Mix It Up With Jenny
By Jenny Harper
(Family Features) -- It’s true — the kitchen is the heart of the home. Ever notice how people always gather there? Whether baking treats, making dinner or spending time with family and friends, the kitchen is my favorite place to be. Since my day job is Senior Culinary Specialist for the Nestlé Test Kitchens, you can bet I love to stir things up. This column lets me pass along to you some of my best recipes, tips and baking secrets.

Test Kitchen Secrets for Easy, Elegant Desserts
Summertime meals should be easy and casual. And when it comes to desserts, I have a trick or two for making easy summer desserts a bit special. • Keep pre-scored cookie dough bars in the fridge – they make a quick and delicious dessert foundation that you can build on. • Make sure your freezer has favorite ice cream and frozen yogurt flavors to choose from. They’re great on their own, or as part of a sundae or homemade ice cream sandwich. • I also keep fruit sorbets on hand, for recipes like Ginger Bites with Zesty Lemon Sorbet. • Stock up on elegant add-ins like crystallized ginger, candied fruits or edible flowers—these little touches add a lot!

Taking a hint from some fancy restaurant dessert menus, our test kitchen staff came up with a last-minute dessert that’s amazingly easy and quite elegant. Cool, sweet, creamy and crunchy, these dainty bites deliver big flavor with that burst of ginger and refreshing lemon. So when you want to seem rather “top hat” even though you’re wearing a ball cap, give this test kitchen favorite a try.

Working in a test kitchen is fun and challenging. We love collecting ideas from our readers who post their great ideas on the Very Best Baking Web site. Recently, Brenda Washburn of Enid, OK became a Very Best Baker when she posted her recipe for Lemon Bread. She was the winner of the Share the Love sweepstakes and, as a result, got to visit the Nestlé test kitchens and learn tips and tricks from our staff. We had a great time making her wonderful bread!

To learn more about Brenda’s trip and to post your own ideas visit VeryBestBaking.com.

Ginger Bites with Zesty Lemon Sorbet
(Makes 24 servings)

1 package (16.5 ounces) Nestlé Toll House Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Bar Dough
6 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 pint Zesty Lemon Häagen-Dazs Fat Free Sorbet
1/3 cup chopped pistachios

PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

BREAK dough along pre-scored lines. Dip the top of each square in chopped ginger. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets, ginger side up.

BAKE for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden around edges. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Top each cookie with a small scoop of sorbet. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information per serving: 110 calories, 45 calories from fat, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 60 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 11 g sugars, 1 g protein

Jenny Harper is Senior Culinary Specialist for the Nestlé Test Kitchens and VeryBestBaking.com. Courtesy of Family Features