Fruit Crisp

This recipe is a long time family favorite.  It is from my very first cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens, a wedding present from Grandma Frays.  I've tweaked it a bit to suit our tastes. Hope you enjoy!

Fruit Crisp

5 cups sliced, peeled apples, pears, or peaches
4 T sugar
1 cup regular rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup all -purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter


Place fruit in a round casserole dish.  Stir in sugar.  For topping, in a mixing bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.   Sprinkle topping over filling.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!  Yum!

Blueberry Crisp:  Prepare as above, except, for the filling, combine 5 cups blueberries with 4 tablespoons sugar and add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.  

Cherry Crisp:  Prepare as above, except, for the filling, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.  Toss with 5 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened pitted tart red cherries.

Note: If using frozen fruit, thaw, but do not drain.

Pretzel Salad with a Twist

I posted the basic Strawberry Pretzel Salad before, but this is with a very small twist for the 4th of July holiday weekend! 

Red, White, and Blue Pretzel Salad

Crust:
2 cup crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted margarine
3 T. sugar

Mix and spread in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Cream layer:
8 oz. cream cheese -- softened
8-10 oz. Cool Whip
1 cup sugar

Mix together in a stand mixer until smooth. Spread over (cooled) crust and place dish in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until chilled.

Strawberry layer:
2 cup boiling water
2 small boxes strawberry jello
2 10 oz. boxes of frozen strawberries (thawed). (I usually used sliced strawberries that we picked in the summer and froze in syrup -- about 2 1/2 cups.)

Boil the water, add jello and stir until dissolved. Add the strawberries and stir. DO NOT add cold water like the jello directions instruct. Carefully pour over the cream cheese and place in the fridge to chill. (About 3-4 hours.)

Now...are you ready for the blue part?  Sprinkle with fresh washed and dried blueberries!  Tadaaa!  ; )

Mandarin Orange-Pineapple Cake

My mother-in-law makes this cake! It is sooo yummy!

Mandarin Orange-Pineapple Cake

Cake:
1 yellow cake mix
3/4 cup oil
3 eggs
1 small can mandarin oranges with juice

Combine cake ingredients. Bake in two 9-inch round pans at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. When cool, cut into 4 layers using dental floss.

Icing:
16 oz. Cool Whip
1 large package instant vanilla pudding
1 (16 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice

Fold together icing ingredients. Ice cake layers and stack. Tastes best if this cake sets for 24 hours before serving.

*Note: My mother-in-law bakes it in a 9x13 cake pan. Super easy -- the way I like it!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

I got this recipe from a good friend back in Maryland. It's one of my favorite fruity desserts. If we call it a salad it's automatically healthy, right? ; )

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Crust:
2 cup crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted margarine
3 T. sugar

Mix and spread in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Cream layer:
8 oz. cream cheese -- softened
8-10 oz. Cool Whip
1 cup sugar

Mix together in a stand mixer until smooth. Spread over (cooled) crust and place dish in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until chilled.

Strawberry layer:
2 cup boiling water
2 small boxes strawberry jello
2 10 oz. boxes of frozen strawberries (thawed). (I usually used sliced strawberries that we picked in the summer and froze in syrup -- about 2 1/2 cups.)

Boil the water, add jello and stir until dissolved. Add the strawberries and stir. DO NOT add cold water like the jello directions instruct. Carefully pour over the cream cheese and place in the fridge to chill. (About 3-4 hours.)

Enjoy!

Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce

This recipe is a Frays family favorite (my mother-in-law's side).  It's fairly easy and the kiddos love to help make it.  It can be either a "fruity dessert" or a "sweet and fruity side dish". I'll let you decide on that one.   

Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce

2 cups water

1/2 cup cinnamon candies (Red Hots)

1 quart applesauce  (4 cups for those of you playing along at home)

2 small (.3 ounce) packages of cherry Jello®

Boil water and cinnamon candies.  Stir until the candies are dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in Jello®  until dissolved.  Stir in applesauce.  Carefully pour into a 2 or more quart dish.  Don't refrigerate right away because putting very hot items in the refrigerator makes the motor run more to get it back to the proper temp.   So wait at least 30 minutes or so.  Chill the dish at least 4 hours until set.