Lacey Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies.

• 2 cups quick rolled oats
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 lb (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 1 egg

Mix oats, brown sugar and baking powder in a bowl.

Melt butter and add to oats mixture. Add the egg (beaten) and mix well.

Drop by teaspoons on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for about 8-10 minutes.

Tips - These cookies spread (a lot) so don't place them close together or you will end up with one big cookie instead of many.

Wait about a minute - but not much more than that - before taking the cookies or they will break. I line the cookie sheet with parchment paper as it makes it easier to pull the cookies from the pan.

Best No-Bake Cookies

I had to admit I didn't believe Paul when he said these cookies were delicious. I don't like chocolate or peanut butter and had tried no-bake cookies before that, well, didn't deserve to be called cookies.  But these are AMAZING!!!! I almost had to be forcefully removed from the kitchen cause i was not giving them time to cool. YUM

• 2 cups sugar (you can also use 2 cups of Stevia or 1 cup Stevia and 1 cup sugar)
• 1/2 cup milk (low fat works just fine)
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups of quick cooking oats

In a pot melt the butter. While on the fire, add the sugar/Stevia, cocoa and milk and cook for a minute - mixing so it won't stick.  Add the peanut butter to mixture while it is still hot and mix till the peanut butter melts.

Take it off the fire and add a teaspoon of vanilla and the 3 cups of oats. Mix quickly as it will start to thicken.

Put tablespoons of the mixture on waxed paper to cool.

Enjoy!

Easy Tres Leches

Some people make this cake from scratch but I like EASY so I use a cake from a box - yes, from a box and use just the basic cake instructions - no pudding or anything else added. Oh, we like a White Cake mix better but yellow works too.

• cake mix (and what the cake calls for, eggs, oil & water)
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 pint of cream - or a can of "crema" 
• 1 tsp of vanilla

Bake the cake according to the package directions.

While the cake is baking mix the 3 milks and vanilla. As soon as the cake is done remove from oven and pock holes all over, slowly pour the milks on the cake so that it's absorbed.

Cool.  Once it's cold, we can frost it with cool whip mixed with a bit of vanilla.

It is DELICIOUS!!!!

Baklava

This is a delicious and easy recipe but time consuming so I don't make it too often. But we normally have it for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• 1 package phyllo dough (16 oz)
• 1 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup butter (or margarine) melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 Tbp honey
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Thaw the phyllo dough and cut the sheets in half (crosswise - to have rectangles about 13x9"). It is important to cover the sheets with a damp dishtowel or the phyllo sheets will dry out and crack.
In a bowl mix the chopped nuts, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
 Butter the bottom of a a 13x9 pyrex and put one sheet of phyllo in the pan, immediately brush with the melted butter - use a soft brush or i use 2 or 3 cotton balls (if using cotton balls they have to be replaced more than once).
Keep adding phyllo sheets one at a time, buttering the sheets immediately after.

After about 15 sheets (I never really count them but we need 3 layers of dough) spread half of the nut mixture over the phyllo in the pan.
Repeat the process with another 15 sheets - the first one after spreading the nut is kind of tricky so be careful not to tear the phyllo too much.
Spread the rest of the nut mixture and repeat the process with the rest of the phyllo dough so it ends with phyllo.
Cut the phyllo into diamonds - yes, before cooking. It doesn't need to go all the way to the bottom, just to about the top layer of the nut mixture.
Bake at 350º for about 40 to 45 minutes ot till gold-soft brown
While doing the dough layering, put the white sugar, water and honey to boil, simmer for about 10 minutes (it thickens a bit). Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.
While still hot (or warm) pour the syrup over  the pastry.
Finish cutting along the diamond line to allow the syrup to reach every piece.
Cool and enjoy


This recipe freezes well - if you have any leftovers.

Almond Poppy seed Cake

• yellow cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 pck vanilla instant pudding
• 2 tablespoons poppy seed
• 2 tablespoons almond extract

Mix all ingredients together till is creamy. Pour into greased and floured pan and bake at 350˚ for 45-55 minutes or till it's done.

Carrot & Pineapple Cake

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups oil
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups grated carrots (I put the carrots through the juicer and then mix them back again)
• 1 (8 1/2 oz) can crushed pineapple - drained
• you may add chopped nuts if you like - about 1/2 cup

Beat the eggs and sugar very well. Add oil, carrots, pineapple and nuts. Add the flour, baking powder, soda and salt and pour into greased and floured cake container.
Bake at 350˚ for 50-60 minutes or till cake is ready.

Best No Crust Cheesecake

• 2 pkg cream cheese (8 oz each)
• 2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 oz sour cream

Beat together cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, eggs, and 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Pour into 9" buttered pie plate. Bake at 350˚ for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake for 20 minutes on wire rack.
Mix together sour cream, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread on top of cake. Bake again at 350˚ for 15 to 20 minutes.

Easy cobbler

1 box cake mix - we normally use yellow cake mix but it can be any flavor.

1 stick of butter (or margarine)

1 can of crushed pineapple (or sliced peaches)

Grease 9x13 pan and pour fruit - juice and all - in it.

Spread the box cake mix over it - try to make it evenly - and there is no need to mix it with the fruit.

cut and dot the butter over the cake mix.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

It's easy, cheap and very good! You can put some vanilla ice cream on top to make it even better

Sopapilla cheesecake

The first time I made this recipe, Jason - my recently married son, said "mom, how come you never told me you knew how to cook!" so it's yummy and super easy.

• 2 cans of Pillsbury crescent rolls (I tried the supermarket brand but somehow they didn't come out the same)
• 2 packages of cream cheese
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 3/4 cup of sugar (yep, more sugar)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon (I don't measure it, it could be a bit more or less - according to taste)

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray
Unroll and spread one of the cans of crescent rolls on the baking dish - try to patch the holes so the cream is on a solid base.
Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla.
Spread the cream on the dough
Unroll and place the other crescent roll can over the cream.
Pour the melted butter on top of the whole thing.
Spread the cinnamon sugar on top of the melted butter.
Bake at 350˚ for about 1/2 hr.

Cheesecake covered brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg brownie mix plus the ingredients required to make it
• 1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 egg
• 1 can condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Prepare the brownie mix as directed in the package. Pour mix in a greased pan and set aside.
In a bowl mix the cream cheese, butter and the cornstarch till smooth and fluffy. Add the egg, condensed milk and vanilla flavoring, mix a bit more.
Pour cream cheese mix over the unbaked brownie mix.
Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes.

Crepes

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of milk
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  

In a bowl, mix milk, flour, eggs, oil and a pinch of salt.  Heat up and grease a 6-inch skillet.  I used about 1/4 cup per crepe, but you just want it to cover the bottom of skillet.  Tilt the skillet so the bottom is well covered.  Cook until batter is dry, about 2 minutes.  No need to cook

other side, just flip it onto your plate.  When I made it, I tripled the recipe. You can always store the leftovers in the freezer, with wax paper between the crepes.  It does take a little time to make all the crepes, especially if you only have one skillet, which is why I make so many extra and freeze them.  

These are really good with Dulce de Leche spread on top and then rolled.  YUMMY!

Oreo cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oreo cookies crushed
  1/2 stick of butter or margarine
  3 pkg cream cheese (8 oz ea.)
  1 can condensed milk
  3 eggs
  2 tsp vanilla extract

Mixed the crushed cookies with the softened butter. Press onto baking pan.

Beat cream cheese (if you don't do this first, you will end up with lumps), add the condensed milk, vanilla and eggs until mixed.

Pour over cookie crust. Bake at 300˚ for about 45 to 50 minutes until set. Cool

Variation: if you are a die hard chocolate lover, you can melt a bag of chocolate chips and mix it with half the cream cheese mixture. Pour the plain cream cheese mixture first and then drop the chocolate by tablespoons and swirl.

Variation 2: If oreos are "your" cookies, then you can add some crushed oreo pieces to the cream cheese mixture before baking.

Caramel Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup nuts (chopped)
• 24 soft caramels (I use Kraft caramels)
• 1 can condensed milk

combine flour, sugar and egg. Add 1/2 of the margarine until crumbly. Mix in the chopped nuts. Separate about 1 1/2 cups of mixture to sprinkle on top and press the rest on a greased baking pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350˚.

While it bakes, put the condensed milk, the rest of the margarine (1/4 cup) and caramels in a pan over low heat until the caramels melt. Pour over the baked crust and sprinkle the saved crumb mixture over it.

Place back in oven and bake another 30 minutes. Cool, cut & enjoy!

Flan

Ingredients:

• 2 cans condensed milk
• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cans of water (use the empty milk cans)

Caramelize a bundt cake pan - about 3/4 cup sugar and a bit of water, until it thickens and takes color (the lighter the color the sweeter it is).

Mix eggs, add condensed milk and vanilla. Add the water and mixed till blended.

Pour in caramelized pan. Place that pan in a larger pan with water in the oven. Bake at 350 between 1 and 1 1/2 hrs - depends on your oven.

Cool in the fridge, unmold and enjoy