Applesauce Brownies

Baby Scooby dreaming of applesauce brownies!

These brownies are so good for you they almost can be considered health food!

1/2 cup margarine

2 squares baking chocolate (or powdered equivalent)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup nuts

Melt on low heat margarine and chocolate. Blend sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla into chocolate mixture.

Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to chocolate mixture; stir in nuts. Spread in greased and floured 9 x 9 square pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

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Why are they SOOOO good?

Seriously, they should be illegal.

Low sugar peach-oatmeal bars

Diane and a rather plump Me

It is hard to stay away from candy and chocolates this time of year.

Christmas candy is still on the shelf when stores bring out the Valentine's Day chocolates . . . and the chocolate hearts are still on the shelf when the Cadberry eggs are put on display!

What's a girl to do?

This recipe is a low sugar, sweet-tooth satisfying dessert which even has a healthy amount of whole grains thrown in!

1 1/4 cups flour

1 1/4 cups uncooked quick oats

1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda equivalent)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla extract

12 ounces no sugar added or sugar free peach preserves

Combine flour, oats, sugar, soda and salt in large bowl; blend well. Add butter and vanilla; mix until crumbly.

Reserve 1 cup of the mixture.

Press remaining crumb mixture into greased 13 x 9 pan. Spread peach preserves on crust within 1/4 inch from edge of pan. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars.

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Jelly Roll

Me c. 1973

"What do you mean the jelly roll is all gone?"

For some reason I have a specific memory of Mother making this jelly roll while wearing her pretty pink housecoat. I think it was on a Sunday morning.

Yes, only my mother would or could manage to make Sunday dinner (usually roast, potatoes, and carrots), bake a jelly roll from scratch, and get two little girls ready for church on Sunday morning. But she did - every Sunday.

Well, maybe not the jelly roll part.

*Note: The following has nothing to do with cooking, but is worthy of posting.

One of the things for which I am most grateful to my parents is their faithfulness to the Lord - faithfulness in church attendance and church service. Never did we have to ask if we were going to church on Sunday. It was a given. We were there.

Although we may not be as industrious as them (I have NEVER baked a jelly roll on Sunday morning), our parents' pattern of faithfulness has been passed down to me, my sister, and my brother. Praise God for godly parents!

Now back to the jelly roll!

This is a recipe that is in the cookbook Mother made for me, my sister, and my sister-in-law. Under the comment section she added that she would often make this jelly roll using her grandmother's homemade jelly.

Maybe that is why it was always so good!

This is a very simple recipe that is SOOO much tastier than the store bought versions!

1 cup Softasilk flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

powdered sugar

jelly of choice

Beat eggs until very thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in water and vanilla on low speed.

Slowly mix in dry ingredients, just until smooth. Pour into jelly roll pan which has been greased and floured (jelly roll pan=15"x10" pan with 1" sides).

Bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn baked jelly roll onto clean dish towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Trim edges. Roll cake and towel into roll. Allow to cool.

Unroll and spread with jelly. Roll cake again. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice into 1" slices when ready to serve.

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Blonde Brownies

Brownies and I go way back. Actually, I consider brownies to be one of my closest friends.

Sad but true.

These brownies are one of my absolute favorites. My mom can make them perfect every time - while my success with them is hit or miss.

The key is not over baking them. If you do, they are transformed from oohey-gooey brown sugar goodness into bricks.

Bricks that are impossible to get out of the pan. Bricks that you will try to eat because you are so desperate for a brownie. Bricks that you will curse as you are on the way to the dentist with a broken tooth.

So proceed with caution and heed the warning not to over bake!

1/4 cup margarine

1 cup light brown sugar (packed)

1 egg

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (finely chopped)

1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Melt margarine over low heat. Remove from heat. Blend in sugar. Cool. Stir in egg.

Blend flour, baking powder and salt: stir into cooled mixture. Mix in vanilla and walnuts. Add chocolate chips.

Spread in well greased 8 x 8 square pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cut into bars while warm.

* NOTE: These brownies will not look done - but remove from oven anyway. Unless you never want to use your 8 x 8 pan again!

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Snow Ice Cream

Well the forecasters predicted this one correctly and we have snow. Joel is home from school and not too happy that I told him today would be a good day to clean his room.

Maybe some snow ice cream will help.

Quick and Easy Version:

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

Clean snow

In a large bowl mix milk, vanilla, and sugar together until sugar is dissolved. Slowly add snow until desired consistency.

Serve immediately. Does not keep well.

