Cookie Dough Truffles

1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 1/2 lb. dark chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour, alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.

In a microwave bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip balls in coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. if desired remelt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 5 1/2 dozen.

Fortune Cookies

3 tbsp. butter, softened
3 tbsp. sugar
1 egg white
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. all-purpose flour

Write fortunes on small strips of paper; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw two 3 1/2-in. circles on paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the butter, sugar, egg white and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Spread 1 tbsp. batter over each circle. Bake at 400F for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned.

Slide parchment paper onto a work surface. Cover one cookie with a kitchen towel. Place fortune in the center of the other cookie; loosen cookie from parchment paper with a thin spatula. Fold cookie in half over fortune strip so the edges meet; hold edges together for 3 seconds.

Place center of cookie over the rim of a glass; gently press ends down to bend cookie in middle. Cool for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack. Repeat with second cookie. If cookies become too cool to fold, return to oven to soften for 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter and fortunes.

Yield: 10 cookies

Sugar Cookies

1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
additional sugar

In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in sugar. Place on greased baking sheet; flatten with a glass. Bake at 350F for 10-12 min. or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 5 dozen

Doll Party Cake

2 pkgs. cake mix, any flavor (plus ingredients to make cake)
4 cups prepared frosting
Doll pick cake decoration, 7 in.
Ribbon, lace, tulle, straight pins and craft flowers

For cake, preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour classic batter bowl. Prepare one cake mix according to package directions. Pour into batter bowl. Bake 1 hour, 10 min. to 1 hour, 15 min., or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to cooling rack. Cool 15 minutes. Loosen cake ad gently turn out onto cooling rack. Cool 3 hours. Repeat with remaining cake mix to make a second cake.

To assemble cake, trim off rounded bottoms of cakes to level. Slice off 2 inches from large end of one cake and arrange on serving platter to serve as bottom of doll's skirt. (Wrap and freeze unused portion of first cake for later use.)

Frost sides and top of cake on platter; top with second cake. Frost second cake. Wrap top of doll with ribbon or lace; secure in back with pins. Insert doll into cake. Decorate skirt as desired. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. To serve, remove doll and cut into slices with serrated knife.

Yield: 16 servings

Classic Spritz Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
colored sugar or sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed of electric mixer about 3 minutes or until creamy, scraping down sides as necessary. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add flour; mix on low speed just until blended, scraping down sides as necessary. (Dough will be soft; do not refrigerate.)

Fit Cookie Press with desired disk; fill with dough. Press dough onto cookie sheet 1 in. apart. Decorate cookies with colored sugar or sprinkles, if desired. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool cookies 2 minutes on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Yield: 6-7 dozen cookies.

Variation: Chocolate Spritz Cookies: Increase sugar to 1 1/4 cups. Decrease flour to 3 cups. Combine flour and 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in medium mixing bowl; blend well. Proceed as recipe directs.

Lemony Zucchini Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 (3.4 oz.) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup vegetable oil

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

1/4 cup poppy seeds

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, lemon juice and extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini, poppy seeds and lemon peel.

Pour into two greased 9x5x3 loaf pans. Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes for until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 2 loaves

Classic Pumpkin Pie

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

2 eggs

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 (9-in.) unbaked pastry shell

Mix, sugar, salt, and spices in a bowl. Add eggs and beat slightly. Add remaining ingredients; blend well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350F and continue baking for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Allow pie to cool a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

Cream Puffs

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

Bring water, butter and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Add the flour all at once; stir briskly until the mixture leaves the side of the pan and forms a ball.

Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes to allow mixture to cool before adding the eggs. Beat well after adding each egg. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop dough 3 in. apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack. Immediately split puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs. Fill with 1/3 filling, replace tops and drizzle with chocolate topping.

Yield: 8 servings

Magic Bars

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 cup nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F (325F glass dish). In a 9x13 baking pan, melt butter, sprinkle crumbs over butter; mix together and press into pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Yield: 24 bars

School Day Cookies

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar or honey

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tbsp. grated orange peel

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups oatmeal

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup nuts, chopped

1 cup dates, chopped

Mix ingredients. Place on cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.

Yields: 4 dozen

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Spice Cake Mix

1 can pumpkin

chocolate chips

Mix pumpkin and spice cake mix together. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop tablespoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes. Cookies are a cake mixture and will be spongy when they come out. They should be firm and bounce back when touched. Don't over cook!

Peanut Blossom Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp. milk

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Coating:

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

Garnish:

48 milk chocolate Kisses, unwrapped

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the butter. Add the peanut butter and sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Beat in the milk.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the peanut butter mixture and beat until incorporated. Cover and chill the batter for about an hour, or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Preheat oven to 375F and place rack in the center of the oven. Roll the batter into 1 inch round balls. Place the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball in the sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned. Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, place a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie, pressing down until the cookie just starts to crack. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. double stuffed Oreos, crushed

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

Beat Oreos and cream cheese together. Scoop the mixture by the teaspoonful onto a baking sheet. Place baking sheet in the fridge and let chill. Remove baking sheet and roll each scoop into a ball. Dip in melted chocolate and let harden. Top with white chocolate swirls, sprinkles, edible glitter, etc. Serve in mini muffin papers.

Yield: 70-80 truffles

Toffee

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp. water

1 cup margarine

nuts

chocolate chips

Microwave for 4 minutes sugar, water and margarine. Stir then cook for 2 minutes. Watch constantly. Cook until it turns the color of a paper sack. Pour over nuts in a buttered pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips. When chips are melted spread to cover.

Never-Fail Fudge

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1/4 lb. butter

4 cups sugar

2 (6 oz.) pkgs chocolate chips

1 pt. marshmallow cream

chopped nuts, optional

Put milk, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Stir constantly or until 238F. Remove from heat and fold in chocolate chips and marshmallow cream. Stir until blended. Add nuts. Pour in a greased pan, cool and place in refrigerator until ready to slice into squares.

Divinity

2 cups sugar

1/2 cups corn syrup

2 eggs

1 cup nuts, optional

1/2 cup water

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. cream of tarter

Mix salt, sugar, corn syrup, and water. Put on stove and put lid on until it comes to a boil then remove lid. Cook until spins hard thread. Have egg whites beaten with cream of tarter in. Add about 1/4 of syrup to the egg whites then cook remainder of syrup a little longer. Add to egg whites. Beat with mixture until well mixed then beat candy with wooden spoon. Add vanilla and nuts last.

Layered Cake Frosting

2 lbs. powdered sugar

2 cups shortening

2 egg whites

2 tsp. flavoring (2 capfuls)

4 tbsp. water

Mix, Mix, Mix.

Yields: 2 layered cake

Marshmallow Fondant Icing

16 oz. white mini-marshmallows

2-5 tbsp. water

2 lb. powdered sugar

1/2 cup shortening

Melt marshmallows and 2 tbsp water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total.

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix. Grease your hands GENEROUSLY, then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.

Start kneading like you would bread dough. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Regrease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. It the mix is tearing easily, it is too dry, so add water (about 1/2 tbsp at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.

Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of shortening, wrap in plastic wrap and put in a Ziploc bag, getting as much air out as possible. This will store in the refrigerator for weeks.

Yields: 1 cake layer

Easy Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

2 cups half-and-half

2 cups whipping cream

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tbsp vanilla extract

In large bowl, combine ingredients; mix well. Pour into ice cream freezer container. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze leftovers.

Yields: 12 servings