Category Archives: DESSERTS

PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER CAKES

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CAKE:

1 (18 1/4 oz) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16 oz) box confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

combine cake mix, eggs and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13″x9″ baking pan.

to make the filling: in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. add the eggs, vanilla and butter, and beat together. next add the confectioners sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. spread the pumpkin mixture over the cake batter and bake for 40-50 minutes. make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

serve with fresh whipped cream.

INSTANT TIRAMISU

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1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
24 ladyfingers (two 3 oz pkgs)
1/2 cup kahlua
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

combine the ricotta, cream cheese and sugar in a food processor; process until smooth.

split the ladyfingers in half lengthwise. arrange 24 halves in a single layer in an 11″x7″ baking dish. drizzle with half the kahlua, and let stand 5 minutes. spread half the cheese mixture evenly over the lady fingers. repeat procedure with remaining ladyfingers, kahlua and cheese mixture. sprinkle with cocoa.

FLUFFY FRUIT SALAD

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2 (20 oz) cans crushed pineapple
2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 (17 oz) cans fruit cocktail, drained
1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
2 bananas, sliced
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

drain pineapple, reserving 1 cup juice in a small saucepan. set pineapple aside. to saucepan, add sugar, flour, eggs, orange juice, lemon juice and oil. bring to a boil, stirring constantly. boil for 1 minute; remove from heat and let cool. in a bowl, combine pineapples, fruit cocktail, oranges and bananas. fold in whipped cream and the cooled sauce. chill for several hours.

12-16 servings

FROZEN YOGURT COOKIE DESSERT

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12 reduced-fat oreo cookies, crushed
1 quart low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, softened
1/3 cup chocolate syrup
1/2 dry roasted peanuts
1 (8 oz) carton fat-free cool whip, thawed

set aside 1 tablespoon cookie crumbs. sprinkle the remaining crumbs into an 11″x7″ dish coated with pam. freeze for 10 minutes.

carefully spread frozen yogurt over crumbs. drizzle with chocolate syrup and sprinkle with peanuts. spread with cool whip. sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

cover and freeze for at least 2 hours. remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.

12 servings

RICOTTA CHEESECAKE WITH FRESH SEASONAL FRUIT

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2 cups crushed vanilla oreos OR vanilla wafers
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 pound cream cheese
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup flour
6 eggs
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
fresh fruit mixture (see recipe below)

preheat oven to 350°. grease a 10″ springform pan.

to make the crust, combine crushed cookies, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a food processor. this will make a thick crust; if you want less crust, halve the recipe.

press mixture down flat into prepared springform pan.

bake crust for 12 minutes. set aside. reduce oven heat to 325°.

cream the cheeses on medium speed until soft and blended. add the remaining sugar and mix well, about 3 minutes.

add the sour cream and mix for another minute. reduce speed to low and add flour.

add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. add lemon zest and vanilla extract.

pour batter into prepared pan. wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan in aluminum foil to prevent any leaks, then bake in a water bath for 1 hour and 15 minutes. check cheesecake after 1 hour.

when cake is removed from oven, remove it from the water bath. let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. refrigerate for at least 4 hours; overnight works best.

FRESH FRUIT MIXTURE:

3 cups diced strawberries OR fresh fruit
juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup sugar

mix together and let macerate overnight. place on top of cheesecake when ready to serve.

6 servings

LEMON CUSTARD CAKE

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1 prepared angel food cake (10″)
1 package (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 can (21 oz) cherry OR strawberry pie filling

tear the angel food cake into bite-size pieces. place in a 13″x9″x2″ pan. in a mixing bowl combine the pudding mix, milk and sour cream. beat until thickened, about 2 minutes. spread over cake. spoon pie filling on top. chill until serving time.

12-16 servings

CRANBERRY GELATIN SALAD

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1 package (6 oz) cherry jello
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 can (16 oz) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1/4 cups chopped walnuts OR pecans

in a large bowl, dissolve jello in boiling water. stir in pineapple and cranberry sauce. refrigerate for 30 minutes. stir in grapes and nuts. pour into a 2 quart serving bowl or mold. refrigerator until firm.

8-10 (1/2 cup) servings

CHEESECAKE WITH SOUR CREAM TOPPING

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1 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

mix sugar and eggs together. add softened cream cheese, lemon juice and vanilla. mix well.

for crust: 14 full graham crackers, crushed fine; add 2 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons melted butter. mix well. press into pie pan.

pour cheese mixture into crust. bake at 375° for 40 minutes. let cool for 1 hour.

for topping: mix 1/2 pint sour cream in which 1 tablespoon sugar has been added. put on top of cheesecake and put it back in the oven at 400° for 15 minutes.

when you bake the cheesecake at the first step, it will be soft in the center.

KING CUPCAKES

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CHOCOLATE LAYER:

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
4 large eggs

BANANA LAYER:

2 1/4 cups bisquick
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

FROSTING:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon milk (if needed)

preheat oven to 375°. line 2 cupcake pans with liners and set aside.

in a large bowl, combine all ingredients to make the chocolate layer. beat on medium speed until no longer lumpy and well blended; set aside. add the confectioners sugar and brown sugar. beat until light and fluffy, adding milk if needed.

in another bowl, combine all ingredients to make banana layer. beat on medium speed until well blended. spoon banana layer into cupcake tins about 1/3 of the way full. top with chocolate layer until tins are 2/3 full. bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

to make frosting: cream together the butter and peanut butter until light and creamy.

KULFI

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1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
1 1/4 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 (16 oz) container cool whip, thawed
4 pieces white bread, torn into pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

combine evaporated milk, condensed milk and cool whip in a blender and blend in pieces of bread until smooth.

pour mixture into a 9″x13″ baking dish or 2 plastic ice cube trays, sprinkle with cardamom and freeze for 8 hours for overnight.