Slower But More Creamy version:

1 beaten egg

1 cup millk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

clean snow

In a saucepan mix the beaten egg, milk, sugar and vanilla vigorously with a wire whisk while heating until hot and frothy. Remove from heat. Allow pan to cool and then refrigerate until well chilled. This process will take 45-50 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl gather approximately 8 cups of clean snow. Pour cooled milk mixture over the snow mixing well and adding more snow until desired consistency is achieved.

Serve immediately.

Paula Deen version:

8 cups of clean snow

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl place 8 cups of clean snow. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top and add vanilla. Stir well to combine. Serve immediately.

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Freezer Pies

These freezer pie recipes are from a 1979 magazine insert put out by General Foods Corporation (the makers of Jell-O and Cool Whip). I remember it like yesterday when Mother got these recipes and first made them. I think we had a new pie every night!

When Mother put together her cookbook a couple years ago, she went through all of her many checkout lane cookbooks (Pillsbury, Jell-O, Bisquick . . .) and church cookbooks in order to pull out her favorite, most used recipes. She then distributed all of these many, various cookbooks to me, my sister, and my sister-in-law.

I love the ones I got! They are so familiar - even somehow comforting. Crazy how looking through an old cookbook can make everything seem right with the world for me.

Fortunately, when the pile was distributed I landed the Jell-O freezer pie insert. Lucky me and now lucky you!

My favorite is the chocolate pie, but I remember Daddy always liked the coconut best so that is the one Mother usually made!

Milk Chocolate Pie

4 oz. milk chocolate
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. sugar (for less sweet pie, omit sugar)
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 container (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

Heat chocolate and 2 Tbsp. of the milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until chocolate is melted.

Beat sugar into cream cheese. Add remaining milk and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.

Fold chocolate mixture into Cool Whip, in a bowl, blend until smooth. Spoon into crust, freeze about 4 hours. Store any leftover pie in freezer.

Creamy Coconut Pie

1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/3 cups coconut
1 contained (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

In blender, combine cream cheese, sugar, milk and coconut. Blend for 30 seconds.

In a bowl, fold mixture into Cool Whip. Spoon into crust. Top with toasted coconut. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

Let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before serving. Store any leftover pie in freezer.

Creamy Cheese Pie

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 container (4 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust
topping of choice (cherry or strawberry pie topping,
fresh fruit . . .)

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in sour cream and vanilla.

Fold in Cool Whip, blending thoroughly.

Spoon into crust. Chill until set, about 4 hours. Serve topped with desired topping.

Banana Dream Pie

2 envelopes Dream Whip (can you still buy this?)
2 3/4 cups cold milk
2 pkgs. (4-serving) banana cream instant pudding
1 graham cracker crust (chocolate works well)

Prepare Dream Whip with 1 cup of the milk as directed on package, using large mixer bowl.

Add remaining milk and puddings. Blend; then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

Spoon into pie crust. Chill at least 4 hours. Store any leftover pie in the freezer.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Why settle for a muffin when you can have a cake!

1 box lemon cake mix
1 package instant lemon pudding
3 large eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into a sprayed Bundt pan. Bake 50-60 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Invert onto a pretty plate when mostly cooled.

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix together until well blended. Pour over cake while cake is still slightly warm.

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Cherry Pie

Hope, Levi's fiance, has a cherry tree in her family's yard. It is a bing cherry tree if I am not mistaken.

The cherries are wonderfully plump, juicy, and tart - and I was the proud recipient of a zip lock bag full of them the other night!

They are absolutely tasty! I can eat them straight off the tree - but they are even better in a pie!

This is a recipe from the cookbook Mother made for me, my sister, and my sister-in-law. Cherries aside, it is the almond extract that makes the pie!

2 cans of tart cherries/or 4 cups of fresh, pitted tart cherries
2 1/2 Tbsp. tapioca (quick cooking)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 drops of red food coloring (if using canned tart cherries)
1 1/4 cup sugar (I usually use less - you know the whole sugar diabetes thing)
1 Tbsp. margarine

If using canned cherries, drain cherries reserving a small amount of liquid. Add tapioca, salt, almond extract, lemon juice and food coloring. If using fresh cherries add those ingredients to a small amount of water, or squeeze a few extra cherries to make juice.

Add cherries and 1 cup (or less) sugar. Mix and let stand while making pie crust.

Fill pie crust with cherry mixture. Dot with margarine. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

*Note: My mom makes this pie with a double pastry crust and makes a lattice top. She can do this because her pie crust is always impeccable and never burns.

I, on the other hand, usually make all my pies into cobblers. No fluting involved.

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Lime Blueberry Tiramisu

This is a Paula Deen recipe - so you KNOW it's good!

