Preparation Time: about 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes total
Serves: makes one pan of brownies

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
14 oz (~3dL) Caramels, unwrapped
1 can (15 oz) Evaporated milk
1 box (18.25 oz) Chocolate cake mix
6 T Butter, melted
1 C (2dL) Chocolate Chips
1 C (125g) Whole Pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease a 9x13 inch (23X30cm) pan (try greasing and sprinkling with cocoa). In a mixing bowl blend, the evaporated milk (reserve 2 tablespoons), dry cake mix, and melted butter. Spread half the cake mixture in prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. While baking, place the caramels in saucepan with the reserved 2 tablespoons evaporated milk. Melt over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn this mixture. Remove brownies from oven.

Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts, then drizzle melted caramels mixture onto the cooked brownie. Add the remaining cake mixture by spoonfuls to cover the caramel layer. Return brownie to oven to bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: about 90 minutes
Serves: 8

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
4 C (1L) Nonfat Milk
1 C () Long-Grain Brown Rice, washed and drained
1/2 C (1dL) Orange Juice
1 C (~150g) Dried Cranberries, Dried Cherries, Raisins, mix of
1/3 C (~50g) Pitted Dates, chopped
2 T Maple Syrup
2 tsp Real Vanilla
1 T Orange Zest
1/4 tsp Salt
3 Orange Zest Strips, to garnish

In a sauce pan combine 2 cups (4dL) of milk, maple syrup, salt, and rice. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered rice and milk for about 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Mix together the remaining milk, dried fruit, dates, vanilla, and orange juice. Lightly oil or oil spray a 9x13 inch (22x30cm) baking dish. Mix the cooked rice mixture with the orange juice mixture and pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake until solidified and lightly browned, about 90 minutes. Garnish with strips of orange zest.

Preparation Time: about 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: makes 12 bars

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
1 C (140g) Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/4C (225g) Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 C (1/2dL) Vegetable oil
3 lg Egg Whites
2 C (4dL) Low Fat Granola Cereal with raisins
1 C (150g) Dried Cranberries, or Chopped Dried Tart Cherries

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Sift together flour and baking powder in a bowl. Combine next 3 ingredients mixing with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps of brown sugar. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just blended. Stir in granola and dried fruit. The batter will be very thick. Transfer batter to a lightly oiled baking dish and smooth the top. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut into 12 bars.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serves: makes 1 jelly roll cake

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
3 Eggs
1 C (200g) Sugar
2/3 C (~200g) Canned Pumpkin
1 tsp Lemon juice
3/4 C All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 cup (~140g) Pecans, chopped
1 cup (~112g) Confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
4 T Butter or margarine
8 oz (240g) Cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and flour a jellyroll pan (large cookie sheet with sides). In a mixing bowl, beat eggs on high for five minutes. Gradually add sugar, pumpkin, and lemon juice. Add flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and ginger. Spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly on top, and press lightly into batter.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched. Loosen edges with a knife. Turn out on two dishtowels that have been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up cake, and let cool for about 20 minutes. To make the filling mix confectioners' sugar, vanilla, butter or margarine, and cream cheese together till smooth. Unroll pumpkin cake when cool, and spread with filling. Reroll, and push aside the dishtowel. Unroll long sheet of waxed paper. Put pumpkin roll on waxed paper. Dust pumpkin roll with powdered sugar.

Twist ends of waxed paper like a piece of candy. Put pumpkin roll in refrigerator and chill overnight. Before slicing, dust with powdered sugar. Serve chilled.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12-15 minutes
Serves: a lot of yummy cookies

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
1 C (~150g) Mashed Banana
1/2 C (115g) Butter or margarine
1/2 C (100g) Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Real Vanilla
1 1/2 C (210g) All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Cloves
1 1/2 C (120g) Quick Oatmeal
1/2 C (60g) Nuts
1 C (~120g) Chopped Dates

Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Blend butter, sugar, eggs, banana and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients, oatmeal, dates and nuts. Drop dough from teaspoon about the size of a Ping-Pong ball onto lightly greased or parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Or until light browned. If you prefer round cookies leave as they are. If you prefer a little flatter cookie, press with a sugar coated fork. They are really delicious and addictive.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: about 35 minutes
Serves: 12

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
3 lb (1.4kg) Apples, peeled, cut into slices
1/2 C (65 g) All Purpose Flour
3 T Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Salt
1 3/4 C (350g) Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Cardamom
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 lb (450 g) Refrigerated biscuit dough, separated, each rolled into a tube shape

Preheat oven to 450F (230C). Combine apples and next 3 ingredients in a bowl. Add 1-1/2 cups (300 g) sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and all of the nutmeg and cardamom. Mix well. Spoon apple mixture into a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake 25 minutes until apple mixture is hot and bubbly.

