Frosty Pink Lemonade

5 – 6 servings

1 C sugar
1 C lemon juice
1 tray ice cubes (approximately 12)
2 1/2 C cold water
1 lemon, sliced thinly
Few drops of red food coloring
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In large glass pitcher, combine sugar and lemon juice; stir with long-handled spoon till sugar dissolves. Add ice cubes, cold water and lemon slices; stir briskly till pitcher is frosty. Stir in enough food coloring to make lemonade pink.

Peppermint Meltaways

Prep time: 45 minutes
Chill time: 30 – 60 minutes
Bake time: 12 minutes per pan
Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Cookies:
1 C butter, softened
1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 t peppermint extract
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C corn starch
Glaze:
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 T butter, softened
1/4 t peppermint extract
1 to 2 T milk
2 to 3 drops red food color, if desired
Candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed
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Combine butter, powdered sugar and 1/2 t peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (30 to 60 minutes).

Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1″ balls. Place 2″ apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. To make glaze, combine powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl. Stir in food color, if desired. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy.

Deep Dish Cherry Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 1 pie

2 cans (14.5 oz each) tart red cherries
1/4 C cornstarch
1/2 C sugar
1 t grated lemon peel
1/4 t salt
1 C light corn syrup
1 T butter, melted
1/2 t almond extract
4 drops red food coloring
2 (9″) unbaked pie crusts
Vanilla ice cream, optional
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drain cherries and reserve juice. Combine 1/2 C cherry juice with cornstarch. Add sugar, lemon peel, salt, corn syrup, butter, almond extract and food coloring; stir until combined. Stir in cherries.

Place one crust in pie pan. Pour in filling. Place remaining pie crust over filling. Flute edges and cut slits in top crust. Bake for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 40 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

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.

Strawberry Layer Cake

Cake:
1 1/4 C sliced strawberries
10 oz all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 C)
2 1/4 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 C buttermilk
1/4 t red food coloring
Cooking spray

Frosting:
3 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/3 C butter, softened
2 T fresh orange juice
3 C powdered sugar
12 whole strawberries (optional)
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare cake, place sliced strawberries in a food processor; process until smooth.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and /2 C butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg whites. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add pureed strawberries and food coloring; beat just until blended.

4. Divide batter between 2 (8″) round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

5. To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 1/3 C butter and orange juice in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat just until blended.

6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 C frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Cut 1 whole strawberry into thin slices, cutting to, but not through, the stem end. Fan strawberry on top of cake just before serving. Cut remaining 11 strawberries in half. Garnish cake with strawberry halves. Yield: 16 servings.

Easy Petits Fours

Cut frozen pound cake into 1-inch cubes. Spoon canned frosting into a bowl; tint with gel food color as desired. Microwave frosting 10 to 15 seconds at a time until it’s the consistency of heavy cream. With a fork, slip each cube into frosting to coat (let drip into bowl; tap fork to remove excess). With a dull knife, slide frosted cake onto foil-lined baking sheet.

Decorate some with sprinkles. Using tube of decorating icing, pipe message on others.