Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple recipe makes a better-than-average fudge brownie that's perfect for school lunches or toting to fall meetings. The recipe is straight forward and, happily, is suitable for young cooks to make on their own. The brownies stay soft and chewy for days if they are wrapped and stored in an airtight container. They won't be the prettiest specimens to come from your kitchen, but they are delicious and will add 'creds' to your reputation as a cook. I have one small caution to share with you. The peanut butter swirl that tops the brownies is molten hot, so unless you have a band-aid fetish, don't test for doneness using the tips of your fingers. I speak from bitter experience. The brownies need to cool for an hour before they can be neatly cut. I love peanut butter, so I, of course, am awfully fond of this recipe. I do hope you will give it a try. Here is how the brownies are made.

Frosted Banana Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe produces light, fluffy and moist banana bars that are a perfect way to use those nasty 'nanas that accumulate on top of your refrigerator. The bars, which are mildly flavored, are frosted with a cream cheese icing that adds richness to an otherwise plain dessert. It takes about 20 minutes to make them, and depending on the pan size you use, 25 to 35 minutes to bake. The original recipe calls for a jelly-roll pan for baking. As you can see, my bars, which baked in a standard 13 x 9-inch pan, are higher than those that would be produced in the larger pan. Somewhere in this house a jelly-roll pan is lurking, but it defied my efforts to find it tonight and I settled for what was readily at hand. My bars took 35 minutes to bake. This simple recipe makes a large batch of delicious bars and I urge you to try it.  Here is how the bars are made.

Pound Cake with Pecan Glaze

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a homely cake that makes a great base for ice cream or macerated berries. I pulled this one from my freezer last weekend to dress up an otherwise plain dessert. It had been in the freezer for nearly 3 months, so you can add "good keeper" to other descriptors in its pedigree. The cake is simple to make and the glaze makes it a bit special. While I love pound cake, it can be a ho-hum affair and its simplicity often prevents it from being served to guests. I served this one with butter pecan ice cream and a butterscotch sauce. There wasn't a complaint at the table. I know most of you already have several recipes for pound cake in your files, but on the odd chance you are looking for another one, I urge you to give this version a try. Here is how the cake and glaze are made.

Shortcut Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Somewhere, at some point in your life, someone told you to "never say never." Chances are it was your mother who hadn't yet realized you knew more than she did. I remember those heady days, but the universe conspired against me, and following a particularly embarrassing debacle, I quickly learned it was much better to say "almost never" rather than bet the ranch on the outcome of my endeavors. Are you ready for my disclaimer? Folks who follow my blog on a regular basis know I prefer "from scratch" cooking. They also know I've been known to take a shortcut or two when it's necessary. This weekend the Silver Fox and I attended a large multi-age barbecue. I was responsible for the sweet stuff and spent more time than I should  making the adult desserts. I was time-pressed to produce something that would appeal to the children. A couple of ideas popped into mind. I decided to go with ice cream sandwiches, which could be made with cookies and ice cream from the grocery store, and peanut butter and jelly bars. I knew Ina Garten had a recipe for the bars, but I wanted to make something a bit less involved than that. I let my fingers do the walking and they found a truly simple recipe for the bars on the Land O' Lakes website. The base of the recipe was a packaged cake mix. I looked at the clock and gave myself absolution and permission to proceed with the shortcut version of the cookies. I'm glad I did. This is a nice recipe and it is nearly effortless to prepare. I hope you'll give it a try. Here is how these moist bars are made. Enjoy!

German Chocolate Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made these brownies for the Silver Fox this weekend. He is in 7th heaven. I am in sugar shock. Those of you who have an insatiable sweet tooth will love these, but those who share my aversion to overly sweet desserts, best take a pass and try one of the blackberry recipes we've recently featured. This is a simple recipe that will cause you no problems. I do want to point out that the recipe uses salted butter. If you use the unsalted variety be sure to add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the ingredients to keep the flavors in balance. The brownies are dense and moist, and they are good keepers if properly wrapped and refrigerated. Here is how they are made.

Mixed Berry Cornmeal Shortcakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another of the desserts we'll be taking with us for this weekend's barbecue. Logistics demand I bake and freeze the shortcakes well before they are needed on the table. Because I like short pastry with a bit of a bite, I'll rewarm them so they can crisp up before serving. The cornmeal adds substance to the shortcakes and their rustic appearance makes them a perfect way to end a meat-heavy barbecue. I use mixed berries at this time of year to maximize flavor. Blackberries and raspberries are especially good right now, so while they'll represent the bulk of the berries I use to fill the shortcakes, I always throw in a few strawberries to please traditionalists who can't imagine shortcake without them. I'm a whipped cream kind of gal, but those who don't share my "in for a penny, in for a pound" attitude should feel free to use whipped topping if that is your preference. Here is how the cornmeal shortcakes are made.

