Cinnamon Crunch Bars

Ingredients

12 cinnamon graham crackers
(2½ x 4¾-inch each)
2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange crackers in a single layer with sides touching in bottom of a greased 10½ x 15½ - inch jellyroll pan. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over crackers.
Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a heavy small saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Continue to boil syrup 3 minutes longer without stirring; pour over crackers.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until bubbly and slightly darker around the edges. Cool completely in pan. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 1½ pounds candy.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients

2 Pie Crusts
1 lb. box Confectioner's sugar
1 8 oz bowl Cool Whip
1 21 oz. can blueberries
1 8oz. cream cheese

Preparation

Bake 2 pie crusts until golden brown.
Cream Confectioner's sugar with cream cheese.
Add Cool Whip and fold into sugar mixture.
Pour in pie crusts. Cover with pie filling.

Holiday Fruitcake

This is best eaten in very thin slices in front of a fireplace in the dead of winter with a cup of tea shared with close friends.

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) containers candied cherries
1 (8 ounce) container candied mixed citrus peel
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dark raisins
1 cup dried currants
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
2 (2.25 ounce) packages blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup flour
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
7 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup apple juice
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. candied lemon peel
3 tbs. applesauce

Preparation:

1 In a medium bowl, combine cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, dates, and almonds.
2 Stir in brandy.
3 Let stand 2 hours, or overnight. Dredge soaked fruit with 1/2 cup flour.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

1 Grease an 8x8x3 inch fruit cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again.
2 In a small bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
3 In a large bowl, cream butter until light.
4 Gradually blend in brown sugar and eggs.
5 Mix together molasses and apple juice.
6 Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture, making 4 dry and 3 liquid additions.
7 Fold in floured fruit.
8 Turn batter into prepared pan.
9 Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.
10 Remove from pan, and lift off paper.
11 Cool cake completely, then wrap loosely in cheesecloth and then in waxed paper.
12 Store in an airtight container.

Banana Pudding

This is great pick me up when you are feeling a little low.

Ingredients:

1 (6-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1 (7 1/4-ounce) box vanilla wafers
4 bananas, sliced
Meringue

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Make the pudding according to the directions on the box.
2. Arrange the wafers, sliced bananas, and pudding in layers in a 2-quart casserole, ending with a layer of pudding on top.
3. This will make 3 layers.
4. Spread the meringue gently over the top.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.

Note: For a quicker version of this recipe, use pudding as directed on box and place a layer of whipped cream on top.

Yield: Serves 8