DIY Funnel Cakes

Enjoy the deep-fried funnel cake awesomeness of the state fair all year round with this DIY recipe.

DIY Funnel Cakes

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 cups Bisquick™ Original baking mix
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• Powdered sugar, for topping

Directions:

1. Pour oil about one inch deep into a large saucepan or stockpot. Heat over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 350°F to 360°F.
2. Meanwhile, combine Bisquick™, milk and eggs in a large bowl; stir until well mixed. Pour batter into squeeze dispenser bottles.
3. When oil is fully heated, carefully squeeze batter in a circular motion, close to the oil, until a mini funnel cake forms (don't make more than 2 cakes at a time). Fry 30 seconds on each side until golden brown, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
4. Repeat with remaining batter, making sure oil temperature stays within 350°F to 360°F.
5. Sprinkle warm funnel cakes with powdered sugar.

Philadelphia 3-Step Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Philadelphia 3-Step Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Ingredients:

– 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

– 1/2 cup sugar

– 1/2 tsp. vanilla

– 2 eggs

– 3/4 cup prepared or refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, divided

– 1 Honey Maid Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.) <- (or make your own; so easy and so much better!)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.  Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs; mix just until blended.  Remove 1/2 cup of the dough; drop by teaspoonfuls into batter.  Stir gently.

POUR into crust.  Top with level teaspoonfuls of the remaining 1/4 cup cookie dough.

BAKE 40 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool.  Refrigerate 3 hours or over night.  Garnish as desired.  Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings.

Coconut Banana Bread

Just made this today.. Really yummy, but the coconut flavor is not overpowering. It is actually hard to detect and I'll probably add more next time I make it.

Coconut Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups self rising flour (use all purpose and increase baking soda to 1 tsp)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (or shredded coconut)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
*I used 4 mini loaf pans, as you can see.

In the bowl using a wooden spoon mix the oil and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extract.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the mashed banana and the coconut milk.

Gradually mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients. Start and end with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in the flaked coconut.

Pour the batter to the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour and 15 minutes, when a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
*Adjust time if you use mini loaf pans. Mine took about 45 minutes.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

Reuben Crescent Bake

It really doesn't get much easier than this. No chopping, sauteing, or boiling. Essentially, I made a great big, delicious sandwich in a casserole dish. "What else might I do with crescent rolls?" I know that there are quite a few applications, both sweet and savory. I first hit up the Pillsbury site for inspiration. Lots of recipes there! I finally settled on this Reuben Bake, another winner from Taste of Home. Don't look at the calories, though.

Reuben Crescent Bake

Ingredients:

• 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 pound sliced Swiss cheese
• 1-1/4 pounds sliced deli corned beef
• 1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
• 2/3 cup Thousand Island salad dressing
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 3 teaspoons caraway seeds

1. Unroll one tube of crescent dough into one long rectangle; seal seams and
2. perforations. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake
3. at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Layer with half of the
4. cheese and all of the corned beef. Combine sauerkraut and salad dressing; spread
5. over beef. Top with remaining cheese. On a lightly floured surface, press or
6. roll second tube of crescent dough into a 13-in. x 9-in. rectangle, sealing seams
7. and perforations. Place over cheese. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with caraway
8. seeds. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until heated through and crust is golden
9. brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 8 servings.

Chocolate Lava Cake

A rich dessert every chocolate lover would love. According to culinary legend, the chocolate lava cake was the result of a major kitchen disaster. The dessert was meant to be individual chocolate cakes that were taken out of the oven to soon. What came out are chocolate cakes with gooey centers.

Chocolate Lava Cake

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp butter
• 3.5 oz dark chocolate (this is one standard chocolate bar)
• 2 extra large eggs
• 1 extra large egg yolk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• powdered sugar as needed

Directions:

1.     Using a double-boiler, melt the butter and chocolate together and stir to combine.
2.     In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the mixture is light yellow in color, and the sugar is dissolved. About 3 minutes.
3.     Pour the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until well incorporated.
4.     Fold in sifted flour, cocoa, and salt into the chocolate and egg mixture using a spatula. Spoon into 4 buttered 5-oz ramekins, and tap on the table to settle any air bubbles. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5.     Place ramekins in a baking dish and add water until it is halfway up the sides. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes
6.     Remove from the oven and serve warm. The chocolate lava cakes can be turned out on a plate or served in the ramekins with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.