Gramma's Favorite Dessert Recipes

My favorite holiday growing up was Christmas--as much for the wonderful food everyone brought to our family Christmas gathering as for the gifts. You couldn't always count on Santa to bring what you really wanted, but you could count on your aunts bringing pecan tarts, peanut butter fudge, homemade candies of all kinds, assorted dessert recipes only cooked for special occasions, and never, never, never did they forget to bring the lemon and chocolate meringue pies. There were so many of us that the desserts didn't last long. If you lingered over the ham and turkey, you didn't have much choice left!

Spending time with family, singing Christmas carols, Grampa telling stories, the men outside talking about hunting or sports, and the women in the kitchen happily enjoying each other's company--these are all memories I cherish. Lights on the Christmas tree, around the windows and eaves of the house presented such a festive air. Running and jumping with the other children to see who could jump furtherest off the old porch five feet off the ground. These are the memories that mean more to me than the gifts I received under the tree. Frankly, I don't remember many of the gifts. It was usually something like mittens and hat, or houseshoes, or some other item some relative thought I needed more than toys. They were most likely right. But the family times, time spent together sharing each other's lives was really special. It's this kind of memory I wish for my grandchildren. Pecan Tarts are one of my favorite dessert memories!

Pecan Tarts for a Crowd

Tart Filling:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed firm
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. softened butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. chopped pecans

Crust:

2 sticks soft butter
6 oz. soft cream cheese
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using hands, mix the crust ingredients well. Divide the dough into 48 balls. Using fingers, press crusts into miniature ungreased muffin pans.

In a large bowl, mix the filling ingredients until well mixed. Fill each tart shell until it is almost full. Bake 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes, then remove from muffin pans.

Perfect for family get-togethers or office parties. Delicious warm or cold! Makes 48 servings.

Photo credit: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=10328&picture=santa-food-and-holly

Mix:
1 cup sugar
1 stick margarine melted
2 eggs beaten

Add:
1 ¾ cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
3 bananas
¾ cups chopped nuts (We prefer pecans, but some people enjoy walnuts.)

Mix well and pour into a greased fluted Bundt cake pan. Bake at 325degrees for 1 hour. Allow to sit in pan for 10 to 15 minutes after removing from the oven.

Mix in top of a double boiler:
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
¼ tsp salt

Add:
3 beaten egg yolks.
2 cups milk

Cook over boiling water until thickened. Stir Constantly.

Add 1 tsp vanilla.

Add alternating cookies and bananas into a dish. Pour custard over the above. Beat 3 egg white when stiff add 1/3 cup of sugar. Top pudding with meringue. And bake in slow oven at 325degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

1 ½ large Bananas
2 pkgs dream whip
1 cup sugar
1 large block of cream cheese
1 can blueberry pie filling
2 cooked pie shells

Line 2 cooked pie shells with sliced bananas. Whip dream whip. Add sugar and cream cheese to dream whip and beat until stiff. Pour over bananas. Pour blueberry pie filling over top and chill.

Works well with cherry, apricot, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and apple pie fillings, too!

Pastry for 9 inch pie (double crust)

3 tbsp cornstarch
7 ¼ tsp equal
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt

8 cups sliced cored peeled Granny Smith or other baking apples (about 8 medium).

Combine cornstarch, equal, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Sprinkle over apples in large bowl and toss. Arrange apples in pie crust. Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees F until apples are tender 40-50 minutes.

4 cups sliced, pared peaches
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp nutmeg
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
½ cup flour
¼ cup butter
1 9inch pie crust

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange peach slices in the pie crust. Combine the ½ cup of sugar with nutmeg, and sprinkle over peaches. Beat together the egg and milk and pour over peaches. Mix remaining ¼ cup of sugar with the flour and butter until crumbly and drop over top of pie. Bake 35-40 minutes. Serve warm. Pie may be topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon caramel extract
powdered sugar-optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9-inch (10-cup) tube pan and flour with 3 tablespoons flour.

Sift 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Beat butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add brown sugar gradually and continue beating until light and loose, about 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add caramel extract and gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with 1 cup evaporated milk. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Invert onto plate. Dust with powdered sugar prior to serving, if desired. Store in refrigerator. Makes 12 servings. NOTE: A 10-cup Bundt pan can also be used. Follow recipe above and bake for 50 to 55 minutes.

2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups oil
3 eggs
2tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2tsp soda
2tsp cinnamon
1tsp salt
2 cups grated carrots
1-8oz can crushed pineapple
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup grated coconut, optional--I leave it out.

Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in bowl; mix well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Add carrots, pineapple, pecans and coconut; mix well. Pour into prepared 8x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake tests done. Use buttermilk frosting or a cream cheese frosting.

1 8oz package of cream cheese
½ box powdered sugar
½ stick margarine
2 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients stir until smooth, and spread over cake while hot. Sprinkle pecans and or coconut on top of icing.

For carrot cake, purchase orange and green icing in a tube and decorate cake with icing carrots.

1(9 inch) baked pastry shell or graham cracker crumb crust
1-8oz package cream cheese, softened
1-14oz can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-21 oz cherry pie filling, chilled

In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Chill 3 hours or until set. Top with cherry pie filling before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup melted butter
½ cup cocoa
1 ½ cup sifted flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Beat sugar with eggs one at a time. Add butter slowly and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix in flavoring and nuts pour onto cooking sheet bake at 325 F degrees for 15-20 minutes.

2 cups sifted flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¾ cups shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses

Cream shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses. Stir in dry ingredients and mix well. Place by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes.

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