Here are a few of my FAVORITE fool-proof recipes that I use on a regular basis. They are perfect for any Holiday, Season or Occasion, but I like to bring them to parties, baby or bridal showers or church carry-ins. I promise everyone will go home with your recipe tightly zipped in their purse. They won’t be able to resist!

1.Creamsicle Ice Cream Pie
Serves 8-9

Ingredients
CRUST:
26 gingersnap cookies
1/3 cup pecan pieces
5 tablespoon plus1 tsp (1/3 cup) stick butter, melted
FILLING:
2 pt orange sorbet
1 pt vanilla ice cream
1 cup (1/2 pt) heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Garnish: orange slices and mint sprigs

Directions
1.Coat a 9- to 10-in. pie plate with nonstick spray.
2.Crust: Pulse gingersnaps and nuts in a food processor to make fine crumbs.
3.Add butter and process to blend. Press over bottom and up sides of pie plate.
4.Freeze 30 minutes until firm.
5.Meanwhile soften sorbet and ice cream until spreadable but not melting.
6.Spread 1 pt sorbet over bottom of crust. Spoon on ice cream, then spread into an even layer. Top with spoonfuls of remaining sorbet; spread to edges of pie. Freeze at least 4 hours, or wrap airtight and can freeze up to 2 weeks.
7.About 20 minutes before serving.
8.Remove pie from freezer.
9.Beat cream and sugar in a large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.
10. Spread decoratively on pie;
11.Garnish with orange slices and mint.

2. Better than Redman Sugar Cookies
Couple Dozen (depends on how big you make them)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup soft butter
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt

Directions
1. Mix everything together, it will be sticky so chill for at least 1 hour
2. Pat with flour and roll out on counter to use cookies cutters
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Do not over-cook or start to turn brown- these cookies are suppose to be super soft and pale

3. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 3 dozen

Ingredients
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pure pumpkin
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup applesauce (plain or cinnamon)
Beat above ingredients until smooth
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Directions
1. Combine the dry ingredients in seperate bowl, add to pumpkin mixture and then stir well
2. Stir in 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and Bake at 375 for 16-20 minutes
4. Cool in pan 10 minutes before moving to wire rack

4. Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes a couple dozen

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour (or a little more)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup Crisco
3/4 granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
And the secret ingredient is….
1 tbsp instant vanilla pudding mix

Directions
1. Preheat oven 350
2. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl
3. In another bowl beat butter, crisco, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy–add eggs one at a time beating well after each
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture–stir in choc. chips
5. Bake 9-11 min

5. Best Ever Banana Bread/Muffins
Makes 1 loaf or a dozen muffins

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup yogurt (heaping, any flavor)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 flour
1 cup nuts (optional)

Directions
1. Mix bananas, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
2. Stir in yogurt.
3. Stir in dry ingredients and nuts.
4. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour
5. If making muffins, bake at 325 for 15-30 minutes

6. Daves Famous Fruit Pizza
Serves 8-9

Ingredients
Crust:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
Cream butter, sugar and egg together, then add:
1 1/3 cup + 1Tb flour
1 Tb baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Bake at 375 on a 12″ round cookie sheet for 12-14 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

Spread:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla
2. Spread on cooled crust. Then decorate with fruit(s) of your choice. (we like blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, or mandarin oranges best.) Refridgerate the pizza uncovered while cooking and cooling the glaze.

Glaze
1 1/2 cup fruit juice (we usually use apple or white grape)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
3 Tb cornstarch

3. Mix the glaze in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, Stirring constantly until it looks clear again.
4. Then set aside to cool 5-10 minutes.
5. Remove pizza from fridge pour glaze on top and immediately cover with Saranwrap and chill to set.

7. Pumpkin Molasses Bread
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin pie filling (not pure pumpkin)
1/2 cup canola oil, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions
1.Heat oven to 350° F. Oil a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
2.In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin pie filling, oil, sugar, molasses, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Slowly stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture.
3.Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the bread from the pan. Invert it onto a cutting board. Serve warm.

8. Joyce’s Monster Cookies
Makes lots of cookies!

Ingredients
1/2 lb butter
1/2 dozen eggs
2 cups sugar
1 lb brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp Karo syrup
4 tsp baking soda
Mix all of the above and then add:
1 1/2 lb peanut butter
9 cups oatmeal
1/2 lb M&M’s
1/2 lb Chocolate chips

Directions
1. Mix everything in a HUGE bowl
2. Scoop out with a round ice cream scoop onto cookie sheet, leaving 2″ between cookies
3. Flatten the dough balls a little then Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until done.
4. Let cool on baking sheet, then place on cooling rack.
(Can refridgerate for a week or freeze)

9. Shortbread Dreams
Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup jam (any flavor)

GLAZE:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
1.In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center. Fill with jam.
2.Bake at 350 degrees F for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies.

10. Perfect Snickerdoodle
Makes 6 dozen

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margerine
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Directions
1. Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, margerine, shortening and eggs in large bowl.
2. Stir in flour, salt, cream of tarter and soda
3. Shape dough by rounded tsps. into balls.
4. Mix cinnamon and 3 Tbsp sugar. Roll each in mixture.
5. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

This should cover all my favorites, so next time someone asks you to bring something to their party or exciting event, show up with one of these items and you will be a “VIP”!

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Tags: bread, cookies, desserts, muffins, pies