Brown Bag Apple Pie

Brown Bag Apple Pie
Crust: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 cup oil, 2 T. cold milk. Combine and mix until blended. Pat into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate.
Filling:
4 cups slices apples, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 T. flour, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp.
Cinnamon. Combine dry ingredients and loss them lightly with the apples, Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Add topping (below).

Topping: 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup sugar. Combine and mix with fingers until crumbly. Put the pie in a large brown paper grocery bag. Fold to seal, staple shut. Bake @ 350& for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove from oven and let cool in the bag.

Carmel Brownies

So, this is at the request of my great friend, Toni. These are addicting!
Ingredients:
50 Carmels (one package of Kraft is about 50)
1 can of evaporated milk (you'll need 1/2 cup and 1/3 cup)
3/4 cup melted butter/margarine
1 chocolate cake mix (german, dark, milk, etc.) NOT a brownie mix!
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350.
Unwrap carmels and put in saucepan. Add to that 1/2 cup of the evaporated milk. Melt this over the stovetop. (Stir often!) Meanwhile, make the brownies by mixing the cake mix, melted butter, and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk. Take half of this dough (maybe a bit more) and press it into the bottom of a 9x13" pan. Bake 6 min. at 350 degrees. After 6 min., take it out, and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot batter. Then, drizzle the melted carmel over the top of that. Crumble the rest of the brownie dough over the top. Put back in oven to bake for 15-18 min. Let cool completely before cutting! Put in refrigerater when cool enough to set the carmel. ENJOY! These really are yummy, and can be pretty messy too!

Valentine Red Cake

½ cup shortening

(2) 1 oz. bottles red food coloring

1 tsp. salt

2 ½ cups cake flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

3 tsp. cocoa

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. vinegar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup 2 T. buttermilk

Cream sugar, shortening and add eggs. Make a paste of food coloring and cocoa and add to the mixture. Add vanilla to buttermilk. Sift salt and flour together. Add all to mixture a little at a time. Dissolve soda in vinegar and fold in last. Bake at 375* for 35 minutes.

Icing

Cream: 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy and almost white. Add 1 tsp. vanilla. Blend in the following mixture slowly with a beater: 1 cup milk and 3 T. flour. Cook until very thick like a paste on low heat. Cool and put on cake.

Zucchini Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 C sugar
1 C oil
2 C grated zucchini
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
2 C flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Beat eggs, sugar, oil and zucchini until fluffy. Stir dry ingredients. Add to zucchini mixture. Bake on ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 pan 350 for 25- 30 minutes.
ICING
(1) 3 oz cream cheese
1/2 C butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 C powdered sugar
Blend together and frost.

Banana Cream Salad

Ingredients:
1 big box instant banana cream pudding
1 big whipped cream tub
Cut up strawberries
1 Twix bar cut up
1 Snickers bar cut up

Make the banana cream pudding as the box instructs. Once pudding is done, stir in the big tub of cool whip. Once that is creamy, add the cut up strawberries and candy bars. YUMMY!

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz semisweet chips
3 ½ oz toffee chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray one cookie sheet with spray oil. In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine thoroughly. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sweetened butter. Once thoroughly combined, pour in the chocolate chips and toffee bits and distribute evenly using the mixer on the lowest setting. Form cookies by dropping 1 teaspoon of dough on the prepared cookie sheet two inches apart. Flatten the cookies slightly with the back of a spoon. Bake until light brown, about 12-15 minutes, depending on cookie size. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Butter Maple Blondie

This is a great recipe that I have for the blondie you get at Applebee's. I know it's my husband's favorite, and so we tried it, and I have to say, it was pretty good! Here's the details.

BLONDIE:

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg whites

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 and 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

6 oz. white chocolate cut into chunks

1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2) Whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Add softened butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla and mix until smooth with an electric mixer. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until smooth. Mix in milk, white chocolate chunks, and walnuts. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 " pan. Bake for 40-45 min. (Mine took about 32 min, so watch it!), or until golden brown on top. Slice into 8 equal pieces.

MAPLE BUTTER SAUCE:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup softened cream cheese

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

Vanilla Ice Cream (8 scoops)

chopped walnuts to sprinkle over top of the 8 blondies

DIRECTIONS:

While the blondie is cooking, make this sauce.

1) Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl with electric mixer.

2) Heat up in microwave for 30-60 seconds until it is a hot liquid.

To Assemble:

On plate, or heated skillet, put a blondie, a scoop of ice cream, drizzle maple butter sauce over and sprinkle with walnuts.

ENJOY!

