Caramel-Apple Crisp

1/2 Cup caramel topping

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 lg baking apples (cut into 1/2 in slices)

(about 6 Cups)

2/3 Cup flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup cold butter cut into pieces

2/3 Cup quick-cooking oats

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the caramel topping and the cinnamon until blended. Add apples; toss until evenly coated and spread into a 8 inch square (2 quart) baking dish.

In same bowl mix flour, and brown sugar, cut in butter and mix using a pastry mixer until mixture looks like course crumbs. Stir in oats. Crumble mixture over apples in baking dish.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. If desired, serve with ice cream or whipped cream and additional caramel topping.

Recipe from Debbie Jones

Pumpkin Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

METHOD
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

Recipe from Eric Schepler

Banana Nut Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• FROSTING:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Method

In a small saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars, bananas, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until blended. Combine flour and baking soda; gradually add to sugar mixture. Carefully beat in butter mixture until blended. Stir in nuts.
Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 dozen.

Recipe from Taste of Home Award Winning recipes Issue

Frosted Raspberry Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 can (21 ounces) raspberry pie filling
• FROSTING:
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons marshmallow creme
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Method

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Combine the eggs, milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture, beating well after each addition. Divide dough in half; chill for 2 hours or until firm.
Roll out one portion of dough into a 15-in. x 10-in. rectangle; carefully transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Spread with raspberry filling.
Roll out remaining dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut into 1/2-in. wide strips; make a lattice crust over filling. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, shortening, cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over bars. Chill until set. Cut into bars. Yield: about 2 dozen.

From Taste of Home Award Winning Recipes Issue

New York Style Cheesecake

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup Unsifted flour

1 1/4 cup Graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup Sugar

4 8 oz. pkgs Cream cheese softened

Sweetened condensed milk

4 Eggs

1 T. vanilla

For lighter cheesecake add:

1/4 cup Lemon juice 1 14 oz. can

1 8 oz. cont. Sour cream

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For New York Style Cheesecake omit lemon juice and sour cream.


Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and press into the bottom of a 12" spring form pan. Beat the 4 packages of cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add the condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add the 1/3 cup of flour, the eggs and vanilla and mix well.


Pour into the pan and bake 1 hour until lightly browned. The center may not seem completely set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack until completely cool. Run a knife around the edge of the cake but do not remove the rim. Chill for several hours or over night. Remove the rim and slice into small pieces.This cake will provide 12 to 16 pieces. Top with your favorite fruit if desired.


For a lighter, lemony cheesecake - preheat oven to 300 degrees. Make the crust as instructed above. Beat 2 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese. Add 14 oz. of sweetened condensed milk, 3 eggs, the lemon juice and sour cream. Pour into pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Follow the same directions above for cooling, chilling, and serving.

Lemon Tarts

Ingredients

CRUST:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces


FILLING:
5 ounces cream cheese, room temperature.
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately two large lemons)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest


TOPPING:
Raspberries
1 tablespoon confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
Lemon Zest

Method

FOR CRUST: In your food processor, place the flour, sugar, and salt and process to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps. Place the pastry in the prepared mini tart pans and, using your fingertips, evenly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork. (This will prevent the pastry crust from puffing up while it bakes.) Cover and place the pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. (This will help prevent the crust from shrinking while it bakes.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.

When the pastry is completely chilled, place the tart pans on a larger baking pan and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 13 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees

FOR FILLING: In a food processor mixer place the cream cheese and process until smooth. Add sugar and process until incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, and process until thoroughly combined. Add remaining ingredients and process until well blended and smooth. Pour filling into pre baked tart shells and bake approximately 25 - 30 minutes or until filling is set. Transfer tarts to a wire rack to cool and then cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least an hour.

TOPPING: Pick your favorite fruit. Sprinkle powdered sugar and lemon zest.

Recipe from Stacey Jones

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients

2 c. peanut butter
1 c. butter, melted
1 (1 lb.) powdered sugar
3 c. Rice Krispies
1/2 cube paraffin
1 lb. chocolate, melted (suggested Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Method

Mix first 4 ingredients; roll into balls; dip into chocolate.


