Blueberry Dumplings with Lemon Chiffon Fruit Dip

Thanks to Mary K. for this great new recipe!

The Sauce:
1 1/2 cups Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp VE Lemon Chiffon Fruit Dip Mix
1 cup water

1. Place these ingredients in a medium to large pot (dutch oven works great) and bring to a boil then simmer.

The Dumplings:
1 cup flour
2 tsp VE Baking Powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp VE Lemon Chiffon Fruit Dip Mix
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup milk (if you have Buttermilk use it as it makes all your baking taste rich & moist, but it is only 1% fat)

1. Mix the first 5 ingredients together with a large VE Whisk. Then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives.
2. Pour milk in the middle of the mixture, and gently fold. Stir only until four is dampened.
3. Drop batter by large spoonfuls into the sauce. Place lid on your pot and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat & let cool (with the lid on) for 10 minutes.

Note: This is really great with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipping cream!

Lemon Chiffon Blueberry Squares

Thank you Marla Spence for sharing this recipe with us. It looks wonderful! I can hardly wait to try it!!

Crust:
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix
2 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp skim milk

Topping:
3 eggs
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix, divided
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp VE Baking Powder
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare crust by beating 2 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix with butter until light and creamy. Continue to beat, gradually adding 1 cup flour and milk until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Press crust mixture into bottom of an ungreased baking pan (or pyrex dish). Bake for 15 minutes and cool on wire rack.
4. For the topping, beat eggs with sugar and VE Lemon Chiffon Dip Mix until foamy. Quickly mix in all-purpose flour and VE Baking Powder. Pour topping over cooled crust.
5. Evenly sprinkle blueberries over top, allowing some to sink into batter.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until set. Cool before cutting into squares.

Tip: Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Hot Chocolate Brownie

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp VE Baking Powder
1/16 tsp VE Sea Salt
3 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp VE Hot Chocolate (VE Temptation Milk Chocolate, VE Décadence Triple Chocolate or VE Indulgence Dark Chocolate)
1 cup hot milk
1/4 tsp VE Vanilla Extract
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup mini marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix VE Hot Chocolate and hot milk together, stirring to remove any lumps. Add melted butter, vanilla and eggs. Pour into flour mixture stir until well blended.
4. Pour into greased spring form pan and bake at 350F for 25 - 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven. Sprinkle a layer of mini marshmallows over top and return to oven for about 2 minutes to soften. Remove from oven and spread marshmallows evenly over top of brownie. Cool a bit then serve.

Fruity Oatmeal Cookies

Yield 36 cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp VE Baking Powder
1 tsp VE Sea Salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp VE Pure Vanilla
3 cups oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups VE Cherries & Berries

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Whisk together first 4 ingredients; set aside.
3. Cream together unsalted butter sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla
4. Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture just until no flour is visible.
5. Now add the oats and VE Cherries and Berries stirring just enough to mix everything together.
6. Drop cookies about 2-inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheet.
7. Bake 11-13 minutes (on center rack), until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.
8. Remove from oven; let cookies cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

VE Spice Sugar Cookies

2/3 cups shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp VE Pure Vanilla Extract
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp VE Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp milk
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1 tsp VE Poudre Douce
2 Tbsp White sugar

1. Cream together shortening and sugar until light.
2. Add egg and VE Vanilla Extract. Beat well.
3. Mix together flour baking powder and salt; add to shortening mixture.
4. Add milk and beat well to form dough.
5. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters.
6. Combine VE Poudre Douce and sugar; sprinkle over cookies.
7. Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375oF for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly golden.

Apple Upside Down Cake

Apple slices
VE Spice – VE Poudre Douce, VE Cardamom, VE Cinnamon, VE Nutmeg or VE Apple Pie Spice.
Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp VE Vanilla Extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp VE Baking Powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 8” square pan.
2. Place slice apples on bottom of pan, just enough to cover bottom. Sprinkle with brown sugar and your favorite VE Spice.
3. Beat together butter, white sugar, egg, VE Vanilla Extract.
4. Mix flour, VE Baking Powder and salt together.
5. Combine both mixtures along with milk. Spoon into pan on top of apples. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and apples are cooked.

Blueberry Coffeecake

4 eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 Tbsp VE Vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp VE Baking Powder
3/4 tsp VE Cinnamon
3/4 tsp VE Poudre Douce
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp flour
2 cups Frozen blueberries, divided

1. In mixing bowl, beat Egg Whites until frothy.
2. Add sugar, Egg Yolks, oil, vanilla, and lemon extract.
3. In another bowl, combine four, VE Baking Powder, VE Cinnamon, and VE Poudre Douce.
4. Add lour mixture to wet ingredients, alternating with milk.
5. In small bowl, add 1 Tbsp of flour to frozen berries and stir to coat.
6 Add floured berries to mixture, reserving a handful.
7. Place reserved berries on bottom of 10" Bundt pan then add batter.
8. Bake at 350F for 1 hour. Turn out onto cake plate when cooled.

