Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Pineapple-Crowned Fruit Pie

"This three-layer fresh fruit pie topped with pineapple sauce takes first prize--"
1-1/4 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 medium bananas, sliced
lemon juice
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced -OR- other fresh fruit, sliced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple (do NOT drain)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Combine crushed graham crackers and sugar; stir in melted butter until well blended. Press mixture evenly in a 9-inch pie plate, forming a high edge. Dip banana slices in lemon juice; arrange in a layer in piecrust. Top with sliced strawberries or desired fresh fruit. In saucepan, blend cornstarch into undrained pineapple. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook 1 minute longer. Add vanilla. Spoon hot pineapple mixture over top of pie. Chill several hours. Before serving, sprinkle with the nuts.--Cheryl Hiltebeitel, Richmond, Va.

[Number of servings not given, but probably serves 8.]

[recipe clipped from “Better Homes and Gardens”]

Spicy Poached Pears

"You can make this fresh pear dessert with chocolate ice cream, too--"
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2-1/2 inches stick cinnamon -OR- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 large fresh pears, peeled, cored, and halved
shredded orange peel (optional)
vanilla ice cream

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the wine, orange juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add pear halves; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until pears are barely tender. Uncover; cook about 20 minutes more or until pears are translucent. Remove cinnamon stick; cool. Garnish with shredded orange pee, if desired. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.--Mrs. Barbara Keenan, Ft. Morgan, Colo.

Serves 6 to 8.

[recipe on the back of “Macaroon-Almond Baked Pears,” clipped from “Better Homes and Gardens”]

Pear Clafouti

3 medium pears, peeled, cored, and chopped -OR- 1 (29-ounce) can pears, drained and chopped 3 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
whipped cream
poached pear slices (optional)

If using canned pears, place on paper toweling to drain thoroughly. In small mixer bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer until foamy. Add milk, flour, sugar, vanilla, rum extract, salt, and nutmeg; beat at low speed until smooth. Spread pears in greased 10-inch quiche dish or pie plate. Pour batter over pears. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted off center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes. Garnish with whipped cream and, if desired, poached pear slices.--Margaret T. Anderson, Jamestown, N.Y.


Serves 8.

[recipe on the back of “Macaroon-Almond Baked Pears,” clipped from “Better Homes and Gardens”]

Macaroon-Almond Baked Pears

"First place honors go to this scrumptious dessert. Here's proof that an elegant dessert needn't take hours to make--"
1 (29-ounce) can pear halves, drained
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1/3 cup apricot preserves
1 cup crumbled soft macaroon cookies
1/4 cup sliced almonds
whipped cream

Arrange pear halves, cut side up, in a 10x6x2-inch or 12x7x2-inch baking dish. Combine preserves and orange liqueur; pour over pear halves in dish. Sprinkle macaroon crumbs and almonds on top. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot. Serve warm with whipped cream.--Maile Locke, San Rafael, Calif.

Serves 6 to 8.

[recipe clipped from “Better Homes and Gardens”]

Pineapple-Orange Squares

6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup flaked coconut
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 (8-1/4 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained


In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, coconut, and brown sugar. Press mixture into bottom of a 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Cool. Stir ice cream to soften. In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and orange juice concentrate until fluffy. Add ice cream by spoonfuls; beat smooth. Stir in pineapple. Spoon into prepared crust. Freeze 8 hours or overnight. To serve, let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into squares. Garnish with quartered pineapple slices and orange peel strips.--Linda Brooks, St. Paul, Minn.


Serves 8 or 9.

[recipe on the back of “Cherry-Chocolate Ice Cream,” clipped from “Better Homes and Gardens”]

Three-Layer Mocha Pie

1 stick piecrust mix
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons water
1 pint coffee ice cream, softened
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals

Combine piecrust mix, nuts, brown sugar, and chocolate. Combine vanilla and water; add to piecrust mixture, a little at a time, tossing with a fork until mixture forms a ball. On floured surface roll pastry to a 12-inch circle; transfer to 9-inch pie plate. Trim edges. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Cool; chill. Spread coffee ice cream in crust. Freeze. Spread chocolate ice cream on top of coffee ice cream layer. Freeze. Combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, and coffee crystals; beat to soft peaks. Spread on top of ice cream. Freeze firm.--Mrs. Carol Bloch, Owings Mills, Md.

[Number of servings not given, but probably serves 8 to 10.]

[recipe on the back of “Cherry-Chocolate Ice Cream,” clipped from “Better Homes and Gardens”]

Cherry-Chocolate Ice Cream

"This top-rated summertime treat is chock-full of fruit and milk chocolate chunks--"
3 eggs, slightly beaten
4 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cup chocolate-flavored syrup
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
3 (1.05-ounce) bars milk chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla

In large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, whipping cream, sugar, chocolate-flavored syrup, cherries, chopped chocolate bars, and vanilla. Pour mixture into ice cream freezer can. Fit can into freezer. Adjust dasher; cover. Prepare ice cream according to ice cream freezer manufacturer's directions.--Kathy Wierman, Fordland, Mo.

Makes about 3 quarts.


[recipe clipped from “Better Homes and Gardens”]