Yummy Chocolate Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup sugar
- remove lumps with a wire whisk

Add:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Stir with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Put in an greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Take out of the oven and let sit in pan for 15 minutes then flip over and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Fruit Tapioca

OK you adventurous cooks out there! Here's a unique recipe for you. I got this from my sister-in-law who is all organic, and healthy foods. This is a great treat to replace your regular sweet dessert. Now, I have to tell you that I HATE tapioca pudding-and this is not like that. It tastes a lot like Jello when you're done with it. So, if you are up for it, here's a healthy dessert-no added sugar!

Fruit Tapioca

(I triple the recipe-Devon loves this!)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fruit juice (100% juice! I usually use white grape, but this last time I tried white grape pomegranate-very good!)

1/4 cup Tapioca-I use Bob's Red Mill small pearl tapioca get it at a natural foods store, or online at http://www.bobsredmill.com/

1 cup fresh (or frozen and thawed) fruit (I always use strawberries, my favorite.)

DIRECTIONS:

Put juice and tapioca in a large pot. Let the tapioca soak for about 5 min. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Stir often. It cooks for about 1/2 hour. (When the tapioca are all pretty much clear. It will just look all clear and not like tapioca at all.) Take off heat, and let sit for 5 min. Stir in fruit, and let chill for 3-4 hours. I let it sit out until cool enough to put into the fridge.

Strawberry Shortcake

4 cups sifted all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
6 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
2 beaten eggs
1 1/3 cups light cream/or buttermilk

*** Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine eggs and the cream/buttermilk, add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring just to moisten. Spread dough in two 8 x 8 pans. Bake @ 450 oven for 15-18 minutes.
Add sweetened chopped strawberries and whipped cream.
(I usually half this recipe unless I am feeding the multitude)

Cinnamon Rolls

These are fun to make if you have some time. You need to make the dough the night before, and then when you cut out the rolls, they need to rise for another 2-3 hours. (I left them way too long and ended up with MASSIVE rolls!)

***Also, I halved the recipe when I made it, and it made 12 rolls. It makes a TON with the recipe below.***

Cinnamon Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup water

1 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup cold water

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 pkgs yeast (.25 oz)

1/2 cup warm water

7 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cinnamon

Powdered Sugar Glaze (see recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot bring 1 cup water to a boil. (When I halved it, I just used a large saucepan, and then transferred it to a large bowl with a lid to add the flour.) Add the 1 cup butter, sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Add the 1 cup cold water. When mixture is lukewarm, add beaten eggs. In a separate bowl, dissolve yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Allow yeast to rise about 5 minutes until foamy. Stir into mixture. Add flour and stir together. Cover pan with lid and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to roll out, divide dough into thirds. (When I halved it, I just used all the dough together.) Lightly flour surface of bread board. Roll dough out into a 12x6 inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Spread each rectangle with 1/3 of the softened butter. In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/3 of brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the surface of the dough. Roll up jelly-roll style and cut into about 12 rounds. (I found that using floss works great!Just put the floss under the roll where you want to cut, and then cross the ends of the floss to cut through the rolls.) Place on a greased baking sheet (cookie sheets work best). Follow the same procedure with other 2 portions of dough. Let raise 2-3 hours. Bake one sheet at a time at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Spread with powdered sugar glaze while still warm. MAKES 3-4 DOZEN CINNAMON ROLLS.

Powdered Sugar Glaze:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS: Cream the above ingredients together. Spread over warm cinnamon rolls.

Easter Cake

Mix together: 2 cup flour, 1 1/2 t. baking powder, 1 tsp. sale and 1 1/2 cup sugar.
Add: 1/2 cup shortening, 3 eggs, and 1 cup milk. Blend about 2 minutes and add 1/2 tsp. vanilla.
Bake 350 for 30 minutes.
While the cake is still warm, poke lots of holes in the cake with the bottom of the beater from the mixer. Pour 1 can of Eagle Brand milk over the top of the cake and spread evenly with a knife so the milk will go down the holes. Cool cake well in Fridge. apply 1 pint whipped topping over the cake and add coconut and jelly beans (or fruit) if you desire. Keep cake in the fridge until you serve.

Peach Cobbler

1 large can of peaches w/syrup
1 package yellow cake mix
1 stick butter

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour peaches and juice into a 9X13 pan and add cake mix on top of peaches. You don't need to stir it. Slice the butter into pieces and put them on top of cake mix in different spots. Throw it in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

You can add a little cinnamon on top of the peaches before the cake mix if you feel like it, or if you are trying to make it look good, mix a little powdered sugar with cinnamon and dust the top of the slices when they are on the plate.

Of course, you’ll want to have it with vanilla ice cream!!

