Homemade Brownie Mix...

This photo does not do them justice.  They are soft and chewy with flaky top.

I found this recipe at the Healthy Homesteader linked here:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8iV70XSStw/?igsh=dGx3cXZ1cXJrcmRj

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

6 cups sugar

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp baking powder

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container in a dark cool location.  (I measured all ingredients into a gallon jar, put the lid on, and shook until all ingredients were evenly mixed.)

To make small batch of brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease an 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" pan.

In a large bowl, mix 2 1/4 cup brownie mix with 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Mix until batter is smooth. Pour in greased pan, and bake for 20 - 24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

To make a double batch of brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a 9" x 13" pan.

In a large bowl mix 4 1/2 cup brownie mix with 1 cup melted butter, 4 eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.  Mix until batter is smooth.  Pour into greased 9" x 13" pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Store baked brownies covered at room temperature.

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls...

I make the dough from my mother's recipe for bread.  It makes two loaves of bread or a big pan of cinnamon rolls.  

Ingredients for dough and filling:
2 cups warm water (warm, not hot)
1 packet yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (approximately)

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of cinnamon

Ingredients for icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
     (cream cheese is optional, if omitted, use a little more milk instead)
1/4 cup of butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon of milk (or more as desired)

For the dough:
In a small bowl, place about 1/2 cup of the warm water, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the packet of yeast.  Let sit for about 10 minutes to activate...it will begin foaming a little.

In a large bowl combine salt, remaining sugar, remaining water, vegetable oil, and the yeast mixture.  Gradually add in about 4 cups of the flour, mixing with your hand between additions, scraping the sides of bowl to incorporate all the flour.  If the dough is too loose and sticky, gradually add in a little more flour at a time until it is smooth and pliable.  Lightly flour your counter top, and turn the dough out onto the floured surface.  Flour your hands, and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes, adding in a little more flour if needed until it feels rather light and smooth and not sticky.  Butter a glass bowl, and put the dough in it, turning the ball of dough to let a little butter coat its surface.  Cover the bowl with a tea towel, and set it in a warm part of the kitchen.

While the dough is rising, stir together well brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

After about 30 minutes, the dough should be approximately double in size.  Punch down the risen dough, and turn it out onto a floured counter. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out to about a 12" x 18" rectangle.  

Spread dough with 1/4 cup of soft butter, then spread with about 1/4 cup sour cream.  Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the entire rectangle of dough, and starting on the long side, roll it as evenly as possible until it is rolled and seam side down.  

Lightly grease a pastry scraper or chef's knife and cut the roll into 1" slices.  Place the spirals onto a large buttered baking pan, leaving a little room between the spirals.  Top with plastic wrap sprayed lightly with cooking spray so the dough won't stick to the plastic.  Let rise for about 40 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 325.  Remove the plastic from the rolls, and bake for about 20 minutes, turning the pan after about 12 minutes so they bake evenly.  They should be just lightly browned.  

For the icing, mix together the softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  If you want to thin it slightly, you can add a Tablespoon of milk at a time until it is the consistency you desire.  Spread it evenly over the cinnamon rolls while still warm.

Toll House Chocolate Chip Pie...

I found this recipe at Very Best Baking by Nestlé.

The filling ingredients for one pie are:
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts ( I left these out since not all our kiddos like nuts.)

You will also need an unbaked pie crust (I use My Favorite Pie Crust), and some good vanilla ice cream is strongly suggested.

Beat the eggs till light and fluffy.  Add the flour, white sugar, and brown sugar, and mix well.  Add the softened butter, and mix thoroughly.  Stir in the chocolate chips (and walnuts if using) till spread evenly throughout the filling.  It will be very cookie dough like, but not quite as stiff.  

Spread the filling evenly in the pie crust.  Bake at 325° F for 50 to 60 minutes.

Remove from oven, and let cool for about 30 minutes before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

My notes:  It turned out fabulously yummy.  And the scoop of vanilla ice cream puts it over the top!

Strawberry Fluff...

Ingredients:
  1 angel food cake (store bought or homemade)
  1 14 ounce can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
     (may substitute one 3.4 ounce pkg of instant vanilla pudding 
      prepared as per pkg directions)
  1 cup of sour cream
10 ounces of frozen sweetened strawberries (thawed)
  1 8-ounce container of Cool Whip topping (thawed)

Directions:Tear angel food cake into large-ish bite-sized pieces and put into a deep bowl.  Mix sweetened condensed milk (or vanilla pudding) and sour cream.  Pour over torn cake.  Pour strawberries on top, and spread to cover.  Top with Cool Whip topping.  Refrigerate until served.  Can be made a day in advance.

