Blackberry Cobbler

I received this recipe from my daughter Julia.  Her friend Tom made this cobbler for their friends and she said it was delicious.

Selecting A Ripe Pineapple

Pineapples are picked ripe and can spoil relatively quickly, so they are expensive. They may change color but do not sweeten after picked. Look for fruit that is yellowing and has no soft spots. The crown should not be shriveled. Grasp the center most leaf and pull straight up, do not twist. If the leaf comes out easily the pineapple is ripe.

Pistachio Cake

We used the recipe from my friend Dianne Mildenstein at my son Jonathan's wedding reception. We took the basic recipe and made a blueberry dessert, and a chocolate raspberry dessert.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake
2 small boxes instant pistachio pudding
1 -- 8 ounce package of cream cheese (softened)
1 can crushed pineapple (well drained)
16 ounce Cool Whip
Coconut

Directions:

Bake yellow cake in a jelly roll pan, according to box instructions (I use a pampered chef stoneware jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes). Cool cake completely. Prepare pudding according to pie directions. Blend in softened cream cheese. Drain pineapple for about one hour. Thaw cool whip. Place cake on the bottom, spread pudding cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled cake. Equally distribute or sprinkle pineapple over pudding layer. Spread cool whip over pineapple. Sprinkle coconut over top. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

This is best when assembled just before serving.

Pineapple Upsidedown Bars

Ingredients

1 Can (large No. 2 can) Crushed Pineapple
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Stick of Butter
1/4 Cup Shredded Coconut
Chopped or whole walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions

Pour and then spread can of pineapple on bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with coconut. Spread 1 box of yellow cake mix over coconut. Slice butter into thin pats and cover every inch of the top of cake mix. Optional: Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or place whole walnuts or pecans spaced nicely on top.  Cook at 350 for 30 min. Cut into squares and eat hot or cold.

Spiced Citrus Baked Ham

4 servings per pound

Ingredients:

1 boneless Farmland Smoked & Fully Cooked Ham
(you can do this with canned hams, bone in hams, etc, as long as they are smoked and fully cooked- for the time and temperature used here)
1 fresh orange (For a sweeter juicier glaze, substitute 1 can crushed pineapple)
whole cloves
½ cup brown sugar

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325°. Remove ham from wrapper, remove paper wrapper off ham. Place in a baking dish. Score ham with a sharp knife, making diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep, then cut diagonally the other way, making diamond cuts. At each point where cuts cross, press a whole clove into the ham. Evenly spread brown sugar over the top of the ham, pressing it into the scored ham surface. Thinly slice the orange. Place orange slices, peel and all, on the top and sides of ham;,using toothpicks to secure the slices, so they will not slide off the ham. Leave about ½ inch of toothpick sticking out so that you can safely remove them before serving. Bake 15 minutes per pound. Though the ham is already cooked, baking it will improve its texture and flavor. Remove cloves, toothpicks and orange slices before serving. Spoon drippings over top of ham before cutting.

Donna's Quick Ranch Cheese Ball

Makes 1 cheese ball

Ingredients:

2 – 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese
2 – 3 tablespoons of Ranch Dressing and Dip mix
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds or walnuts

Directions:

Blend softened cream cheese and Ranch Dressing and Dip mix. To make a cheese ball: spoon on to a large piece of Saran Wrap, gently form a ball, and chill till firm. Roll in chopped nuts.

To make a quick cracker dip: mix chopped nuts into the Ranch– cream cheese mixture, place in a small serving bowl and serve with crackers.

Optional:

Add a few tablespoons of chopped red pepper to the softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup well drained crushed pineapple.

Donna’s Quick Mandarin Salad

Serves a crowd

Ingredients:

3 pound bag of prepared garden salad (mostly iceberg or mix garden salad and romaine hearts– available in 3 lb bags from Cosco and Sam’s Club) or 3 lbs of Romaine Hearts/mixed Lettuces. Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces
2 whole green onions, chopped
3 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
8 ounces Caramelized Almonds (see instructions below)
Donna’s Raspberry Poppy-seed Dressing (recipe posted in this recipe blog)

Directions:

Chill ingredients. Toss salad, onions, mandarin oranges, almonds, and dressing, just before serving.

Optional:

I have put– 1/2 head romaine, 2 cups chicken chunks, 1/2 cup celery, 1 can pineapple, 1 small bag fresh sugar snap peas, handful of alfalfa sprouts, and 1/4 red bell pepper chopped, into this salad for a more tasty and festive flair.

Caramelized Almonds:

Combine ½ cup almonds with 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar in a hot skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar melts and coats the almonds. Store in an air tight jar, in the refrigerator.

Paradise Cake

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 small can mandarin oranges, plus juice
yellow cake mix w/ pudding

Directions:

Beat together eggs, vegetable oil, mandarin oranges w/juice ADD: yellow cake mix with pudding Mix thoroughly Put in greased 9×13 pan Bake 350 30 minutes. Allow to COOL completely!

Frosting Ingredients:

1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 3 oz. pkg. vanilla instant pudding (use dry)
8 oz. cool whip

Frosting Directions:

Mix together 1-16 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice, 1-3 oz. pkg. vanilla instant pudding (use dry) ADD: 8 oz. cool whip- fold in and frost.

Optional: Top with coconut flakes and chopped almonds or walnuts.

Wraps and Fruity Cream Cheese Wrap Spread

The great thing about a wrap supper, is that all food groups can be in the wrap and everyone can build their own to their liking.

Ingredients:

1 small package pf cream cheese (softened)
1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon jam (raspberry, strawberry, or pineapple-apricot) (at Thanksgiving I use cranberry-orange nut salad in the cream cheese and add turkey to the wrap)

Directions:

Add jam to softened cream cheese 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is the consistency and flavor you like, mixing well.

Spread thinly on flour tortilla and build your wrap, fold end in and roll wrap.

Wrap ingredient ideas:

Leftover chicken or turkey meat or deli meats
Thinly sliced cheese- Swiss, Jack, Provolone, Cheddar, Pepper Jack work well
Sprouts-even mixed sprouts
Thinly sliced cucumbers
Carrot, radish, broccoli shreds (large grated)
Nuts or sunflower seeds
Diced Tomatoes