Pear Fritters

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
1 cup self-rising flour
2 peeled and cored pears
Vegetable oil, for frying
Vanilla ice cream, for garnish, optional
Cinnamon-sugar, for garnish, optional
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish, optional
Maple syrup, for garnish, optional
Mint leaves, for garnish, optional


Directions
Whisk together milk, egg, sugar, cinnamon and sour cream. Add flour. Set aside.


Slice the cored pears into rings. Heat the oil in skillet. Dip rings into batter and place in hot oil. Fry until golden brown.


Top with vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and powered sugar, if desired. Drizzle with maple syrup and garnish with a mint leaf, if desired.


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Mocha Fondue

Ingredients
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur


Directions
Dippers: Biscotti, strawberries, pineapple chunks, bananas


In a heavy saucepan, bring whipping cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Stir into a fondue pot, add liqueur, and keep warm over low heat. Serve with desired dippers.


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Aunt Peggy's Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients
Souffle:
3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, from about 2 to 3 small baked potatoes
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, about 1 stick, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, about 1/2 stick, cubed, at room temperature
1/2 cup self-rising cake flour
1 cup chopped pecans


Directions
Souffle: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Topping: Combine the brown sugar, butter, flour, and pecans in a separate bowl. Crumble the topping over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Serve hot.

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Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients
Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients
Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


For crust:


In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.


For filling:


Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.


Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.


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Cinnamon Ripple Sweet Potato Cake

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened, plus butter for pan
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
12 ounces sour cream
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (about 1 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Rum Glaze, recipe follows


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.


In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon; set aside.


In a large bowl, combine the 1 cup of butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream, sweet potatoes, and vanilla.


In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add it to the butter mixture, stirring well.


Pour half of sweet potato batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar mixture. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the streusel. Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and cool. Spoon the Rum Glaze over cooled cake, slice and serve.


Rum Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon rum extract
Pecans, for garnish
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth.

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Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Ingredients
1 (9-inch) frozen deep-dish pie crust
32 jumbo marshmallows
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
12-ounce container whipped topping
Cinnamon, garnish


Directions
Bake the pie crust according to the package directions and allow it to cool.


In the top of a double boiler over low heat, combine the marshmallows and the pumpkin puree. , Stir constantly, with a heatproof spatula, until the marshmallows are melted. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the spice and salt.


When the mixture is completely cool, stir in half of the whipped topping. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Top with the remaining whipped topping and garnish with cinnamon.


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Raspberry and Sherry Trifle

Ingredients
1 (18 1/2-ounce) package cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Gold)
1 1/2 cups dry sherry
7 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
3 (12-ounce) packages frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed
Whipped cream, for garnish, optional
Fresh raspberries, for garnish, optional
Mint leaves, for garnish, optional


Directions
Butter and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare the cake according to package directions, but use 1/2 cup of the sherry in place of 1/2 cup water. When baked, let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cake into large chunks, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and remaining 1 cup sherry into the top of a double boiler. Whisk until completely combined. Place the top pan over simmering water (do not let water touch the bottom of the top pan). With a wooden spoon, stir over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the custard is quite thick, about the consistency of mayonnaise. Let cool. Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar. Take half of the whipped cream and add it to the cooled custard, stirring well. To assemble: In the bottom of a trifle bowl or a 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum foil pan, layer 1/3 of the cake cubes, 1/3 of the raspberries, and 1/3 of the custard. Continue layering, ending with custard. Take the remaining whipped cream and completely cover the top of the custard. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with additional whipped cream, fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint, if desired.


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Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups biscuit mix
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup water
Garlic Butter:
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes


Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.


Combine the biscuit mix and cheese in a small bowl. Add the water and stir just until combined. The dough will be slightly moist. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the biscuits are firm and beginning to brown.


While the biscuits are baking, make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic powder, salt, and parsley flakes. Mix well. As soon as you bring the biscuits from the oven, brush them with the garlic butter using a pastry brush.


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