Dessert
If chocolate is your "thing" (as it is mine), visit my CHOCOLATE PAGE for some to-die-for chocolate recipes. MMMMMM-CHOCOLATE
Apple Crisp
4 cups sliced, pared, and cored baking apples (about 6 medium) * 2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed) * 1/2 cup flour * 1/2 cup rolled oats * 3/4 tsp. cinnamon * 3/4 tsp. nutmeg * 1/3 cup soft butter
Heat oven to 375º. Place sliced apples in greased
8" square pan or baking dish, 10x6x1 1/2, or 1 1/2 qt. baking dish.
Blend remaining ingredients until mixture is crumbly. Spread over apples.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.
Serve warm with cream or ice cream. 6 to 8 servings.
Apple Crisp #2:(My favorite) Use one can apple pie filling in
place of apples. Use 2/3 cup sugar.
Peach Crisp: Use 1 can (1 lb. 13 oz.) sliced peaches, drained, in place
of apples. Use 2/3 cup sugar.
Cherry Crisp: Use 1 can cherry pie filling in place of apples. use
2/3 cup sugar.
Pineapple Crisp: Use 2 cans (12 oz. each) pineapple tidbits, drained, or
2 cans (1 ob. 4 oz. each) crushed pineapple in place of apples. Use 2/3
cup sugar.
Apricot Crisp: Use 2 cans (1 lb. each) apricots, drained, in place of
apples. Use 2./3 cup sugar.
You've got the idea, now try some of your own ideas, such as
blueberries, etc. This is a great recipe.
Caramel Apple Pie
Pie Dough, recipe below * 7 large Granny Smith or Pippin apples, peeled and cored * 1 cup sugar * 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon * 1/2 teaspoon salt * Juice of 1/2 lemon * 1 tablespoon heavy cream * 1 large egg * Caramel topping
Butter and flour a 9-inch glass pie plate. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Line the pie plate, being sure to press the dough into the bottom and up the sides without stretching. Chill 30 minutes. Roughly chop the apples into small pieces, about the size of lima beans. (The apples should measure about 9 cups chopped.) Combine with the sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside until the juices begin to run, about 10 - 15 minutes. Beat together the cream and egg to make a glaze and brush over the edges and bottom of the crust. Mound the apple filling in the pie shell. It will be quite full. Roll out the remaining dough to a large round about 1/8'' thick. Place over the filling a seal the edges together by gently pressing together. Trim any excess dough with scissors and flute the edges. Brush the top with the remaining egg glaze. Using a paring knife, cut out and remove a circle the size of a quarter from the center of the top crust. Cut 5 or 6 slits in a spoke pattern beginning 1/2-inch from the center hole and ending 1/2-inch from the outside edge. Chill for 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet and bake 10 - 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until the juice visible in the center becomes thick and bubbly, about 1 hour (if the edges are browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil). Meanwhile prepare the caramel topping. Spoon the hot caramel over the top of the pie to coat and return to the oven. Bake 5 minutes longer, or until the caramel sets. Cool on a rack before serving.
Caramel Topping 1/2 cup packed brown sugar * 4 tablespoons unsalted butter * 2 tablespoons heavy cream * 1/2 cup pecan halves
In a small saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and cream. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecan halves.
Pie Dough 2 cups all-purpose flour * 1/2 cup lard * 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter * 1/2 teaspoon salt * About 1/2 cup iced water
In a large bowl combine the flour with the lard, butter and salt. Mix lightly
with your fingertips until the dough forms grape-sized pieces. You should be
able to see chunks of fat. Stir in the iced water. Lightly knead, handling the
dough as little as possible, until the dough forms a ball. Add a little more
iced water if necessary. Transfer to a plastic bag and shape into a log. Seal
the bag, pressing out any air, and chill for as little as 1 hour or as long as 3
days. The pie dough can be frozen for as long as a week.
