This sauce is just delightful-the picture not so much.  Photographing fast melting ice cream is probably not the best choice with a hungry baby on hand.  Regardless of the photo, this is still a must try simple treat.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon butter

- 1 cup blackberries

- 1 cup raspberries

- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds

- ¼ cup dried blueberries

- ¼ cup ruby port

- ¼ cup half and half

- ½ cup sugar

- ¼ cup St. Andre Cheese

- 1 tablespoon flour

Instructions:

Melt butter over medium heat in a medium size sauce pan.  Add the berries and port and cook for 5 minutes or until the berries have loosened.  Stir in the half and half, sugar and cheese.  Whisk in the flour and continue to stir until slightly thickened and the cheese is fully melted into the sauce.  Serve immediately over ice cream or refrigerate for up to a week.

“An apple a day….,” probably does not pertain to these apples, but if you are looking to indulge in a seasonal treat these are just what the doctor ordered.

Serves 6

Ingredients

- 6 washed apples

-12 wooden skewers cut to 8” long

- 2 14 ounce bags of caramel

- 4 cups milk or white chocolate

- 2 cups Reese’s Pieces

Instructions:

Push two skewers side by side through the base of the apple and into the apples core.  Be certain not to push the skewers all the way through the apple. 

Combine the caramel and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir with a fork until the caramel is completely melted.  Holding the saucepan at an angle, dip the apples into the caramel and spin around on the skewer until evenly coated.  Let the residual caramel drip back into the pan.  Place the apples on a plate with the skewers facing up.  Refrigerate for one hour.

Remove the apples from the fridge.  Melt the chocolate in a microwave.  Dip the apples in the chocolate, spinning the apples on the skewer until they are fully coated.   Let cool for 10 minutes then push the Reese’s Pieces into the chocolate coating.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.   Wrap the skewers with decorative ribbon for a little extra seasonal flair.

These cupcakes are pure decadence.  I am now fully convinced that all chocolate cupcakes require a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients:

Cake

- 3 egg whites

- 2 cups white sugar

- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature

- 2 egg yolks

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1 teaspoon orange zest

- 1 cup low fat buttermilk

- 2 cups flour

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- ½ teaspoon salt

- 2/3 cup cocoa powder

Frosting

- ½ stick butter

- 1 cup heavy whipping cream

- 1 cup dark chocolate chips

- 1 cup powdered sugar

- ¼ cup Cointreau

Whipped Cream

- 1 cup heavy cream

- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Start with the cake mix.  Beat the egg whites in a standing mixer until stiff peaks form.  Transfer the egg whites to a separate bowl and set aside.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder in a large bowl and set aside as well.

Cream the sugar and butter on medium speed in the bowl of a standing mixer fixed with a batter attachment.  Add the egg yolks, vanilla, orange zest and buttermilk and continue to mix until smooth.  Slowly add the flour mixture until well incorporated.  Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and gently fold in the egg whites.   Fill cupcakes holders half way with the batter and place in a cupcake pan. Transfer the pan to the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean.  Remove the cupcakes from the oven and from the pan and let cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling make the frosting.  Melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan.  Stir in the cream and bring to a slight simmer.  Stir in the chocolate and continue to stir until fully melted and incorporated into the cream.  Add the sugar and Cointreau and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from the heat.  Let cool for 10 minutes before using a spoon or an icing knife to evenly layer the frosting on top of the cupcakes. 

Right before serving the cupcakes make the whipped cream.  Whip the cream on high in a standing mixer until peaks form.  Fold in the sugar and place a dollop onto each cupcake.  

We are frequent visitors of Scooter’s Frozen Custard shop.  I would categorize it as the number one treat spot in Chicago. Yesterday I was on the cusp of making my sister-in-law’s to die for sugar cookies when I decided to combine my favorite frozen treat with my favorite cookies into a pie.  So, I visited Scooter’s yesterday afternoon and stocked up on a few pints.  The visual was slightly unfortunate- a clearly pregnant woman standing in line with both arms filled with pints of frozen custard.  My excuse- Scooters is closed during the winter so I needed enough to sustain us through those sad months and of course to make this pie.   If you are not as lucky as us Chicagoans to have Scooter’s, feel free to use your favorite ice cream as a substitute.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

