Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad

While my Mom was sick her friend Suzie made our family the most delicious Jello salad ever! You can use different fruit flavors but I like raspberry the best. Be sure to start this recipe early so you have time to let the layers cool.

Crust:
2 cups crushed pretzels
2/3 cup nuts pecans (optional - they are really yummy in the crust but since Caleb is allergic to nuts we don't do them)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter

Crush the pretzels into small pieces. Mix together with sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Let this cool for about 10 minutes before adding the next layer.

Cream Cheese Layer
8z cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 pt whipping cream, whipped

Mix the cream cheese and sugar and fold in the whipping cream. Layer on top of crust and refrigerate until this layer is set and cooled.

Jello Layer
1 pkg frozen raspberries, thawed
1 large raspberry jello mix
2 cups boiling water

Combine boiling water and jello and mix and add thawed raspberries. Gently ladle over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until jello is set, at least 3-4 hours.

Enjoy!

Caramel Dumplings

Two of my favorite things combined! This yummy recipe came from our good friends the Brinkerhoffs. It is amazing and the best part is that the ingredients are things you almost always have around!

Sift together:
1 1/4 c flour
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Then cut 2 Tbsp butter into the flour mixture until it becomes fine particles.

Combine :
1/3 c + 1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Add that to the dry ingredients all at once and stir until the dough clings together.

In a dutch oven or large saucepan combine:
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c water
1/8 tsp salt

Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly and then reduce heat to low. Drop dough by tablespoons into simmering sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Perfect Pie Crust

I got this recipe from Tyece too. It really is a perfect pie crust! The trick is to not handle the dough to much!

2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 c shortening
1/4 c ice water

Mix flour and salt. Cut shortening in with a pastry knife until crumbly. Stir in water with a fork until mixed. Divide in half and roll out half out on a floured surface until it is about an inch larger than your pie pan. Roll over your rolling pin and then unroll over your pie pan and form to pan. Cut off excess. Add filling and repeat with top. Flute pie edges together and cut 4 slits in the top to vent.

Apple pie bakes at 400 for an hour.

The extra dough is really yummy cut into shapes and baked with cinnamon and sugar on top. My kiddos love it!

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

3 cans peaches
1 can crushed pineapple
1 butter recipe cake mix
1/2 - 1 cube butter

Drain the peach juice into a bowl and add all 3 cans of peaches into dutch oven. You don't have to be real picky about completely draining it. I drain off most of the juice with the lid and then dump them. Add the crushed pineapple without draining it. Mix with a spoon and spread evenly over the bottom.

Sprinkle cake mix over the fruit evenly. Take the cube of butter and cut little slices off of it and spread over cake mix. You can use as little as 1/2 of the cube to as much as the whole thing depending on your tastes. Then drizzle the peach juice over the whole thing as evenly as possible. Place the lid on and then set in the coals and add a few to the top of the dutch oven to cook the top.

I would check it after about 15 minutes to see how quickly your coals are cooking it. If its burning, they are too hot. If it looks the same you might want to add more.

Apple Crisp

I had an apple crisp recipe that was good but we have replaced it with this one which we love! We use apples I have canned in a light fruit syrup and then drained most of the juice off.

1/2 c oats
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c butter softened
1/4 c flaked sweetened coconut

Mix the first 4 ingredients. Add softened butter and cut it in with a fork until it is evenly crumbly. Add coconut and mix well. Pour over apples and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

We had a pineapple that was starting to go bad and it was Cooking with Caleb night so we decided to make a cake with our pineapple. It was so yummy!

1/2 c butter
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1 small pineapple or 1 can pineapple chunks
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c water
1/4 c oil
1 c sour cream

We made our cake in a large stoneware pie dish. Its was larger than your normal pie baking dish and this cake fit it perfectly. Preheat oven to 350 and add butter to dish and place in preheating oven so that it melts while you are making the cake. Cut pineapple into chunks and place in a bowl. Add cake mix and all ingredients except the pineapple and brown sugar. Mix until the lumps are gone. When butter is melted sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter evenly. Then spread the pineapple evenly and top with the cake mixture. Cook on 350 for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Invert onto a serving dish immediately.

