7-Minute Brown Sugar Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 large egg whites(1/2 cup "Just Whites" pasteurized from carton works great)
• 6 tablespoons water
• dash salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or vanilla bean paste

Preparation:

Add brown sugar, egg whites, water, and salt in bowl of standing mixer. Put on top of double boiler over boiling water.  Hold bowl steady using an oven mitt(no burns!).  Beat sugar and egg mixture with whisk constantly until mixture is hot to the touch and starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and position bowl in stand mixer with whisk attachment.  Whip on high until mixture forms strong peaks and is dramatically lighter in color.  Add vanilla.  Continue beating until frosting is thick enough to spread.  Makes enough to frost a 2 layer cake.

Lindsay D's Sugar Cookies

Mix:
3/4 cup shortning, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla
Add in:
2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp salt
Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll out to 1/8" and cut. Bake @ 400 for 6-8 minutes

They are my favorite. I just use pre-made frosting from the tub but I'm sure homemade frosting would be great too. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Vanilla Frosting

This recipe has to be my favorite decadent dessert ever.  I don't like the texture of pumpkin pie but love the taste, and this was positively delicious!

Original recipe:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Cheesecake-with-Marshmallow-Sour-Cream-Topping-and-Gingersnap-Crust-350478

Pumpkin Cheesecake

"For crust:

·        Nonstick vegetable oil spray

·        2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 9 ounces)

·        1 cup pecans (about 3 1/2 ounces)

·        1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

·        2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

·        1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For filling:

·        4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

·        2 cups sugar

·        1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

·        5 large eggs

·        3 tablespoons all purpose flour

·        1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·        1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

·        1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

·        1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

·        1/4 teaspoon salt

·        2 tablespoons vanilla extract

For topping:

·        2 cups mini marshmallows or large marshmallows cut into 1/2-inch cubes

·        1/4 cup whole milk

·        1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·        1/8 teaspoon salt

·        1 cup sour cream

ppreparation

Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Grind cookie crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and ginger in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter; using on/off turns, process to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; press onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan. Bake crust until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Filling:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low speed to incorporate each addition. Add flour, spices, and salt; beat just to blend. Beat in vanilla. Transfer filling to cooled crust. Bake until filling is just set in center and edges begin to crack (filling will move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool 1 hour. Run knife around sides of pan to release crust. Chill cheesecake uncovered in pan overnight.

Topping:
Stir marshmallows and milk in medium saucepan over low heat until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Cool marshmallow mixture to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Add sour cream to marshmallow mixture; fold gently just to blend. Pour topping over cheesecake and spread evenly, leaving 1/2 inch uncovered around edges. Chill to set topping, at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Cheesecake can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled."

I was lazy, and mixed 1/2 cup lowfat sour cream with one tub of Marshmallow Fluff and a Tbl. of Vanilla Bean Paste.  Perfection of the taste buds.

Dana's Grape Salad

3-4 pkgs of red and green seedless grapes(just get a good mix of each)
8 oz cream cheese, softened (Fat-Free OK)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix and enjoy!

Cranberry Delight Salad

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (either regular or light)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
3/4 c chopped pecans
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

In a large mixing bowl, combine cram cheese, mayonnaise and sugar; mix well. Stir in cranberry sauce, pineapple with its juice, and pecans. Fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into an 8x8x2 inch pan. Freeze until firm. Let thaw 5-10 minutes before serving.

This is copied from the Lion House Desserts cookbook, however, I usually use a graham cracker crust instead, shortbread is my favorite, and I double up the lemon mixture. You can never have too much lemon custard in my opinion. This is the dessert I'm "expected" to bring to Thanksgiving and Christmas get-togethers.

Lion House Lemon Truffle Pie

Baked 9-inch pie shell
½ cup water
2 Tb. Sugar
1 egg
1 Tb. Cornstarch
1 Tb. Sugar
Zest of ½ lemon
1 ½ Tb. Fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. butter
1 cup vanilla chips
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
½ cup whipped cream, sweetened
1 Tb. Toasted almonds

Put water and 2 Tb. Sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil. In a large boal, mix egg, cornstarch, 1 Tb. Sugar, and zest of lemon. Slowly add hot water to egg mixture in bowl; then pour entire mixture back into pan. Heat until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and butter. Stir until mixed and cool.

Pour 2/3 of filling in bowl. Add vanilla chips to the filling remaining in pan. Stir until chips are melted. Place cream cheese in bowl. Add filling with vanilla chips to cream cheese and beat together. Spread this mixture in bottom of pie shell. Spread remaining 2/3 of lemon filling on top. Chill for 2 hours.

Top with whipped cream and garnish with toasted almonds or sprinkle toasted almonds over whipped cream and serve on side. Makes 1 pie.

Mashed Cauliflower

1 lg. head Cauliflower
1 pkg. cream cheese
milk or half and half
salt and pepper

Steam cauliflower until very soft, add cream cheese and mash with a potato masher with with tines that are close together. Add milk or half and half until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper. Serve just as you would mashed potatoes. Can also be topped with grated cheese, bacon bits, chives, etc....

If you like, add a few wedges of Laughing Cow Cheese.  Yum!

Potato, Mushroom, Sausage "Stuffing"

4 Tbl. Olive Oil
3 shallots, finely chopped(or 1 c. sweet onion)
3 cloves garlic
3 lb. mashed potatoes(russet, red, or gold)
1 1/2 lb. portabello mushrooms, chopped
3 lb. sweet Italian Sausage
2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 c. finely chopped chives
1/2 c. Italian parsley
2 tsp. thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste

Over med. heat, combine 2 Tbl. oil, shallots, and garlic. Saute until soft. Add shallots and garlic to potatoes. Over med. heat combine 2 T. oil and chopped mushrooms. Saute until golden brown and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add to potato mixute. Cook Sausage, breaking it up so that it isn't clumped, about 5-7 minutes. Add to potato mixture. Add rosemary, chives, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper, and mix throughly. Cover with foil and cook at 325' for approximately 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes. If using dried herbs, cut measurements by half. This replaced the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas stuffing in our family. It seems like a lot of steps, but it's SO worth it.

Sugar Hangover....

Oh, my heavens, the house smells sickeningly sweet. In the treat tins this year: Saltine Toffee with Milk Chocolate, Saltine Toffee with White Chocolate and crushed Heath Bars, Oatmeal Butterscotch Raisin and Pecan Cookies, White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies. And we also dip a variety of goodies into white chocolate and Christmas Sprinkles or Crushed Candy Canes, or Crushed Heath Bars. The dippers are Chocolate Marshmallows, Pretzels, Fortune Cookies, and Gingersnap Cookies.