Cheese Cake Tarts

 2-inch baking cups

1 package graham crackers, crumbs

1/4 cup butter, softened

4 packages 8 ounces cream cheese

2 cup sugar

4 eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla

1 can cherry pie filling, sliced strawberries or blueberries

 

       Make graham crust mixture.  Press crumbs down firmly into baking cups.

       Combine cream cheese and sugar to taste.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat very well.  Put baking cups inside muffin tins. Fill cups to top.  Bake 400-degrees for 13 minutes.  Chill.  (Freezes well.)  Top with fruit.

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S'mores

 2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 teaspoon butter

11 ½ ounces milk chocolate bits

1teaspoon vanilla

8 cups Golden Graham cereal

3 cups miniature marshmallows 

       Grease 9x13-inch pan.  Heat corn syrup, butter and chocolate bits to boiling , stirring constantly; remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour over cereal in large pot; toss quickly until completely coated.  Fold in marshmallows, one cup at a time.  Press mixture evenly in pan with waxed paper.  Let stand until firm, at least 1 hour. Cut into 1 ½-inch squares.

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Rice Krispy Marshmallow Treats

 4 cups butter

10 ounces marshmallows

5 cups Rice Kipsie cereal

 

       Melt butter in large pan over low heat.  Add marshmallows and stir until melted and blended.  Remove from heat.  Add cereal.  Stir until well coated.  Press mixture into greased 9x13-inch pan.  Cool completely and cut into bars.

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James Beard's Brownies

 

9x9-inch pan, well greased and dusted with flour

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

(1 cup blanched almonds or pecans, chopped)

1 cup flour, sifted

sweetened whipped cream

Optional: zest of three oranges

 

       Melt chocolate.  Pour into bowl of food processor.  Mix in butter, bit at a time.  Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well.  Gradually add flour. (Stir in nuts.) 

       Pour batter into prepared pan, somewhat mounding center higher than sides.  Bake 350-degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.  Cool in pan.  Cut into squares and serve, at room temperature, with sweetened whipped cream.  Freezes well.

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Pecan (Raspberry) Tarts

Makes 24 mini tarts                                                             Sylvia Kambas

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 pound butter, softened

1 cup flour

 

Pecan Filling:

1teaspoon butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

pinch salt

1 cup chopped pecans

 

Raspberry Filling

1-12 ounces seedless raspberry jam or preserves

 

       By hand, cream together cream cheese and butter.  Blend in flour.  Divide dough into 24 balls.  Put one in each of 24 muffin tin depressions, pressing against bottom and sides to make a lining. 

       Pecan Filling: Mix together all filling ingredients by hand.  Spoon filling into each dough cup. 

       Raspberry Filling: Fill each with a slightly rounded large melon-ball spoon.  (Do not over fill.)

       Bake 350-degrees for 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.  If filling has overflowed rim, loosen edge with knife.  Remove tarts by lifting with knife or invert muffin tin onto towel.  Cool on wire

 rack.  Freezes well.

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Seven Layer Bars

                                                                                        Naomi Minegishi 

9 x 13-inch pan

1 1/2 cups cornflake crumbs

3 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 1/3 cups flake coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

 

       Mix crumbs, sugar and butter together.  Press into bottom of pan.  Sprinkle on next 4 ingredients in layers.  Level and pour milk over all. 

       Bake 350-degrees for 25-30 minutes or until coconut turns light brown.  Cut while still warm.

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Oatmeal Crispy Cookies

Makes 6 dozen                                                                            Kay Heise

1 cup Crisco

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

3 cups oatmeal

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup nuts, chopped

 

       Cream Crisco with sugars.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour, salt and baking soda.  Mix well.  Stir in oatmeal and nuts.  Divide into 4 rolls 1 ½-inch in diameter.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Slice ¾-inch thick and bake 350-degrees on greased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.

