Key Lime Squares

Crust

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups flour, sifted
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Mix well and put into a 13×9″ pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Topping

• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 5 tablespoons Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lemon Juice
• 1½ tablespoon grated lime zest

Mix well and pour over crust. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and key lime zest, while hot. Cool on rack and cut into squares. Serve with whip cream. 

Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 4 medium)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup milk
• FROSTING:
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups icing sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
2. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
3. For frosting, in a small bowl, beat peanut butter, milk and vanilla until blended; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over cake.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
1 9 " pie shell, baked and cooled
4 cups fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
3 tablespoons strawberry Jell-O powder


Directions:
1. Slice fresh strawberries into bottom of baked pie shell.
2. Combine remaining ingredients (except Jello) in saucepan and cook until thick and clear.
3. Remove from heat and stir in Jello powder.
4. Pour over fruit. Chill until set. Serve with real whipped cream.

Also works great with fresh peaches and peach jello!

Smartie Cookies

I tried a new cookie recipe and we really like these.  It seems like we're forever needing to have something to put into school and work lunches, so I like to change it up once and a while.

- 1/4 cup white sugar

- 3/4 cup brown sugar

- 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1 cup soft margarine

- 2 eggs

- 1 tsp vanilla

- 2 1/4 cups flour

- Smaries, chocolate chips or anything else you choose (I opted for mini m&m's)

Mix ingredients in order given.  Bake for approximately 12 minutes at 350F.  Watch them closely. Vanilla pudding can be substituted with chocolate for a different taste.

Oatmeal Scotchies

Mentioning that I had tonnes of butterscotch chips to use up and I didn't know what to do with them, my sister-in-law Christina mentioned this cookie recipe.  I love a good oatmeal cookie.  This are a bit different with the butterscotch chips and cinnamon and they're awesome.

1 cup margarine
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup flour
3 cups oats
1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips

Mix ingredients in order given.  Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes for chewy cookies and 9-19 minutes for crispy cookies.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.  (Baking times may vary, depending on your oven).

Apple Pockets

This are a delicious, quick and easy dessert.  Nice to make with all the apples that are available to us in the fall season. *Picture to follow.

1 tube refrigerator crescent-style rolls
1 small apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Grease a cookie sheet.  Open the crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles.  Combine the apple, sugar and cinnamon.  Mix well.  Drop a small spoonful of the apple mixture near the wide end of each triangle.  Fold the long point toward the middle over the top of the filling.  Pinch to seal.  Fold the other two corners toward the middle.  Pinch to seal.  Bake in 375 oven for 12 minutes.  Drizzle with icing when cool.

Chai Rice Pudding

Chai Rice Pudding

• 8 cups 1% milk
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice

In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, rice, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat; stir in the spices. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 10 servings

* I halved this recipe and added 1/2 tsp vanilla as well.

* And yes, I did actually buy the basmati rice just for this recipe. Not sure how it would work just using your regular rice

 Made it yesterday and just ate the last bit while typing this...and Darren didn't have any. I have very little self control :( It was SOO good!!

Cream-Filled Cinnamon Coffee Cake

For those of you who have the cookbook that the West End church put together, Tastes For All Seasons, this recipe is in there. Sometimes its just nice to have a picture to go with a recipe :)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sour cream

Topping

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Filling

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating just until combined. Pour into two greased and waxed paper lined 9-inch round baking pans. Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Lightly cut through with a knife to swirl. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Filling: In a small saucepan, mix the cornstarch and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and chilled milk mixture; beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes* Place one cooled cake on a serving plate, spread with filling. Top with remaining cake. Store in refrigerator.

* I don't know about you but I do not have the patience to beat something for 10 minutes!! I beat it until I thought it looked right and it tastes great!

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

My Mom made a version of these cookies a lot when we were growing up.  These are a little different as they have peanut butter in them.  Which is always a plus in our house.  A recipe from my cousin Ashley - thanks!

- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 tbsp cocoa
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 - 3 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
- 2 tsp vanilla

Add the first four ingredients to a saucepan.  Bring to a rolling boil and boil for one minute.  Stir in the next three ingredients and drop onto wax paper.  Let cool until set.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Dessert

I created this dessert in honour of of my husband's birthday.

