Banana Soft Serve

Oooooo this was a great discovery. It's funny. I found this recipe and made it and one day later, a sugar loving friend (hi Butthead!) emailed me that I had to try this new "Banana fro yo" recipe! Haha. Great minds think alike.

This really is a genius idea and tastes just like dessert. This is how I made it the first time, but Butthead suggested adding some peanut butter and unsweetened cocoa powder, which of course I tried as well and was super delicious!

You can make this in either a blender or a food processor. I've done both and think the food processor is easier, but it works in a blender, nonetheless.

Banana Soft Serve
Oh She Glows

• 1 frozen banana


• 1/3 cup Almond Milk (or your choice of milk)


• 1 T chia seeds (thickens it)


• Chocolate chips, if so desired

Directions: BLEND!

Rhubarb Pie Tartlets

Loved these little pie tarts. The crust is very unique in that it has cornmeal in it, which gives a crunchier texture. Very good. The rhubarb filling is perfect. I had some farmer's market rhubarb that made a very tangy filling, which was perfectly offset with the crust here.

Rhubarb Pie Tartlets
Brown Eyed Baker

For the Cornmeal Pâte Brisée Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
¼ to ½ cup ice water

For the Rhubarb Filling:
1 to 1½ pounds rhubarb (about 5 cups ½-inch diced)
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, lightly beaten (for the egg wash)
Sanding sugar or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

1. Make the crust. Place the flour, cornmeal, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, pour the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, until the dough just holds together (do not process for more than 30 seconds). Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten each to form a disk. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. While the crust chills, make the rhubarb filling. Combine the diced rhubarb, both sugars, the cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb releases its liquid and begins to breakdown, creating a thick, chunky sauce, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

3. One at a time, roll each disk of dough into a 14-inch circle. Using freehand or an upside-down bowl, cut out 5-inch circles and place on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

4. Spoon rhubarb filling into the center of each dough round (about 2 big spoonfuls), leaving about an inch border around the edge. Fold the border over the rhubarb mixture, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds.

5. Brush the edges of the dough with egg, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles a bit, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Rhubarb Berry Tart

This is really a mix between a tart and a crisp. The topping is that of a crisp, but there is a crust below the filling. I baked it in a 9 inch round cake pan. This was really the perfect mix between crust, filling and strudel topping. For the filling, I used mostly rhubarb and cherries. Yum, a really great, tart combo!

This tart was apparently from the LA Times. I will certainly make this again. It was the perfect summertime dessert. And I couldn't stop eating it. Winning!

Rhubarb Berry Tart
Baking with Lisa

For the almond crust:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup + 3tbsp sugar (I used half brown sugar and half granulated)
1 egg yolk
1 whole egg
1/3 cup almond meal (super easy to make: just grind whole almonds in a food processor or coffee grinder)
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamy. Add the egg yolk until it is incorporated, then add the whole egg and mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the almond meal, flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl slowly and continue mixing until the dough is thoroughly combined. The dough should be slightly sticky but not wet. Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a disc. Refrigerate one portion for at least an hour, and freeze the remaining portion to use later (thaw in the fridge before using).

3. Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and place on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax paper). Roll out the dough into a circle slightly less than 1/4 inch thick. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie or tart pan, and trim off any excess dough. With a fork, prick holes all over the dough to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake until light golden brown, 15 to 25 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the streusel topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Measure the flour and the brown sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter all at once, and pulse until the mixture looks like damp crumbs.
2. Empty the crumbs into a large bowl. Add the oats and nuts. Work them in with your fingers until the topping is stuck together in big clumps. Refrigerate until needed.

For the tart:
1 1/2 pounds fruit (I used a combo of rhubarb and halved cherries)
1/3 cup sugar (if the fruit is really tart, you can increase to 2/3 cup)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp corn starch (If you like a runnier filling, you can reduce to 2)
1 par-baked tart crust
1 recipe streusel topping

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the tart crust on a baking sheet lined with foil. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch. In a large bowl, gently combine the fruit and the dry ingredients. Dump the mixture into the tart shell and spread evenly (don’t worry if it looks over-full). With your fingers, sprinkle the topping over the fruit, making sure to cover the whole surface area.
2. Bake for 35-50 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges.
3. Cool the tart on a rack before unmolding. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream.

Beet Pizza Dough

I loved the idea behind this dough: purple pizza! How fun! It was easy enough to make, the same as regular pizza dough, although with beets. And if you don't like beets you're nuts.

I didn't enjoy the pizza as much as I hoped. The dough was fun and made for a different sort of crust flavor! However, it was definitely not as good as some of the better regular dough's out there. If you're in for a change, though, this could be the dough for you! I topped my pizza with green pepper, fresh mozzarella and onions.



Beet Pizza Dough
The Cooking Photographer

3/4 cup cooked and chopped beets, lightly packed in a liquid measuring cup (or see notes)
Enough almost warm water to make 1 cup when mixed with cooked beets, plus 1 Tablespoon.
1 package bread machine or active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
3 cups all-purpose flour (Use good quality all-purpose or bread flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

1. Scrub beets under warm water to clean. Stab a knife into it a few times for venting. Line a plate with paper towels, place the beet on the plate, and cover with a paper towel. Microwave the beet on high for several minutes until easily stabbed through with the knife. Cool completely.

2. Chop the beet into chunks. Place 3/4 of a cup of the chunks (lightly packed) into a liquid measuring cup. Top with enough water to make 1 cup. Puree the beet/water mixture in a blender until smooth. (A couple small chunks are ok, but you might end up picking them out as you roll the dough. You can also strain beet mixture through a fine mesh strainer if you have one.) Pour the mixture back into the liquid measuring cup and top with enough water to make 1 cup, then add 1 more Tablespoon.

3. Add all the ingredients into a stand mixer bowl. Mix with the dough hook until well kneaded.

4. Remove from the bowl and knead by hand for 2 minutes on an unfloured surface. (If you have a counter that stains find another place). Then pat into a ball.

5. Grease a large bowl with olive oil and add the dough, flipping once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled.

6. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, do the final stretches by hand by gently pulling the ends with your fingers. Place on a lightly oiled and coarse cornmeal covered pizza pan, and then add the toppings.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

These were some great scones for a summer morning. Very easy to make. They are a bit crumbly, but I love how they aren't overly sweet. The lemon and blueberry really works well together!

Lemon Blueberry Scones
Gimme Some Oven

• 1 cup all-purpose flour


• 1 cup whole wheat flour


• 1 Tbsp.  sugar (optional)


• 1 Tbsp. baking powder


• 1/4 tsp.  baking soda


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 1 Tbsp. lemon zest


• 1/4 cup  butter, chilled and cut into pieces


• 1/4 cup olive or canola oil


• 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk (I used 2% milk)


• 1 cup fresh or frozen berries (don’t thaw them)


• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice


• 1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Put the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor or into a medium mixing bowl and pulse or stir until well blended. Add the butter and oil and pulse or stir with a wire whisk or fork until crumbly. If you’re using a food processor, transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.

Add the milk and berries and stir gently just until the dough is combined.

Pat the dough into a circle that is about 1” thick and 8”-9” in diameter on the cookie sheet. (If they are sweet and you want a brown, crunchy top, brush them with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar.) Cut the circle into 8 wedges with a knife or pastry cutter and separate them on the sheet so that they are at least an inch apart.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden.  Remove from oven.

If you would like to add glaze, stir together lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl until well-blended.  (Feel free to add more/less powdered sugar to make the glaze your desired consistency.)  Brush or drizzle glaze on top of cooled scones (or if you’re impatient like me, brush while they’re warm), and serve.