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Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

 

       In food processor blend butter and sugars.  Add vanilla and eggs and blend well.  Add flour, soda, salt; blend.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

       Bake 375-degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

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No Bake Oatmeal Cookie-Candy

 

1 ¾ cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter 

3 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1teaspoon vanilla

 

       Bring first 4 ingredients to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.  Form into balls and cool.

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Chinese Chews

                                                                                                 Patti Driscoll

3 sticks butter, softened

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

8 ounces chopped dates

chopped walnuts, same volume as dates

1/2 box powdered sugar

 

       Cream butter, eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla.  Add flour in batches and mix.  Stir in nuts and dates.        Spread out in greased and floured 11x15x1-inch pan with parchment.  Bake 350-degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool overnight.  Cut into 4 lengthwise strips and remove from pan.  (Strips can be frozen.)  Cut each strip once, lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch squares.  Toss squares in bag with powdered sugar and shake off excess.  Store in air-tight container.

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Mexican Chocolate Wedding Cakes (Cookies)

Makes 40 cookies                                                                   Trudi Schneider

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg, room temperature

3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup finely chopped nuts

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar or

½ cup sweetened cocoa + ½ cup powdered sugar

 

       Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In food processor beat sugar, butter, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping bowl. Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Continue beating until well-mixed. Add flour and salt turn on/off until blended. Stir in nuts.

       Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 8 to10 minutes or until set. Carefully transfer to wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar or sugar cocoa mixture (cookies will still be warm), then cool and roll again in powdered sugar mixture.

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Nanaimo Bars

Makes16 bars                                                                   Carole Surbaugh

Crust

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups (1 ½ packages) finely crushed graham crackers

1 cup finely chopped coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 teaspoons instant custard or vanilla pudding mix

2 cups powdered sugar

Milk 

Topping

4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate

1 teaspoon butter

2 teaspoons hot water

 

Crust:  Melt 1/2 cup butter, sugar, cocoa and egg. Cook until melted and thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside. Stir together graham crumbs, coconut and nuts. Add cocoa mixture and mix. Press firmly into greased 9-inch square pan. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Filling:  Combine 1/2 cup soft butter, vanilla pudding, powdered sugar and just enough milk (few drops) to make it spreading consistency. Mix well and spread on top of crust. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Topping:  Melt chocolate with 1teaspoon butter and 2tablespoons hot water. Spread over chilled filling. Refrigerate until serving. Remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before serving. Cut into small squares. Very rich!

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Apricot Squares

8x8x2-inch pan                                                                    Martha Stewart

1 cup flour

¼ pound + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup sugar 

Filling:

1/3 cup flour

2/3 cup prepared apricots or 9 fresh (save 3 apricots for topping)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs at room temp.

½ cup toasted sliced almonds

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

       Plump dried apricots in boiling water. Drain, dry and chop by hand into1/2-3/4-inch pieces.  Set aside.

       Cream together flour, butter and sugar with spatula.  Don’t overwork.  Spread into buttered parchment baking pan and pat down evenly. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven until golden brown, about 18 minutes. Cool.

Filling: Sift flower, sugar, baking powder and salt into bowl and mix well.  In a separate bowl, mix apricots, nuts, eggs and vanilla.  .  Mix two bowls together by hand.  Pour over crust.  Quarter remaining 3 apricots.  Use 9 quarters to decorate top of batter.  Sprinkle top with sugar.  Bake at 350-degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until firm and golden.

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Ann Clark’s Nut Fruit Bars

                                                                                                 Sue Kingzeth

Mix in large bowl:

3 cups mixed whole nuts, unsalted

1 pound pitted dates

1 cup Maraschino cherries, drained

 

Sift dry ingredients over the nuts/fruit and mix:

¾ cup flour

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

 

Beat until foamy and stir into above mixture until well mixed:

3 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup rum

 

 

Turn into well greased bread pan.  Bake for one hour at 300-degrees.

