Carmel Brownies

1 14oz pkg carmels (50 carmels)

1/3 C. evaporated milk

1 pkg German Chocolate Cake Mix

3/4 C. margarine, soft

1 C. chopped nuts

1 C. chocolate chips

another 1/3 C. evaporated milk

Melt carmels and 1/3 C. evaporated milk. Set aside. Combine dry cake mix with butter and the rest of the milk. Stir by hand. Press 1/2 of the dough into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips, nuts, and carmel. Put the rest of the batter on top. Bake 350 for 18-20 minutes.

I like this recipe because: It is SO good and chocolatey!

My least favorite thing: It's SUPER rich and I married into a family of sugar wussies who don't like these and I can't eat the whole pan by myself.

Perfect Pie Crust

I don't make pies much, but my dad does. He's tried every crust recipe in the book and swears this one is the best!!

3 C. flour

1 1/4 C. shortening

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 TBL vinegar

8 TBL water

Mix flour, shortening, and salt with hands until crumbly. Combine beaten egg, vinegar, and water in a cup. Add water mixture a little bit at a time until dough stops sticking to your fingers. (I always end up using the whole thing.) Roll out into 2 sheets and wala! Pie crust.

I like this recipe because: It's super flaky and pretty easy.

My least favorite thing: Rolling out the dough. I tried the 'between 2 pieces of wax paper' trick which did NOT work.

Key Lime Pie by Beth Brown

2 (8inch) graham cracker pie crusts

16 oz cool whip

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 C. fresh squeezed lime juice (4 limes)

Mix cool whip, milk, and lime juice. Put into crusts and freeze for 4 hours. Remove right before serving.

I like this recipe because: It is SO refreshing and simple and great for summer because it's frozen! Also minimal ingredients and effort required!

My least favorite thing: It's pretty sweet!

Cream Puffs

1 C. water

1 cube butter

1 C. flour

4 eggs

Heat oven to 400. Heat water and butter to a boil. Stir in flour on low heat until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat until mixture is smooth. Drop by 1/4 C. dollops onto an ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool away from a draft. Cut off the tops with a sharp knife (I use the electric knife) and scoop out eggy middle. Discard middle. Fill with vanilla, chocolate, lemon, banana, or coconut pudding and a little bit of whip cream. Put top back on and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 12 puffs!

I like this recipe because: There are SO few ingredients and it is so easy!

My least favorite thing: Scooping out the eggy middle can be tricky and I always poke a hole in the puff.

Trifle (an English dessert)

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, soft

1 C. powdered sugar

8 oz sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

8 oz cool whip

1 angel food cake

4 C. berries (you choose! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or all mixed!)

3/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. orange juice

1 (3oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding

2 C. milk

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add sour cream, vanilla, and cool whip. mix pudding as directed and add to cheese mixture. In separate bowls, add sugar to fruit. (I like to leave the fruit how it is without added sugar.) Add OJ if fruit is dry. (I buy the frozen fruit mixture and use a tiny bit of OJ to thaw it out. Don't add too much or it will make your cake soggy.) Cut angel food cake into 1 inch squares.

Layer cake, then 2 C. berries, then pudding, then cake, then pudding, then remaining berries.

I like this recipe because: It is such an awesome summer dessert! We had it probably 5 times this summer because it was so good! It also LOOKS pretty and is great for 4th of July parties because it's red, white, and blue.

My least favorite thing: a lot of ingredients make it not a cheap dessert!

Candy Bar Cake

1 chocolate cake
1 container cool whip
1 can sweet condensed milk
1 jar/bottle carmel topping
4 heath candy bars

Cook cake according to directions. When it comes out of the oven, poke holes in it with the back of a wooden spoon. Pour sweet milk and carmel into holes while the cake is still hot. Cool and top with cool whip, then crushed heath bars.

I like this recipe because: The milk/carmel mixture makes the inside of the cake really cold!!

My least favorite thing: If you don't eat the cake in a few days, it can become soggy.

