Black Forest Mousse

Ingredients:

• 6 4-oz. bars
• Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate
• 2/3 cup extra strong coffee
• 4 large eggs, room temperature, separated
• 1 and1/2 cups sugar2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

• Break chocolate up into small pieces and melt with coffee in the top of a double boiler.
• Beat egg yolks gently with a fork.
• Stir in one cup of the sugar and blend well.
• Add the sugar mixture to the mixture in the double boiler and leave over heat, stirring constantly until sugar is completely dissolved.
• Remove from heat and cool thoroughly.
• Beat egg whites with a handheld mixer until stiff and fold into chocolate mixture.
• Combine cream and the remaining half cup of sugar.
• Beat until soft peaks form, then fold into chocolate mixture.
• Serves 12

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, I'm one year older today. I won't say how old I am, but let's just say I'm closer to getting my AARP card than I like to think about.

I'm hoping next year will be a great one.

Pina Colada Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

1 package yellow cake mix

1 package (4-serving size) coconut cream or vanilla-flavored instant pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup dark rum

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup flaked coconut

Pina Colada Frosting (recipe below)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  
• Blend all ingredients except the coconut in a large bowl and beat for approximately four minutes at medium speed.  
• Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch layer cake pans.  
• Bake for 30 minutes.  Do not under cook. 
• Cool, then remove.  
• Fill and frost cake layers, then sprinkle with flaked coconut.  Chill in refrigerator and serve.  

Pina Colada Frosting

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple

1/3 cup dark rum

1 package (4-serving size) coconut cream or vanilla flavored instant pudding

1 8-oz. container Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

Combine everything except the Cool Whip in a bowl and beat until well blended.  Fold in the thawed Cool Whip.

Pineapple Lemon Sherbert Recipe

A great way to cool down in the summertime!

Ingredients:

2 quarts whole milk
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple and juice
2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients. Blend well.
  
• The mixture will appear to curdle, which is normal.
  
• Pour into an electric ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
  

Serves 8 to 10.

Summer Blackberry Crisp Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups blackberries
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick butter (room temp)
Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 X 2-inch square pan.
  
• Place blackberries in a medium mixing bowl and sprinkle with half the sugar and cinnamon.
  
• In another bowl, stir together the remaining sugar and flour.
  
• Cut the butter into this mixture with a fork until crumbly.
  
• Pour the berry and sugar mixture into the buttered pan.
  
• Cover with the flour, sugar, and butter mixture.
  
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
  
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Easy Chocolate Peanut Clusters Recipe

Quick and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 pound white almond bark
1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate
1 (11oz.) bag Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips
A 1 lb. can salted cocktail peanuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

• Melt bark, chocolate square, and Hershey's chips in the microwave, stirring occasionally.
  
• Stir in peanuts and vanilla and mix well.
  
• Drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper.
  
• Cool.
  

Makes approximately 40 pieces.

Egg Custard Coconut Pie Recipe

Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup grated coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
2 unbaked 9-inch pie shells

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Melt butter and combine butter and sugar.
  
• Add the eggs, buttermilk, coconut, and vanilla, and blend well.
  
• Pour into the two 9-inch pie shells and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Tops should be golden brown.

Chocolate Chip Pie Recipe

This is best served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup pecans
1 cup Nestle's semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  
• Mix sugar and flour together in a medium mixing bowl.
  
• Add the eggs, butter, pecans, chocolate chips, and vanilla.
  
• Stir.
  
• Pour the mixture into an unbaked pie shell.
  
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until set.

Cream Cheese Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Cream butter and cream cheese.
  
• Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
  
• Add the egg yolks and vanilla, then add flour, stirring as you add 1/2 cup at a time.
  
• Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  
• Grease a cookie sheet.
  
• Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
  
• Place cookies on the greased cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
  
• Cool.
  
• 
  

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Snickers Pie Recipe

Easy and sinfully delicious!

Ingredients:

4 king-sized Snickers bars
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 and 1/2 tbsp. half-and-half
4 cups Cool Whip, thawed
1 deep dish 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
More Cool Whip and Hershey's Syrup for garnish

Directions:

• Using a double boiler, melt the Snickers bars, peanut butter, and half-and-half, stirring until a smooth consistency.
  
• Remove from heat and let cool a little.
  
• Fold in Cool Whip.
  
• Pour mixture into the crust and freeze for 4 to 6 hours.
  
• Before serving, top with Cool Whip and drizzle with Hershey's Syrup. Store in refrigerator.

Orange Coconut Cookies Recipe

A great summer cookie...

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. orange extract
3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and orange extract.
  
• Beat on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl often.
  
• Stir in flour and coconut until mixed throughout (about 2 to 3 minutes).
  
• Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough two inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet.
  
• Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
  
• Cool.
  

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, combine butter or margarine and white and brown sugar.
  
• Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
  
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
  
• Add this dry mixture to the creamed mixture and stir, just until dry ingredients are moist.
• Stir in peanut butter.
  
• Spread batter in a greased 8 X 11-inch baking pan.
  
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
  
• Cool. Makes 1 and 1/2 dozen brownies.

Raspberry Streusel Squares Recipe

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 and 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 jar (10 oz.) red raspberry preserves
1/4 cup chopped almonds
confectioners' sugar

Directions:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in sugars.
  
• Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly.
  
• Stir in oats.
  
• Press 2/3 of the crumb mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 X 9-inch baking pan.
  
• Spread with preserves.
  
• Add almonds to the remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle over the preserves. Pat down lightly.
  
• Bake in 375-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes until golden.
  
• Cool and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
  
• Cut into squares.
  

Makes about 2 dozen squares.

Classic Hermits Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup cold coffee
1 egg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 and 1/4 cups seedless raisins
3/4 cup nuts, chopped

Directions:

Mix together brown sugar, margarine, shortening, coffee, egg, and cinnamon. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven until almost no indentation remains when touched (About 8 to 10 minutes). Makes 4 dozen.