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.)

Chocolate Chip Pie

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Beta together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, soda and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Lightly spray round pizza pan with cooking spray. Spoon dough onto pan and spread about 1/2-inch thick. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Cut with pizza cutter into wedges. Serve with ice cream and fudge sauce.

(Source: "What's For Dinner?", by Jana Schofield, pg. 60)

Unbelievable Caramel Pie

2 (14-oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
9-inch graham cracker crust
Garnish: whipped topping, mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pour condensed milk into a slow cooker that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray. Cover and cook on low setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. After 2-1/2 hours, milk will begin to thicken; begin stirring every 15 minutes. When thick and golden, stir again until smooth; pour into crust and chill. Garnish with whipped topping and chocolate chips. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(Source: Gooseberry Patch Slow-Cooker Recipes, pg. 202)

Raspberry Brownies in a Jar

1/2 cup butter, sliced
2 1-oz. squares unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 1-pt. wide-mouth canning jars and lids, sterilized

Grease and flour canning jars; set aside. Melt butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in eggs, sugar, jam and vanilla. Beat lightly with a spoon until combined. Stir in flour and baking powder; pour into prepared jars. Cover jars tightly with greased aluminum foil, greased-side down. Place jars in a slow cooker; pour one cup water around jars. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in center tests clean. Remove jars form slow cooker; cool for 10 minutes. Use a metal spatula to loosen brownies; turn out of jars. Cool brownies completely on a wire rack before slicing. Makes 12 servings.

(Source: Gooseberry Patch Slow-Cooker Recipes, pg. 205)

Aloha Chicken

4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
20-oz. can pineapple chunks
11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Arrange chicken in a slow cooker; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Serves 8 to 10.

Serve over steamed rice. Sprinkle with fresh coconut flakes.

(Source: Gooseberry Patch Slow-Cooker Recipes, pg 12.)

French Country Chicken

1 onion, chopped
6 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
6 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
18 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
10-3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1-1/2 oz. package onion soup mix
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cooked rice or mashed potatoes

Combine onion, carrots and celery in the bottom of a slow cooker. Arrange chicken on top; sprinkle with seasonings. Mix together chicken soup and onion soup mix; spoon over chicken. Cover and cook on high setting for 4 hours, stirring after one hour. At serving time, stir together broth and cornstarch; pour over chicken and mix well. Cook, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes, until thickened. Stir again; serve over cooked rice or mashed potatoes. Makes 8 servings.