Mama's Little Notebook

  Raspberry Brownies

Ingredients

Directions

Position a baking rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Butter and flour a 9 by 13-inch baking pan.

In a small saucepan, stir the jam constantly over low heat until pourable, about 1 minute. Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together the brownie mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Using an electric hand mixer beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the jam over the top of the brownie batter. Using a small spatula, swirl jam into the brownie batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted about 1-inch from the edge of the pan comes out clean. Spread with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with salted almonds. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.

Cut into 16 bars

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  Cinnamon Oat Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Topping

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats 
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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4th July Flag Dessert

 This is one of the easiest and most enjoyable desserts for the 4th of July Holiday. I make it every year and it is always a popular item!

Ingredients:

2 rolls sugar cookie dough

1 8oz cream cheese

1 tub cool whip

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Strawberries sliced & Blueberries

Directions:

Roll out dough on floured surface. Place into a 15x9 jelly roll pan, bake to package directions. Allow to cool completely.

Combine cream cheese, cool whip, powdered sugar & vanilla until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture over the baked cookie crust. Arrange sliced srawberries and whole blueberries in a flag pattern on top. Delish! 

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Cathys Raspberry Bars

submitted by Cathy Geier

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Frozen French Toast

I just ran across this recipe on the Better Homes and Gardens website and had to share it! It looks amazing. 

"This inspired French Toast recipe is exactly the type of dish that busy home cooks appreciate--a tasty breakfast entree that can be made ahead and then frozen until it is ready to be baked on the day it is needed, such as a holiday morning when time is short for food preparation. This special French toast is filled with a cream cheese mixture and orange marmalade, and the exterior is coated in finely chopped almonds."

ingredients

• 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup dairy sour cream
• 1 16-oz. loaf French bread
• 3/4 cup orange marmalade
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups finely chopped almonds (10 oz.)
• Maple syrup

directions

1. In medium mixing bowl beat together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth; set aside. Trim off ends of bread; cut loaf crosswise in 20 slices. Spread half the slices on one side with cheese mixture. Spread remaining slices on one side with marmalade. Sandwich slices together; set aside.
2. In a shallow dish use a fork to beat eggs, milk, and vanilla together. Place half the almonds in another shallow dish. Dip both sides of sandwiches in egg mixture; allow excess to drip off. Coat both sides of sandwiches with almonds, adding more almonds to dish as needed.
3. Place coated sandwiches on baking sheet lined with waxed paper; cover and freeze 3 hours or until firm. Transfer to freezer container or bag; seal, label, and freeze up to 1 month.
4. To serve: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place frozen French toast on large greased baking sheet. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and heated through, turning once. Serve with maple syrup.

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• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

  2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
  • 1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

     

Directions

1. Using a 9 x 13 baking pan, unroll one package of refrigerated crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan.

2. Flatten.

3. Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and extract.

4. Spread over the crescent rolls.

5. Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.

6. Pour one stick of melted butter or margarine over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

1 devil's food cake mix
   3 eggs
   1 1/4 cups water
   1/2 cup oil
   1/4 cup butter
   6 ounces cream cheese
   2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
   1 teaspoon vanilla
   Milk, enough to make a good frosting
   Dipping chocolate (Melt together 2 12oz packages chocolate chips white, milk or  dark & 3T shortening) 
 

Directions:

Make cake according to directions on box and bake as directed. While baking mix together butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and milk to make a frosting. When cake is done dump immediately into a large bowl with the cream cheese frosting (or store bought frosting) and mix it all together while still hot (it will be a little mushy). Refrigerate overnight. Roll into balls and dip in melted dipping chocolate. If balls are sticky I put them in freezer bags and flash freeze them until I'm ready to dip. They will freeze beautifully for months before they are dipped, just let them thaw for about 5 minutes before dipping to prevent cracking. Once cake bites are dipped do not refrigerate or freeze, just eat them!

*You can also use cream cheese frosting that you buy at the store.

**German chocolate cake mix mixed with german chocolate frosting and dipped in milk chocolate is also very tasty. 

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Ingredients

• 1 pound (4 sticks) margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 to 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup blanched sliced almonds, finely chopped
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Yields: About 4 dozen cookies

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°F.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine margarine, sugar, vanilla extract and chopped almonds using a rubber spatula.

Fold in the flour – you want the dough to be dense enough to handle with your hands. Sometimes it will take more flour to make this happen, so start with 3 1/2 cups and add flour as necessary.

Roll spoonfuls of the dough into balls about the size of a small walnut and arrange them on a cookie sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the cookies are no longer doughy and are cooked through.

Remove the cookies from the oven and, while still hot, roll and toss around in a bowl with the powdered sugar. Once coated, allow to cool. And then they're ready to eat! 

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Butter Icing Oatmeal Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal   
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter , softened
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 to 4 Tbsp. water

 Mint Thins

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tsp. peppermint oil
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate

Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse a few times to combine the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Add the egg yolks, peppermint oil, and vanilla and pulse until a dough forms on the blades of the food processor.

Remove the dough from the food processor and shape into a 2-inch-thick log. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Place racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick disks and arrange 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Switch the baking sheets from top to bottom and rotate from front to back and continue to bake for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the cookies are light brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on racks. Make sure to let the baking sheets cool between batches. Do not handle the cookies until they are cool, or they'll break; they're very delicate.