Yield: 1 pie
Prep Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hours 20 minutes
Difficulty: Expert
Carrot Pudding Cake
1 package (2-layer size) yellow cake mix * 1 package (4-serving size) Jello Vanilla Pudding and Pie Flavor * 4 eggs * 1/3 cup water * 1/4 cup oil * 3 cups grated carrots * 1/2 cup raisins, finely chopped * 1/2 cup chopped walnuts * 1/2 teaspoon salt * 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Blend all ingredients in large mixer bowl. Beat 4 minutes at medium
speed. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8X4 inch loaf pans. Bake at
350º for 45 to 50 minutes, until cakes spring back when lightly pressed and
begin to pull away from sides of pans. Do not under-bake. Cool in
pans 15 minutes; remove and cool on racks.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting: Blend 1 tablespoon
butter or margarine with 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese and 1 teaspoon grated
orange rind until smooth. Alternately add 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners
sugar and 1 tablespoon orange juice, beating after each addition until smooth.
Creamy Cool Grahamwiches
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP
24 squares HONEY MAID Low Fat Grahams
SPREAD 2 Tablespoons of COOL WHIP on each of 12 graham squares. Top
with remaining graham squares.
PLACE in single layer on cookie sheet. Freeze 3 hours or until firm.
Individually wrap; store in freezer for up to 1 week. Makes 12.
Dump Cake
1 pkg. Yellow Cake Mix * 1 can Cherry Pie Filling (or favorite pie filling) *
1 (20 oz.) can Crushed Pineapple *
3/4 C. Margarine * 1 C. chopped Pecans or Walnuts * Cool Whip
Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9" by 13" cake pan. Place
cherry pie filling on bottom, dump pineapple and juice on top. Sprinkle cake
mix. DO NOT MIX. Melt margarine and drizzle over cake mix and cover with pecans.
Bake at 325 degrees, for about an hour. Good plain, with ice cream or with Cool
Whip.
Frozen Lemonade Squares
Prep: 20 minutes plus freezing
18 squares HONEY MAID Low Fat Grahams, finely crushed (about 1-1/4 cups of
crumbs)
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1 quart frozen vanilla yogurt, softened
1 can (6 oz.) lemonade concentrate, thawed
MIX graham crumbs and margarine; press on bottom of 9-inch square pan.
BLEND frozen yogurt and lemonade concentrate in large bowl with electric mixer on medium
speed until well blended. Spread on crust.
FREEZE 4 hours or until firm. Cut into squares. Garnish with COOL WHIP, Fat
Free, if desired.
Makes 9 servings.
Gingerbread Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour * 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (don't substitute more white flour or the cake will be gooey) * 1/4 cup brown sugar * 1 tsp. cinnamon * 1 tsp. ground ginger * 1/2 tsp. baking powder * 1/2 tsp. baking soda * 1/2 cup non-fat buttermilk * 1/2 cup applesauce * 1/2 cup molasses * 2 egg whites * Powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 8x2x2 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and baking soda. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, applesauce, molasses and egg whites; add to flour mixture. Beat until combined. Pour into baking pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, cut cake into nine squares and dust with powdered sugar.
Pina Colada Pudding Cake
1/3 cup Bacardi dark rum (80 proof) * 1 package (4-serving size) Jello Coconut Cream Flavor or Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling * 1 package (2-layer size) white cake mix * 4 eggs * 1/2 cup water * 1/4 cup oil * 1 cup flaked coconut
Blend all ingredients except coconut in large mixer bowl. Beat 4
minutes at medium speed of electric mixer. Pour into 2 greased and floured
9-inch layer pans. Bake at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes or until cakes
spring back when lightly pressed. Do not under-bake. Cool in pan 15
minutes; remove and cool on racks. Fill and frost; sprinkle with coconut.
Chill. Refrigerate leftover cake. * With vanilla flavor instant pudding
and pie filling, increase water to 3/4 cup and add 1 cup flaked coconut to
batter.
Pina Colada Frosting: Combine 1 can (8 oz.) crushed
pineapple in juice, 1 package (4-serving size) Jello coconut Cream Flavor or
Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie filling and 1/3 cup Bacardi dark rum in
bowl; beat until well blended. Fold in 1 container (9 oz.) frozen Coolwhip.
