Granny's Apricot Pudding

I found this recipe in a Washington Cookbook. Since I love anything with dried apricots I had to try it. This comes out alot like the traditional banana pudding, only better!

1 package dried apricots
3/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
3 Tablespoons flour
3 eggs, seperated
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package vanilla wafers

Cook the apricots in very little water, then grind or sieve. Cook together until thickened; sugar, salt, flour, egg yolks, butter, milk and vanilla. Beat the egg whites and fold into cooled custard. Set aside. Crush vanilla wafers with a rolling pin(?) until they are crumbs. In serving dish, alternate layers of wafer crumbs, custard, and apricots. Top with wafer crumbs and serve chilled with whipped cream.

Tennessee Chess Cake

This is one of the desserts I used to make often. It is very sweet, but luscious. More like a cheesecake bar. This recipe makes a 9"x12" pan. I think you could adapt it by adding lemon zest or juice for flavoring in the topping.

Crust:
1 stick of softened butter
1 yellow cake mix
1 egg

Mix well by hand and pat out in an ungreased baking pan.

Topping:
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar
3 eggs

Mix all together using an electric mixer. Pour on top of the crust mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Cool and then cut into squares.

Grape-nuts Lemon Pudding

I remember my grandmother making this and it was one of her favorites. I love anything lemony and the grapenuts make it a little crunchy. It is the ultimate comfort food and is well worth the time it takes to bake it.

Cream 1 teaspoon lemon rind and 4 Tablespoons butter. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, blending well. Add 2 egg yolks and beat well. Then add 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Add 2 Tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup Grapenuts cereal, and 1 cup milk. Mix well. Fold in 2 stiffly beaten egg whites. Turn out into a buttered baking dish and place in a pan of water, about an inch deep. Bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/4 hours. Serve cold.

Old Fashioned Pear Spice Cake

The perfect cake for a Holiday meal, or any other time of the year. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe and it is wonderful. She lives in Arizona, and is a really good cook. It's a great use of the winter pears we see in the stores now, during December.

1-1/2 cup each sugar and oil
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
4 eggs
3 medium 'firm-ripe' pears
1/2 cup chopped almonds or walnuts

Combine sugar, oil, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and flour. Beat on med-hi speed with mixer for 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Peel and core pears and cut into 1/2" chunks. Fold pears and nuts into batter. Pour into an ungreased 9"x13" glass baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, or until a pick in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. (follows) Serves 12.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup butter
1 3oz package of cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat all ingredients until smooth. Beat in 2-1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar. Spread on cooled Pear Spice Cake.

Granny Vick's Apricot Nectar Cake

This recipe came from my GrannyVick, who lived in Eastern North Carolina all her life. I only saw her a handful of times in my life, because we lived in Northern California. When we visited she would always cook up lemon pies, fried chicken, fried dried apple pies(recipe to come later) and this cake. The food was always good, but different than what I was used to eating at home.
Use a tube, or angel food cake pan.

1 yellow cake mix
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup apricot nectar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix all together (I use a mixer) and pour into a well greased tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove cake from the pan.

For Glaze: Combine 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1-1/2 cup powdered sugar

Pour over hot cake. It helps to poke a few tiny holes in the cake so the glaze can soak down into the cake.

Holiday Orange Slice Cake

This is an old family recipe that we always had around Holiday time. As a child, I really liked this cake. It is similar to a fruitcake, although this one actually tastes good, and there are no green bits to pick out!

2 cups chopped dates
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3-1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts(pecans, walnuts)
1 cup chopped orange slice candy(like sugared gummy bears only shaped like orange slices)

Combine baking soda, boiling water and chopped dates, and let stand. Cream the butter and sugar, then add eggs. Add the date mixture. Beat well. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Beat, then add nuts. Add the chopped orange candies, mix carefully. Bake in 2 greased loaf pans at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Wrap in foil to keep fresh or deliver to a friend.

Turtle Cake

This is a sweet dessert. My former boss' mother made this one year for the Holidays and I asked her for the recipe. If you like turtle candies, you will love this dessert. Great to take to a potluck.

1 box German Chocolate Cake mix
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
2 cubes butter
14 oz. bag of Kraft Caramels
1/2 cup pecans
6 Chocolate Hershey Bars

Mix cake as directed on box. Divide mix into two parts. Add 1/2 can Eagle Brand milk and 1 cube of melted butter to 1 part of cake. Mix well! Pour into greased oblong cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. While baking, melt 1 cube butter, 1/2 can Eagle Brand milk, and caramels in a saucepan. When caramels are melted, add pecans. Pour over the top of baked cake. Pour remaining half of cake batter over caramel mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place 6 Hershey bars on top of hot cake. Smooth with a knife when melted.

DO NOT REFRIGERATE!!!

Bread Pudding

This is a recipe my mother made often when I was growing up. If you've never had it you must try making this dessert. It is the ultimate comfort food. It's a good way to use up day-old bread of any kind.

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar(white or brown or a combination)
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup raisins, or craisins
4 to 6 slices of bread, cubed

Lightly beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. By hand beat in sugar, spices, and vanilla. Stir in milk, then add bread cubes and raisins. Pour into a buttered 1-1/2 qt. casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Check to see that the center is still a little 'jiggly'. Don't overcook.
Cool and spoon into bowls with whipped cream on top, or a dash of heavy cream