Star-Spangled Fruit Tart

1 tube (18 oz) refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened (you can use homemade cookie dough, like I did, but why make it harder than it has to be?)
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
1 cup fresh raspberries (optional)

Press cookie dough onto an ungreased pizza pan or for a thicker crust use a pie pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (until a golden brown.)  Let cool.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, & vanilla until smooth.  Spread over cooled crust.  In center of tart, arrange berries in the shape of a star.  Add a berry border.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Yields: 16 servings.

Happy 4th!  Michele

Yummy Carrot Cake Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Frosting

It's a miracle! I actually made something yummy! I have tried several new recipe's lately and not one of them has turned out, so I was pretty excited when I tried these. They are absolutely delicious!

Carrot Cake

(I halved the recipe and made about 11 cupcakes)

4 eggs

1 1/4 c vegetable oil

2 cups white sugar

2 t vanilla

2 c flour

2 t baking soda

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 t ginger

1/2 t nutmeg

3 c grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350. grease muffin pan or use liners.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and 2 t vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Stir in carrots. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 17-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting

2 (8 oz. packages) cream cheese. Softened.

1/2 c butter. Softened.

2 c powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

In medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Chocolate Cream Crunch

2 graham cracker crusts

8 oz pkg cream cheese

1 small tub of whip topping

1 large box instant chocolate pudding

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

1 cup milk

Mix cream cheese and 1/2 cup of whip topping until fluffy. Pour half into each crust and chill. Pour 1/2 cup milk and vanilla pudding into bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill. Pour 1/2 cup milk and chocolate pudding into bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over vanilla layer. Chill. Spread the remaining whip topping on top of each pie and chill once again. Cut into slices and ENJOY!

-Stephanie

Pies!

Tis the season for pies, right? Here's two we've done this week!

Praline Pumpkin Pie

Pastry for pie crust (below - 1/2 the recipe for 1 pie)

2 large eggs

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. cloves

1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Whipped cream if desired

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. chopped pecans

1 tbls. butter, softened

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Make pastry. Pat in pie pan. Cover edge of pie crust with foil. Partially bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil (save foil) and bake 2 more minutes.

2. Beat eggs slightly. Beat in remaining ingredients except cream.

3. Cover edge of pie crust with foil again. (Remove foil for last 15 mins. of baking.) Pour filling into pan.

4. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 35 minutes longer. Mix brown sugar, pecans, & butter. Sprinkle over pie. Bake 10 minutes longer or until knife comes out clean. Cool on rack 2 hours. Serve with cream.

Michele

Chicken Pot Pie

1 pkg. (10 ounces) frozen peas & carrots

2 potatos cooked & chopped

1/3 c. butter

1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano

1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth

2/3 c. milk

2 1/2 c. -3 c. chicken or turkey cooked & chopped

Pastry for two 9-in. pie crust (recipe to follow)

1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, onion, and seasonings. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth & milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil & stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken & veggies. Remove from heat.

2. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

3. Make pastry. Roll two-thirds of the pastry into 9 in. circle. Ease into ungreased pan. Pour chicken mixture into pasty-lined pan.

4. Roll remaining pasty into circle. Cut out designs with 1 inch cookie cutter. Place over chicken mixture. Arrange cutouts on pastry. Turn edges under and flute.

5. Bake about 35 minutes until golden brown.

Michele

Two-Crust Pie Pastry

2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2/3 c. + 2 tbls. shortening or softened butter

4-5 tbls. cold water

1. Mix flour & salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using tow knives or a pastry cutter, until particles are sixe of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water until all flour is moistened & pastry almost leaves side of bowl. (1-2 tsp. of water can be added if needed.)

2. Gather pastry into a ball. Divide dough in half. Shape into flattened round on slightly floured surface. Can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refigerated for 1/2 an hour to firm it up if desired.

3. Roll pastry on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 in. larger than upside-down pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths & place in pie plate. Unfold and press firmly against the bottom & side (do not strecth).

4. Bake as directed by instructions of pie recipe!

Michele Peterson