1 1/2 C of flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 C of shortening
4 T of water
3/4 C of sugar
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans pitted tart cherries
1 T of butter
1/4 t almond extract
4 drops of red food coloring

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place the flour and salt into a bowl and toss to combine. Cut the shortening into the mixture until the mixture turns into coarse crumbs. Add enough of the water to form the dough into a ball. Chill the dough for 30 minutes or until cold enough to handle.

Flour a flat surface and roll the dough into a 1/8 inch circle. Cut the dough into 8 5 inch circles. Place the dough circle over the top of oven proof custard cups or bowls. Place the bowls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool 5 minutes then remove from the top of the bowls and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Place the sugar and cornstarch into a saucepan. Drain the cherries but reserve 1 C of the juice. Blend the reserved juice into the sugar and stir until the mixture is smooth. Place the pan over medium heat and stirring often, bring the mixture to a boil. Once boil cook 2 minutes stirring continuously until the sauce has thickened.

Remove the pan from the heat and gently fold in the cherries. Add the butter, extract and food coloring and stir until blended in well. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature then spoon evenly into the 8 tart shells.

Makes 8 servings

1 (16.3 oz.) can large flaky refrigerated biscuits
3 T of strawberry preserves
1 1/2 T grated orange peel
1 T coarse white sugar
1/2 C of whipping cream
2 t granulated sugar
1/4 t vanilla
2 C of fresh strawberries, sliced
1 C of fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously spray a large cookie sheet with a cooking spray.  Separate the dough into 8 biscuits.  Separate each biscuit into 2 layers.  Spread 1 t of preserves between each layer.  Place the biscuits back together and seal
Cut each biscuit in half and place on the cookie sheet with the rounded edges overlapping to form butterfly wings.  Press the edges together where they touch.  Continue this with the remaining 7 biscuits.  Spread the remaining preserves over the top of the biscuits.

Sprinkle each set of butterflies evenly with the orange peel and coarse sugar.
Bake 13 minutes or until gold brown.  Allow the biscuits to cool 5 minutes.

Beat the whipping cream in a small bowl until peaks begin to form.  Beat in the sugar until dissolved.  Beat the vanilla in well.  Place 2 slices of strawberries on each butterfly wing.  Place a blueberry on the bottom strawberry and attach with a toothpick.  Pipe the whip cream mixture between the two wings to form the body and around the edge of each wing top for form the antennas.

Makes 8 butterfly pastries

These are cute little desserts to serve the children at your July 4th party.  They will be excited over the special effort you made for them to help them celebrate this special day.

What You Need:

1 C + 1 T of flour
1 1/3 C confectioners’ sugar
1/3 C of unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 t ground ginger
9 large egg whites
1 t of cream of tartar
1/4 t of salt
1 T of vanilla extract
1 C + 2 T of sugar
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 T light corn syrup
1 C heavy cream

How to Make It:

Preheat oven to 350 and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and sugar.
In a separate bowl whisk together with an electric mixer on medium speed the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and vanilla until soft peaks begin to form.
Adjust the mixer speed to high and slowly add in one third of the sugar, mixing while you add.
When the sugar is completely incorporated into the mixture slowly add another one third of the sugar mixing as you add.
When that sugar is incorporated into the mixture slowly add the remaining sugar, mixing as you add.
Continue mixing until medium peaks form.
Fold the flour mixture into the egg white mixture until well combined.
Pour the batter into an ungreased angel food cake mold.
Bake 35 minutes or until the cake springs back easily when touched.
Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on a wire rack, leaving the pan over the cake, until cool.
Place the semisweet chocolate into a mixing bowl.
Pour the corn syrup over the chocolate.
Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan and place the pan over medium high heat.
Bring the cream to a steady boil then pour over the chocolate syrup mixture.
Whisk the mixture until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Run a knife around the edges of the cake and mold.
Invert the cake onto a platter and remove the pan.
Trickle the glaze over the cake with a spoon allowing it run naturally down the sides of the cake.

Makes 8 servings

It is important not to grease the angel food cake pan before adding the batter. The egg whites need to adhere to the sides of the pan to help in the rising of the cake. Garnish this cake with candied ginger or green maraschino cherries.

What You Need:

1 (19-21 oz.) box of fudge brownie mix
24 miniature chocolate covered caramel candy bars with nuts

How to Make It:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
Prepare the brownie mix as directed on the package but do not bake.
Place one tablespoon of batter into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup.
Place a candy bar into the batter in each cup.
Fill the cups with remaining batter.
Coarsely chop the remaining candy bars and sprinkle evenly over the top of each cupcake.
Bake 22 minutes.
The cupcakes may dip slightly in the middle due to the candy bars.
Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.

Makes 12 cupcakes

If you only have a 6 cup muffin tin and have to bake these cupcakes in 2 batches refrigerate the batter until ready to prepare the second batch. To make mint brownie cupcakes use chocolate covered mint candy bars. Place two candy bars into the batter. Do not crush any candy bars and place them on top. Instead use vanilla frosting with a little mint flavoring. Place 1 drop of peppermint extract into the frosting and stir to blend in. You can also finely crush peppermint candies and stir into the frosting. Ice the cupcakes with the frosting once they have cooled

1 (3 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
2 C of cold milk
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen banana breakfast quick bread loaf, thawed and cubed
2 (20 oz.) cans of cherry pie filling
1 (8 oz.) container of whipped topping, thawed

Prepare the vanilla pudding as directed on the box using the cold milk.

Place half of the bread cubes into a large glass bowl. Cover with a layer of cherry pie filling, a layer of pudding, then whipped topping. Add a second layer in the same order.
Cover and refrigerate for no longer than 24 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Note: Sliced bananas may also be added in each layer.

10 oz Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
½ cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
½ cup oats
½ cup cranberries
1 tsp cinnamon

Microwave peanut butter chips in a bowl on high power for about 1 ½ minutes or until melted. Add remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly. With your hands, roll mixture into 1 inch balls and cool.

These peanut clusters would make delicious and nutritious treats for your children’s lunchboxes.

2 cups of milk
1.75 oz hard caramels
1-2 scoops vanilla ice-cream

Gently heat the milk in a saucepan without boiling. Add the hard caramels and heat until melted. Stir occasionally. Place mixture in a blender together with the vanilla ice-cream and blend until smooth.  Serves 2.

Quick, easy and divine desserts to impress holiday guests

(ARA) – The holidays are a time for gathering together with family and friends and enjoying delicious food. But when you are deciding what to serve or bring to your next celebration, don’t feel that you have to toil away in the kitchen for hours or even break the budget to provide tasty treats for your guests. Read more »

1 1/2 cups water
1 10-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 chocolate cake mix mixed as directed for batter
1 cup light brown sugar
6 ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips

Using heavy foil, you will line bottom and sides of a 12″ Dutch oven. Combine water, brown sugar and cocoa powder and mix, pour this mixture into the Dutch oven and then add an even layer of miniature marshmallows. Pour chocolate cake batter over marshmallows and then scatter the chocolate chips over cake batter. Place lid on oven and then bake for an hour or until done. Add a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream before serving.

Do Not Stir this recipe mixture!

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2 (16 oz.) cans yams, drained well
2 eggs
1/2 C dark brown sugar, firmly packed and divided
1/3 C butter, melted and divided
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the drained yams into a large mixing bowl and mash well with a potato
masher or fork.  Break the eggs into the mashed yams.  Add 1/4 C of the brown sugar, 2 tbsp. of the melted butter and the salt to the mixture.

Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat the ingredients together well.
Spray a 1 qt. casserole dish with a non stick cooking spray. Place the yam mixture into the prepared casserole dish.  Lay the pecan halves over the top of the yam mixture to completely cover the top.

Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over the top of the pecan halves.  Drizzle the remaining butter over the top.

Bake 25 minutes.

6 Servings

4 fresh yams can be substituted for the canned yams. Peel, quarter and boil
them in water until fork tender before mashing. This dessert also tastes good
with mini marshmallows place over the top of the pecans instead of the sugar
and butter. Watch baking time so the marshmallows do not burn. If they become
to brown cover with foil and continue baking.

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