Banana Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (if you want to use all whole wheat flour, you can. I just think they are a bit heavy that way.)
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Spray muffin tins with Pam or use paper liners.
2. Combine bananas and sour cream. Set aside. Combine oil and honey and beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and banana mixture. Combine the flours, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the banana mixture.
3. Fill muffin tins full of batter.
4. Bake 25 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins

Karen Hansen, adapted from Allrecipies.com

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
4 cups white chocolate almond bark (I think I used around 8 cubes)
2/3 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup canned pumpkin purée
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt
4 ounces cream cheese, softened

Directions:

Melt the 1 cup of white chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium-low heat or in the microwave for about 1 minutes. Stir often to keep the chocolate from burning. Transfer to a large bowl. Add gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, zest, cinnamon, salt and cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a shallow bowl, cover and chill until just solid enough to roll into balls, about 2 hours.
Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper. Melt remaining 2 cups white chocolate almond bark and transfer to a small, deep bowl. Roll 1 heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture into a ball in your hands, then drop into the chocolate. Working quickly, gently spoon chocolate over to coat. Using a small spoon or fork, lift the truffle out of the chocolate, shake off excess and transfer to prepared sheet tray. Dollop a bit of extra chocolate on any parts that remain exposed, then sprinkle a few gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs over the top, if you like.
Repeat process with remaining pumpkin mixture and chocolate, then chill truffles until chocolate is completely set, about 1 hour.

This will make about 30 Truffles.

Missy Thompson

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I mix each part in my Kitchen Aide or you can use a hand mixer. This takes some time to make but is so worth it!

 

 

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel topping, recipe follows

1/2 cup caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Missy Thompson

Monster Cookies

1c margerine/butter
6 eggs

3 cups peanut butter (1 lb)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking soda

1 lb brown sugar (2 1/2 cups)

2 cups white sugar

9 cups quick oats

2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 lb M&M's

Use beater to mix ingredients up to and including the white sugar. Pour batter into large bowl and add oats, chocolate chips, and M&M's. Use 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure dough, 6 cookies per sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Do NOT overbake

This is a very large recipe I like to 1/2 it when I am only cooking for my small family. Very gooey and delicious and a favorite in our extended family.

-Katie Beck

Funfetti Cookies

Ingredients:

- 1 package of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake mix

- 1/3 C. oil

- 2 eggs

Directions:

- Mix ingredients until blended.

- Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

*Nikki Anderson*

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

- 1 chocolate cake mix

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 cup oil

Directions:

- Mix and add chocolate chips.

- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

*CANDICE CATER*

My Favorite Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

*These are so good I better have somewhere to take them or I'll eat them all!

Cookie Ingredients:

1 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. almond

3 1/4 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Directions:

- In electric mixer combine butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract, beat on high speed until light and fluffy.

- In another bowl combine dry ingredients, gradually stir into the butter mixture, until well combined.

- Cover bowl w/ plastic wrap and chill 2 hrs. or overnight.

- Set oven to 400 degrees.

- Line cookie sheets w/ parchment paper (don't use pam)

- On lightly flowered surface roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes.

- Place cookies 2 inches apart on sheet.

- Bake 4-6 minutes.

Hardening Frosting ingredients:

2 C. sifted powdered sugar

1-2 T milk

1 T corn syrup

1/4 t. almond extract

Directions:

- Mix together until smooth and glossy. May add more syrup or milk to consistency.

Buttercream Frosting ingredients:

1/4 C. butter

1/4 C. cream cheese or shortening

2 C. powdered sugar

1/4 t. vanilla

1/4 t. almond

1 T. milk

Directions:

- Combine all ingredients until creamy.