Haystack Cookies

I ran across a variety of recipes online for haystack cookies and couldn't help but wonder if my sister, Liddy, remembers just such a cookie from her childhood in Minnesota and Michigan (before I was merely a gleam in my mother's eye, as my late father used to say). Sure enough, she did. I think these no-bake goodies really took her back.

Haystack Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups rolled or instant oats
1 cup flaked coconut

Combine sugar, milk, butter, cocoa power and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate mixture has reached a rolling boil, cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove mixture from pan and stir in vanilla, oats and coconut. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment or wax paper, working quickly. Allow cookies to cool completely before serving.

Frozen Chocolate Mousse Pie

I must admit, I have a certain fondness for icebox pies. Perhaps it's my Mid-West roots or that that they recall a bygone era, when Jello salads were still a fixture at the dinner table. Whatever the reason, I'm sure your family will love this easy dessert, adapted from the folks who make sweetened condensed milk. Unless you like your pie achingly sweet, be sure to use good quality bittersweet chocolate chips. I've also opted for a crust made from chocolate Teddy Grahams, rather than Oreos, but the choice is yours. I don't recommend a store-bought Oreo crust, however, unless you don't mind its slightly off taste, somewhat reminiscent of coffee.

Frozen Chocolate Mousse Pie

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream, stiffly whipped

Combine melted chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. Cool. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour mousse into prepared crust. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm. Serve immediately and freeze any leftovers.

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine crumbs, sugar and butter. Press on the bottom and sides of a buttered 9-inch pie plate. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Lime-Blackberry Icebox Pie

What says summer more than an icebox pie? With those long, warm days now a memory, I'm recalling just such a dessert I made a few weeks ago. Adapted from the November 2008 issue of Food & Wine, I opted to add a bit more gelatin for texture and make the jam component with half of the sugar, since one cup seemed too much for even my sweet tooth.

Lime-Blackberry Icebox Pie

2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons lime zest
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 9-inch graham cracker crust

In a saucepan, simmer the blackberries for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Stir in the sugar and cook until the mixture is thick and jammy, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

In a heatproof bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water; let stand until softened and cooled. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the condensed milk, cream, lime zest, lime juice and gelatin until soft peaks form. Spread the cooled blackberry jam over the crust; top with the lime cream and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until firm. Serve.

Traditional Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Mix ingredients until combined. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides a 9-inch pie pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before using.

Chocolate Pudding

After a less-than-successful experiment making vanilla pudding with egg yolks (more than a little soupy, but delicious), I wanted to try my hand at a chocolate pudding. This recipe, adapted from the August 2008 issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray, tastes wonderful and has just the right consistency. You could certainly serve it atop the peanut butter cream specified (1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1/8 teaspoon salt, combined). Although, I find that this pudding really needs nothing more than a dollop of whipped cream.

Chocolate Pudding

2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

In a medium pan, whisk together the milk, sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, continuing to whisk constantly, until nicely thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate (or mini chips) until completely incorporated. Spoon into serving dishes and and refrigerate until set, approximately 2 hours.

Frozen Lemon Cheesecake

What could be more refreshing on a hot summer night than a slice of frozen lemon cheesecake? I found this recipe in one of those little neighborhood papers a year or so ago. For the crust, you could use a graham cracker crust (see below) or the shortbread crust specified. Don't you wonder what this would taste like with orange instead of lemon and an Oreo crust, though?

Frozen Lemon Cheesecake

2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
zest of 2 small lemons
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups whipping cream
shortbread crust

Crust

21 shortbread cookies (1 1/2 inches square), finely ground
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese until smooth with an electric or stand mixer, about 4 to five minutes, scraping bowl often. Add 1 cup of sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice, continuing to beat until fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Beat whipping cream and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour cheesecake into prepared pan. Freeze at least 8 hours before serving. Garnish slices with fresh blueberries or a dollop of lemon curd, if desired.

Frozen Raspberry Lemonade Pie

I hope you've had a chance to watch "Down Home with the Neelys" on Food Network. They made a Frozen Lemonade Pie recently that you've just got to try. I simplified their recipe even more by freezing the graham cracker crust, and added my own touch by using raspberry lemonade and fresh whipped cream. Although reminiscent of a semifreddo, a certain someone let me know it tasted "very Southern." That's music to the ears of us folks all the way in the Northwest.

Raspberry Lemonade Pie

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
6 oz. Minute Maid Raspberry Lemonade concentrate, frozen
1 cup old-fashioned whipping cream
1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
graham cracker crust

For filling, whip cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until peaks form. Carefully fold in chilled sweetened condensed milk and frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and freeze until set (approximately 8 hours).

Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Combine ingredients and press mixture on the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish or on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch, deep dish pie pan. Freeze until set, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Chocolate Mousse

Credit Nigella Lawson with this easy Chocolate Mousse. Adapted from Nigella Express, this mousse isn't quite "instant," as she calls it, but it's definitely simplicity itself. Try to find an old-fashioned whipping cream, since the ultra-pasteurized variety doesn't whip up quite as well. For a deeper flavor, use a handful of bittersweet chocolate in place of some of the chopped semisweet chocolate (or chips). I added a hint of orange extract, but you may prefer raspberry.

Chocolate Mousse

3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
9 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup hot water (not tap water)
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon orange extract (to taste)

Combine marshmallows, butter, chocolate and hot water in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium-low heat until chocolate melts. Allow to cool completely.

In the meantime, place mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator. When thoroughly chilled, pour the heavy cream and vanilla into bowl. Whip until soft peaks form.

Combine chocolate and whipped cream mixture. Add orange extract. Serve with additional whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

I saw a recipe in the March/April 2007 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen for these truffles and knew I had to make them. Who could resist cookie dough enrobed in chocolate? What's even better, you won't have to worry about eating raw egg with these little goodies. I added an additional 1/4 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips, omitted the nuts and used semisweet chocolate instead of of the 1 1/2 pounds of chocolate bark candy coating originally indicated. You could also use milk chocolate chips or dip them in cocoa powder.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 12 oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour, mixing well. Add mini chocolate chips (and nuts, if desired). Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on wax paper and chill for 2 hours.

Melt chocolate with vegetable shortening according to package directions. Dip in cookie balls, covering completely. Place on wax paper and chill to set. Keep truffles refrigerated. Makes approximately 5 dozen.

Thanksgiving P.S.

Thanksgiving may be over, but I'm already thinking about what we'll serve (0r not!) at next year's table. Then again, I may not wait until then to make cranberry sherbet. We used to serve one passed down from our Grandma Davis made with strained cranberry sauce and whipped egg whites. However, this recipe comes to us from Sue's mother-in-law, Wanda... thank you, John, for sharing one of your Mother's special dishes.

Cranberry Sherbet

2 cups prepared cranberry sauce
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon and one orange
1 cup sweetened whipped cream (or Cool Whip)

Combine cranberry sauce, zest of lemon and the juice of both the lemon and orange in a medium glass or ceramic baking dish. Freeze until firm. Fold in sweetened whipped cream and return to freezer until firm.

Wanda was also kind enough to give me her prized recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Cake, which she found in a 1974 issue of Sunset. I’ve omitted the 1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), but feel free to add them if you like.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange peel
2 cups zucchini, coarsely shredded
½ cup milk

Glaze
2 cups powered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Blend the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating mixture well. Stir in the vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Stir in the dry ingredients and milk into the zucchini mixture.

Pour batter into greased and floured tube or bundt pan. Bake for about an hour. Cool for 15 minutes; turn cake out onto a wire rack and continue cooling.

In the meantime, beat powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Glaze as desired.

Cream Cheese Pie

This recipe may seem too easy to be good... but don't be fooled. I have yet to meet someone who's tried this pie and not raved about it. I often make a double recipe in a 13 x 9 pan using a single graham cracker crust. My niece, Carrie (Meg's dear sister) is a purest and prefers the more traditional single pie-single crust combination. She also insists that I use only Real Lemon, while I prefer Minute Maid's lemon juice (found in the freezer section). Please keep in mind that using fresh lemon juice can prevent the pie from setting up properly.

Word has it that this dessert originated with Carrie and Meg’s Great Grandmother, who passed it along to their wonderful Grandma Pat. Ask Grandma Pat—who can whip up a serious storm in the kitchen, by the way—about our family and she’ll tell you when she first met one of my sisters. At first meeting, said sister (who shall remain nameless) offered a quick hello to the family and promptly started checking out all of their cupboards.

Graham cracker crust
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
10 tablespoons Real Lemon or equivalent
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until all lumps have disappeared. Add sweetened condensed milk to cream cheese and blend until completely smooth. Add Real Lemon and vanilla, mixing lightly. Pour into crust. Refrigerate until firm, approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Traditional Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Mix ingredients until combined. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides a 9-inch pie pan or the bottom of a 13 x 9 cake pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before using.

Welcome to Comfort Dish... Celebrating Food & Family!

Who doesn't love comfort food?

And what could be more comforting than a plate of homemade Rice Krispie Treats? So light, fluffy and fat-free, they couldn't possibly add inches to your waistline (smile). This is a very traditional recipe using the real thing... no off-brand cereal, marshmallows or margarine. And, don't forget the splash of vanilla. Heavenly!

5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
6 generous cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter and marshmallows over medium-low heat. Add vanilla and cereal to melted mixture, quickly incorporating all ingredients. Spread into a buttered 13 x 9 pan. Once cool enough to handle, cut into squares (a non-stick sprayed knife helps) and serve.