VANILLA CREAM PIE

8-INCH

     8-inch Baked Pie Shell

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon margarine or butter, softened

1 tablespoon vanilla

   Sweetened Whipped Cream

9-INCH

     9-inch Baked Pie Shell

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups milk

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla

  Sweetened Whipped Cream

Bake pie shell.  Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in 1 1/2-quart saucepan.  Stir in milk gradually.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks.  Blend into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in margarine and vanilla.  Pour into pie shell; press plastic wrap onto filling.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours but not longer than 48 hours.  Remove plastic wrap; top pie with whipped cream.

Banana Cream Pie:  Prepare 9-inch pie as directed except--press plastic wrap onto filling in saucepan; cool to room temperature.  Slice 2 large bananas into pie shell; pour filling over bananas.  Refrigerate until serving time; top pie with whipped cream an garnish with banana slices.

Butterscotch Cream Pie:  Prepare 9-inch pie as directed except--substitute 1 cup packed brown sugar for the sugar; decrease vanilla to 1 teaspoon.

Chocolate Cream Pie  Prepare 9-inch pie as directed except--increase sugar to 1 1/2 cups and cornstarch to 1/3 cup.  Stir in 2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, cut up, after stirring in milk or stir in 2 envelopes (1 ounce each) premelted chocolate with the vanilla.  Omit margarine.

Coconut Cream Pie:  Prepare 9-inch pie as directed except--decrease vanilla to 2 teaspoons and stir 3/4 cup flaked coconut into pudding.  Sprinkle whipped cream with 1/4 cup flaked coconut.

Graham Cracker Monster Cookies

These cookies are similar in taste to the Hello Dollies bar recipe, but are in a cookie form.  Delicious!

1  1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 whole crackers, crushed)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, flour. and baking powder; set aside.  In a large bowl beat the sweetened condensed milk and softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add vanilla.  Stir in reserved crumb mixture until smooth.  Add choclate chips, walnuts, and cocnut and stir until mixed in.  Roll dough into 1-1/2-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets.  Bake 12 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then move to a wire rack to cool completely!

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

(Source:  "Sweets & Treats with Six Sisters' Stuff--100+ Desserts, Gift Ideas, and Traditions for the Whole Family," pg. 51.)

Homemade Twix Bars

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup butter, at room temperature

CARAMEL LAYER
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

CHOCOLATE LAYER
2 cups chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 9x9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together sugar and flour, then cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter until mixture has formed into evenly-sized crumbs.  Press the mixture into the bottom of prepared pan and bake 20 minutes, until the edges start to turn a golden brown.

Remove from oven and let shortbread cool completely.

FOR CARAMEL LAYER:
Combine the cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring ocnstantly.  Continue stirring 5 minutes, and then remove from heat.  Stir an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour caramel mixture over the shortbread crust.  Let caramel cool until it starts to firm up.

FOR CHOCOLATE LAYER:
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together the choloate chips and vegetable oil on high power for 1 minute.  Stir.  Continue to heat and stir the chocolate mixture in 15-second intervals until it is completely smooth.

Pour chocolate over the caramel layer and let it cool.

Once the chocolate has hardened, cut into squares with a warm knife.  Makes 9 bars.

(Source:  Sweets & Treats with Six-Sisters Stuff--100+ Desserts, Gift Ideas, and Traditions for the Whole Family, pgs. 2,3.)

Peanutty-Chocolaty Bars

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3/4 cup chunk-style peanut butter
4 cups oatmeal
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips

Combine in saucepan:  butter, sugar and corn syrup.  Stir over low heat until butter melts.  Stir in oatmeal.  Spread and pat into lightly greased (10 x 15") jelly roll pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes.  Do not overbake.

While baking, combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in saucepan; stir over low heat until blended.  Spread on hot base.  Cool slightly and cut.  Amount:  32 bars.

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins

Muffins Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen (do not thaw) raspberries
1/2 cup white baking chips

Topping Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Combine milk, butter and egg in large bowl.  Stir in all remaining muffin ingredients except raspberries and white baking chips just until flour is moistened.  Gently stir in raspberries and white baking chips.

Spoon into foil or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pan.  Bake for 24 to 28 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool slightly; remove from pan.

Dip top of each muffin in melted butter, then in sugar.

VARIATION:

Raspberry White Chocolate Coffee Cake:  Spread batter into greased 9-inch square baking pan.  Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 40 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes; cut into squares.

