Country Pear Cobbler

Filling:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of cloves
2 tbsp lemon juice
6 to 8 medium pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
1 tbsp. sugar, if desired
Light Cream, if desired
Combine all of the filling ingredients, except pears, in large skillet. Stir in sliced pears. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, stirring gently. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make topping. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in mixing bowl. Beat on low speed of electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Add buttermilk and melted margarine. Continue to mix on low speed about 30 seconds, or just until blended.

Pour hot filling into 8-or 9- inch baking pan. Top evenly with large spoonfuls of topping. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar, if desired. Bake at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pears are tender and bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with light cream, if desired.

Nutmeg Cookie Logs

This recipe has become my only definite annual Christmas cookie. A dear friend baked me a few years and years ago, and I never forgot them. They have such a distinct egg nog flavor! I love them! They are also easy to make and freeze very well. You can make them ahead of time and always be prepared with sweet treats for the holidays!

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp rum extract
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp nutmeg

Frosting:
2-1/2 cups icing sugar
3 Tbsp butter
2-3 Tbsp half & half or milk
1 tsp rum extract
1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350*F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for cookie except flour and nutmeg. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup. Level off. Stir in flour and nutmeg. Mix will. Divide dough into 6 parts. On lightly floured surface, shape each part into long rope, 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 3-inch lengths. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool. In small bowl, combine frosting ingredients. Spread on cooled cookies. If desired, mark frosting with tines of fork to resemble bark. Sprinkle with nutmeg (very lightly). Makes 42-48 cookies.

Peppermint Bark

A super-simple recipe that's quick to make. You can freeze this and have it on hand for the entire holiday season. I also like to put it into decorative cellophane bags to give as gifts. White chocolate is not cheap, but if you plan ahead and watch for sales, and if you consider it a part of your holiday/specialty/gift budget, maybe you can manage it! Be sure to look for it in the bulk section of your local grocery store. Last year, I bought mine at Superstore. BE CAREFUL WITH THE CANDY CANES. Last year I bought mine at the dollar store because they were so much cheaper, but they were gross! They were not crunchy. So either they were not fresh, or they were just poor quality. This year, I'm going to try buying the mini candy canes and see if that makes a difference. Those always seem to be super crunchy and hard.

4 cups white chocolate
1 cup candy canes
2 tsp or more peppermint extract (optional)

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Mix with crushed candy canes. Pour into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 45 minutes. Break apart. You're done!

Snow Ice Cream

Making and eating snow ice cream was always a huge treat when I was a kid. The tradition continues in our family. 
 
2 1/2 quarts clean snow
1/2 cup milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar

Stir together lightly and eat immediately.

Baked Apple Pastry

This is a surprisingly light and relatively healthy dessert. This recipe only makes one, but it's also a bit finicky, so I double it and only make it for a special occasion when I'm wanting a treat for a tea time with a friend or something.

2 sheets of phyllo dough
Cooking spray
1 apple
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Spray phyllo dough with cooking spray and fold in half (totaling 4 layers). Peel, core and slice apple. Place apple in center of phyllo and sprinkle with honey and cinnamon. Fold in sides and roll. Bake at 350*F for 35 minutes.

Push-In Pie Crust

I tried this crust for the first time today. I’ve always shied away from making my own pie crust from scratch, for some reason. But this one worked GREAT! And it’s so quick!

1-1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp milk

Place flour, sugar, and salt in an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Mix with a fork. Add oil and milk. Mix again, until all ingredients are combined. Press dough into the bottom and against the sides of the pan with your fingertips. Bake empty pie shell at 425*F for 10-12 minutes. Now it’s ready to use in your next quiche recipe, or make it a delicious dessert by filling it with pudding or fruit pie filling.

Better Pumpkin Pie

1-1/2 cups crushed ginger snaps
1-1/2 Tbsp canola oil
2 eggs
1 scant cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange or lemon peel
1 tsp each ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cardamom and salt
1/8 tsp each ground allspice and mace
1 12oz. can evaporated milk
1 14oz. can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Place crumbs in a deep-dish 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Drizzle with oil. Using a fork, stir to moisten. Using your hands, press crumbs against the bottom and up the sides of the pan - the crust should look crumbly. Refrigerate while making the filling, allowing the crust to set a little.

