Crustless Pumpkin Pie

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin

3/4 cups evaporated milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. ground mace

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1. Mix sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Add eggs, beating well.

2. Stir in pumpkin, milk, vanilla and spices, mix well.

3. Pour into a greased 9-inch pie plate.

4. Place in a 15-in x 1-in. baking pan; add 1/1 in. of hot water to pan.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 55 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

6. Cool and refrigerate. Slice and serve with a tablespoon of whipped cream sprinkled with ground mace.

Devil's Food Cake with Fudge Frosting

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

11 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups warm water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 3-inch springfoam pan. Cut out a paper circle the size of the bottom of the pan, grease that and place in bottom of the pan. Dust the pan with flour.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk until well blended, and set aside.

3. Beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat at high speed until the mixture is pale and well blended, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the cocoa powder and beat at medium speed for 1 minute.

5. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. At low speed add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with warm water in 2 additions.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

7. Remove the side of the pan. Run a knife round the sides first to loosen the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto the rack, remove the bottom of the pan including the paper liner, put the cake right side up and let the cake cool completely.

8. When cake is completely cool, slice in half and frost with fudge frosting.

Fudge Frosting

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

3 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate

2 tsp. vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients except vanilla in 2 1/2-quart saucepan. Heat to rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Place pan in bowl of ice and water. Beat until frosting is of spreading consistency; stir in vanilla.

Note: You have to put some elbow grease into beating the frosting and keep adding ice to the bowl until the frosting is of spreading consistency. As soon as it gets done, take it out of the bowl of ice water and frost the cake.

Cinnamon Swirl Buttermilk Pound Cake

This is now my favorite "coffeecake". It is perfect for a morning coffee or tea break or for afternoon tea.

Streusal topping:

1/2 cup (2.1 oz/60 g) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup (2.5 oz/72 g) firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

3 Tbsp (1.5 oz/42 g) unsalted butter, melted

Cake Batter:

2 cups (8.5 oz/242 g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (2 oz/57 g) cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground cardamom or allspice

1 cup (2 sticks/8 oz/227 g) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups (14 oz/400 g) granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp finely grated orange zest

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan. Dust with flour and set aside.

2. To make cinnamon swirl: In a small bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, breaking up any lumps of sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until blended and crumbly.

3. To make the pound cake: Sift together all the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.

4. In a large bowl beat the butter at medium speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat at medium-high speed until well blended and light about 4 minutes.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and orange zest.

6. At low speed add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions. The pattern is -- flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour. Mix until just combined ... do not overmix.

7. Pour half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth top of batter. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl mixture evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter and smooth the top.

8. Bake the cake for 65 to 75 minutes. Always start checking at 60 minutes. If a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

7. Invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Note: I have also served this with an orange glaze which is very yummy ... 1 cup of confectioners'/powdered sugar + 3 -4 tbsp of fresh orange juice. Add the orange juice to the sugar, one tablespoon at a time and mixing until you get a thick glaze. Let the glaze sit for about 10 minutes before you start drizzling the cake. I like a thicker glaze and that is why I let it sit for a while.

Evelyn's Chicken Potpie

I really do throw in whatever I have on hand for my chicken potpie filling. Below is the basic recipe but you can add peas or corn or cubed sweet potato if the fancy strikes you. I always make my piecrust either overnight or early that morning and then let it chill until I need it for the evening meal. Piecrust has to be really cold and handled as little as possible if you want a light flaky dough. I always use a double crust for my potpie.

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large carrot, peeled and cubed

1 stalk celery, diced

1/4 large white onion, diced

2 1/2 - 3 cups, chicken stock

A pinch of Rosemary

A pinch of Tarragon

Salt & pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. butter

2 heaping Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Melissa D'Arabian's Piecrust:

2 sticks (1 cup) ice-cold unsalted butter, cubed and put in freezer
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
8 - 10 Tbsp. ice cold water

1. You can use your food processer to make the piecrust like Melissa did but I am like her mother-in-law and I make mine by hand. The next time I will use the processer.

2. In a large mixing bowl, place flour and cubed butter and using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles fine sand.

3. Add a tablespoon of water at a time and mix thoroughly. I needed 10 tablespoons before my dough held together. Just pinch the dough and if it holds together with no powdery bits, then your dough is ready.

4. Gather dough into a ball, cut in half, pat each half into a disc shape, cover individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or two or overnight.

Filling:
1. In a medium saucepan place carrots, potatoes, celery, onion and 2 cups of chicken stock. Add rosemary, tarragon, salt and pepper and boil over medium heat until carrots are just about fork tender. Remove from heat.

2. In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat and then add the flour to make a thick paste. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is a light golden brown. Add the last cup of chicken stock to the roux and mix until smooth. I use a whisk to get all the lumps out.

