1 package (about 15-ounces) yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecan pieces
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
Orange powdered sugar glaze

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Grease and flour 12-cup (10-inch) bundt pan.
2.  Combine cake mix, eggs, orange juice, oil and brandy in a large bowl; beat 1 to 2 minutes or until well blended.  Fold in cranberries, pecans and orange zest.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
3.  Bake about 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
4.  When cake has cooled completely glaze with the orange powdered sugar glaze:  1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons of orange juice...whisk together.  You may want to add or decrease orange juice to get desired consistency.

​Make 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chunks (you can use chips) 
• 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of toasted walnut pieces

​
Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8-inch pan . Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl.
2 Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk.
3 Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the the choclate chunks and the toasted walnut pieces. 
4 Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

Quick and easy blondie recipe. Like brownies in shape and texture, blondies are flavored with brown sugar in place of chocolate. Delicious!

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes to 30 minutes
• Yield: Makes 9 to 16 blondies

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, melted
• 1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour (I used 1/3 cup white flour and 2/3 cup whole wheat flour to equal 1 cup)
• 1/3  to 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips 
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup of toasted sliced almonds

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8-inch  pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl.
2 Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk.
3 Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the butterscotch chips and the toasted sliced almonds.
4 Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

During the holidays my mother always baked a mincemeat pie or two.  I loved her mincemeat pies in all of their citrusy fruity goodness.  So, when I found this recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook titled "Christmas Cookbook", I decided to try it.  It came out not bad at all...actually it is quite good.  It's not the same as my mother's recipe but considering it is made with pre-made mincemeat, you will enjoy it.

Caveat here...I think most people think of mincemeat pie the same way they think of fruit cake...they either love it or hate it.

Recipe:

Heat oven to 425 degrees (F).  Prepare pasty for 9-inch two-crust pie.  Mix one jaro (28-ounces) prepared mincemeat and 1 and 1/2 cups diced and pared tart apples; pour into pastry-lined pie plate.  Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and flute; sprinkle lightly with house cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Bake until crust is golden brown...about 40 to 45 minutes.  You might want to consider covering the edge with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning...I did not need to to do that.

Enjoy.

! cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 package cream cheese (8-oz) softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg (room tem)
2 teaspoons EggNogg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1.  Heat oven to 350 (F) degrees.  Mix flour, butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar until crumbly dough-like.  Press in ungreased baking pan (8x8x2) and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.
2.  Beat remaining ingredients (except pecans)  in small mixer bowl on low speed, scraping constantly for 30 seconds.  Beat on medium speed, scraping occasionally for 1 minute.  Spread over baked layer; sprinkle with pecans.  Bake until edges are light brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
3.  Cool, refrigerator at least two hours.  Cut into 1 1/4 square inch bars.  Store in refrigerator.
4.  Makes about 3 dozen squares.

​Enjoy!

1.  Base -
     1 18-oz milk chocolate brownie mix (13 x 9 Family Size)
     1/2 cup very hot water
     1/2 cup vegetable oil
     1 egg

2.  Topping -
     1 7-oz jar marshmallow cream
     1 & 1/2 cups salted peanuts (recommend dry roasted)
     1 & 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a lage bowl, combine brownie mix, hot water, oil and egg.  Beat 50 strokes or so until blended.  Spread into a creased 7-inch x 11-inch pan (this is not a typo).  Bake at 350 degrees for 28 - 30 minutes.  Do not overbake.

Remove from over and immediately spread marshmallow cream over base.  Sprinkle evenly with peanuts and top with chocolate chips.

Return to over for 5 minutes or until chocolate chips are melted.
Cool completely and cut into bars.

​Enjoy.

I've had this recipe for years...it's in a wonderful Canadian cookbook titled:  "I've GOT To Have That Recipe!"  Until today I've never tried the recipe.  This year, though, I've been blessed with an abundance of fresh pears and decided to finally bake this pie.  What I can tell you is that this recipe is incredibly easy yet delivers a pie that is elegantly delicious.  This recipe definitely is what I call a "keeper."

1 - 9" unbaked pie shell (using your favorite pastry recipe)
3 - 4 Bartlett pears
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter softened (or melted)
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla

Cut pears in half lengthwise.  Stem and core (do not peel) and arrange pears cut side down in shell in a circular fashion.

Beat remaining ingredients until smooth and pour over pears.  Bake at 325 (F) for 40 - 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 (31 ounce) jar pear slices in light syrup (or thereabouts in size)
• 1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
• 1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup toasted pecans
• 1/4 house cinnamon sugar mixture (mine is approximately 4 heaping tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish (or use Crisco).
3. Drain Pears, reserving 1/2 cup syrup.  Quarter the pear halves.
4. Spread pears and apple pie filling in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
5. Drizzle with reserved pear syrup.
6. Sprinkle with cranberries.
7. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over fruit.
8. Drizzle top with butter, covering cake mix as much as possible.
9. Sprinkle top with toasted pecans.
10. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture lightly over pecans.
11. Bake 40 t0 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

​Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy.