Strawberry Sheet Cake with Lemon Frosting

Ingredients

Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs large
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons strawberry flavored jello gelatin powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk well shaken
2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped

Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
2/3 cups sugar divided
2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line the baking dish with parchment paper with the long sides extending 2-3 inches. Spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
Using a stand-up electric mixer, beat butter (1 cup) until creamy. Slowly add sugar (2 cups) then continue to beat for 4-5 minutes until it's fluffy. Add eggs (2) one at a time, and beat after each addition until they're incorporated. Add lemon juice (2 teaspoons) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) and mix in.

In a small bowl combine flour (2 1/2 cups), strawberry jello (2 tablespoons), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1/4 teaspoon). Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk (1 cup), beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Gently stir in strawberries (2/3 cups). Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely. Lift the cake out of the pan, using the parchment paper extensions.

Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese (8 ounces) with 1/3 cup of sugar until the mixture is smooth. Fold in strawberries (2/3 cups).
In a large bowl, beat the cream (1 1/2 cups) and lemon juice (3 tablespoons) until the mixture is frothy. Continue beating on medium-high speed and gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream mixture.
Immediately spread the top and sides of the cake with frosting. 

French Silk Pie

Courtesy of Joanna Gaines

Ingredients

⅔ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

⅓ cup (⅔ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

⅔ cup heavy cream

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 prebaked 9-inch pie crust or tart shell (as shown) or Chocolate Cookie Crust (see below)

Whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate (optional), for garnish

Chocolate Cookie Crust (optional)

5 ounces chocolate wafers

¼ cup sugar

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted

Directions

In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs until well blended. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool for approximately 5 minutes.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

In another large bowl, beat the cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed, then gradually return to medium-high until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture.

Pour into the prebaked pie crust or tart shell. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

Store, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.


Chocolate Cookie Crust (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Pulse the wafers on low in a food processor until they are the consistency of sand. Add the sugar and melted butter and mix well.

Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake 8 minutes.

Let cool 20 minutes before filling.

Atlantic Beach Pie

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers (from 1 sleeve, about 37 crackers)

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 large limes)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Lemon and lime zests, for garnish

Directions

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crushed crackers, melted butter, sugar, and egg white in a medium bowl until combined.

Transfer mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate; firmly press on bottom and sides. Freeze 10 minutes.

Bake pie crust:
Bake in preheated oven until crust is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Mix pie filling:
Meanwhile, whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in lime juice and lemon juice until combined. Pour lime mixture into warm crust.

Bake whole pie:
Bake at 350°F until center is just set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Top with whipped cream:
Beat cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Spread whipped cream topping over chilled pie, leaving about a ½-inch border of custard showing around crust. Garnish with lemon and lime zests, if desired. Pie can be stored, covered, without whipped cream topping, in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Spread with topping just before serving.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon corn starch

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¾ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled just until opaque

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg room temperature

1 egg yolk room temperature

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips



Instructions

1. Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl for two minutes.

2. Whisk in the vanilla extract, egg and egg yolk until the mixture is light and creamy.

3. Add the flour, baking soda, corn starch and salt and mix just until combined.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips

5. Scoop out cookie dough, about 1/4 cup per cookie, and roll the dough balls in your hands until smooth. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or in the the freezer for 30 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 325°F.

7. Place cookie dough about 3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet or a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.

8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. The cookies are done when the edges are golden and the center looks slightly under baked.

9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire racks to finish cooling.

10. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Waffle Cones

(very similar to the waffle cones at Jeni's Ice Cream)

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup half & half (or heavy cream...I use half & half)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Turn on the waffle cone iron.

2. Combine the egg whites and half & half in a medium bowl with a whisk. Add the sugar, salt and both extracts, and whisk for about a minute to combine well. Whisk in the melted butter. Add the flour, whisking only until the lumps have disappeared and the batter is smooth.

3. Make the cones according to the directions for your waffle cone iron. To shape the cones, you fold a small flap over the bottom of the plastic cone mold, and then tuck one side in, and roll to complete the cone shape. When you get really good, there should be no hole in the bottom of the cone! These are extremely hot and will potentially burn your fingers - you have to work fast!

4. The cones are best the same day they are made, but they will keep for a week in a sealed container.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (sometimes I use some white chocolate chips, too.)
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

• Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 2

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and pecans. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

• Step 3

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup butter softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ¹⁄₂ cups flour

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Sparkling Sugar

Directions

1. Cream butter, peanut butter and both sugars together.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.

3. Add baking soda, powder and vanilla.

4. Stir in flour.

5. Roll into balls, roll in sparkling sugar. Flatten cookies, using a fork, in a criss-cross pattern.

6. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes or adjust to suit your oven and size of cookies!

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

·       3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

·       1 cup granulated sugar

·       1 large egg, at room temperature

·       1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·       1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·       3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (or dutch process)

·       1 teaspoon baking powder

·       1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.     Beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

2.     Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the baking powder and salt until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined.

3.     Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment to about 1/4″ thickness. Stack the pieces (with parchment paper between) onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling is mandatory. If chilling for more than a couple hours, cover the top dough piece with a single piece of parchment paper. You can chill up to 2 days.

4.     Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. The amount of batches will depend on how large/small you cut your cookies. Remove one of the dough pieces from the refrigerator and using a cookie cutter, cut in shapes. Transfer the cut cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used.

5.     Bake for 10 minutes-- the cookies will still appear soft. Make sure you rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

6.     Decorate with icing or drizzle with chocolate.

Make ahead tip: Unfrosted cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Frosted cookies do not freeze well at all. You can chill the cookie dough for up to 2 days (step 3). You can also freeze the cookie dough before rolling for up to 3 months. Then allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then allow to come to room temperature for about 1 hour. Then roll and continue with the recipe as directed.