CINNAMON ROLL MUFFINS

1/3 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

Topping:

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Frosting
3-oz cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk until combined.

For Topping, in a bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Fill 12 paper-lined muffin cups 1/4 of the way full of batter. Using half the brown sugar mixture, spoon on top of each. Add remaining batter to the cups, filling each about 2/3s full. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture over the tops.

Bake at 350-degrees 15-18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes our clean. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Add milk and vanilla. Slowly add confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy. Drizzle over the muffins.

Yield: 1 dozen

file photo may or may not be this exact recipe

SWEET TEA ICEBOX TART WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

This is one of my old Southern Living Recipes. Sweet tea is the beverage of the South. We use tea for everything!

CRUST
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
5 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Stir all ingredients together and press into a 9-inch tart pan that has a removable bottom.

FILLING
2 tbsp unsweetened instant iced tea mix
2 tbsp water
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp lime zest
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

TOPPING
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp sugar
Thin orange slices for garnish, optional
Fresh mint leaves for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir the tea mix and water together. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, orange and lime zest, juices and eggs until blended.

Place the prepared crust on a baking sheet and pour in the filling mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or just until the filling is set. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely (takes about 1 hour). Cover and refrigerate at least 4 but up to 24 hours.

Remove tart from pan and place on serving plate.

Beat the cream and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Top the tart with the whipped cream and add garnishes if desired.

Note: If you don't want the gingersnap crust, you could use 2 (4-oz each) ready-made mini graham cracker crusts and make mini tarts.

PRALINE ICE CREAM PIE

PRALINE ICE CREAM PIE

This is a recipe I got from Jello-O Pudding back in the 1970s.

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/3 cup chopped nuts

1 lightly baked 9-inch pie shell

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 cup (1/2 pt) vanilla ice cream, softened

1 pkg (6-serving) Jell-O Instant pudding-butter pecan flavor

Combine brown sugar, butter, and nuts in saucepan. Heat until butter is melted. Pour into pie shell and bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool.
Thoroughly blend milk and ice cream in bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat slowly with rotary beater or at lowest speed of electric mixer until blended, about 1 minute. Pour immediately into pie shell. Chill until set, about 3 hours. Garnish with whipped topping and additional chopped nuts, if desired.

file photo of this pie

 

PUNCH BOWL CAKE

1 yellow cake mix
1 (6 oz.) pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 lg. can crushed pineapple, drained
2 (10 oz.) pkg frozen strawberries, thawed
2 bananas
1 (16 oz.) carton Cool Whip

Bake cake according to the package directions, baking in two round cake pans; set aside to cool. 

Make pudding according to package directions; refrigerate until chilled. 

Cut one layer of cake into small chunks; put in punch bowl. Spread half of pudding on top; then add half of pineapple and one package strawberries. Slice one banana on top of strawberries then top with half the whipped topping, spreading to cover completely. 

Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours before serving.

file photo for reference

 

PINEAPPLE-CREAM CHEESE-COCONUT BALLS

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened.

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained.
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups flaked coconut.
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and pineapple until combined then fold in the pecans. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Take out of refrigerator and roll into 1-inch balls; then roll the balls in the coconut. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Yield: about 2 dozen.
***If you actually follow the instructions, and don't try "taste testing" before the product is finished, you'll love this recipe. A few helpful hints to remember when making this recipe:
a. An inch is much smaller than you think, use ruler to measure an inch.
b. After you mix the drained crushed pineapple and softened cream cheese, don't taste it.
c. After you shape the balls, roll them in coconut, don't taste them. It is now cream cheese, pineapple, pecans and coconut.
4. If you made your snowballs SMALL, and they've chilled overnight (or at least 6 hours), the pineapple and cream cheese have "married", and are delicious.

A friend sent this to me a few years ago to share with you.

EASY CINNAMON ROLL MONKEY BREAD

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 cans (17 1/2-oz each) large, refrigerated cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing, quartered

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Place butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, stir together both sugars and cinnamon. Dip each piece of cinnamon roll into butter, then roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Stack pieces in a greased 10-inch fluted tube pan.

Bake until edges are golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes then invert onto serving platter. Place icing packages in a small bowl of hot water for 5 minutes. Drizzle icing over warm monkey bread. Serve immediately.

file photo for reference

TEXAS PRALINES

You just can't live in Texas and not like Pralines!

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
pinch of salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1. In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, bring the sugars, milk, and salt to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.

2. When rolling boil starts, begin timing and cook for 4 minutes. (Accuracy is important.) While its boiling, lay out wax paper on your counter.

3. Remove from the heat and add the butter, vanilla, and pecans. Beat vigorously until the mixture becomes thick.

4. Quickly drop by spoonfuls onto the wax paper. (Work quickly, otherwise it will harden too much to spoon out.) Let the pralines cool and set.

Makes about 12 pralines

Note: From I Love Texas Recipes

 

EASY OREO CHEESECAKE PARFAITS

14 Oreos

12-oz cream cheese, room temperature

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

3 tbsp water

Grind the Oreos in a food processor, transfer to a bowl.

Wipe the food processor clean and add the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and water. Pulse until smooth. 

Layer the Oreo crumbs and cream cheese mixture in 4 small glasses. Chill 2 hours before serving.

recipe and photo TOH 2025

EASY CINNAMON ROLL CASSEROLE

2 tubes (12.4-oz each) refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing, rolls cut into quarters

1/2 cup evaporated milk

3 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish. Place cinnamon roll pieces in bottom of the prepared baking dish.

In a bowl, whisk milk, syrup, vanilla and cinnamon until blended; pour over the rolls.

In another bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans, if using. Sprinkle mixture over the cinnamon roll pieces. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly and drizzle the icing packers overall and serve immediately.

recipe and photo TOH 2025

 

 

FAVORITE DUTCH APPLE PIE

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

3/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

2/3 cup sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 1/4 cups cold water

4 cups peeled chopped tart apples (about 2 large)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Ice Cream, optional for serving

Caramel Sundae Syrup, optional for serving

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Mix flour, brown sugar, oats and butter together, reserve 3/4 cup for topping. Press the remaining mixture onto the bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.

In a large saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth then bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in apples and vanilla. Pour into the crust. Crumble the topping over the top of the filling.

Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Cover edges with foil during the last 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack. If desired, serve with the ice cream and/or caramel.

Yield: 8 servings

recipe and photo TOH 2025