Diva's Grandma Sarah's Blackberry dumplings

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Grandma's little helper, I would help her pick the berries.  One day I ate them all and brought her a bucket full of kittens instead:) Good thing she loved me Grandma Sarah's Blackberry dumplings
Inspiration: My German Grandma Sarah Rutz always had wild blackberries growing in her yard near Scottsbluff, NE.  It was an awesome treat for her to make her dumplings.
Ingredients: 1 quart Blackberries 2 cups water 1/2 cup sugar 2 TB butter ________ Dumplings: 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp salt 1~1/2 baking powder 1/2 cup milk 3 TB sugar 2 TB oil or melted butter	Instructions: Wash and cook berries until tender in a large heavy kettle.  May need to adjust sugar if not sweet enough. Cover and bring to a boil. Drop tsp's of dumplings into boiling mixture.  Cook 10 minutes without lifting the lid.
Variation:  Serve warm with cream me and Grandma Sarah at her house on E in Scottsbluff, NE in the 70's.  Right through that backdoor was where she did her magical cooking and teaching. her kitchen was 6x6, but the most awesome cooking came from her little space in the world.  Grandma has been gone since 1996, but every now and then when I cook her recipes, I smile and say hi Grandma:)

Diva's Monkey Bread

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Title: Momma's Monkey Bread
Inspiration:  Mommies all over the world have been making Monkey Bread for their kids.  It always brought a smile to my kids face when they could smell the warm cinnamon baking on a Sunday morning.  Still does:)  Grandma use to make a version of this on the farm from her own biscuits and Grandad could take leftovers out into the field.  History shows it goes back to the 50's and nobody really knows why its called monkey bread.
Ingredients: 3 cans refrigerated biscuits 1 cup white sugar 2 T cinnamon 3/4 C margarine 1 C brown sugar cooking spray	Instructions:   In medium bowl add white sugar and cinnamon.  Cut each biscuit with scissors into quarters and add to cinnamon and sugar.  Stir after every can you add to coat biscuits.  Spray a bunt pan and add biscuits.   Melt margarine and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and boil 1 min.  Pour over the top of the biscuits and Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let sit 5-10 mins before inverting it onto a plate.
Variation:  You can add fruit to this recipe very easily.  Raisins, apples, or even nuts.

Diva's Upside Down Apple Tart

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Upside Down Apple Tart
Inspiration:  We had a huge apple tree in the yard at the Zemanek farm.  Grandma would use a caste iron skillet to cook the apples in and also bake.
Ingredients: 1 cup cold butter, cut-up 2 cups flour pinch of salt 1~3/4 cups sugar, divided 1/2 cup ice water 3 lbs Granny Smith Apples, peeled and quartered 1/2 cup butter, cut-up	Instructions: Freeze 1 cup butter for 30 minutes.  Put cold butter, flour, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in food processor and pulse 8 times.  should resemble coarse meal.  Add 1/2 ice water, 1 TB at a time.  Pulse just until mixture comes together and forms a dough.  Turn dough out on a piece of plastic wrap & shape into a disk.  Chill 2-24 hours.   Gently stir together Apples, 1/2 cup butter and remaining sugar in a large bowl.  Put apple mixture into a 10 inch skillet.  (will be very full)  Cook over low heat for 1 hour or until liquid is reduced and thickened.  Put in a 10 inch baking dish. (I line the bottom with parchment paper). Pre-heat oven 425 degrees F.  Unwrap chilled dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll into 12 inch circle & place over apples tucking edges of dough around apples.  Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.  Invert on serving plate.
Variation:  Yields 8 servings Can add nuts before putting in the apples to baking dish.  I have also added cinnamon to the recipe for that added boast. wonderFUL with a scoop of Granddad's home made ice cream.

Diva's Fattigman "Poor Man's cookie"

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Fattigman "Poor man's cookie"
Inspiration:  this was considered the poor man's cookie because during the depression when Grandma & Grandad Zemanek grew up, rations were short and it was easier to fry than bake.
Ingredients: 1 cup flour, just enough to make a soft dough to roll out, may need to adjust 5 egg yolks 1 whole egg 6 TB cream 6 TB sugar 1/8 tsp cardamon powdered sugar for dusting	Instructions: Beat eggs slightly and add other ingredients to form a soft dough.  Roll thin, cut into a diamond shape, cut slit in center and pull one end through the slit. Deep fry and drain on paper towel.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Variation: Makes close to 100 depending on the size you cut. Ow and don't waste those egg whites, grandma would whip up an angel food cake or just scramble them for breakfast.  NEVER ever waste...

