Chai Tea Mix
3/4 cup non fat dry milk powder
1-1/4 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1-1/2 cups French vanilla flavored powdered non-dairy creamier
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
2 cups unsweetened instant tea
2 tsp ground ginger
2-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/4 tsp cloves
1-1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp finely ground white pepper
Combine ingredients. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time until mixture is the consistency of fine powder. To serve: Stir 2 heaping Tablespoons Chai Tea mix into mug of hot water. You can add 2% milk to make a richer and creamier tea!

Lemon Squares
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 pinch salt
1 C. butter, softened
2 C. flour
4 eggs, beaten
2 C. sugar
1/4 C. flour
6 T. lemon juice
Combine powdered sugar, salt, butter and 2 cups flour and mix well. Press into a 9 X 13 pan which has been sprayed. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine remaining flour, sugar, and blend in beaten eggs, then add lemon juice. Pour over the crust. Return to oven and bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until set. You can sprinkle more powdered sugar on top if you like.

Sticky Caramel Mini Cakes
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter (do not substitute margarine)
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon Double-Strength Vanilla*
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside. In Small Bowl microwave butter on HIGH 1 1/2-2 minutes or until melted, stirring after each 30-second interval, set aside to cool slightly. Finely chop pecans. In medium sized Bowl, combine pecans, flour, baking powder and salt; mix well and set aside. Add brown sugar, eggs and vanilla to butter, whisk until smooth.
Add butter mixture to flour mixture, fold together just until combined (do not overmix). Using Large Scoop, place one level scoop of batter into each well of pan. Bake 18-22 minutes or until edges of cakes are golden brown. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes in pan. Carefully invert cakes onto Cooling Rack.
* If desired, 1 teaspoon vanilla can be substituted for the Double-Strength Vanilla.
If desired, arrange five banana slices in a circle in center of each serving plate. Drizzle plate with Homemade Caramel Sauce. Top with one cake. Serve warm.

Homemade Caramel Sauce
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. light corn syrup
1 t. water
1 t. vanilla
pinch of salt
Microwave cream on high 30-40 seconds or until hot; set aside. Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes or until sugar is melted, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Stir syrup until honey colored; remove pan from heat. Slowly add cream (mixture will bubble dramatically), stirring constantly until smooth. Add vanilla and salt. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Twin Bing
1/2 C. butter
2 C. sugar
2/3 C. evaporated milk
12 regular marshmallows
10 oz. pkg cherry chips
1 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. pkg chocolate chips
10 oz. pkg. chopped peanuts
3/4 C. peanut butter
1 T. butter
Heat butter, sugar, evaporated milk, and marshmallows in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cherry chips and vanilla. Beat until chips dissolve. Pour into 9 X 13 pan and refrigerate. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips, peanuts, peanut butter, and butter. Spread over the top of cherry mixture and refrigerate until firm. Wonderful for candy or cookies!!!

Caramel Sheet Cake
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. oil
2 lg. eggs
1 C. buttermilk
2 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 T. vanilla
1 C. hot water
1 C. flour
Beat together sugars, oil, and eggs until fluffy. Add buttermilk and blend well. Add 2 cups flour, salt, soda, and vanilla - blend. Add hot water and blend -- then add remaining flour and beat until smooth. Pour onto a greased or sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 15 - 18 minutes. Be sure not to overbake as it is supposed to be very moist.

Frosting:
1 cube butter
1/3 C. brown sugar
3 T. canned milk
1 - 3 T. milk
powdered sugar
In a microwave safe bowl, combine 1/2 cube of butter, canned milk, and brown sugar. Cook 3 - 5 minutes or until caramelized. Beat in remaining butter milk and powdered sugar enough to hold the shape but not too much. Frost the cake while it is still warm. Spoon 3 mounds down each side of the cake and pull knife through to make designs. WONDERFUL!!!!!!

Cookies and Cream Cake
1 large white cake mix
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup oil
3 egg whites
1 cup crushed Oreos or similar cookie
In bowl beat cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites as directed on cake box. Fold in cookie crumbs. Pour into greased or sprayed 9 X 13 cake pan and bake for 30 min. at 350. Let cool.

Frosting:
4 - 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening or butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup (OR LESS) milk
crushed Oreos
Combine sugar, butter, milk and vanilla and beat until fluffy and right consistency. Frost cooled cake and sprinkle with crushed Oreos.

Pinto Bean Cake
2 cups cooked pinto beans, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 lg. eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp/ allspice
2 cups peeled, finely chopped apples
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tsp. vanilla
Spray a 10” tube or bundt pan and lightly dust with flour. Puree beans to make a thick paste before measuring. Cream together the sugar and butter; add eggs one at a time and beat well. Sift together the flour, soda, salt, and spices; stir into the mix. Fold in apples, raisins, nuts and vanilla. Pour into tube pan and bake 45 min. at 375. Cool, then remove from pan.

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. milk or cream
1/4 tsp vanilla, lemon, or almond flavoring
Stir all ingredients together and pour over the cake. Decorate with chopped nuts, if desired.

