Tag blueberry buckle recipe

Parties That Cook’s Top Ten Summer Dessert Recipes

No meal is complete without the sweet finish line we call dessert. The Parties That Cook team of dedicated taste-testers has rounded up 10 of its favorite dessert recipes for this summer and tempting you with… well, all of them. (Sorry, waistline!) From cool ice cream to warm fruit pies, these Ten Sweet Summer Dessert Recipes will bring a smile to anyone’s face! Happy Baking, Melting, Drizzling, and Devouring! Good luck sharing..

Blueberry Buckle with Aunt Polly’s Hot Cream Sauce
We dare you not to drool. Blueberries are a signature summer snack and they’ve earned their spot as a summer staple in this delicious dessert. Add hot cream sauce (made with cinnamon, vanilla, and butter) over the top of this delicious buckle to heat up cool summer nights.

Blueberry, Raspberry and Peach Dulce De Leche Crisp
This quick and easy dessert will have your guests thinking you’ve spent hours in the kitchen! You better save room for this sweet crisp — wafting aromas and a filling that bubbles over will be impossible to resist! And if you really love Dulce De Leche, be sure to check out our ice cream recipe!

Mint Ice Cream with Scharffen Berger Cocoa Nibs
Take your end-of-meal mints in the form of ice cream, and add a cool ending to a warm summer day. Cocoa nibs give this dessert a bit of a crunch without being too sweet.

Quatro Leches: Sponge Cake with Four Milks and Fresh Strawberries
Your old tres leches recipe has never been so jealous. Adding fresh strawberries and mint to this unbelievably moist cake brings out the refreshing flavors we yearn for on hot summer days.

Raspberry Streusel Bars
Streusels may have become a breakfast phenomenon, but we’re bringing them back to the dessert scene. Try as you might to resist their temptation, and I know from first-hand experience, these bars are deliciously addictive and perfect for any summer get-together.

Seasonal Fruit Potpies
We love a good potpie, but we especially love a sweet, seasonal, summer potpie! Your guests will love these little guys. Not only do you get to include YOUR favorite summer fruit, but these pies are the  perfect size for an individual serving (because who really wants to share their dessert!?).

Warm Lavender Tea Cake with Homemade Lemon Curd
Little did you know, lavender is more than just a candle scent. This light tea cake is the perfect afternoon treat — full of flavor, and yet tastes nothing like your favorite bath soap. The mild lemon curd adds just the right zing to wake up your dull afternoon and pulls this dessert together.

Warm Peach Pudding Cakes with Soft Whipped Cream
Nothing like the pudding snacks your mom packed for your lunch, these pudding cakes are an adult delight. You can’t go wrong with a freshly baked, golden brown, ooey gooey cake (yum!).

Mini Strawberry Pop-Tarts with Lemon Glaze
Continuing on our kick of grown-up treats from our childhood, these mini pop-tarts are single servings of happiness. The lemon glaze adds a nice touch of citrus and sophistication not meant to be shared with children — unless you’re really nice.

Strawberry Ruhbarb Empanadas with Brown Sugar Whipped Crème Fraiche
Bring something new to the table for your next potluck. This made-from-scratch dessert is sure to impress friends and family, neighbors and strangers. Freshly baked dough stuffed to the limit with fresh rhubarb and strawberry filling: Who could resist?

Send us pictures of your finished products and we just might include it in an upcoming blog or on our website! Tag us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PartiesThatCook or tweet us your pictures @PartiesThatCook

Labor Day Holiday Party Ideas

As a student, I feel like my summers last about as long as a three-day weekend. With that in mind, it surprised me how many people are making plans for their Labor Day weekend. Trips to the mountains or the lake may not be in everyone’s budget but a “stay-cation” party right in your own home probably is! Take advantage of your last few warm summer nights and enjoy an intimate gathering or a big bash to end your summer and start your fall on the right foot.

Labor day was originally created in the 1800’s to celebrate the hard work of laborers, so why not honor your friends (and yourself!) for a summer well done, and toast to a successful autumn. Your Labor Day holiday party could have a tinge of patriotism, but should be more concentrated on an Indian Summer fall theme. To accomplish this, use warmearth tones for your party. For an evening party, dark red table cloths and soft lighting would be perfect for the relaxing mood of a Labor Day holiday party. For a daytime party, organize games for the active, and set up hammocks and loungers for guests relishing the original theme of the holiday.

Some great starting ideas for your Labor Day holiday party could be back to school, neighborhood block party, or a beach party. Take a trip back to the golden years with music that you listened to in high school. Also, no need to splurge on fancy food, just have finger food and Chex mix for guests to munch on while reliving the good old days. A neighborhood block party would be a great opportunity for everyone to get together before the busy schedules of work and school kick back in. Grilling out and having a potluck style party will make everyone feel a part of the group. Or better yet, host a Labor Day cooking party and get your guests cooking together. A beach party doesn’t necessarily have to take place on a beach! Lay out big beach towels and throw your drinks in a cooler for a relaxed end of the summer fiesta.

Here are some great recipes you can use to wow your guests:

Salad of Heirloom Tomatoes, Corn, Ricotta Salata & Herbs Recipe
Salad of Watercress, Watermelon, Ricotta Salata, and Pine Nuts Recipe
Cinnamon and Coriander Spiced Skirt Steak Recipe
Blueberry Buckle with Aunt Polly’s Hot Cream Sauce Recipe

Contributed by Leigh Hermansen