Banana Bread

Makes: 1 loaf

1/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup ripe bananas (mashed)

2 T. milk

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all the wet ingredients, add the dry and mix that thoroughly. Grease loaf pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes (or till toothpick comes out clean).

notes: I measure my bananas first so I know how many loaves to make. As a general guideline, 2 bananas=1 cup. Also, I top it with butter when it is hot out of the oven. Let it sit about 10 minutes then cut around the edges so it comes out of the pan easier.

Cherry Vanilla Cheese Pie

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup cold water
1 (4 oz.) pk.instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping cream, whipped
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling, chilled
graham cracker crust

*In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. On low speed, beat in water and pudding mix until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread half of the mixture into prepared graham cracker crust and top with cherries. Chill 2 hours.

Pavlova

3 large egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3 kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 pint fresh raspberries Powdered sugar, for decorating
Line a jelly roll pan with buttered parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. Gradually add the sugar, beating constantly, until stiff peaks start to form. Fold in the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla and beat just until stiff peaks form. Spread on the prepared pan into a round about 8-inches in diameter. Bake for 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the pavlova cool and set without opening the door, about 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and invert the meringue onto a work surface. Peel the parchment from the bottom and place on a large cake plate or platter. In a bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks start to form. Add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks start to form. Spread the whipped cream over the meringue and decoratively arrange the kiwis and raspberries over the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Sweetened Whipped Cream: 1 cup cold heavy cream 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!
Yield: 1 cup
For sweetened berries-cut up fresh strawberries and add 2 TBSP of sugar. Mix. Then add raspberries last minute. Serve.

Minty Wishes

1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) plus 6 TBS butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1 TBS plus 1 tsp water
1 tsp mint extract
4 drops green food color
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 baking pan
2. Place 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in large microwave- safe bowl; cover. Microwave for two minutes or until melted. Stir in granulated sugar and vanilla. Add eggs; beat well. Add cocoa, four, and baking powder; beat until well blended. Pour batter into pan.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in pan or wire rack.
4. Prepare mint cream center by combining powdered sugar, 1/2 (1 stick) butter, water, mint extract and food coloring. Beat until smooth. Spread evenly on brownie. Cover; refrigerate until cold.
5. Prepare chocolate glaze by placing remaining 6 TBS butter and chocolate chips in small microwave safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute or until mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly; pour over chilled dessert. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert.

Makes 24 servings

Caramel Apple Pizza

1 pkg. 18 oz. refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened

Grease & flour 15" pizza pan. (I use pizza stone) Preheat oven to 350*. Shape dough into a ball. Place dough in center of pizza pan & flatten slightly with palm of hand. Roll out dough to a 14" circle, about 1/4 inch thick. (It will stretch as it bakes.) Bake 16-18 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool completely.

1 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine & mix well. Spread mixture evenly over top of cookie.

2 med. Granny Smith apples

ground cinnamon

1/2 cup Litehouse Caramel Dip

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

Peel, core & slice apples very thin. Dip apples in lemon lime soda, or lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange apples over cream cheese mixture, sprinkle with cinnamon. To heat caramel topping, microwave on high 30 seconds, or until warm. Drizzle over apples. Chop peanuts and sprinkle over apples.

Notes: I don't add the nuts.

Carmel Apple Cake

4 medium diced apples (don't need to peel)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 cup nuts
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
carmel ice cream topping

Mix apples and sugar. Add eggs, oil, nuts, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Bake in 9x13" greased, floured pan at 350* for 1 hour. While cooling, punch top of cake with fork and pour carmel topping over cake. Frost with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat until fluffy. Frost cake!

Chipolte Cream Cheese Dip

1 8 oz. cream cheese

chipolte sauce (from Costco)

peanut butter & jelly

nuts

Add desired peanut butter and jelly to chipolte sauce, to tone down the spicy taste. Pour chipolte sauce over cream cheese. Top with nuts. Serve with crackers.

Club House Squares

2 packages (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. dried dill
1/2 cucumber, sliced thin
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

*Preheat oven to 375° F.
Unroll one package of crescent rolls across one end of the bar pan with longest sides of dough across the width of the pan. Repeat with other package. Press seams together. Bake 12-15 minutes, till golden, then remove to cooling rack and cool completely.
Mix mayonnaise, cream cheese and dill until smooth. Spread over crust. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over cream cheese. Cut and serve.

Black Bean Hummus

2 cloves garlic
1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained with liquid reserved
juice from 1 lemon
1 1/2 T tahini (you may substitute peanut butter, or leave out all together)
3/4 t ground cumin
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t paprika

Mince garlic in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth, adding reserved liquid from beans if necessary. Serve with pita slices or corn chips.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

2 lbs tomatoes, cut in half and seeded
3T. olive oil (can use less)
1 cup chopped onion
2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (or 2 jalapenos), chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 t. chili powder
2 T. red-wine vinegar
(1.5 t. hot pepper sauce if you don’t use chipotles in adobo)
1 teaspoons salt (more/less to taste)
Tortilla chips for scooping.
Place tomatoes cut side down on a broiler pan rack. Place in hot broiler until blackened, from 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and coarsely chop. Heat half of oil in a skillet and saute onions, garlic, (and jalapenos if you are using them) until brown. Add chili powder and sauté a bit more. Transfer the onion mixture and tomatoes to a blender with chipotle chilis and puree. Mix in remaining oil, vinegar, (hot sauce), and salt. For the best flavor refrigerate a few hours before serving. This can be frozen, but will lose some heat so refresh with another chopped chipotle chili in adobo or with hot sauce.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 cup parmesan cheese

1cup mayonnaise

1 large can diced chilies

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and diced

Mix together and place in small casserole dish. Bake at 325° until bubbly-approximately 25 minutes. Serve with bread, or tortilla chips.

*Recipe from: Jen Christensen

Calendar

Every Third Wednesday @ 6:30 pm

January 23
Theme: Appetizer
Host: Gina

February 20
Theme: Dessert
Host: Julie

March 19
Theme: Bread, rolls, etc.
Host: Annette

April 16
Theme: Pasta
Host: Valerie

May 21
Theme: Main Dish
Host: Shanelle

June 18
Theme: Grilling ?(we need to figure out how to do this or change the theme?)
Host:

July 16
Theme: Salad
Host: Sheila

August 20
Theme: Breakfast
Host:

September 17
Theme: Soup
Host: Sarah

October 15
Theme: Pumpkin
Host: Lisa

November 19
Theme: Crockpot
Host: Shawna

December 17
? take the month off?
We can decide later

An invitation

Mountain Point 3rd relief society sisters will use this blog to post and share favorite recipes. The recipe exchange will take place every 3rd Wednesday of the month. The next recipe exchange will take place on Wednesday, February 20th. Bring your favorite dessert to share as well as the recipe to Julie's house at 6:30 p.m.