CHOCOLATE PEANUT CLUSTERS

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp vegetable shortening (do not use a substitute)
1 cup unsalted, dry roasted peanuts

Place all chocolate chips and the shortening in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at medium for 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 15 seconds, stir, and repeat until chips are melted and the mixture is smooth when stirred.

Add the peanuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls into 1-inch size candy papers. Let sit until firm, about 1 hour.

Store in an airtight container and keep in a cool dry place.

Yield: 2 dozen candies

Note: File Photo

PECAN SURPRISE BARS

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Reserve 2/3 cup cake mix; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the remaining cake mix, butter, and 1 of the eggs. Mix until crumbly. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Using an electric mixer, combine the reserved cake mix, syrup, brown sugar and remaining three eggs. Beat the mixture for 2 minutes. Pour over the partially baked crust. Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cut into cookie bars.

 Note: File Photo

STRAWBERRY CHIFFON PIE

1 box (4-serving size) sugar-free strawberry gelatin

3/4 cup boiling water

1 1/4 cup cold water

1 cup sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

2 cups sliced strawberries + 1/4 cup for garnish

1 sugar-free 8-inch crumb crust or sugar-free pastry crust

Pour gelatin mix into a medium bowl and a stir in the boiling water until all gelatin is dissolved.

Stir in the cold water and allow to sit a few minutes if necessary to cool.

Fold in the whipped topping and strawberries. Spoon mixture into the prepared pie shell and garnish with the remaining berries.

This is a file photo for reference only.

CANDY SHOP PIZZA

 Obviously this is a Nestle recipe.

CARROT-PINEAPPLE CUPCAKES

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup (about 3 medium) grated carrots

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped nuts

Nutmeg-Mallow Frosting (recipe follows)

Line 20 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners; set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg together. Stir in the grated carrots, eggs and nuts just until moistened.

Fill paper cupcake liners 1/2 full and bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool and frost with the following frosting.

NUTMEG-MALLOW FROSTING:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

9 large marshmallows

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 to 2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Mix sugars and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling and boil, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the marshmallows until melted. Stir in the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and nutmeg until smooth.

Spread on top of the cupcakes.

VARIATIONS:

You may replace the carrots with any of the following: 1 cup raisins, flaked coconut, chopped dates or chopped apples.

BROOKIES

COOKIE LAYER:

1/2 butter, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 9" x 13" pan; set aside.

Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla until creamy. Add the egg and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Whisk flour, salt and baking soda together; stir into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and spread mixture into the prepared pan.

BROWNIE LAYER:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

Repeat process of spreading evenly in pan over the cookie layer.

Bake at 350 degrees 20-25 minutes or until done.

file photo for reference only

WATERMELON SORBET

3 cups water

1 cup sugar
4 cups seeded, chopped watermelon
1/4 cup lime juice

Bring the water and sugar just to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves; remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Process the sugar syrup and watermelon in batches in a blender until smooth. Stir in the lime juice; cover and chill 2 hours.

Pour mixture into the freezer container of a 1-gallon ice-cream maker; freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.

File photo of watermelon sorbet shown with other sorbets.

Note: As my followers know, I love Southern Living recipes and have lived by them for years. I got this recipe from Southern Living Summer of 2003.

BLUEBERRY BREAD PUDDING

This is a recipe I got from Southern Living about 17 or 18 years ago.

1 loaf (16-oz) French bread, cubed
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, cut up
3 cups fresh blueberries, divided
6 large eggs
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 jar (10-oz) blueberry preserves

Arrange half the bread cubes in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Sprinkle evenly with the cream cheese and 1 cup of the blueberries; top with the remaining half of the bread cubes.

Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, butter, and syrup together; pour over the bread mixture. Using the back of a spoon, press the bread cubes to absorb the egg mixture.

Cover pan and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove pan from refrigerator and bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 30 minutes or until lightly browned and set.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

In a saucepan over low heat, stir together the remaining blueberries and the preserves; heat until warmed.
Pour the blueberry mixture over the pudding then cut to serve.

Yield: Approximately 12 servings.

FILE PHOTO

EASY PEACH PRESERVES

4 1/2 cups (approx 2 1/2 lb) peeled and diced peaches

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 pkg (1.75-oz) powdered fruit pectin

Place all ingredients together in a 4-quart microwave-safe glass bowl; stir to mix.

Microwave mixture on high for 8 minutes (mixture should boil). Stir and microwave on high another 8 to 10 minutes until very thickened (about like pancake syrup). Mixture will will thicken to soft-set preserves after it cools and chills.

Cool mixture completely, about 2 hours.

Serve immediately or place in an airtight jar or container and refrigerate until ready to use. May be stored in refrigerator for 3 weeks.

Note: This is a recipe I got from my Southern Living Magazine several years ago.

CRANBERRY-LEMON CRUMB CAKE

 Cake:

1 pkg (18.25-oz) lemon cake mix

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Topping:

2 cups white whole-wheat flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

Powdered sugar for dusting

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

To make the cake:

Combine cake mix, sour cream, eggs, oil and lemon zest in a large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, fold in the dried cranberries. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the Topping:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the butter until mixture is moistened and starts to clump together.

Carefully remove the cake from the oven and sprinkle mixture evenly over the top. Scatter the 1/4 cup cranberries over the top. Return cake to oven and bake at 350 degrees an additional 20 minutes. 

Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust lightly with powdered sugar and cut into 16 squares to serve.

file photo for reference only

not this exact recipe

NY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

 2 sticks unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

Flaky salt for top

3 to 3 1/3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnut pieces, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a rack in center of oven.

Remove butter from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature 30 minutes.

In bowl of electric mixer, place butter and both sugars. Cream together on high speed 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of your mixer.

Turn mixer to low speed and add eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined, Turn off mixer and add 3 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse mixer just until mixed.

Add chocolate chips and walnut pieces, if using. If not using nuts, add more chocolate chips. If chocolate chips don't combine completely, knead dough a few times to slightly incorporate..

Divide dough intro 8 pieces of about 6-oz each.

Roughly shape each piece into a ball, leave rustic looking - do not flatten. Place balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and put in freezer for 30-45 minutes until quite firm. You will bake cookies from frozen dough!

Bake 6 cookies at a time, 12 - 14 minutes. Turn tray halfway through baking. The cookies will be quite golden on top and bottom but gooey on the inside. Do not overbake as they will continue to cook on the tray.

Cool 15 minutes before serving.

file photo for reference only

This recipe is from smallkitchensweets.com

BANANA BREAD BARS WITH BROWN BUTTER FROSTING

I got this recipe from a friend. I have not yet made these but have heard they are great. The recipe sent to me is called Banana Bread Brownies. I changed the name to bars. Sorry but I have this things about brownies. Brownies are supposed to be chocolate!

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Brown Butter Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. milk

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375F. Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute. Stir in walnuts.
2. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.
4. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting). Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm).

file photo