Mango/Carrot Cake

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups refrigerated mango juice blend ( Naked Juice Mighty Mango)
3 cups finely shredded carrot
Carrot ribbons*
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat until combined. Beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and 3/4 cup of the mango juice; beat on low after each addition just until combined. Stir in shredded carrot. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Place remaining 1/2 cup mango juice blend in a small saucepan; bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat; cool. Frost top of one cake layer with Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with remaining cake layer; frost as desired. Drizzle with reduced juice; top with carrot ribbons.

4.  In a large mixing bowl  beat cream cheese & 1/4 cup butter until smooth.  Beat in vanilla.  Gradually beat in powder sugar.

 

Fruit Salsa w/ Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients

Salsa:
1 pkg fresh strawberries, finely chopped
1 medium navel orange, peeled and finely chopped
3 medium kiwi, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium pineapple, peeled/cored and finely chopped
1 medium apple, peeled/cored and finely chopped ( I used a honeycrisp apple.)
1 small lemon

Combine first five ingredients, and then squeeze the juice of lemon over the top of the fruit mix stir together, put in an air tight container and refirgerate until ready to serve. 

Note:  I doubled this recipe and I tasted each fruit as I was putting this together, all the fruit was already naturally sweet so I did not add any sugar.  The original recipe I used called for 1.5 tablespoons of sugar to be sprinkled over the top with the lemon juice and then mixed together.  So if your fruit needs an added sweetness then I would do this.  The orginial recipe also called for canned pineapple, I preferred the fresh pineapple.  I would also totally leave out the pineapple if I made it for my Mom as she hates pineapple.  You could sub all sorts of different fruit, I will try it with pears, and when peaches are in season I will try it with those.  

Cinnamon Chips:

10 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon ( I did 2 tsp. I like more cinnamon)

Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, brush tortillas with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Place on ungreased baking sheets, bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until chips are crisp.

Yeilds 80 chips and approximately 2.5 cups salsa.

Blueberry Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

1/2 Cup(s) (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 Cup(s) firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 Cup(s) granulated sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon(s) vanilla
1-1/2 Cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon(s) Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon(s) salt (optional)
3 Cup(s) Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 pkg of Ocean Spray Blueberry Craisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans

PREPARATION:

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats, blueberry craisins and pecans; mix well. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Marci's Cheesecake

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablesppons of melted butter

Mix together and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let cool while making the filling.  (Note:  I double the crust because I like a thicker crust.)

Filling
4 - 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons of flour
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla

Mix together cream cheese, sugar and flour until nice and fluffy.  Blend in eggs 1 at a time, making sure each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next.  Blend in sour cream and vanilla.  Pour into pan.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce temp to 250 and bake for 1 hour.

Apple Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups diced apples
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325*F. Grease two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans; set aside.
2. In medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In mixing bowl beat the eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla together, mixing well. Stir in flour mixture until just mixed. Fold in apples and pecans and spoon in to prepared loaf pans.
4. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tested done when wooden pick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans before removing to cool on wire racks. Wrap tightly to store.

Makes two loaves.

Note: I make a powdered sugar glaze to go over the tops of the loaves. 1 cup of powdered sugar to about 1 tablespoon and a half of water. Drizzle over top of loaves while still hot and let bread cool completely.

Whiskey Sauce

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 beaten egg yolk

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup bourbon

IN a small saucepan melt butter. Stir in the sugar, egg yolk, and water. Cook and constantly stir the mixtureover medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes or till sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Remove from heat; stir in bourbon. Serve warm over bread pudding. (Cover and chill leftovers.)

Bread Pudding

4 beaten eggs

2 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups dry French bread cubes or regular bread cubes

1/3 cup dried tart red cherries, dried cranberries or raisins

1 recipe Whiskey Sauce

1. In a bowl beat together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, orange peel (if desired), and cinnamon. In an ungreased 2-quart square baking dish toss together bread cubes and dried fruit; pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture.

2. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 mnutes or till a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Serve warm with Whiskey Sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Orange Cake

3 large eggs 

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup olive oil
Zest of 1 orange, minced
1 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

SYRUP:
1 orange
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 1/2 cups sugar

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan, then dust with sugar and flour.

Beat the eggs with the sugar to pale yellow ribbons. Beat in the milk, oil and orange zest. In a small bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture a tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove cake from oven, let cool slightly on a rack, then invert and cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: Use a sharp paring knife to cut the orange rind off the orange used for zest and the remaining orange, leaving the bitter white pith on the orange. Cut the skin into very thin strips and reserve. Cut away and discard the white pith, remove the orange supremes, and reserve.

In a large saucepan, combine the orange juice, sugar, and thin orange strips. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until a thick syrup. Strain the syrup and reserve the orange strips, along with 1/2 cup of the syrup. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top of the cake, then pour the warm strained syrup all over the cake so that it soaks through.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup syrup in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce to a few tablespoons. Use a spatula to spread the thick glaze over the top of the cake. Place cake on a serving platter, and arrange the reserved orange strips and orange supremes on top of the cake.

