The Other Woman Cooks

It all started with an impulse purchase of a Southern Living Almost Homemade magazine. Pictured on the cover was Lemonade Pie and the promise of the recipe on page 77 was too irresistable. Up to now, I balked at the temptation to create an “almost homemade” recipe of my own and hate to admit giving in. Once you try my Berry Streusel Ginger Muffins I think you’ll agree, there might be something to this lazy cooking style rage. No berries on hand? No problem. Substitute dried cranberries instead of fresh raspberries in the recipe. If you are a ginger fan, these are the best muffins ever. By the way, I haven’t tried Lemonade Pie yet. But on page 15 -- OMG! There’s a heavenly recipe for Blackberry Mojito Punch. The issue is on sale until July 13, 2012. BERRY STREUSEL GINGER MUFFINS Batter: One 14 ounce boxed gingerbread mix 1 cup orange or apple juice 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Topping: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine 2 tablespoons biscuit mix 2 tablesp...

Weekend mornings are for lazing around in jammies, sipping a fresh cup of tea and reading the paper while something yummy bakes up in the oven. Especially when the something yummy uses local berries and syrup and was prepared the night before. Another plus: this recipe requires little attention but to wait for the timer's buzz! We're at the end of strawberry season here in western Massachusetts. This recipe works well with any fresh berry and jam ... try blueberries, raspberries, even blackberries work well. Once the apples are ripe, apple slices and apple jelly make for tasty seasonal substitutes. Hint: Use raisin challah and add a dash of cinnamon to the egg mixture when using apples.   BAKED STUFFED BERRY FRENCH TOAST 1/2 loaf of Challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approx. 3 cups) 1-4 oz. package of cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes 1/4 cup fresh sliced strawberries 2 tablespoons strawberry jam 4 large eggs, slightly beaten 1/4 cup maple syrup  3/4 cup milk STRAWBER...

Jam challenged? I sure am. Just because there's a row of raspberry bushes in the backyard and my husband happens to have a green thumb doesn't make me an expert anything. Some things I struggle with and jam is one of those things. If you have a hard time with fruit jams then this is the recipe for you. It works with crushed strawberries just as well -- has low sugar content and is easy to spread. Next Saturday morning, serve your homemade jam slathered on store bought lo-fat corn muffins (heat them up in a 325 degree F oven for ten minutes or so) with the morning joe. Your house will feel more like a B & B than an average family kitchen. Now that's the way to start a pleasant weekend. RASPBERRY REFRIGERATOR JAM 4 cups washed and drained raspberries 1/2 cup sugar 2 ounces orange liqueur One squeeze of a lemon 1/2 package Ball Fruit Jell No Sugar Needed Pectin 2/3 cup water Add sugar, orange liqueur, and a ...

Our backyard raspberries are ripe for the picking. For the next two weeks, I will pick a cup or two of luscious homegrown raspberries daily. So by now you must be wondering what do my fresh juicy berries have to do with former White House occupant George W. Bush -- I finally found something to thank him for. This Berry Angel recipe is adapted from an angel muffin Bush years White House executive chef, Bill Yosses insists on calling breakfast food. Before arriving at the Bush White House in 2007, Yosses had three decades under his apron strings as a French pastry chef and at some of New York's finest restaurants. His new cookbook, titled The Perfect Finish features these fluffy meringue based cakes that Chef Yosses calls "the eighth wonder of the world." Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and  I couldn't agree more. When it comes to yummy ... mission accomplished. BERRY ANGELS 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup powdered sugar dash of salt 1 cup ...