Lightly beet eggs. Whisk in brown sugar, grated peel, spices and salt. Whisk in milk and pumpkin puree. Pour over crust. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake in center of a preheated 300*F oven until center is almost set when pan is jiggled, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you want to make this ahead of time, make the pie filling and the crust the day before, but wrap and refrigerate them separately. Fill the crust and bake the pie on serving day. 

Sunny Lemon Bars

This is definitely in my list of Top 5 desserts to make. I find it addicting (unfortunately). I love it frozen, too! Tastes like summer or spring.
 
1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 butter, softened
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Garnish: powdered sugar

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, powdered sugar and butter; mix well. Pat into a greased 13x9" baking pan; bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Whisk remaining flour, eggs, sugar, and lemon juice together until frothy. Pour over hot crust. Bake until golden, about 20 additional minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into bars and serve. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Stanley Pudding

Another recipe from Melodie.

Mix together:
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1cup rhubarb (cut up)
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Pour into a medium size rounded casserole dish or something similar

Mix and pour over top:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup hot water
1 Tbsp butter

Don't stir it in, just pour liquid over top and then bake at 375* for 1/2 hr or more, till golden and bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. YUM!

Danish Cream Squares

A simple dessert that can be made ahead of time and does not need to be baked in the oven!
 
Graham wafers
Vanilla pudding & pie filling, 6-serving size
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream (500 ml)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 square semi-sweet chocolate
1 teaspoon butter or margrine

Line 9 x 13 inch ungreased pan with whole graham wafers, trimming to fit.
Cook pudding with milk as directed, using only 2 1/2 cups of milk.
Allow to cool; spread over graham crackers in pan.
Beat cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff. Spread over pudding.
Put on another layer of whole graham crackers, trimming to fit.
Mix icing sugar and milk together well...it needs to be fairly runny (add more milk or sugar if necessary). Spread over cracker layer.
Melt chocolate with butter (in microwave). Drizzle over top. Chill. Let stand overnight before using.

Pear Cranberry Upside Down Cake

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups firmly packed light-brown sugar
3 firm but ripe pears, such as Anjou
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup cranberries
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3 large eggs
1 cup milk, room temperature
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 6 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar in a medium skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until melted and thoroughly combined, about 6 minutes. Pour into a 10-by-2-inch professional round cake pan.

Peel pears, core, and slice into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Coat with lemon juice, and arrange on top of brown-sugar mixture in a spiral pattern around edge of pan. Fan out slices in center. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cranberries over pears, and set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger together in a medium bowl, and set aside. Combine remaining 6 tablespoons of butter with remaining cup brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add milk alternately with flour mixture, beginning and ending with four; beat until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cranberries; pour over fruit in pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around eggs and invert onto a serving platter. Serve with spice ice cream.

Hot Spiced Fruit

The aroma of this dish alone makes it fun to make and serve. A true autumn/winter dish. 

1 16-oz. can sliced peaches with liquid
1 17-oz. can pears with liquid
1 15-oz. can pineapple chunks with liquid
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Mix together all these ingredients, with the fruits undrained. Simmer for 1 hour. Try fixing in a crockpot. Good with ham or as a topping for ice cream!

Pineapple Sunshine Mold

This healthy gelatine salad is great for a snack, dessert, or side dish.

3/4 cup orange juice
1-1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatine (3 tsp.)
8oz. can crushed pineapple, unsweetened, undrained
6oz. can (3/4 cup) pineapple juice, unsweetened
1 orange, peeled, chopped
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup seedless grapes, cut in half (We prefer the red ones)
3 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup chopped pecans or sliced almonds (optional)

In a small saucepan, whisk gelatine into orange juice to soften; let stand about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together pineapple, pineapple juice, orange, banana, and grapes in a mixing bowl. To dissolve gelatine, heat to a  full boil while stirring constantly with wire whisk; remove from heat. Blend honey into dissolved gelatine and combine with remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour into 8″ quare pan, salad bowl, gelatine mold or individual serving dishes; chill in fridge until set.

Note: We like to make this using individual serving dishes. This recipe makes 10 snack-size servings. When we have poured the mixture into the serving dishes, before it sets, we sprinkle the nuts on top. Just a few on each dish.

Citrus Ambrosia

2-3 oranges, peeled and cut into chunks
2 grapefruit, peeled and cut into chunks
2 Tbsp shredded coconut (optional)
2 Tbsp slivered or sliced almonds

Mix well and serve immediately.

Serve alongside muffins, biscuits, or toast for breakfast.