STRAWBERRY COCONUT PECAN CAKE

1 pkg (3-oz) strawberry gelatin
1 pkg (2-layer size) white cake mix
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs, separated
1 cup  shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups strawberry halves
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 lb powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two round cake pans; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl stir the gelatin and cake mix together; add the oil, milk, egg yolks and mix just until moistened.

In a separate bowl, combine the coconut, pecans, and strawberries.  Fold half this mixture into the cake batter.  Reserve the other half of the strawberry mixture.

In a mixer bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into the batter.  Pour the batter evenly into two prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers come out clean.  Allow to cool in pans on wire rack for just a few minutes then remove from pans to the wire racks to cool completely.

In a mixer bowl cream the butter until light.  Add the powdered sugar, mixing until fluffy.  Add the remaining strawberry mixture and mix in well.  Place one layer on cake plate and spread some of the frosting over the top.  Top with the second layer.  Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

Yield: 12 servings.

ALMOND ORANGE COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE FILLING

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 large egg yolks
3/4 tsp baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1 cup ground toasted almonds
Creamy chocolate filling (recipe follows)

In large mixer bowl combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolks beating until creamy.

In a bowl combine the baking powder, flour, and salt.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, mixing well.  Stir in the orange rind.  Cover and chill for an hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the ground almonds.  Place balls 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Press a thumb into the center of each cookie making a well for the chocolate filling.  Put 1/4 teaspoon of the filling into the well of each cookie.

Bake cookies at 325 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes until set.  Allow to cool slightly on the cookie sheets then remove to a wire rack to cook completely.

CREAMY CHOCOLATE FILLING:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whipping or heavy cream
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan combine the sugar, cocoa, and flour.  Gradually stir in the whipping or heavy cream.  Over low heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolk then stir egg mixture into the chocolate mixture.  Cook for a minute while stirring constantly.  Remove the chocolate from the heat; stir in the butter and vanilla until butter is melted and mixture is smooth.  Chill until ready to use.

APPLE PIE PHYLLO CUPS

These little phyllo cups are filled with an apple pie type filling.  They are like miniature apple pies.
FILLING:
8 cups peeled, chopped Gala apples
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp butter, cut up
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

To make filling:  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, bring the apples, sugar, water, butter, and lemon juice to a boil.  Stir in the salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Lower the heat to medium and boil gently 20 to 25 minutes or until the apples are tender and the liquid is reduced by half.

Remove from heat and crush apples with a potato masher until they form into a chunky style applesauce.  Allow to cool completely.

CUPS:
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pkg (16-oz) frozen phyllo, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
Powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small teacup combine the sugar and cinnamon.

Layer 4 sheets of phyllo dough, lightly brushing each layer with the melted butter.  Cut the stack of dough into 6-inch squares discarding excess dough.  Press each square into a muffin cup and fill each with 1/3 cup of the filling mixture.  Fold the phyllo edges over the filling.  Brush with butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool completely in the pan that is sitting on a wire rack.  Sprinkle with the powdered sugar just before serving.

NO BAKE CARAMEL PECAN PUMPKIN PIE (DIABETIC INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED)

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 Graham cracker pie crust (or regular deep-dish baked pie shell)
1/2 to 3/4 cup large pecan pieces
1 cup milk
2 pkgs (3.4-oz each) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 container (8-oz) frozen whipped topping mix, thawed
2 tbsp caramel ice cream topping, for garnish
2 tbsp pecan pieces, for garnish

Pour the caramel topping over the bottom of the Graham cracker crust; sprinkle the pecans over the caramel.

In a large mixing bowl, using a wire whisk, beat the milk with the pudding mix, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg until the mixture is blended well.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the thawed whipped topping.  Spread the mixture over the pecans in the crust.

Refrigerate pie for at least 1 hour before serving.

To serve, top the pie with the remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with the garnish pecans.  Drizzle the garnish caramel over all.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

NOTE: You can easily make this a diabetic-friendly pie by using a regular sugar-free baked pie shell, sugar-free caramel topping, pudding mix, and frozen whipped topping.  For diabetics I would cut the pie into 10 wedges as portion control is important for all diabetics!

WHITE FUDGE WITH BLACK WALNUTS

4 cups granulated sugar
1 tall can evaporated milk
1 stick butter
1 pkg (12-oz) white chocolate baking chips
1 1/2 cups chopped black walnuts*
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in a heavy saucepan; bring to a rolling boil.  Cook 10 minutes; remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and vanilla.  Mix well and pour into 9 x 13-inch buttered pan.  Cut into squares when firm.

*May use English walnuts or pecans if you prefer.

FRESH FRUIT TART (Diabetic instructions, too.)

CRUST: 

2 cups ground gingersnap cookies (approx 38 cookies)* 

2 tbsp sugar** 

1/3 cup butter flavor shortening 

FILLING: 

1 brick (8-oz) cream cheese, softened 

1/4 cup sugar** 

2 tsp lemon juice 

1/2 cup whipping cream 

1/4 cup apricot preserves 

1 tbsp water 

Your choice of assorted fruit ie strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, kiwi, etc. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

 To make crust, combine the ground cookies, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or two knifes, cut in the shortening until moist clumps form. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch removeable bottom tart pan (or use a 10-inch springform pan but do not put crumbs far up the side.) 

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool. 

To make the filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice with an electric mixer. Add the whipping cream and beat at high speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Spread the mixture into the tart shell and allow to chill for several hours. Before serving, arrange the fresh fruit on top of the chilled filling. Combine the apricot preserves and water, brush over the top of the fruit. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired. 

*For diabetics, you can use sugar-free gingersnaps or sugar-free vanilla wafers. 

**For diabetics, you can use the same amount of Splenda granular as is listed for the sugar.

file photo for reference

LEMON POPPY SEED CHIFFON CAKE

1/2 cup poppy seed
1/4 cup water
Soften the poppy seed in the water for at least one hour.

1 pkg lemon chiffon cake mix
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 pkg (4-oz) lemon pie and pudding mix
1/2 cup whipping cream

Prepare the cake mix according to package direction and stir in the poppy seeds. Pour batter into 2 9-inch ungreased loaf pans and bake according to the package directions. Allow to cool in pans for a couple of minutes the remove from pans to wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the pie filling mix according to the package direction but reducing water by 1/2 cup. Stir in the lemon zest. Cool, if using the cooked filling.

Cut one loaf of the cake horizontally into three layers. Use other cake for another use, freeze for later use, or double the lemon zest, use two packages of pie filling mix, and 1 cup of whipped cream to make two cakes.

Whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form then fold into the lemon pie filling. Spread filling over the top of each layer and stack layers to make a 3 layer loaf cake. Chill cake to set filling before serving.

FROZEN STRAWBERRY PIE with COCONUT CRUST

2 1/2 cups lightly toasted coconut
1/3 cup butter
1 pkg (3-oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened thawed strawberries (mashed or pureed to make 1 1/2 cups)
3 tbsp Lemon juice concentrate
1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped
Additional fresh strawberries for garnish

In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter, remove from heat and stir in the toasted coconut. Mix well; press over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan; chill.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; beat in the sweetened condensed milk. Stir in the pureed or mashed strawberries and the lemon concentrate. Fold in the whipped cream.

Pour the pie filling into the chilled crust; you will have to mound somewhat. Freeze the pie for at least 4 hours or until completely firm. Before serving, garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.

Store any leftovers in the freezer.

Note: If you don't like coconut, you can substitute a regular 9-inch baked pie crust.

file photo for reference only - not this exact recipe