Banana Cream Puffs

Banana Cream Puffs
By: Rosanna Thomas

Cream Puffs:
2 cups water
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 cups flour
8 eggs

Combine water and butter in saucepan, bring to a full rolling boil. Take off heat and add flour all at once. Stir until ball is formed. Let it cool in pan for 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously until each egg is incorporated. Batter will be loose at first, but will tighten as you continue to stir.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place batter (will be sticky) in a large Ziploc bag, release all air, and seal bag. Clip the end of bag so you can pipe the batter onto baking sheets. Pipe about 2 Tablespoons batter in a circular motion evenly spaced to allow expansion while baking.

Heat convection oven to 400 degrees. Bake cream puffs for 10 minutes, then, reduce heat to 350 degrees for another 10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool completely on wire racks. Store in covered container in refrigerator until ready to fill.

Banana Cream Filling:
1 box (3.4 oz) vanilla pudding mix
1 ½ cups whole milk
8oz Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup miniature marshmallows
2 ripe bananas, sliced

Whisk pudding mix and milk. Lightly mix in cool whip. Add marshmallows and banana slices; mix well.

Fill each cream puff with banana cream filling. For fun, melt 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate with 2 Tablespoons butter and drizzle over filled cream puffs.

Makes 30 cream puffs

Blueberry Yogurt Cake

Blueberry Yogurt Cake
By: Diana Rattray

3 large eggs
8 oz blueberry yogurt (note: if using plain yogurt add 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup canola oil
1 white cake mix (preferably with pudding in the mix)
16 oz frozen blueberries

Grease and flour a 10-12 cup Bundt or tube cake pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer beat together eggs, yogurt, orange juice concentrate, and oil. Slowly beat in cake mix. Continue beating on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in blueberries. Batter will be lumpy. Spoon into prepared cake pan.

Bake 50-60 minutes, depending on pan size and color, or until browned and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.

If desired drizzle a powdered sugar glaze over top of warm cake. Serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

Lemon Berry Angel Roll

Lemon Berry Angel Roll

1 package (16oz) Angel food cake mix
¾ cup powdered sugar, divided
1 ½ cups strawberry ice cream topping, or homemade strawberry jam, or seedless raspberry preserves
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries
1 lemon
7 drops yellow food coloring
1 container (8oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Fresh raspberries, for garnish (optional)
Lemon slices, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a long piece of parchment paper onto the bottom and up sides of BAR pan (jelly roll style).

Prepare cake mix according to package directions; pour batter over parchment, spread evenly. Bake 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with fingertip. Remove from oven.

Sprinkle ½ cup powdered sugar over cake. Place a new sheet of parchment paper over cake. Place cooling rack upside down over new piece of parchment paper (using hot pads because the pan is still very hot) carefully turn cake out at once. Remove pan and parchment from the bottom of cake. Starting at one short side, roll up cake in parchment. Cool completely on cooling rack.

Unroll cake and transfer to a large cutting board; discard parchment paper. Spread cake with ice cream topping, homemade jam or preserves. Combine cream cheese and remaining ¼ cup powdered sugar in bowl; mix well; zest lemon and juice lemon. Add zest and juice to cream cheese mixture. Add food coloring; mix well. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Gently spread over ice cream topping. Top with 1 cup raspberries or sliced strawberries. Re-roll cake.

Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh berries and sliced lemons if desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 10-12 servings

Blueberry Streusel Cobbler

Blueberry Streusel Cobbler

1 pint (2 cups) fresh or frozen blueberries
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
Zest from 1 lemon
1 cup butter (2 sticks), divided
2 cups biscuit baking mix, divided
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (optional)

Blueberry Sauce (optional):
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup water
1 pint (2 cups) fresh or frozen blueberries

To make cobbler:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a glass square 8x8 pan. In a bowl combine 1 pint blueberries, condensed milk and lemon zest.

In a large bowl, cut 1 ½ sticks of butter into 1 ½ cups biscuit mix until crumbly (you can use a food processor to speed up this process; just “pulse” a couple of times until you get a pea like consistency); add blueberry mixture (mixture will be sticky). Spread in the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ½ cup biscuit mix and the granulated sugar; cut in remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter until crumbly. Add nuts, if desired. Sprinkle over cobbler.

Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden brown and center is done. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream and blueberry sauce. Refrigerate leftovers.

To make blueberry sauce:
In a saucepan over medium high heat combine ½ cup sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually add water. Cook and stir until thickened (about 3-5 minutes). Stir in 1 pint blueberries; reduce heat to low and cook and stir until hot (about 5 more minutes). Remove from heat. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 8 servings

Twisted Strawberry Shortcake

Twisted Strawberry Shortcake

2 pkgs (4-servings size each) Vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling
1 quart (4 cups) cold milk
2 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping
1 pkg (12oz) store-bought prepared angel food cake, cut into ½ inch cubes
1/3 cup orange juice
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
5 squares Baker’s premium white baking chocolate, grated

Prepare pudding mixes with milk as directed on package. Gently stir in whipped topping.

Place cake cubes in large bowl. Drizzle orange juice over cake, then, toss to coat.

