Coffee Cake

(credit to Wendy)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream

topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
3 Tbsp. margarine

DIRECTIONS:

Cream together:
½ cup shortening
¾ cup sugar
1 Tsp vanilla
Add:  3 eggs- one at a time
Sift together
2 cups flour
1 Tsp baking soda
Add: Dry ingredients alternately with 1 cup sour cream
Spread: ½ batter in greased 10” tube pan (bundt) lined with waxed paper

To make topping
Cream:
¾ cup brown sugar
1 ½ Tsp. cinnamon
¾ cup chopped nuts
3 TBSP margarine
Crumble: ½ of this mixture on bottom layer; the other half on the second layer
Batter, crumb topping, batter, crumb topping
Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes
Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ C. graham cracker drumbs
¼ C. crushed Oreos
¼ C. sugar
6 T. butter, melted
¾ C. creamy peanut butter
filling:
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ t. vanilla extract
1 c. hot fudge ice cream topping, divided.
6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs, cookie crumbs, sugar, butter.  Press onto bottom and up 1 in. of greased 9 in. springform pan.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes or until set.  Cool on wire rack.  In a microwave safe bowl, heat peanut butter on high for 30 seconds or until softened.  Spread over crust to within 1 in of edges.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, sour cream until smooth.  Add eggs.  Beat low speed just combined.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour 1 c. into bowl, set aside.  Pour remaining filling over peanut butter layer.

In microwave safe bowl, heat ¼ c. fudge topping on high 30 sec.  Fold into reserved C. cheese mix.  Carefully spoon over filling—swirl with knife.

Place pan on baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run knife around pan to loosen—cool 1 hour longer.

Microwave remaining fudge for 30 seconds.  Spread over cheesecake.  Garnish with PB cups. Refrigerate overnight

Mascarpone Cheesecake

(credit to Kellie)

INGREDIENTS:

For crust:
70 vanilla wafers (8 1/2 oz), finely ground in a food processor (2 1/3 cups)
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling:
20 oz cream cheese (2 1/2 eight-ounce packages), softened
8 oz mascarpone cheese at room temperature (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

For topping:
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Make crust:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and side of a 9-inch spring form pan.

Stir together cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture for sprinkling over cheesecake, then pat remainder onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of spring form pan.

Put pan in a shallow baking pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 25 minutes. Leave oven on.

Make filling while crust bakes: 
Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and salt and mix at low speed until combined.

Pour into cooled crust and bake until cake is set and puffed around edge but still trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly in spring form pan on rack, about 20 minutes. (Cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.) Leave oven on.

Make topping: 
Stir together sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and spoon over cheesecake, spreading gently and evenly, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge.

Bake cheesecake until topping is set, about 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge to help prevent cracking. Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs and cool completely in pan on rack, then chill, loosely covered, at least 8 hours.

Lemon Meringue Pie

(credit to allrecipes.com with some changes)

INGREDIENTS
1 (9 inch) pie crust, mostly baked (bake for ¾ usual time—this helps prevent leaking)
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar

*For more meringue, add another egg white or two.  This recipe doesn’t make a huge amount.

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Combine 1 1/3 cups sugar, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in a heavy saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.

3. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make a smooth paste. Gradually whisk into boiling sugar mixture. Boil mixture until thick and clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and lemon juice. Gradually whisk egg yolk mixture into hot sugar mixture.

5. Return pan to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in grated lemon rind and butter or margarine.

6. In a large glass or metal bowl, combine egg whites and salt. Whip until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar while continuing to whip. Beat until whites form stiff peaks.

7. Stir about 2/3 cup of meringue into lukewarm filling. Spoon filling into baked pastry shell. Cover pie with remaining meringue, making sure it touches the edges of the pie crust.

8. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until meringue is slightly brown. Cool on a rack at for at least 1 hour before cutting.

Homemade Oreos

(credit to Kellie)

INGREDIENTS: 

Cookies:

2 package devils food cake mix (1)

1 ½ cup shortening (3/4)

4 eggs (2)

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese (4 oz)

½ cup butter (1/4)

2 ¾ cup powdered sugar (1 3/8)

1 Tablespoon vanilla (1/2)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all of the cookie ingredients together and roll into small balls.  Bake at 350° for 6-7 minutes.  Mix all o the filling ingredients together and spread on cookies once they are cooled, spreading on one cookie and sandwiching another on top to look like an “Oreo.”  These are best when refrigerated.

Sugar Cookies (not cut-out)

(credit to allrecipes.com)


Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened (really--like mushy)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks. (For soft cookies, take them out at 8 minutes exactly, even if they don't look done.  They will continue to cook on the sheet after you pull them out).

