A collection of my favorite recipes....


Marionberry Crumbcake

2 tablespoons chopped nuts (walnuts, mac nuts or almonds)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups low fat baking mix (such as Bisquik)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1.2 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
1/2 cup fat free yogurt
1/4 cup egg substitute (or one egg)
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh Marionberries (or blackberries, raspberries)

1.Preheat oven to 400f. wrap bottom of 10" springform pan with foil; attach springform ring. Spray foil and sides with non stick  spray.
2. Mix nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl
3. Whisk egg, milk yogurt,butter and vanilla in large bowl. Add baking mix and sugar and mix until just blended. Fold in berries.
4. Pour batter into springform pan, sprinkle top with nut mixture.
5. Bake until toothpick in center comes out clean abot 40-45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before removing springform ring.

Can be served warm with whip cream as a dessert or is a great breakfast coffee cake with drizzled butter, You can also wrap the entire cake tightly with plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 months.



Christmas Sandwich Cremes
I always make 2 batches because I can eat one all by myself!

1 cup butter (no substitutes) softened
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups all purpose flour
sugar

Filling:
1/2 cup butter
(no substitutes) softened
1-1/2  cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons real vanilla
food coloring

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, cream, and flour;mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle. Divide into thirds;let one portion stand at room temperature  for 15 minutes (keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll out). On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut with 1-1/2" round cookie cutter. Place cut outs in a shallow dish filled with sugar; turn to coat. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Prick with a fork several times. Bake at 375f for 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool on wire racks.
For filling~in mixing bowl, cream butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Tint with food coloring (I use half red and half green)
Spread about 1 teaspoon filling on half of cookies, top with remaining cookies. Makes about 36-40 cookies.


Red Velvet Cake
This was my dad's favorite. Even tho he is now gone,
we still celebrate Christmas with this cake and
the fond memories of how much he loved it!

  • Vegetable oil for the pans
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
  • 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
  • Crushed pecans, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake

*Recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com