Chocolate Dreams (Cookies)
1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
1 C. brown sugar
1 egg
3 T. cocoa
1 3/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking. powder
1/2 C. milk
30 - 35 marshmallows
Mix together all ingredients except marshmallows and drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake about 8 minutes at 375. Add 1/2 marshmallow to each cookie and bake for 2 minutes longer. Watch marshmallows as they should be golden. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting. Makes about 32 cookies.

Chewy Peanut Butter Bars
Crust:
1 C. flour
1/3 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter
Combine until crumbly. Press into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 14 - 16 minutes or until slightly browned.
Filling:
2 eggs
1/2 C. corn syrup
1/2 C. peanut butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. coconut
1/2 C. chocolate chips
Mix together the above ingredients and pour onto the crust. It will be thin. Continue to bake at 325 for about 5 - 10 minutes or until golden. SCRUMPTIOUS!!!!!!!

Fudge Nut Bars
1 C. margarine
2 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 C. quick oatmeal
Mix the above ingredients together, and set aside while you make the filling.
Filling:
In saucepan over boiling water, melt 2 cups chocolate chips, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 2 T. margarine, 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir until smooth and add 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 tsp. vanilla.
Spread about 1/2 to 2/3 of the dough on a greased and floured jelly roll pan. Cover with fudge filling and dot (make small dots) with the remaining dough. Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes. Cut into bars after it cools slightly.

This week the recipes are a collection of all different recipes gathered from a variety of people and places that I am told are really good. I have tried some and know it to be true!

Better Then "Redford" Cake
1 Box German Chocolate Cake Mix
7 ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk
6 oz. jar Caramel Sauce
8 ounces Non-Dairy
Whipped Topping -- thawed
8 Heath Candy Bars -- crushed
Bake cake in 9 by 13-inch cake pan, as directed on box. Let it coolslightly and poke little holes in the top of the cake with a handle of wooden spoon. Dribble sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce over cake.
Let stand for over an hour until the cake has completely cooled. Frost with whipped topping and sprinkle crushed candy bars over that. Refrigerate. This recipe makes 8 servings.

Artichoke Rice Salad with Shrimp
1 (6-oz) package Wild Rice mix
1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 to 4 green onions, chopped, (white and green parts)
1 lb. small or medium shrimp, peeled and cooked
1 (6-oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 t. curry powder
salt and pepper
Prepare wild rice mix to package directions except omit the butter.
Drain the artichoke hearts and reserve the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade and the mayonnaise to combine. Add the red pepper, green onions, curry powder, salt and pepper to taste, and mix together. Add this mixture to the rice.
Gently stir in the cooked shrimp. If serving as a salad, chill. If serving as a casserole, place in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, until heated through. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.

Taco Casserole
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 sm. onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 env. (1.5 oz.) taco sauce mix
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cottage cheese
2 c. tortilla chips, crushed
2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
Brown beef in a saute pan and drain, remove from heat. Add next 4 ingredients to beef. Combine sour cream and cottage cheese in a separate bowl. Place 1/2 of crushed chips in the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Add enough meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover meat with 1/2 of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 grated cheese. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Turkey Noodle Casserole
2-3 c. cooked turkey, cubed
1 can cream of chicken
Mrs. Dash seasoning to taste
2-3 c. cooked egg noodles
2/3 c. water with 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved
Dry bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese
Combine cubes of turkey and drained noodles in 2 or 3 quart casserole dish. Combine remaining ingredients except bread crumbs and cheese. Pour over turkey noodle mixture. Just before cooking, sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Fast and easy; can do ahead and refrigerate up to a day. Serves 6

Apple Cobbler
Grease a 9x13 pan. Slice a thick layer of apples or peaches in pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
Mix:
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 t. salt, scant
1 t. baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
Pour above over sliced fruit and sprinkle with cinnamon. Melt 1 c. butter or oleo & pour over top. Bake at 350º F. for 45 minutes.
Top with ice cream or coolwhip.
Good with rhubarb too. Add pecans, raisin, and more sugar.

Cheese Popover Puffs
1 cup flour
1/2 t. salt
2 well-beaten eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup grated sharp cheese
Combine 2 eggs and milk; add dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Fold in grated sharp cheese.
Heat well-greased muffin or popover pans in oven until very hot. Pour batter into pans, filling cups half full. Bake in hot oven (425º) 20-25 minutes. Prick with fork during last five minutes of baking to allow escape of steam. Serve hot.

Cappuccino Angel Food Cake
1 c. cake flour (not self-rising)
1/2 c. plus 1 T. confectioners’ sugar
1 2/3 c. egg whites (about 12 large)
4 t. instant espresso-coffee powder
1 1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 plus 1/8 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On waxed paper, mix flour and 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar; set aside.
In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites, instant espresso-coffee powder, cream of tartar, salt, and 1/2 t. cinnamon until soft peaks form; beat in vanilla. Beating at high speed, sprinkle in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating mixture until sugar completely dissolves and egg whites stand in stiff, glossy peaks.
Sift flour mixture over egg whites, one-third at a time, folding in with rubber spatula after each addition, just until flour disappears.
Spoon batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake cake 35 to 40 minutes, until top springs back when lightly touched with finger. Invert cake in pan on funnel or bottle; cool completely in pan.
With metal spatula, carefully loosen cake from pan; place on cake plate. In cup, mix remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over top of cake.