Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

 1 1/4 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Water
3/4 C Oil
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Coconut Extract

3 1/2 C Rolled Oats
1 C Dry Powdered Milk (non-fat recommended)
1/2 - 1 C Almonds
1/2 - 1 C Pecans
1/2 C Coconut
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Heat sugar and water to a full boil.
3. Slightly cool and stir in oil, vanilla and coconut extract.
4. In a separate large bowl combine and mix oats, coconut, powdered milk, nuts and cinnamon.
5. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and stir together till all is coated.
6. Pour mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 2 hours flipping the granola every 30 minutes.
7. Cool then brake apart.  Store in an air tight container.

From Morgan Delahunty

Raspberry Cream Pie

Ingredients

CRUST: (can use premade crust instead)

1-1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 45 wafers)
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted

FILLING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

TOPPING:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, divided

Directions

1. Combine the wafer crumbs, pecans and butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. pie plate.
2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped cream. Spread into crust. Chill until serving.
3. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in water and 1-1/2 cups raspberries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate until chilled.
4. Spread topping over filling. Garnish with remaining berries.

Note: Could try to make this a lemon Raspberry Pie by flavoring the cream with lemon.

Maple Blueberry Pecan Salad

Dressing:

1/3 C Pure Maple Syrup
1/3 C Rice Vinegar
1 C Sugar (Next time try 3/4 cup, 1 cup seems to be too much)
1 Package Dry Italian Dressing Mix

Blend together then slowly add:
1/2 C Light Olive Oil

Note: Cut the Dressing in half if serving a small group. The full amount makes 1 1/2-2 cups.

Salad:

Romain Lettuce
Feta Cheese
Diced Gala Apples
Blueberries
Cinnamon Sugared Pecans

Cinnamon Sugared Pecans:
1/3 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 C Pecans (chopped or broke in half)

Place add ingredients into a frying pan over medium heat.  Stir until sugar melts and coats the nuts well, but remove from heat as quickly as possible.  Spread on wax paper or non-stick pan.  Let cool then break apart before adding to salad.

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake with Coconut Cream Filling

Coconut Frosting

Ingredients:

6 oz.       Evaporated Milk

2/3 C      Sugar

1/4 C      Butter/margarine

1             Egg (beat egg very well before adding!)

               Dash of Salt

1 tsp       Vanilla

1 1/3 C   Flaked Coconut

1/4 C      Pecans, finely chopped (optional)

Preparation:

In a sauce pan combine: milk, sugar, butter, egg and a dash of salt.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles (about 12 minutes).  Add Vanilla, Coconut and Pecans then cool. 

 Note: This is enough to frost the top of a 13x9x2 inch cake or two 8 inch layers.

Coconut Cream Filling

Coconut frosting (from above)

Whipped Cream

Preparation:

Take 1/3 of the coconut frosting and fold in whipped cream until you get a nice consistency (don’t add more than 2 cups).  This will be your filling in between your layers.

Fudge Chocolate Ganache (*I prefer this Ganache*)

1 C         Powdered Sugar            

1/2  C     Cocoa Powder

1/4 tsp    Salt                                                                  

1/3  C     Boiling water

1/3  C     Butter, softened                                               

1  tsp      Vanilla

Preparation:

Combine powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt.  Then add water and butter.  Blend well then add vanilla and stir.

Chocolate Ganache

1 Cup of Chocolate Chips

½ Cup Cream

Preparation:

Put in the microwave for 20 seconds then stir, repeat till melted and smooth.

(Note: Cut the amount in half. This does make a thin ganache to make thicker use less cream)

Cake & Frosting

1 Devils Food Box Cake

1 Chocolate Frosting

Preparation:

Make your favorite chocolate cake or use a Devil’s food box cake in round cake pans.

Make your favorite chocolate frosting or buy a fudgy chocolate frosting.

(Note: Make your cake in a 6 inch or 8 in pan.  The 9 inch makes the cake to thin.)

Assemble Cake as Follows:  

(Note: Assembling the cake works best after you have made all of the above.)

1)      Frost bottom layer entirely with your chocolate frosting.

2)      Pipe the chocolate frosting around the edge on the top of the first layer.

3)      Fill the coconut cream filling on the top of the first layer.

4)      Drizzle the chocolate ganache on top of the first layer.

5)      Place second cake layer on top of the first.

6)      Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting.

7)      Spread the coconut frosting in a circle on top of the cake.

8)      Use the chocolate ganache around the top edge of the cake to and drip down the sides of the cake.  Then make a lattice design on top. 

9)      Use the remaining chocolate frosting to decorate cake – optional.

German Chocolate Pie

Original Recipe Source, Bakers Chocolates

1 pkg. (4 0z) German Chocolate
¼ c. Butter (½ stick)
1 2/3 c. (14 ½ oz.) Evaporated Milk (more than 1 can)
1 ½ c. Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 unbaked 10 inch Pie Shell (9” deep makes a very, very full pie)
1 1/3 c. Coconut
½ c. Chopped Pecan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. Melt chocolate with butter over low heat; stir until blended. 

2. Remove from heat then gradually blend in milk and set aside. 

3. In a separate bowl mix sugar, cornstarch, salt then beat in eggs and vanilla. 

4. Gradually blend in chocolate mixture. 

5. Pour into pie shell. 

6. Mix coconut and pecans; sprinkle over filling. 

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is puffed. (Filling will be soft, but will set while cooling.) 

8. Cool at least 4 hours before serving. Makes 10-12 servings.

Note: If the crust begins to brown to much, put a ring of foil around the edges. Also if the coconut and pecans begin to brown to much you might need to put a sheet of foil over the entire pie.