Trail Mix Bars

2 and 1/2 cups pretzel sticks (broken in half)

4 cups either Corn Chex or Rice Chex

1 and 1/2 cups M & M's

Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl.

On stove, melt:

1 stick butter or margarine

1/3 cup peanut butter

5 cups mini marshmallows

After mixture comes to a boil, pour into dry ingredients and put into greased 9 x 13 pan.

Glazed Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. water

2 eggs

1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 and 1/2 cups flour

1 and 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Glaze:

1 and 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, sugars, and water. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Spread into a greased 15 in x 10 in x 1 in baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned.

For glaze, in a microwave safe bowl, melt chips and peanut butter; pour over warm bars and spread evenly. Cool completely on a wire rack.

If you like chocolate and peanut butter you will love these!! I did end up adding just a bit more flour because I thought the dough wasn't quite stiff enough. I also stored them in the fridge, but they don't need to be.

Pumpkin Pie Crunch

1 can solid pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
Whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 9 x 13 pan.

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in large bowl. Pour into pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Top with pecans. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden. Cool completely. Serve with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers.

This is so easy, and SO good!

German Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting

2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
4 cups peeled, diced apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 9 x 13 cake pan.

Beat oil and eggs with mixer until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well.

Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the apples by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool on a wire rack. Frost when cool.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tblsp. milk
3 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in the brown sugar and the salt. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the milk, stirring the whole time.

Return to heat and bring just to a boil again. Remove from heat and allow to cool until lukewarm (about 20 minutes). Stir in the powdered sugar and beat until smooth, and cool enough to spread. Add a few drops of milk if frosting gets too stiff.

This cake is unbelievable!! We couldn't get enough, which isn't exactly good for the waistline, but it is a must try!

Mudballs

Ever had No-Bake cookies? These are a healthier version I found on Heavenly Homemakers blog. They are really pretty good considering I'd never used wheat germ or sesame seeds:) I've heard that you can sub out the sesame seeds for sunflower or flax seed for the wheat germ. Maggie loved them and calls them her "meatballs". They keep great in the freezer too!

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Combine PB and honey is medium saucepan over medium heat until the two are smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together well. Once chocolate chips have melted and mixture is cool enough to handle, hand roll into small balls. Wax paper is handy but not necessary. I got about 2 dozen balls out of these equivalents and it wasn't nearly enough! I'd double for sure next time.

Monster Cookie Bars

1 cup corn syrup or honey

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

4 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup mini M & M's

Boil corn syrup or honey to gentle bubbles, and remove from heat. Quickly add peanut butter, then chocolate chips until melted. Add oatmeal and M & M's. Press into lightly greased 9 x 13 pan.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pizza

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1/4 cup peanut butter

M and M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 12 to 14 inch pizza pan.

Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, flour, and baking soda. Stir in half of the chocolate chips. Spread or press the dough onto the pizza pan, leaving a one inch edge as the cookie will spread as it bakes.

Bake 18 to 24 minutes until light brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over the top and drop spoonfuls of peanut butter over the top, let rest for 5 minutes. With a knife, smooth out the chocolate. Add M and M's immediately. Let pizza cool before cutting and serving.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

1 pkg. spice or carrot cake mix

2 cups chopped peeled tart apples

20 caramels

3 Tblsp. milk

1 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted (optional)

Popsicle sticks

Prepare cake batter according to pkg. directions for cupcakes; fold in apples. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely.

In a saucepan, cook the caramels and milk over low heat until smooth. spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle with nuts. Insert a Popsicle stick into the center of each cupcake.

Cookies and Cream Pie

1 and 1/2 cups half and half cream (I used dairy free cream)
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup crushed oreos (about 11 cookies)
1 chocolate crumb crust

Combine the cream and pudding mix; beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fold in whipped topping and cookies. Spoon into crust. Freeze until firm. May be frozen up to 3 months. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Peppermint Log

4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
Peppermint filling (recipe follows)
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Instructions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper; generously grease wax paper.
BEAT egg whites in large bowl on high speed of mixer until soft peaks form; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat egg yolks and vanilla in medium bowl on medium speed 3 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar; continue beating 2 additional minutes.
STIR together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; on low speed add to egg yolk mixture alternatively with water, beating just until batter is smooth. Using rubber spatula, gradually fold chocolate mixture into beaten egg whites until well blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
BAKE 12 to 15 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan; invert on clean towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off wax paper. Immediately roll cake in towel, starting from narrow end; place on wire rack to cool completely. Prepare PEPPERMINT FILLING. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cake with filling; reroll cake. Glaze with CHOCOLATE GLAZE. Refrigerate until just before serving. Cover; refrigerate left over dessert.

PEPPERMINT FILLING
1 cup cold whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
red food coloring

Beat 1 cup cold whipping cream in medium bowl until slightly thickened. Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon mint extract, and a few drops of red food coloring. Beat until stiff.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE (frosting)
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons Hershey's cocoa
2 Tablespoons water
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in small saucepan over very low heat; add cocoa and water, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened. Do not boil. Remove from heat; cool completely. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.

This is a wonderful dessert! It's a chocolate dessert but it is very light. Yummy! Everyone at work loved it. Unfortunately, I cannot find our camera transfer cable so I am unable to post the picture I took until I find that cable. I thought this dessert was to yummy not to share and will go great for a Christmas dessert!

Crunchy Munchies

These are a kicked up Rice Krispy Treat and they are awesome. Just got done making a batch!