Sweet Sauce Popcorn

For movie night tonight I looked on All recipes to see if there was a fun new popcorn recipe that we hadn't tried yet and found this one and then changed it a little bit and it was super yummy! Its not like Carmel Corn and its healthier because there is way less butter but it still satisfies a sweet craving.

2 Tbsp butter
1/4 c water
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Popcorn (enough to layer two cookie sheets)

In a saucepan heat all ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn to low and let boil on a low for 4 minutes. Cover 2 cookie sheets with foil and pop popcorn and cover cookie sheets with an even layer. When sweet sauce is done boiling remove from heat and drizzle over popcorn evenly. Enjoy!

Disney Trail Mix

Let me start out by saying I don't like trail mix. My sis in law Kate brought this to Disneyland one day and it was the perfect snack for all day to just grab a handful in line. I couldn't stop eating it!

Corn chex
Goldfish
Almonds
Cashews
Craisins
Butterscotch chips
M&M’s

Pumpkin Cake Bars

This recipe came from a lady in our last ward. So so good!

16 oz. canned pumpkin
1 t. nutmeg
4 eggs
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. oil
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
2 c. sugar
1 t. ground cloves
2 c. flour

Frosting
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. margarine
5 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla

Mix all cake ingredients in a mixer. Spread in a jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mix ingredients of frosting until smooth. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Homemade Ice cream

This recipe came from my good friend Krista.

1 can Eagle Brand sweet and condensed milk
2 c sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
5 c milk
1 pint whipping cream

Whip whipping cream in a mixer and then in a separate bowl combine all other ingredients. Fold whipping cream into other ingredients. Put in berries or other additives and place in ice cream maker.

Creme Puffs

Oh heavens these are so yummy! They are from my Grandma Irene and are my Dads favorite treat! You want to make the puffs ahead of time because you want them to be cooled.

¼ c butter
¼ tsp salt
½ c boiling water
2 eggs unbeaten
½ c sifted flour
1 tub chocolate frosting
Heavy whipping cream

Add butter to boiling water. Heat until butter melts. Add flour and salt all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook, stirring mixture until it leaves the side of the pan. Remove from heat, cool 1 minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating with spoon after each egg until smooth. Drop by heaping tsp, 2” apart on greased cookie sheet, shaping with a wet spoon into rounds, which point up at center. Bake in hot oven at 450° for 10 minutes then at 400° for 20 minutes. Turn off oven and make a slit in each one to let out the steam (so they don’t get soggy in the middle). Let stand in oven 5 minutes more. Allow to cool and cut each in half, frosting the top half with chocolate frosting. Whip whipping cream with sugar and fill each puff.

Banana Cream Pie

Crust:
Crush 1 package graham crackers (not the whole box but one of the packages in clear wrapping that come in the boxes).
Add 1/3 cup butter, softened
and ¼ c sugar.

Mix until combined and then press into pie pan. Chill while you prepare filling.

Filling
¾ c sugar
2 Tbsp butter
¼ c cornstarch
1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 c milk
4 bananas

In a saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and mix. Add milk in gradually while stirring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Cook for one more minute and then remove from heat. Stir ¼ c of hot mixture into beaten egg yolks and then immediately add back into the pan. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add butter, vanilla, and stir until smooth. Slice bananas into pie shell and top with pudding mixture. Chill until set. Top with whipped cream.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This recipe is great for strawberry shortcake since I don't like Angels food cake. This is the complete opposite so dense...I love it!

3 c sugar
6 eggs
8 oz cream cheese
3 c flour
1 c butter softened
1 tsp vanilla

Cream sugar, cream cheese, and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs 2 at a time. Blend in flour and vanilla. Pour batter into a well greased pan (tube or loaf). Start in a cold oven and bake at 300° for 1–1 ½ hours or until golden brown. Top with fruit, whipped cream, and powdered sugar.

