Noni’s Crostada

This is actually almost Noni’s Crostada. Noni never used a recipe and never measured! Yet, somehow she had consistent quality in her soups, sauces, pastas and sweets. I never took notes when I watched her prepare things in her kitchen, I just sorta took it all in!

It was years after she passed, tasting Olive Garden’s too soft, too sweet, but just reminiscent enough of her crostada that I set out to rediscover my grandmother's sweet treat!

This recipe is a combination of recipes from cookbooks and online with a liberal application of my own memories from my years as her helper in the kitchen. There was a lot of trial and error, and maybe a little intervention from beyond?

The last time I tweaked the recipe, alone in the kitchen, I was sure I heard Noni’s voice say “no so sweet!” as I dipped the measuring cup back in the sugar. It spooked me, so I put the cup down and did not add the addition 1/4 cup I was going to add.

Whether it was a gift from beyond, an over active imagination or my subconscious telling me something I needed to remember, when the baking was done, I had the flavor and texture of Noni’s crostada! Younger family members who’d forgotten her crostada tasted it and said “OH! I remember!!”


Noni’s Crostada

2 1/2 cups flour
5 TBS butter
5 TBS shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 14-16 oz jar of jam or preserves

To make the pastry:
In a bowl, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs. Add the sugar, eggs and salt and knead it quickly until it forms into a dough. Flatten the dough into a disk shape and refrigerate it wrapped in plastic for an hour.

After removing the dough from the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 375º.

Break off about a quarter of the dough and set aside. On a floured surface, roll the dough thin and cover the bottom of a 9” tart pan with it.

Generously spoon the jam on top of the dough.

Roll the remaining dough thin and cut it in strips. Create a lattice pattern on top of the jam. Optional - use whatever dough is left to roll out and make a shape for the center using the cookie cutter of your choice.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Allow to cool before serving.

Mr. Goodcookies

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Mr. Goodcookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped up Mr. Goodbar pieces

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients and candy pieces. Mix well. Drop from a teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until delicate brown.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Chip Cookies

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Peanut Butter Butterscotch Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour, sift or stir before measuring
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375º

Cream shortening, peanut butter, and sugars. Add vanilla and egg and beat until well mixed.

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir into wet ingredients blending well. Fold in butterscotch chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Krisp Kringles

The original Davinity

Krisp Kringles

1- 6oz bag (1 cup) butterscotch morsels
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies

Melt morsels and peanut butter together in the top half of a double boiler. When mixture is smooth, remover from heat. Mix in Rice Krispies until all of the cereal is coated. Drop the mixture with a tablespoon onto wax paper. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired. Candies will be set and ready to enjoy in about an hour.

Makes about 2 dozen Kringles

Originally posted at Simply Davine December 2003

Ginger Kids

My recipe is for soft ginger bread. If you roll it a little on the thin side the cookies crisp up just enough to hold up to the frosting but not enough to make them hard.

Ginger Kids

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 TBS water
1/4 cup molasses
Assorted cookie cutters
frosting
Decorations

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat i the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually ad the sifted dry ingredients into the mixture. Add more flour if necessary, until the dough forms into a good consistency for rolling.

Roll the dough in medium sized portions onto a floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Dough should be about 1/4" thick or slightly thinner. Using cookie cutters make shape and place the cookies two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until one. Don't let the cookies get over browned in the oven! place on wire racks to cool.

Decorate with frosting, candies, sprinkles - be creative!

Originally posted at Simply Davine December 2003

Celebration Chocolates

Celebration Chocolates
by Davinities Holidays

I bag of milk or dark chocolate candy melts
2 cups Confectioners sugar
your favorite liquor or liqueur

Empty contents of Chocolate Melts into top section of a double boiler stirring occasionally until melted. While coating is melting, prepare filling.

Put the Confectioner's Sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually add liquor to the sugar, stirring as you go, until the mixture reaches a doughy consistency. hand roll the dough into small balls. if the dough crumbles, add more liquor until it is pliable.

When the chocolate has melted, remove the top half of the double boiler to working area. Using a wooden skewer, pierce one center half way and roll it in the chocolate to cover the center. Drop the ball onto wax paper to dry, using a skewer dipped in chocolate to cover the puncture hole. Repeat until all balls are covered.

Top the balls with confectioner's sugar, sprinkles, or melted colored "chocolate."

For a nice party or gift tray, use a few different liquors and colors of candy coating.

Originally posted at Simply Davine November 2003


Note - in 1987, Michigan State Police representatives acknowledged that one should not eat Celebration Chocolates and drive. (Then they said "Thank you, Merry Christmas," and assured me they would be opened OFF DUTY!)