Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1 (15 oz) can sliced pineapple, drained
1 jar maraschino
cherries (stems removed)
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar (about 6-7 oz by weight)
1 stick salted butter (ONLY use salted sweet cream REAL butter!)
1 yellow cake mix (mix batter according to package directions)

Preheat oven to 350º or temperature indicated on cake mix package. place stick of butter in 13 x 9 pan, heat in oven until butter is melted. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter until the sugar is absorbed. Arrange pineapples in bottom of pan as desired. Add cherries placing one in the center of each pineapple and anywhere there is a gap between the pineapples. Pour cake batter carefully and evenly over pineapple & butter/brown sugar mixture.

Bake as directed on cake mix package. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting onto cake plate or tray. May be served warm or chilled. (We like it room temperature)

Sugar Cookies

These are a variation of the Toll House recipe. They are soft & chewy and oh so good!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
colored sugar (for decoration)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Drop by rounded tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheets. Dip bottom of drinking glass in colored sugar and use glass to flatten cookies slightly. Sprinkle with extra colored sugar if desired. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Here's another favorite from Bisquick®

Streusel Ingredients:
1/3 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons firm butter or margarine

Coffee Cake Ingredients:
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
2/3 cup milk or water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9-inch round pan. In small bowl using a bastry blender or two forks, cut butter into streusel ingredients until crumbly; set aside.
In medium bowl, mix coffee cake ingredients until blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly on top of cake mixture.
Bake at 375°F for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.

This coffee cake is best served warm, but you can microwave a piece for 10 to 15 seconds on High to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven taste.

Busy Day Cheesecake

This is far from the real thing, but will do in a pinch for a quick & easy dessert.

8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cups milk, divided
1 pkg lemon* instant pudding
8 or 9-inch graham cracker crust

Place cream cheese in medium bowl, slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk blending until smooth. Add pudding mix and remaining milk. Beat with mixer approximately 1 minute or just until blended. Pour mixture into crust and chill one hour.

*SUBSTITUTION: Sugar Free pudding mix may be substituted
*VARIATION: Any flavor pudding may be substituted. (I like to use Cheesecake flavor)

M&M Cookies

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter OR butter flavor Crisco
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine brown sugar, shortening, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat egg into creamed mixture.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture 1/3 at a time while mixing at low speed. Mix just until blended. Stir in M&Ms.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for or until edges are lightly brown. (Bake 2-3 minutes longer if you prefer a more crisp cookie). Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.

Toll House Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

VARIATIONS
Replace chocolate chips with chocolate chunks
Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts along with the chocolate chips
Stir in 1 cup toffee bits along with the chocolate chips
Replace 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 cup peanut butter chips
Replace 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 cup butterscotch chips
Replace 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 cup vanilla chips
Replace 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 cup M&Ms
Replace 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 cup Andes baking bits

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer
until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl; add to creamed mixture 1/3 at a time mixing well after each addition. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 4 Dozen Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter OR butter flavor Crisco
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat on medium speed until well blended and creamy. Add egg. Beat until well blended.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture 1/3 at a time while mixing at low speed. Mix just until blended. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes at 375°F, or until set and edges are beginning to brown. Allow cookies to sit for 2 minutes on baking sheet, remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

Fun Rice Krispie Treats

Be sure to check out RiceKrispies.com for more unique ideas and recipes.

3 T butter**
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies
Optional toppings of your choice*

In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on high for 2 minutes, stir, heat 1 additional minute on high. Stir until smooth. Add Rice Krispies, stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into squares.

*Just after you press the mixture into the pan (before it cools), spread/sprinkle with 1 or more toppings of your choice from the list below, or leave plain for a traditional, and equally yummy, treat!

chocolate icing
chocolate chips
peanut butter chips
M&Ms
red licorice chopped into small bits
chopped dried fruit
colored sprinkles/jimmies (look in the cake decorating aisle)
Or anything else you can dream up, let the kids choose. :)

**The original recipe calls for butter OR margarine, but I usually only use butter in my recipes. I like the flavor it adds and it's (slightly) healthier than margarine.

Make-do Danish

2 cans (8 oz each) crescent dinner rolls

Cream Cheese Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 teaspoons strawberry preserves

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. In small bowl mix filling ingredients. Beat until smooth. Set mixture aside.

Unroll dough and separate into 8 rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread each rectangle with approximately 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. Starting on longest side, roll up each rectangle firmly pinching edges and ends to seal. Gently stretch each roll to about 10 inches.

Coil each roll into a spiral with seam on the inside, tucking end under. Place on a large ungreased cookie sheet. Make an indentation with your thumb in center of each roll. Fill indentation with 1/2 teaspoon of the preserves.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients adding just enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.

