BETTE'S CHERRY CHEESECAKE

CRUST

 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted

FILLING

3 eggs

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

 1 cup sugar

 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 1 teaspoon almond extract

 3 cups sour cream

 1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half

 Preheat the oven to 375*F

In a bowl, mix together all the crust ingredients, then press mixture on the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, salt, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth. Blend in the sour cream. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. 

 Top with cherries, then chill for 3 hours, and ENJOY

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter      
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup sugar 
• 3 egg yolks 
• 1/2 cup cornstarch 
• 1 cup flour 
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 
• 2 cups fresh New Jersey Blueberries 
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Use an electric mixer, combine the butter, vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, flour, and baking powder. When well blended, press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a greased 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan. 

In a large bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon until the fruit is well coated. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Serve hot or cold. 

  PEACH COBBLER

Ingredients: 

 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted

· 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

· 1 cup all-purpose flour

· 2 teaspoons baking powder

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1 cup milk

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 3 to 4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced

· 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°. 

Pour melted butter into a 2-quart baking dish (11x7 or 8-inch square). In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to blend. Stir in the milk and vanilla until blended. Pour the batter over the melted butter. Toss the peaches with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Arrange the peach slices over the batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. The top will be browned and the cake will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Serve warm with a little heavy cream, whipped topping, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Serves 6.

• Prep Time
  15 minutes
• Cook Time
  45 minutes
• Ready In
  1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cubed cantaloupe
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cantaloupe, lemon juice, sugar, flour, 2 tablespoons melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. 
3. Transfer to a 9 inch square baking dish, and spread the dry cake mix evenly over the top. 
4. Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the cake mix.
5. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown.

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• 4 cups fresh blackberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°. Place blackberries in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish; sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over fruit. Drizzle melted butter over topping. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh mint sprig, if desired.

Step 2

For a neat presentation, bake for the same amount of time in 6 (8-oz.) ramekins on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Serve this cobbler after your guests enjoy a simple, but impressive summer barbecue. This dish is vibrant and sweet. It would also be a perfect dessert for your Memorial Day barbecue.

This is a dish the entire family will enjoy. Swap out the blackberries for strawberries or peaches, if you please.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup butter or margarine 

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved ( or fresh pineapple)

1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained 

1 box yellow cake mix 

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar. 

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes

1 Pint Grape Tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil


red wine vinegar or balsamic to taste


3 tablespoons chopped basil


2 cloves garlic finely chopped


2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley


1 small red onion, finely chopped


1/2 teaspoon salt


1/2 teaspoon pepper


2 teaspoons dried oregano

 
Cut tomatoes in half and place in a salad bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss well.  Toss again right before serving.

  EASTER RICOTTA PIE

Filling

6 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese

1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, or to taste (optional)

 Pie crust (1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts)

(Cut one sheet into strips)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat the 6 eggs, 1 cup sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract    together.
2. Stir in the ricotta cheese and the chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. Preheat  oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two deep-dish pie plates.
4. Pour the ricotta filling evenly into the pie crust. Top pie with 8 narrow strips  of dough or cookie cut-outs - weave style. Brush top of pie with milk for shine if desired. 
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Rotate pie on the rack so it will  bake evenly. Continue to bake until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool completely on wire rack.      Refrigerate until serving.

Pop's Escarole Salad

My father didn't get really interested in cooking until he was a bit older and wanted to re-create some of the dishes my mother used to make. He made an escarole salad based on my mother's method, and it's excellent. Just use the yellow-white leaves at the center, which are a bit bitter but very tender. Put them in a bowl, squeeze a little lemon juice over them, add some onions, a little olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. It's simple, and just as good as it is easy.

