Dessert - Blueberry Cake (from Carin (Valerie Bertinelli's recipe)

I just made this for our family last night and Chris and Melody loved it. It is also a bit more healthy at 188 calories per serving.

• 2 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 3 3/4 cup(s) (plus 1 Tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 3/4 cup(s) buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) canola oil
• 2 teaspoon(s) (grated) lemon zest
• 2 cup(s) (or one 12-oz pkg) frozen blueberries, thawed and drained
• 2 tablespoon(s) coarse sugar, (such as Sugar in the Raw)

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Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-in. springform pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, salt and 3¾ cups flour; make a well in the center.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, buttermilk, granulated sugar, oil and lemon zest. Pour into the well of flour and stir to combine (a few lumps in the batter are OK—do not overmix).
4. In a medium bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining Tbsp flour to evenly coat. Fold all but ½ cup of the blueberries into the batter. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and top with the remaining ½ cup blueberries.
5. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar and bake until cake is brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 70 to 75 minutes.
6. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then unmold (remove the outer ring) and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dessert - Sour Cream Coffee Cake (aka 'Grandma Cake')

Maria told me this recipe was something Helen made all the time (this is the original recipe from Camille Dunn who was Maria's neighbor).

2 Sticks soft butter
1 cup sugar
(cream the above 2 ingredients together)
Add 2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix well

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamin
chop nuts and mix

Sift dry ingredients into the wet mixture, beat well and STIR (don't use mixer!) in one cup of sour cream.

Spoon half of the batter into a greased and floured pan (I use a bundt pan), sprinkle on half of the topping mixture, the rest of the batter, and the rest of the topping. Recipe says to bake about 1 hour at 350 but I always find for me it's done at 45 minutes, depends on the oven.

Dessert - Cheesecake (Angela Tana from Bon Appetit Magazine)

Graham Cracker Crust:
Put eight graham crackers in food processor or put in plastic bag and use rolling pan to make crumbs. Mix in bowl with 3 tablespoons melter butter and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar.
Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes in springform pan.

Blend together 5 packages philly cream cheese (8 ounces each), 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup granulated sugar, 4 eggs (one at a time) and one tablespoon of vanilla on low speed. Pour into baked graham cracker crust and put in oven for 50 minutes at 350 degrees or until middle is almost set.

Cool completely. Put in fridge for 4 hours. Maria likes to add a chocolate topping to hers so just take a handful of semi sweet chocolate chips, melted in the microwave with one tablespoon milk and a pat of butter. Mix well by hand and pour on the cake and put in the refrigerator again until the chocolate is firm.If it's too loose add more chocolate before it cools.

Tip - Sis says to prevent cheesecakes from cracking make a water bath. I found instructions for one online and here it is:

A "water bath" is a method that will help keep your cheesecake from cracking while baking.
Instructions For Water Bath
First, take heavy aluminum foil, and wrap it around sides and bottom of your springform pan or cheesecake pan with removable bottom. This prevents leakage while baking your cheesecake.
Place your springform pan or cheesecake pan (filled with cheesecake batter and crust) into a larger deep baking pan* that it will fit into easily.
*Note: The larger pan should be at least 2-3 inches in depth.
Place in pre-heated oven. With a kettle filled with very hot water, pour water into the larger pan about halfway up, or approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches.
Bake cheesecake as directed. When cheesecake is done, remove springform pan or cheesecake pan (if using) from "water bath" in oven. Carefully remove larger pan with water in it from oven. It will be very hot. Discard water when it has cooled.
Remove aluminim foil from sides and bottom of pan after your cheescake has cooled completely in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to release sides of springform pan, or remove cheesecake from a cheesecake pan with removable bottom (if using) and cheescake has cooled in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight; this is the best time to remove aluminum foil.

Dessert - Ricotta Cookies (from Sis)

2 sticks butter (softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

16 oz ricotta

4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tblsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

cream  butter and sugar with mixer.

beat in one egg at a time

add vanilla and ricotta and whip

add baking soda, salt and baking powder to flour and gradually add to wet mixture.  if sticky add a little more flour and refrigerate for 2 hours.

roll dough into ball (size of quarter) and place on cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 12 mins.  Cookies  are not brown but do puff up.    Cool and make icing.   Creamcheese Icing

Use one small creamcheese and one quarter stick of butter softened.

add one tsp vanilla

one tblsp of milk

2+ cups of confectionary sugar and frost cool cookies.  let frosting dry

Dessert - M&M Hershey Kiss Pretzel Squares (from Andrea Marsello)

Seeing as to how Maria suggested favorite recipes even if they are not oldies, here is one that would be great for all of you with young and teenage children ... and older because my kids, and even the big guy himself, inhale them.  They are great any time of the year but especially now at Christmas because they are colorful ... like Christmas ornaments or lights.  They are very fast and very easy.  Joe called me yesterday for the recipe; they are going to make them for Christmas.

A friend brought these to my husband when he was in the hospital. We all went crazy over them, including the nurses.  I’m not sure your younger girls would be able to help with these but I think Sophia might be able to do them.  I made them last year for my grandkids when I was babysitting in Florida. I told my Joe & Heather about them before they took off for their little get away.  Turns out the kids and their friends ate all of them.  I probably had about 125 ... should have made more.  When Joe got back, he asked where the pretzel candies were ... they were gone!  A chuckle: Michaela had put the bowl of pretzels on the couch and walked away. When she came back only minutes later, she discovered Paulie, who was not quite 3 years old yet, taking each one, biting the M&M off the top, and putting the rest back into the bowl.  No problem ... Grandma (me) ate his throwbacks! LOL

A tip: I press the M&M with the written side down.  They really are quite pretty and festive.

M&M Hersey Kiss Pretzel Squares
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Lay out waffle square pretzels on an un-greased cookie sheet.  I use Hanover; do not use the butter flavor pretzels.

Put a Hershey Kiss on top of each one.

Put in oven for 3 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately press an M&M into the top of each Kiss.

Cool to room temperature to be sure the Kiss adheres to the pretzel.