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Florentine Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen

Pastry:

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch dice and chilled

6 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cup + 2 teaspoons flour 

Topping:

½ cup heavy cream

1 large orange: finely grated zest

1 cup + 3 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/3 cup water

½ cup orange honey

1 stick unsalted butter

3 ¼ cups sliced blanched almonds (12 ounces)

2/3 cup finely diced candied orange rind (4 ounces)

10 ounces Lindt bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons Crisco

 

Pastry: Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Butter bottom and sides of 10 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving about 2-inch overhanging at short ends. Butter parchment.

            In food processor, pulse the diced butter with the sugar and salt 6 times. Sift, then measure flour. Add flour and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Spread crumbs on baking sheet with a metal scraper and press into a thin, even layer (cover with parchment and press with metal scraper). Refrigerate 20 minutes. Bake in middle of oven until lightly browned, at least 15-18 minutes. Do not overbake. Transfer to wire rack. Increase oven temp to 425-degrees.

            Topping: Put almonds and candied orange rind in a deep pot; set aside.In small saucepan, heat cream with orange zest over moderate heat just until bubbles appear around the edge, about 2 minutes. In a heavy medium-large saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water and bring to boil over moderately high heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Cook syrup over moderately high heat, swirling pan occasionally, until a medium amber caramel forms, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add honey, orange-cream and butter and stir until butter melts. Cook caramel topping over moderately high heat until candy thermometer registers 255-degrees, about 4 minutes. Pour over the almonds-orange rind mixture and quickly stir; immediately spread the caramel over pastry with small plastic bowl scraper.

            Return baking sheet to oven and bake pastry for 5-7 minutes, or until topping is bubbling. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let cool for 30-40 minutes.

            Run knife around edge of baking sheet to loosen pastry and slide parchment onto a work surface. Using a sharp, heavy knife dipped in hot water, cut the pastry into four 2 ½-inch strips lengthwise. Cut strips into 3-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally in half.

            Line 2 large baking sheets with wax paper. Melt chocolate with Crisco in large coffee mug at low microwave setting (#5) at 1 minute intervals. Stir lightly. Dip short side of each cookie into chocolate and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Reheat chocolate if it gets too thick.  Refrigerate until chocolate is just set, about 5 minutes.

            Cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.

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Baklava

 

 

Serves 8                                                               The World of Jewish Desserts

Notes: Defrost phyllo overnight in the refrigerator.  Remove from the refrigerator two hours before using.  Keep lightly covered to prevent drying out.

 

To double recipe use 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350-degrees and 15 minutes at 300-degrees.

 

Syrup:

1 cup sugar and ½ cup orange honey

¾ cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

 

Filling:

½ pound (about 2 cups) blanched almonds, pistachios, walnuts; toasted and finely chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cardamom

 

Phyllo dough

4 ounces clarified butter, melted

 

      Syrup: Stir the sugar, water, lemon juice and corn syrup, cinnamon stick and cardamom over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium and cook until the mixture is slightly syrupy, about 10 minutes (it will register 230-degrees on candy thermometer). Discard the cinnamon stick. Let Cool.  (It should be the consistency of honey.  If too thick, add water.)

      Filling: Combine all filling ingredients.

      Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Using a pizza cutter, cut each sheet of phyllo into two 7 ½-inch square pieces plus leftover pieces you can also use. Lightly brush phyllo with butter. Layer 8 pieces in pan. Spread with half the filling. Top with 8 more sheets and spread with remaining filling. Top with 8 more sheets.

      Using a sharp knife, cut 4 x 4-inch squares through the top layer of pastry.  Make a diagonal cut across each square to form triangle shape.  Just before baking, lightly sprinkle the top of the pastry with cold water. This inhibits the pastry from curling. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 and bake until golden brown, about 15 additional minutes or longer.

      Cut through the scored lines. Drizzle the syrup (warm it up a bit) slowly over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. If baklava dries out, drizzle with hot honey syrup.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprints

 

 

Makes 36 cookies                                                                  Cooking Light

 

2 cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

½ cup chunky peanut butter

¼ cup butter, softened

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

peanut oil

7 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves