1.5 lb. Ricotta cheese, well drained.
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons manna groats (farina)
3 eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla or rum extract
pinch of salt
Mix ingredients in mixer and let stand 5 mins.
Add 1/2 cup raisins (make sure you let raisins stand in boiling water for 10-15 mins to soften and plump, then drain and dust with flour).
Grease an 8 or 9 inch round pan and pour in mixture. Cover with foil.
Bake 1 hour in preheated oven at 375'F, removing foil after 40 mins.
Cool.
Tips: A good trick for easily removing the cake from the pan is to cover the pan with parchment paper and pour the batter on top. When the cake is ready, it will be easy to remove the cake from the parchment paper.
Cookies:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Filling:
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or use non stick cookie sheets.
In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix butter with white sugar until fluffy, add brown sugar.
Mix in peanut butter until well incorporated. Then add vanilla and egg. Blend well.
Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, gently mix in flour mixture.
Shape dough into 3/4inch balls and place on cookie sheets.
For peanut butter filling, mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter (you can use a mixer)
and shape into 1/4inch balls.
Flatten each chocolate dough ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Wrap chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling so that it completely covers the filling. Roll into balls again and flatten.
Bake for 8 minutes or until just set and surface is slightly cracked. Cool cookies for 1 minute before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
2 cups apples (peeled, cored and diced)
1 egg
1/4 cup veg oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Combine apples, egg, oil and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
Mix wet ingredients into the flour mixture, stirring well.
If ingredients seem too dry, add veg. oil by teaspoons.
Pour batter into greased springform pan. Bake 45 min to an hour.
Tips: If using granny smith or tart green apples, you may want to increase the sugar to one cup.
This cake has a very rich gingerbread taste. It is served best warm with vanilla ice cream.
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup almond meal (finely ground almonds)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 large Bartlett pear
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
extra sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8 or 9 inch springform pan and set aside.
Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well into the mixture.
Add vanilla and almond extracts.
Slowly mix in flour mixture.
Spread batter evenly in pan.
Slice pear as desired and arrange on top of the batter.
Sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar and dust with cinnamon.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Toothpick inserted into center should come out clean.
Tips: Try without almond meal for a less textured cake.
1 cup quick oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. toasted wheat germ
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup veg oil
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
Mix together buttermilk and oatmeal. Cover and refrigerate 30 mins - 1 hr.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease 12 muffin cups.
Combine flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Remove oatmeal mixture from refrigerator. Whisk in egg. Add vanilla, oil and sugar.
Slowly add flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in blueberries.
Pour batter into muffin cups and sprinkle with oats. Bake 20-25 mins until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 mins before serving.
Tips: If you prefer your muffins to be on the sweet side, increase the sugar to 1/2 cup or serve with honey when they are ready.
1/2 container of Ricotta cheese (about 1.5 lb)
1-2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Farina (manna groats)
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1 cup raisins, washed and dusted with flour (optional)
In a large bowl, mix the first five ingredients, add raisins. Pour mixture into 8 or 9 inch baking dish and bake at 375 F. Bake for 45 min. or until toothpick placed in center comes out clean.
Cool and serve with jam, or honey and fruit.
Tips: You can also try this cake with chopped dried fruits such as apricots.
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Ground Flax Seeds
1/2 Cup Quick Oats
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Applesauce
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup or honey
1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix together dry ingredients first, then add applesauce, oil, vanilla, syrup and peanut butter.
Using a wooden spoon to mash together the mixture works best.
Drop by Tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet about 1-2 inches apart.
Pat each cookie down with the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle with coarse sugar if you like.
Place into oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly golden.
After they are baked let them cool for at least 15 minutes. They will be soft out of the oven but
will become more crisp and chewy when they cool.
Tips: If using honey, cookies may stick to wax paper. To prevent this, either use maple syrup or bake cookies on metal non stick cookie sheet.
