You Don't Know Unless You Try It

This is not a recipe - well, there is a recipe to the above picture, but I am not sharing it...believe me, you don't want it! :-) I was just adding a few posts and thinking how the awesome thing about recipe blogs is that they give you a chance to see things you may want to try. I have tried many recipes off of blogs that we have loved and some that we have hated...however, they all get me thinking and they have given variety to my family meals and treats.

I took a picture of this before we ate it in case it was wonderful and I could post it for all of you. I don't think this tasted awful, but the fact that curry filled my entire house and seeped through all of our clothes for the next 3 days, made this a definite NO on our votes as whether to keep this recipe or not.

Here's hoping that this blog gives you a few recipes that you love and ones that you can add to your recipe book!

Blueberry Crumb Cake

I am laughing that Mauri's post on "Breakfast Cake" has a picture that very much looks like the picture I am posting for this recipe. Not the same recipe, but just as awesome!

Blueberry Crumb Cake

(Barefoot Contessa)

Streusel:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/3 cups flour

Cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2/3 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:

Combine the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:

Cream the butter and sugar on high for 4-5 minutes, until light. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. IN a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sur the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, cruble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Pavlova

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...Oi, Oi, Oi!!

For those of you that don't know, my husband's work took our family to Australia for two years. Moving back to the states, we left behind many great friends and places, but we did take away a love for that country...and for their desserts! This one here happens to be my favorite.

Pavlova is a meringue base that is crunchy on the outside and marshmallow like on the inside. Top that with whipping cream and your choice of fruit and you have found heaven on earth. People at Brian's old job believed there was heroin in this because they couldn't stop eating it.

Pavlova

5 egg whites

scant teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pinch salt

Combine and beat 5 minutes with mixer.

Add 1 1/8 cups sugar

Beat 5 more minutes

Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread mixture on parchment in circle, making the center slightly thinner than the outside.

Put pan on BOTTOM shelf of oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 275. Cook for 1 hour. Let cool completely.

Spread with whipping cream that has been slightly sweetened...base is sweet enough that cream doesn't need to be overly sweet. Top with fruit. My favorite combo is strawberries and kiwi...and even better if drizzled with passion fruit.

Oatmeal Brownies

I have never claimed to be a photographer, and I don't think the picture does this yummy treat justice. (It actually looks really cool in the pan before it is cut, but I didn't get a picture of it this time.) However, I will claim to know when a dessert is yummy, and this one is!

Oatmeal Brownies

1 cup (2 cubes) margarine - softened

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick oats

2 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and add them to butter and sugar mixture.

Spread 2/3 oatmeal mixture on bottom of greased 10x15x1 inch pan (pan size is important!) Spread filling over top. Dab the rest of the oatmeal mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Filling

1- 12 oz. package chocolate chips---melt and then add:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter (or margarine)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Easy Caramel Fruit Dip

Super easy and deliciously yummy....this fruit dip is perfect for fall. Our favorite is dipping apples, but any fruit will do! Note: For variation, leave out the chocolate chips, toffee chips or both.

Easy Caramel Fruit Dip

1 package cream cheese (8oz), softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

handful of toffee chips or chocolate covered toffee chips

handful of mini chocolate chips, optional

Mix together with electric mixer and enjoy!

Poppy Seed Chicken

This is a great meal to take into another family or serve when you have guests. It is especially yummy with some sort of chicken rice (We like Rice-A-Roni Mushroom Chicken) side, corn on the cob and a fruit salad...

Poppy Seed Chicken

4-6 cups cooked chicken (about 4 breasts)

Put in 9X13 pan.

Mix:

2 cans Cream of Chicken soup

1/2 cup ( 1 cube) butter

12 oz sour cream (1 1/2 cups)

Pour over chicken.

Crush 2 rolls Ritz or Town House crackers and mix with 1/4 cup melted butter and 1 Tbsp poppy seeds. Spread on top of chicken mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Breakfast Cake

This has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. In fact, it was the recipe I submitted to my Kindergarten class cookbook. And now it is a favorite among my children. Quick and easy, we always have the ingredients on hand...It makes a mundane morning something a little special...

Breakfast Cake

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Filling:

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp flour

1 Tbsp melted butter

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

Mix batter in given order and pour half into a greased 9X13 pan. Mix filling and sprinkle half over batter in pan. Pour in remaining batter and top with last of filling. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Terrific with eggs and bacon.