| Another
Review at MyShelf.Com |
|||||||||||||
|
Semi-Homemade
Desserts Tempting, Delicious, and simple to create. Sandra Lee’s first book, Semi-Homemade Cooking, landed on the Times bestseller list. It won’t surprise me if this one does too. Lee has made these recipes quick and easy. Part of the ingredients, such as the cake and pudding mixes are store bought, which helps to shorten the cooking time. But it’s that added touch of class that makes her recipes so exciting. My personal favorite is “Sherry Tea Cakes, found in the “From the Package” chapter. It’s a simple recipe of cake mix, pudding mix and a touch of sherry. Lee begins Semi-Homemade Desserts by giving thanks and offering quick tips and tricks, but the advice doesn’t end there. Each chapter has an opener with hints, tips and tricks to make the recipes even easier than they already are. In “From the Package” Lee offers quick recipes from the package. The chapter titled “From the Chocolatier” has recipes every chocoholic will want to include in his or her kitchen. Another chapter which is my favorite is “From the Stars”. Eric McCormack’s Amazing Chocolate Almond Biscotti goes well with a cup of hot tea. I recommend Darjeeling to balance the sweetness of McCormack’s biscotti. The other chapters are similar to others cook books – romantic recipes, special occasions, bake sales, and holidays. The chapters may be similar, but the recipes are not. Lee ends her book with “For the Host.” It’s a chapter full of dinner and dessert hosting ideas. Like the recipes, some will suit you and some will not. Don’t let that stop you from buying Semi-Homemade Desserts, because if you are a true cook, passing on recipes and ideas meant for others will without a doubt get you your monies worth and improve future family dinners. ————————— Pecan Caramel CheeseCake
Serves 12 to 16 2 boxes (11.1 ounces each)
real cheesecake dessert mix, Jell-O No Bake® Prep time: 10 minutes Preparation: Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter
springform pan with parchment or wax paper. *** Frozen English Toffee Cake
Cake: Ice Cream Filling and Frosting: Prep time: 15 minutes Cake Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch-round cake pans. Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool cakes completely on cooling rack. Ice Cream Filling Preparation: Line three 8-inch-round cake pans with plastic wrap, allowing 3 inches of plastic to hang over sides. Divide ice cream equally among pans. Using rubber spatula, spread ice cream over bottoms of prepared pans, forming smooth, even layers. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of toffee bits over ice cream in each pan. Freeze for 3 hours, or until frozen solid. To Assemble and Frost: Cut each cake layer horizontally in half. Working quickly, remove ice cream from pans. Peel off plastic and place 1 ice cream circle on each of 3 cake layers. Stack cake and ice cream layers atop each other on serving platter. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost cake with whipped topping and sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Freeze until ready to serve. Let ice cream cake stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. *** Peanut Butter Mini Mud Pies
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter,
Jif® Prep time: 10 minutes Preparation: Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
into bottom of each crust. Variation: To make mini chocolate pie crusts (as shown in the photo), scrape the filling from cookies, then finely grind the cookies in a food processor. Mix the crumbs with just enough melted butter to moisten lightly. Press the crumb mixture over the sides and bottom of mini pie pans. *** Cherry Lollipops
Makes 20 lollipops Nonstick cooking spray, PAM® Special Equipment: Prep time: 10 minutes Preparation: Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick
spray. *** Mini Pumpkin Spice Cakes With Orange Glaze
Cake: Orange Glaze: Marzipan Stems and Leaves: Special Equipment: Prep time: 20 minutes, baking time:
20 minutes, cooling time: 30 minutes Cake Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and flour 8 mini bundt pans. Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center of cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on cooling racks for 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling rack and cool completely. Set cooling rack atop baking sheet. For the Orange Glaze: Heat cream in small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles appear; remove from heat. Add white morsels and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in food colorings, 1 drop at a time, until desired color is achieved. Drizzle glaze over cakes. Refrigerate cakes for 10 minutes, or until glaze is firm. Cover and reserve any remaining glaze. For the Marzipan Stems and Leaves: Copyright © 2003 SLSH Enterprises For more information, please visit the author's Web site at: www.semi-homemade.com. |
||||||||||||
Pecan
pie or cheesecake? Try a bite of both with this no-bake New York-style
cheesecake smothered in caramelized pecans. The inspired combination
of creamy cheesecake, gooey caramel, and crunchy pecans is a two-in-one
treat, perfect for parties, special dinners or starting a new Thanksgiving
tradition. Be generous with the caramel -- and don't be afraid to
let it drip down the sides. It just looks more homemade. 
Serves
12 to 16 
Makes
6 
These
hard candy lollipops are the perfect project for pint-sized chefs.
Make them in any color or flavor you want -- even in fun shapes,
using metal cookie cutters or candy molds, available at most kitchen
stores. To make cute gifts, holiday treats, or party favors, tie
colorful ribbons around the sticks and curl the ends by pulling
the ribbons between your thumb and the blade of a pair of scissors. 
Makes
8