Melt and temper the bittersweet chocolate. Keep the chocolate warm while you dip the cookies.

Place a sheet pan upside down on your work surface, next to the melted chocolate. Cover with parchment paper. Dip the cookies one by one in the chocolate, using a fork to turn them over and then lift them out of the chocolate. It helps to tilt the bowl forward by leaning it on a folded kitchen towel.

Set the dipped cookies on the parchment, beginning at the far end so you don't drip chocolate on other cookies when you set them down. Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
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Mud Pie

 

1 Package Oreo Cookies (crushed)

1 half gallon box vanilla ice cream (softened)

3t instant coffee

1/4 cup boiling water

1 small tub cool whip

Hersheys chocolate syrup

Crush cookies, and layer on the bottom of 9x13 pan. Dissolve coffee granules into boiling water, add slowly to softened ice cream until in is well mixed. You can regulate the coffee flavor to your own taste. Pour ice cream over crust and place in freezer until hard. Spread cool whip over the ice cream layer and decorate with chocolate syrup. Put back into freezer until ready to serve.

 Jam Thumbprints

Perfect with a cup of tea or mid-morning coffee! Easy for kids to help with too. Melt in your mouth goodness.

Ingredients

2/3 C butter

11/2C all purpose flour

1/2C sugar

2 egg yolks

1t vanilla

2 slightly beaten egg whites

1C finely chopped walnuts

1/3 to 1/2C fruit preserves (I used raspberry)

Directions

Beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds

Add about half of the flour, the sugar, egg yolks & vanilla.

Beat until thoroughly combined

Beat in remaining flour

Cover and chill for about an hour

Shape dough into 1-inch balls

Roll balls in egg whites, then in walnuts

Place 1-inch apart on a greased cookie sheet

Press centers with your thumb.

bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown

Cool cookies on a wire rack

Fill centers with jam or preserves

Makes approx 3dozen

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Apple Walnut Sticky Buns

Sandra Lees Money Saving Meals

Ingredients

• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 (8-count) tubes refrigerated cinnamon rolls
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously butter a 12-count muffin tin.

Peel, core and dice the apples into 1/2-inch cubes. In a medium bowl stir together the diced apples with the walnuts and brown sugar.

Divide the apple mixture evenly into the muffin tin. Put 12 cinnamon buns, cinnamon side down, on top of the apple mixture. Put the muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake until the tops are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Put a clean baking sheet on top of the muffin tin and flip to remove the sticky buns.

In a small bowl, combine 1 container of the vanilla frosting with the pumpkin pie spice and 1 to 2 teaspoons of water. Mix until very thick and of pourable consistency. Drizzle over buns and serve.

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Guinness & Chocolate Cheesecake 

Ingredients

• 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Directions

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 PUMPKIN BARS 

This is one of my favorite recipes!!

4 Eggs

2 cups Sugar

1 cup Vegetable Oil

1 can (16oz) pumpkin

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon gound cloves

1 can ready made vanilla or cream cheese frosting

Heat oven to 350. lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan.

Beat egges, sugar, oil & pumpkin in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger & cloves.

Spread in pan. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Allow to cool then spread frosting over entire pan YUM!!

 COCONUT CAKE 

 This cake is so easy and pretty for a special occasion. It is light and moist, and very popular with guests!

1 box white cake mix + ingredients to make cake as instructed

1 8oz cream cheese

1 8oz tub whipped topping

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 cups coconut

Make cake as directed. Bake in bundt pan. Cool completely. Cut cake in half horizontally. Carefully take off the top layer. Beat together, cream cheese, whipped topping and powdered sugar. Add one cup of coconut (add more or less depending on your preference). Spread 1/3 of mixture over the bottom layer of cake. Put top of cake back making a sandwich. Spread remainder of mixture over the whole cake. Sprinkle remaining coconut over the outside of the cake, making sure it sticks all over the surface. Enjoy!

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Seven Layer Bars (Quick and Easy!)

Ingredients:

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1 (14oz can) sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust oven rack to the lower middle position of the oven. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fold two 16" pieces of foil lengthwise so that one measures 13" and the other measures 9" wide. Fit one sheet into the bottom of the pan, pushing foil into the corners of the pan. Overhang will help in removal of bars. Fit the second sheet in the same manner only perpendicular to the first sheet.

Spread the coconut onto a baking sheet and bake until the outer flakes start turning brown, set aside. At the same time place butter in pan and melt in the oven. When butter has melted pour cracker crumbs into pan and toss until coated. Pat the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. In order sprinkle the walnuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and coconut over the graham crackers. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire dish.

Return pan to oven, bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack for about 2 hours, lift out of pan using foil, cut into 2 by 3" bars.

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Any Fruit Coffee Cake

• 2-1/4  cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4  cup granulated sugar
• 3/4  cup butter
• 1/2  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8  teaspoon salt
• 1  beaten egg
• 2/3  cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/4  cups canned fruit pie filling, such as cherry, apricot, raisin, strawberry, peach, or blueberry
• 1  recipe Vanilla Icing (see below)