Divine Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Pour melted butter over and stir until mixture comes together.
3. Lightly grease sides and bottom of a nine inch springform pan.
4. Press crumbs on bottom and two inches of sides of the pan.
5. In a mixer, combine cream cheese, lemon peel, eggs, sugar and salt and beat until blended.
6. Once blended beat the mixture for 10 minutes until mixture is smooth, creamy and pale.
7. Pour into prepared pan.
8. Cook 50 minutes in an oven heated to 350 degrees until cake is set and top feels firm.
9. Let cake sit in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
10. The cake will continue to set and may crack on top.
11. While the cake is cooling mix together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla until well blended.
12. Pour topping over the cheesecake and bake another 10-12 minutes.
13. Refrigerate until cold.

Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 3-4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons water
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine the water, butter, salt and sugar in a sauce pan.
3. When the mixture is fully incorporated, add flour.
4. Stir until the mixture forms into a ball and cook some of the moisture out.
5. Place in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
6. Let beat for a minute to let the dough cool slightly.
7. Add eggs one at a time until you get a shiny dough.
8. Using a piping bag, pipe dough into small mounds on parchment paper.
9. Combine the remaining egg and water to make an egg wash.
10. Brush the egg wash onto the dough and knock down any tips there maybe.
11. Bake at 425 degress for 15 minutes.
12. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake another 20 minutes until the cream puffs are puffed up and golden brown.
13. Take out of the oven and poke a hole in the side to let out excess steam.
14. Move to a cooling rack.
15. When cooled fill with your favorite filling.

Source:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cream-puffs-recipe-1940672

Peach Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 ounce container sour cream
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups fresh peaches, diced

Directions:

1. Cream the butter in a stand mixer.
2. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs in one at a time, until the yolks are combined.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the mixer.
6. Add the sour cream and vanilla.
7. Add the rest of the flour mixer.
8. Stir in the peaches,
9. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
10. Pour batter into the pan.
11. Bake at 325 for about 1 hour 30 minutes (start checking about 1 hour 20 minutes).
12. Let cool in the pan 15 minutes.
13. Turn out on a cake plate and let cool completely.

Source:  http://www.gonnawantseconds.com/2015/07/peach-pound-cake/

Hungarian Parsley Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 1 large loaf sliced white bread
• 1 onion
• 6 ribs of celery with leaves
• 2-3 bunches of flat leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter
• 1 cup of cold water
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the bread into cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Finely chop the parsley.
3. Add to the bread.
4. Dice the onion and saute in butter until translucent.
5. Dice the celery and add to the onions.
6. Add the water to the celery and onions.
7. Add the salt and pepper to the bread and parsley.
8. Add the eggs, onion and celery to the bread and parsley.
9. Mix well using your hands.
10. Pack the stuffing into your bird, making sure to pack tightly.
11. Cook until the meat is done.

Source:  Elek family recipe

Death by Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 8 ounce container of sour cream
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 water
• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 small box chocolate pudding
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a mixer, beat together eggs and sour cream.
2. When well combined, mix in the oil and water.
3. Add cake mix and pudding and mix.
4. Add chocolate chips.
5. Pour into a prepared bundt pan.
6. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Source:  http://www.livecrafteat.com/eat/death-by-chocolate-bundt-cake/

Banana Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 small package Jello instant banana pudding
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix and pudding to remove large lumps.
4. Add eggs, water and oil.
5. Whisk until just combined.
6. Using a spatula, fold in the bananas.
7. Pour into the prepared bundt pan.
8. Bake 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool completely in the pan.
10. When cool, run a knife around the edges to loosen.
11. Invert onto a serving platter.

Source:  http://www.chewoutloud.com/2014/05/01/banana-pudding-cake/

Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in
4. large mixer bowl until creamy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
7. Stir in chocolate chips.
8. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
9. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Source:  https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/original-nestle-toll-house-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Better Than Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked rice
• 2 cups cooked macaroni
• 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/4 cup onions, minced
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cup Miracle Whip
• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
• Lightly salt to taste
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine rice, macaroni, eggs, onion and carrots.
2. In a separate bowl combine dressing ingredients until smooth.
3. Pour the dressing over the macaroni and rice mixture.
4. Toss to combine thoroughly.

Source:  Reprinted in the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cream together the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, molasses and egg in a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
5. Gently beat together until well blended.
6. For each cookie, shape a generous tablespoon of dough into a ball and roll in granulated sugar.
7. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes, or until just set.
8. Cool on a wire rack.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/molasses-peanut-butter-crinkles/detail.aspx

Lime Curd

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup lime juice
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Place the sugar, butter and lime juice in the a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water.
2. Stir over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
3. Temper 1/4 cup of the hot lime mixture into the eggs, mixing well.
4. Reduce heat to medium until the water simmers.
5. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the lime mixture.
6. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Cool and store in the refrigerator in a glass jar.

Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fresh-lime-curd/