Cut each dough tube into quarters. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add dough pieces and toss to coat. Remove baking dish from oven and discard foil. Arrange dough in a single layer over hot apples. Sprinkle any remaining sugar over dough. Bake , uncovered, another 10-15 minutes, or until top is golden. Cool slightly before serving. Great served with vanilla ice cream.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: makes one pie

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
3 lg Eggs, separated
3/4 C (~200g) Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1/2 C (200g) Sugar
1/2 C (1dL) Milk
1 sm can Pumpkin Pie Filling
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1 env Unflavored Gelatin
1/2 C (1dL) Cold Water
3/4 C Dark Rum (Non-alcoholic substitute: Nearly 3/4 C water and 1 tsp Rum Flavored Extract)
9 in (23cm) Pie Shell, baked
1/2 pt (1/2L) Whipping Cream
Separated the eggs, then beat the egg yolks in the top pot of a double-boiler over about a cup of boiling water in the bottom pot. Add the brown sugar, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon,nutmeg, cardamom and cloves to the egg yolks, making sure to stir constantly. Should take about 10 minutes to cook the mixture over the boiling water or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, soften the unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup (1dL) of cold water. Stir the mixture into the hot pumpkin filling until dissolved. Stand to let cool, then add the rum and stir the mixture again. Beat the reserved egg whites in a medium-sized mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the pumpkin filling mixture. Do not over mix.

Pour the filling into a 9-inch baked pie crust, level with a spatula, and refrigerate overnight. Just prior to serving, whip the cream until stiff. As an option, you may elect to add a tablespoon of sugar and a splash of rum to the whipping cream, to taste. Spread the whipped cream attractively over the top of the chilled pie, and slice to serve.

Preparation Time: included in cooking time
Cooking Time: about 25 minutes then 60 min to cool
Serves: 4

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
8 oz (~240g) Semisweet chocolate (i use chips)
3 T Powdered Confectioners' Sugar
3 T Strong brewed coffee, OR raspberry liquor OR Orange liquor OR Coffee Liquor (depending on what flavor you prefer)
2 lg Egg yolks (or 3 smaller ones)
1 1/4 C Whipping cream

(2 1/2 dL) Melt chocolate (double boiler works better than the microwave for this recipe) until smooth. Add sugar, coffee (or whatever flavoring you are using). Add egg yolks one at a time. Stir until mitxure has thickened. Take care not to burn! Once thickened remove from heat, let cool slightly. Whip cream with a hand mixer until fluffy, remove 1/4 cup of whipped material for garnish. Add remaining amount to the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and mix well until completely blended.

Spoon mousse into individual serving dishes (I use red wine glasses to small glass dessert bowls; depends on the occasion) cover with plastic wrap, and let cool in the refrigerator for at least one hour. To serve, garnish with remaining whipped cream (you may have to whip it further, or use cool whip etc.) and mint leaves, fresh raspberrries, small tangerine wedges, whatever.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 minutes
Serves: makes about 8-9 dozen cookies

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
2 1/4 C (460g) Sugar
3/4 C (175g) Vegetable Shortening
2 lg Eggs, beaten
2 tsp Real Vanilla
16oz (1/2L) Cooked Pumpkin (1 can)
1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
2 C (~400g) Raisins
1 C (~115g) Walnuts, chopped
4 C (560g) Flour, sifted
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1 tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Cream together sugar and vegetable shortening in a medium-sized mixing bowl by utilizing a hand-held electric mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, cooked pumpkin, and baking soda. Blend again to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Add raisins and chopped walnuts, and stir to combine. In a separate large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom,cloves, and salt.

