I made this stuff up! Cooking with Mimi

Marshmallows

Homemade marshmallows are definately worth the work. I used a recipe from foodnetwork.com and it was Alton Browns. We did an in between recipe and used a sheet pan but didn't spread it all the way out because we wanted not so big and not so small marshmallows. Tim called me crazy for making marshmallows but by the time we were done he was a believer! Yummy!!

Homemade Marshmallows

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Nonstick spray

Directions

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

For regular marshmallows:

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

For miniature marshmallows:

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Line 4 half sheet pans with parchment paper, spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray and dust with the confectioners' sugar mixture.

Scoop the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round piping tip. Pipe the mixture onto the prepared sheet pans lengthwise, leaving about 1-inch between each strip. Sprinkle the tops with enough of the remaining cornstarch and sugar mixture to lightly cover. Let the strips set for 4 hours or up to overnight.

Cut into 1/2 inch pieces using a pizza wheel or scissors dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining sugar mixture and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Pumpkin Roll

This was my Grandma Anderson's recipe and I can't believe I've never posted it before now.. She made it always for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And now looking back it makes me stop and think. Grandma was a diabetic and couldn't eat hardly any of what she baked but man could she bake. I miss her but making her recipes makes me feel a little closer to her. So enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Roll

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir in pumpkin puree, eggs. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread the mixture evenly.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes.
4. Lay a damp linen towel on the counter, sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar, and turn the cake onto the towel. Carefully roll the towel up (lengthwise) with the cake in it. Place the cake-in-towel on a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 minutes.
5. Make the icing: In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar with an electric mixer.
6. When the cake has cooled 40 minutes at least, unroll it and spread icing onto it. Immediately re-roll (not in the towel this time), and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep the cake refrigerated or freeze it for up to 6 months in plastic wrap. Cut the cake in slices just before serving.

Blackberry Cornmeal Cake

This was a recipe I found from Martha Stewart living. When Mom brought me those beautiful blackberries a few weeks ago I made this and it was really good. You could use blueberries also.

Blackberry Cornmeal Cake

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 cup for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon for skillet
• 2 containers fresh blackberries (5.6 ounces each)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter; pour over flour mixture, whisking to combine.

2. In a 10-inch skillet (preferably cast-iron), heat remaining tablespoon butter in the oven until melted and skillet is hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Pour batter into skillet; scatter blackberries on top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

3. Bake, with a baking sheet on rack below (to catch any drips), until top is evenly browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly, about 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen; cut into 8 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pineapple upside down cake

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

 

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 (20 ounce) cans sliced pineapple

6 maraschino cherries, cut in half lengthwise

1 (18 ounce) packages duncan hines supreme pineapple cake mix

1 (4 ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup pineapple juice, from canned pineapple with a bit of water added

1/2 cup canola oil

4 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt butter in a 9x13 pan in oven.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter in pan.
4. Drain canned pineapple into a measuring cup.
5. Place pineapple slices evenly in pan, cutting the last two in half to cover pan.
6. Place the maraschino cherry halves in the center of the pineapple slices, cut side up.
7. Combine the rest of ingredients in a large mixing bowl on slow speed for 30 seconds.
8. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
9. Pour batter into pan.
10. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin cheesecake

This was a recipe my cousin Jessica made several Thanksgivings ago. She used gingersnaps instead of graham crackers for the crust and it was so good. I used graham crackers this time around and it was still very yummy! We also added a bit of honey bourbon to the filling. Yum! 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs

5 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 Tbsp. sugar

Filling:

3- 8oz.pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

Whipped Cream

Mix crust ingredients together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake for 5 min. at 350. Set aside.

Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, mix until smooth with an electric mixer. add pumpkin eggs, and spices, beat till smooth and creamy. Pour into the crust. Bake for 60-70 min. or till the top turns a bit darker. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate. After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

Easy Peach Tart

I had a bunch of fresh peaches and didn't want to go to the trouble making a pie but this is like the lazy girls pie with minimal work. I added blueberries to it also because I had them. This was delicious with vanilla ice cream!

Easy Peach Tart

4 cups frozen peaches, mostly thawed, or use fresh ones like I did!

