• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 9-inch graham cracker crust

How to Make It:

Place the brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the gelatin, instant coffee, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss carefully to combine. Very carefully pour the boiling water over the top. Stir until completely dissolved being careful to stir from the bottom up. Add the ice cream one spoonful at a time stirring after each addition. Fold in the pumpkin puree until completely mixed in.

Place the mixture in the refrigerator 5 minutes or until chilled enough to mound when scooped out with a spoon. Place the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

8 Servings

**Instead of the individual spices, try using 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.

• 2 1/2 cups vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
• 1 cup toasted almonds, ground
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup coffee liqueur

How to Make It:

Place the crushed cookies and ground almonds into a large mixing bowl. Sift the powdered sugar over the top of the cookies and almonds. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and toss the ingredients to cover well. Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and toss again to make sure the chips are completely mixed in. Fold in the pumpkin puree and pour the liqueur over the top. Mix with your hands until well combined.

With your hands, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or until the truffles are firm.

Makes 48 truffles.

Variations:

• Apple juice may be substituted for the coffee liqueur if you prefer.

• Roll the balls in sifted powered sugar, coconut, or ground almonds or dip them in melted semi- sweet chocolate.  If dipping in chocolate, return them to the refrigerator to chill until the chocolate is set.

• 1 1/2 cups half and half cream, very cold
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 (4-ounce) container whipped topping
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 cup gingersnaps, coarsely crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 prepared graham cracker crust

How to Make It:

Pour the half and half into a large mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk together for 1 minute. Allow the mixture to stand uninterrupted for 5 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping with a rubber spatula. Add in the pecans and gingersnaps. Blend until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle in the pie spice and mix well. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the graham cracker crust.

Place the pie in the freezer for one hour until firm. Allow the pie to set 10 minutes at room temperature before cutting.

Makes 8 servings

Allow the pie to soften slightly before cutting but don’t leave it out too long or it will become mushy. Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator.

• 4    eggs
• 1    cup plain yogurt
• 3    cups pumpkin puree
• 1    cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2    cup sugar
• 16    tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4    cups all-purpose flour
• 2    tablespoons baking powder
• 1    teaspoon baking soda
• 1    teaspoon salt
• 3    tablespoons cinnamon
• 3    tablespoons ginger
• 1 1/2    cups golden raisins

How to Make It:

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl.
Add the yogurt, pumpkin, brown sugar, regular sugar, and butter to the eggs.
Whisk until completely combined.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and the baking soda.
Sift in the salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
Stir to combine the dry ingredients.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture.
Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
Gently fold in the raisins.
Set the oven heat to 350 degrees.
Place paper muffin cups into a muffin tin.
Fill each cup 2/3 full of the batter.
Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Makes 24 muffins.

For a different taste, substitute the pumpkin puree with apple or pear puree. Extra batter may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

3 Red Delicious apples, cored and cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 C brown sugar, firmly packed
2 T butter or margarine
1 T grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

How to Make It:

Place the brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the butter and cook just until mixture begins to bubble.
Add the lemon peel and stir well to incorporate.
Fold the apples into the glaze mixture in the saucepan.
Reduce heat to low.
Continue cooking 15 minutes or until the apples are just starting to crisp tender.
Remove pan from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Serve warm

Serves 6

Serve these as a side dish or topped with a dollop of whipped topping as a dessert.

1 C butter or margarine, room temperature
2 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 C sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 eggs
3 C all purpose flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and chopped
2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced

How to Make It:

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.
Add both sugars to the bowl.
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.
Add the sour cream and vanilla.
Continue beating 1 minute.
Add the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes or until all the ingredients are incorporated together.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda.
Pour the dry mixture into the egg mixture.
Beat on low speed just until blended.
Gently fold in the apples and bananas.
Heat the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Spray a Bundt pan with a nonstick cooking spray.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

12 servings

This cake is so moist it almost melts in your mouth. For a change of pace add raisins and nuts to the batter at the same time you add the apples and bananas.

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1 cups granulated sugar or sugar substitute
1 egg
½ tsp almond extract
1/4 cup butter, room temperature

How to Make It:

Place the flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Toss to incorporate together.
Add the egg and almond extract.
Mix well to insure all the dry ingredients are moistened well.
Mix in the butter until a dough consistency forms.
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Using your hands form 24 balls with the dough.
Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Use the back of a spoon to flatten the balls into circles.
Bake 7 minutes or until the bottoms are a light golden brown.
Cool 2 minutes on the cookie sheet; then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

These cookies are great because you can use the basic recipe but change the flavor. Use different flavors of extract such as peppermint or banana for a different taste every time you make them.

4 Winesap apples
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c nonfat dry milk
2/3 c quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1/4 c coconut, flaked
1/4 c almonds, chopped
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2 T wheat germ
2 T sesame seed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 c butter or margarine

How to Make It:

Peel the apples, remove the core, and slice into thin slices.
Place 12 slices to the side.
Place the remaining apple slices in a large mixing bowl.
Add the sugar and dry milk. Toss to coat.
Layer the apple slices into a casserole dish.
Place the 12 apple slices set to the side over the top.
Preheat oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil.
Bake 12 minutes.
Remove but leave the oven on.
Place the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large mixing bowl.
Add the brown sugar, wheat germ, and sesame seeds.
Sprinkle with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture becomes coarse and crumbly.
Remove the aluminum foil from the casserole dish and sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top of the apples.
Return the uncovered casserole to the oven and continue baking 15 minutes or until a golden brown on top.

Serves 6

This makes a wonderful fall dessert.  Serve warm with a dollop of yogurt on top for a special treat.

2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks
1 cup fresh cherries
1/4 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup sugar
3 T corn starch
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter

How to Make It:

Place the apples in a large mixing bowl.
Add the fresh and dried cherries and toss to combine.
Sprinkle in the sugar and corn starch.
Mix the ingredients together being sure that all are combined well.
Coat a square baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
Heat the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Place the apple cherry mixture into the prepared dish.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Cover the top of the apple cherry mixture with the crumbly mixture.
Bake 40 minutes or until a light golden brown and bubbly.
Place in a warmed thermos to go.

Serves 4.

Try to find cherries that have no pits. If they are not available, you can either cut the cherries in half and remove the pits or use Maraschino cherries that have been drained well.

1 (15 oz)  pkg Angel Food Cake Mix

1/3 c chocolate mint cookies, crushed

3/4 c chopped pecans

3 pints peppermint ice cream, slightly soft

Aluminum foil

Freezer wrap

How to Make It:

Mix the cake batter together as directed on the package.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10 in tube pan.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake cake on the lowest oven shelf for 35 minutes.

Cake is done when top springs back when touched.

Invert pan right away.

Allow cake to cool for about 1 hour.

Remove cake and cut lengthwise into three sections.

Place the ice cream in a large mixing bowl.

Add the cookies and pecans.

Mix together well.

Place the ice cream mixture back in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

Place one section of the cake on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the entire cake when completed.

Remove ice cream and spread 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the cake.

Add another section of cake.

Spread another 1/3 of the ice cream mixture.

Place the last section of cake on top.

Finish with the rest of the ice cream.

Cover tightly with the aluminum foil.

Place in freezer for 2 hours.

Remove from freezer and wrap in the freezer wrap if not serving immediately.

Cake can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.

To serve, remove from freezer.

Unwrap and allow to set for about 10 minutes.

Slice and serve.

***For a faster version, buy a pre-made cake and add the ice cream filling following the above directions.