- 2 cups all purpose flour

- ¼ teaspoon salt

- 1.5 sticks room temperature butter

- ¾ cup sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 4 cups vanilla custard or vanilla ice cream

- 1 cup fresh blueberries or your seasonal favorite

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine the flour and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed in a standing mixer fixed with a batter attachment.  Add the egg and vanilla and continue to mix.  Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until smooth.  Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper and roll into a smooth ball.  Wrap the dough with the wax paper and refrigerate for one hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 325°. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out to ¼” thickness on a floured surface.  Carefully transfer the dough to a pie dish. Trim away the dough that is hanging over the edges so that the dough is flush with the edges of the pan.  Evenly distribute a handful of baking weights on top of the crust.   Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool for 30 minutes.  Roll out the excess dough and cut with cookie cutters.  Bake for 12 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Remove the custard or ice cream from the freezer and let melt just enough so that you are able to easily mix it with the berries.   Spoon the custard mixture into the pie crust.  Smooth out so that the filling is flush with the edges of the crust.  Cover with cellophane and place in the freezer.  Freeze for two hours before slicing and serving.  

We had these as a mid-hike snack in Glacier Park yesterday.  A curious and hungry marmot almost nabbed the cookies mid photo shoot and I can’t say that I would have blamed the little guy.  These cookies are entirely the result of a little bit of this and a little bit of that from the pantry and they are just splendid.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature

- ¾ cup white sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1 egg

- 2 tablespoons milk

- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

- 1 cup grated carrot

- ¼ cup raisins

- ¾ cup peanut butter

- 2 cups flour

- ½ teaspoon baking powder

-1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer on medium speed.  Add the egg, vanilla, milk and cream and mix until smooth.  Slowly add the flour mixture until well incorporated.  Remove the bowl from the stand and fold in the peanut butter, carrots and raisins.

Drop dough by tablespoons and evenly spaced 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet.   Bake for 16-18 minutes.  Remove from the oven and transfer to cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving.  

Ginger snaps with vanilla ice cream were my grandmother, Gertrude’s, favorite treat.  I will always remember my mother buying the two in preparation for Gert’s visits from Connecticut.  Gertrude, or Trudy as she insisted to be called in her later years, would sit quietly in my parent’s living room with her rosary in hand and a plate of ginger snap ice cream sandwiches sitting nearby.  The old gal, as my father referred to his mother-in-law, knew her desserts as these are fantastic.

Makes 12 sandwiches

Ingredients:

- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

- ¼ cup molasses

- 1 egg

- ¾ cup white sugar, plus extra for dusting

- ¼ cup brown sugar

- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

- ¾ teaspoon freshly grated ginger

- 2 cups flour

- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger

- ½ teaspoon baking soda

- ¼ teaspoon salt

- 1.5 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Instructions:

In a large bowl mix together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set adside.

In a standing mixer fitted with a batter attachment cream the butter and sugars on medium speed.  Add the egg, molasses, vanilla and grated ginger and mix for 2 minutes.  Slowly add the flour mixture and continue to mix until smooth.  Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before use.

Pre-heat oven to 375°. 

Roll dough into golf ball size balls and gently press into 3/4” disks with the palm of your hand.  Place on a buttered cookie sheet with 3 inches between each cookie.  Bake for 12 minutes and transfer cookies to a wire rack.  Cool for 15 minutes before assembling the sandwiches by placing ¼ cup ice cream between two cookies.  Serve immediately or wrap and freeze for later use.

My return to Chicago from Montana last week marked the end of “the girls,” our dogs, summer vacation at the lake. The sight of suitcases, the packing of one Golden retriever’s beloved sock monkey and the general commotion before departure tipped them off that their days of leisurely swims, deer chasing and rides on the boat were numbered.   Since our homecoming the girls have been on their worst behavior.  Whatever room I am in Madison positions herself in a corner with her back facing me.  Occasionally and only after I beg for her attention, she will turn to glare at me  before returning to her sulking.  Ellie has expressed her anger in more passive aggressive ways- peeing on the stairs, tearing apart her favorite toy and as evidence by these pictures, holding little back when she wants food.  Despite their abysmal behavior, I cannot blame them for missing Montana and I certainly cannot blame Ellie for wanting a bite of this pie.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Crust

- 3 cups all purpose flour plus extra for rolling

- ¼ cup instant non-fat dry milk

- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

- ¼ teaspoon salt

- 2.5 sticks unsalted butter t room temperature

- 5 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling

- 4 cups tart cherries, pitted

- 4 tablespoons corn starch

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- ¼ cup brown sugar

- 3 tablespoons water

Whipped Cream

- 2 cups heavy whipping cream

- 1 vanilla bean

- 4 bags lemon tea

- 2 tablespoons confectioner sugar

Instructions:

Start with the crust.  Combine the flour, dried milk, sugar and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fixed with a dough attachment.  Mix on medium speed and add the butter one tablespoon at a time.  Continue to mix and add the water one tablespoon at a time until a smooth dough forms.  Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap with wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

Pre-heat the oven to 425°.