Snickerdoodles

(credit to allrecipes.com)


Ingredients

    * 1/2 cup butter, softened
    * 1/2 cup shortening
    * 1 1/2 cups white sugar
    * 2 eggs
    * 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    * 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    * 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 4 tablespoons white sugar
    * 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
 
2. Cream together butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar.  Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing until just incorporated.  Stir in vanilla.

3. In separate bowl, mix together flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture, mix (don't overmix or cookies will be flat).

4. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.  These cookies don't spread out much, so your cookies will only be slightly bigger in diameter than the balls you roll out.  So bigger balls = bigger cookies.

5. Mix the 4 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  
6. Bake 8 minutes, or until set but not too hard. I've found that a heavier cookie sheet helps the cookies spread a little better. 

Oatmeal Cookies

(credit to allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

    * 1 cup butter, softened
    * 1 cup packed light brown sugar
    * 1/2 cup white sugar
    * 2 eggs
    * 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    * 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 3 cups quick-cooking oats
    * 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 335 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until very light and fluffy 4 or 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets (I used my thinner ones. My thick one didn't let the cookies spread out).

3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Pie

(credit to allrecipes.com and Libby's)

Ingredients

    * 1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust, partially baked (to prevent a soggy crust)
    * 1/2 cup brown sugar
    * 1/4 cup white sugar
    * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    * 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
    * 2 eggs
    * 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (which is 1 3/4 cups, if you care)
    * 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

 2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. (You can put foil around the edges of the pie to prevent the crust from getting burned--remove after about 25 minutes of baking).

 3. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.)

Pumpkin Roll

I have to say, I was totally terrified to try this recipe.  I've heard so many horror stories about the cake cracking or ending up on the floor.  But I didn't have any issues, and it is DELICIOUS!  I feel like a genuine cook now!

(credit to allrecipes.com and Libby's)

Ingredients

    * powdered sugar (to sprinkle on wax paper)
    * 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    * 1/4 teaspoon salt
    * 3 large eggs
    * 3/4 cup brown sugar
    * 2/3 cup pumpkin
    * 1/2 recipe cream cheese icing, slightly chilled
   
Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan (I used a 10 x 15 cookie sheet with 1/2 inch depth and it worked perfectly); line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper, making sure to get edges of pan.
 
 2. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick (about 2 minutes). Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
  
3. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Remove from oven.  Sprinkle top of cake with powdered sugar and put a sheet of wax paper on top of it, followed by a dish towel (big enough to roll the cake up in).  Put a large cookie sheet over the top of the entire cake and smaller sheet.  Flip the whole thing over so that the cake falls out of the small baking pan and onto the large one.  Peel off the wax paper, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and cover with new wax paper.  Roll up cake, wax paper and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
  
4. Once cake is cool (or even just lukewarm), unroll carefully and remove wax paper.  Ice entire cake with cream cheese icing--it's up to you how much to put on, just make sure it's not going to pop out the side.  Carefully roll cake back up.  Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, followed by tin foil.  Freeze until just before serving.

Dulce de Leche

(credit to Scott Bear & some website I found)

INGREDIENTS:
1 (or more) cans of sweetened condensed milk--name brands really do taste better

DIRECTIONS:

Method 1: Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk into 9-inch pie plate. Cover with aluminum foil. Place the pie plate in a in larger shallow pan filled with hot water. Do not allow the water to cover the smaller pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 1 hour or until thick and caramel-colored. Beat until smooth.

Method 2: Place unopened can sweetened condensed milk in a pot with enough water to cover the can. Bring slowly to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and let cook for 4-5 hours until the milk is caramelized. Be careful! Keep the can covered and simmering slowly to avoid the risk of the can exploding. Cool the can before opening.

Method 3: Place unopened can (label removed) into a crock pot. Put a washrag underneath the cans, otherwise you'll get rust stains on the bottom of your crock pot. Fill crock pot with water, making sure that can is completely submerged (you may want to check occasionally and make sure the water level doesn't drop. It shouldn't in a crock pot, but some aren't as good as others). Turn on Low, cook for 8 hours. Turn off crock pot, allow to cool for 30-60 minutes. This method worked really well and was super easy.

Alfajores (Argentine Cookies)

(credit to Scott Bear)

Ingredients:
* 12 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 egg yolks
* 2 1/2 cups cornstarch
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* Zest of 1/2 lemon
* 2 cans Dulce de Leche (you can buy it or make it)
* Grated coconut

DIRECTIONS:

To make cookie dough:
Cream the butter and sugar together, then mix in the remaining ingredients except the dulce de leche and coconut until well blended. Knead on a floured work surface until the dough is smooth and let rest for 15 minutes. The dough will be dry--that's perfectly normal.

