White Chocolate-Strawberry Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese

• 9 ounces white baking chocolate, melted and cooled

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, divided

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 packages (3 ounces each) ladyfingers, split

• 2/3 cup orange juice

• 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

• Chocolate syrup, optional

  
  

  Directions

  1. In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, beat cheeses until light and fluffy. Beat in cooled chocolate, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped cream.
  2. Brush half of the ladyfingers with half of the orange juice; arrange in a 13x9-in. dish. Spread with 2 cups cream cheese mixture; top with half of the strawberries. Brush remaining ladyfingers with remaining orange juice; arrange over berries.
  3. Gently stir remaining confectioners' sugar into remaining cream cheese mixture; fold in remaining whipped cream. Spread over ladyfingers. Top with remaining strawberries. Refrigerate until serving. If desired, drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving. Yield: 15 servings.

Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons cold lard

• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

• FILLING:

• 4 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

• 4 egg yolks

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup chopped pecans

• TOPPING:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1/4 cup butter, cubed

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 cup flaked coconut

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

  Directions

  1. In a small bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in lard until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice.
  3. Bake 11-13 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Remove foil and weights; bake 6-8 minutes longer or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 350°.
  4. In a microwave, melt chocolates in a large bowl; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in milk, egg yolks and vanilla; stir in pecans. Pour into crust. Bake 16-19 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack.
  5. Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Cook 2-3 minutes or until mixture thickens and a thermometer reads 160°, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and vanilla; cool 10 minutes.
  7. Pour over filling; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 4 hours or until cold. Yield: 8 servings.

Coconut Berry Pizza

Ingredients

• 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

• 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

• 4 medium kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

• 1-1/3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

• 1-1/3 cups each fresh raspberries, blueberries and blackberries

• 1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted

  Directions

  1. Unroll crescent dough and place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of pan; seal seams. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and jam until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over crust. Arrange fruit over top. Sprinkle with coconut. Chill until serving. Yield: 16 servings.

Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup canola oil

• 1 package butter pecan cake mix (regular size)

• 1 package (10 to 11 ounces) butterscotch chips

• 1 package (8 ounces) milk chocolate English toffee bits

  
  

  Directions

  1. In a large bowl, beat eggs and oil until blended; gradually add cake mix and mix well. Fold in chips and toffee bits.
  2. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. Yield: 5 dozen.

Chopped Salad

Makes 6 meal-sized salad or 12 side portions

Oregano dressing
4 cloves garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons dried oregano (to taste)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil, ideally extra-virgin

Salad and assembly
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into paper-thin rings
1/2 pound provolone, sliced 1/8-inch thick then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
1/2 pound salami, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
4 medium or 8 small pickled pepperoncini, sliced into rings
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes
Sea salt
1 head iceberg lettuce, halved, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch ribbons
1 head radicchio, halved, cored and cut in 1/4-inch ribbons
2 tablespoons dried oregano for garnish (optional)

Make dressing: Roughly chop the garlic and then add the oregano, salt and up to 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Chop the mixture together and use the side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to make a grainy herb paste. Transfer the paste to a large salad bowl, and add the lemon juice and vinegar. Mix with a fork allowing the salt to dissolve, then add the oil and whisk with a fork until well combined. The dressing should be thick with garlic and oregano. If you’re using a small head of iceberg, transfer 1/3 the dressing into a small bowl to be used only if needed. For a larger head of iceberg, you’ll want it all.

Assemble salad: Gently fold the chickpeas, red onion, provolone, salami, pepperoncini (including seeds and juice) into the dressing, one at a time. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Set aside until ready to serve.

To serve: When ready to serve, gently add the tomatoes, lettuce and radicchio to the salad bowl, along with a couple of generous pinches of oregano, and toss to combine with the dressing. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding any reserved dressing if needed. Serve immediately.

from smittenkitchen.com