Pralines, New Orleans Style
3 cups sugar * 1 tsp. soda * 1/8 tsp. salt * 3/4 cup white Karo * 1 cup buttermilk * 2 Tbsp. margarine * 2 cups pecan halves
In a large heavy pot combine sugar, soda and salt. Stir in corn syrup and buttermilk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir to soft ball stage--234º. Remove from heat; add margarine. Stir in pecans and beat until mixture is thick enough to drop from spoon (5-6 minutes). Quickly drop on waxed paper. If candy becomes too stiff, add 1 tsp. hot water. Makes 45 pralines.
Rum-Glazed Sweet Potato, Apple and Chestnut Gratin
3 pounds sweet potatoes, pricked several times with a skewer * 3 Golden Delicious apples * 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice * 1 cup halved vacuum-packed roasted chestnuts * 3/4 stick unsalted butter * 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar * 1/2 cup honey * 2 tablespoons dark rum * 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon * 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger * 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Let them cool. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them diagonally into 1/4-inch slices. Peel the apples and cut them lengthwise into eights. In a bowl toss the apples with lemon juice and arrange them with the sweet potato slices in a buttered 14-inch gratin dish. Sprinkle with the chestnuts. In a stainless steel or enameled saucepan cook the remaining ingredients over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Spoon the mixture oven the sweet potatoes and apples and bake the gratin in the middle of the oven, basting occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until the apples are just tender and the sweet potatoes are heated through. The uncooked gratin, can be assembled 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated, covered. Bake, uncovered, basting occasionally, for 40 minutes. Put the gratin under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat until the edges are browned lightly. Yield: 8 servings
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Apples
3 large sweet potatoes * 3 Granny Smith apples * 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar * 1 tablespoon grated orange rind * 1 teaspoon salt * 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon * 1/4 cup butter or margarine, cut up
Cook sweet potatoes in enough boiling water to cover for 45
minutes; drain and cool slightly. Peel sweet potatoes, and cut into
1/4-inch-thick slices. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples into rings.
Combine brown sugar and next 3 ingredients. Arrange half of potato slices
and half of apple slices in a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
Sprinkle with half of brown sugar mixture, and dot evenly with half of butter.
Repeat procedure with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350º for 1 hour.
Serve warm.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Prep: 45 minutes
Bake: 1 hour
Sherried Pecan Pralines
1 cup brown sugar * 1 cup granulated sugar * 1/4 cup cream * 1/4 cup sherry wine * 3 Tbsp. margarine * 1 1/2 cups pecans
Combine brown sugar and granulated sugar, cream and sherry in heavy pot. Stir over low heat until dissolved, then cook stirring constantly until soft ball stage--230º. Add margarine and pecans and cook to 236º. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes without touching. Then stir until mixture is slightly thickened and beginning to appear cloudy. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet to cool. Makes 12 pralines.
Tart Lemon Pie
Zest from 3 medium lemons (2 large) * Pulp from zested lemons * 2 & 1/2 cups sugar * 6 eggs * 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh or frozen) * 1 stick butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 350º. Makes 1 deep or 2 regular pies-using frozen pie crust. Zest lemons, then peel (removing white pith), slice and remove seeds. Put zest and pulp in a blender and process on high 1-2 minutes, until fairly smooth. Add 1/3 of sugar, then 2 eggs until all sugar and eggs are in. Add lemon juice and process on high until smooth 2-4 minutes. While processing, melt butter or margarine in microwave until just melted, and add to blender. Process on high 1 minute. Pour into pie shell/shells. Bake until set (but not firm) in the center. (approximately 25 minutes for regular - 35-45 minutes for deep dish)
Ugly Duckling Pudding Cake
1 package (2-layer size) yellow cake mix * 1 package (4-serving size) Jello Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling * 1 can (16 oz.) fruit cocktail, including syrup * 1 cup Flake Coconut * 4 eggs * 1/4 cup oil * 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar * 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Blend all ingredients except brown sugar and nuts in large mixer bowl.
Beat 4 minutes at medium speed. Pour into greased and floured 13X9 inch
pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and nuts. Bake at 325º for 45
minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed and pulls away from
sides of pan. Do not under-bake. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Spoon hot
Butter Glaze over warm cake. Serve warm (with vanilla ice cream?) or cool.
Butter Glaze: Combine 1/2 cup each butter or
margarine, granulated sugar and evaporated milk in saucepan; boil 2 minutes.
Stir in 1 1/3 cups Coconut.