Easy Apricot Pie

Ingredients:

2 medium eggs, beaten
2 cups of dried apricots
¾ cup of sugar
¼ cup of butter
2 tablespoons of cream
Baked pastry shell

Instructions:

1. Wash apricots, then cover with water and simmer for 40 minutes or until tender.

2. Beat apricots until smooth; then allow to cool.
Cream together the butter and sugar; add the beaten egg yolks, cream and apricots. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour into the baked pastry shell.
Bake at 400°F (205°C) until done and crust is nicely browned. About 30 to 40 minutes.

Easy Coconut Fudge Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, divided
14 graham crackers, finely crushed (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk
1 pkg. (10 1/2 oz ) miniature marshmallows (6 cups)
1 1/2 pkg (12 squares) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup angel flake coconut, toasted

Directions:

1. Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spray with cooking spray. Melt 3/4 cup butter; mix with crumbs. Press onto bottom of pan.

2. Bring remaining butter, sugar, milk and marshmallows to a boil in a large saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chocolate; cook until melted stirring frequently. Pour over crust.

3. Top with nuts and coconut. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
Yield: 32 servings

How to Toast Flaked Coconut
Heat oven to 350°F. Place coconut on baking sheet. Bake 2 to 4 min. or until coconut is dry and mostly light brown with some white shreds, stirring every 30 seconds.

Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Pastry:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp shortening
2 to 3 tbsp cold water

Filling:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 cups cut up rhubarb
2 tbsp butter or margarine

Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl mix 1 cup flour and the salt.
Cut in shortening using pastry blender, (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions) until particles are size of small peas.
Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

2. Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes
or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable.
This allows the shortening to become slightly firm,
which helps make the baked pastry more flaky.
If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

3. Heat oven to 475°F. With floured rolling pin, roll pastry into round 2 inches larger than upside down 9 inch glass pie plate.
Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate.
Unfold and ease into plate pressing firmly against bottom and side.
Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate.
Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.
Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool on cooling rack.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
In large bowl, beat 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until thickened.
Stir in 1/3 cup flour and the rhubarb; pour into pie crust.
Cut butter into small pieces and sprinkle over pie.
Cover edge of pastry with 2 to 3 inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.

5. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and rhubarb is tender.
Cool pie on cooling rack while preparing meringue.

6. In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on high speed until foamy.
Beat in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until stiff and glossy (do not under beat).
Spread meringue over rhubarb mixture to edge of crust.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until light brown.
Cool pie away from draft, about 30 minutes.

Makes: 8 servings

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:

3 bananas, sliced
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 prepared eight inch graham cracker pie crust
2 cups milk, divided
¾ cup sugar
½ cup whipping cream
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup plus 1 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, cornstarch, ¼ cup of cocoa and salt
in top of a double boiler. Blend in ½ cup of the
milk and egg yolks; then stir until smooth.
Stir in the remaining milk.

2. Cook over boiling water stirring constantly until
thickened (5 to 6 minutes).
Remove from heat then stir in vanilla and allow to cool slightly.

3. Arrange a third of the slices of banana in the pie crust.
Spoon half of the chocolate mixture over top of bananas.
Repeat layering cover loosely and place in refrigerator
for 15 to 20 mins.

4. Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer
at high speed until soft peaks form. Top each serving
with whipped cream and garnish with remaining banana
slices and remaining cocoa.

Easy Triple Layer Lemon Pie

Ingredients:

2 pkg(3.4 oz) lemon instant pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 graham cracker pie crust (6 oz)
1 tub (8 oz ) whipped topping, thawed, divided
Directions:

1. Beat pudding mixes, milk and juice with whisk 2 minutes
(Mixture will be thick). Spread 1 1/2 cups onto bottom of crust.

2. Whisk 1/2 the whipped topping into remaining pudding
mixture; spread over pudding layer in crust.
Top with remaining topping.

3. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set.