Better Than 'You Know What' Dessert

Crust:

1 C. flour
1/2 C. butter, soft

3/4 C. walnuts

Mix all and press into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake 350 for 15 minutes. I spray/butter the pan before I press the stuff in, otherwise it will stick.

Filling:
1 (8oz) cream cheese, soft

1 C. powdered sugar

1 C. cool whip

Top:
2 (3oz) pkgs instant chocolate pudding. (make as directed on box.)

Spread cream cheese mixtutre over cooked crust. Then spread chocolate pudding. Top with remainder of cool whip and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

I like this recipe because: My mom's made it since I was a kid!!

My least favorite thing: Taking the time to layer everything.

Raspberry Desset by Grandma Baldwin

3 C. graham cracker crumbs

1 cube melted butter

Mix and press into a 9x13 inch pan. Save some crumb mixture for the topping.

Cream together:

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 C. sugar

8 oz cream cheese, soft

Beat in another bowl until stiff:

2 pkgs Dream Whip (In the baking isle. Comes in pouches)

1 C. milk

Fold together the cream cheese mixture and the Dream Whip mixture.

On the stove cook:

1 pkg Raspberry Danish Dessert (Also in the baking isle. Comes in a box)

Add 1 pkg frozen raspberries when Danish Dessert is cooked. Cool.

Put 1/2 of whip mixture on crumbs. Add raspberry mixture. Add rest of cream miture and top with remaining crumbs.

I like this recipe because: The raspberries and whip cream compliment each other SO well!!

My least favorite thing: Finding the right ingredients and time!

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

1 chocolate pie crust

6 oz cream cheese, soft

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 egg

3 TBL lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

1 C. raspberries

2 squares baking chocolate

1/4 C. whipping cream

Beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add egg, lemon, juice, and vanilla.

Arrange raspberries on bottom of crust. Pour cheese mixture over fruit. Bake at 350 fro 30 minutes. Using a double boiler whisk the whipping cream and baking chocolate until melted. If you don't have a double boiler, fill up a big pan with water and put the chocolate in a smaller pan inside the big pan. Top cheesecake with chocolate glaze. Chill 4 hours. Garnish with raspberries.

I like this recipe because: Restaurant quality cheesecake but made at home!

My least favorite thing: It can be expensive and takes a litle bit of time.

Carmel Popcorn

2 C. brown sugar

1 C. butter

1/2 C. corn syrup

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

6 quarts popped corn (that's 1 cup kernals before they're popped.)

Melt the butter, add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Once it's fully boiling, let it boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn, stir, and pace yourself! It's hard to put down!

I like this recipe because: I've been making it since I was a little girl! Still hanging out in my moms old recipe book. It's not too sticky either.

My least favorite thing: It is seriously SO good you will be telling youself one more bite, one more bite!

Pina Colada Cake

1 yellow cake mix
3/4 C. Pina Colada drink mix
1 can sweetned condensed milk
coconut
1 can crushed pineapple
1 (8oz) container Cool Whip

Make the yellow cake according to box directions. While it's baking, mix the pina colada with the sweetened milk. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in it with the back of a wooden spoon. While the cake is still hot, pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the holes. Cool the cake for 1 hour. Then drain the pineapple and spread over the top of the cake. Cover the cake with Cool Whip and sprinkle with coconut. It's better if you refridgerate it for a couple of hours before serving.

I like this recipe because: The liquid IN the cake makes it really cold!! Mmm. Your guests won't be able to figure out what they're tasting but they will LOVE it!

My least favorite thing about this recipe: Not eating it all in 1 day!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

I have never made this kind of cake before but this recipe was yummy!!

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 can pineapple (I used circles)
maraschino cherries (optional, I left them out)

Mix melted butter and sugar. Spread in 9x2 inch round pan (buttered). Lay pineapple in bottom and sides of pan. (If you use cherries put one in each pineapple).

