Blondies ala Mode

The only thing that comes close to the comforting marriage of warm and cold - brownies ala mode - are their kissing cousin, Blondies ala Mode. Oh my. Here are two recipes for you. I could go on about each of them individually, but I will combine them (and you should too) and experience their sinful goodness!

Blondies ala Mode
Blondies:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together (flour through walnuts) and set aside. Combine butter and brown sugar together; mix well. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients with butter mixture a little at a time. Batter will be very thick. Spread evenly into a 9x13 baking dish that the bottom has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 30-35 minutes.

Caramel Sauce:
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes)

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Makes approximately 1 1/2 pints.

To assemble dessert, top a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on an individual warm blondie. Top with caramel sauce and garnish with additional chopped walnuts.

Coconut Brunch Bread

Who are we kidding? This rich, buttery, coconut confection is such a pound cake but oh what a pound cake! I've had this recipe for a few years and never got around to making it. As you know, anything with coconut is on my must-try list. I reduced the fat slightly and exchanged coconut milk for the regular milk the recipe called for...I was not disappointed.

Next time I think I will serve its decadent slices with some Lemon Curd.

Coconut Brunch Bread
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Dash salt
2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 cup coconut milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar and oil. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternately with coconut milk. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.

As soon as cake comes out of the oven, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 3 Tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in 1 teaspoon coconut extract. While the hot cake is still in the Bundt pan, slowly pour syrup over the top. Allow to cool in pan; syrup will soak into cake. Remove from pan and dust with confectioner's sugar.

Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

What a weekend of get-togethers! My handsome nephew just arrived home Friday night from the New York, New York Spanish-speaking mission and his "homecoming" was today only to be followed by a surprise birthday party for my brother Bill and our soon-to-be family member, Derek (he and my cute niece Chelsea are to be married in May). I've been waiting to try this recipe and thought this weekend would be the perfect time. The warm, bubbly dip was slightly spicy, filling and seemed to be the perfect tasty accompaniment to several foods.

Serve with crackers, crusty bread rounds and celery sticks

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
3/4 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot)
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing or Bleu Cheese dressing
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

In a medium skillet, heat chicken and hot pepper sauce over medium heat. Add cream cheese and stir until smooth. Stir in dressing and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Cook until mixture is heated through. Transfer to a crock pot or baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheese. For crock pot, cook on low until hot and bubbly (about 1 hour). For oven, bake on 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve warm.

THE EASIEST Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies You'll Ever Make!

1 pkg yellow cake mix (I prefer Betty Crocker)
1 small can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup water
2 cups chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together; stir until well combined. Drop by generous spoonfuls on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (depending on size).

Cowboy Wontons with Spicy Ranch Dipping Sauce

I had something similar to these at a restaurant a while ago and have been wanting to recreate them ever since. They come together quickly and the flavor combination is perfect. Serve them as an appetizer or like we did, with corn-on-the-cob and a green salad for dinner.

Wontons:

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken in barbecue sauce

12 uncooked egg roll wrappers

canola oil

Spicy Ranch Dipping Sauce:

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups mayonnaise

Juice from one lime

3 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp Worcester sauce

1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper

1 tsp paprika

For wontons, spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture in center of uncooked egg roll wrapper. Moisten each corner with a small amount of water. Bring two opposite corners together and pinch to fasten. Bring remaining two opposites corners together and repeat, forming large wonton shapes. Keep prepared, uncooked wontons covered to avoid them drying out.

Using a deep skillet, heat a generous amount of canola oil to 300 degrees OR over medium-high heat until a few drops of water bubble in the oil. Carefully place 3 wontons at a time in heated oil and cook, turning periodically for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and egg roll wrappers are bubbly. Using tongs, remove from oil and allow to cool slightly on paper towels.

For dipping sauce, whisk together all ingredients and place in refrigerator approximately 1 hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to combine and the sauce to thicken slightly. Serve cooked wontons with generous amounts of dipping sauce.

Blueberry-Banana Bread

When I was a kid I hated blueberries, or at least I thought I did. The only blueberry I had ever tried was in the form of blueberry pie as in that thick, overly sweet "goo" (as I refer to it as). Bleh! Then one day I happened upon a plain old berry, pure and unadulterated, the result...yum! Blueberry season is here and the fresh ones are found on sale everywhere. Pick some up and bake this tasty, hearty bread. Just be sure to save a few for popping in your mouth. And remember, no goo.

3 medium to large ripe bananas

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

2 eggs, well beaten

1/4 cup milk

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and stems removed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of two 9x5-inch loaf pans.

Mash bananas and set aside. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter together. Stir in eggs, mashed bananas and milk. Blend in flour, baking soda and salt. Fold in blueberries.

Place in prepared loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 275 degrees and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

You know the song, We Need A Little Christmas? That's how I feel about spring. Although this winter has been fairly lackluster when it comes to snow, these slightly longer and warmer days have been a welcome visitor. Enter Lemon Meringue Cupcakes. So light, fresh and just the right amount of tart...perfect for spring.

I found these in Martha Stewart's cupcake book but then I came up with my own concoction because one does not need to make lemon curd from scratch if they don't have to and my recipe using a cake mix is simply scrumptious and much easier to assemble. I also found this no-cook version of seven minute frosting. It's a breeze to make compared to the traditional version and just as tasty. For added texture, use a blow torch to brown your meringue or seven minute frosting once it is on your finished cupcake. However, if you don't have a blow torch or kitchen torch, it is not necessary.

For best results, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

Cupcakes:

1 box lemon cake mix

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp grated lemon peel

3 eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together and stir until well combined. Do not overstir; some lumps will remain.

Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full and bake 14-16 minutes.

Remove cupcakes after cooling 10 minutes in pan. Allow to cool completely.

Lemon Filling:

1 10 oz bottle lemon curd

Stir lemon curd in bottle making it easier to spread. Top each cupcake with 1 heaping teaspoon of lemon curd. Smooth out on surface of individual cakes.

Meringue Topping:

No-Cook Seven Minute Frosting

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

3 egg whites

1/4 cup boiling water

Combine sugar, vanilla, cream of tartar and egg whites in a bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Stir ingredients until just combined. While mixer is going, slowly add boiling water and beat 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form and meringue is glossy. Place a generous dollop on top of each cupcake. Brown lightly with a kitchen torch or blow torch. Serve immediately. Makes 24 cupcakes.