Cookin With Brooke

When it’s blueberry season in Michigan, I just CAN’T get enough of them! And let’s face it, the season is WAY too short! Thankfully, this recipe can be made with fresh OR frozen, so stock up now! Enjoy!

CRUST

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup ground walnuts or nuts of your choice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine or 8 tablespoons, melted

Combine all ingredients and press into a sprayed 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and let cool.

FILLING

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Combine ingredients and mix on high for 3 or 4 minutes. Pour over cooled crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

 

TOPPING

2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen)
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup water
1 TBL lemon juice

Combine all topping ingredients except lemon juice and bring to boil on top of the stove stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and let cool. Pour over cheesecake after it has been refrigerated for 3 hours.

Keep cheesecake chilled.

 

What says summer better than a lemon cookie?? This one is top notch. Melts in your mouth and gives you that punch of tartness! YUM!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners sugar (divided)
3 tsp baking powder

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl beat butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, and sugar until blended.

Add in egg, vanilla, and lemon juice.

Add in flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar. With the mixer on low, gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough and then roll in the remaining 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake until they no longer appear wet on top, 8-11 minutes. After about 5 minutes cooling on the pan (they will be soft!), place on cooling racks to cool completely.

For ALL my Cookin With Brook recipes, click here!

This can virtually be made with whichever 3-5 ingredients that your family loves, but this is my FAVORITE! This is much more economical than buying the pre-packaged mixes. Especially if you buy the ingredients in bulk.

2 Parts Craisins (dried cranberries)
2 Parts roasted almonds
1 Part dark M&M’s

(that’s what we use…or pick from the list below)

Raisins
Dried fruit – such as apricots, bananas
Peanuts
Dry-Roasted Peanuts
Honey-Roasted Peanuts
Granola
Sunflower Nuts
Fish Crackers

Mix together and put in sealable container or snack-size bags.

For ALL my Cookin With Brook recipes, click here!

Kids and adults LOVE this recipe. What a great thing to have in the house during summer break when no one wants to cook breakfast everyday! They also make a tasty healthier snack!

1 and 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 small ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons liquid coffee creamer (I used vanilla)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder,
baking soda, salt, sugar and cocoa. Set aside.

2. In medium mixing bowl, combine bananas, egg substitute or eggs, oil, creamer and vanilla.

3. Add banana mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

4. Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin pans, filling two-thirds full.

5. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes.

6. Remove and serve warm or at room temperature.

For ALL my Cookin With Brook recipes, click here!

The two of us often judge a restaurant by the quality (and sometimes greasiness) of their Chicken Tenders. Aren’t they so so good?! Well, if you want to make them at home, but don’t have a deep fryer or an air fryer, try this version. They’re crispy and actually healthier! (but you don’t have to tell anyone!)

These were actually served with Zucchini noodles and a little marinara. Yum!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound chicken tenders
1 cup buttermilk (I skipped)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (also called Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Place chicken in a zip top gallon size bag. Pour the buttermilk in the bag and evenly distribute it over the chicken. Push the air out of the bag and seal. Let the chicken soak in the buttermilk for 15 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

Combine Panko, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a pie dish or other container. Dredge chicken tenders in the breadcrumb mixture until they are evenly coated. Place the breaded chicken on the baking sheet. Drizzle each piece of chicken with melted butter.

Bake chicken for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or lemon wedges. Or as a yummy chicken Parmesan dish with a little marinara!

For ALL my Cookin With Brook recipes, click here! 

 

So you’ve heard people say you shouldn’t eat raw cookie dough. But many of us have done it…and survived. BUT, many of us would rather our kids not eat it, am I right? Well since today is National Chocolate Chip Day, we thought we’d celebrate by passing along this SAFE to eat cookie dough recipe. And yes, it tastes like the real deal! So celebrate this important National holiday! (safely)

 

Ingredients

• 1 stick softened unsalted butter
• 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 6 Tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla
• 2 Tbsp whole milk
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips (I used mini ones)

 

Instructions

1. Cream butter, sugars and vanilla until smooth
2. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix
3. Add milk and mix until dough is firm and smooth
4. Fold in chocolate chips with a wooden spoon (or any other chip or nut, cranberry, raisin, etc.)
5. Cover and refrigerate

I’m always looking for a quick and easy dessert, aren’t we all? This one is super simple and better for you than the brownies made with oil! Give them a try. The original recipe (linked below) calls for walnuts, but I thought I’d try it with dried cranberries. YUM!

And you’ve GOT to get into Gerrit’s Appliance and check out the new Advantium Oven! I LOVE THIS THING! Not only does it do microwave and convection cooking, there’s also a setting for SPEED COOK! Your regular dishes are done in HALF the time!

 

(aka Cinn-ergy bites)

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

 

 

April 12th was National Grilled Cheese Day. And a normal grilled cheese sandwich is already fantastic…especially if you pair it with a bowl of tomato soup. But how about combining that and SOUPING up your grilled cheese sandwich?! Here you go. You’re welcome!

8 slices sourdough bread
1/4 cup fresh marinara sauce (or sliced tomato)
Fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
Fresh Basil
Butter

Butter 1 side of all 8 slices of bread

Spread marinara on the other side of all slices

Top 4 with cheese and basil

Top with sauced bread

Heat a large skillet over medium heat

Cook 3 minutes or until browned.

Turn sandwiches over; cook until browned and cheese is melty.

Serve immediately.

Dip in or drizzle with your favorite Balsamic Dressing!

When I saw my sister post this recipe, my mouth immediately watered and I got that little tinge behind my ear you get when you taste something sour. I just HAD to try it. But of course, I also had to put my own spin on them, so I added a little lime and voilà! (…or whatever the Caribbean island lingo would be since I feel like adding the lime is kind of islandy!) This is the perfect spring dessert!

(Do NOT try to cut corners with the plastic lemons or limes…use the actual real ones! You’re zesting with them anyway, so use the juice from them as well.)