Nutrition Facts (1 muffin):  Calories 270, Fat 15g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 440mg, Carbohydrates:  33g Dietary Fiber: 1g, Protein: 4g.

(Source:  Land O'Lakes)

Pumpkin Bars

These are moist enough without the added icing.  I like to mix in one cup of raisins before I bake them.  The rest of my family likes it when I mix in chocolate chips instead of raisins.  Sometimes I compromise. 

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.  Spread the batter into a greased 13 x 10 inch baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool completely before frosting.  Cut into bars.

Icing
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined.  Stir in the vanilla and mix again.  Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Flakey Pie Crust

This recipe is by Tselani Richmond, who works as a personal chef, cooking instructor and food writer.  This recipe makes two crusts.  Use one for a sweet treat and one for a savory dish, or freeze one for later.

For fruit pies, add a small pinch of salt and a generous pinch of sugar. For savory dishes like quiche, just add a generous pinch of salt.

2 cups unbleached flour
Generous pinch of salt (for savory and sweet dough)
Generous pinch of sugar (only for sweet dough)
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
Water

Make a mound out of flour on a clean work surface. Sprinkle salt or sugar over flour. Break up butter with fingertips into small pieces over flour. Using fingertips or a pastry cutter, mix butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Make a well in center and add egg. Work egg into dough using fingertips. Sprinkle a little water over if crust looks too dry. Work dough into a ball, and then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it at least one hour.

Tip: This recipe uses a French technique called fraisage, which makes the crust tender and flakey. Once the butter has been worked into the flour, gather the dough into a shaggy ball. Pull off a small piece of dough and, using the palm of your hand, smear the dough against the counter top. Place the smeared dough in a pile and repeat the technique with small pieces of dough until the first ball of dough is gone. Gather the smeared dough into a ball and repeat the process. By smearing the dough against the countertop, you're creating long, thin sheets of butter through the crust that make the end result nice and flakey.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface, making quarter turns after each pass of the rolling pin. Use in sweet or savory dishes.

Makes 2 crusts

Nutritional information per crust if divided into 6 portions
Calories: 158; total fat: 9g; cholesterol: 40mg; sodium: 7mg; carbohydrate: 16g; total dietary fiber: 1g; protein: 3g

Fresh Peach Cupcakes

Ripe peaches

1 lemon

cake mix - yellow, white or even lemon would be tasty

ultragell or similar thickener you don't have to cook

powdered sugar

butter

peel and puree 3-4 peaches depending on the size.

Stir in about a tsp fresh lemon juice. Set aside.

1 box mix made according to directions on the box except subsitute the oil for peach puree. Cook according to directions and then let cool. pinch out a little of cupcake in the middle to make room for filling.

Filling:

take about a tsp of ultra gell and maybe about a Tablespoon of powdered sugar. Mix very well. Wisk dry mixture into about a cup of peach puree till blended evenly. If you need to add more ultra jell then you will need to add a little more powdered sugar for it to incorporate evenly without lumping. Be sure to mix the gell and sugar very well beforehand.

pipe filling into cupcakes

Frosting:

use your basic recipe for buttercream, except substitute the milk for about a 1/4 c. peach puree. you may want to add a little more lemon juice too till it tastes right.

Frost cupcakes and eat immediately. If there are any left, keep cupcakes in the fridge.

Snow Cone Syrup

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 (0.13 ounce) package unsweetened, fruit-flavored soft drink mix
• 
  

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Bring to a boil, and boil for about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in the drink mix. Allow to cool, and store in a container for pouring. Pour over shaved ice to flavor. Yield: 12 servings.

(Source: Allrecipes.com)

walnut raisin no bake cookies

1 cup raisins

1 cup walnuts

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 c. sliced almonds

In a food processor combine raisins and walnuts. Process until they form a sticky ball. Coat hands with oil and roll mixture into balls the size of large marbles, then coat with sliced almonds. cover and refrigerate for up to three days.

* great healthy treat that can be used with items in your food storage (if you store nuts). This is a very filling and satisfying snack!

Raw "Oatmeal"

*actually really good! Every kid I give it to snarfs it down!

2 apples
1 banana
1 tablespoon golden flax seed
water

Put the flax seeds in the purified water and let sit overnight.

Peel the apples and cut them in smaller parts (for the blender). Peel the banana and break into parts.

Rinse the flaxseeds well.

Put all ingredients in a blender. Add 1/4 cup water, just enough to let the mixture blend well. Blend all ingredients until smooth. You may want to add a little more water if it's too thick.