Roll the dough out to ¼” thickness on a well floured surface.  Transfer the dough to a pie pan.  Cut off the residual dough that hangs off the pan so that the dough is flush with the pans edges.  Use the reaming dough to form a braid for decoration along the rim of the pan.  To make the braid roll two golf ball size pieces of dough into a ball and then roll the balls out into long cylindrical strands.  Braid the two strands together and fix to the edge of the crust by gently pressing the braid and the edges of the crust together.

For the filling, combine the cherries and sugars in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and water and then pour over the cherries.  Mix the ingredients together and pour into the pie shell.  Transfer the pie to the oven at cook for 30 minutes at 425°.  Reduce the heat to 350°, cover the pie with tin foil and continue to cook for 45 minutes to an hour.  The pie will be cooked to perfection once the cherry mixture has become more gelatinous than fluid.  If you wiggle the pie from side to side the cherries should stay fixed in place.    Remove the pie and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

While the pie is cooking, heat the whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a slight simmer.  Cut a slit down the length of the vanilla bean and add the black seeds to the cream.  Remove the cream from the heat and add the tea bags.  Let the tea steep for 5 minutes before removing the bags and squeezing out the excess flavor with the back of a spoon.   Refrigerate the cream for 20 minutes or until chilled.  Pour the cream into a standing mixing bowl fixed with a whisk attachment.  Add the confectioner sugar and mix on high until stiff peaks form in the cream – about 4 minutes.  Top the pie with a dollop of the cream and enjoy!

Sunburns, an accidental and fully clothed fall into a glacial cold lake, a small town parade, two husbands performing an impromptu dance routine with sparklers in the dark of the night and good laughs with friends and family – this pretty much summed up our holiday at the lake in Montana.  Our days of activity and ridiculousness left us all exhausted and hungry.  Our meals were simple, fresh and a true group effort.  Grilled peaches were an easy and delicious side dish that accompanied barbecued ribs.  They were so good that I revisited them tonight for dessert as an ice cream topping.  10 minutes of preparation and a perfect end to a memorable holiday weekend.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

- 6 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced to 1/4” thickness

- 2 teaspoons sugar

- 2 pints vanilla ice cream

Instructions:

Pre-heat grill for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Sprinkle the peach slices with the sugar and place on the grill.   Grill for 5 minutes per side or until you have nice dark grill lines on each side.  Assemble bowls of ice cream and top with the warm peaches.  Serve immediately.

The local ice cream truck drove past my house yesterday when I was out watering my flowers and I immediately had an itch for a fruity and cold treat. Fortunately, my kitchen was stocked with all the ingredients I needed to create this easy, healthy and delicious recipe.   I chose not to freeze the entire batch of yogurt into popsicles and had the remainder on granola this morning for breakfast which was also delightful.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

- 3 cups fresh berries (I made a batch of raspberry, blackberry and blueberry)

- 6 tablespoons water

- ¾ cup sugar

- 3 cups 2% Greek yogurt

-  ¾ cup half and half

- 3 tablespoons honey

- 2 vanilla beans

Instructions:

Place washed and berries in a medium sized saucepan over medium- high heat.  Sir in the water and sugar and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until the berries have broken apart and begin to thicken into a sauce- this takes about 5 minutes.  Remove the berries from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, half and half and honey in the bowl of a standing mixer.  Cut a slit down the length of the vanilla beans and remove the seeds from the interior with a spoon.  Add the vanilla seeds to the mixing bowl along with the cooled berries.  Mix on low speed until the berries are well incorporated into the yogurt.   Spoon this mixture into your popsicle mold.  Place the popsicle sticks into the center of each popsicle mold and transfer to the freezer.  Freeze for 2-3 hours before serving.