A Crispy Ice Cream Crunch Cake for Kids Large and Small

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love recipes that draw children into the kitchen and involve them in food preparation. Supervision is, of course, necessary, but this dessert - an ice cream cake - can be made by a ten year old. The result is a cake worthy of a minor feast. Aspiring young chefs will need an apron or old clothes, and you'll need lots of paper toweling and a smidgen of patience to pull this off. It's a messy but doable dessert. Their pride when the cake is unmolded is unmistakable. That alone would make it worthwhile, but the cake is actually good. Over the next two weeks, I'll be working on the recreation of prize winning recipes. Some will be mine, some will belong to friends who've taught me grace in defeat. This recipe is an award winner from the Utica Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Festival. Wilma Griffin fashioned a cake that blends crisp rice cereal with chocolate and peanut butter to form a soft crunchy brittle that's worked into ice cream. You wouldn't want to serve this to the queen or your gourmet club, but it's great for any other occasion where family and friends gather to break bread. There are no special ingredients here, but good ice cream and chocolate help this along. You'll want to make this at least 8 hours before serving. Once you've tried this you'll probably want to experiment with other flavors, but here is the basic recipe.

Black and Blue Oatmeal Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox loves oatmeal cake. Actually, he loves its sweetness. I rarely make one for him because I'm anti anything that has the potential to send you into sugar shock. A couple of years ago, I came across a recipe for an oatmeal bundt cake that gets much of its sweetness from berries. He loved the cake. So now, I try to make the cake for him whenever local berries are plentiful and inexpensive. The blackberries have been especially delicious this year. The original recipe used a full compliment of blueberries, but I've altered it and use both blue and black berries. Of course, the blackberries are a soft fruit, so while they add great flavor, they often give this cake a bruised appearance. Freezing the berries helps prevent them from bleeding into the batter, but I'm always in such a hurry that I usually skip that step. I mention freezing only for those of you who need a cake with a more finished appearance. You'll find this moist cake is a great keeper if it is well-wrapped and refrigerated. I think you will enjoy its berry richness. Here is how the cake is made.

Chillin' Out - Lime Sherbet

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The dog days of August are bearing down on us, and the extreme heat that has blanketed most of the country has folks dreaming of cooler weather. I can't help with that, but this luscious lime sherbet will help you beat the heat. If you share my love for citrus desserts I suspect you're ready for this tart, key lime sherbet. It's Zen-like in its simplicity and can be made without an ice cream or sherbet maker. The sherbet is easy to make, but do plan time for multiple freezings and sear the word cold into your brain. Bowls and beaters must be icy cold as you work, and you'll find it's best to work as quickly as you can. The number of key limes you'll use will vary; I needed 20 key limes to make 2/3 cup of juice. If key limes aren't available, large Persian limes - about 3 of them - may be substituted. This is a wonderful way for the health conscious to end a meal. I like to frost the glasses in which I serve the sherbet. It's not necessary but it looks really nice and it makes for a great grand finale.

Rustic Peach Upside-Down Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We spent the day at Baker Bay. It was family-type gathering and we spent most of the afternoon on the water. Food was simple. We had the most basic of barbecues, with choices limited to hamburgers, hot dogs or Sloppy Joes. The salads, some of which were delicious, were a pot luck affair and did a lot to help dress up the meal. I was asked to bring desserts. Because everything was being kept simple, I kept with the program and brought desserts that would fit in with the meal. We brought one of those old-fashioned crank ice cream maker to amuse the kids, as well as my version of a Texas sheet cake, and a couple of the Peach Upside-Down cakes I'm sharing with you tonight. The cake is barely sweet, but it has wonderful flavor thanks to the peaches and the unusual addition of toasted cornmeal to the cake batter. Those of you who favor desserts that are barely sweet will enjoy this unusual version of upside-down cake. The cake is easy to prepare but there are a few pitfalls you'll want to avoid should you decide to make it. Resist the temptation to increase the amount of peaches called for in the recipe. Doing so will result in a damp and soggy cake that no one will enjoy. As for the peaches themselves, you'll want to work with firm, just ripe fruit, or frozen fruit that has been thawed, drained and patted dry. Truly ripe peaches are way too soft for this dessert and you'll end up with a mushy cake that is an eyesore. The recipe comes from Cook's Country magazine, so you can rest assured that it has been tested and will produce a nice dessert. If you are looking for something new to try, you might want to experiment with this cake. Here is how it is made.