Base:

1 1/2 cups Oreo Cookie Crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Mix together and pat into the bottom of a spring form pan and a little ways up the sides. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool.

Filling:

500 ml whip cream
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 pkg peanut butter chips

Whip cream until stiff. Melt milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. (I use the defrost setting on my microwave!) Stir until smooth and let cool slightly. Fold melted chips into whipped cream and mix until well combined. Spread mixture over cooled crust.


Topping:

1 pkg mini Reese peanut butter cups, cut in half

Sprinkle on top of filling. Cool entire dessert for at least 2 hours so chocolate has a chance to set firm enough for slicing. Remove outer ring of spring form pan to serve.

Indoor Smores

There's nothing overly fancy (or even pretty!) about this dessert, but it's a favorite of my husband (or at least I assume because he ate almost half the pan at once) and it really easy to whip up when you're stuck for a lunch on the go.  It's combining season around here so many, many lunches are being made and consumed on the field.  I found this recipe on the back of the golden graham box.

- 5 cups golden grahams
- 4 cups mini marshmallows (divided)
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips

If you spray your bowl and pan with cooking spray before using it, you'll have less mess to clean when you're done.
1. Measure cereal into a large bowl,  In saucepan heat 3 cups marshmallows, chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring frequently until melted.  Remove from heat.
2. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal.  Quickly toss until completely coated.  Then stir in remaining 1 cup marshmallows.
3. Press mixture into 8 or 9 inch square pan.  Pop into fridge about 10 minutes until firm enough to cut into bars.

Microwave directions: Measure cereal into large bowl.  In large microwavable bowl, microwave 3 cups marshmallows, chocolate chips and butter on high 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.  Stir every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.  Continue with step 2 above.

Mango Pavlova

I made this as a gluten free option for my daughter's middle school girl's book club. The book selection was A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass.

Base:

Beat 4 egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar, a bit at a time, until it is completely mixed in. Add 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and mix well.

Spread tin foil over the baking pan you plan to use and grease well. Spread egg mixture on top in an even layer. Bake at 225 degrees for 1 hour and then turn off oven and let sit overnight. The next morning, peel back foil and set back on to the baking sheet. 

Topping

Whip 2 cups whipping cream and add 1 tsp of vanilla. Melt 1 cup white chocolate in the microwave on "defrost" setting. Fold the melted chocolate into whipped cream. 

Chop 2-3 mangos into small pieces. Add sugar to pieces if mango is not sweet enough. 

To assemble:

Spread whipped cream/white chocolate on to base. Sprinkle with chopped mangoes and serve. Yum!

(*Note* Only assemble pavlova right before serving or meringue will go soft.)

Chocolate Ice Cream Divine

Devin requested this dessert a while back. I confirmed the recipe with his Mom and made it for the first time last week. (Although I must admit I've enjoyed this dessert at my in-laws before - so good!). The thing I like about it was that you can make it ahead and keep it in the freezer, so it makes a great dessert for company, because you can work ahead.
- Two cups crushed chocolate wafers (I used oreo crumbs)
- 1/2 cup margargine, melted
- 2 L vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup icing sugar
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 1 1/2 cups evaported milk
- 1 1/2 cups peanuts (I used chopped peanuts)

Combine crushed wafers and 1/2 cup melted margarine. Press evenly into a 9 x 13 pan; chill. Spread ice cream evenly over base; sprinkle with peanuts, pressing in gently. Freeze. Combine chipits, sugar, 1/2 cup margarine and evaporated milk in saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool. Spread over ice cream. Store in freezer. Divine!!
* Although the recipe doesn't call for chocolate sauce over top, it makes a big difference in flavor. Try it!

Homemade Ice Cream Toppings

Today I tried two recipes for homemade ice cream toppings. Yum!! I'm thinking these would make some nice gifts for teachers, neighbours and maybe even the bus driver!

Caramel Sauce

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla

Combine butter, brown sugar, water and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to boil for 3-5 minutes depending on thickness desired. (The longer is boils, the thicker the sauce). Remove from heat and stir in evaporated milk and vanilla.

