Fruited Sour Cream Pancakes

Living in Atlanta, I am separated from New Orleans by a scant 469 miles and, alas, I've never been to Mardi Gras.  Chalk it up to a lack of wanderlust in my younger years, or assume finances dictate extra money be spent on Little League Baseball or Pop Warner Football.  You'd be right on both counts.  For now, I follow the festivities vicariously.

This afternoon I learned that many revelers cook pancakes on Fat Tuesday in an effort to use up all the milk, flour, and sugar they won't be needing during Lent.  My mind went, immediately, to this recipe.  I've seen them called "Brunch Pancakes" or "Dessert Pancakes".  I just call them "yummy".

What's In It:

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese at room temperature (Low fat is fine)

4 eggs (Thank you Sylvia, Cleo, Pat, and Lucy!)

2 tbs. vegetable oil

2/3 c. unbleached flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 3/4 c. pie filling, warmed (Use your favorite!  Unless your favorite is pumpkin or mincemeat!)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 tbs. cinnamon

How To Make It:

Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.  Set aside.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with eggs on medium speed until well blended.

Add flour and salt, mix well.

Add oil to large skillet over medium heat.

Drop cream cheese mixture onto heated skillet, forming pancakes 3" to 4" in diameter.

Cook 1 minute or until bubbles form on surface.

Turn to brown other side, cooking 1 minute or until edges are done.

Repeat until all batter is used.

To serve:  place 3 to 4 pancakes on dessert plate.

Top with pie filling and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Gingered Pear with Cranberry Crisp

Were it not for peanut butter, I would always prefer pears to apples.  Pears don't really get along with peanut butter, not the way apples do, and I do love an apple smeared with peanut butter.  On the other hand, ginger doesn't compliment apples as nicely as it does pears...I guess that makes them even.  Another benefit to using pears in this recipe is their texture.  They cook up a little softer than apples, providing a nice contrast to the firmer texture of the cranberries.  Warm and spicy, this is a perfect winter-time dessert.  Oh!  And, don't forget the vanilla ice cream!

What's In It:
Filling:
3 tbs. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 1/2 lbs. pears, peeled and cut into thin slices (Go with Bartlett pears and choose fruit that is still firm)
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. almond extract
Topping:
1/4 c. sliced almonds (slivered almonds do not work as well)
1/3 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3 tbs.unsalted butter, cut into cubes

How To Make It:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 8x11 baking pan with cooking spray.
Filling:
Mix flour, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon in large bowl.
Add fruit, lemon juice, and almond extract.
Mix gently until fruit is evenly coated. (Take care not to break pear pieces)
Pour fruit mixture into prepared baking pan.
Topping:
Place almonds, flour, sugar, and spices in food processor and pulse for 1 minute. (Almonds should be finely ground.)
Add butter and pulse for a minute more.  (Mixture will be loose and crumbly)
Spread topping evenly over fruit mixture.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until lightly browned.
Cool before serving.

Fruit Pizza: The Quintessential Summertime Dessert

She was the boss, so we'd have eaten, and praised, whatever she brought.  To our great delight, she brought Fruit Pizza.  I can still taste my first bite.  Since then I"ve made it several times and have never had so much as a sugar-cookie crumb leftover.

Fruit Pizza is the quintessential summer dessert, because it's beauty and texture is limited only by your imagination!  Experiment with the fruit, but stick to the main recipe.  The preserves are crucial to both taste and presentation.

This dessert does not keep well...but this won't be a problem.

What's in it:
1 18-oz pkg. of refrigerated sugar cookie dough, room temperature (Save your money.  For this application, the store brand works just as well.)
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese at room temperature(Store brand, again)
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract(Avoid imitations)
Choose several of the following, or experiment!  Fresh blueberries, bananas(sliced), mandarin orange sections, seedless grapes(halved), strawberries(halved), kiwi(peeled, and sliced thin), blackberries, peaches(sliced), apricots(sliced).  I don't recommend apples, lemons, or limes...
1/2 c. orange, peach, or apricot preserves(I usually use apricot, but orange rind does add something)
1 tbl. water

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Press cookie dough onto ungreased 14-inch pizza pan, covering completely and evenly.  Bake 12 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and cool.

While the crust is baking, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl.  Spread over cooled crust.  Arrange fruit over cream cheese layer in a over-lapping circular pattern.

In a small saucepan over very low heat, make a glaze by heating preserves with water.  Pour glaze, evenly, over fruit, taking care to cover fruit that could turn dark(think peaches and bananas!)  Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings, depending on the size of the slice.







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