Pictures to come later...

Chocolate Molten Surprise

This recipie is way easy, and tasty. I made it for my husband and I, and it makes 12 little cakes. So, we couldn't eat it all! The great thing about this dessert is that you can reheat these for about 20 seconds and they are just as great! (I would suggest cooking a bit longer than 8 min., but not too much. (1 min?) YUMMY!

Prep Time:15 min
Total Time:28 min
Makes:1 doz. or 12 servings, one cake each
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup flour
12 CHIPS AHOY! Real Chocolate Chip Cookies ( I used the chewy kind.)
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Beat whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and flour with wire whisk until well blended. Gradually add to chocolate mixture, beating constantly until well blended.
LINE 12 medium muffin cups with paper liners; spray with cooking spray. Place 1 cookie, upside-down, on bottom of each cup; cover evenly with batter.
BAKE 8 min. or until cakes are firm around edges but still soft in centers. Let stand 1 min. Carefully remove cakes from muffin pan. Invert onto dessert dishes; remove paper liners. Serve with whipped topping.

Kraft Kitchens Tips:
Make Ahead:
Batter can be prepared ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, pour batter evenly over cookies in prepared muffins cups and bake as directed.

Substitute OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies for CHIPS AHOY! Real Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Hershey's Chocolate Cheesecake

This recipie is not for the light of heart-it is rich and creamy, and you must be a chocoholic to really appreciate and enjoy it! (You've been warned.)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Oreo Cookie Crusts (this can also make one springform pie. Just make your fav. crust)

1 and 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 pkg (8 oz) plus 3 oz cream cheese softened (11 oz total)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup heavy or whipping cream

(plus 1 cup whipping cream for topping-optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Melt chocolate chips and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Add butter and beat until smooth. Blend in vanilla. Beat in melted chocolate all at once. In another bowl, whip cream until stiff. Gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into crusts. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or so. Whip the cream for topping, and spread on top of the cheesecakes. Keep in refrigerator until all set up. I like to add cocoa powder or chocolate shavings to the top. Like I said above, you can use two regular pie crust sizes, or you can use crumbs to make your own crust in a 9" springform pan. It is way yummy and way rich! I hope you like it.

Grilled Plum Kabobs

This recipe also works with any ripe stone fruit, like peaches or apricots, or mix all three.

Kabobs
(Makes 8 skewers)

8 ripe plums, quartered and pitted
2 T. grape seed oil or vegetable oil
2 pints vanilla ice cream
Caramel Sauce (recipe below)

1. Preheat grill to medium. Arrange 4 plum quarters on each of 8 skewers. Brush cut side of fruit with oil, and place fruit, cut sides down, over indirect heat (the coolest part of the grill).
2. Grill until fruit just begins to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip, and brush tops with oil. Grill until pit cavity fills with juices and fruit is soft, about 5 minutes, depending on ripeness of fruit and heat of grill. Serve with bowls of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce
(Makes about 2 cups)

2 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped to loosen (or about 1 1/2 t. extract)
2 T. unsalted butter
2 t. lemon juice

1. Put sugar and 1/2 c. water into a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling pan carefully (but not stirring), until mixture is dark amber, about 12 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in cream. Add vanilla seeds and bean, lemon juice, and butter. Stir to combine. Remove bean; discard. Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week; bring sauce to room temp, or warm over low heat, before using.

Perfect Easy Summer Dessert

I got my monthly "Kraft Foods" magazine yesterday, and well, one thing looked so amazing, I couldn't wait long until I tried it. It's perfect for a hot summer day! It's a super-easy Ice Cream Cake.

Here's the recipie! It's so tasty!

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream "Cake"

1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping (warmed)

1 tub Cool Whip (8 oz)

1 pkg instant chocolate pudding (4 serving size)

8 Oreo cookies

12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches (it might be fun to try different kinds.)

Pour the fudge topping into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup os the whipped topping (cool whip) with a wire whisk until well blended. Add the dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. or until well blended. The consistancy of fudge topping can vary depending on what brand you purchase. If your mixture is too thick to spread easily, stir in some milk. (1/4 cup.)

Chop the Oreo cookies roughly into chunks. Stir into pudding mixture.

Arrange 4 of the ice cream sandsiches side by side on a 24 x 12 " piece of tin foil. Top with 1/2 of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers. (from bottom to top: sandwiches, pudding mixture, sandwhiches, pudding mixture, sandwiches.)

Frost the top and sides with the remaining cool whip.

Fold up sides of foil to make a LOOSE packet.

Freeze for at lease 4 hrs before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

ENJOY!