APPLE CRISP
Makes about 6 servings
Ingredients:
6-8 medium to large apples
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar (separated)
1 stick butter, softened, but not melted
1 ½ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces (optional)
Directions:
Cut off about 1 TBS of butter off of the stick, and melt in a loaf pan. (If using a glass pan, you can put in the microwave a few seconds. If using metal, you can put on the stove for a minute.) Tilt pan until well coated with the butter. Peel, core and cut up apples into bite sized pieces. Put into a bowl with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ¼ cup of the sugar. Mix well. Mix in optional ingredients, if desired. Pour mixture into buttered pan. In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and remaining sugar. Cut up the butter into the flour mixture, and stir and smash with fork until mix is crumbly, mostly dry, but not powdery. Crumble any large pieces with your fingers. Add crumbles to the top of the apple mix, covering all surfaces. Cook at 375° F. for about 45 minutes, or until top is brown and dry and apples are soft when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to set for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Hint: If crumble mix is too dry, add more butter. If too moist, add more flour.
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BAKED ALASKA
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 quart brick of cherry vanilla ice cream
1 sponge cake (purchased or baked)
6 egg whites
2/3 - 1 cup sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500° F. (on "bake" not "broil"). Cut a layer of the sponge cake so that it leaves about a 1" border all around when the ice cream brick is placed on top of it (but keep the ice cream in the freezer until just ready to use).
Separate eggs and beat the whites only, gradually adding sugar until stiff peaks form. Place cake layer on cooking sheet. Take the block of ice cream out of the package and place on top of cake. Spread the fluffed egg whites over the ice cream and the cake, covering the whole thing with no openings. Swirl around a little with a spoon to form pretty peaks. Sprinkle lightly with more sugar, so it will be prettier. Put into a preheated oven for about 3 minutes, or until meringue is cooked and browned. Serve immediately.
Hint: If you get a little bit of yolk in the egg whites, start over with other eggs in a clean bowl with clean beaters. It will never fluff with even a drop of yolk. Better to separate eggs in a bowl to the side, then add whites one at a time, so you don't accidentally ruin the whole batch.
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CHEESECAKE PIE
Makes 2 pies
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz.) container of sour cream
1 cup of sugar
1 (8 oz.) pkg. of Cool Whip, thawed
2 (8 inch) ready serve graham cracker pie crusts
Optional toppings: canned fruit pie filling (cherry, strawberry), chocolate chips
Directions:
Blend cheese and sugar with a mixer until smooth, add sour cream and continue blending until fluffy. Add Cool Whip and stir with a spoon, carefully mixing until all is blended. Spoon into prepared crusts and chill for at least two hours, or overnight.
Variations: Use chocolate flavored pie crusts and/or mix in 1 cup of miniature chocolate chips with the Cool Whip, or use chocolate flavored Cool Whip.
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CHERRY CHEESECAKE DESSERT CUPS
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups Cool Whip
1 can cherry pie filling
Directions:
Mix cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip with a spoon until well blended. Spoon into individual dessert dishes, layering first the cream cheese mixture, then some pie filling, then the mixture, then top off with a little pie filling.
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KICK THE CAN ICE CREAM
Thanks to 12 year old homeschooler, Mary
Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream (not whipped)
½ cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Pinch of table salt
1/4 -1/2 cup crushed berries, fruit or crushed candy
You will also need:
1 (12 oz) coffee can with tight fitting lid
1 (39 oz) coffee can with tight fitting lid
Rock salt
Crushed ice
Duct tape
Directions:
Stir milk and cream together in mixing bowl. Add sugar and mix lightly. Add a pinch of salt (NOT the rock salt!) and vanilla and fruit, nuts or crushed candy. Stir lightly. Pour mix into the small coffee can, leaving 2 inches at the top of can. Put on lid and seal securely with duct tape. Put the smaller can inside the larger one. Fill the large can with alternating layers of ice and rock salt all around the smaller can. Put the lid on the large can. Roll the cans around with your feet for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately or transfer to a freezer container and keep frozen until ready to eat.
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LEMON NEIMAN MARCUS CAKE
Thanks to homeschool mom Trish from WI
Ingredients:
1 pkg. (18.5 oz) lemon cake mix
4 eggs
½ c. butter, softened
8 oz. Cream cheese, softened
4 c. powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 13x9 inch baking pan. Mix together cake mix, 2 of the eggs, and the butter. Batter will be stiff. Spread into the prepared pan. In another bowl, mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar and remaining 2 eggs. Mix well and pour over the top of the cake batter.
Bake at 350 degrees F° for 35 minutes.
NOTE: Tastes even better the next day, but be sure to refrigerate.
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MAGIC FRUIT COBBLER
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 (15 oz.) can of mixed fruit in juice or syrup (do not drain)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a baking dish. Bake at 350° F., for about 30 minutes, or until crust forms and is golden brown.
