Desserts

Applesauce Bars
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup applesauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in applesauce. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; stir into the applesauce mixture until well blended. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Cool in the pan over a wire rack. In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar and margarine. Stir in vanilla and milk until smooth. Spread over cooled bars before cutting into squares.

Banana Crunch Cake
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 large, very ripe bananas - sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
Heat oven to 350*F (175*C). Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan; set aside.
In medium bowl, combine flour, coconut, rolled oats, brown sugar and pecans; mix well. Using fork or pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly; set aside.
In large bowl, combine bananas, sour cream and eggs; beat until smooth. Add cake mix; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Spread 1/3 of batter in prepared pan; sprinkle with 1/3 of coconut mixture. Repeat layers twice using remaining batter and coconut mixture, ending with coconut mixture.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; remove from pan. Place on serving plate, coconut side up. Cool completely.
Makes 16 servings.

Banana Pudding
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 package instant banana pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 bananas, sliced (*option: slice bananas & place on top of each individual serving –keeps them from going brown & dessert will last longer in fridge w/o them)
1 box vanilla wafers

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with vanilla wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Spread remaining whipped topping. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over top. Chill for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld into the wafers.
 

Butternut-Squash Pie
1 package (15 oz.) refrigerated piecrusts (2 crusts)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup thawed frozen winter squash or canned pumpkin 1/4 cup half-and-half
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Cut four 4" circles from each piecrust. Place each circle in own muffin-pan cup, pressing to fit interior of cup. Place another muffin pan on top, pushing down to secure crusts. Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven, and lift top muffin pan off crusts. Lower oven temperature to 350°F.
2. Meanwhile, prepare filling: In medium bowl, mix together sugar, spice, and salt. Whisk in eggs, squash, and half-and-half. Divide filling among baked shells and bake 30 minutes. Makes 8 pies.

Caramel Chocolate Sticky Buns
1 (15 oz) container coconut-pecan frosting 
1 cup pecan halves
2 cans refrigerated biscuits
20 milk chocolate kisses
Preheat over to 375 degrees. Spread frosting in 9" pan. Sprinkle pecans over frosting. Flatten each biscuit to about 1/4" thickness, place a kiss in the center and fold the biscuit over it pressing the edges to form a seal. Arrange over pecans, flat side down. Bake on lowest position of oven rack for about 25 minutes (til browned). Invert on to a serving plate and serve warm.
 

Caramelized Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (20-ounce) can sliced pineapple, drained
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
3 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Let butter simmer lightly until it begins to darken, but does not burn, about 6 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and simmer 3 more minutes. Pour into a 13x9-inch baking dish.
Arrange a single layer of pineapple rings over butter and sprinkle with nuts.
Prepare cake mix with eggs and oil according to package directions; pour over pineapple rings. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before turning out onto a serving platter. Serve at room temperature.
 

Carrot-Banana Mini Bundts
Heat oven to 350°F.
Butter and flour 6 mini bundt pans. Combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. In large bowl, beat 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature and 3/4 cup sugar until fluffy. Beat in 2 large eggs, one at a time. Beat in 1 cup grated carrots, 3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas, 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden-brown. Cool 5 minutes. Turn bundts out onto rack; cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Yield: 6 mini bundts

Even Better Than Sex Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package butter-type yellow cake mix
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 large bananas
1 (8-ounce) package whipped topping
1 (3-ounce) package vanilla pudding
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup coconut
Bake cake according to directions. Cool. Punch holes in cake.
Mix pineapple with juice with sugar. Boil for 5 minutes; pour over the cake while it is still warm.
Mix pudding according to package directions and combine with cream cheese, mixing well. After the cake has cooled pour pudding and cream cheese mixture over cake. Put banana slices on top. Put on cool whip. Then top with nuts and coconut.

Fruit Pizza
1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow crème
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
kiwi, mango, grapes, thinly sliced apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, chunk pineapple (any fruit you like can be combined!)
~~To avoid apples & bananas from turning brown soak them in either lemon or pineapple juice before placing on pizza~~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
On an ungreased medium baking sheet, smooth the refrigerated sugar cookie dough into a single layer approximately 1/4 inch thick. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and center is no longer doughy. In a medium bowl, blend the marshmallow crème and cream cheese. Spread the mixture over the baked crust. Add your fruit toppings and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Guilt Free Frozen PB Cup (South Beach Style)

1 Sugar Free Fudgsicle

1-2 Tbsp Peanut Butter (natural or reduced sugar)

1-2 Tbs Lite Cool Whip

Put unwrapped fudgsicle in a bowl & zap it in the microwave for about 10 seconds so you can remove the stick.  Mash it with the peanut butter starting with 1Tbs (up to 2) until you get the taste you want.  Stir in the Cool Whip & put the bowl in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes.  The result will be a guilt free shake-like dessert that tastes like a PB cup! (I prefer mine w/o the cook whip.)

Peanut Maple Popcorn
1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
About 8 cups popped popcorn in a large bowl
Combine the Creamy Peanut Butter, maple syrup and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt, stirring often until ingredients are combined. Stir well and drizzle over the popcorn. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted
1 (7-ounce) container whipped topping
Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Grease a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan. Combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well and spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over top of pumpkin mixture and pat down. Sprinkle chopped pecans next and then drizzle melted butter over all. Bake for 1 hour, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely and spread whipped topping onto cake.
Keep refrigerated.
 

St. Louie-Gooey Butter Cake
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) package) cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided use
Preheat oven to 350*F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine yellow cake mix, melted margarine, and 2 eggs. Pour into a greased and floured 13 x 9-inch cake pan. In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 beaten eggs. Pour over the cake mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden. Cool then sprinkle with 1/4 cup powdered sugar.
 

Turtle Cake
1(14-ounce) package soft caramel candies
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 (18.25-ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350*F.
Melt caramel candies with evaporated milk in the top of a double boiler. In a large mixing bowl combine german chocolate cake mix with water, softened butter, and eggs. Blend on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Pour half the batter in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cake puffs up. Pour the caramel/milk mixture over the partially baked layer to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Sprinkle chopped pecans and semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the caramel. Pour the remaining batter on top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool in the pan before cutting into squares.
 

Watermelon Sherbet
2 cups watermelon, cubed and seeded
1/2 cup sugar
1 envelope gelatin, unflavored
1/3 cup cranberry juice cocktail
Place watermelon in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth.  Stir in sugar. In a small saucepan, combine gelatin and cranberry  juice. Let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir mixture over low heat until gelatin is dissolved.  Pour and stir the gelatin mixture into the melon mixture.  Pour into an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.  Break up frozen mixture and place in a chilled mixer bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed or until mixture is fluffy.  Return to pan. Cover and freeze for 6 hours or until firm.
 

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