Italian S'mores

3 bars semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups best quality chocolate sauce

1 cup cabernet sauvignon

1 bag large marshmallows, roasted

15 to 20 biscotti

In a sauté pan over medium heat, mix solid chocolate, chocolate sauce and cabernet. Mix well.  Place 1 roasted marshmallow on a piece of biscotti.  Top with as much chocolate cabernet sauce as desired (1 or 2 tablespoons), or just dip into sauce.

Viennese Crescents

1 cup butter

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup ground pecans

Confectioners’ sugar

Cream the butter and add the sugar and vanilla and beat to fluffy.  Add the flour and nuts and mix in.  Chill the dough for at least an hour.  The more it’s chilled the less it spreads during baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Shape dough into tiny crescents using 1 teaspoon of the dough for each cookie.  Place them on an ungreased sheet pan in rows, leaving 1 inch in between for spreading and bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Let cool 5 minutes.  Dredge them in confectioners’ sugar.

Rum Balls

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ cup dark rum

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 ½ cups finely crushed vanilla wafers

1 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans

 

Into large bowl, sift together 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, the cocoa powder and allspice.  Stir in the rum and corn syrup.  Stir in the vanilla wafers and pecans, and mix well.  Place in the refrigerator to firm up slightly, about 30 minutes.  (The mixture may appear crumbly and dry; this is O.K.)

Place remaining ½ cup confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl or dish.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out portions of the chocolate mixture and press into 1 inch balls.  Using your hands, roll the balls in the confectioners’ sugar, coating evenly.

Place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, placing wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.

Rum Cake

Cake: 1 cup chopped nuts
1 – 181/2 oz. package yellow cake mix
1 – 3 ¾ oz package vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
½ cup cold water
½ cup Wesson oil
½ cup rum

Glaze: ¼ lb butter
¼ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour bundt cake. Sprinkle bottom with nuts. Then mix rest of cake ingredients together and pour over nuts. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Prepare glaze in sauce pan by adding butter, water and sugar, bring to roiling boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat add rum.

Prick cake after removing cake from pan and spoon glaze over cake.

Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze

Cake:

1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

1 - 9 inch prepared graham cracker crust

2 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

2 lemons juiced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

In medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add milk, lemon juice and zest.  Mix until smooth, pour mixture into crust.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

I also put this in a regular pie crust like you would for cream pies, and garnish with whip topping.

Apple & Pecan Pastries

2 Puff Pastry Sheets
1 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup of granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and chopped
2/3 cup of pecans, chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten (for brushing pastry)

Method:
Remove pastry sheets from freezer and let stand at room temperature until thawed. Make sure they stay covered and don’t dry out.

In a medium size sauce pan, add butter, both sugars and apples.
Sauté until apples are tender, about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Add cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, and pecans.
Mix well & let stand at room temperature.

Lay thawed pastry sheets on lightly floured surface and cut into 18 squares. You will have 36 total squares.
Place 1 spoonful of mixture into 18 squares.
Place an empty square on top and crimp with a fork to bind the top and the bottom.
Brush with egg wash.
Bake at 400F for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

For a sweet glaze, mix 2 cups of powdered sugar & 3 tablespoons of milk. Drizzle over pastries when removed from oven.
If glaze is thin, add more sugar.
If glaze is thick, add more milk

Orange Pecan Loaf

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup pecans
Glaze:
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice

1. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and orange peel; beat until blended. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice.

2. In another small mixing bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form. Fold egg white and pecans into batter.

3. Pour into a 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

4. Combine glaze ingredients in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, for 30 seconds. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over warm bread. Cool 10 minutesbefore removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Banana Pudding

1 (14 oz) can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cup cold water
1 small package vanilla instant pudding mix
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
36 vanilla wafers
3 medium bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice concentrate

In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix; beat well. Chill 5 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon 1 cup pudding mixture into 2 1/2 quart glass serving bowl. Top with on-third each wafers, bananas, and pudding. Repeat layering twice, ending with pudding. Chill.

Hershey Bar Frosting

1 1/2 cream cheese (12 ounces) at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
1 large (16 oz) cool whip (frozen)
6 Hershery bars chopped fine

Blend above with mixer and spread onto cooled cake. (I make a chocolate cake for this.)

1 1/2 bars hershey bar shaved
Sprinkle on top of frosting and down sides.

Refigerate so that the frosting will set.

Watergate Salad

1 - 4oz box pistachio pudding
1 - 20 oz can crushed pineapple (drained)
1/2 package minature marshmallows
1 cup crushed pecans
1 - 8 oz container cool whip (thawed)

Mix all ingredients well, por into 8/2 x 11 pan and chill until set.

Muffin Glory Cake

1 box Cinnamon streusel muffin mix
1/2 cup chopped apples
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 teaspoons water

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottome only of 8-inch square pan with pam. In medium bowl, stir together muffin mix, apples, carrots, pecans and coconut. In small bowl, stir oil, eggs and pineapple; stir into muffin mixture. Spread into pan. Sprinkle with Streusel (from muffin mix)
2. Bake 38 to 42 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
3. IN small bowl, mix together powdered sugar, vanilla and enough water until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over warm cake.