My notes:  You may notice my helper and I got the steps out of order a little.  It doesn't really hurt anything.  This kind of recipe is not an exact science.

Easy Pineapple Cake...

It truly is easy.  E.  Z.  You don't even need a mixer for the cake, just stir it together.  The texture after baking isn't light and cake-like, it is very dense and moist.  

You don't really need a mixer for the frosting either, but I used my hand mixer today.

Easy Pineapple Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs (beaten)
1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice (do not drain)

Preheat oven to 350° F.  

Stir together the dry ingredients, then add the eggs, vanilla, and pineapple with its juice.  Stir by hand till mixed well.  Pour into a greased 9" x 13" pan.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, till golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Frosting for Easy Pineapple Cake
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) brick of cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
1 stick butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup pecans (chopped)

Stir (or mix) together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla.  Add the powdered sugar and stir (or mix) till well incorporated and smooth.  Stir in pecans.  Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake in the pan.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting...

Original cake recipe found at The Novice Housewife.

I changed the pan type and cooking time and added frosting.

Ingredients:

● 3 cups  all-purpose flour

● 2 tsp baking soda

● 1/2 tsp salt

●● 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

●● 2 cups sugar

●● 2 large eggs

●● 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups bananas (mashed, I used 5 very ripe bananas)

●● 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

●● 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

● Place flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.

●● In a separate bowl, mix butter and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add bananas and mix until well blended.  Add half of the dry ingredients, mix well; the sour cream and vanilla, mix well; and then the rest of the dry ingredients, and mix well.  Pour into a greased 9” x 13” pan.  Bake in a 350° F oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool in the pan.  When completely cool, spread cream cheese frosting over cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese (softened)

½ cup butter (softened)

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream butter and cream cheese together well.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix till smooth.

My notes:  I got distracted and left mine in the oven for an hour.  It got a bit overcooked on the bottom, but it tasted fine.

No-Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies

No-Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about two sleeves)
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 10 ounce bags of chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

Melt butter in a mixing bowl.  Add graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and peanut butter, and stir until mixed thoroughly.  Press the peanut butter mixture into a 9" x 13" pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  

Melt chocolate chips and pour over the peanut butter layer, and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. 

Done!

Allow to set for a couple of hours at room themperature (or in refrigerator for no longer than 30 to 40 minutes) before cutting into squares.  Store covered at room temperature.

Pumpkin Bliss...

Ingredients:
2 boxes Jell-o No Bake Cheesecake
   (plus milk, butter, and sugar as called for on box)
2 boxes Jell-o Pumpkin Spice instant pudding
   (plus milk as called for on box's 'for pie' recipe)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 8 oz container of Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Directions:
Mix crust of both No Bake Cheesecake mixes with the butter and sugar called for on the packages, and pat into the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan.

Mix the filling of the two No Bake Cheesecake mixes with milk as called for on the package.  To this add 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice and mix well.  Pour over the crust and spread evenly.

Mix the two boxes of Pumpkin Spice instant pudding with milk as directed on package for pie (less milk than is called for than making pudding) and pour over the cheesecake layer.

Spread the container of thawed Cool Whip over the top of the pudding.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with chopped pecans and a light sprinkle of cinnamon.  Cut into squares, and use a metal spatula to lift each serving onto plates.

Makes Me Go Weak in the Knees Brownies...

Ingredients:

2 boxes Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover's Brownies Mix (I like walnut version)

2 (or 3) 5 oz. Symphony Milk Chocolate bars (I use the Almonds & Toffee Chips kind)

(also oil, eggs, and water as called for on brownie mix package)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9"x13" cake pan with cooking spray.

Mix first  brownie mix according to the 'fudgy' directions on the back of  the package. Pour batter into the cake pan, and bake for about 10 minutes, just till barely starting to set up (usually just long enough for you to mix the second mix and break up the Symphony bars).

While that's in the oven, mix second brownie mix according to the 'cake-like' directions on the back of the package, and set aside.

Then open Symphony bars and break into pieces. They don't have to be chopped or anything, I just break them along the rectangular grid lines on the bar. 

Remove the pan from the oven, and arrange the chocolate pieces evenly over the top of the hot partially-cooked brownie batter. Then pour the second brownie mix over the top and spread to the edges of pan. The Symphony bar starts to melt over the first mix, so when you spread the second mix it will move around somewhat...this is fine.

