Asparagus

Put freshly picked asparagus in a square dish Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil over top of asparagus.  Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning.  I use coarse Kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.  Mix to coat asparagus evenly. 

Lay asparagus on top shelf of your grill, or on the side of your grill and cook until slightly tender.

This is absolutely so delicious, nothing else is needed to accompany it!

For an extra twist, try adding Balsalmic Vinegar to the asparagus before the olive oil!

                           ~ OR ~

Lay freshly picked asparagus in a steaming tray.  Steam until slightly tender.  Make your favorite dipping sauce, Hollandaise Sauce, or a dollop of mayonaise.                                      

                          ~ OR ~

Another delicious option is to boil fresh asparagus for 2 minutes, then place the asparagus in ice water for 2 minutes. Place the asparagus on a baking pan, drizzle it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, season it with pepper (add a little freshly minced garlic for an extra kick), then lightly sprinkle a little dry Italian cheese on top (any combination of parmesan, asiago, provolone and/or romano will work). Place the pan into a preheated oven on "broil" until the cheese is slightly melted and brown (usually 1-1.5 minutes). Enjoy!

SUGAR FREE PEACH ICE CREAM 

www.cooks.com

Rebecca Rather's Peach Frozen Yogurt

http://splenda.tastebook.com/search?offset=188&query=ICE+CREAM&recipe_view=true             

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups low-fat evaporated milk
• 3 egg yolks
• ⅔ cup SPLENDA^® Sugar Blend

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
• 2 (32 ounce) containers plain low-fat yogurt

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together evaporated milk, egg yolks, and SPLENDA^® Sugar Blend for Baking in a medium saucepan, whisking until SPLENDA^® Sugar Blend for Baking dissolves.
   
2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is near boiling and thickens slightly. Stir in vanilla. Spoon custard into a large bowl; refrigerate until cold or let stand until cooled completely, 1 to 2 hours.
3. Place peach pieces in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Combine peaches and yogurt in a large bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to freeze.
4. Combine peach mixture and custard.  Pour into freezer; freeze according to manufacturers instructions.  Spoon frozen yogurt      into a freezer-safe container, cover and freeze           1 hour or until firm.

"No Sugar Added" Peach Shortcake

2        C.                  Peaches, sliced

2        Tbl.                Splenda, Sweet ‘n Low, etc.

½      tsp.                Almond Extract

½      tsp.                Cinnamon

1        C.                  Flour

2       Tbl.                 Baking Powder

2       Tbl.                Canola Oil, Olive Oil, or Applesauce

1                             Egg

¼     C.                     Milk                     

Lay sliced peaches on bottom of greased (use Pam or other spray) of an 8 inch glass baking pan.  Sprinkle 1 Tbl. Of sugar replacement, almond extract, and cinnamon on top of the peaches.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar replacement, and baking powder mixing well.  Add oil, egg, and milk to dry mix.  Mix until mixed – being careful not to over mix batter.  Spread flour batter over the top of the peaches and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes

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  Persimmon Pecan Bundt Cake

3 Cups Flour 

1tsp.Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves

1 Cup Sugar 

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

3 Eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 Cups Persimmon Pulp

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

Powdered Sugar (to dust top prior to serving)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In one bowl, combine all dry ingredients together, and mix all together.  In a second bowl, combine all other ingredients.  Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture.  Prepare bundt pan using oil and flour.  Bake approx. 60 min. or until knife or wooden toothpick is clean.  Quickly remove the bundt cake from pan, and recover with pan so that your bundt cake does not break apart.  Remove pan when cool.  Dust top with powdered sugar and add some whipped cream.

Persimmon Pudding

2 cups persimmon pulp

2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour

2 eggs

1 cup melted butter

Blend ingredients well, adding butter last.  Pour in greased 9 x 12 pan and bake at 350 F for 1 hour.

Persimmon Bread

1 1/2 C persimmon pulp

1/2 C butter

1 C sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 3/4 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C nuts

Mix together butter, sugar and eggs. Sift together dry ingredients except baking soda, which you add to persimmon pulp.  Add persimmon pulp.  Fold in dry ingredients. Add chopped persimmon and nuts.  Pour into buttered  8 x 11 inch pan and bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees, or until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean.   Make sure your cake is completely cooked before removing from pan!

Persimmon Pudding Cake

Ingredients

2 cups of Hachiya persimmon pulp

4 eggs

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted

3/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla                                                      

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon all spice                                                        

1 cup chopped nuts - pecans or walnuts

Whipping cream

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, mix the persimmon pulp, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla.

2 In a separate bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

3 Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a third at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add the chopped nuts.

4 Bake in a square glass pan, buttered, at 400°F until done (about 50 minutes).

Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Serves 8.

Persimmon-Raisin Cookies

1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar

1 Egg

1 C. Persimmon Pulp

2 C. Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Soda (dissolved in pulp)                            

1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp. Cloves

1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1 C. Chopped Pecans

1 C. Raisins

1 Tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Add baking soda and Persimmon Pulp together is a separate

bowl and set aside. 

Cream butter, add sugar and mix until light and fluffy.

Add egg, beat well. Add pulp. Sift flour with all the dry

ingredients (except soda) and add to above mixture.

Fold in nuts and raisins. Add vanilla -- the order is

important due to the action of the soda dissolved in

the pulp. Drop by teaspoonful onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 325 degrees approx. 20 min. Makes approximately 6 dozen small cookies.

Hickory Holler Persimmon Pudding

2 C Persimmon pulp

2 C Sugar

2 Eggs, beaten

1 3/4 C Flour

2 tsp Baking powder

1 C Half and half

1 C Buttermilk

1 tsp Baking soda

1/3 C Melted butter or margarine

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla extract
 

In a large bowl, combine the persimmon pulp, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl sift the flour with the baking powder.

In a small bowl, combine the half and half and the buttermilk, and add the baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the persimmon mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture, stirring well after each addition.  Place the butter in a 9x13 inch cake pan and place in a 325F oven until melted. Using a pastry brush, coat the sides of the pan.

Pour the excess butter into the batter. Add the cinnamon and vanilla, and mix well. Pour into the pan. Bake in a 325F oven for 1 hour or until a table knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The pudding will puff up and then flatten as it cooks.

Persimmon Nut Dessert

2 C Persimmon pulp

2 C Sugar

1 3/4 C Flour

2 Eggs beaten

2 tsp Baking powder

1 C Half and half cream

1 C Buttermilk

1 tsp Soda

1/3 C Melted butter

1 C Chopped pecans
 

Combine pulp, sugar and eggs. Add flour and baking powder alternately with cream, buttermilk and soda. Add butter, cinnamon and nuts. Stir well and pour into 13 x 9 x 3 inch pan which has been buttered. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Caramelized Pear Charlottes with Persimmon

2 firm-ripe Bosc pears

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sugar plus additional to taste

1 ½ C Persimmon pulp

7 slices homemade-type white bread

fresh lemon juice to taste

Peel and core pears and cut into sixths. In a small non-stick skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until foam begins to subside and sauté pears, turning occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over pears and cook, stirring once or twice, until golden brown and caramelized, about 1 minute.

In a food processor or blender purée pears until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Pear purée may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a small saucepan melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Cut 2 bread slices into rounds the same size as bottom of two 1/2-cup charlotte molds, ramekins, or custard cups and cut 2 bread slices into rounds the same size as tops of molds, reserving bread trimmings.

In a small food processor grind trimmings fine and stir into pear purée. Brush smaller rounds on both sides with some melted butter and with them line bottoms of molds. Cut remaining 3 bread slices into 1-inch squares and discard crusts. Brush squares on both sides with some remaining butter and line sides of molds with them, overlapping slightly and pressing gently against side of mold. Divide enough pear purée between lined molds to fill them to within 1/8 inch of top. Brush remaining 2 bread rounds on both sides with remaining butter and top molds with them, pressing down gently but firmly to cover filling completely. Charlottes may be prepared up to this point 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bake charlottes 20 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. While charlottes are baking, put 1 ½ C persimmon pulp in food processor purée with lemon juice and additional sugar. Divide persimmon purée between 2 dessert plates and carefully invert charlottes onto it. Drizzle remaining persimmon around charlottes.

Persimmon Salad Dressing

6 tablespoons Hachiya persimmon pulp (see notes)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon minced fresh sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons citrus juice

1/4 cup avocado or salad oil

Salt and pepper

1. In a food processor or blender, whirl persimmon pulp, vinegar, sage, garlic, mayonnaise, and juice until smooth and blended.

2. With motor running, pour in oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

More recipes are available upon request.  Send us an email of you would like to see more on our website.

Asparagus is sold out, but look for it to return in March of 2011!!