Frozen Strawberry Squares

Ingredients:
1 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
2 egg whites*
1 c. sugar
2 c. sliced fresh strawberries
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1- 1 1/2 c. whipped topping

Directions:
1. Mix together flour, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture on a cookie sheet, making pieces a little larger than peas. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to get even browning. Cool completely.
2. Spread most of the cooled crumb mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the strawberry squares.
3. Combine egg whites, sugar, strawberries, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff, at least 5-7 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour mixture over the crumb crust and use reserved crust crumbs for garnish. Freeze overnight, then cut in squares and serve. Enjoy!

*Disclaimer: The egg whites used in this recipe do not get cooked. If this is something that bothers you or that you don't want to risk, I suggest not making this recipe.

Notes: This is my grandma's recipe and was a favorite of mine growing up. I love the light, fluffy, fresh filling combined with the crispy crust and topping.

Blackberry-apple Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping

Ingredients:
1 pastry for a single crust pie
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 c. fresh blackberries
2 1/2 c. apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

Topping
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 c. pecans, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add fruit and gently stir until blackberries and apples are well coated. Set aside and allow the fruit to sit for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare pastry dough (if making your own) and roll out on lightly-floured surface. Place in 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.
3. To prepare topping, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add nuts and butter, using a fork or pastry blender to completely incorporate the butter with other ingredients.
4. Once fruit has stood for 20 minutes, spoon filling into pastry-lined pie pan. Place foil around the edge of the pastry to prevent from getting too brown. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Spread topping over filling, being sure to evenly cover the top. Continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until crust and top are golden brown and filling begins to bubble. Cool on wire rack. Serve as is, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or with a dollop of whipped topping.

Notes: This is a hybrid of this recipe and this one, along with my own adjustments. I love how it turned out! Very tasty! I like the textural and flavor combination of the apples and blackberries. I would recommend putting the pie pan on a baking sheet to keep your oven clean. The filling will probably bubble over a bit.

Cranberry Surprise Loaf

Ingredients:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. apple juice
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c. chopped fresh cranberries
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom only of 9" x 5" loaf pan. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add one egg and beat well. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Stir in apple juice, butter, and beaten egg until well blended. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon half of batter into greased and floured oan. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 75 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.

Notes: This was very tasty! I think I put a little more than half of the batter on the bottom, so there was a little bit of cream cheese mixture that ended up on top. Very delectable!

Cake-like Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. raisins (I used dried cranberries)
1 c. water
1 c. butter/shortening (or 1/2 c. of each)
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. raisin liquid
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
1. In small saucepan with tight lid, heat raisins (cranberries) and water to boiling. Remove from heat; cool. Measure 1/3 cup liquid and reserve. Drain raisins.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and mix well. Add raisin liquid and mix until combined.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add to wet mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Add oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips, and nuts; mix well with a spoon.
5. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees or until lightly golden.

This is my mother's tried and true recipe.
Notes: As of 12/9/09 I have changed this recipe. There were some wrong amounts and missing ingredients. It should be great now!

Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients:
2 C. (12 oz. package) chocolate chips, divided
1/2 C. butter or margarine, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 C. chopped nuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" x 13" pan.
2. Melt 1 C. chocolate chips and butter in large saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs.
4. Add in flour, sugar, vanilla, and baking soda. Mix well.
5. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and nuts.
6. Spread into pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out slightly sticky.

*This recipe is adapted from the Old-Fashioned Bake Sale cookbook.

Frozen Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 C. canned pumpkin
2/3 C. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 C. coarsely chopped walnuts
3 1/2 C. Cool Whip, thawed
1 prepared 9" graham crust
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
1. Combine pumpkin, corn syrup, spices, and nuts.
2. Fold in Cool Whip.
3. Spoon into crust.
4. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
5. Before serving, let stand 15 minutes at room temperature.

Streusel Muffins

Ingredients:
2 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C. milk
1/3 C. oil
1 egg

Directions:
1. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. Mix milk, oil, and egg separately.
3. Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients just until moist.
4. In a small bowl, mis together topping ingredients listed below. Sprinkle on top of muffins before baking.
4. Bake in muffin tin at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Topping:
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 Tbs. softened butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. chopped nuts or coconut

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 large bananas
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 C. butter, margarine, or oil
3 Tbs. buttermilk (or regular milk)
2 1/4 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Mash bananas. Mix in sugars, eggs, buttermilk, and butter.
2. Add remaining dry ingredients. Mix well. Stir in nuts.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Notes: You can also try adding other ingredients, such as chocolate chips.

Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust
1 C. flour
1/2 C. butter
1 C. chopped walnuts
Filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
8 oz. whipped topping
1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3 C. milk

Directions:
1. Cut butter into flour, then stir in nuts
2. Press into 9" x 13" baking pan
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes; allow to cool
4. Mix together softened cream cheese and powdered sugar, then fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping; spread mixture over crust
5. Mix together pudding and milk; spread over cheese mixture
6. Let stand, then spread a generous layer of whipped topping over top
7. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Keep refrigerated

Notes: This isn't like normal cheesecake, but it is so delicious! I recently made the crust using 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup sliced almonds that I chopped up a little bit--since that is what I had--and it seemed to work fine.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 C. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
4 C. flour
1 1/2 C. vegetable shortening
2 Tbs. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 C. chocolate chips
1 C. chopped nuts or coconut (optional)

Directions:
1. Cream sugars and shortening
2. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat well
3. Mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, soda) separately
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients
5. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts or coconut
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown

Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients:

1 C. oats
1 ¼ C. boiling water
½ C. butter/margarine
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. white sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
1. Add oatmeal and butter to boiling water.
2. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.
3. Mix together well the next group of 8 ingredients.
4. Add oatmeal mixture and mix well.
5. Pour into greased, floured 9” x 13” pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
7. Cool before icing.

Oatmeal Cake/German Chocolate Cake Frosting

Ingredients:
½ C. butter/margarine
1/3 C. canned milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 C. sugar
1 ½ C. coconut
1 C. chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together in medium saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat until butter/margarine is melted.