STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SQUARES

2 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted
12-oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg (8-serving size) strawberry gelatin
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 pints strawberries, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix crushed pretzels, 1/3 cup sugar, and butter. Press mixture firmly into bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool.

Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and milk until smooth. Stir in whipped topping. Spread mixture over the crust. Refrigerate.

Stir boiling water into gelatin in a large bowl 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Stir in the cold water. Refrigerate 1 1/2 hours or until thickened. Stir in strawberries. Spoon this mixture over the cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Cut into squares. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

Yield: 15 to 18 servings.

 Note: File Photo

GRANDMA'S BLACK FOREST CAKE

2 cans (20-oz) cans tart pitted cherries, undrained
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 (9-inch) baked chocolate cake layers, cooled
3 cups cold whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. Combine reserved cherry juice, cherries, granulated sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Turn heat to a low setting and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add the vanilla extract and stir to blend.

Split each of the cake layers in half horizontally. Crumble one of the half layers and set aside. Place one of the cake layers on the serving plate. Set other two aside.

Beat the cold whipping cream and the powdered sugar together in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer set on high speed. Beat until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups whipped cream for piping, if desired. Spread 1 cup of the whipped cream on the layer on the serving plate. Top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with the second layer, 1 cup whipped cream, and the 3/4 cup cherry topping; top with the third layer. Frost sides of cake with the remaining whipped cream. Pat the reserved cake crumbs gently on the sides of the cake. Spoon the remaining whipped cream into a pastry bag with a star tip; pipe around the edges of the cake. Spoon the remaining cherry topping over the top of the cake.

 File photo for reference only.

RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

2 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced
1 egg, unbeaten
1 tbsp flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put rhubarb in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and flour to the rhubarb; mix together. Add egg and water. Mix well. Pour mixture into a 9-inch unbaked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for about an hour or until firm. 

 

Note: File Photo

 

LEMON TART WITH STRAWBERRIES

SHELL:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp water

In a food processor, combine the flour, powdered sugar, rosemary leaves, and salt. Pulse until the rosemary is finely chopped. Add butter; pulse until coarse crumbs form. Pour egg yolk, water mixture over crumbs and process until dough forms a ball. Press dough onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place in freezer for 15 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line tart shell with nonstick foil, covering edge. Top foil with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven; remove foil and beans. Tear the foil into strips and cover the edge of the tart shell; return to oven and bake another 15 to 20 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Cool on wire rack leaving foil on the edge. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

FILLING:

1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk
5 large egg yolks
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice
12 strawberries, halved, for garnish

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg yolks, lemon zest and juice until blended. Pour mixture into the tart shell and place on a baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate several hours until chilled through.

To serve the tart, remove tart sides and place tart on a serving plate. Arrange the strawberry halves, cut side down, in a ring around the edge of the tart. Take another berry, leaving leaves in place, and cut from the bottom up almost to the top several times. Place in the center of the tart in a fanned out position, if desired.

 Note: File photo used for reference only.

TOFFEE BAR CRUNCH PIE WITH CARAMEL

1/3 cup caramel dessert topping
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg (4-serving size) Vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling
1 tub (8-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
6 bars (1.4-oz each) chocolate-covered English toffee, chopped
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Spread the dessert topping on bottom of the graham cracker crust. Pour milk into a large bowl and add pudding mix. Beat mixture with a wire whisk for 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the whipped topping and chopped toffee bars. Spoon mixture into the crust. Freeze for 4 hours or until set. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before cutting. Store any leftover pie in the freezer.

Note: File Photo

APRICOT ANGEL BROWNIES

2 bars (2-oz each) white baking chocolate
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup flaked coconut

In a saucepan, melt the white chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring constantly until all the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; stir in the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Combine apricots, almonds, and coconut; stir half of the mixture into the batter. Pour into a 9-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining apricot mixture on top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

File Photo

BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM

4 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 to 2 pkgs butter pecan instant pudding mix (depends on whether or not you use the eggs)
1 tbsp vanilla
1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups white corn syrup
chopped pecans
milk

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients using enough milk to fill the ice cream freezer. If you do not want to use raw eggs, you may omit them but be sure to use both packages of pudding mix. Use only one package of pudding mix if using eggs. Follow instructions on your ice cream freezer.

File Photo

WISHING YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY

CHRISTY'S SNICKERDOODLES

This is my daughter's popular cookie recipe.

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream shortening, the 1 1/2 cups sugar, and eggs together. Add the cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda; mix well. Stir in the flour and mix well. Mix the 2 tbsp of sugar and the cinnamon together in a small bowl. Roll the cookie dough into small balls and roll balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 400 degrees on a ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes.

File Photo

GELATIN FRUIT AND CREAM PIE

4-oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup thawed frozen whipped topping
1 6-oz graham cracker pie crust
1 pkg (4-serving size) gelatin (use flavor to compliment selected fruit)
1 pkg (4-serving size) vanilla cook and serve pudding and pie filling
1 1/4 cups water
2 cups sliced fruit (your choice)

Mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in the whipped topping. Spread in the crust and refrigerate.

In a medium saucepan, mix together the gelatin, pudding mix, and water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in your selected fruit. Spoon the mixture over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Garnish with whipped cream and a slice of the selected fruit, if desired. Store leftover pie in the refrigerator.

I don't have a picture of this pie so this is clip art.