raspberry-lemonRaspberry Lemon Cheesecake

Line 10 or 11 inch spring form cake pan sparingly with lady fingers.

Raspberry Glaze:

Fresh or frozen raspberries 12 oz or so pushed through a sieve to seed, sweetened with powdered sugar to taste.

Filling:

3    8 ounce packs of cream cheese
3    eggs
1    cup sugar
1    Tablespoon lemon juice
1    cup sour cream

Beat cream cheese until smooth then add sugar and beat again. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add lemon juice and beat. Finally, beat in sour cream. (The longer you mix this the creamier and lighter it will be.)

When the batter is smooth and fluffy, pour over lady fingers and swirl in about ⅓ to ½ of your raspberry glaze.

Bake at 350°F for 55 minutes. Check to see if the center is set using a knife or toothpick. May require 65 minutes to thoroughly set. Allow to cool for 4 hours.

Place a cake pan half filled with water in bottom of oven to help prevent cracks in your cheesecake.

Lemon Mousse Topping:

1    8 ounce cream cheese
¾  cup sugar
1    cup sour cream
2    tablespoons lemon juice

Beat until light and very smooth. Spread over completely cooled cheesecake and refrigerate.

Garnish each slice with real whipped cream and a drizzle of your remaining raspberry glaze.

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marshmallowMarshmallow Logs

12  ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1    cup nuts
3    cups miniature marshmallows
1    egg
1    teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate chips over low heat. Remove from heat and add 1 egg; beat well.

Add vanilla and pour over marshmallows in a bowl. Stir quickly. Pour onto plastic wrap that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up into a log. Twist ends and place in refrigerator overnight.

Slice with sharp knife into cookie rounds.

This is an extremely versatile recipe; substitute white chocolate chips and add craisins and orange zest; or just use your imagination.

It can be made and stored in the freezer up to 1 month in advance.

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German Chocolate Cheesecake chocolate

1    9” Chocolate Crumb Crust (or crust of your choice)
1    8 oz. cream cheese
½  cup sugar
2    tablespoons cocoa
1    teaspoon vanilla
2    eggs

Pre-heat oven to 300°F.

Beat cream cheese and gradually add sugar and cocoa. Beat until smooth.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Pour into crust; bake until center is firm, one hour.

Topping:

2    tablespoons butter
¹⁄3  cup evaporated milk
2    teaspoons brown sugar
1    egg
½  teaspoon vanilla
½  cup pecans
½  cup coconut

Cook butter, cream, sugar and egg on low heat, stirring until thick.

Remove from heat and stir in pecans, vanilla and coconut. Cool, then frost cake.

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FruitcakeFestive Banana Fruitcake

(Fruitcake should be made at least 1 week before you want to serve, as the flavors need time to meld. Bake, cool, wrap very well and store in refrigerator.)

2        cups dark raisins
1½    cups walnuts, chopped, about 6 ounces
2        3.5 – 4 oz containers, red candied cherries, cut into quarters, about 1 cup
1        8 ounce package dried figs, chopped, about 1 cup
1        3.5 ounce container diced candied citron
1        3.5 ounce container diced candied orange peel

(This is flexible: I use more pineapple and cherries and less of the other ingredients. I also use pecans instead of, or in addition to walnuts. The combination of fruit and nuts really doesn’t matter as long as your volume remains about the same.)

3¾    cups all-purpose flour
1½    cups sugar
2        teaspoons baking powder
¼      teaspoon salt
1        cup butter, slightly softened, cut into smaller pieces (two sticks)
6        large eggs
2        bananas, medium, mashed, about 1 cup
1        teaspoon lemon extract

Prepare:

Heat oven to 300°F.

Line a ten inch tube pan with foil, smoothing it out as much as possible. (Note: I’ve found that baking this cake in 1 pan tends to make for a dry cake, so I like to split the batter between 3 or 4 loaf pans, or a smaller bundt pan and 1 loaf pan.)

In large mixing bowl, combine raisins, walnuts, quartered red cherries, figs, citron and orange peel; toss with ¾ cup flour to coat thoroughly.

In a large 2nd bowl, with electric mixer, on low speed, beat 3 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, mashed bananas and lemon extract just until blended, scraping bowl constantly with rubber spatula. Increase speed to medium; beat 3-4 minutes longer until blended and very smooth, stopping to scrape bowl occasionally.

Stir fruit and nuts mixture into the batter and mix well.

Pour batter into prepared tube pan; smack the pan smartly on counter top to remove air pockets from batter.

Bake 2½ hours until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for thirty minutes; remove from pan to rack and cool completely.

Frosting:

1       8 ounce package cream cheese

¾    cup confectioners powdered sugar

1       teaspoon rum flavoring or vanilla extract
sliced red candied cherries, optional


½    cup walnut halves or pieces, optional

(I have never made this frosting as the cake is rich and delicious enough for us without it, but it sure looks beautiful.)

In small bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy; gradually beat in confectioners powdered sugar and extract until blended and smooth. Pipe frosting in ring around top of cake. If you do not have a frosting bag, you may spread it on top with a spoon or butter knife.

Decorate:

If desired, decorate the frosting by alternating pieces or walnut halves with red cherry pieces making a circle around the entire cake. Or sprinkle chopped nuts on frosting and garnish with cherries.

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Toffee 

Crackers

1    cup butter (two sticks)
1    cup sugar
chocolate chips
saltine crackers

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

Line an 11 x 9 dish with saltines.

Combine butter and sugar in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil for three minutes then remove from heat and pour over saltines. Place pan in 400°F oven for five minutes.

Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with chips (as many as you want).

Return to oven for 1 minute, then remove and spread melted chips with a spatula and place in the refrigerator till hard.

Break apart.

Give away or eat yourself.

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BlueberryBlueberry Buckle Coffee Cake

2        cups all-purpose flour
¾      cup sugar
2½    teaspoons baking powder
¾      teaspoon salt
¼      cup shortening
¾      cup milk
1         egg
2        cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries
Crumb Topping
Glaze (see below)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F.

Grease a square 9 x 9 inch pan or a round pan, 9 x 1½ inches.

Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and egg;
 beat 30 seconds.

Carefully stir in blueberries. Spread batter in pan. Sprinkle with Crumb Topping.

Bake 45 – 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Drizzle with Glaze. Serve warm.

Crumb Topping:

½    cup sugar
⅓     cup all-purpose flour
½    teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼    cup (half a stick) of butter, softened

Mix all ingredients until crumbly.

Glaze:

½         cup powdered sugar
¼         teaspoon vanilla
1½ – 2 teaspoons hot water

Mix all ingredients until drizzling consistency.

Per serving:

Calories 370 Fat 12g
Protein 4g Cholesterol 25mg
Carbohydrates 62g Sodium 370mg

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Best Ever Fruitcake Fruitcake

2    butter recipe yellow cake mixes (blue box)
6    eggs
Butter, as directed on the boxes
Substitute fresh squeezed orange juice for half the water, and grate the orange zest into the batter
4    cups pecans
2    cups raisins
3    containers cherries (6 oz)
3    containers pineapple (6 oz)
1    lb fruit cake mix

Makes one loaf pan and 1 tube pan, or 4 very nice loaves.

Bake at 325 until pick inserted in center comes out clean.