Nutella Swirled Banana Muffins

These are amazing, and extremely easy to make!

1 3/4 cups self-rising flour

(I made my own by adding 2 TBS baking powder and 3/4 tsp salt to the flour)
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Tbs Nutella, at room temp (I used more than that!)

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line your muffin tins with paper liners, or use silicone trays.

In one bowl combine flour, sugar & salt. In another combine eggs, butter, mashed bananas & vanilla. Tip one into the other and gently fold together. You want your batter to be thoroughly mixed, but still lumpy.

Divide your mixture between muffin cups, each one should be just about half full. Take a teaspoon of Nutella and pop a blob (technical term) onto the center of each muffin. Use a toothpick to swirl the Nutella into the muffin without turning the whole thing chocolatey.

Repeat with each muffin and then pop them all onto the middle shelf of your oven. Bake for 20 mins, when they're done you should be able to stick a toothpick into the center and have it come out clean.

Leave to cool by the window and enjoy when still warm.

Snickers Salad

This is a good dish for either a side, or as a dessert. 2 pkg. Vanilla or French Vanilla instant pudding mix 2 cups milk 1 - 12 oz. Cool Whip, thawed (I use Cool Whip Free) 2 large apples, chopped into small chunks 10-20 "Fun Size) Snickers candy bars Prepare the pudding with the 2 cups milk. When thickened, blend with Cool Whip. Add the apples and the Snickers; mix well. Refrigerate until chilled.

Creamy Fruit Salad

This is a very nice, light salad that is good as a side dish or a dessert. 1- 11 oz can mandarin orange sections, drained 8 oz Cool Whip (I use fat-free) 2 cups coconut 1 - 8-1/4 oz can crushed pineapple IN HEAVY SYRUP*, drained 2 cups miniature marshmallows 1/2 cup milk Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill at least one hour before serving. *Be sure to use the pineapple in heavy syrup, not in juice. The pineapple in juice is not sweet enough, and you will need to add about 1/4 cup sugar to sweeten it.

Peanut Butter Marble Cake

This cake has a very light peanut butter flavor to it, along with the chocolate. Nothing better than peanut butter and chocolate! Cake: 1 pkg marble cake mix 3 eggs 1/2 cup oil 1 cup water 1/3 cup peanut butter Icing: 1 can fudge frosting 2 TBS peanut butter In large bowl blend cake ingredients, then beat 2 minutes at high speed. Pour 3/4 of batter into pan. Add marble pouch and t TBS water to remaining batter; blend. Pour chocolate batter on top of yellow batter in pan. Marble layers with knife, turning pan while doing so. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool completely. Blend frosting with peanut butter. Frost cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

This dessert tastes like chocolate eclairs, but is much easier to make! Cake: Graham crackers 2 small pkgs French Vanilla instant pudding 3 cups milk 18 oz Cool Whip Icing: 2 oz liquid chocolate 3 TBS butter, softened 2 tsp vanilla 3 TBS dark Karo syrup 3 TBS milk 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar Butter 13 x 9 pan. Line pan with whole graham crackers. Beat pudding and milk for 2 minutes; add Cool Whip. Pour half of mixture over graham crackers. Cover with another layer of crackers, then rest of pudding mixture, then top with another layer of crackers. Put in refrigerator to set. Mix icing ingredients and spread on top of cake. Leave in refirgerator overnight, if possible.

Mandarin Orange Cake

This cake is a very light, very cool dessert. It is great for a dessert for Easter. Cake: 1 pkg orange cake mix 1 pkg orange jello 3/4 cup boiling water 2/3 cup cold water Topping: 2 - 18 oz cans mandarin orange segments, drained 1 - 8 oz Cool Whip 1 pkg vanilla instant pudding 2/3 cup water Prepare cake according to package directions. Cool 25 minutes. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water stir in cold water. Set aside at room temperature; stir occasionally. Poke holes in warm cake with fork; pour gelatin slowly over cake. Refrigerate. For topping, combine 1 can orange segments, Cool Whip, pudding and water in large bowl. Stir, crushing oranges slightly. Spread over cake. Garnish with remaining orange segments. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pineapple Sheet Cake

This is one of my mother's favorite recipes. It makes a large-size sheet cake. It is very moist and very delicious. Cake: 2 cups flour s cups sugar 2 TBS baking soda 2 beaten eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 - 20 oz can crushed pineapple (do not drain) 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional) Frosting: 2 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup butter 3 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional) Mix all cake ingredients together until blended. Pour batter into large cookie sheet (15 x 11) that has been buttered but not floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mix all frosting ingredients (except pecans) until smooth. Frost cake while still warm. Sprinkle with pecans (if using).