1 frozen pie crusts , thawed, rolled out

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons flour

2 -4 teaspoons lemon juice or 2 teaspoons rum or amaretto

2 ounces milk

1/4 cup quick oats

parchment paper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place pie crust on a parment paper lined cookie sheet.
3. Put the remaining ingredients, except the milk, into a large zip-close bag and shake until peaches are coated.
4. "Dump" peach mixture into a mount in the center of the crust and "pat down" so the peaches are about 1 inch from the sides.
5. Fold the lip of the pie crust over the edge of the peaches.
6. Coat the edge of the crust with milk.
7. Bake 35 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and crust is golden brown.
8. Allow to set before serving.
9. (If your crust bakes faster than your peaches, just cover the it with some foil.).

Miranda's Reeses Chocolate Pudding Surprise

This is my friend Miranda's recipe that she made for the party a couple weeks ago. It was so yummy, she shared the recipe with me. Enjoy!

Reeses Chocolate Pudding Surprise

1st Layer Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• 1 cup peanut butter (melted)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 pkg graham crackers crushed

2nd layer

Beat until creamy:

• 8oz cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 of a 16 oz carton cool whip

3rd layer Pudding

• Mix 2 (3oz) pkg instant pudding and 3 cups milk

4th layer top with remaining cool whip

Here's Miranda's notes on this:

"I like a thicker crust so I add 2-3 extra graham crackers. I prefer using Skippy Natural Peanut Butter with honey and use the top half with all the oil in it."

Yum! Thanks Miranda!

Fluffernutter Cookies

This recipe intrigued me, only 3 ingredients how could they turn out ok? Well they did and Benjamin loved them. Madeline even tried one even with her issues with peanut butter. She said they were good.
Fluffernutter Cookies

1 Cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 cup marshmallow cream

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl mix the peanut butter and egg until well combined with a spoon.  Slowly stir in the marshmallow cream until just combined.  You want to see the marshmallow cream not fully incorporated, almost like swirled through.  With a small-medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until baked through.  Let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.  Definitely grab some milk with these bad boys and Enjoy!!

Frosted Zucchini Brownies

I know there's been a lot of zucchini recipes lately but my garden is producing like nothing else. If the last two weeks is any indication I'll be making tons of zucchini bread and now these brownies. They are by far my favorite recipe for the zucchini this far. I was doubtful because there were no eggs in the recie but these turned out moist and delicious. The kids love them. Of course I just call them brownies around them otherwise they won't touch them. Good stuff!

Frosted Zucchini Brownies

• 2 cups zucchini, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Combine zucchini, sugar and oil. Add dry ingredients (sifted together if you'd like) and mix well.
2. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.
3. Cool 30 minutes.
4. For frosting, melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat.
5. Stir in sugar and milk, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
6. Boil and stir 1 minute, then remove from heat.
7. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows until melted.
8. Add vanilla and quickly spread over brownies.
9. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired

Berry Cobbler

Not a great picture because this cobbler got devoured before I could get a good photo. So if that's any indication of what a good recipe this is than you'll want to make it for  sure! You could use whatever kind of berries you like I used a mixture of fresh blackberries and blueberries. I halfed the topping mixture and it was enough to cover it. I also put some quick oats in place of some of the nuts and it was yummy. Put a baking pan under this 13x9 to save yourself of cleaning the oven later!

Berry Cobbler

 

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

1 (24 ounce) blackberries (fresh or frozen)

1 1/4 cups sugar

Topping

• 3 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup butter

Directions

1. Melt 1/2 c butter in 9 x 13" glass dish.
2. Mix together 1 1/2 c sugar, flour& baking powder.
3. Add milk& lightly whisk.
4. Pour batter on top of melted butter in baking dish.
5. On med. heat, cook the blackberries and 1 1/4 c sugar until mixture begins to boil.
6. Add blackberries to top of batter and bake in 350 deg preheated oven until batter begins to brown (approx. 20 mins) Cover with as much brown sugar topping as desired. (This recipe may be enough topping for 2 cobblers, according to taste) Bake until topping begins to brown, approx. 10 mins.
7. Cool and top with vanilla ice cream.