 Bette's Artichokes

4 medium-sized artichokes

 2 cups breadcrumbs 

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

1 tablespoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 

¼ cup water

3/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

Rinse the artichokes well, remove the small outer leaves from the bottom row around artichoke, cut off the stem and slice about 1 inch off of the top. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and pepper. Add the melted butter, water and oil and mix well.  If needed, add more water or oil to make stuffing very moist.Turn the artichokes upside down and press firmly to spread the leaves. Turn right side up and stand the artichokes in a large pot with about 1 ½ inches of water in the bottom. Cover and steam over medium-high heat about 20-25 minutes or until the artichokes are tender, checking the water level occasionally and adding more water as needed.  Stuff the breadcrumb mixture into the center and inside surrounding layers of leaves.  Put onto microwavable plate and microwave for approximately 3-4 minutes or before serving put into pan covered tightly with foil and place in 350° oven for approximately 20 minutes.   

 Bette's Roasted Grape Tomato 

Ingredients

2 pints grape tomatoes 

5 garlic cloves, chopped 

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon rosemary 

1 teaspoon oregano 

Eight slices of bruschetta 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. On a large baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with the garlic, crushed red pepper and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for about 20 minutes, until they burst and their skins begin to shrivel, stir once during roasting.

In a medium bowl, pour the remaining olive oil.  Add the rosemary and oregano with the olive oil. Add the tomatoes and their juices, stir gently and let stand for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.  Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, or until crisp. Spoon the tomatoes and juices over the bruschetta and sprinkle with salt before serving.

• ½ pound broccoli rabe 
• 1 small onion, diced 
• 1 garlic clove, diced 
• ¼  pound sausage, no casing 
• ½  pound ricotta cheese (whole milk) 
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated cheese 
• 1 egg
• 2 pie crusts for bottom and top
• 2 Tbsp olive oil 

Sauté garlic and oil until lightly browned and add broccoli rabe; sauté until tender. Strain the broccoli rabe and garlic mixture to remove the excess liquid. Chop the mixture finely, and set aside for later use. Cook the sausage meat and the diced onions until the mixture is fully cooked.  Drain the sausage mixture of any excess liquid.  Make sure the sausage and onion mixture is chopped, without any large pieces of meat. Add sausage mixture to the broccoli rabe mixture.  Blend well.  Next, add the ricotta, mozzarella, grated cheese and egg.   Stir until mixed well.  Add broccoli rabe and sausage mixture to the pie crust, and distribute evenly.  Add pie crust over the top.  Cut a vent hole in the center of the pie. Pinch the edges of the two crusts together. Brush the top of the pie and the edges with a beaten egg yolk.    Place pie on a cookie sheet, and bake at 375° for 45 minutes to an hour, or until golden brown. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving

• 2 pounds broccoli rabe (Approximately  2 Bunches)
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced      
• 1 pound sausage, hot or sweet 
• ½ teaspoon hot red crushed pepper      
• Salt & pepper to taste 
• Cooked pasta (optional) 

In a large frying pan, brown sausage. After sausage is cooked, cut into approximately 1/4" circular pieces and set aside. Cut off about 2 inches from the bottom stem of the broccoli rabe; rinse well and drain. In a large pot, put in broccoli rabe and add approximately 4 cups of water, cover and steam on medium-high until tender, stirring occasionally.  In colander, drain broccoli rabe and set aside. In the same empty pot put in oil and garlic and sauté garlic until lightly browned. Add broccoli rabe, sausage, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to the sautéed garlic and oil and stir together. If desired, place broccoli rabe over cooked pasta and serve.  

• 2 heads escarole 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 2 cans Cannellini beans 
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red crushed pepper   
• Salt & pepper to taste 

Cut bottom core off escarole and rinse leaves well.  In a large pot, put in escarole leaves and add 4 cups of water; steam until leaves are tender.  Drain in colander and set aside. Place olive oil and garlic in the same pot and sauté garlic until golden brown. Add escarole and the remaining ingredients into the pot and stir. Heat thoroughly 

• 2 heads broccoli, cut into small pieces 
• 1/2 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries      
• 1/2 small onion, red or white, diced     
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled     
• 3/4 cup of cashew nuts

• 1-1/4 cups mayonnaise 
• 3-4 tablespoons red wine or balsamic  vinegar     
• 1/3 cup sugar 

In a large bowl, mix together all the salad ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over broccoli and stir until well coated.  Chill and serve.