Tasty American Dessert Recipes

Everyone has heard of good ole' American apple pie, pecan
pie, and key lime pie, but those desserts are just the
scraping of the surface when it comes to the terrific
desserts that the American culture has to offer. The
desserts in this article are also traditional American
favorites, but they rarely get the attention they deserve.
So, if you are looking for easy recipes that will satisfy
your sweet tooth and leave your tummy purring, I definitely
recommend the following. Enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/4 lb butter (melted)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp grated coconut
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 (9 oz) container whipped cream
1 (6 oz) pkg chocolate pudding

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, butter, brown
sugar, walnuts, and coconut. When it is well mixed, press it
into a 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees
F. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside. Next, mix
together the cream cheese and sugar. It's best if you can
use a hand mixer for this, as you want it to be nice and
fluffy. Fold in one cup of the whipped cream. When the crust
has cooled, spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust.
Prepare the pudding according to the directions specified on
the package. Spread the pudding over the cream cheese
mixture, then top with the remaining whipped cream. This
looks fabulous when decorated with chocolate shavings or
maraschino cherries. Allow this to refrigerate overnight
before serving.

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:
2 oz red food coloring
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp Nes-Quik chocolate powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vinegar

Directions:
Mix together the food coloring and the Nes-Quik chocolage
powder, then let it stand for a bit. In a separate bowl, mix
together the shortening, eggs, sugar, and food coloring
mixture. Beat the buttermilk and add in some sugar; when
this is well blended, mix it into the shortening mixture.
Add in the vanilla, flour, and salt and beat well. Mix in
the baking soda and vinegar. When the mixture is thoroughly
combined, pour it into two well grease 8-inch baking dishes.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about half an hour. Allow them to
cool before frosting with your favorite brand or recipe for
cream cheese frosting.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (melted)
1 cup + 3 tbsp sugar (divided)
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 ripe peaches (peeled, pitted, and sliced)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Pour the melted butter into an 8-inch baking dish. In a
mixing bowl, mix together one cup of sugar, baking powder,
flour, and salt. Mix this together well. Add in the milk and
vanilla and give it a good stir. Pour the batter over the
butter in the baking dish, then toss the peaches in a bowl
with three tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon. Arrange
the peach slices so they sit evenly on top of the batter,
then bake at 375 degrees F for about half an hour. Serve hot
with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.


Main Street Magazine

Feb. 2010

As seen first in the:
Platinum Recipes Collection:
http://www.platinum recipescollection.com

That's The Spirit: February Love

That's The Spirit

By Clare Jackson

MSM: Main Street Magazine "Presents" a Showcase of Love
Febuary 2010

ISSN: 1920-4299

February is the month of love. It is time to explore a classic way to entertain your loved one. Style and class is what we are after; a timeless drink that exudes sophistication.
The martini is our drink of choice, made famous by James Bond and the Rat Pack. Whether shaken or stirred, vodka or gin , this classic is the perfect cocktail for the month of love.

Here are a few that will warm the night;

Classic Martini

75ml (or approx 2+ 1/2 oz) Gin

15ml (or approx 1/4 oz) Dry Vermouth

1 green olive OR a twist of lemon peel

6 ice cubes
Into a mixing glass, toss a handful of ice cubes (about half a dozen), then pour in the Gin and the Vermouth. Stir well. Some may prefer shaken!Strain and pour into a martini glass. To finish, either drop a green olive into the bottom of the martini glass OR arrange a twist of lemon peel on the edge of the martini glass.

Valentine Martini

4 oz Champagne/ Asti/ sparkling wine

1 oz Absolut Kurant Vodka

1 oz raspberry Schnapps

1 oz lime juice (freshly squeezed is best, if you can manage it)

few edible rose petals

ice

crystallized sugar
Rim your martini glass with crystallized sugar.* Into a cocktail shaker, add the Vodka, Champagne and ice.Shake.Add in schnapps and lime juice. Shake well. Strain & pour into martini glass.Float the edible rose petals on top of your Valentini as garnish.
* To rim your glass, simply squeeze a little bit of lime onto a small plate, turn martini glass upside down and dip into lime juice, then dip into small plate of sugar. Makes for a very professional effect!

Chocolate Martini

60ml (or approx 2 oz) Vodka

30ml (or approx 1 oz) Brown Crème de Cacao

6 ice cubes

cocoa

extra couple of drops of Brown Crème de Cacao
Into a cocktail shaker, pour the Vodka and Brown Crème de Cacao. Add the ice cubes. Shake well. Rub rim of glass with Brown Crème de Cacao then dip into a shallow dish of cocoa. Strain and pour contents of cocktail shaker into a martini glass


Dirty Martini

60ml (or approx 2 oz) Gin

10ml (or approx 1/4 oz) Dry Vermouth

10ml (or approx 1/4 oz) olive brine

1 green olive

small wedge of lemon
Into a cocktail shaker, pour the Gin, Dry Vermouth and olive brine. Add ice. Shake well. Rub the rim of the martini glass with the wedge of lemon. Strain and pour contents of cocktail shaker into a martini glass. Drop the olive into the martini before serving.

Dim the lights, take the phone off the hook, throw on some Barry White, Marvin Gaye or Johnny Reid and let the mood take you away. Love is in the air and the rest is in your hands.