GOLDEN HARVEST MUFFINS

Note: This is one of my recipes that started as a Pillsbury recipe before I changed it to suit my family. These muffins are good anytime but would be especially good at a holiday brunch.

2 eggs
3/4 cup coconut or olive oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup peeled shredded apple
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup raisins, optional (I hate raisins)
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease or line with paper baking cups, 18 regular size muffin cups; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla with a wire whisk until blended. Add the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir just until moistened. Using a large spoon or spatula, stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, raisins and 1/2 cup of the almonds.

Place batter in the muffin cups filling each cup about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the tops of the muffins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool in the pan approximately 5 minutes before transferring from the muffin pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pillsbury Photo

QUICK AND EASY ITALIAN CREME CAKE

 

1 (16.25-ounce) package white cake mix 

3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans; set aside.

Beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and coconut oil at medium speed of an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour into the prepared cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 15 to 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Chill 2 hours before slicing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Frost cake when completely cooled and refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing to serve.

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APPLE DEWS

3 to 4 tart apples, peeled, cored, cut into a total of 16 slices

2 tubes (8 count each) crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 can (12-oz) Mountain Dew

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in the prepared pan; no stacking.

Melt the butter; stir in the sugar and cinnamon until blended and sugar melts. Pour over the apple crescents in the pan. Pour the Mountain Dew overall.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

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OPERA WHITE FUDGE

This candy recipe was clipped from one of the Dallas, Texas newspapers in 1967.

Yields 1 pound
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup half-and-half
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries and/or 1/2 cup English walnuts

Butter sides of heavy 2-quart saucepan. (The size of the saucepan is important because you leave the thermometer in the mixture until it cools to 110 degrees, and if you use a larger pan, the ball of the candy thermometer won't reach the mixture.)

In the saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, half-and-half, corn syrup and salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil.

Cook to soft-ball stage (238 degrees on candy thermometer). Immediately remove from heat and cool to lukewarm (110 degrees on candy thermometer). Don't stir during this time.  Add butter and vanilla.  Beat vigorously until mixture becomes very thick and starts to lose its gloss.

Quickly stir in chopped cherries and/or walnuts and pour into buttered 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.  Score in squares while warm; cut when cool and firm.

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PINEAPPLE CHEESE PIE

Note: This is one of my old recipes from the 70s or 80s.

1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
1 can (8 3/4-oz) crushed pineapple in its own juice
1 pkg (4-serving size) lemon gelatin
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 pkg (3-oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

Drain pineapple, reserving juice.

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; add syrup and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, blend cream cheese, lemon rind, sugar and vanilla extract.

Combine 1/2 cup of the gelatin with the pineapple.

Gradually blend the remaining gelatin into the cheese mixture until smooth; fold in the sour cream.

Pour filling into the graham cracker crust. Chill until set but not firm.

Carefully spoon the pineapple atop the filling and chill until firm.

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BROWN SUGAR PECAN COOKIES

1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Brown sugar frosting (recipe below)
Extra pecans for garnish

Beat butter with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually blend in the sugars. Add the egg and vanilla extract; beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chopped pecans. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool and frost with the following frosting.

Brown Sugar Frosting:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup half and half cream
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar and cream; cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Add powdered sugar and mix on medium speed of electric mixer until smooth.

Spread icing on the baked cookies and top with a pecan half or pecan crumbs for garnish.

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BERRY BLUE SMOOTHIE

 

2 cups fresh or slightly thawed frozen blueberries
1 carton (8-oz) low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
1 can (6-oz) unsweetened pineapple juice
3 tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups ice cubes

Place all ingredients except ice cubes in blender container; blend until smooth. Add the ice cubes, a few at a time and blend until finely crushed.

Serve immediately.

Yield: Approximately 5 cups

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OLD FASHION 'BAKE KING' COFFEE CAKE

This recipe is from my Vintage Recipes Blog.

Another recipe from my late mother's boxes of recipes.  This "Coffee Cake Pan" was priced at .49 and she bought it marked down to .36.  If you have trouble reading the recipe, click on the picture to enlarge it.

OREO STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg Double Stuff Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until well blended. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt together; slowly add to the above mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop, form the dough into balls. Place one ball beneath an Oreo cookie and one atop the cookie. Fold around cookie to cover completely and seal edges. Place onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake for approximately 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet on rack for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

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S'MORES BROWNIES

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup mini marshmallows, divided
1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped graham crackers, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil; coat with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, approximately two minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined; beat in vanilla.

Mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined. Fold in 1 cup of the marshmallows and 1 1/2 cups of the graham crackers.

Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining marshmallows and crackers over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 22-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using the foil, lift out of pan and set on rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

file photo for reference only