Cinnamon Crescents

2 Cups flour
3 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp VE Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup margarine
3/4 Cup Milk
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6 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp VE Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Margarine (melted)

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Mix together the first 5 ingredients.
3. Cut in margarine with pastry blender until whole mixture is crumbly.
4. Add milk, stirring until it pulls away from the side of the bowl and forms a soft ball. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 8 times. Divide dough into half. Roll each half into a 8-10 inch circle.
5. Using a pizza cutter cut each circle into 6-8 pie pieces. Roll into crescents. (Start rolling from large outer edge).

Coating:
1. In small bowl blend together brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Melt the second amount of margarine in a small bowl.
3. Roll each crescent into first into melted margarine then into VE Cinnamon/brown sugar mixture.
4. Place on slightly greased cookie tray. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

Parmesan Muffins

by Sheila Carlson
Yield 1 dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp VE baking power
2 tsp VE Pizza seasoning
2 tsp VE Pesto Mix
2 tsp VE Foccacia Bread Spice
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
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1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In an other bowl beat together egg, buttermilk and oil.
3. Mix buttermilk mixture with ingredients of large bowl stirring just until moistened.
4. Grease muffin tin and then fill2/3rds full.
5. Bake at 400 F for 20-22 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
6. Let ool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Let cool on wire rack.

Falafel

1 1/2 c chick peas, soaked for 36 hours
3 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp parsley
1 large onion
3 tsp VE Hummus Seasoning
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp VE Baking Powder
oil for deep-frying

1. Drain, rinse the chickpeas and purée in food processor.
2. Add onion, garlic and parsley, continue processing, scraping side of bowl as necessary.
3. Next blend in Hummus Seasoning, salt and baking powder. Set aside for 1 hour to allow the flavours to blend.
4. Make small balls out of the purée mixture then flatten balls slightly. Let rest again for 15 minutes.
5. Deep-fry the falafel for 3-4 minutes, turning once. Drain on a paper towel and serve them in pita pockets with diced tomatoes and prepared VE Tzatziiki Dip Mix.

Gingerbread Men (With a Difference!)

by Sandy Savage
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped VE Crystallized Ginger
1 Tbsp VE Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp VE Ground Ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp VE Baking Powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 tsp VE Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
Red Hots (cinnamon candies)
Raisins

1. Mix together flour, Crystallized Ginger, Cinnamon, Ginger, salt, Baking soda, and Baking Powder
2. Beat butter in large bowl until light. Then add sugar, vanilla and orange peel beating until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add buttermilk.
3. Add dry ingredients into butter mixture just until blended. Divide dough into thirds then flatten pieces and wrap in plastic. Chill for 1 hour. (Or you can make and refrigerate ovenight. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease baking sheets.
5. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out cookies with gingerbread man cookie cutter. Transfer to baking sheets. Decorate with Red Hots and raisins. Bake cookies for about 15 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to racks and cool. (Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Crystallized Ginger Shortcake

by Jacqueline McGrath
Yield: 8 cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp VE Baking Powder
1 tsp VE Ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender add cubed butter and blend until it resembles coarse meal.
3. Mix in finely chopped Crystallized Ginger.
4. Add milk and egg yolk. Blend until moistened then turn out onto a floured surface. Knead slightly and roll into log.
5. Cut into 8 equal pieces, gently press into 1” thickness and place on parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
7. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from cooking tray to cool.

Note: Gingered shortcakes are wonderful filled with strawberries, peaches, plums and of course whipped cream.

Chai Tea Loaf

2 cups brewed and cooled Chai Tea (as recipe on jar, no sugar)
1 cup raisins
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
21/2 tsp VE Baking powder
1 tsp VE Cinnamon
1/2 tsp VE Poudre Douce
1/8 tsp VE Black Pepper
1 tsp VE Sea Salt
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1/2 cup icing sugar

1. Soak raisins in Chai Tea. Set aside 1/2 hour.
2. Preheat over 350.
3. Sift remaining dry ingredients, except for icing sugar. (As there are no eggs in this recipe sifting is important to aerate ingredients.)
4. Cut butter into flour mixture until it is a coarse meal consistency.
5. Add soaked raisins including the Chai Tea but reserve 1 Tbsp of Chai Tea for glaze.
6. Mix just until blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
7. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. When done turn loaf out on to cooling rack and let cool.
8. Once cool poke holes into top with skewer. Mix icing sugar with just enough Chai Tea for a glaze consistency. Brush glaze over top of loaf.

Note: Can make loaf in bundt pan but will require more glaze.