Pumpkin Custard

INGREDIENTS

2 cups pumpkin, cooked
3/4 cup evaporated nonfat skim milk
1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS

In a 3-quart casserole, whisk the pumpkin, milk, egg substitute, maple syrup, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Cover with vented plastic wrap; microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes, stirring once. Stir, cover and microwave on MEDIUM for 15 minutes, stirring twice. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Minted Fruit with Strawberry Cream

INGREDIENTS

1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 cup plain yogurt
Lettuce leaf, red, green or romaine
1 cup fresh blueberries, raspberries, or sliced peaches

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, puree enough of the strawberries, about 1/2 cup, to make 1/4 cup of puree. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the mint, honey, and yogurt.

Line individual salad plates with the lettuce. Arrange the remaining strawberries and other fruit on the lettuce. Top with the strawberry-cream dressing.


Yield: 4 Servings

Kathryn Murphy’s Easy Raspberry Sorbet

INGREDIENTS

2 cups frozen raspberries (or other frozen fruit)
3 tablespoon apple juice or orange juice
fresh mint leaves
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Place the frozen fruit and the juice in the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor. Blend or process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the container as necessary. Add extra juice if needed. Best if served immediately though it can be frozen. Garnish with fresh mint.

Yield: 4 servings

Easy Raspberry Sorbet

INGREDIENTS

2 cups frozen raspberries or other frozen fruit
3 tablespoons apple juice or orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or pure vanilla extract (optional)
Fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

Place the frozen fruit, the juice, and the cinnamon or vanilla extract (if desired) in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the container as necessary. Add extra juice if needed. The sorbet is best if served immediately, although it can be frozen. Garnish with fresh mint.

Yield: 4 servings

chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting...

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
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 boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost. 10 to 12 servings.
Cupcakes: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Icing
Source: Ina Garten (Food TV)

Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Place the confectioners sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth

crumb topped pumpkin cream cheese muffins

Muffins
3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of cardamom (I left this out, I did not have any)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

Cream Cheese Filling
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumb Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350. To make the cream cheese filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter, then pinch the mixture until it forms pea-size clumps. Set aside.
Mix muffin ingredients together except cream cheese filling. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) 3/4 full. Put 1-2 tsp cream cheese filling in each muffin and lightly swirl (I used a plastic bag snipped as a pastry bag). Top with 1 generous tablespoon of topping.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Makes 24 muffins.

3-step Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

2 pkgs(8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
20 caramels
2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 graham cracker crumb crust (9inch)

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Melt caramels with milk on low heat, stirring freguently until smooth. Stir in pecans.

Pour caramel mixture into crust. Top with cream cheese batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool, Regrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Lemon Cake

1 Lemon cake mix
4 eggs
1 Lemon pie filling

Mix cake mix and eggs. Fold in lemon pie filling. Place in a jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Frosting:
1 stick butter
3 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix and frost cake.

Chocolate Crumb Crust

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs(about 45 wafers)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, melted

In medium bowl combine ingredients. Press firmly into bottom of 9-inch spring form pan

Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1(14 oz) can condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into prepared chocolate crumb crust in 9-inch spring form pan. Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Chill. Garnish as desired.

Pumpkin Vermont Spice Cake

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Maple Frosting:
11 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tsp maple flavoring
chopped nuts and nut halves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour tho 9-inch round cake pans.

Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, beat for 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin, evaporated milk, water and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Spread evenly into cake pans.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire racks for 15 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar in a large mixer bowl until fluffy. Add maple flavoring; mix well.

Cut each cake in half horizontally, with a long serrated knife. Frost between layers and on top of cake, leaving sides unfrosted. Garnish with nuts, if desired. Serves 12.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:
1 1/4 ounce package active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (105-110 degrees)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 cups flour

Filling:
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine, softened

Icing:
8 tbsp (1 stick) margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

For the rolls, dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl.

Mix together sugar, margarine, salt, and eggs. Add flour, and mix well. Knead the dough with your hands. Put in a bowl, cover, and let rise about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the sough flat until it is approximately 21 inches long and 16 inches wide. It should be about 1/4 inch thick.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

For the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread the softened margarine evenly over the surface of the dough, and then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar evenly over the surface.

Working carefully from the top (a 21inch side), roll the dough down to the bottom edge. Cut the rolled dough into 1 3/4 inch slices and place 6 at a time, evenly spaced, in a lightly greased baking pan.

Let the rolls rise again until double in size (about 30 minutes).

Bake for 10 minutes, or until light brown on top.

While the rolls bake, combine the icing ingredients. Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy. When the rolls come out of the oven, coat each generously with icing.

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

4 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups cook whip
1 graham cracker crust
1 cup cold milk
1 can pumpkin
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Mix cream cheese, 1 tbsp milk and sugar with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Pour and spread on bottom of crest.

Pour 1 cup milk in bowl. Add pumpkin, pudding, and spices. Beat well with wire whisk untill well mixed. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate for four hours or until set. Garnish with whipped topping.

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
20 craft caramels
2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and eggs; set aside.

Melt the caramels and milk in a saucepan over low heat stirring frequently until smooth. Stir in pecans, pour over the bottom of a 9 inch unbaked pie shell. Pour batter over caramels.

Bake for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool and then refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2- 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of cloves
dash of nutmeg
1 graham cracker crust

Mix cream cheese and sugar, beat well. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Add pumpkin and spices till thoroughly blended. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Edges should be slightly puffed. Center area about the size of a silver dollar should still appear soft and moist. Center will firm up after cooling. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Filling:
6 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs til lemon color. Gradually add sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Spray a 10by 15" jelly roll pan. Line with wax paper, grease paper. Pour batter into pan; sprinkle with chopped nuts. bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on paper towel. Turn cake onto towel, remove wax paper. Roll up cake and towel lengthwise. cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

Filling: Whip cream cheese and margarine. beat in 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Unroll cake and spread with filling. roll up again. Cut in half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hot Fudge Cake

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp baking cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1tsp vanilla
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 3/4 cup hot water
whipped cream or ice cream

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Spread in an ungreased 9-inch square pan. combine brown sugar and remaining cocoa; sprinkle over batter. Pour hot water over all; do not stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 -40 minutes. Serve warm.

Decadent Brownie Tort

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup, chopped nuts

Glaze:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. In a saucepan , heat butter and corn syrup till butter is melted. Stir in chocolate chips, stir till melted. Remove from heat. Add sugar , eggs and vanilla. Stir till well blended. Add flour and nuts. Pour into pan. bake for 30 minutes, until center springs back when touched. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn onto rack.

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Frost top and sides of torte. Chill until set. Garnish with sliced strawberries and whip cream. Cut into wedges.

Frosty Lemon-Strawberry Dessert

Beth Johnston

1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 can (12 oz) Frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 tsp grated lemon peel

Place strawberries in food processor; cover and process until pureed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl; add the ice cream, lemonade concentrate and lemon peel. beat until blended.

Pour into an ungreased 9x13 dish. Cover and freeze overnight. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Pineapple Smoothie (Jamba Juice)

Lisa Nelson

1 cup pinapple juice
2 cups ice
1/2 to whole banana
3-4 scoops pineapple sherbet(maybe about 2 cups)
3 Tbsp plain yogurt

Blend and enjoy!