Homemade Oreos

2 boxes Devil's food cake mix

1 cup shortening

4 eggs

Mix (will be very, very thick) and roll into small balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup soft margarine

3 cups powdered sugar

Mix and spread on cookie then top with a second cookie

Cream Cheese Pie

2 graham cracker crusts

2 (21 ounce) cans pie filling

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and continue beating until smooth and combined. Add lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Spread cream cheese mixture into pie crusts. Refrigerate until set; this will take between 2 to 4 hours (overnight is fine).

Just before serving, spread the pie filling over the top of the pie.

*tip* refrigerating pie filling before putting it on the pie will help it serve more easily

Orange Kissed Cookies

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening

1 egg

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (add another 2 tablespoons for high altitudes)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Frosting

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate

1/2 cup softened butter

3 cups powdered sugar

2-3 drops orange food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine the white sugar and shortening. Beat until well-combined. Add the egg and beat well, then add the sour cream and vanilla and beat for about 1 minute or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add the orange juice concentrate and orange rind and mix well.

Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough/batter (the mixture will be VERY moist–thicker than a cake batter but thinner than traditional cookies) by the tablespoon-ful onto a lined, un-greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set and just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

For the frosting, combine the frosting ingredients with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread over the cooled cookies.

No-bake Cookies

2 cups granulated sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups rolled oats

Combine sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine in pan on stove. Turn heat to high. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, keep stirring for 60 seconds (time it). Remove from heat. Allow to cool completely to room temperature (you should be able to put your hand on the bottom of the pan comfortably). Do not stir the pan at all during cooling... that breaks the bonds that will later hold the cookies together. Add vanilla, peanut butter and oats. Stir until the mixture loses its glossy look (about a minute). Scoop into cookies. (They will need time to set up completely.)

Magic Cookie Bars from Eagle Brand

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass dish). Coat 9X13 baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
3. Back 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Double Chocolate Filled Strawberries

45 large fresh strawberries (2 pounds)
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 cup milk, divided
1 pkg white chocolate instant pudding
1 cup thawed cool whip
1 tsp lemon zest
1/8 cup chocolate chips

Cut the stems off the strawberries. Set the strawberries on a tray with the cut side down. Cut an "X" in the point part of each strawberry, gently spreading the opening so the strawberry has a flower look.

Whisk together cream cheese and 1/4 cup milk until well blended. Gradually add the remaining milk till well blended. Add the dry pudding mix. Beat two minutes. Fold in the cool whip and the lemon zest.

Spoon this mixture into a sealable plastic bag. Cut off a small corner of the plastic bag and pipe the filling into the center of each "X" on the strawberry.

Melt the chocolate chips for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring them in between. Put the melted chocolate in another sealable plastic bag. Cut off a very small corner and drizzle the chocolate over the strawberries.

Note: You can use vanilla or cheesecake flavored pudding. You can also use sugar free white chocolate pudding and sugar free cool whip.

The strawberries cannot be made more than an hour in advance. The filling starts liquefying.

Pavlova

1/2 cup egg whites, at room temperature (from about 4 eggs)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
2 kiwi fruits, peeled and thinly sliced or 1 cup of another ripe fruit, such as peaches or nectarines
10 strawberries, green parts trimmed off, thinly sliced or other berries, such as raspberries or blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a clean, dry bowl until foamy. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla and continue whipping until stiff, smooth and glossy, about 8 minutes more. On a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit a sheet pan, use a pencil to draw or trace a circle 9-inches in diameter. Line the sheet pan with the parchment, pencil side down (you should still be able to see the circle). Spoon the egg whites into the circle, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top and sides of the disk. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until the meringue has puffed up and cracked on the top and the surface is lightly browned to the color of cafe au lait, about 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open, and let the pavlova cool in the oven at least 30 minutes, to room temperature. This ensures a gradual cooling, which protects the delicate meringue.

Whip the cream and brown sugar together until stiff. Spoon it in the center of the cooled pavlova and sptread out to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Arrange the slices of kiwi around the edge. Arrange the slices of strawberry in the middle. To serve, slice into wedges with a serrated knife.

Strawberry Graham Dessert

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 16 squares)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 package (16 ounces) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash salt

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Fresh strawberries and mint, optional

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter; set aside 1 tablespoon for topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture onto the bottom of a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 - 14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water, stir in strawberries and lemon juice. Refrigerate until partially set, about 1-1/2 hours.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread half over cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate remaining cream mixture. Pour gelatin mixture over filling; refrigerate until firm. Top with remaining cream mixture. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with fresh berries and mint if desired.

Yield: 9 servings

Marshmallow Sauce

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup hot water

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

dash of salt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon grated orange grind

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and hot water. Heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Then boil, without stirring, to firm ball stage (244 to 248 on candy thermometer). Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Slowly add hot syrup, ebating at high speed until thick and fluffy. Add salt and vanilla. Gently fold in mayonnaise or orange rind. If thicker than desired, fold in 1 or 2 Tblsp mayonnaise, or 1 or 2 tsp water. Keep refrigerated until served.

makes about 3 cups

Ruth's Sweet Potato Casserole

Crust mixture:

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)

1/4 cup melted butter

Sweet Potato Mixture:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 egg, well beaten

1/4 cup butter

Combine Crust Mixture in mixing bowl and put to one side. Combine Sweet Potato Mixture ingredients in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Combine thoroughly. Pour Sweet Potato Mixture into buttered baking dish. Sprinkle Crust Mixture evenly onto surface of Sweet Potato Mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 4