Sauce will be quite thin. Thickens to a nice, but pourable, consistency when cooled. If using right away, you may want to only put in half the evaporated milk to create a thicker sauce.

Hot Fudge Sauce

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 ounces of chocolate (whatever type you prefer - I used milk chocolate)

Put all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until sauce is smooth and creamy. Let cool slightly and spoon into jar.

Candy Bar Cheesecake

• 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounces each), frozen and chopped

TOPPING:

• 1 Butterfinger candy bar, frozen and chopped
• 2 tablespoons butterscotch ice cream topping

In a small bowl, combine the wafer crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar til smooth. Beat in the cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in chopped candy bars. Pour into the crust. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate over night.

Remove sides of pan. Sprinkle chopped candy bar over cheesecake; drizzle with butterscotch topping. Refrigerate leftovers.

Cream Puffs

I was wondering what to serve for dessert for our harvest crew, my Mom suggested cream puffs. I've never made them before, but she assured me it was easy and I'd wonder why I'd never made them before. She was right. :)

• 1/2 cup butter/margarine
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a baking sheet. In a saucepan, combine butter and water. Bring to a boil. All at once, beat in flour and salt. Continue cooking, beating hard until mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Then add, one at a time, 4 eggs. Beat hard until smooth and glossy after adding each egg. Chill the dough.* Drop batter from spoon onto baking sheet. Bake at 375 for about 25-30 minutes or until light and golden. Turn off oven and let dry in oven. Cool. Fill with sweetened whipped cream.

* I skipped the step about chilling the dough and they turned out fine.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Mmm....nothing like baking with pumpkin in fall. So yummy!

For the Filling:

- 8 oz cream cheese, softened

- 1 cup icing sugar

For the Muffins:

- 3 cups flour

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp nutmeg

- 1 tsp ground cloves*

- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 4 large eggs

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 cups pumpkin puree

- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

For the Topping**:

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 5 tbsp flour

- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

- 4 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and icing sugar and mix until well blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log and reinforce with a piece of tinfoil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the muffins preheat the oven to 350. Combine flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. With electric mixer combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil until just blended. Then add dry ingredients. Mixing until just incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Put into fridge until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Be sure to allow the muffins to cool completely before serving. The filling will be very hot!

These taste even better the next day if you can resist them.

* I used Epicure's Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of the cloves, as I didn't have any on hand.

** Topping amount is generous. Half of the amount would be plenty.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in water. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

4. Prepare Chocolate Frosting; spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Chocolate Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add icing sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.

2. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Deluxe Rice Krispie Cake

These are a cinch to whip up. Maybe one or two of these in a lunch might make the first day back to school a little sweeter?

Cake:
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 40 large marshmallows (5 cups mini)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 6 cups rice krispies


Filling:
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1 pkg caramels
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- chocolate chips


Make the filling recipe first, so it's ready to go. Melt first 3 ingredients together. Keep warm. Then make cake recipe. Melt margarine and marshmallows together. Add vanilla, then mix with rice krispies. Put half of cake in greased 9 x 13 pan. Pour filling over cake, then sprinkle with chocolate chips. (Milk chocolate chips are best, but semi-sweet work well too). Press remaining cake recipe on top and let cool.

* I found the filling recipe to be too much for one cake, so it could be halfed (but what do you do with half a can of sweetened condensed milk?) or make two pans of cake and give one to a friend. :)

Black Bottom Cupcakes

This is an old stand by for me. Love this cupcake with the cream cheese middle as it packs easily for lunches and doesn't make the mess that icing does. And so yummy! I've tried a few different recipes for these cupcakes and wasn't having much luck until I found this recipe. Perfect.
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- dash of salt
- 3/8 cup cocoa
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 eggs

Mix dry ingredients. Then mix wet ingredients and add to first bowl. Fill muffin liners 2/3 full.

Filling:
- 1 block cream cheese
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1 egg
- chocolate chips*

Mix filling ingredients and spoon about a tablespoon of filling into the center of each batter filled muffin liner.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Makes 18-24 cupcakes.

*Optional