CLOSED Best Recipe Contest | Spring Recipes | 2X$30 winners

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Wow some of these recipes are killing me!! I am getting hungry

Posted:07.04.2009, 18:35

Makes 12 small bunnies (2 servings each) or
6 large bunnies (4 servings each)
Prep: 2 to 2 1/2 hours
Rise: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours
Bake at 350 degrees F
Small bunnies: 15 minutes
Large bunnies: 20 minutes

1 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, slices

1/2 cup warm (105 to 115 degrees) water

3/4 cup sugar

2 envelopes active dry yeast

5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

5 eggs, at room temperature (reserve 1 for glaze)

1 tablespoon cold water

Decorator frosting (recipe follows)

Liquid food coloring

Small round candles or jelly beans

Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan. Place pan over low heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and let milk cool to lukewarm (110 degrees F).

Stir together warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over surface; let stand until softened, about 1 minute. Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand until mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Combine 4 cups flour, remaining sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add 4 eggs, yeast mixture and warm milk mixture; stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.

Knead dough by hand on a lightly floured surface or with an electric mixer with a dough hook until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down dough, knead briefly. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Grease 2 large baking sheets.

For small bunnies: Cut dough into 12 equal parts. Use one part for each bunny. If your kitchen is warm, cover and refrigerate unused portions of dough.

Using one piece of dough, pinch off about 1/4 cup for bunny body and roll into a ball, slightly elongating it into shape of an egg. Place on a prepared baking sheet. Pinch off about 2 tablespoons dough and roll into a ball to form a head, elongating one end to a point. Dip point in water and tuck under body ball on baking sheet to attach.

Pinch off a tiny piece from dough for a nose. Roll into a ball, dip bottom in water and place in center of face. Divide remaining piece of dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll 4 pieces into balls for paws, making them slightly pointed and elongated at one end. Dip points into water; tuck points under body on 4 places to attach paw. Roll remaining 2 pieces into logs for ears, making a point on one end and flattening other end of each log. Dip flattened ends into water and tuck under head for ears.

Repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough to make 11 more bunnies. Place bunnies about 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap, let rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until doubled in volumes, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together reserved egg and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Uncover bunny breads, brush with egg wash. Brush each a second time.

Bake in heated 350 degree oven 15 minutes or until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove to a rack to cool completely before decorating.

For large bunnies: Divide dough into 6 equal parts. Assemble as directed for small bunnies in steps 6, 7, 8 and 9, doubling amounts of dough for body and head. Brush with egg wash as in step 11.

Bake in heated 350 degree F oven 20 minutes or until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

Tint batches of frosting with coloring. Spoon into pastry bags with small writing tips, decorate as pictured.

Decorator frosting
Combine 2 teaspoons powered egg whites with 2 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl. Whisk 2 minutes to dissolve. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat with electric mixer until frothy. Add 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy and stiff, about 5 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, beat in a few drops of water until frosting is proper consistency. Keep covered with a damp cloth at all times or frosting will harden. Makes 1 3/4 cups

Posted:07.04.2009, 18:59

Strawberry Cream Dessert Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
30 'golden' vanilla sandwich cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (6-ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin
1-3/4 cups boiling water
1 (6-ounce) can pineapple-orange juice
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups mashed or pureed strawberries (about 3 cups whole berries)
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Preparation:
Crush the sandwich cookies by placing in a heavy-duty plastic bag and pounding with a rolling pin. Place in 13" x 9" glass baking dish. Pour melted butter over, mix well with fork, and press the buttered crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine gelatin with the boiling water. Stir until the gelatin mixture completely dissolves. Add the pineapple-orange juice and the cold water and stir well. Then add the strawberry puree. Refrigerate until the mixture becomes a bit thicker.

Using a wire whisk, stir in the thawed whipped topping until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for 10-20 minutes longer or until mixture thickens a bit more but is not set. Then pour over crumb crust in baking dish. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or until set. You can also freeze this dessert. Serves 12-16

Posted:07.04.2009, 19:03

Raspberry Walnut Torte
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup ground walnuts
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. jar seedless raspberry preserves
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and ground walnuts. Stir well with wire whisk to mix. In a small bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form and set aside. In large bowl, using same beaters, beat together sugar, vanilla and eggs for 5 minutes at highest speed, until light and fluffy.
Alternately fold dry ingredients and the whipped cream into the egg mixture. Begin and end with the flour mixture, and treat the batter very carefully.

Grease and flour 2 9" round cake pans line bottoms with waxed paper. Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when touched, and cake layers begin to pull away from edges of pan. Cool 15 minutes, then remove layers from pans, peel off waxed paper, and cool completely.

In large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, 1/2 cup whipping cream, 1/8 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl often. You may need to add a bit more powdered sugar or cream as needed to get a light and fluffy frosting consistency.

Now split each layer of the cake in half. To do this, place toothpicks around each layer, sticking out around the edge, to mark the halfway point. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the cake layers in half. You will then have four layers. Here´s a new trick I learned from Martha (you know who I mean!). To transfer the delicate layers, carefully slide a very thin cookie sheet, without edges, in between the cut layers. Then slide it onto the serving plate.

Place the bottom half of one layer on the serving place and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with top half of that cake layer and spread with 1/2 cup raspberry preserves. Repeat with third and four layers, topping with frosting and raspberry preserves, respectively, reassembling the layers back in their original form. Then frost the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. If you like, you can pipe frosting in a decorative pattern on top of the preserves that top the cake. Store in refrigerator.

Note:

Okay, now that you are thoroughly threatened by this recipe, there is an easier way! Don´t cut the cake layers in half. Simply put the two layers together with about 1/2 cup of raspberry preserves, then frost top and sides with the cream cheese frosting - pile it on. You'll still have a wonderful cake, with less work.

Posted:07.04.2009, 19:13

Easter Bunny Cupcakes
RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
A cupcake (baked from your favorite recipe)
White icing
Shredded coconut
Pink decorators' sugar
Jelly bean nose
Chewable Sweet Tart eyes
Large marshmallow
Mini marshmallows
1. Frost a cupcake (baked from your favorite recipe) with white icing and sprinkle on shredded coconut fur.

2. Cut a large marshmallow in half widthwise. Squeeze each half slightly to give it an oval shape, then decorate the sticky side of each one with pink decorators' sugar and set them in place for ears.

3. Add a jelly bean nose and either jelly bean or snipped Sweet Tart eyes, and mini marshmallows for cheeks. For a finishing touch, draw on decorators' gel pupils or whiskers if you like.

Posted:07.04.2009, 19:17

Cheesecake Supreme Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 1h 10m
Ready in: 1h 40m
Yield: 1 - 9 or 10 inch springform pan
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Mix the graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup of the white sugar, and the melted butter together. Press mixture into the bottom of one 9 or 10 inch springform pan.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks; mix until smooth. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups white sugar, the flour and the heavy cream. Blend until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 minutes, then turn oven temperature down to 200 degrees F (100 degrees C) and continue baking for 1 hour, or until filling is set. Let cheesecake cool, then refrigerate.
Nutrition Information
Servings Per Recipe: 12

Posted:08.04.2009, 17:32

1 stick margarine
1 white cake mix
1 10 oz. can crushed pineapple

spray bottom only [pam] 9x13 in baking pan
dump drained pineapple in
sprinkle dry cake mix over
then drizzle melted magarine over dry cake mix,
bake til golden brown. serve warm or cold. coolwhip [optional]

simple and tastes great!

Posted:10.04.2009, 03:35

I saw this recipe and it looked like it would be good for an Easter dinner -

Smoked Ham With Bourbon, Brown Sugar and Cola
by Taylor Florence

Ingredients
1 (7-8 lb.) smoked ham, fully cooked with bone in
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup cola
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 F.

In a small saucepan combine the bourbon, sugar, cola, mustard and fresh thyme. Simmer gently over low heat stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce until thick and syrupy and liquid coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Take ham out of plastic and score (lightly cut) the top of the skin with a sharp knife. Make large cuts in one direction across the ham and then in the other direction to form a pattern of large diamonds. Place it in a large roasting dish fat side up and make sure it is brought to room temperature if refrigerated (approximately one hour). Pour and brush the glaze over the ham and add 1 cup of water with 3 tablespoons of bourbon to the bottom of the roasting pan before baking. Pop it into the oven on the lower rack.

Bake for 90 minutes, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. Check for internal temperature -- it should reach 140 F on a meat thermometer and the meat should be tender and falling apart when done. When done, remove from oven, tent loosely with foil and let stand for 15 minutes.

Skim fat from pan juices and drizzle juice over carved ham slices.

Posted:10.04.2009, 03:44

I just looked over the recipes listed, lots of yummy stuff!!

If the winner of this contest is the best recipe, I am sure glad I am not the one who has to decide on that!

Posted:10.04.2009, 11:16

Easter Eggs

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
1/4 pound margarine, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces peanut butter
1 pound flaked coconut
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

DIRECTIONS
1.In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, margarine, cream cheese and vanilla extract. Divide the batter in half and place each half of the batter in a bowl on its own. Stir peanut butter into one of the bowls and coconut into the second.
2.Using your hands, mold the dough into egg-shapes and arrange the forms on cookie sheets. Place the eggs in the freezer until frozen.
3.Once the eggs have frozen, melt the chocolate and shortening in the top of a double-boiler. Dip the eggs into the chocolate until coated. Place the eggs on wax paper lined cookie sheets and return to the freezer to harden. After the chocolate has hardened the eggs can be kept in the refrigerator.

Makes about 60 eggs

Posted:10.04.2009, 15:59

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 pound carrots
2 cups white sugar
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
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DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray. Flour pan and tap out excess flour.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, soda and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine coconut, walnuts and raisins. Set aside.
Grate carrots (to make 3 cups). Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, pineapple with juice, oil and applesauce. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and carrots.
Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add coconut, walnuts and raisins and combine.
Put batter into 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate. Frost, and refrigerate one hour.
To make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar, orange zest and juice. Beat until smooth

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**Moderator**

NoLuckNeeded $30 Best Easter/Spring Recipe Contest is closed
Thanks to everyone who posted a recipe!

Congrats to our 2 $30 winners:
maybenexttime777 & Hollyoop

Winners paid in USD by paypal, netspend, or postal mail.
Winners- please send your payment information.

Posted:16.04.2009, 06:09

oh, thank you, thank you. I swear I didn't know that I won this contest until just now going through some of the posts and found out I won... I am so grateful to you,Tawnia and NLN. thanks again everyone. xoxoxo

Posted:16.04.2009, 10:48

WTG, maybenexttime777 & Hollyoop
Now you're cookin' !!!