Hint: For more fruit, add a second can, but drain off the liquid of the second can before adding. You can substitute peaches, or some other fruit that you prefer, for the mixed fruit.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS CAKE
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 box of white cake mix
eggs and oil as called for on the cake box
1 ½ - 2 sticks of butter, melted
1/3 box of light brown sugar
1 (15 oz) can of sliced pineapple
1 (15 oz) can of pineapple tidbits
1 small jar of red maraschino cherries
1 small jar of green maraschino cherries
Directions:
In a deep cake pan (we use a pan shaped like a Christmas tree), add brown sugar to melted butter until mixed well and thickly covering the bottom of the pan. Lay pineapple slices on top of the sugar mixture, and work in a little, so they are close to the bottom of the pan. Place red and green cherries inside the pineapple openings and all around. Mix the cake according to box directions, substituting pineapple juice from the cans for any water called for in the recipe. Drain remaining cherries and pineapple tidbits and add them to the batter. Mix well, and pour over brown sugar and fruit mixture. Don't stir. Bake according to the time and temperature on the cake box recipe. Cake is done when it springs up when touched lightly in the center. When ready, take out of the oven and cool for two minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edges to loosen. Lay a serving plate over the top of the pan, and flip the whole thing over. Tap lightly with a spoon and allow to cool about 10 minutes before carefully removing the pan from off of the top of the cake.
Hint: Dark brown sugar has a more distinct flavor. Light brown sugar is sweeter.
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GRANDMA'S PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix
Egg and oil as called for on box
1 16 oz can of sliced pineapple
½-¾ dark brown sugar
¾ stick of butter
Directions:
Follow instructions on cake mix, set aside mix in bowl. Melt butter in a heavy skillet. When butter is melted, but not brown, stir in brown sugar to make syrup. Remove from heat. Layer pineapple slices in skillet. Pour cake batter over top.
Bake 45 min. at 375° F. Stick a broom straw in the center to be sure it's done.
When you remove the cake from the oven, immediately place a plate on top of skillet and invert quickly. Lift skillet off carefully.
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PISTACHIO FLUFF
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 small pkg instant pistachio pudding
2 cups plain (not vanilla) yogurt
1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapples, drained
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Mix together by hand, pudding mix, yogurt and drained pineapples, until well-blended. Chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Variation: you can substitute 2 cups of Cool Whip or whipped cream for the yogurt.
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QUICK CAKE
Thanks to 16 year old homeschooler, Elisabeth Frazier
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 ¾ cups minus 2 TBS sifted flour
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Put the butter in a mixing bowl and sift in all of the dry ingredients. Add egg and only ½ of the milk, then mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the milk and vanilla and continue to beat 2 minutes more. Pour into a buttered and floured baking pan (9"x9"x2"). Bake at 375° F. for about 25 minutes, or until cake pulls away from the sides and springs up when lightly touched in the center. Cool. Top with colored sprinkles, powdered sugar, or icing recipe (below), if desired, or eat plain.
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AWARD WINNING TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
My daughter Mary won first place in a baking contest for this recipe when she was 12 years old! Deeee-licious!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
Directions:
Butter an 8" x 8"x 2" pan. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs and continue beating. Blend in chocolate. Stir in flour, nuts and chocolate chips by hand. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 325° F., for 30-35 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.
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Frostings and Icings
BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
Enough to frost 2 layers
Ingredients:
1 (1 lb) box of powdered sugar, sifted
6 TBS butter, softened
¼ cup light cream
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Cream butter with a mixer in a bowl. Gradually add only about half of the sugar, blending well. Blend in vanilla and 2 TBS of the cream. Slowly add in the rest of the sugar, mixing all the time. Beat in cream, a little at a time, until spreading consistency.
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CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
Enough to frost 2 layers
Ingredients:
1 (1 lb) box of powdered sugar
8 TBS butter, softened
6 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup light cream
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Cream butter with a mixer in a bowl. Sift sugar and cocoa together. Gradually add only about half of the sugar mixture, blending well. Blend in vanilla and 2 TBS of the cream. Slowly add in the rest of the sugar mixture, mixing all the time. Beat in cream, a little at a time, until spreading consistency.
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POWDERED SUGAR ICING
Makes enough for one layer cake, and is good on cinnamon rolls
Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
A little light cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Add the cream, a little at a time, to sugar, mixing with a spoon until spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.
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QUICK ICING GLAZE
Thanks to 16 year old homeschooler, Elisabeth
Ices the top of one layer cake
Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
Water
Directions:
Pour water into a small skillet, just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat until water begins to bubble a little. Slowly add sugar, stirring constantly. Continue to stir and cook until mixture begins to thicken a little. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour over cake while still hot. Mixture hardens and gets a little crunchy when cool.
Hint: The longer you cook the sugar, the harder it will be on your cake when cooled completely.
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