STACKED PEANUT BUTTER-CHOCOLATE FUDGE

1 1/2 tsp butter (not margarine!)

2 2/3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter, divided in half
2 tbsp shortening, divided
2 2/3 cups white chocolate chips

Use foil to line a 9 x 13-inch pan; butter the foil and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the milk chocolate chips, half the peanut butter, and half the shortening.  Stirring constantly, cook until smooth.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Refrigerate until firm.

Meanwhile, in another heavy saucepan over low heat, repeat the process with the remaining peanut butter, shortening, and white chocolate chips.  Spread this layer evenly over the firmed chocolate layer.  Refrigerate for around 30 minutes until firm.

Use the foil to lift fudge from the pan.  Gently peel off the foil and cut into squares.

Yield: approximately 2 lbs of fudge.

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BUTTERMILK PECAN PIE

1 stick butter

2 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup coarsely chopped pecan
1 9-inch deep dish pie shell, unbaked

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add flour, lemon juice, vanilla, and buttermilk; blend well.  Stir in the pecans.  Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes.

Note: File photo

SIMPLE PUMPKIN CAKE

Pumpkin is a healthy food that we should eat year-round.  If you save pumpkin for Thanksgiving and Christmas only, you are leaving a healthy food out of your diet the rest of the year.

1 box (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
2 tsp baking soda
1 can (16-oz) pumpkin
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixer bowl blend the cake mix, eggs, water, baking soda, pumpkin, and spice.  Beat mixture for 4 minutes at medium speed.

Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour the cake mixture into the pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan to a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar.

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MULTI-USE CREAM CHEESE COOKIE DOUGH

1 block (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

In large mixer bowl beat the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed of mixer until well blended.  Add the flour and baking soda, mixing well.  Cover the dough.

To Make Pinwheel cookies:  Additional ingredient: 2 squares (1-oz each) semisweet baking chocolate

Divide the dough in half.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave and add to half the prepared dough.  
Divide the white dough into 2 equal pieces and the chocolate dough into 2 equal pieces.

Roll one of the white pieces into a 10 X 8-inch rectangle.  Do the same with 1 of the chocolate pieces.  Place the chocolate rectangle onto the white one and press gently to form together.  Starting at a short side, roll the rectangles into tightly formed log; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Repeat the process with the other pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the dough into thick slices and place on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned.

Yield: Approximately 5 dozen cookies.

THUMB PRINT COOKIES:
Additional ingredients: 1 cup finely chopped pecans  and 1 jar of your favorite preserves

Add the pecans to the original cream cheese dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat 350 degrees.
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.  Place on ungreased baking sheets and indent centers.  Bake cookies for 10 minutes.  Fill each cookie with 1 tsp of the preserves.  Return to oven and continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

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Yield: Approximately 5 dozen cookies.

FRENCH APPLE-RAISIN PIE

pastry for a 2-crust pie

6 med to large tart apples
1 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out half the pastry on a floured board or surface; place pastry in a 9-inch pie pan. Gently fit pastry into pan and trim the edge.

Pare, core, and thinly slice apples; mix together with the raisins in a large bowl. Place the apples-raisin mixture into the pastry. Mix the granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt together. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the apples and raisins. Slice butter into thin slices and evenly place over the pie mixture. Roll out the remaining half of the pastry dough and gently place over the pie filling. Cut about 3 slits in the center of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Seal the pastry edges and make a scallop design or your favorite sealing design.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is lightly browned. Allow to cool.

Mix the powdered sugar and water to make a drizzle-type glaze. Drizzle over the crust.

Obviously this is a file photo since they spread powdered sugar glaze rather than drizzle.

COCONUT CHEESE PIE

1 1/2 tbsp butter, softened

2 2/3 cups sweetened coconut
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice

Spread butter evenly over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Press 1 1/3 cups of the coconut into the butter to form a crust. Place 1 cup of the remaining coconut, eggs, sugar, cream cheese, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour the mixture into the formed pie shell. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of coconut in the center and a ring around center. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. If the coconut starts to brown too quickly, cover with a piece of aluminum foil.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Note: This is a file photo of a similar recipe. 

This is not this recipe.

SIMPLE FUDGE PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS

1 pkg (12-oz) peanut butter chips

1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk

finely chopped pecans

1 pkg (9-oz) chocolate kisses

Melt the peanut butter chips in the condensed milk in the top of a double boiler over hot water; stir until completely smooth. Turn mixture out into a 9-inch pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to cool. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and roll in the finely chopped pecans. Press a kiss candy into the center of each. Store in an airtight container once they are completely cooled.

Yield: approximately 48 blossoms.

Note: The following picture is a file photo used for reference only.

CHOCOLATE AND SALTED CARAMEL TARTLETS

CHOCOLATE PASTRY

2/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 egg yolk

Sift the flour and cocoa into a mixing bowl; rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Add the sugar and egg yolk and ,using your fingers, mix together into a soft dough; add a little cold water if mixture is too dry.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
12 mini tartlet tins, greased; set aside.
On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of 1/8-inch.  Use a sharp knife to cut out 12 squares slightly larger than the tartlet baking pans and press one into each pan, trimming away any excess pastry.  Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Line each tartlet pan with baking parchment and fill with baking beans.  Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until crisp.  Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.  Remove the beans and parchment.

SALTED CARAMEL
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 stick butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp heavy cream

Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan set over gentle heat.  Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the mixture stars to turn golden brown.  Add the butter, salt, and cream and return to the heat, until the butter has melted.  Pour a little of the mixture into the base of each cooled tartlet case.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
3 half ounces dark chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp light corn syrup
12 silver gragees, to decorate if desired

Place the chocolate, cream, and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or use a double-boiler).  Take care not to let the base of the bowl touch the water.  Stir until the chocolate and butter have melted and blended.  Remove from the heat and beat in the syrup.  Pour a little into each tartlet case.  Leave to partially set, then top each with a silver dragee.  Let set completely before serving.

May be kept for 3 days in an airtight container.

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CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CRUNCH BARS

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 quick cooking oats
1/2 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil leaving enough on ends to use later to life bars out of the pan.  Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the sugar and butter; blend well.  Add the flour, oats, and cereal mixing together well.  Press mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking pan.  Drizzle the caramel topping over mixture to within 1/2-inch of the edges.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown.  Immediately remove from oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot bars.  Let stand for a minute or two for the chocolate to melt.  Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bars.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

Remove the bars from the pan by lifting out the foil.  Cool down in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting into 16 bars.

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FRESH PINEAPPLE TART WITH MACAROON CRUST

6 soft coconut macaroon cookies (approximately 5 oz)

1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 cups chopped fresh pineapple (1 1/2 pineapples)*
1 tbsp lemon juice

*or use drained canned crushed pineapple in its own juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Using nonstick cooking spray, spray a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom; set aside.

Place cookies in a food processor and process 10 to 15 seconds or until fine crumbs form.  You should end up with about 1 1/3 cups of crumbs.  Add the bread crumbs and process until mixed.  Add the egg white and mix well.  Press the mixture in the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan to form a crust.

Bake crust at 400 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and place in refrigerator until cooled.

While crust cools, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and mix well.  Add the pineapple and lemon juice, blending well.  Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly.  Place the saucepan in a pan of cold water; stir 2 to 3 minutes or until cooled.  Pour the cooled mixture into the cooled crust and place in the freezer for 15 minutes or until set.  Store in refrigerator until serving time.  Also store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

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Yield: 8 servings

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