traditional British Sunday roast.

You will need a solid roasting tin measuring 11x9 in.

Ingredients:
6oz of flour
2 eggs
6fl oz milk
4fl oz water
2 tbsp beef dripping
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 425F
Begin by placing a sieve over a large mixing bowl, then sift the flour in, holding the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing as it goes down into the bowl. Now, with the back of a tablespoon, make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Add the salt and pepper.
Now measure the milk and water into a measuring jug. Then begin to whisk the eggs with an electric whisk and as you beat them the flour around the edges will slowly be incorporated. When the mixture becomes stiff simply add the milk and water mixture gradually, keeping the whisk going. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula so that any lumps can be pushed down into the batter, then whisk again till all is smooth. Now the batter is ready for use and although it's been rumored that batter left to stand is better, I have found no foundation for this - so just make it whenever is convenient.

To cook the Yorkshire pudding, remove the meat from the oven, and turn the oven up to the above temperature. Spoon two tablespoons of beef fat into the roasting tin and allow it to pre-heat in the oven. When the oven is up to temperature remove the tin, and place it over direct heat (turned to medium). Then, when the fat begins to shimmer and smoke a little, pour in the batter. Spread it evenly all round and then place the tin on a high shelf in the oven and cook the Yorkshire pudding for 40 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Brentwood Waffle Maker How to make Waffles

How to make your own Waffles, including a Brentwood Waffle Maker Review.

If you have any ideas, and/or recipes you have found that help you, fell free to comment.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Cookies

Sweet potatoes are thought to be one of the oldest consumed vegetables, dating back thousands of years ago in areas across Central and South America. Today there are many advantages to eating and cooking with various types of sweet potatoes.

1. They are inexpensive.
2. They last a long a time in your refrigerator.
3. They are extremely versatile in recipes.
4. They are packed with important nutrients too, and we are going to use that to our tasty benefit now! Let's get started.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 Cans Sweet Potato, drained
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon,
nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of
butter and white sugar. Add Sweet Potato, egg, and 1
teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until
creamy. Mix in dry ingredients.
Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

Lemon Squares, A Great Summer Treat

Lemon Squares

Dessert bars, or simply bars or squares, are a type of American "bar cookie" that has the texture of a firm cake or softer than usual cookie.
The term "bar cookies" or "squares" originated in the 20th century. The earliest examples we find in American cookbooks are from the 1930s [Date bars]. A survey of cookbooks suggests these recipes gained popularity as decades progressed. Lemons are ancient foods enjoyed in many cultures and cuisines from the beginning of time through present day. They figured prominently in custards, pies, cheesecakes, candies, and baked goods. They were also used to flavor savory dishes (lemon chicken, etc.). Lemon bars, as we know them today, evolved from Renaissance times. Why? The ingredients provide the answer. This is when shortbread/crust was developed, lemon custard was very popular and sugar was sprinkled on everything.

Ingredients:
Crust
1 cup All-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Topping
2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons of Flour
Pinch of Salt
Directions:
Heat oven to 350ºF.
Mix flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press in ungreased square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, building up 1/2-inch edges.
Bake crust 20 minutes.
Beat granulated sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Cool; dust with powdered sugar.