12 oz. butterscotch morsels
1 cup crunchy PB
8 cups crispy rice cereal
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup powdered sugar
4 T butter
2 T water

Note: I did all of this in mixing bowls in the microwave, just be sure to use half power so as not to scald your delicious butterscotch and chocolate.

Melt the butterscotch morsels together with the PB in a sauce pan. Stir in rice cereal. Press 1/2 of this mixture in a greased 13x9 pan. Chill in the freezer about 20 minutes or fridge for about 45.

While this is chilling, combine chocolate chips, sugar, butter, and water in sauce pan on low heat and stir together until melted. Spread this mixture over chilled rice cereal mixture then press down the remaining rice cereal mixture on top of this. Chill the whole thing again until it's set and you can cut it without making a huge mess!

Pumpkin Cake

We seem to be pumpkin lovers here at Food and Fellowship. :)

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 (15 oz) can pumkin puree

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 and 1/2 cups white sugar

2 and 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one bundt pan. Cream oil, beaten eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla together. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix just until combined. If desired, stir in some chopped nuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto plate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Top slices with cool whip when serving.

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Cake:
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup 100% pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15x10-inch-jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

3. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

4. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

This pumpkin roll is awesome! I have made it without the nuts and I also made one with half nuts and half without. If you make with half nuts you need to think about how you are going to roll it up before you sprinkle it with nuts. Enjoy this pumpkin pie alternative! Yummy!! You can't go wrong with this dessert!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, optional

In a small bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Pour into crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over pie. Bake 8-12 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

"War time" Spice Cake with Caramel Frosting

This is a very autumnal recipe that we made to celebrate the Virgin Mary's birthday yesterday. My mom found the recipe and passed it on to me, knowing that I am always looking for eggless recipes. It not only accommodated the women who wanted to bake despite the rations during the war, but it also accommodates those with milk and egg allergies. Mine came out a bit dense, but I think I also overcooked it. (The frosting contains milk, but perhaps one could substitute for that.)

Spice Cake:

In a large saucepan, mix together and boil, gently, for 5 minutes:

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups hot water

2 tsp shortening

1/2 to 3/4 cup raisins or chopped dates (I left these out)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

Cool completely - very important.

When cool, add:

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda dissolved in a couple teaspoons hot water.

Mix well, pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Cool in pan about 10 minutes and remove.

Caramel Frosting: (from Taste of Home Aug/Sept 1997)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 to 2 cups (or more) powdered sugar

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cake.

French Silk Chocolate Pie

A while back, Monte was talking about one of the things he missed the most since he found out he couldn't have dairy over 5 years ago - chocolate pie. It's one of those things I just didn't think would be that great if I substituted dairy free milk, I thought it probably wouldn't set properly. I was SO excited when I found this recipe yesterday that doesn't even have milk in it. It got great reviews on allrecipes.com, and we agree, it is unbelievable!! Quite possibly the best thing I've ever eaten! It does have raw eggs in it, which freaked me out a little, but not enough to keep me from enjoying it. :)

1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

3/4 cup white sugar

2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 pie crust *

Cream butter, gradually beat in the sugar with an electric mixer until light colored and well blended. Stir in the cooled chocolate, and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 5 minutes on medium speed after each addition. (You must beat them for the full 5 minutes each.) Spoon the chocolate filling into a cooled, baked pie shell. Top with whipped topping and garnish with grated chocolate if desired.

*I used the following recipe for my crust.

1 and 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup sugar.

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Press into 9 inch pie plate, bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely. (You can also buy pre-made graham cracker crusts, and they're really good too.)

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup milk (or milk substitute - rice, soy, etc.)
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water

Cream together oil. sugar, eggs, and milk with mixer. Add dry ingredients. Beat, and mix in cup of boiling water. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Frosting:

6 Tblsp. margarine or butter
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
5 Tblsp. milk or milk substitute

On stove or in microwave, let come to a boil and boil for 30 seconds. Add 2/3 cup chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate chips are melted. Let sit in the bowl for a while to thicken up before frosting the cake.

This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe, it's been in my family for a few generations.

Peanut Butter Bars

These taste EXACTLY like Reece's Peanut Butter Cups! Yummy.

1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 and 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 Tblsp. peanut butter


Mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.


In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares. ( I stored them in the fridge also.)

Lemonade Pie

From Taste of the South Magazine, we have already made 2 of these in the last week!
Ingredients:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter, melted
(or do like I did and get a graham cracker crust pre-made!)

Lemonade filling:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 (12 ounce) container whip topping, thawed
1 (6 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen
1 teaspoon candied lemon peel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar, and the melted butter. Press firmly on bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, add chilled sweetened condensed milk and cool whip and fold gently. Add frozen lemonade and continue to gently fold. Do not let the mixture become soupy. Pour mixture into the pie crust and freeze overnight. Garnish with candied lemon peel.

Ice Cream Cake

18 Oreo cookies, crushed (happily, this leaves some to munch on while you're baking)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 gallon ice cream
2 packages German sweet chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp butter
ground nuts

Butter pan well. Mix cookies and butter; pat into pan. Put in refrigerator to set. Slice ice cream about one inch thick and put over crumb mixture (or let sit at room temperature for a bit to get soft, then spread over crumb mixture). Melt chocolate with sugar, milk, and butter in a heavy saucepan. Pour over ice cream while warm and put ground nuts on top. Store in the freezer.


I made this for my husband's birthday back in March, and it was so tasty I thought I'd do this every time we bought a half gallon of ice cream. Buy whatever kind you like (come on, be more adventurous than vanilla!). This is a pretty simple way to do a birthday, especially when the birthday person doesn't request a fire truck birthday cake. That'll be next month...