Pour pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the cookie dough is blended thoroughly. Drop by the teaspoonful onto a non-greased cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a pre-heated 375F (190C) degree oven, until lightly brown. Remove from the cookie sheet to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to one week or freeze in plastic bags for up to a month.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes to prepare fruit if not using canned
Cooking Time: about 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
1/2 C (115g) Butter
1/2 C (~100g) Brown sugar, packed
1 lg can Halved peaches, drained
1/2 C (1dL) Brandy, warmed (use your favorite kind)
to serve with vanilla ice cream

In advance, place scoops of vanilla ice cream (we like the French vanilla best) in serving dishes and return to the freezer until just before dessert. In a heatproof serving pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until it melts and forms a syrup with the butter. Add the peaches and heat thoroughly, stirring and spooning the syrup over the fruit.

When the peaches are heated through and coated in the syrup, add the warmed brandy and ignite with a long match (Safety first; it flares...watch those eyebrows). Bring to the table flaming. When the flames die out, serve 2 peach halves over each scoop of ice cream and spoon hot syrup over all.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes + refrigerating
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: makes large casserole dish about 18 servings

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
2 C (~450g) Graham cracker crumbs (cookie or biscuit crumbs)
1/3 C (75g) Butter or margarine, melted
1 C (200g) Sugar, divided
3 pkg 8 oz Cream cheese, softened (24 oz total or ~675g)
1 tsp Real Vanilla
3 Eggs
1/2 C Mashed banana
1 C Halved Strawberries
1 Banana, sliced, tossed with 1 tsp Lemon juice
1 can (8 oz)Pineapple chunks, drained (8 oz or 2 dL)
1/2 - 1 C Bakers Chocolate Semi-Sweet, melt in microwave (you decide how much)

MIX: crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup (75g) of the sugar. Press onto bottom of 9x13 inch (23x 32.5 cm) baking pan.
MIX: cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup (75g) sugar and vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, mix until blended. Stir in mashed banana. Pour into crust.
BAKE: at 350F (180C) for 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Top with strawberries, sliced banana and pineapple. Sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with melted Baker's Semi-Sweet baking chocolate, if desired. Cut into squares.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: about 12-14 minutes
Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
1 C (225g) Butter, softened
1 C (~225g) Brown Sugar
1 C (200g) Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 C (180g) Quick Cooking Oats
2 C (280g) All-purpose Flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Cardamom
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 C (150g) Raisins
1 C (150g) Dried Cranberries - usually sweetened marked on label

Cream butter, brown and white sugars, eggs, spices, and vanilla for about 5 minutes, until well blended. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture a little at a time mixing well. Mix in raisins and dried cranberries. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350F (175C).

Preparation Time: ~15 minutes
Cooking Time: about 10 minutes
Serves: makes approximately 55 cookies

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
3/4 C (175g) Butter
1/4 C (60g) Vegetable shortening
1 C (240g) Cut-up semi-sweet chocolate
4 Eggs
1 1/2 C (300g) Brown sugar
1 1/2 C (300g) White sugar
1 T Vanilla (sounds like a lot but it's right)
3 T Decaf coffee concentage (3 1/2 tsp instant coffee + 4 tbs water)
4 C (560g) Unbleached white flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
2/3 C (~105g) Unsweetened cocoa
2 C (~480g) Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Heat together until uniformly melted; butter, shortening, and cut-up semi-sweet chocolate. Stir to smooth, and let cool to room temp. Meanwhile, whip together for five minutes with an electric mixer eggs, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add vanilla, coffee, and cooled chocolate butter mixture. Whip for another two minutes. Combine the following dry ingredients in a separate bowl; flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Stir flour-cocoa mixture into butter-sugar-egg-coffee mixture by hand. Lastly, stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets and bake for ten minutes. Let cool on sheets one minute more before removing to rack.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: about 7-10 minutes
Serves: about 3 dozen +

Amount Ingredient
-------- -----------------------------
1 C (200g) Sugar
1 C (225g) Butter or Margarine, softened
3 oz (90g) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Almond extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Egg yolk, reserve white
2 1/4 C (315g) Flour

In a large bowl combine the sugar, butter or margarine, cream cheese, salt, almond extract, vanilla and egg yolk. Blend well. Stir in the flower and mix until well blended. Chill the dough overnight. Best to split the dough into thirds and roll into a tube like shape and wrap tightly. This is very important the dough is too sticky to roll out unless well chilled.

Preheat oven to 375F (190C).On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thickness, refrigerating remaining dough until ready for it. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1" (2.5cm) apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Leave cookies plain for frosting or brush with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with candy sprinkles or colored sugar. I prefer to sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top of these cookies. Bake at 375F (190C) for 7 to 10 minutes or until light and golden brown.

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