Gourmet Cookie Bouquets Recipe Blog

Archive for April, 2008

Ingredients:

• 2 extra ripe, large bananas, peeled

• 1/3 cup butter

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 3/4 cup chopped gourmet nuts

Puree bananas in blender (1-1/4 cups). Cream butter with sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in the bananas and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture alternately in thirds with buttermilk, blending well after each addition. Stir in the nuts. Pour into greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes until tests done. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack to complete cooling.

Love bananas? Try this recipe for Fried Bananas.

No it's not about cookies, but this recipe is just as sure to please.

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope of onion soup mix

• 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tsp. basil leaves

• 1 tsp. oregano

• 1/8 tsp. pepper

• ½ cup butter, softened

• 1 loaf Italian or French bread (about 16 inches long), halved lengthwise

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.In a small bowl, thoroughly blend all ingredients except bread; generously spread on bread halves. On baking sheet, arrange bread, cut side up, and bake 15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Store any remaining spread, covered, in fridge for later use.

If you're a big onion fan, you'll enjoy this recipe for Bloomin' Onion Recipe.

Muffins make great dessert gifts, and it doesn't get much better than pineapple! Try this recipe for a unique muffin batch.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 1 egg

• 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple

• 1 tbsp. grated orange peel

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1 cup chopped dates

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixer bowl, beat together honey and butter for 1 minute. Beat in the egg, then undrained pineapple and orange peel. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir into pineapple mixture until just blended.

Spoon batter into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan before turning out onto wire rack. Serve warm.

Love muffins? Try this tasty recipe for Apple Cranberry Muffins.

Gourmet desserts don't always have to be really complicated. Try this raspberry lemon gelatin salad, for example. Easy and delicious, just the way it should be!

Ingredients:

• 1 10 oz. package frozen raspberries, thawed

• Cold water

• 1 3-oz. package raspberry flavored gelatin

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1 3 1/2-oz. package lemon instant pudding and pie filling mix

• 2 cups cold milk

• 1 cup mayonnaise

Drain raspberries, reserving liquid. Add enough water to reserved liquid to measure 3/4 cup; set aside. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Gradually add to raspberry flavored gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Stir in the reserved raspberry liquid. Cover; chill until thickened but not set. Fold in raspberries. Pour into 1 1/2 quart clear serving bowl. Cover; chill until almost set. Combine unflavored gelatin and juice in a small saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Cool. Combine the pudding mix and the milk; mix as directed on package of pudding mix. Stir in the salad dressing. Gradually add gelatin mixture, mixing until well blended. Pour over raspberry layer; cover. Chill until firm.

If you are a big gelatin fan, then you must try this recipe for Cherry Waldorf Gelatin.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sifted flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup coconut cream or heavy cream

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 cup soft-cooked rice

• Fat for deep frying

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat the eggs, cream, and vanilla together, then mix into the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the rice.

Heat the fat to 370 degrees. Drop the mixture into it by the tablespoon. Fry until browned. Drain and serve hot.

It's not as sweet as the typical gourmet cookies that we showcase, but it is quite tasty!

Want more fritters recipes? Try this one for Coconut Fritters.