Chocolate Cream Pie (Light Version)

This recipe may be a light version, but you can't tell it by the taste. It's delicious! 1-1/2 cups plus 3 Tbs cold milk 2 - 4 oz pkgs sugar-free instant chocolate pudding 1 reduced fat graham cracker pie crust 4 oz light cream cheese 1 Tbs sugar 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip Lite Combine 1-1/2 cuts milk and pudding mix with mixer, beat 1 minute. Mixture will be very thick. Spoon into pie crust. With mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and remaining 3 Tbs milk till smooth; fold into whipped topping. Spread over chocolate mixture in pie crust. Top with grated chocolate if desired. Chill at least 3 hours before serving. Note: To keep the crust from getting soggy, it can be brushed with a little beaten egg white and put in the oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp up. Cool completely before adding filling.

Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake

This recipe is from a family friend, Myrtle Sims, who makes the absolutely best Red Velvet Cake on the planet! Cream together: 1 - 4-1/2 Tbs instant cocoa 3 oz Red food coloring 3/4 cup shortening 2 cups sugar Add 3 eggs to the creamed mixture; mix well. Add 3-1/2 cups flour to the mixture, a little at a time. Add 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1-1/2 tsp. vinegar, 1-1/2 cups buttermilk, and 1 Tbs vanilla; mix well. Pour into 3 round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick in center comes out clean (approx. 25 minutes). Frosting: Cream together: 1-1/2 cups sugar 1 stick butter, softened 1 Tbs shortening Add 4-1/2 Tbs flour (1 Tbs at a time), 3/4 cup milk (room temperature), dash of salt, and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat with mixer until stiff, like whipped cream. Use for layers and to frost outside of cake. YES - - this cake IS a lot of work, but believe me, once you taste it, you will know that it was worth every minute!

Seven Layer Cookies

An old recipe, but a good one. 1 cup butter 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 cup coconut 1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup butterscotch chips 1 cup sweetened condensed milk Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in baking pan; sprinkle crumbs over butter. Springkle over remaining ingredients, one layer at a time. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chips melt. Cool completely; cut into squares.

Chocomallowriffic Brownies

A tasty, fun alternative to plain traditional brownies. 1 Brownie mix, 13x9 (Family) size Canned Chocolate Fudge frosting 1 - 7 oz. jar Marshmallow Creme Prepare brownies per package directions. Let cool completely. Spread marshmallow creme over top of brownies. Place 1/3 cup chocolate fudge frosting in microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for 10-10 seconds or until melted. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over marshmallow creme and swirl with a knife. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Mandarin Orange Salad

This is nice as a side dish, but could almost be a light dessert as well. 2 pkgs. Light Tapioca Pudding 3 cups boiling water 2 pkgs. Sugar free Orange Jello 8 oz. fat-free Cool Whip 2 cans Mandarin Oranges, drained Mix water and tapoica mix together. Add orange Jello and mix well. Let cool. When cooled, add Cool Whip and Mandarin oranges.

Crockpot Cake

This is an unusual way to make a cake, but it is pretty tasty. 4 eggs 1/4 cup oil 1 cup water 1 cake mix, any flavor 1 small instant pudding mix, any flavor 1 pint sour cream Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Mix ingredients together, adding pudding mix last. NOTE: If you are making a chocolate cake, you can also add 6 oz. chocolate chips. Pour mix into crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Easy Cherry Cake

I found this recipe online, but can't find the Website now, unfortunately..... 1 pkg Golden Yellow cake mix, pudding-type (oil and eggs as called for on cake mix package) 1/2 cup water 1 can cherry pie filling (or fresh pie filling if available) 1 can Buttercream frosting Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using oil or butter and eggs, and 1/2 cup water. Spread batter in greased and floured 13x9 pan. Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over the batter, then swirl into the batter just enough to give a marbled effect. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, until cake bounces back when lightly touched. Cool completely; frost with Buttercream frosting.