Mix:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Then add eggs 1 at a time and add vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients. Then alternate dry mix with milk, starting and ending with the dry stuff. Pour batter over pineapples and bake 45 minutes at 350. Cool 15 minutes before flipping out of pan. You can top with whip cream or ice cream or just enjoy it plain!

I like this recipe because: It was just dang good!!

My least favorite thing is: I want to eat the whole thing in one day!

Raspberry Cake (WARNING! Very Rich!)

5 cups raspberries, divided

1 cup water, divided

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 10 inch angel food cake

2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 8 ounce cool whip, thawed

In saucepan, combine 2/3 cups raspberries and 2/3 cups water. Simmer uncovered 3 minutes. Strain berries and discard seeds. (I don't have a strainer, so I just throw them in.) Set juice aside.

In other pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and 1/3 cup water. Add berry juice. Boil on medium heat. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Cool.

Crumble cake into a 9x13 inch pan. In a bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Fold in cool whip. Mash down cake with hands and spread cream cheese over cake. Add remaining raspberries to cooled glaze and carefully stir until all the berries are coated. Pour glaze on cake.

I like this recipe because: I have a thing for raspberries.

My least favorite thing about this recipe is: It is SO rich with all the cream cheese. If you don't want the cream cheese layer super dooper thick, I would use 1 package instead of 2.

Bridal Shower Ice Cream Squares

This one is great for summer bridal/baby showers!

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 6 ounce can of limeade or lemonade
2 packages of crushed graham crackers

Then you soften the ice cream and mix it with the juice. Spread half of the crackers on a 9x13 inch pan. Then pour the ice cream over the crackers. Top with the rest of the crumbs. Refreeze it and cut into squares. It is SO good!

I like this recipe because: It's easy, cheap, and good!

My least favorite thing about this recipe is: Finding room in my freezer to lay a 9x13 inch pan full of ice cream.

Carrot Cake by Grandma Baldwin

2 cups grated carrots

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 small can crushed pineapple

3 eggs

2 tablespoons grated orange rind

1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup coconut

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream sugar and eggs. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Put in a 9x13 greased pan and bake 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pounc powdered sugar

1 stick butter

1 3 ounce package cream cheese

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

I like this recipe because: It's SO good and completely made from scratch. Plus, it's my grannies recipe so that makes it old fashioned right? Also if you don't like coconut, or nuts, you can just cut those things out of the recipe.

My least favorite thing about this recipe is: grating carrots. I always get my knuckles!

Jello Cake

1 3 ounce package orange jello
1 package yellow cake mix
3/4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 3 ounce package instant vanilla pudding
1 regular size cool whip

Dissolve jello in boiling water, then add cold water. Set aside. Mix and bake cake as directed in a 9x13 inch pan. Take cake out of oven and cool 5 minutes. Then poke holes in with a fork or back of a wooden spoon while you pour a teeny bit of jello juice into each slot you poke. Refridgerate cake.

Then mix the vanilla pudding and cool whip. Make sure it's not too frozen or cold or it won't spread easily on the cake.

I like this recipe because: It is always moist and cold because of the jello.

My least favorite thing about this recipe is: My husband doesn't like the frosting, he says it's too thick, so the kids and I end up eating it all by ourselves.

Lemon Cream Cheese Pie by Mindy Coston

1 8 inch pie shell (I buy mine from the frozen food section)
1 8oz package cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice (I use lime if that's all I've got)
2 eggs
1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I never have EXTRACT, so I double the regular vanilla flavoring)

Mix the cream cheese and sugar first by themselves. Then add the eggs and lemon juice. If you try to add all 4 together the cream cheese will be chunky and will never mix into the liquid. Bake in the pie shell 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and chill 1 hour.

Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks. (Tip: Put your metal mixing bowl in the freezer a few minutes before you start whipping. It will peak faster) Spread whip cream onto chilled pie.

I like this recipe because: It is SO good! Don't let the title scare you, it's basically lemon cheesecake.

My least favorite thing about this recipe: Nothing, it is delicious and worth it in every way!