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 (8 oz.) containers mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
3 (3 oz.) packages lady fingers
1 (6 oz.) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling

In a large bowl, beat cream with an electric mixer at medium speed until thickened. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Gently stir in cheese until combined, set aside.

Split ladyfingers in half. Line a 13x9 baking dish with ladyfingers, cut sides up. Brush ladyfingers with limeade concentrate. Spoon half of cheese mixture over ladyfingers. Top with half of blueberry pie filling. Repeat procedure with remaining ladyfingers, limeade, cheese mixture, and pie filling. Cover and chill 8 hours. Cut into squares to serve.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfaits

Cool, refreshing pudding makes a perfect summer-time dessert. Add in peanut butter and nothing could be better!

2 Tbsp. peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
2 Tbsp. plus 2 cups cold fat-free milk, divided
1 cup plus 6 Tbsp. light Cool Whip, divided
1 package (1.4 oz.) sugar free instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
3 Tbsp. finely chopped salted peanuts

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter and 2 Tbsp. milk. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip and set aside.

In another small bowl, whisk remaining milk with the pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.

Spoon half of the pudding into six parfait glasses or dessert dishes. Layer with reserved peanut butter mixture and remaining pudding. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Just before serving, garnish each parfait with 1 Tbsp. Cool Whip and chopped peanuts.

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Six-Fruit Crisp

Since having found out I was diabetic, I try to eat significantly fewer sweets. You know, the good stuff - cookies, cake, candy,
pie . . .

The benefit of this, besides lower blood sugar, has been an appreciation for naturally sweet foods - such as fruit. I have discovered that I really love fruit.

Never before would I have thought that a piece of fruit could satisfy my craving for something sweet. Although there are still times when I physically need a Hershey Bar, I have found that fruit is sweet too!

Although this recipe is not low carb by any means - because of all of the fruit and the sweet crumbly topping - it is a yummy fruit dessert that even I can eat in small portions.

1 jar (25 oz.) chunky applesauce
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits, drained and rinsed (to help lower the sugar)
1 can (15 1/4 oz.) sliced peaches, drained, chopped and rinsed
1 can (15 1/4 oz.) sliced pears, drained, chopped and rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed
1 can (21 oz.) low sugar cherry pie filling

Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine, melted

Pour applesauce into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish Layer with the pineapple, peaches, pears, and mandarin oranges. Spread pie filling over the top.

For topping, combine the flour, brown sugar and margarine. Sprinkle over pie filling. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

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Strawberries and Pie Crust . . . and a walk down memory lane

Growing up we always had a great strawberry patch. I have the best memories of picking strawberries and even better - eating strawberries as a kid!

And since I have a summer birthday, I often got angel food cake and strawberries for my birthday. Still one of my all-time favorites.

My kids love strawberries too. We had a great strawberry bed at our first house.

When he was little, Joel was notorious for going outside and picking his own strawberries and eating them right on the spot!

Joel probably about 1 1/2 years old caught eating a strawberry!

I love strawberries so much that my first kitchen was ALL decorated in strawberries - even down to a red stove and refrigerator. Have you ever seen anything so cool?

Red stove and refrigerator bought from
Brian's boss for $75 - I totally LOVED them!
Longaberger recipe basket with strawberries painted
on the top by Brian's mom - I still use it today.
And of course strawberry towels and hot pads.

Me (pregnant with Megan) making French toast.

(sorry for the crooked scan - lol)
Notice the strawberry basket ceramic canisters
above the window and matching strawberry wind chime
hanging in the other window.
These were a gift from my mom and dad on my 16th birthday.
They were made by a local Baptist preacher
who also had a small ceramic shop.

Now that it is understood that I love all things strawberry - on to the recipe at hand.

Probably my most favorite way to eat strawberries is with broken up homemade pie crust.

Simple. Sweet. Salty.

Pure summer goodness at its finest.

Pie Dough -

1 cup flour
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. Crisco
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix ingredients well.

Gradually add 3 Tbsp. ICE water.
Mix well and form into ball.
Roll out flat on floured surface and place on cookie sheet. With a fork, poke holes in dough.
Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.
Allow crust to cool. Break into pieces.

Serve with room temperature sliced and lightly sugared fresh strawberries.

If you are craving strawberries and pie crust but don't have time to bake your own crust, try crumbling up Ritz crackers over room temperature sliced and lightly sugared fresh strawberries. Equally as yummy.

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Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake a/k/a Best Strawbery Cake EVER

I love strawberries! Oh, do I love strawberries!

And I heard it was going to be a bumper-crop year for strawberries! Yay! for me!

This cake, in my opinion, is the best strawberry cake you will ever eat. Made with fresh strawberries and strawberry jello for added flavor - it is moist and super delicious.

I rarely make the glaze and I don't always bake the cake in a Bundt pan - sometimes I bake it in two loaf pans and serve it more like you would a banana bread.

Since the strawberries are crushed, it is a perfect recipe to use up those not-so-perfect strawberries. If there is such a thing.

Cake:
1 box white cake mix
1 cup crushed fresh strawberries
1 (3 oz.) strawberry jello
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, room temperature

Glaze:
1/4 cup margarine
3 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup mashed strawberries

Combine cake ingredients together in large mixing bowl; mix for 3 minutes. Pour in sprayed Bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; remove to serving plate. Combine glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over cake. (May be frozen with or without glaze.)

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Banana Salad

This recipe is a lot like my banana pudding with peanuts recipe - which is an absolute all-time favorite of mine.

But this particular recipe uses a homemade pudding - interesting. It is a recipe I uncovered in a cookbook that Brian's Grandma White gave me.

In my opinion you can't go wrong with bananas and ground peanuts - no matter if your pudding is cooked or instant. It is bound to be good!

1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1 egg
1 tsp. vinegar
1 (8oz.) can Spanish peanuts, ground
4-5 bananas, sliced

Cook first 4 ingredients until thick. Remove from heat. Add vinegar and cool.

Layer sliced bananas, pudding, and peanuts. Repeat layers.

Chill before serving.

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Key Lime Pie (WW version)

I stopped by my parents house on Sunday afternoon and my mom was whipping up this pie. It is super quick and easy, and by using sugar free jello and light Cool Whip and yogurt it is great for those dieting or with diabetes - like me and my dad!

1 graham cracker crust
1 box (4 serving) sugar free lime jello
1/2 of a small carton of Cool Whip
2 Light Key Lime yogurt cups

Mix jello with 1 cup of boiling water. Stir until well dissolved. Put in refrigerator to chill until slightly set.

Mix Cool Whip with yogurt. Add chilled but still soft jello. Mix well. Pour into graham cracker crust. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Oh my! Think of the possibilities of this pie: any kind of jello with its corresponding yogurt. It could be a guiltless pie filled spring!

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Strawberry and Kiwi Tart

Temperatures in the 80's and it is April! Makes me want to serve something light and fruity with supper tonight!

Dough for one pie crust
1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup apple jelly

Place pie dough in bottom of spring form pan or on the bottom of a sprayed large round cake pan. Using a fork, poke holes in the crust. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned. Allow crust to cool completely then transfer to a pretty plate.

Heat apricot preserves until boiling; stir well. Spread onto cooled pie crust.

Arranged sliced strawberries and kiwi on top.

Heat apple jelly until boiling; stir well. Pour over fruit.

Chill for one hour. Cut as you would a pie and serve with a dollop of Cool Whip if desired.

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Coconut Cream Pie

I am experiencing technical difficulties at Farmer's Daughter Cooks. I cannot for the life of me find my coconut cream pie recipe!

I will continue searching and promptly post the recipe as soon as it turns up!

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Celebration Cake

This is a great spring-time cake. It is refrigerated and served cold.

Another great thing is it is made with sugar-free pudding and unsweetened fruit making it great for those dieting!

1 yellow cake mix
3 egg whites
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 can (8 oz.) unsweetened mandarin oranges
8 oz. light Cool Whip
1 box (4-serving) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice

Grease a 13 x 9 pan. Mix cake mix, egg whites, applesauce and oranges with their juice; beat for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool cake completely.

Frosting: Gently fold together Cool Whip, pudding mix and pineapple in its juice. Frost the cake. Store in refrigerator. Serve cold.

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Easy Peach Cobbler

This peach cobbler could be called many things:

Lazy Peach Cobbler
Worn-out Wife Peach Cobbler
Tired Taxi-driver Mom Peach Cobbler
Oops I Need a Quick Dessert Peach Cobbler . . .

You get the idea. This cobbler is quick and easy.

1 large can of peaches, drained
1 box yellow cake mix (will only use 1/2)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. corn starch
margarine

Drain peaches and place in sauce pan. Add brown sugar and cinnamon; stir well. Add corn starch to small amount of water; stir until dissolved. Add cornstarch to peaches.

Heat until mixture boils and thickens; stirring constantly.

Pour into glass pie pan. Cover with the cake mix. Cover top with pats of margarine. Bake at 425 degrees 25-30 minutes or until top is well browned and fruit mixture is bubbly.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream . . .

. . . and prepare yourself for hugs and kisses from your family.

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