Mixed-Berry Coffee Cake

Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:1 hr
makes:8 servings

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries or frozen berries (do not thaw)
1/4 cup low-fat granola, slightly crushed
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1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, mix brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and egg until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt just until moistened. Gently fold in half of the berries. Spoon into pan. Sprinkle with remaining berries and the granola.

3. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until golden brown and top springs back when touched in center. Cool in pan on cooling rack 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Fresh Apple Cake

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 2 hours 5 min
Makes: 20 servings

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups finely chopped unpeeled apples (3 medium)
1 cup chopped walnuts
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1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, beat sugars, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 20 to 30 seconds or until blended. Add all remaining ingredients except apples and walnuts; beat on low speed about 1 minute or until blended. Stir in apples and walnuts. Spread batter in pan.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack 1 hour.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Individual Rhubarb Cobblers

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves 4

FOR THE FILLING
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 drops red food coloring, optional
1 1/2 to 2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 4 cups)

FOR THE TOPPING
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar + more for the top
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
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1. Make the filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Add rhubarb and food coloring; toss to combine. Divide filling evenly among four 8-ounce custard cups (or one 2-quart baking dish); transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Make the topping and bake: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir just until a dough forms. Drop dough onto rhubarb, using about 1/3 cup dough for each custard cup. Sprinkle dough liberally with sugar. Bake until fruit is bubbling and biscuit topping is golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes; serve warm.

Freezer Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes approximately 72 cookies.

3/4 cups flour
3/4 whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
6-oz semisweet chocolate pieces
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Combine both flours and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add butter and shortening and beat for 30 seconds. Add both sugars, beat until mixture is fluffy.

Next, beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in oats and chocolate. Combine well, and roll into one inch balls. Place on wax paper lined cookie sheets. Flash freeze then transfer to a freezer bag.

To bake, preheat oven to 375F. Place frozen cookies (do NOT thaw) on cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Place cookies on cooling rack.

Apple-Cherry Crumble Bars

Makes 2 dozen

3 cups dried apples, about 7 ounces
3/4 cup dried cherries, about 4 1/2 ounces
1 3/4 cups apple cider
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for dish
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1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Simmer apples, cherries, and cider in a covered saucepan, stirring occasionally, until fruits are softened and plump, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. Let cool.

2. Coarsely chop fruit. Combine with 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and reserved cooking liquid.

3. Whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, salt, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until crumbs range in size from peas to gum balls. Press 4 cups of oat mixture into bottom of prepared dish. Spread fruit filling on top, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top.

4. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool in dish on a wire rack. Cut into 24 bars. Bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Whoopie Pies

Prep Time:10 min
Start to Finish:15 min
makes:16 servings

1 cup unbleached or all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg white
1/2 cup 1% milk
3/4 cup marshmallow creme
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1. Heat oven to 425°F.

2. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

3. In large bowl, beat sugar, margarine and egg white with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until fluffy. Stir in flour mixture. Stir in milk just until blended.

4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto large ungreased baking sheets to make 32 cookies. Bake 5 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

5. Place baking sheets on a rack to cool completely. Spoon about 2 teaspoons marshmallow crème on bottoms of 16 cookies. Top filled cookies with the remaining 16 cookies.

Apple Bran Muffins

mcintosh apple
Makes: 1 dozen
Total Time: 35 min

2 1/2 cups bran flakes, crushed
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium McIntosh apple, peeled and shredded
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In a large bowl, combine the cereal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, oil, syrup and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apple.

Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or use paper liners; fill three-fourths full with batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Apple Pie Muffins

Serves 12

1 C unbleached white flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 1/2 t baking soda
2 t apple pie spice
2 T ground flaxseed
2 eggs
1 C fat-free French vanilla yogurt
1/4 C butter, melted, cooled
1 C peeled, chopped apples
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1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flours, sugar, baking soda and apple pie spice. Stir in flaxseed.

2. In a separate bowl, stir together eggs, yogurt and butter. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir together. Stir in apples.

3. Divide the mixture among 12 nonstick or lightly greased muffin cups. Bake for 20 – 22 minutes.

Strawberry Shortcake

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
6 servings.

1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
1/4 C + 3 T sugar, divided
2 containers (6 oz each) fat-free Greek-style yogurt, divided
1 C + 2 T all-purpose flour
1/4 C + 2 T whole wheat flour
2 1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3 T chilled unsalted butter, cut in 1/4″ pieces
1/4 t vanilla extract
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1. Position rack in middle of oven and heat to 425 degrees. Toss strawberries with 3 T of the sugar in medium bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Whisk 1 container of the yogurt (3/4 C) and 1 T of the remaining sugar in small bowl. Cover and chill.

2. Whisk flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining 3 T sugar in large bowl while berries stand. Rub butter into flours with pastry cutter or fingertips to form a coarse meal. Add vanilla extract and remaining container of yogurt and mix well with fork (dough will be very shaggy). Press dough together with fingers until well combined. Pat out to a generous 1/2″ thick on lightly floured surface. Cut out 6 biscuits with a 3″ biscuit cutter, patting out scraps as necessary.

3. Put rounds on baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

4. Split warm biscuits in half with fork. For each serving, place bottom half on plate, add about 1/2 C of berries, top with other biscuit half, and dab a generous 2 T of yogurt on top.

Chipotle Peanut Brittle

Cooking spray
1 C sugar
1 C light corn syrup
1 T butter
11.5-oz container salted, dry-roasted peanuts
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t chipotle chile powder
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1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray.

2. Combine sugar, corn syrup and butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 18 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 275 degrees, stirring frequently. Add peanuts; cook 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 295 degrees, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda and chile powder. (The baking soda will cause the mixture to bubble and become opaque.)

3. Quickly pour mixture onto prepared pan; cover with a sheet of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, quickly roll mixture to an even thickness. Discard top parchment sheet. Cool mixture completely; break into pieces. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 28 servings of 1 oz each.

Variation: Substitute pecans or almonds for the peanuts if you prefer.

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