Make the cookies:
Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut into 2-inch rounds. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 17-20 minutes. When cool, spread some dulce de leche on the bottom of half the cookies and press another cookie on top, allowing some of the dulce de leche to squeeze from the sides (don't skimp--it's the best part). Roll the sides in the coconut until the sides are covered.

Makes about 12-15 delicious, definitely non low calorie cookies!

Cut-out Sugar Cookies

(credit to Allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
* 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
* 3 cups white sugar
* 4 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 5 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* powdered sugar (for rolling out cookies)


DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on powdered-sugared surface 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. When you see the edges turn golden brown, pull them out immediately. Cool completely.

*I've found these cookies bake much better on a thin metal cookie sheet. I used my thicker sheet and the cookies were flat and crunchy.

**Delicious with buttercream icing**

Buttercream Icing

INGREDIENTS
1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla (I use 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. almond extract)
8 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk (Use less than this if you want stiffer icing for decorating)

DIRECTIONS
Mix 1st four ingredients. Slowly add milk until a good consistency. Beat at medium-low speed for 5 minutes.

*This makes enough for a double layer cake (or 9x13) with enough left over to decorate.

**To make pure white icing, use 2 cups shortening (NO BUTTER) and clear vanilla extract. It doesn't taste as good, but it has that store-bought icing look.

Poppyseed Bread/Muffins

(credit to Kellie with added glaze)

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 ½ Tablespoon poppyseeds
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon almond extract

Glaze:
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons butter

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients until only small lumps remain. Bake in 2 greased pans at 350° for 50 minutes. (NOTE: I had to cook these for a LOT longer in my oven here (like 70 minutes) but not in previous ovens. Use the toothpick test. If you think the outside is burning and the inside still isn't done, cover the top with foil and cook until center is done).

You can also make muffins using this same recipe. Fill each liner 3/4 full, cook for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. I got about 30 muffins out of my last batch.

Just before bread is done, make the glaze: In a small saucepan, mix together all ingredients. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. When bread is still warm, but not right out of the oven, brush on glaze using a pastry brush.

Creamy Orange Fruit Dip

(credit to Taste of Home)

INGREDIENTS: (this makes a TON--I usually cut it in half)
1 cup orange juice
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup sour cream
1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
fresh fruit for dipping

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice and pudding mix. Whisk in sour cream. Mix in whipped topping. Refrigerate until needed--serve with fruit.

Lemon Squares

(credit to Kellie)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350° (if using a glass dish, heat to 325). Mix thoroughly flour, butter, and powdered sugar. Press into greased square pan, 8x8 inches, building up a ½ inch edge. Bake 20 minutes.

Beat remaining ingredients about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust. Bake about 25 minutes longer or just until no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Cool; sprinkle with powdered sugar; cut into squares.

Fried Ice Cream

(credit to Mom Blood)

INGREDIENTS:
2 half gallon vanilla ice cream cartons (SQUARE cartons) (3)
2 c. graham cracker crumbs (3)
1 c. chunky peanut butter (1 1/2)
2 c. sugar (3)
2 t. cinnamon (3)
Foiled cupcake holders, paper liner removed.

DIRECTIONS:
Blend crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Melt peanut butter, add to mixture. Cut the ice cream into equal size blocks (we can usually get 12 balls out of each carton). Roll the ice cream block in the mixture, then place in cupcake holder. Freeze until ready to serve. Serve with chocolate or caramel sauce.

Fruit Pizza

(credit to Allrecipes.com with some changes)

INGREDIENTS:
Icing:
* 1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough (or use this recipe, which is better)
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1/4 cup sugar

Glaze:
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/4 cup water

Fruit:
* whatever you want! Strawberries, oranges, kiwis, and blueberries all work really well.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Roll out cookie dough on greased pizza pan (about 1/4 inch thick). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool. (You can also use a greased cookie sheet if you want nice square pieces).

2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in the whipped topping. Mix in sugar. Spread over cooled crust. You can chill for a while at this point, or continue by arranging the fruit.

3. Arrange your fruit! If bananas are used, dip them in lemon juice so they don't darken.

4. Make glaze. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit. Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.

Almond Cookies

(credit to Taste of Home)

INGREDIENTS
1 c. butter flavored shortening (regular shortening does NOT taste nearly as good)
½ c. + 3 T. sugar, divided
¼ c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. almond extract
2 c. All Purpose flour
1 ½ t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
3 T. sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS
1. Cream shortening, ½ c. sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in egg, add almond extract. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mix. Shape dough into 1 in balls, then roll in sugar.

2. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten cookies to 1/4 inch thickness. Press 3 almond slices into center of each. Bake at 350 for 9-11 min.