Strawberry and Grapefruit Salad with Vanilla Dressing

These colors are so pretty together and they taste really good too. Strawberries and Grapefruits are both a little tart so this sweet dressing goes well with them. I made this as a side to my Monte Cristos. It was delicious.

1 Grapefruit, cut into slices and seeds and rind cut out
10 ounces (or so, you can eyeball it) strawberries, fresh or thawed

Mix fruit together in large bowl. Then drizzle with Vanilla Dressing (recipe follows).

Vanilla Dressing
adapted from Alton Brown's recipe

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayo (sounds weird, but it's good)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
2 tsp powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
pinch of fresh cracked pepper

Combine all ingredients. Let rest for one hour in fridge before serving. Depending on what fruit you are using, you might want to adjust the acidity (lemon juice) and the sweetness (honey and powdered sugar) to suit your tastes (the strawberries and grapefruit are both acidic and a little tart so I added less lemon juice and more sweetness).

Ginger bread and "cement" frosting

This recipe can be made for cookies or cut into larger pieces to make a gingerbread house(s). The dough is easy to work with and doesn't crumble.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
  
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves to boiling, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove from heat; stir in soda (it will foam up).

3. Stir in margarine till melted.

4. With a fork, stir in egg, then flour.

5. On a floured surface, knead dough till mixed. Divide dough in half, wrap half with plastic wrap; set aside.

6. Roll half the dough, with a rolling pin, slightly thinner than 1/4 inch.

7. Cut with cutters.

8. Bake at 325F on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

9. Makes about 3 dozen 3" gingerbread people.

10. NOTE: To make houses, cut out your house design (the 2 sides of the roof, 2 sides, a front and a back of the house) on paper, and then place the paper shapes on the dough and cut the dough shapes out with a knife.

Cement Frosting Recipe

3 egg whites
1 (16 oz.) bag powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Beat all ingredients with electric beater for 4 minutes.

Sweet Potato Pie- Thanksgiving Style

I made this pie last year for Thanksgiving, and I figured, might as well make it a tradition. Warning: If you make this pie for family or friends, you will become known as the pie lady (or gentleman), even if this is the only pie you've ever made.
Luscious Ingredients:
For the crust:
Preheat oven 400 degrees
1 small box vanilla wafers (or half Ritz, half wafers-very yummy)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 stick melted butter

In a food processor, finely chop vanilla wafers, add sugar, and pecans. Mix until resembles a coarse texture, but is smooth. Then, add melted butter. Mix until well incoporated. Press into a deep-dish pie pan and bake for 12 minutes.
For Filling:
1 1/2 cups egg nog
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (NOT yams, sweet potatoes will be light tannish in color)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
fresh mint sprigs (for garnish)
In a saucepan, combine eggnog, sweet potatoes, brown sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger together. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and add whisk in gelatin until particles dissolve. Add vanilla. Cover filling in refrigerator until cool. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form gradually adding 1/4 cup granulated sugar and continue to beat until peaks are stiff. Fold in egg white mixture into cooled sweet potato filling. Spread filling evenly over the crust and refrigerate 1 hour. Put whipped cream on top and garnish with mint leaves. This recipe is adapted from one of Emeril's. It was a BIG hit at our Thanksgiving, people were even requesting it for Christmas.

Thanksgiving

The meal (more on that later):

More importantly the desserts...

Chocolate Mousse Pie
12 oz. chocolate graham crackers, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs, separated (whites and yolks separated)
2 eggs (not separated)
1 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 cups whipping cream
10 T. powdered sugar
chocolate curls to garnish

Combine crackers and melted butter. Press on bottom and sides of greased springform pan. Chill. Melt chocolate chips in microwave or double broiler.Add whole eggs and mix well. Add yolks and mix well. Add vanilla. In separate bowl beat 2 cups cream until soft peaks form. Add 6 T. of powdered sugar and beat until stiff. In another bowl beat egg whites until stiff. Fold whipped cream and whites into chocolate mixture until well blended. Pour into crust. Put in freezer overnight. Whip remaining cream and 4 T. powdered sugar until stiff to make whipped cream.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:	1 tsp. vanilla
1 -1/2 cups graham crumbs	1 cup canned pumpkin
5 Tbsp. butter melted	3 eggs
1 Tbsp. sugar	1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Filling:	1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 - 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese softened	1/4 tsp. allspice
1 cup sugar	Whipped Cream

Mix crust ingredients together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the
bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake for 5 minutes at
350. Set aside. Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, mix until
smooth with an electric mixer. add pumpkin eggs,and spices, beat till smooth
and creamy. Pour into the crust. Bake for 60-70 minutes or till the top turns a
bit darker. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature, then
refrigerate. After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut.
Serve with whipped cream.

Caramel brownies

Couldn't even get a picture before we devoured half the pan, they're that good!

I'm sure this recipe is familiar to most, but it's extra special for me because my mom used to make these all the time.

They are heavenly.

2/3 cup evaporated milk
14 oz package caramels (unwrapped)
1 German Chocolate Cake mix
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (NOT optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9"x13" pan. Combine butter, 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, and cake mix in bowl. Stir and add nuts. Press half in pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/3 cup of evaporated milk and caramels and melt in microwave. Remove pan from oven when done baking and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate, then crubmel remaining mixture over caramel. Bake 15-20 minutes.

The best Caramel Apples

Directions:
Unwrap 1 bag of Kraft Caramels, put in saucepan with 2 T. water and melt on med-low heat, stirring constantly. Meanwhile heat up milk chocolate in the microwave (I used about 1/2 cup milk choc. chips). Dip apples in caramel (use a spoon if you need to) and then dip in milk chocolate. Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture over entire apple. Place on buttered wax paper and refrigerate 1 hour. Take apples out at least 15 minutes prior to eating (to let them sort of thaw).