Caramel-Coconut Pie

This is very good and can be frozen ahead.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (7 ounce) pkg flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
1 (16 ounce) frozen Cool Whip, thawed
2 baked 9 inch pastry shells
1 (12 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
Garnish: Pecan halves

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add coconut and 1/2 cup pecans, cook until golden, stirring frequently.
2. Set aside to cool.
3. Combine cream cheese and condensed milk, beat at medium speed until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
4. Layer 1/4 of cream cheese mixture in each shell. Drizzle 1/4 of caramel mixture over each pie.
5. Sprinkle 1/4 coconut on top.
6. repeat layer of cream cheese, caramel, and coconut.
7. Cover and freeze at least 8 hours. Let pie stand at room temperature at least 5 minutes before serving.

Pineapple Dip

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
1 Tblspn plain flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tblspn butter
3 Tblspn real lemon juice
2/3 cup pineapple juice

Directions:

1. Beat egg yolks, add flour and mix well.
2. Add sugar, butter, lemon juice, and pineapple juice and cook on medium heat til thickens.
3. Serve with fresh fruit.

Note: You can also fold in 1/2 whipping cream (whipped).

Ritz Cracker Pie

This is absolutely the best dessert ever.

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
23 Ritz crackers, finely crushed

Topping:

1/2 pint whipping cream
3 tblspns Nestle's Quik (cocoa won't work)
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Butter a glass pie pan.
3. Beat egg whites til stiff, gradually add 1 cup sugar til dissolved.
4. Mix in vanilla.
5. Fold in cracker crumbs and pecans.
6. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.
7. Cool completely. (I usually put in refrigerator til cold).
8. Mix Nestle's Quik and 1/4 cup sugar together in a small bowl.
9. Whip cream and add Quik and sugar when peaks.
10. Spread on pie and refrigerate.

Easy Red Velvet Cake

This is made from a cake mix and my mother says it is very good and hard to tell it isn't made from scratch.

Ingredients:

1 pkg fudge marble cake mix
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. In mixing bowl, combine cake mix and baking soda.
2. Add eggs, buttermilk, food coloring, and vanilla and blend on low until moistened,
3. Beat on high for 2 minutes.
4. Bake in 2 greased and floured (9 inch) cake pans at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Cherry Pound Cake

This is my grandmother's recipe. It is delicious and very pretty for Christmas. Be sure to look below at frosting ingredients when getting your ingredients together.

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Crisco
3 3/4 cups plain flour
3/4 cup milk
6 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond
1 (10ounce) bottle red cherries, drained & chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275. Grease and flour bundt pan.
2. Cream sugar and Crisco. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.
3. Add flour and milk, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and almond flavors.
4. Fold in half of chopped cherries.
5. Bake at 275 for 2 hours.

Frosting

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick margarine
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups 10x Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Cream margarine and cream cheese til fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar and mix well.
3. Stir in coconut and pecans.
4. Put on warm cake.

Pecan Pie Mini Muffins

These little muffins taste just like pecan pie.

Ingredients:

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 lg eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Directions:

1. Combine brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl, beating with wire whisk til smooth.
2. Stir in pecans and flour.
3. Spoon batter into miniature muffin pan coated with cooking spray, filling to within 1/8 inch from top.
4. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.
5. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 minute. Remove from pans and cool completely.

Yield: 40 muffins

Chocolate Toffee Caramel Cake

This is a beautiful cake I made for Thanksgiving that was a big hit. It requires a little extra work but is worth the effort.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups butter, softened and divided
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
English Toffee bars

Filling:

2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 (9inch) round cake pans with cooking spray with flour (or grease and flour).
2. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter, sugar, and dark brown sugar at medium speed with electric mixer til creamy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon batter into pans.
4. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. (I had to bake mine nearly 30 minutes). Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks. When cool, level cakes off with serrated knife, if needed.
5. In a small saucepan, combine light brown sugar, evaporated milk, and remaining 1/3 cup butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring til sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring til candy thermometer registers 238 degrees.
6. Transfer caramel mixture to a heat resistant bowl and beat with mixer for 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens slightly and is ready to spread.
7. Working quickly, spread caramel mixture on 2 layers and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. (I put each layer on a separate plate).
8. To assemble, place one caramel covered layer on a cake plate. Spread a thin layer of Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting over caramel. Place another caramel covered layer and spread a thin layer of frosting. Top with plain layer. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with chopped English Toffee bars.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup + 2 tblspns butter, softened and divided

1 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream, and 2 tblspns butter over medium heat. Cook 3-4 minutes til sugar dissolved. Cool completely.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining butter til smooth. Add brown sugar mixture and vanilla extract, beating to combine well. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar til smooth.

"Those Things"

These are very easy and delicious. Our neighbor used to bring us a tray of homemade goodies every Christmas. When I asked for the recipe for these, he called them "Those Things" because that was how I asked.

Ingredients:

1 12 oz pkg butterscotch morsels
2 tblspns crunchy peanut butter
5 cups corn flakes, slightly crushed

Directions:

1. Melt chips and peanut butter in double boiler (or VERY low heat).
2. Pour over cornflakes and mix with a large spoon.
3. Using a teaspoon, drop spoonfuls on foil or wax paper on a cookie sheet.
4. Place in refrigerator til hard.

Christmas Fruit Drops

These are the best cookies I have ever eaten. They are pretty, also. Very easy to make. These freeze well for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:

2 cups red candied cherries, chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Sifted powdered sugar

Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease. Set aside.
3. Combine cherries and nuts with 2 tblspns of the flour and stir to coat. Set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar and salt til well mixed. Add eggs and vanilla til well combined.
5. Beat in rest of flour.
6. Stir fruit and nuts into dough.
7. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
8. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Sprinkle sifted powdered sugar over tops of cookies.
9. Store cookies in airtight container with layers separated with wax paper.

Seven Layer Salad

Ingredients:

1 bag shredded lettuce
1 bermuda onion
1 can water chestnuts
1 can green peas
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 tblspns sugar
1 jar Bacos real bacon bits
Shredded cheese

Directions:

Put lettuce in bottom of a trifle dish. Top with chopped onion. Drain water chestnuts and put on top of onion. Drain and rinse peas and put on water chestnuts. Mix mayonnaise and sour cream together with sugar. Put on top to seal. Add layer of cheese. Add bacos. Seal with plastic wrap overnight.

Praline Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mix margarine and sugar.
3. Add egg and mix well.
4. Mix in flour and vanilla, then fold in pecans.
5. Shape into 1 inch ball.
6. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten with a glass wrapped in a wet paper towel.
7. Bake 8-10 minutes.