Sometimes the simplest of recipes are the most delicious.

2 cans (21-ounce each) cherry pie filling
1 package (approximately 15-ounces) chocolate fudge cake mix
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 to 3/4 (personal preference) chopped walnuts (or walnut topping)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

1.  Preheat oven to 350 (F).  Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan
2.  Spread cherry pie filling in prepared pan.  Top with cake mix, spreading evenly.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Lastly sprinkle with chopped walnuts.  Pour butter over top, covering cake mix as much as possible.
3.  Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
4.  Serve with French vanilla ice cream (if desired).  Makes 12 to 16 servings.

I found this recipe on the internet and sat and thought about it for a couple of days before trying it out.  I made some minor adaptations...and I am thrilled with the result.  This bars are delicious.

Ingredients:

For the crust-
2 cups chocolate oreos processed to crumbs in either blender or food processor (15-oz package)
1/2 cup butter, melted SAVE $

For the Filling-
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar SAVE $
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dairy eggnog
2 eggs (room temperature)SAVE $
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Process-
1.   Heat oven to 300°F. Butter 13x9-inch pan (or use shortening).  In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press in bottom of pan.
2.    In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on low to medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Beat in flour, eggnog and eggs on low to medium speed until smooth, scraping sides of bowl if necessary. With rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips. Pour filling evenly over crust.
3.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are set. Center will be soft but will set when cool. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Sprinkle evenly with nutmeg. For squares, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Remove from foil. Store squares in refrigerator.Enjoy (I sure am)

This is a recipe that I've had for years...maybe over 35 years...and never tried it.  Yesterday I decided to give it a try.  Last night when I first tasted it, I thought "well this is interesting."  This morning when I re-tasted it, my taste bud screamed "DELICIOUS"!

So here is the recipe:

Your favorite recipe for a two crust pie

5 cups (5 medium) peeled, sliced apples (I used MacIntosh)
1/2 cup cut-up dates
2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 - 2 tablesoons butter

Prepare pie crust.  Line 9" pie plate with bottom crust.  Heat oven to 375 (F)

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine apples, dates, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger and lemon peel.

Pour into pie crust lined pan.  Sprinkle with lemon juice; dot with butter.  Cover with second crust, venting crust in several places.

Bake at 375 (F) for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.  Makes 8 servings.  (ok, you do not need to serve warm for I've discovered that "cool" and the "next day" is better).

​Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Pastry for one crust 9" pie

1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 8-/12 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained

*****

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped pecans

*****
Pineapple slices and Maraschino cherries for garnish

Directions:

1.  On lightly floured surface, roll pastry to 12-inch circle.  Place in a 9-inch pie plate.  Turn under edge; flute.
2.  Combine sugar and cornstarch in saucepan; stir in pineapple.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is clear and thickened.  Cool; spread into bottom of pastry shell.
3.  Combine cream cheese, sugar and salt, mixing until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in milk and vanilla.
4.  Pour over pineapple mixture; sprinkle with pecans.
5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Cool.
6.  Garnish with pineapple slices, cut in half, and Maraschino cherry halves.

8 servings.

Ingredients:

2 package (12-oz each) frozen blueberries, thawed and drained
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg to mix with blueberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg to mix with cake mix (see below)
1 package (15-oz or so) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 (F).  Butter 3 quart baking dish (13x9 inch).
2.  In a medium bowl gently fold in the sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg with the blueberries
3.  In another medium bowl blend together the dry cake mix and the other cinnamon & nutmeg
4.  Spread blueberry mixture in prepared pan.  Top with cake mix mixture, spreading evenly.
5.  Sprinkled pecan pieces evenly over the cake mix mixture
5.  Drizzle melted butter over the cake mixture/pecans
6.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool 20 minutes or so before serving.  Serve with French Vanilla ice cream (optional)

​Enjoy.

If you like carrot cake, you will love this cake.  In fact this cake could also work as a coffee cake to accompany either a brunch or a breakfast.  Here is the recipe:

1 can (20-oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 package (about 21-oz) carrot cake mix.  (I used Duncan Hines Classic Carrot Cake)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter cut into thin slices
1/4 to 1/2 cup caramel topping at room temp or warmed so that it easily pours

1.  Preheat oven to 350 (F).  Grease/butter 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
2.  Spread pineapple in prepared pan.  Top with cake mix, spreading evenly.  Top with butter in single layer covering cake mix as much as possible.  Sprinkle with granola; drizzle with caramel topping.
3.  Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool at least 1/2 hour before serving.  Serve with whipped cream.

​Makes 12 to 16 servings...

1 can (21-oz.) apple pie filling
1 can (14-oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 package (about 15-oz.) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter cut into thin slices
1 2.5-oz package of chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon of house cinnamon sugar mix*

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 (F).  Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan (Crisco, butter, non-stick cooking spray...your choice).
2.  Combine the apple pie filling and the cranberry sauce gently until just mixed together.
3.  Spread apple/cranberry filling in prepared pan.  Top with cake mix...spreading evenly.  Top with butter in single layer, covering cake mix as much as possible.
4.  Sprinkle with walnuts.
5.  Dust with house cinnamon sugar mix*
6.  Bake at 350 (F) 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.  Top each serving with a generous dollop of cinnamon whipped cream.

Makes 12 - 16 servings

*House cinnamon sugar mixture is about 3 tablespoons of sugar with about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon...I go by color (light beige) rather than exact measurements.  Store in cupboard in a tight container.

There is nothing quite as satisfying to the soul than baking on a frosty December shortly before Christmas.  This morning I dug out a tried, tested and trusted recipe for pecan pie.  I share the recipe with you:

4 eggs
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup melted sweet butter (1/2 stick)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shelled pecans, chopped
9-inch unbaked pie crust (your favorite recipe)
1/2 teaspoon house cinnamon/sugar mixture

1.  Preheat over to 400 (F).  Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pastry.  Dust pastry with the house cinnamon/sugar mixture.
2.  Beat eggs well in a large bowl.  Add brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, melted butter, allspice, vanilla to the eggs, and mix well.
3.  Sprinkle chopped pecans in pastry-lined pan.  Pour egg mixture over pecans.
4.  Set on middle rac of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325 (F) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes longer or until set.
5.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature before serving.
​6.  Makes up to 8 portions.