Month: August 2009

Summer Fruit Bowl Recipe

8 whole ladyfingers
1 tbsp sherry or 1 tbsp orange juice
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup seedless green grapes
13 1/2 ounce can pineapple chunks, well drained
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Split ladyfingers and arrange in serving bowl. Sprinkle with sherry (or orange juice). Combine fruits in a mixing bowl. Mix remaining ingredients, add to fruit mixture and stir lightly. Pour fruit mixture over ladyfingers and chill until ready to serve. Recipe makes 8 servings of Summer Fruit Bowl.

Pineapple Mousse

12 marshmallows
1 tbsp cold water
1 3/4 cup whipping cream, chilled
1/3 cup pineapple juice, chilled
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup crushed pineapple

Combine the marshmallows and water in the top of a double boiler and heat, stirring constantly, until marshmallows have melted. Let cool. Meanwhile, put the whipping cream into a chilled bowl and beat until stiff.

Fold melted marshmallows gently but thoroughly into the whipped cream. Add salt and pure vanilla extract to the pineapple juice; stir. Stir in crushed pineapple.

Stir pineapple mixture into the whipped cream. Freeze until firm — about 3 hours. Recipe makes 1 quart of Pineapple Mousse.

Pineapple Strawberry Tarts

1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 cup diced pineapple
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
6 baked tart shells
vanilla ice cream

Mix strawberries and sugar. Make a smooth paste of cornstarch and a little of the pineapple juice. Add remaining pineapple juice, diced pineapple and salt.

Cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Add butter, strawberries and more sugar (if desired).

Pour into the prepared tart shells and serve topped with vanilla ice cream. Serves 6.

Fruity Bobs Dessert

1 medium banana
8 ounces pineapple chunks, drained
11 ounces mandarin orange sections, drained
8 ounces maraschino cherries, drained
8 ounces honey
shredded coconut

Peel banana and cut into 1/2″ slices. Alternate fruit on skewers, topping with a cherry. Brush with honey and plance on top rack of a grill. Cook at low to medium heat until fruit in thoroughly heated. Roll honey coated fruit skewers in shredded coconut before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Pineapple Banana Puree

4 cups water
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 (2 inch) stick cinnamon
1 large pineapple
4 large bananas
1 tsp orange peel, grated
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
2 (1 inch) sticks cinnamon

Combine water sugar and large cinnamon stick in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 20 minutes. When finished there should be about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of syrup. Discard cinnamon stick.

Cut pineapple peel off; dice fruit. Combine 1/3 of pineapple with 1 banana and put in blender. Add about 1 cup of syrup and blend to a course puree. Continue blending with remaining syrup and pineapple.

Add orange peel, lime juice and (small) cinnamon stick to mixture. Place into a 10 inch square baking dish. Cook in a 325° F oven for 5 1/2 hours, stirring every half hour and scraping sides of dish each time.

During last hour of cooking stir every 15 minutes.

Serve cool with dollops of whipped cream.