STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

INGREDIENTS:

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1 cup butter
* 2/3 cup heavy cream
* 1 egg, beaten
* 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
* 3 tablespoons white sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and cream of tartar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives. Stir in cream and egg. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 minutes. Press into a half-inch thick sheet. Cut into squares. Place on baking sheets.
3. bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over sliced berries.
4. Let shortcakes cool before splitting and filling with sugared berries.

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CHOCOLATE DIPPED GRAND MARNIER STRAWBERRIESIngredients
1 punnet fresh strawberries, washed and patted dry, stems intact, and thoroughly air-dried
8 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into chunks
1 tablespoon solid white vegetable shortening
1 ounce Grand Marnier liquor or fruited brandy

Instructions
Prepare ahead: Wrap pieces of styrofoam in plastic wrap for fruit to rest and drip on. You can also use any firm-fleshed fruit, such as cantelope or orange halves.

1: Pour about 1 inch of water into bottom of a double-boiler and heat to hot but not simmering.

2: Melt chocolate and shortening in top of double-boiler, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth.

3: Remove top pot and place on a heat-safe tripod. Let cool for about 5 minutes. While chocolate cools a bit.

4: carefully spear strawberries with toothpicks. Working quickly, swirl each strawberry gently in the chocolate about halfway up the fruit and place inverted on toothpicks into the styrofoam to cool and harden.

5: When done, place in refrigerator to further set chocolate shell.

6: When completely hardened, use a syringe to carefully inject a bit of the liquor into the center of each strawberry, being careful not to over-fill. ( if thats possible )

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LIME CREAM COOKIES

Amount Ingredient
2/3 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
1 two-layer cake mix
2 eggs
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2/3 cup ready-to-spread vanilla frosting
4 teaspoons lime juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Blend salad dressing, cake mix and eggs at low speed with electric mixer until moistened. Add peel. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. (Dough will be stiff.)

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. (Cookies will still appear soft.) Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack.

Stir together frosting and juice until well blended. Spread on cookies. Makes about 4 dozen cookies

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BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIPPED COOKIES

Amount Ingredient
1 medium banana, mashed
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 3/4 cups flour
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the banana, butter, eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar. Add the salt, baking soda, oats, and flour, and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, and remove from the oven. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

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CHOCOLATE & BANANA BUNDT CAKE
510 g package Devil’s Food Cake Mix
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (approx. 2)
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/3 cup Whipped Deluxe Chocolate Frosting
Toasted pecan halves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake mix according to package instructions, decreasing water to 3/4 cup. Stir in bananas and nuts until well blended.

Pour batter into 10 inch fluted tube pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a rack.

Heat frosting in microwave or in pot set over low heat until molten. Stir well and drizzle over cake. Decorate with pecan halves, if desired. Makes 10 servings.

Tip: Frozen bananas will work in this recipe. Simply reduce the amount used to 3/4 cup.

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BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE

• 2lb / 1kg blueberries ( fresh or frozen )
• 3oz / 75kg softened butter
• 2oz / 50g wholemeal flour
• 6oz / 175g granulated sugar
• 2oz / 50g soft brown sugar
• 4 1/2oz / 125g rolled oats

Grease a large ovenproof dish. put the blueberries into the dish and sprinkle with the granulated sugar and mix. spread the bluberries into an even layer

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy, stir in the oats and the flour.

Spread the topping on top of the blueberries.

Place in the oven and bake at 180c for about 30 – 35 minutes until the top is golden and brown.

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