Sweet Frosted Brownie

This is similar to a Texas Sheet Cake. Its great when you are serving a lot of people.

Brownie Sift together:
2 c sugar
2 c flour

Heat to boiling in pan:
2 cubes butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 c cold water

Add boiling mixture to flour and sugar and mix well.

Then add:
½ c milk
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs

Mix well and pour into a greased 11x17 cookie sheet (with lip). Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.

Frosting Bring to boil:
1 cube butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
5 Tbsp milk

Remove from heat and add: 1 tsp vanilla 1 box powdered sugar Heat and stir until smooth and then spread on brownies immediately after removing them from oven. Cool and serve.

Raspberry Delight

This is from my friend Kara and this is such a yummy treat!

2 c flour
½ c butter
½ c brown sugar
½ c chopped pecans
2 pkgs Dream whip
8 oz cream cheese
1 c powdered sugar
1 pkg frozen raspberries
1 pkg Danish dessert (found near the gelatin) if you can’t find this you can substitute a small raspberry Jell-O.

Crust: Mix flour, butter, brown sugar, and nuts well. Press all but 1 cup into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes.

Filling: Prepare Dream whip. Cream together Dream whip, cream cheese, and powdered sugar, and spread over crust

Topping: Combine Danish dessert with 1 ½ c cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Add raspberries. Ladle over filling slowly. Top with remaining crumbles from crust mixture. Chill several hours before serving.

Peanut Butter Parfait

This recipe is from my brother Mark and his wife Lisa.

1 c packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1/3 c milk
¼ c peanut butter
¼ c light corn syrup
½ gallon vanilla ice cream

For sauce, combine brown sugar, milk, corn syrup, and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Remove from heat. Whisk in peanut butter until smooth. Cover and chill for about 3 hours. Alternate ice cream with sauce in glasses. Sprinkle yummy stuff on top

Gingerbread

This recipe is from my sis-in-law Kate and it make the softest gingerbread ever.

1 egg
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ c dark molasses
½ tsp cloves
¾ c softened butter
½ tsp cinnamon
1 c sugar
2 ¼ c flour
½ tsp baking soda

Mix egg, molasses, and butter. Add remaining ingredients and mix again; then chill. Form into long strips, 2 per cookie sheet and spaced about 2” apart. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes.

Almond Roca

This recipe is from our friend Megan. Its actually surprisingly easy and great to give in jars to neighbors at Christmas time.

1 c almonds, finely chopped
4- 8 oz milk chocolate bars, grated or slivered
2 sticks butter
3 Tbsp water
1 c sugar

Put half of the chopped nuts on bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Layer half of the grated chocolate over nuts. Cook water, sugar, and butter over high heat until brown, like the color of a brown sack and it should just start to steam. Remove from heat. Pour syrup over chocolate and then top with remaining chocolate and then nuts and press nuts down softly. Refrigerate until cool and hard. Cover with saran wrap and push down on it to break it into pieces.

Lemon Jell-O Cake

This cake is one of my favorite ever. Its great for the summer since its served cold.

Cake:
4 eggs
1 sm pkg lemon Jell-O
¾ c oil
1 lemon cake mix
1 ¼ c water

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c lemon juice

Beat all cake ingredients and bake at 350° in greased 9x13 pan for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and while hot poke holes with fork all over and pour on the glaze. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve with whipped cream.

Chocoholic Cake

This recipe was also from my friend Megan. This cake is so pretty and great for guests. Its supper rich so watch out!

Cake:
1 pkg (18.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg (3.4 oz) chocolate instant pudding
1 c milk
½ c sour cream
4 lg eggs
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Glaze:
1 (2 oz) nestle toll house unsweetened chocolate baking bar
3 T butter
1 ½ c powdered sugar, sifted
2-3 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour a bundt or tube pan. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, milk, sour cream, and eggs in a large mixer on low speed until blended. Then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes and then invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Dont make the mistake I did and try to dump it before coolong it....let is cool for 20 min first!

For glaze melt baking bar and butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar, alternating with water until desired consistency. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour over cake and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.