As Easy As (Mudslide) Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a terrific recipe to have in your roster on a hot summer day. It's easy enough for the kid's to make and while it requires significant chill time, it adds a festive end to a summer meal. The recipe which appears below comes from the Nestle test kitchen, and while I follow their ingredient list to the letter, I use the microwave to melt the chocolate for the pie. It just makes things easier. While there are several ways to melt chocolate using the microwave, I place the chocolate in a bowl and heat it on medium high for about 1 minute, then stir the chocolate and continue to heat at 15 to 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and has a smooth consistency. The pie really needs a full 6 hours in the freezer if you want neat slices. You can cut it before then but the lower layer will not be completely set and has a tendency to run. This is a truly effortless dessert, and I do hope you'll give it a try. Here is how it is made.

A Fabulous Cake for the Fourth of July

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When I was quite young and still rebellious, my mother freely gave advice I chose not to hear. I know there was a list of dos and don'ts for social interactions, and I suspect the situation I found myself in might never have happened, if I had been paying attention to what she said. Last year, about this time, the Silver Fox and I were invited to a party, and rather than just accept, I, of course, asked if I could bring anything. Turns out, I sure could. The list included burger buns and a cake that was holiday appropriate. Now, I don't usually do holiday appropriate. Once my children were grown, recipes for lamb and flag cakes were retired. I probably could have resurrected my recipe for a flag cake, but I didn't think anyone in the 60+ crowd was pining for it. So, I decided to make an ordinary cake that would be simply decorated to make a symbolic nod to the 4th of July. I have long cherished a recipe for a pure white cake that would make a perfect base for my extravaganza. A cake, if it's to be pure white, must be made with white shortening and a clear extract of one type or another. I can hear some of you groaning, but that's the only way it can be done. I decided to use pie filling to provide the play of red and blue against the white because I had it in the pantry and wanted to use it up. Red and blue jam would also have worked nicely. My plan included using whipped cream or topping to ice the layers because that was the simplest way to carry on the red white and blue theme. If you decide to make a cake like this, I must warn you the both pie filling and jam have a tendency to bleed into the cake layers. Had I used a buttercream frosting I could have created a light sealing coat that would make the layers impervious to a bleeding filling. That, alas, cannot be done with whipped cream. The cake, which had terrific flavor and a lovely crumb, was well received and had enough holiday flair to please the hostess for which it was made. Those of you who need a quick and relatively easy holiday dessert, might find this one perfect for your purposes. Here is how the cake was made.

Summer Pudding - A Spectacular Dessert for Father's Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've made this dessert for years, in forms both plain and fancy. I first had the pudding as a child when it was prepared by a Swedish neighbor for a Midsummer's Eve celebration. I developed a fancy for its tart berry sweetness and it was one of the first desserts I made as a bride. Once I had my own kitchen, I turned to recipes that had been develop by British food writers. I suspect I was working on the theory that no one knows puddings better than the Brits, and if I wanted the very best recipe for summer pudding, I'd most likely find it tucked somewhere within their collective writings. So, in flights of fancy, I moved across the pond and dallied with the likes of Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson, who curiously enough, led me back to the Hamptons and the kitchen of Ina Garten, where I finally found the pudding of my dreams. On a more practical note, as you glance through the recipe you'll notice that no provision is made for greasing the pudding mold. That's because it is not necessary. If you have weighted the pudding and let it chill overnight, it will release once it is freed from the sides of the mold with a knife. I've also come to the conclusion that the bread you use for the pudding is not as important as many would lead you to believe. Brioche or challah are both wonderful, but a good quality sandwich bread works well too. The colors of this pudding, especially when it is served with a mound of whipped cream, make it a perfect dessert for an upscale Father's Day or 4th of July celebration. I do hope you'll try this recipe. Those of you who like barely sweet and seasonal treats will be in heaven. Here's Ina's recipe.

Effortless Nutella Cheesecake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you have 15 minutes, you can make a dessert that will impress all who gather at your table. This cheesecake is child's play to make, and if it is served to folks who are fans of hazelnut spread, they'll sing praises to you and your prowess in the kitchen. There is no need to tell them this rich cheesecake can be made by a ten year old. If you take a quick look at the recipe, you'll see how easily this cheesecake comes together, so there is no need for me to go on and on about its preparation. I know those of you who make the cheesecake will love it. Here is how it's made.

Swedish Summer Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another seasonal treat that would be perfect for the 4th of July. I made it for the first time last week with berries left from my jam making marathon. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart and it is wondrously easy to make. A simple batter is topped, actually completely covered, with strawberries that melt into it as it bakes. The finished cake looks like pockets of jam have been tucked into it. It is not overly sweet, but there is enough sugar in the cake to please those who have a sweet tooth. While Martha's directions say the cake can be kept for two days, I strongly suggest you serve it the day it is made. The cake tends to become overly moist if it sits for too long a time. I served mine soon after baking. It was scrumptious and I'll be making it again and again. I suggest you use very ripe berries to top the cake. This is a dessert that is about the fruit used to make it, and, while the cake layer is lovely,  it really is nothing more than a vehicle to support the jam-like berries. I do hope you will give this recipe a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. It is, after all, "a good thing". Here's the recipe.

Quick-Fix Peanut Butter Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Your only problem with this pie will be deciding when you're going to serve it. Because it is so creamy, you'll find it difficult to transport, and it's way too rich for a morning meeting or after dinner dessert. It does, however, lend itself to dessert parties or late night get-togethers where dessert and coffee are the order of the day. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a dessert that is easier to make than this one. I found the recipe on the blog, Bake or Break, and while the original recipe can be made in 30 minutes or less, I've made a few changes that make it simpler still. Using a store-bought Oreo crust and  commercial whipped topping I can have the pie ready to refrigerate in about 10 minutes. To keep its shape, the pie needs to chill for about 4 hours before cutting, though you can reduce that time by several hours if you freeze the pie before taking a knife to it. Teens love this pie and I must admit, that while I'm at the other end of the continuum, it is also a favorite of mine. I suggest you keep portions small because the pie is so rich. If you like peanut butter, this pie could well be your downfall. It's ridiculously easy to make and it's drop-dead delicious. Here is how it's made.

Cocoa Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had a birthday to celebrate this weekend. The birthday boy wanted a chocolate cake, but given the limitations of kitchens at the lake, common sense dictated the cake be made ahead of time and packed for travel. The cake I decided to make is extremely easy to prepare and it freezes beautifully. The recipe comes from Hershey's test kitchens, and it has been successfully made by experienced and novice cooks alike. I wanted a grand cake, so I doubled the recipe to make three 9-inch layers with enough extra batter to make a dozen cupcakes as well. I used whipped cream as a filling between the layers, and to improve the appearance of the finished cake, I coated the sides with toasted hazelnuts and the top with grated chocolate. The finished cake was quite attractive, but more to the point, it was drop dead delicious and looked like it took more effort than it actually did. This recipe has been around for a while now. I urge any of you who have not yet tried it, to give it a shot. It's hard to beat easy and delicious. Here is how the cake and frosting are made.

An Old-Fashioned Southern Cornmeal Pound Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I think I've been cooking too long. I was at the meat counter this morning and found myself wishing for a new kind of meat. I'm tired of beef and pork and my patience with poultry is starting to fray, so I'd really like to expand my horizons. I'm perfectly willing to go where no man has gone before, at least in my kitchen, but I've found that's easier said than done. There aren't a lot of new recipes out there. There are, to be sure, scads of recipes to which new descriptors have been added. You know the kind I mean - Bacon Wrapped, Egg-Stuffed, Herbed Meatloaf with Tomato Fondue and Cumin-Flavored Goat Cheese. The thing is, no matter what they do to it, it's still meatloaf. Things in the dessert world aren't any better. I was looking for new cake recipes and found the only way I'd find them was to move back in time rather than forward. I had the good fortune to stumble on an old recipe in Eat Drink Film in an article that was written by Dianne Boate. She found a recipe for cornmeal pound cake in a regional cookbook called Vittles. As it happens, this old, but new to me, cake would make a perfect base for local berries that are appearing in our farm markets. I decided to give it a try, and I was pleased enough with the results that I am comfortable passing the recipe on to you. The cake has a unique texture and it makes a gutsy berry base. Here is how this old-time favorite is made.

Chocolate Cinnamon Cracks

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been a while since I featured a recipe for cookies. The chocolate and cinnamon gems I'm featuring tonight are the result of trying to replicate cookies one we had on Whidbey Island last weekend. While I have to do more testing before I get it exactly right - or, alternatively, request the recipe from the innkeeper - my first effort produced a very nice, very chocolate cookie that's good enough to share with you. These crinkly topped cookies are delicious and I know all chocolate lovers will appreciate the chocolate and cinnamon combination. The cookies are simple to make, though the dough must be refrigerated before they can be formed and baked, so chill time must be factored into your baking plans. Couples and small families will especially like this recipe because the dough can be shaped and frozen in sensible quantities that can be baked at a later date. Here is how they are made.

I've Got the Jelly Roll Blues

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love to serve this simple jelly roll in the spring and early summer when berries are at their peak. It is nothing more than a sponge cake that is baked in a jelly roll pan and rolled before final cooling. I have a shelf of homemade jams in the the pantry and I like to use them to fill a jelly roll such as this one. The cake is easy to make and if you roll it while it is still hot, you'll have no problem with the roll cracking or cratering. These cakes freeze beautifully and they make a wonderful base for trifles. This recipe came from the Betty Crocker website, so it has been tested by many people other than myself. I do hope you will give it a try. Here is how it is made.