Diva's Fruit Pizza

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Fruit Pizza
Inspiration:  My kids loved this when they were growing up.  Great for parties!
Ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup margarine 1/4 cup oil 1 egg 1 tsp almond extract 2~1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cream of tartar Fruit cut up of your choice. ________ frosting: 1 8oz cream cheese 1 tsp almond extract 1/2 cup sugar	Instructions: Cream together first 6 ingredients.  In a large bowl, shift together dry ingredients.  Fold in creamed ingredients and stir well.  Press dough into a cookie sheet or pizza pan.  Bake @ 375 degrees F for 10 minutes and golden brown.  When cooled, Cream frosting ingredients together, frost and arrange fruit.
Variation:  these can be made in small round mini pizza's.  I also drizzle chocolate sauce over the top of the fruit.  I have also used brownie dough instead of cookie dough.

Diva's Strawberry & Cream Scones

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Strawberry & Cream Scones
Inspiration:  When we lived in Kokomo, IN, we loved going to Panera's.  They had scones in their bakery cases and my daughter and I loved their scones, so we learned how to make them.  Strawberries are my favorite.
Ingredients: 2 Cups flour 1/3 Cup + 1 TB sugar 1 TB baking powder 1 tsp grated lemon zest 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 Cup cold butter, cut into pieces 3/4 Cup heavy cream 1 Cup chopped Strawberries 1 egg, lightly beaten	Instructions: Preheat oven 425 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. In medium bowl combine flour, 1/3 C sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, salt and cinnamon. Cut butter into flour mixture until coarse crumbs are formed.  Stir in cream and strawberries until a dough forms.  With wet hands, put dough on to a lightly floured counter and shape into 8" x 1" disk.  Brush the top with the beaten egg and the remaining sugar.  Cut into 8 wedges.  Put on baking sheet 2" apart and bake 12-15 minutes.  Remove and cool on a rack.
Variation:  Can serve with Berry Butter: Combine 1/4 Cup butter, room temp, 1 TB strawberry jam and 1/4 tsp grated lemon zest. Pretty for Christmas Brunch or you favorite Valentine in Bed:) Makes 8 carb count on scone:  36 grams, Berry Butter:  1 gram per tsp

Diva's Grandma Sarah's German Grebel

Diva’s Memories of Recipes German Grebel
Inspiration:  This was Grandma Sarah's German Grebel.
Ingredients: 1 Cup buttermilk 4 eggs 3 TB mazola oil 1/4 Cup sugar 4 1/2 - 5 Cups flour 1 Cup sour cream 4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt powdered sugar or cinnamon & sugar for sprinkle's	Instructions: Mix buttermilk and sour cream.  Then add baking soda; sugar; salt; oil; eggs.  Beat well.  In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together and add to buttermilk mixture.  It will make a soft dough - so this is what determines the flour amount. Start with lesser amount and add if need be. Put in refrigerator overnight; and may also be frozen for a later time. Roll out onto floured board until the dough is 1/8 inch thick.  Cut into squares or rectangles.  Make two slits in each square and twist or make one slit in each and pull one corner through slit. Fry in deep fat fryer 350 degrees F until brown.  Turn with fork to brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with sugar
Variation:  can be used to make yummy donuts too.

Diva's Peanut Butter Play Dough

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

Peanut Butter Play Dough

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Inspiration from:  My kids had a blast with this recipe growing up, now I can pass it on to my grand kids.  Guaranteed smiles and laughs.  Then they can eat it when they are done...but do remind them other play doughs are not edible.  

Ingredients
1 small jar Peanut Butter 6 TB honey 1 1/4 Cup Nonfat dry milk	1/2 Cup flour

Directions

Mix ingredients in a bowl and have fun & be creative!  I liked to use plastic cookie cutters for safety reasons and my favorite was the alphabet letters to help with spelling.

Variations

I have seen this recipe made with sugar... are they nuts??? kids and sugar? LOL