Banana Pudding

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

3 cups cold milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

4 bananas, sliced

1/2 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy with mixer. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, and vanilla.  SLOWLY pour in cold milk, continuing to beat until smooth. 
2. Remove from mixer and fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping.
3. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. 
4. Chill in refrigerator for 3 hours and 30 minutes.  

Source

Video

Apple Crisp

Topping

1 and 1/2 Cup all purpose flour

1/2 Cup brown sugar, packed

1 and 1/2 sticks chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

Filling

3/4 Cup sugar

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 Tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 Tsp ground nutmeg

6 apples (any variety) peeled, cored and sliced thin

Cooking spray

1. Pre-heat oven to 350˚.
2. Make topping: Blend 1 and 1/2 Cup all purpose flour and brown sugar together in medium bowl.  Add butter, blend in with fingers until moist clumps form.  Mix in walnuts, cover topping and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Make filling: Combine sugar, 3 Tbs flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl, blend well.  Mix in apples to form filling.
4. Spray baking dish (13x9 inches) with cooking spray, add filling mixture followed by topping.  Bake until apples are tender and top is golden, about 1 hour.  Let rest for 8-10 minutes, serve warm.

Source

Crock-pot Chunky Applesauce

If you’ve never had homemade applesauce or have been eating from the jar for so long that the memory of the real thing has vanished, I encourage you to use your slow cooker as a vehicle for discovery. I’ve employed two kinds of apples in this recipe: McIntosh, which melts into a thick, creamy sauce, and Granny Smith, which remains stubbornly solid. Together they yield a beautifully thick applesauce punctuated with voluptuous chunks.

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

1 gallon water 

8 large McIntosh apples 

4 medium Granny Smith apples 

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

8 SERVINGS (2 quarts)

 PRECOOK 10 minutes 

SLOW COOK 3 hours on high, or 6 hours on low, in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker 

AT THE END 2 minutes 

MIX the vinegar and water in a large mixing bowl. Peel the apples and put them into the vinegar water as soon as they are peeled. Cut the apples in half from top to bottom, scoop out the core from each half with a melon baller, and toss the apples back into the vinegar water as soon as each is cut and cored. When finished coring, remove the apples with a slotted spoon and cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks. Toss in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Cover the cooker and cook for 3 hours on high, or for 6 hours on low, until the apples are tender.

 STIR the apples with a large spoon; they will immediately form a chunky sauce. Add the cinnamon, if desired, and as much of the remaining sugar as you like. Serve warm or chilled. Store, tightly closed, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

what else? 

• As noted earlier, McIntosh apples make the thickest, creamiest applesauce, but you can substitute many other apples, like Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, or Jonathans. However, I recommend that you always use at least half McIntosh. 

• You can also make a vanilla pear sauce using this recipe and substituting Bartlett pears for the McIntosh apples and Bosc for the granny smith.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

1 box of Ghirardelli Double Cholocate Brownie Mix

1 C. all purpose flour

3 eggs

1/3 C. vegetable oil

3/4 C. powdered sugar (reserve for coating dough)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place brownie mix, flower, eggs and oil in a medium bowl. Still until blended.  Place powdered sugar into separate bowl.  For each cookie, scoop 1 rounded tablespoon dough and place in powdered age.  Roll dough gently into balls, coating thoroughly with powdered sugar.  Place 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool in pan before removing.  Yield 2 and 1/2 dozen cookies.  

Carrot Cake

4 eggs

1- 1/4 cups vegetable oil

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cups grated carrots

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan or large cup cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. firmly pack light brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tbs. vanilla extract

2 & 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

2 c. white chocolate, broken into bite sized pieces

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugars with mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Beat eggs with vanilla and add.
4. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and gradually add to creamed mixture.
5. Stir in nuts and chocolate.
6. Drop onto un-greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool.

Yields 6 dozen cookies

Butter Walnut/Pecan Cookies

1/2 c. & 2 tbs. butter, soften and divided

1 & 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 c. sugar

6 tbs. firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 & 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbs. butter over med. heat. Stir in pecan or walnuts and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until nuts are dark brown. Remove from heat and stir in 2 Tbs. of sugar. Cool to room temperature.
3. Cream the remaining 1/2 C. butter, remaining 6 Tbs. sugar and brown sugar with mixer until fluffy.
4. Beat egg with vanilla and add.
5. Sift together remaining dry ingredients into a small bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients into creamed mixture, stirring until soft dough forms. Fold in walnuts or pecans.
7. Drop on to un-greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are brown. Cool

Yields 2 dozen cookies.

Spice Cake

2 C. Sifted All Purpose Flour

1 C. Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Salt

3/4 Tsp. Baking Soda

3/4 Tsp. Nutmeg

3/4 Tsp. Cinnamon

2/3 C. Shortening

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

1 C. Buttermilk or Sour Milk

3 Eggs

Optional: 1/2 C. Finely Chopped Walnuts

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together first 7 ingredients.
3. Add shortening, brown sugar, and butter milk.
4. Mix till all flour is moistened.
5. Beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer at medium speed.
6. Add eggs, beat for 2 additional minutes.
7. Stir in nuts.
8. Bake in two cake pans for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove. Frosting optional.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 C. Shortening

1-1/2 C. Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 Milk

1-3/4 C. Sifted Enriched Flour

1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda

2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

1Tsp. Nutmeg

3 C. Quick Cooking Rolled Oats

Optional: 3/4 C. Chocolate Chips

Optional: 1/2 C. Halved Walnuts

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cream together shortening, brown sugar, and eggs with blending until light and fluffy.
3. Stir in milk.
4. Stift together flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Stir into creamed mixture.
5. Stir in oats and chocolate.
6. Drop from tablespoon 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Top each with walnut half. Bake for 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool.

Frosting

1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening

1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine

1 TSP Vanilla

4 Cup Confectionary Suger

2 TBS Milk

3/4 Cup Cocoa

In a bowl, cream margarine and shortening. Add vanilla, then gradually add coco, sugar, while beating with mixer well. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Almond Cookies

2 & 3/4 Cups sifted all purpose flour

1 Cup granulated sugar

1/2 Tsp baking soda

1/2 Tsp salt

1 Cup butter or margarine

1 Slightly beaten egg

1 Tsp almond extract

1/3 Cup whole almonds

Sift flour, sugar, soda, and salt together into bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg and almond extract, mix well.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2-inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Place an almond atop each cookie and press down until flattened slightly. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Cool on rack

Yields 4 dozen