Lemon Meltaways

Make dough - form into cylinders & chill for a several hours:

In a mixing bowl, cream together:

3/4 cup softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice

the zest of 2 lemons

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with batter:

1-3/4 cups flour PLUS 2 extra Tblsp.

2 Tblsp. corn starch

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

After cylinders of dough have been chilled, heat oven to 350°.

Line several baking pans with parchment, slice dough into 1/4" slices and place on sheets, leaving a little space between each cookie. This dough does not spread.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges begin to look golden.

Remove from oven, cool slightly, toss cookies GENTLY in powdered sugar to coat. Cool completely, dust with additional powdered sugar.

Cappuccino bites

Preheat oven to 350° - in a mixing bowl, combine & mix well:

1 cup soft butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tsps. instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp. HOT water

Combine dry ingredients, then slowly add to batter - mix thoroughly:

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp. baking powder

2-1/4 cups flour

Stir in 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips.

Divide the dough into 4 sections. On 2 parchment lined baking sheets, shape (4) cylinders, then pat them into long, thin rectangles (about 1/4" high - 2" wide X 10" long), leaving a couple inches of space between the rectangles.

Bake for approx. 14-16 minutes until slightly firm. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Cut rectangles into slices, around 1/2". Cool completely.

Melt 1 to 1-1/2 cups white chocolate and drizzle over cooled bars. Put in a cool place (or in the fridge for 10 minutes) to allow chocolate to set.

Raspberry bars

Heat oven to 375° - grease a 9x13" pan

For crust & topping:

In a mixing bowl, combine ingredients and mix together until crumbly:

3/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup dark brown sugar (light brown will work)

1-1/4 cups flour

1-1/4 cups rolled oats

1/4 teasp. baking soda

1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Reserve approx. 1-1/2 cups of crumbs for the topping... set aside for later.

Press the remaining crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes.

Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes.

Lower oven temperature to 350°.

Spread 1-1/2 to 2 cups of raspberry preserves (Trader Joe's brand is delicious, but I also use Solo filling) over the top of the par-baked crust CAREFULLY... dropping by teasps. all over and then gently spreading it evenly.

Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the top of the fruit filling and gently press down a bit.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is light golden-brown. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting into bars.

Other flavors can be substituted for raspberry - apricot is delicious too!!

Fore a more enhanced flavor, toast the walnuts beforehand (350° for 10 minutes, then cool before chopping).

Toffee caramel bars

Heat oven to 350°

Place 2 cups of sliced almonds on a pan & bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool while making the bars.

Grease a 9x13" baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine & mix well:

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1-1/2 c. flour

Press into the bottom of the prepared pan & bake for 20 minutes or until it's lightly golden. Put on a wire rack.

While the crust is baking, in a heavy sauce pan, combine:

2 Tblsp. butter

1- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Over medium heat, stir the mixture continuously until it begins to get bubbly. Cook & continue stirring for 5 minutes. It'll seem to get thin, but after a few minutes will thicken. After 5 minutes of stirring, remove from heat. By this time, the crust should be finished baking.

Spread the filling evenly over the baked crust - return to the oven and bake for additional 12-14 minutes, until the top becomes golden/light brown.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle top with 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Return to the oven and bake for one more minute - remove and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top. Immediately, sprinkle the chocolate with the toasted almonds.

Cool completely - cut into small bars.

Buttery pecan crisps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream together:

1/2 cup soft butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (before making cookies, bake pecan halves for 8-10 min. @350... cool & chop up)

Form cookies in 3/4" balls, place on ungreased sheets, leaving a little bit of space (but these cookies don't spread out). Flatten them slightly. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are golden. While still warm, put a cup of powdered sugar in a bowl & gently toss warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Cool.

Chocolate crinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream together:

1 stick soft butter

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa

1-1/4 sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine: 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder & 1-2/3 C. flour and add to creamed mixture.

Put 1 cup powdered sugar into a bowl.

Roll dough into 3/4" balls & roll the balls into powdered sugar. Place them on parchment lined baking sheets (or lightly greased sheets).

Bake for 10-12 minutes @350 degrees.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Line a cupcake pan with papers (12-16). Heat oven to 325°.

For crust:

In a small mixing bowl, combine

3 cups crushed gingersnap cookies

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. melted butter

Mix well and pat 1 Tblsp. crumbs onto the bottom of each muffin paper.

Filling:

In a mixing bowl, combine:

3 8oz. packs of softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 lg. eggs

1-1/2 cups pumpkin, cooked & pureed

1 teasp. vanilla

1-1/2 teasp. cinnamon

1-1/2 teasp. ground ginger

1/4 teasp. ground cloves

1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream

2 tblsp. flour

Mix on low speed until thoroughly mixed; do not over beat!

Spoon a few tblsp. of batter over each crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes - test (shake pan- make sure the filling doesn't jiggle). Remove from oven and cool completely.

For topping:

Mix 1 cup of sour cream with a few tblsp. white sugar & 1/2 teasp. vanilla extract. Spoon a teasp. of sour cream mixture on top of each cheesecake. Sprinkle a shake of cinnamon-sugar over each. Chill.

You can also make this into a 8-10" cheesecake by using a springform pan. Follow the above recipe, putting the crumbs onto the bottom of the pan, using all the batter - and then baking it longer (test after 55-60 minutes).