Mendolonium

Source:  Real Simple Magazine, December 2004/January 2005 (with a few Gina modifications, of course)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter or grease a bundt pan or 6 individual size loaf pans.
3. Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
5. Add the sugar to the butter and beat until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in the eggs, extracts, and lemon zest.
7. Alternate mixing in the cream and the dry ingredients until well incorporated.
8. Pour batter into pan.
9. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes until the top of the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Serving note:  This cake pairs very well with berries, think fresh, macerated, or as a berry sauce.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 420 grams (15 ounces) pumpkin, canned or cooked
• 336 grams (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 pie shell, unbaked

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl.
4. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture followed by evaporated milk.
5. Pour into pie shell.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
7. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool for at least two hours.
9. Serve with freshly whipped cream.

Source: Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c butter, softened
• 1/4 c vegetable shortening
• 3/4 c peanut butter
• 1/3 c white sugar
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 1 T ground flaxseeds mixed with 2 T boiling water
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• Hershey’s kisses, unwrapped (approximately 24 – 30 depending on the number of cookies)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream together butter, shortening, peanut butter, and sugars, on high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in remaining ingredients (except Hershey’s kisses) until well combined.
4. Form dough into 1 inch diameter balls and place on a cookie sheet, leaving room for expansion.
5. Bake for 8 minutes.
6. After 8 minutes, remove cookies from oven and quickly press a Hershey’s kiss into the center of each cookie.
7. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for an additional 2 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie appears golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven, let cool, and enjoy.

Source: Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 10 T butter, melted
• 1 c oats, uncooked
• 1/2 c almond meal
• 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1/4 t almond extract
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• 3 c cherries, pitted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
3. Combine all ingredients except cherries in a bowl.
4. Press half of the flour and sugar mixture into the bottom of the pan to form a “crust”.
5. Pour cherries over the crust.
6. Sprinkle the remaining flour and sugar mixture over the cherries.
7. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until top is browned.