3. Add the vegetable mixture to the large saucepan and mix well. Add the chicken and cook for 3 -4 minutes until mixture is thickened. The sauce should be thick and creamy. If it is too runny, thicken with cornstarch/flour.

4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for 15 - 20 minutes.

5. In the meantime flour a large board and rolling pin and roll out one of the pastry discs to fit a 9-inch glass pie plate. There should be enough pastry hanging over the edge of the pie plate to crimp easily. Set the pie plate aside. If your kitchen is too warm, place the pastry lined pie plate back in the fridge while you work on rolling out the second pastry disc.

6. Once the second pastry disc has been rolled out, pour chicken filling into the pastry lined pie plate, place the second pastry disc on top of the filling and crimp the edges of the pie crust, trying to seal completely. Poke holes on the top of the pie with a fork or carve initials so that steam can escape while the pie is baking. I carved an S for you know who. You can brush the top of the pie with an egg wash to give that beautiful golden color.

7. Place pie plate on a cookie sheet (this is important to catch all the bits that always drip off) and bake at 375 for 40 - 50 minutes.

8. Let sit for about 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

This probably makes 6 dinner size servings.

White Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Need a cake that is easy to make, looks pretty and tastes good? This is one of my favorites. The topping is light and fluffy and the glaze brightens it. Maximum effect for minimum effort.

1 package (18 1/4 oz) white cake mix

4 oz. cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 carton (16 oz) strawberry glaze

1/2 cup water

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries

1. Make cake according to package directions and bake in a rectangular 13 x 9-inch pan. Make sure to level and hollow out the middle section because you want the top surface to be as flat as possible.

2. Cool cake completely in pan before preparing topping.

Topping:

1. Mix cream cheese/mascarpone cheese with confectioners' sugar until completely mixed.

2. Fold in whipped cream until completely incorporated. Spread evenly over top of cake.

3. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. I have a cake pan with a lid and I use that for easy storage.

4. Just before serving, mix strawberry glaze, water and raspberries together. Slice cake in squares, top with a tablespoon of the raspberry glaze and serve.

6. Store all leftovers in the refrigerator.

Note: When I am out of whipping cream I have used a small tub of the lite Cool Whip topping and that works fine. I keep tubs of Cool Whip in my freezer so I always have those on hand for desserts.

Sausage & Turkey Lasagna

This is one of those dishes that came about by accident. I had planned to make lasagna for dinner thinking that I had ground beef in the freezer. The ground beef turned out to be ground turkey and scrounging around I found half a pack of hot sausage meat. I decided to be creative and combine the two. I said not a word to anyone and that night Sarah took a bite, looked at me and said "Mom, whatever you've done differently to this lasagna, I like it. I'll eat it again." The "I'll eat it again" is Sarah's seal of approval.

1 lb. Italian hot sausage

1/2 lb ground turkey

1 can (24 oz) Garlic & Herb Spaghetti sauce

8 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese

16 oz. part skim Ricotta cheese

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

9 sheets Lasagna noodles

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook lasagna noodled for 18 - 20 minutes until soft. Remove from water and let cool on a platter.

2. In a large pot heat a tablespoon of oil, add sausage and turkey meats and cook until all pink has disappeared from the meat.

3. When meat is browned, drain oil and then return pan to heat. Add spaghetti sauce and heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. In a 13 x 9 x2-inch pan, spoon enough sauce to just cover the bottom of the pan lightly. Arrange three sheets of lasagna noodles over this layer of sauce. Spoon enough sauce to cover the lasagna noodles generously remembering that you will have to do this another two times.

5. Using a teaspoon drop Ricotta cheese over the sauce. Divide the Mozzarella cheese into thirds and spread one third over the sauce and Ricotta cheese.

6. Place another layer of lasagna noodles over; spoon sauce over; add Ricotta cheese and then Mozzarella cheese.

7. Repeat process for a third time. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top layer.

8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 - 40 minutes until all the cheese is melted and mixture is bubbling.

Lemonade Pie

We know summer is here when the lemonade pie, potato salad and devilled eggs start appearing! This pie is very easy to make. The creaminess of the vanilla ice cream and the tang of lemon is wonderful on a hot summer day.

1 can (6 fl. oz) lemonade frozen concentrate

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

3 1/2 cups (8 oz) thawed Cool Whip topping

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

1. Place concentrate in a large mixing bowl and beat about 30 seconds.

2. Gradually add ice cream and blend well. When you soften the ice cream make sure that you get it to the point where you are just able to mix through it. You do not want it too soft that it is liquid.

3. Fold in whipped topping. Pile mixture into the graham cracker crust and freeze until firm for at least four hours or overnight.

Note: If you use the store bought graham cracker crust, save the plastic top and use that as a cover for your pie when you place it in the freezer.