Makes: 8 Servings

Easy Pistachio Bar Dessert

Ingredients:

36 chocolate sandwich cookies with white filling,
finely crushed (about 3 cups)

6 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
2 pkg (3.4 oz each) pistachio flavor instant pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 tub (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
1/2 cup toffee bits

Directions:

1. Mix cookie crumbs and butter until well blended.
Press onto bottom of 13 x 9 inch pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Beat pudding mixes and milk in large bowl
with whisk 2 min; spread 1 1/2 cups onto bottom
of crust. Stir half the whipped topping
into remaining pudding; spread over pudding layer in pan.
Cover with remaining topping and toffee bits.

3. Refrigerate 4 hours or longer until firm.

Yield: 32 Servings

Substitute 1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts for toffee bits if desired.

Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafers (about 18 cookies)*
6 tbsp butter(not margarine!), melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) tub sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 (8 oz) package semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled.
3 eggs
1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
2 tbsp whipping cream or milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
For crust:
In a medium bowl, combine crushed chocolate wafers,
melted butter and cinnamon; toss gently to mix.
Press mixture onto the bottom and up the sides
of a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. Set aside.

2. For filling:
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar
and melted chocolate. Beat with an electric mixer on
medium to high speed until smooth. Using a wooden
spoon stir in eggs just until combined. Stir in liqueur,
whipping cream or milk and vanilla.

3. Pour filling into the crust lined pan.
Place spring form pan in shallow baking pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until center appears
nearly set when gently shaken.

4. Cool in spring form pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Using a small sharp knife loosen from side of pan.
Cool for 30 minutes more. Remove side of spring form pan.
Cool for 1 hour. Cover and chill for at least
6 hours or up to 24 hours.

Makes 16 servings.

*Note:
If using a 10 inch spring form pan use 1 3/4 cups crushed chocolate wafers (about 21 cookies) and 7 tablespoons butter melted for the crust.

Irish Banoffee Recipe(Banana Toffee Pie)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tsp ground ginger
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 bananas, sliced
2 cups heavy whipping cream(from the milk case not the frozen topping)

Directions:

1. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter or margarine, and ginger until well blended . Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Cool in refrigerator.

2. In a sauce pan boil an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours. Monitor the water closely, to make sure there is always water in the pan. Remove can from heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Open can and pour toffee into pie crust. Allow to cool.

4. Slice bananas over toffee.

5. Whip 2 cups of cream and spoon it on top of bananas. Refrigerate before serving.

Yield: (1) 9 inch pie, 8 Servings

Note:

By the way, please don't worry about the can exploding. Do, however, make sure that you are around to top up the water as it boils off. Also, be careful when you open the can, the second it is punctured the boiling hot milk oozes out. Wrap the can and the can-opener in an old towel, thus protecting your hand while opening.

Brownies Supreme Recipe

Ingredients:

13 tbsp butter (no substitutes)
6 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour or all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

1. Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan; set aside. In a heavy small saucepan, heat the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes or until lemon colored and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Add flour mixture. Beat on low speed until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Stir in walnuts. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake in a 325 F. oven for 30 minutes or until brownies appear set.

3. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Makes 15 servings.

Grape and Pear Pie

Ingredients:

(Use your own recipe for 2 ((9-inch)) pie crusts or purchase
2 rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crusts, not frozen.)

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp finely shredded orange peel
5 cups seedless red or black grapes
2 medium red pears, cored and sliced (2 cups)
1 egg white

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare Pastry for Double Crust Pie. For filling, in a large bowl stir together brown sugar, flour, melted butter and orange peel. Add grapes and pears; toss together.

2. On lightly floured surface, slightly flatten 1 ball of pastry. Roll dough from center to edges into 12 inch circle. Wrap pastry around rolling pin; unroll in 9 inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate being careful not to stretch. Trim even with rim of pie plate. Pour filling into pastry. Roll remaining dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Cut slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Place pastry on filling; trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry edge under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Place on baking sheet.

3. In small bowl combine egg white with 1 tablespoon water. Brush top of pie with egg white mixture. Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 35 minutes; remove foil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until top of pastry is golden and steam is escaping from slits in top crust. Remove from oven.

4. Cool 6 hours. Store loosely covered in refrigerator up to 24 hours.