Cake Mix Almond Pound Cake

For those of you who are still trying to use all those cake mixes you got as wedding gifts, here is a jewel.

Ingredients:
1 white or yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding
4 large eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds
confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt Pan.
2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and almond extract in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in almonds. Pour into pan.
3. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely. Dust with Confectioners' sugar.

Oatmeal Berry Breakfast Bars

 Oatmeal Berry Breakfast Bars

Crust and Topping

1 c. flour

¾ c. brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ c. butter, cold and cut into small pieces

2 ½ c. quick-cook oats

2 Tbsp. apple or orange juice

Filling

¼ c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

Pinch of salt

3 ½ c. fresh blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Heat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Add flour, brown sugar, and salt to a food processor.  Pulse to combine, then add the butter and pulse 5 or 6 more times until crumbs form.  Add the oats and pulse a couple more times.  Remove 1 ½ c. of the mixture and set aside.  Add the juice to the remaining mixture and pulse a couple more times until it’s just moistened.  Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan using your fingers.  To make filling whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the fruit and lemon juice and gently toss together using a rubber spatula until the fruit is coated.  Distribute the filling over the crust. 

Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the filling.  Bake the dish until golden 30-40 minutes.  Let the pan cool for about 2 hours then cut.

Blender Banana Bread

2 TB melted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 large bananas
3 TB milk
Mix above ingredients in blender. Then add:
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, depending on how many loaves you want. This recipe is great because if you have more bananas just add a little more milk and if you have fewer just add a bit more flour.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These have been a favorite with family and friends for years

2 1/2 sticks soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg 1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal
2 cups semi-sweet chips
1 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir flour, soda, salt and cinnamon together and add to wet ingredients, then add oats, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by round tablespoons on ungreased sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes for chewy, 10 to 11 minutes for crisp.

Wormy Apple Bars for Halloween and/or Debbie's Birthday

Sounds gross, tastes great.

1 1/4 c. flour
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 can apple pie filling
1/3 c. white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 box refrigerated pie crust

1.  Heat oven to 425.  In large bowl, beat flour, brown sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Press mixture in bottom of ungreased 13x9 pan.
2.  Spoon and spread filling over crust.  Bake 10 minutes.
3.  Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix white sugar and cinnamon.  Cut 1 cold rolled crust lengthwise in half (keep remaining crust refrigerated).  Cut into 1/4 inch slices.  Repeat with remaining crust.  Separate pieces, and toss with sugar mixture.  Sprinkle cut-up crust mixture evenly over filling.
4.  Bake 18-22 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Cool completely, about 30 minutes.  For bars, cut into 4 rows by 3 rows.  Cover and refrigerate any remaining bars.

(The refrigerated pie crust is easier to cut when cold.  Make sure your knife is sharp.)

Tip:  Orange colored sugar can be used for the regular white sugar.

Chex Lemon Buddies

9 cups Rice Chex cereal

1 1/4 cup white vanilla baking chips

1/4 cup butter or margarine

4 tsp grated lemon peel

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 cups powdered sugar

Measure cereal into a large mixing bowl and set aside.  In a microwaveable bowl, microwave chips, butter, lemon peel and juice uncovered on high for 1 minute; stir.  Microwave about 30 more seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth.  Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.  Pour into a 2-gallon resealable food storage plastic bag.  Add powdered sugar, seal bag and shake until all the cereal is well-coated.

True Love Story Oatmeal Cake

1 ½ c. boiling water

1 c. oatmeal

½ c. shortening

1 c. white sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze

¾ cube of butter

¾ c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

½ c. coconut

½ c. walnuts, chopped

Pour boiling water over oats and let stand for 20 minutes.  Cream butter, sugar and eggs.  Add to oats.  Sift dry ingredients, then add to oats.  Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Mix glaze ingredients and pour over warm cake.

Poppy Seed Bread

1 1/2 c. milk

3 eggs

1 1/8 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 tsp butter

3 c. flour

2 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Grease and lightly flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Preheat over to 350. Mix all ingredients together, then beat for 2 minutes. Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour.

Optional Glaze:

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp butter

Mix glaze ingredients together in small bowl and pour over hot bread in pans. Let cool before removing from pans.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Julie

1 cake mix

1 c. canned pumpkin

Mix ingredients and put into muffin tins to bake at 350 - 15 minutes for mini cupcakes or 20-25 for regular size. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Kathy Barnes

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

½ c. butter, softened

3 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together until smooth.

Katrina's Congo Bars

2 c. flour
2 c. quick cooking oats
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. butter, melted
2 c. chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. caramel topping
6 Tbsp. flour

Blend together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter until crumbly.
Put 1/2 crumbly mix into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
In the meantime mix the caramel and 6 Tbsp. flour.
After removing the crust from the oven sprinkle it with chocolate chips, then pour caramel on top of them.  Sprinkle the remaining half of the crumbly mix on top and bake 15-20 minutes, until top is lightly browned.  Chill at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.