Peanut Butter Cup Pie

I found this recipe on the Kraft Foods Website - - it is amazing! 1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs peanut butter 1 cup cold milk 1 pkg (3.4 oz_Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding 2-1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip 1 Oreo Pie Crust 2 Squares Bakers Semi-Sweet Chocolate Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup peanut butter until well blended. Add milk and dry pudding mix; beat 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup Cool Whip; spoon into crust. Refrigerate until ready to use. Meanwhile, microwave remaining Cool Whip and chocolate in microwaveable bowl 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Cool completely. Spread chocolate mixture over pudding layer in crust. Microwave remaining peanut butter in small microwaveable measuring cup or bowl 30 seconds, stir. Drizzle over pie. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

Fresh Cherry Pie Filling

These are a couple of recipes to make my homemade filling from all the cherries from our tree. Both are excellent! Recipe 1 5-6 cups fresh pitted cherries (2-3 lbs) 1/2 cup water 1-1/4 cups sugar 4 Tbs cornstarch In a saucepan, combine all ingredients, bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly before using. Recipe 2 2 cups fresh pitted cherries 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 2 TBS cornstarch In a saucepan, cook cherries in water for 10 minutes. Mix together sugar and cornstarch, add to cherries. Cook mixture until thickened. Cool slightly before using.

Apple Butter Pie

I got this recipe from the Baking Bites blog (http://www.bakingbites.com/). 1 9-inch pie crust (vanilla crust recipe below) 1 16-oz jar apple butter 1 12-oz can evaporated milk 3 large eggs 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and whiz until very smooth. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until center is mostly set (jiggles slightly when nudged) and a sharp knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean. Cool to room temperature before slicing and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight, before serving. Serves 8-10 Vanilla Wafer Crumb Crust 1 1/4 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs 6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ingredients and stir well until mixture resembles wet sand. Pour into 9-inch pie shell and press into a firm, even layer over the base and sides. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until browned. Cool completely before using. Makes 1 crust.

Chocolate Icebox Cake

This recipe was found in the August 2010 Real Simple Magazine: 2 - 15 oz containers Ricotta Cheese 12 ox. semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled 9 oz package chocolate wafer cookies Line an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 sides. In food processor, puree Ricotta with melted chocolate until very smooth. Layer the Ricotta mixture and half the cookies in the pan (3 layers of the Ricotta mixture and 2 layers of the cookies, beginning and ending with the Ricotta mixture). Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. To serve, remove from pan, slice, and sprinkle with shaved semisweet chocolate if desired.

Goetze's Caramel Cream Brownies

I found this recipe on the back of a bag of Goetze's Caramel Cream candies many, many years ago, and it is scrumptious! 1 cup butter (2 sticks) 4 squares unsweetened chocolate 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 cup flour 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 36 unwrapped Goetze's Caramel Cream candies 1/4 cup evaporated milk 1 TBS butter or margarine Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or spray with cooking spray 13 x 9 pan. Combine chocolate, butter and melt over very low heat. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs until frothy, add sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat with mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Stir in chocolate mixture add flour and beat just until blended. Pour 1/3 of brownie mix into pan to cover the bottom; bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine Caramel Cream candies, evaporated milk, and 1 TBS butter or margarine saucepan. Stirring frequently, melt together over low heat until mixture is smooth. Remove pan from oven spread Caramel Cream mixture over top of cooked brownies. Cover with remaining brownie mix. Bake an additional 25-30 minutes. Cool for at least 2 hours in pan at room temperature to set caramel. Makes 36 brownies squares. ENJOY!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is so easy it almost feels like cheating! It's basically just "jazzing up" a pouch cookie mix, but it is SO good: 1 pouch Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix 1 TBS water 3 TBS oil 1 egg 2 cups chocolate chips* Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. Make cookie dough as directed on pouch. Press in pan. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool 5 minutes. In small bowl, melt chocolate 1 - 1-1/2 minutes or until chips can be stirred smooth. Spread over cookies. Refrigerate 30 minutes until chocolate is set; cut into bars. *I prefer Dark Chocolate, so I use that. However, Milk Chocolate would work just as well if that is your personal preference.