Place half of the cake cubes in a deep glass serving bowl; cover with layers of half each of the pudding mixture, strawberries, and grated chocolate. Top with layers of remaining cake cubes, pudding, strawberries and grated chocolate.

Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Makes 20 (1/2 cup each) servings

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp
By: Anna Malone

In a small bowl combine, and set aside:
Wash, peel and dice 6 cups of apples
1 ½ Tablespoons of lemon juice

Mix in a bowl to resemble crumbs:
1 ½ cups flour
1/3 cup oatmeal
1 ½ cups brown sugar
½ cup melted butter
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Mix in saucepan over medium heat until thick:
1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

In a greased 9x13 pan, put ½ crumb mixture on bottom, add apples, pour sauce mixture over top. Add rest of the crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream or Cool Whip topping.

Rich Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

Rich Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

2 1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, cold, cut into pieces
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 ¾ cup (10oz) toffee bits, divided (can be found in bakers isle of grocery store)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir together flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (this step can be done in a food processor “pulsed” a couple of times). Add egg; mix well. Stir in 1 ½ cups chocolate chips and all of chopped nuts. Reserve 1 ½ cups of mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over hot crust. Top with 1 ½ cups toffee bits. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture and remaining ½ cup chocolate chips over top.

Bake 25-30 more minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup toffee bits. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes about 30 bars

Holiday Red Raspberry Chocolate Bars

Holiday Red Raspberry Chocolate Bars
By: Easy Baking Hershey’s Cocoa

2 ½ cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
1 jar (12oz) seedless red raspberry jam
1 2/3 cup Hershey’s Raspberry Chips

Heat oven to 350

Grease 9x13 glass baking dish.

Stir together flour, sugar, pecans and egg in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside 1 ½ cups crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture on bottom of prepared pan. Stir jam until soften; carefully spread over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with raspberry chips. Crumble remaining crumb mixture evenly over top.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars.

Makes 30 bars

Double Layer Chocolate Pie

Double Layer Chocolate Pie
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

4oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon milk or half-and-half
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared chocolate flavor crumb crust (6oz)
2 cups cold milk or half-and-half
2 packages (4 serving size each) chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling

Mix cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon milk and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in 1 ½ cups of the whipped topping. Spread onto bottom of crust.

Pour 2 cups milk into bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk until well mixed. (Mixture will be thick.) Immediately stir in remaining whipped topping. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hour or until set. Garnish with whipped topping.

Makes 8 servings

Note: To soften cream cheese quickly, microwave on High for 20 seconds

Chocolate Almond Macaroon Bars

Chocolate Almond Macaroon Bars
By: Rosanna adapted from Easy Baking Hershey’s Cocoa

1 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (1 pack of graham crackers, with ¼ cup cocoa powder and 1/8 cup granulated sugar)
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
½- ¾ can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
½ cup almonds, toasted *, then finely chopped
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/8 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup Premier White Chips

*To toast almonds: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on shallow baking sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned*

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Grease 8x8 glass baking dish.

Combine crumbs, melted butter and sugar; firmly press mixture on bottom of prepared pan. Stir together sweetened condensed milk, coconut and almonds; mix well. Carefully drop mixture by spoonfuls over crust; spread evenly. Bake 22-25 minutes or until coconut edges just begin to brown. Cool.

Place chocolate chips and cream in microwavable bowl. Microwave 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool until slightly thickened; spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle top with white chips. Cover; refrigerate several hours until thoroughly chilled. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 9-16 bars

Chocolate Cherry Bars

Chocolate Cherry Bars
By: Easy Baking Hershey’s Cocoa

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
¾ cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, divided
1 ½ cups plus 1/3 cup flour, divided
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup “mini” semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained

Heat oven to 350

Generously grease 9x13 glass baking dish.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat; stir in cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat. Add sugar, 3 eggs, 1 ½ cups flour and almonds; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 egg, 1/3 cup flour, sweetened condensed milk and almond extract. Pour over baked layer; sprinkle with mini kissed and cherries. Return to oven.

Bake an additional 20 minutes or until set and edges are golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Cut into bars. Cover; refrigerate leftover bars.

Makes about 30 bars

Cocoa Kiss Cookies

Cocoa Kiss Cookies
By: Easy Baking Hershey’s Cocoa

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 2/3 cup flour
¼ cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
1 cup finely chopped pecans
54 Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates (1 package)
Powdered sugar

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Add pecans; beat until well blended. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Remove wrappers from chocolate kisses. Mold scant Tablespoon of dough around each chocolate kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again just before serving, if desired.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

5 Layers of Heaven

5 Layers of Heaven
By: Rosanna

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter
1 ¾ cup vanilla wafers; crushed fine in food processor
6 Tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa powder
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup Heath Bits ‘O Brickle toffee bits
1 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter in 9x13 glass baking pan by placing butter directly in pan, and placing pan in oven while it warms to correct temperature!

Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, cocoa powder and sugar; sprinkle over melted butter.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over top of crumbs. Top with chocolate chips and toffee bits, then nuts; press down firmly.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned (condensed milk will start to bubble around edges; Cliff says this is the best part!). Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Chill, if desired (but we like them at room temperature). Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Makes about 20 bars

“4 Stars…Cliff’s absolute favorite; he even came up with the title!”

Colorful Caramel Bites

Colorful Caramel Bites
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

1 cup plus 6 Tablespoons flour, divided
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, melted
1 ¾ cups “M&M’s” Semi-sweet Chocolate Mini Baking Bits, divided
1 ½ cups chopped pecans, divided
1 jar (12oz) caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (reduce heat to 325 if using a glass baking pan)

Combine 1 cup flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, and salt; blend in melted butter to form crumbly mixture. Press half the crumb mixture onto bottom of 9x9 baking pan; bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 cup baking bits and 1 cup nuts. Blend remaining 6 Tablespoons flour with caramel topping; pour over top. Combine remaining crumb mixture, remaining ¾ cup baking bits and remaining ½ cup nuts; sprinkle over caramel layer. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Cut into squares.

Makes 36 squares

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

1 package Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Swiss Chocolate Cake Mix (Note: You may substitute Devil’s Food, Dark Chocolate, or Butter Recipe Fudge Cake mix flavors for the Swiss chocolate mix)
1 container Duncan Hines Creamy Homestyle Vanilla Frosting
½ cup Creamy peanut butter
15 miniature peanut butter cup candies, wrappers removed, cut in half vertically

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place 30 (2 ½ inch) paper liners in muffin cups.

Prepare, bake and cool cupcakes following package directions for basic recipe.

Combine vanilla frosting and peanut butter in medium bowl in electric mixer until smooth. Frost one cupcake. Decorate with peanut butter cup candy, cut-side down. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Makes 30 cupcakes

Chocolate Pecan Tassies

Chocolate Pecan Tassies
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

***note: you will need a mini-muffin tin for this recipe***

Crust:
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 package (3oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup flour

Filling:
1 square Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate
1 Tablespoon butter
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Powdered sugar (optional)

Beat ½ cup butter and cream cheese until well blended. Beat in flour until just blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave chocolate and 1 Tablespoon butter in large microwave bowl on High 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Beat in brown sugar, egg and vanilla until thickened. Stir in pecans.

Shape chilled dough into 36 (1 inch) balls. Flatten each ball and press onto bottoms and up sides of ungreased miniature muffin cups. Spoon about 1 teaspoon filling into each cup.

Bake 20 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 36 tassies

Fudgy Banana Rocky Road Clusters

Fudgy Banana Rocky Road Clusters
By: Chocolate Lover’s Collection

1 package (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup banana chips

Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in large microwavable bowl. Microwave at High 2 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring twice.

Fold in marshmallows, peanuts and banana chips.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper. Drop rounded Tablespoonfuls candy mixture onto prepared baking sheets; refrigerate until firm. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Makes 2 ½ dozen clusters

Strawberry Whipped Sensation

Strawberry Whipped Sensation
By: Eagle Brand

4 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 can (14oz) Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip, thawed, divided
8 Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon butter, melted

Line 8x4 loaf pan with foil. Mash 2 cups of the strawberries in large bowl. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, juice, and 2 cups of Cool Whip, pour into pan.

Top with combined chopped cookies and butter, press into mixture. Cover.

Freeze loaf at least 6 hours. To serve, invert onto plate. Remove foil. Frost with remaining Cool Whip. Top with remaining strawberries, sliced.

Makes 12 servings

Black Forest Angel Roll

Black Forest Angel Roll
By: Doris Christopher

1 package (16oz) angel food cake mix
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 can (21oz) cherry pie filling
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 ½ cups chocolate-flavored syrup
1 ½ cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a bar pan with parchment paper.

Add cocoa powder to angel food cake mix and prepare batter according to package directions. Pour batter into prepared pan. Cut through batter with a spatula to remove large air bubbles. Bake 30 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with fingertip. Turn cake out at once onto a sheet of parchment paper sprinkled with powdered sugar. Gently remove parchment paper that was stuck to the bottom of the cooked angel food cake. Roll up cake in sugared parchment paper lined side in jelly roll fashion. Cool on non-stick cooling rack. Unroll cake; discard parchment paper. Spread pie filling to within 1 inch of edge; reroll. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, if desired. Slice into 1 inch slices using serrated bread knife. For each serving drizzle with 1-2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup; top with whipped topping.

Yield: 12 servings

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
By: Rosanna

Cherry Chip cake mix with ingredients for mix

Mix cake mix according to package directions in a bowl with an electric mixer. Fill 20 paper lined (sprayed with Flour Pam Spray to prevent sticking) muffin tins with batter (about ¾ up the tin). Bake 22 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

Frosting:
1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
16oz (2 cups) powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Using an electric mixer combine frosting ingredients in large bowl and mix until smooth. Fill large Ziploc bag with frosting. Cut tip of Ziploc bag, and pipe frosting over cupcakes in a swirl motion. Top each frosted cupcake with mini semisweet chocolate chips! Store covered in a tight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Makes 20 cupcakes