Yeild: 8 rolls

Easy Cinnamon Breadsticks

The hardest part about this recipe is remembering to take the bread dough out of the freezer in the morning!

1 lb loaf bread dough (I use frozen)
2 T butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
cream cheese icing; warmed for dipping (Optional)
2 T olive oil

Place bread in large bowl and pour olive oil over loaf; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Place bowl in warm place and allow to rise until doubled*. Mix cinnamon and sugar until blended; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough onto lightly greased baking pan and press out to desired size, or approx. 8 x 15 inches. Allow dough to rise for 10 - 20 mins. Bake for approximately 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush with melted butter (I usually just use the stick and rub it generously all over the top of the bread.) Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Cut into 8 (or more) breadsticks. Serve warm with icing (if desired).

Yeild 8 breadsticks

*This step will take several hours if using frozen dough.

Dr. Pepper Cake

Dr. Pepper Cake

1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 (3 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1 (12 ounce) can warm Dr. Pepper soda, divided
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil or butter
chopped pecans (optional)

Mix all ingredients reserving 3 tablespoons of Dr Pepper for the glaze (recipe below). Pour into a prepared bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Glaze:
1 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 T Dr. Pepper

Mix all ingredients well. Drizzle over warm cake.

Serve warm or cooled to room temperature.

Yummy Banana Bread

Yummy Banana Bread

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir butter into the mashed bananas. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla to banana mixture; stir to combine. Mix dry ingredients together; add dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Pour into greased 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Optional add-ins: I like to add 1/2 cup chocolate chips, or you could add peanut butter chips or walnuts before baking.

Graham Cracker Treats

Graham Cracker Treats

2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup pecans
1 - 2 packages graham crackers (or enough to line 15 x 10 x 2 1/2 inch cookie sheet)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Line cookie sheet with non-stick aluminum foil. Place graham crackers on foil covering the bottom of the cookie sheet. Combine the butter and brown sugar. Bring to boil, stirring constantly, simmer for 5 minutes. Mixture will look foamy. Stir in nuts. Pour mixture over graham crackers. Bake in 325 degree oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Break into desired serving sized pieces.

These are SO good. They have a yummy buttery/toffee flavor candy-like coating. Enjoy!

Grandma Linda's Banana Pudding

Grandma Linda's Banana Pudding

2 lg (6 serving size) boxes cook & serve vanilla pudding & pie filling
6 cups milk
4 lg bananas
1 (12 oz) box vanilla wafers

Cook pudding according to package directions. (Microwave cooking yeilds better results; no scorching!) Reserve 7-10 un-broken vanilla wafers to use as a garnish. Cover bottom of large serving bowl with vanilla wafers, add a single layer of banana slices (sliced to approx 1/4" thick) over the vanilla wafers, carefully pour hot pudding over bananas using only enough pudding to just cover the vanilla wafers and bananas. Repeat layers until pudding is used up or bowl is full. Top with reserved wafers, arranging them in a pleasing manner such as a flower. Cool in refrigerator several hours or overnight.

Watergate Salad

Watergate Salad

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple, in juice, undrained
1 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans
1-1/2 cups (1/2 of 8-oz. tub) thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

MIX dry pudding mix, pineapple, marshmallows and pecans in large bowl until well blended. ADD whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Cover. REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Makes: 8 servings, about 1/2 cup each

http://www.kraftfoods.com/

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread

2 (11 oz) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 c butter, melted
1/3 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 c chopped pecans or walnuts
1 t ground cinnamon (optional)

Cut biscuits into quarters. Arrange in a lightly greased bundt pan (they will overlap.) Combine butter and remaining ingredients; spread evenly over biscuits. Bake at 350°F for 22 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Miss Carrie's Cherry Cheese Delight

Miss Carrie's Cherry Cheese Delight

1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 box vanilla wafers
1 (12 oz) container whipped topping
1 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping blending until smooth. In a large bowl, starting with cookies, layer cookies alternately with cherry pie filling and cream cheese mixture. Use several unbroken cookies on top of last layer of cream cheese mixture as a garnish. Refrigerate several hours or overnight until cookies are soft.

Dirt Cake

Dirt Cake

1 (18 oz) package oreo cookies
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (12 oz) package cool whip
2 (4 serving size) boxes instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk

For crust: In a food processor, crush oreos into fine crumbs. Set aside.

For filling: Mix together both boxes of instant pudding and the milk until smooth. While pudding is thickening, in a separate large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add thickened pudding to cream cheese blending until smooth. Fold cool whip into pudding mixture. In a 9 x 13-inch glass pan or large see through bowl, place half of the oreo crumbs in bottom, then spread all of the filling over the cookie crumbs, top with remaining oreos.

Serve imediately or refrigerate overnight to allow the cookies to soften.