Recipe from Audrey Schepler

Mamie's Million Dollar Fudge

Ingredients

4 1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (12-ounce package or 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
12 (1-ounce) squares sweet baking chocolate
1 (7-ounce) jar or 2 cups marshmallow creme
2 cups chopped nuts

Method

1. Combine sugar, salt, butter and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. In a bowl, pour the boiling syrup over semi-sweet chocolate chips and sweet baking chocolate. Beat until smooth and well blended. Stir in marshmallow creme and chopped nuts.
3. Pour into a buttered 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Recipe from Grandma Schepler

Hard Candy

Ingredients

2 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. water
1 tsp. oil (not flavoring)
Food coloring
Powdered sugar

Method

Sprinkle cookie sheet with powdered sugar or spread a large piece of heavy aluminum foil and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Mix together sugar, syrup and water. Cook and stir occasionally until candy thermometer reaches hard crack stage. Remove from heat. Add food coloring and oil. Stir and pour on powdered cookie sheet. Cool. Break in pieces.

Recipe from Grandma Gordon

Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients

1 or 2 bags miniature marshmallows
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups Kellogg's Rice Crispy Cereal

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add marshmallows.

Method

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add marshmallows.


Stir until mixture becomes difficult to stir any more. Mix in the Rice Crispy Cereal and stir until hot.
Butter a pan (a square pan like a brownie pan) and spread mixture evenly in the pan. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Raspberry Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup bread flour
2/3 cup raspberry jam
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup coconut
1 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

Cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 cup sugar; add 1 egg and flour and blend well. Pat the crust mixture into a greased 9x9-inch baking pan.
Spread raspberry jam over crust layer. Mix together remaining ingredients; spread evenly over jam layer. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack then cut into bars.
Recipe from Brenda Spencer

Lemon Bars

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour so there will be no flour lumps. Stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the prepared crust and return to the oven.
4. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bars are set. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe from Stacey Jones

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Ingredients

2 c. crushed pretzels
3 tbsp. sugar
1 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. sugar (powdered or regular)
12 oz. Cool Whip
2 c. boiling water
2 (3 oz.) pkgs. strawberry Jello
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen strawberries

Method

Mix crushed pretzels with sugar and butter. Press into 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool.
Mix cream cheese and sugar. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over pretzel mixture.
Add frozen strawberries to hot Jello (Jello and water). Stir until strawberries thaw and Jello starts to thicken. Pour on top of rest of dessert.
Recipe from Audrey Schepler

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
• 4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1/8 cups white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan, mix together cornstarch, white sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Mix in sour cream. Add egg yolks, raisins, and lemon juice. Stir until thoroughly combined. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour mixture into pastry shell.
3. In a large glass or metal bowl, beat together egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add brown sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat until whites are stiff and glossy. Beat in vanilla extract. Spread evenly over raisin filling, sealing meringue to crust edges.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, until delicately browned.

Recipe from Audrey Schepler

Impossible Pie

Ingredients

2 cups milk OR 1 2/3 cup plus 1/3 cup lemon juice
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cups baking mix/ flour
1 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or heavily PAM a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. For macaroon pie with a pronounced coconut layer, sprinkle the coconut in the dish, place all other ingredients in blender container. Cover and blend on high speed 15 seconds. Pour into pie plate. For coconut pie, just whiz everything in the blender.
Bake until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. At 400 degrees it takes 20-30 min in 10" pan.
Refrigerate any leftover pie.
Recipe from Audrey Schepler

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Ingredients

1 baked pie shell
1 c. sugar
1 qt. strawberries
3 T. cornstarch

Method

Place 1/2 of strawberries in a saucepan. Mash, add sugar and cornstarch. Cook slowly, stirring constantly for 5 minutes until thick. Stir in lemon juice and almond extract. Let stand to cool. Add remaining whole berries. Pour into pie shell. Chill. Top with Whipped Cream.


Recipe from Grandma Gordon

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 large can of pumpkin
2 c. sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. PET milk
5 eggs slightly beaten
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 pie crust

Method

Mix ingredients together and pour into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes and 350 degrees until set.


Recipe from Grandma Gordon

Perfect Peach Pie

Ingredients

1 unbaked pie shell
1 lg can of peaches (drained)
1/2 c. plus 2 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sour cream

Method

Fill pie shell with peaches. Blend flour, 1/2 c. sugar and salt. Stir in sour cream and pour over peaches. Mix 2 T. sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over pie.


Recipe from Grandma Schepler

Nanna's Lemon Pie

Ingredients

1/3-1/2 c. lemon and rind (1 1/2 lemons)
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 T. rounded cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 c. boiling water
save egg whites for top

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees .
2. To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together water, 1 cup sugar, and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk into hot sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
3. To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

Recipe from Nanna (Elsie Richardson)

Apple Crisp

Ingredients
Apples
1 c. sugar
2 c. graham crackers
1/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar

Method

Fill buttered pan half full with apple slices. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Mix crushed graham crackers, brown sugar and butter. Spread over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until apples are done.
Recipe from Aunt Linda Wyant