Thank you for the recipe: http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/raw-food-diet-recipe.html

Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1/4 cup butter

1 can pineapple rings

1 bottle maraschino cherries

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 yellow cake mix

Mix butter in 12" dutch oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter. Place pineapple rings in a circle on top of the brown sugar with a cherry in the middle of each ring. Prepare cake mix using eggs and juice from pineapple rings and 1/3 cup juice from the cherries. Spoon on top and spread. Bake at about 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. While hot, turn out onto serving tray.

Coconut Icecream

2 c. Almond milk
2 c. Cocnut milk
1/2 c. honey, agave nectar or sugar

Choose a flavoring:
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tsp cinnamon
cocoa powder (makes almond joy favor)
coconut pulp from coconut milk
blended pinapple chunks (pina colada flavor)
banana
etc.

Blend ingredients in a blender until all are mixed in well. Put in an icecream maker until frozen. Or, put in icecube trays until frozen. Put ice cream cubes in a blender with a little almond milk and blend to a shake like consistancy. Makes one quart.

Lemon Tart

CRUST:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter (cut into smaller pieces)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor or mixer, combine ingredients for crust. Pulse together until a dough starts to form in clumps. Press into tart pan, making sure to cover bottom and sides evenly. Pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork and place in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake until crust is a golden-brown color, approximately 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

FILLING:

5 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons - DO NOT use concentrated lemon juice)

2 large eggs

Zest from one lemon (get zest from lemon before juicing)

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Mix cream cheese with electric beaters until smooth. Add sugar. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time mixing thoroughly after each egg. Stop and scrape bowl halfway through. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix until smooth.

Pour filling into tart crust and bake on cookie sheet for 20 to 30 minutes or until filling is set. Let tart cool on wire cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Use whipped cream as an optional topping. It can be piped on in stars or served on top with each piece. For extra flavor in the whipped cream, add a teaspoon of lemon zest.

(Source: Josi S. Kilpack, "Lemon Tart," pg. 12,13)

Blueberry Cheesecake

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 graham cracker pie crust

1 (21-oz.) can blueberry pie filling (or other fruit filling)

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and eggs. Beat until fluffy. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inverted comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool. Spread blueberry filling on top. Chill 2-3 hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

(Source: Recipe from Tamara Asbury - Deanna Buxton, Worldwide Ward Cookbook, pg. 267)

Leatherby's Caramel Sauce

10 T. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. light karo syrup
1 t. salt
1 c. whipping cream

Combine butter, sugars, syrup and salt in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and boil for 8 minutes.  Add the whipping cream and bring back to a boil for two more minutes.  (After the sauce is cooked, keep refrigerated - or warm to keep thin and runny for toppings.)

Healthy pumpkin cookies

1 c. flour (whole wheat flour works too if it is from hard white wheat)
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c. butter (or coconut oil) softened or applesauce
1/4 c. white cugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. -1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree (i just used some butternut squash left over from dinner)

optional:
1 c. chocolate chips, or raisins or dates


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the first 6 ingredients and set aside.
Cream together butter, and sugars. Stir in pumpkin puree.
Gradually stir in dry ingredients till mixed well.
Gently mix in raisins or optional ingredients.
Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
Bake about 12 min. Allow to cool on sheet for 5 minutes them move to a cooling rack or eat them!

*If you leave out the optional ingredients then they work great for breakfast type cookies being very mild and pretty healthy (much better than sugary cereals). These are one of the cookies I don't mind my kid eating a few at a time since they are healthy cookies.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. (I used baking cocoa instead of the chocolate squares - 6 Tablespoons baking cocoa and 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or shortening.)

2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.

Cherry Almond Squares

1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
3 eggs
1 box sour cream cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 15 1/2 × 10 1/2-inch jelly roll pan. Mix sour cream, water, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in dry cake mix until moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Spread into prepared pan. Drop pie filling by generous spoonfuls onto batter. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Cool. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and milk, stirring until a smooth glaze forms. Drizzle glaze over top. Sprinkle with almonds. Cut into bars.

Makes 3 dozen bars.

(Lion House Bakery, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2009], p. 86.)

Bananas Foster Over Ice Cream

1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pineapple extract
2 bananas, sliced
vanilla ice cream

Put margarine, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave for 1 minute on full power. Stir for 1 minute, then add extract and bananas. Microwave for 30 seconds. Serve over vanilla ice cream. Makes 5 servings.

(Lion House Entertaining, [Salt Lake City: Eagle Gate, 2001] p. 55.)