Cheesecake

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened at room temp

1/2 cup sugar

Combine crumbs, butter and sugar. Blend well. Pour mixture into a 9” x 13” or 9” x 15” pan. Push into bottom and up the sides of ungreased pan.

Topping

1 pint (2 cups) sour cream

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together, store in fridge until cake is baked.

Cheesecake

3 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened at room temp

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

6 eggs separated

3/4 cup sugar

In a bowl beat egg whites stiff. Set aside.
In another bowl beat egg yolks until thick. Set aside.
In another bowl whip cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat well. Add egg yolks and mix well. Gently fold in egg whites. Pour into the prepared graham cracker crust.
Bake at 300 degrees for one (1) hour.
Let cool 5 minutes. Spread sour cream topping onto baked cheesecake and bake another 5 minutes.

Mary's Pumpkin Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin (I added a little more because

 I thought it tasted too cream cheesy)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar. Gradually add the pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pie spice, and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with Graham Crackers, Nilla Wafers, or Ginger Snaps. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Caramel Popcorn

1 (14 oz) pkg of caramel (like Kraft)

1-2 T water

8-10 C popped, unbuttered popcorn

1 C peanuts or almonds - optional

3 T butter/ margarine

Preheat oven to 300°F. Put water, butter and caramel in a saucepan over low heat. Cook until caramel is completely melted - stir frequently to keep lumps from forming.

Combine popcorn and nuts in a bowl. Add the melted caramel and toss to coat evenly.

Spread on a greased baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. Stir and then bake for an additional 5-6 minutes. Cool completely and break into clusters.

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Chocolate Covered Popcorn

1 regular size bag of microwaveable popcorn

1 (12 oz) bag of mini chocolate chips

Make a regular size bag of microwaveable popcorn (buttered or plain) according to the directions.(If using a snack or mini size adjust amount of chocolate accordingly - or not!)

Put the popped popcorn onto a flat baking pan (for more even distribution).

In microwaveable bowl, melt 1 (12 oz) bag of chocolate chips (the mini version are easier to use for melting). Heat on high for 1 minute, stir well, heat on high for another 1 minute, then stir really well.

Drizzle the chocolate on the popcorn. (It's rather hard to drizzle, so you might end up stirring it some - melted chocolate chips tend to clump off a spoon instead of drizzle - they are designed to retain their shape in high temperatures for baking. For an easier drizzle effect, you might try chocolate wafers that are meant for melting.)

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I miss you Priscilla, please come back. Here's your legacy...

Pistachio Bark

1 12oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup pistachio nuts shelled and toasted 

To toast shelled pistachios: heat in skillet over med-heat until aromatic - about 6 minutes.

Microwave the chocolate in a microwavable bowl for 1 minute. Stir well. Microwave again for another 1 minute. Stir until completely melted. Stir the nuts into the chocolate. Stir the chocolate and nut mixture onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour until firm. Break into bite-size pieces about an inch in size.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

4 & 1/2 C flour

1 t salt

2 t baking soda

1 C butter -softened

1 C Crisco

1 & 1/2 C packed brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar

2 (3.4 oz) pkgs (or 1 lrg pkg)instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 (12 oz) pkgs semisweet chocolate chips

Oven at 350.

Stir together flour, baking & salt in bowl, set aside.

Cream together the Crisco, butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in pudding mixes. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bars: ungreased 11x15 jelly roll pan at 350 for about 33 minutes.

Cookies: Bake @ 350 for 10 – 12 minutes.

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