Pineapple bars

PINEAPPLE BARS

Crust:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cubed (1 stick=1/2 cup)

Filling:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream OR greek yogurt
pinch salt
16 oz. crushed pineapple (fresh is best!)

Topping:
1 cup crust topping
1 cup vanilla almond granola cereal (Trader Joe's brand)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
Add flour, sugar, salt and cubed butter to a mixing bowl and mix with fingers or forks until combined and crumbly.  Set aside 1 cup of the topping mix in another bowl and combine with the granola.
Take the remaining mixture and firmly press into the baking dish.  Use the palm of your hand to flatten.  Bake 15 min.
While the crust is baking, beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl.  Add the sugar, sour cream, flour, cornstarch, extracts and salt.  Stir well.  Fold in pineapple.
When the crust is done baking, cool for about 5 minutes.  Pour filling over cooled crust.  Sprinkle with granola topping.
Bake 1 hour or until top is lightly browned.
Cool, refrigerate** for about an hour and cut.
Eat and enjoy!
**These will cut much easier if they are cold**

Horseradish

Ingredients:
Grated horseradish root (approx 1 cup)
2 TBL white vinegar
dash sea salt
dash sugar

We have had the same horseradish root growing for years.  It literally is 4 feet around!  We dug some up the other day, and washed it, peeled it, and grated it outside.  It's very pungent!  This recipe makes a mild horseradish.  For a stronger taste, use less white vinegar.  We just used a microplane grater to grate the root.

Raw, peeled root

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

 Ingredients:

1 cup raspberry puree (2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries pureed)
1 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh honey
salt, pepper

Process all ingredients in a Vitamix, or blender.  Store in a glass jar or bottle.  Shake before using.  This recipe makes about 22 oz.  I store mine in a Mason Jar.

Fresh, local honey

Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans

1 cup white sugar

4 TBL butter

2 tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

dash sea salt

Directions:

Melt sugar and butter.  Add vanilla, cinnamon and salt.   Add pecans.  Stir well to coat.  Continue stirring and cooking for 3 minutes or so until the nuts are well coated and "crispy" looking.  Cool on parchment paper.  I tried wax paper, but the nuts stuck to the paper, so parchment is a better choice!!

Store in a jar, or airtight container.  Great on salads!!

  

Black bean & corn salsa

 Ingredients:

1 ear corn, cut off the cob
1 can black beans, drained
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 -3 TBL chopped cilantro
1 TBL olive oil (optional)
1 TBL white balsamic vinegar (optional)
juice of 2 limes
1 TBL honey
salt, pepper


Combine ingredients.  Refrigerate for awhile so flavors can marry.

Fresh honey is my secret ingredient when using tomatoes!

Salsa

Featured in Gooseberry Patch's Flavors of Fall cookbook!

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 onion, diced ( I like red onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 hot pepper of choice, I use jalapeño, minced and seeded
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
1/8 TBL sugar or honey
salt, pepper, dash of oregano and cumin


Combine ingredients together.  Mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours to allow flavors to marry.

Peach/pineapple cobbler

White peaches!!!

Ingredients:

4 large peaches (about 1 QT) (I used white)

2 cups fresh, chopped pineapple

1/8 cup cornstarch

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/2  tsp cinnamon

1 cup flour

1/8 cup + 1 TBL white sugar

1/2 TBL baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

3 TBL cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg

1/3 cup cold, heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Blanch peaches so they are easier to peel.  Just dip them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and cool to touch.  Peel away the skin and slice.  Combine sliced peaches, cornstarch, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Toss until well combined.  Pour into a 2 QT baking dish, or a 10 inch cast iron skillet.

In another medium bowl, combine flour, 1/8 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut in butter with 2 forks,  a pastry blender, or just use your fingers like I do!  Whisk egg, cream and vanilla in a small bowl, or a measuring cup.  Add cream mixture to flour and stir with a fork until just combined.  Drop by spoonfuls over the peaches.  Sprinkle with 1 TBL white sugar.  

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream.  (If you have heavy whipping cream left over, whip it with a handful of sugar to make fresh whipped cream!)  YUM!!

Makes 6-8 servings, depending on serving size!