Starwberry Jam Tarts

Strawberry Jam Tarts
Yield 30

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup strawberry jam, seedless
Powdered sugar for dusting

Heat your oven to 350F and have ready an ungreased mini-muffin or mini-tart pan.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter. Pulse until the mixture forms a ball.

Turn the dough out into a floured board and form into a log. Divide the log in half and divide each half into 15 pieces.

Place a ball of dough in the cup of a mini-muffin pan and, using a dough tamper or your fingers, press down until the dough reaches the top if the cup.

Spoon about one tablespoon of jam into each tart shell, making sure the tart shells are not too full.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tarts are golden brown and the jam is bubbling.

Cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing to a rack to cool the rest of the way.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

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Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 eggs plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Homemade Oreo Cookies

For The Chocolate Wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For The Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

This take on the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup™ gets crunch from ground graham crackers while the sweetness is tamed by using high-quality milk chocolate and natural peanut butter.

Special Equipment:
Kitchen scale
Chocolate thermometer
Pastry brush (or small paintbrush)
24-well mini muffin pan
Palette knife

Homemade Almond Joys

Though probably not the most popular candy bar out there, the Almond Joy™ is held near and dear by coconut-lovers. This take is made with premium ingredients and is less sweet, so it has won over those who normally shy away from corner-store treats.

Special Equipment:
Kitchen scale
Tape measure
Chocolate thermometer
Three-prong chocolate dipping fork

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter Bombs

Ingredients:
* 1 jar (18 oz.) peanut butter
* 1 stick butter (melted)
* 1 lb. powdered sugar
* 1 1/4 cups rice breakfast cereal)
* 1 (12 oz.) and 1 (6 oz.) package semi sweet chocolate morsels
* 1/4 stick paraffin wax (see alternative)

Preparation:
Put peanut butter into a large bowl, add alternately (small amounts at a time) butter and sugar. Mix well until all sugar disappears. Add rice and continue mixing. Form into balls the size of walnuts.

Chocolate Intensity

This dessert is very dense in texture and rich in flavor. The name definitely says it all. It was deep, rich, and most definitely intense. And that’s before glazing it! Actually, to say this cake is intense is an understatement. I would described this cake as death-by-chocolate - but a sweet way to go. With half a pound of chocolate and 3 sticks of butter, it tasted like a chocolate truffle cheesecake without the sour tang from the cream cheese. There was no doubt that the coffee did its job of adding depth and complexity to the chocolate.Tip: Instead of glazing the cake whole and slicing wedges, try cutting out rounds to make a bunch of small cakes (before the glaze).

Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brewed coffee

Black Bottom Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling

Cream Cheese Filling
16-oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tbsp sour cream, room temperature
1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips (not full size*)

Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups sugar

Icebox Cake

Ingredients:
3 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (9-ounce) packages Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies
Unsweetened cocoa (or chocolate shavings)

Preparation:
In a large bowl, beat cream, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.

Paula Deen’s Peanut Butter Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup peanut butter

Toffee Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine - softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces milk chocolate - broken into pieces
1/2 cup chopped nuts

White Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine - softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6 ounce) package white baking bars - cut into small chunks

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup red raspberry jam

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:
1 package lemon cake mix
1/3 cup butter or margarine - softened
3 eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese - softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Frosted Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
3/4 cup butter or margarine - softened
1 egg
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Raspberry Brownie Bars

Ingredients:
1 (19.8-ounce) package fudge brownie mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese - softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Banana Roll

Just like pumpkin roll only without the spice and with banana in place of the pumpkin!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup mashed banana
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Layered Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
Layered Pumpkin PieCrust:
1/4 C. shortening
1/4 C. butter
1 1/3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 T. water

Coconut Cream Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 large eggs, separated
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

Thanksgiving 2011

Only a few days until Thanksgiving! This is my favorite time of the year! I love the aroma of delicious foods cooking in the kitchen and the bustle of the family getting ready to celebrate and give thanks!

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

With only a couple days left I am going to start the cooking tonight! I usually cook for the family and we have about 15-20 people for dinner. It gives me such great pleasure to see everyone enjoying the all the delicious dishes we prepared! So without further adieu, here is the Thanksgiving Menu for this year: