Fruit Salad with Honey Dressing

Ingredients
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus the juice 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 apple, cored and diced
1 banana, sliced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
For the dressing, combine the honey, orange juice, oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and mustard in a jar with a tight lid; cover and shake well. Toss the apple, banana, and avocado with juice from 1 lemon to prevent the fruit from turning brown. Combine the fruit, raisins, and nuts in a glass bowl. Add the dressing and stir gently. Serve on red leaf lettuce.

SOURCE

Ginger Biscuit Cake

Ingredients
1 (25-ounce) bag frozen Southern-style biscuits, baked according to package directions, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (5 1/4-ounce) package ginger thins, crushed (recommended: Anna's Ginger Thins)
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
4 cups half-and-half
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses (recommended: Grandma's Molasses)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Molasses Butter Cream Sauce, recipe follows
Chopped walnuts, for garnish


Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.


Place the biscuit pieces evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crushed ginger thins evenly on top of the biscuits. Top evenly with the crystallized ginger.


In a large bowl, combine the half-and-half, eggs, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, and butter. Pour over the biscuits layer and let stand until the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minute. Bake until fluffy and golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm with Molasses Butter Cream Sauce. Garnish with walnuts, if desired.


Cook's Notes: Day-old biscuits work best in this recipe. To easily crush ginger thins, place in a plastic resealable bag, seal, and crush with a rolling pan.


Molasses Butter Cream Sauce:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup molasses (suggested: Grandma's Molasses)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, cream, milk, and molasses. When at a low simmer, add the brown sugar and Irish cream liqueur. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened. Stir in the walnuts.


SOURCE

Uncle Bob's Fresh Apple Cake

Ingredients
Honey Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons milk
Apple Cake:
3 cups diced Granny Smith apples, about 2 apples
1 cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs


Directions
Glaze: Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and stir until smooth. Set the bowl aside.


Cake: 
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a Bundt pan or tube pan.
2. In a bowl, mix together the apples, walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Add in the dry ingredients and beat until completely combined. Fold in the apple mixture.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow the cake to fully cool in the pan, about 1 hour, and then turn it out onto a plate.
6. Drizzle the apple cake with some of the honey glaze, serve and enjoy!


Cook's Note:
The cake can be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.


SOURCE


Apples

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1/4-ounce package yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter or shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pan
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup raisins, walnuts, or pecans, optional

Glaze:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 6 tablespoons hot water

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When doubled in size, punch down dough. Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle. Spread melted butter all over dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or raisins if desired. Beginning at the 15-inch side, role up dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices.

Coat the bottom of baking pan with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned.

Meanwhile, mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

SOURCE

Raisin-Cinnamon Rolls

Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 1 or more cookie sheets. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg,cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Brown Butter Icing:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle on warm cookies.

Yield: enough to ice 5 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ease of preparation: Easy

SOURCE

Orange Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for pan
1 (16.3-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits (recommended: Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers)
1/4 cup minced walnuts
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest

Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons orange juice, or more as necessary

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. 

Separate the biscuit dough into 8 biscuits. Place 1 biscuit in the center of the pan. Cut the remaining biscuits in half, forming 14 half-circles. Arrange the pieces around the center biscuit with cut sides facing in the same direction. Brush melted butter over the tops of the biscuits. 

In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, granulated sugar, and orange zest. Mix well and sprinkle over biscuits. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, and orange juice. Blend until smooth adding more orange juice, if needed, to thin. Drizzle glaze over the warm coffee cake and serve. 

This recipe is one of our Gifts from the Kitchen. 

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Difficulty: Easy

SOURCE: Orange Coffee Cake