Return pan to oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or till they're done to your taste...we like them really moist and chewy around our house. :) 

My notes:  I'm not really sure what these are called.  My sister-in-law gave me the recipe without a name.  I call it this, because when I was little I thought brownies were called 'brown knees.'  :)

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Apple Dip...

Ingredients:
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar 
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp milk (if needed)
1/2 c milk chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix the cream cheese and peanut butter together till smooth and well blended.  Mix in the sugars.  If you want a slightly softer consistency add the milk gradually, until it is the consistency you want.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Serve with apple slices and graham crackers.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie...

CHOCOLATE BOURBON PECAN PIE

Ingredients:

   1 pie crust  (either store bought or my favorite pie crust)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup light corn syrup
   4 large eggs (beaten)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup bourbon
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup pecans, lightly chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Roll crust out.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter, sugars, corn syrup, eggs, vanilla and bourbon until frothy.
4. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans till evenly distributed.
5. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until set.

My note:  Pecan Pie is not my favorite, but it is Carey's.  I've found that adding chocolate and bourbon, takes it to a whole 'nother level.  I do love this recipe.

Debbie McG's Carrot Cake

Mmmmm...  Made from scratch, moist, and hey, it has 3 cups of shredded carrots, so I think each piece counts as a vegetable serving.  :)

Debbie McG’s Carrot Cake                                                                         

Mix:

2 c sugar

1 ½ c oil

4 eggs

Sift together:

2 c flour

2 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

Blend these mixtures together well, then add:

1 tsp vanilla

3 c shredded carrot

1 c raisins

1 c pecans (broken)

Grease and flour 13" x 9" pan.  Bake at 350º for 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Soften then blend:

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1/4 c butter

Add and mix well:

dash of salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar (sifted)

My notes:  Certain family members are not fans of raisins, so they were omitted without any complaints...the raisins, not the family members.  :)

I was in a time crunch, so instead of grating the carrots, I just put baby carrots in my food processor and pulsed/chopped till they were the consistency I wanted.  I didn't even bother with the grating blade...chopper was so much easier and worked great.  Oh, and I didn't sift the powdered sugar either, and it was perfect anyway.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Pie

Ingredients:
1 Keebler chocolate cookie pie crust
1 large box of instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 small tub of Cool Whip
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the box of pudding mix with the milk. Whisk in the Cool Whip. Unwrap the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (about 10 of the large ones, or about 20 of the minis, or however many you want to put in) and chop them roughly. Fold the chopped candy into the pudding/cool whip mixture. Pour all into the chocolate pie crust. Top with a few more chopped peanut butter cups. Store in the freezer till about 15 minutes before serving.
My kids love this better than cake, so I always make it for their birthdays.

Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 exgra-large eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell*

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, and flour. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and salt. Mix just until blended. Do not overmix. Pour into pie crust. (I always use my favorite pie crust recipe.)

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Do not overbake.

My note: I love buttermilk pie, but some of them are so sweet they make your teeth ache. And some are kind of bland. It took a lot of searching to find a recipe that suited me. This one is from the Luby's Cafeteria 50th Anniversary Recipe Collection. As Goldilocks says, "This one is just right."

Bread Pudding with Irish Mist Sauce

The bread pudding is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (1981). One of my three most used cookbooks. The Irish Mist Sauce is my own.

Bread Pudding

Beat together 4 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place 2 1/2 cups dry bread cubes (3 1/2 slices) in an 8 x 1 1/2 inch round baking dish. Sprinkle 1/3 cup raisins over bread. Pour egg mixture over all. Bake in a 325 degree F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes or till a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Makes 6 servings.

Irish Mist Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

3 Tablespoons Irish Mist Liqueur

Directions:

Mix together the cornstarch and sugar. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir the sugar and cornstarch into the butter. Pour in the milk, and cook stirring frequently until the mixture begins to boil. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat, and stir in the Irish Mist. Serve warm over bread pudding.

My note: I used Irish Mist, because it struck my fancy. You could substitute any hard liquor...bourbon, whiskey, rum.

Dump Cake

Ingredients:

1 can blueberry pie filling

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter or margarine

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In ungreased 9 x 13 inch cake pan, spread pie filling, then spoon in pineapple (trying not to mix the two). Sprinkle cake mix over pineapple. Pour melted butter evenly over cake mix, then spread coconut over, and lastly pecans. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees F.

My note: This is such an easy recipe (with such an unfortunate name...I'm sure because you basically just dump everything in). I think the recipe has been included in every church or organization cookbook I've ever owned. You can use other fruit pie fillings as well...cherry is nice with a splash of almond extract added to it. Even better served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.