Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups grated carrots

Mix eggs and oil; beat in sugar. Add flour and spices gradually to mixture; beat until glossy. Add grated carrots. If soggy, add 1/4 cup flour. Grease pan; makes either three layers, or a sheet cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Icing: Mix 1 box powdered sugar with an 8-ounce package of cream cheese (add 1/2 cup margarine or butter, if desired). Add 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are best). Frost cake after it has cooled from baking.

Old Fashioned Gingerbread

1/2 cup shortening (butter is best)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup hot water
Cream shortening with sugar; beat in molasses and egg. Stir in dry ingredients; beat in hot water until smooth. Bake in greased pan (13x9x2) at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Nut Brittle

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tbs water
1 cup nutmeats
1 tbs butter
1 tsp baking soda

Cook sugar and water in a deep saucepan until it spins a thread. Add butter and nuts, and cook until caramel colored (light brown). Remove from heat, and stir in baking soda. Pour onto buttered cookie sheet and allow to cool. Shatter with knife handle.

Mixture is hot, and will burn. Don't use something like PAM to grease the cookie sheets; it will spoil the flavor of the brittle. Peanuts and pecans are very good, as are filberts.

Microwave Fudge

By MaisyDaisy


3 cups sugar
¾ cup butter or margarine (real butter works best)
5 or 5 ½ ounce can of milk (little can)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 jar marshmallow crème
1 package chocolate chips, or chip flavor of your choice

Combine sugar, butter, and milk in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat on high 10-15 minutes, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly, stirring twice. Add vanilla and stir. Add chips and marshmallow crème and stir until fully mixed. Pour into greased cake pan and let set until firm. Cut and Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

By  MaisyDaisy


Cookies 
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Creamy peanut butter
1 Cup white sugar
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Eggs
4 Cups all-purpose flour
2 Teaspoons baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Filling
1/2 Cup creamy peanut butter
3 Cups confectioners' sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
5-6 Tablespoons milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to mixture in mixing bowl. Shape into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with tins of a fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 5-6 minutes (important so that you don't over bake!!). Remove from oven and leave on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes to allow the cookies to continue absorbing the heat from the cookie sheet. They should be slightly brown on the bottom. Cool on wire racks. In a mixing bowl combine and mix the filling ingredients until smooth. Spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie. Yield 5 dozen.

Chocaroon Pie

By chesire255

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 2/3 cups coconut
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk


• In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over very low heat.
• Whisk in eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Pour mixture into an oiled 9-inch pie pan.
• Combine coconut and condensed milk and spoon over filling, leaving a 1/2 inch border around edge.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 F or until center is set.
• Cool before serving. For added decadence, serve with ice cream. 

Sesame Cookies

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease cookie sheet. Wax paper is ok.

2. Into bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Add egg yolks, milk and vanilla; with fork, mix just until dough holds together. Knead several times or until smooth.

4. For each cookie, shape rounded tablespoonful of dough into an oval, to resemble a little loaf of bread. Roll in sesame seed, coating completely. Place on prepared cookie sheet.

5. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until brown. Let cool on wire rack.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

I recommend a little less sugar than called for. I remember them growing up to be a more bitter than these. Also cook them longer than 20 minutes, they should be crunchy and not soft and golden brown.

Range Cake (aka Cowboy Cake)

2 cups sugar
2 cups hot water
2/3 cup shortening
2 cups raisins
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
 2 cups chopped nuts

Mix ingredients through cinnamon in large saucepan. Let come to boil; about three minutes. Then add the baking soda dissolved in a little warm water. Let mixture cool to lukewarm, and then add the flour, the baking powder, and the nuts (pecans are best). Pour into baking dish or pan, and bake in 375 oven. Test for doneness.

This recipe is perfect for substitutions, and excellent for those allergic to milk or eggs. Instead of raisins, use any other dried fruit. Instead of chopped nuts, you may use coconut, or even citron for a nice holiday look. You may also substitute other flour for wheat flour (although stay away from the strong flavored ones like rye). Keeps well, wrapped in foil, if shipping to students away from home, or loved ones overseas.

Lazy Fudge - Microwave

3 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, cut in chunks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional

In medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT vanilla extract and optional nuts. Microwave on high for three minutes, remove bowl and stir after each minute.

After microwaving, add vanilla extract and stir by hand until mixture is smooth and creamy. I

f desired, stir in optional nuts. Pour into a buttered 8" square pan.

Cool until firm. Cut into squares.

Options:

I

nstead of buttering your pan, you

can line it with wax paper. After fudge has cooled, turn the pan onto your cutting board, peel away wax paper, and cut into squares.

Fudge

can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Mocha Cinnamon Cake

by Shrdlu

2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 sq. unsweetened chocolate, melted
2/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 tsp. instant coffee (or two tsp. finely ground beans)
3 tsp. cinnamon

Mix in usual way. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

I usually use a loaf pan, rather than layer pans. If you use layer pans, reduce the baking time.