Lemon Squares

Ingredients

2 cups white flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 sticks butter, melted

4 large eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5/8 cup lemon juice (one whole lemon-juice container that you buy at grocery store)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour so there will be no flour lumps. Stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the prepared crust and return to the oven.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bars are set. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Emily's Homemade Lowfat Lactose-free Eggnog (Perfect for the Holidays!)

[serves 6 half cups (perfect for a small cocktail)]

3 eggs
1 cup of unsweetened organic soy milk
1 cup of vanilla soy creamer
1 cup of sugar
pinches of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract
rum to taste (i used a cup but as they say, the more the merrier.)

1. Seperate egg yolks from egg whites.
2. Put egg whites in the fridge.
3. In bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Beat until egg yolks are soft. Add soy milk, creamer, rum and vanilla extract. Do not overbeat - you want a nice thick consistency.
4. Chill both egg whites and yolk bowl overnight.
5. Before serving, beat egg whites until they form soft white peaks. Then whisk - do not beat - both bowls together. Garnish with nutmeg and cinnamon on top. Enjoy!

Créme Caramel (Custard with Caramelized Sugar)

Yield: 6 servings

This dessert is not as common as it was in Morocco, but it is a popular in Italian restaurants. Caramel Coating: ¼ cup sugar

1. Heat sugar in a heavy pot over a low flame. Watch carefully and stir constantly as the sugar begins to melt.
2. Continue stirring and slowly heating until the liquid sugar is the color of maple syrup. Be sure not to let the sugar burn.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the liquid sugar into 1 individual custard cup.
4. Tilt the cup so the liquid sugar coats the inside of the cup.
5. One at a time, repeat steps 3 & 4 for the remaining five cups. If you are using a muffin tray, it is easiest to coat the cups one at a time. Set aside. The caramel coating will harden. Custard: 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons mild 1/3 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/8 teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon vanilla
6. Preheat oven to 325°F.
7. Combine the milk, sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla in a bowl and beat until the mixture is frothy.
8. Pour equal amounts of the mixture into each of the muffin cups.
9. Place a rack in a baking pan and place the muffin tray on the rack. Pour very hot (not boiling) water into the baking pan so the water rises about 1 inch around the cups.
10. Set the whole pan with rack, water, and muffin tray into the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife blade into the custard. If it comes out clean, the custard is done 11. Remove the muffin tray and chill it for at least 1 hour.
12. When the tray is entirely chilled, dip 1 muffin cup over a small plate. If the custard does not unmold easily, slide a knife blade between the custard and the side of the muffin cup and push gently.
13. Repeat the unmolding process for the remaining 5 cups.
14. Refrigerate them until they are served.

Macedonia di frutta (Fruit Salad)

Yield: 4 servings
This is the most common dessert offered in Eritrean restaurants. It never seems to vary, no matter where you eat it. The grenadine syrup is manufactured locally by the Asmara Wine and Liquor Company.
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 guava, peeled and cubed
1 papaya, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 oranges, peeled and cut in pieces
¾ cup grenadine

1. Divide equal portions of each fruit into 4 bowls.

2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of grenadine syrup over each portion.

3. Mix gently and serve.

Ryan's Thanksgiving Chocolate Sauce

1/3 Cup butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
mix together over medium heat
Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup light cream
and 1 can condensed sweetened milk (optional)

MaryAnne’s Strawberry Romanoff

5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry (don't use any other kind as the results won't be nearly as good)
3 pints strawberries
powdered sugar
1 cup heavy cream.

Directions:
Break 5 egg yolks in top of double boiler and beat until lemon colored.  Gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat until velvety.  Slowly pour in 1 cup of sherry and replace beater with spoon.  Stir until thick.  Place in bowl and cool.  Once cool, place in frig.  Obviously this part can all be done in advance. 
Just before serving, beat 1 cup heavy cream until very stiff.  Fold into custard until completely blended.  Add strawberries, turning until covered.  Place on round flat platter and decorate with largest berries dipped in powdered sugar.  In fact you can serve them any way you wish.

EE-Z ChEEZcake

1 gram cracker crust
1 box Jell-O cheesecake mix
Fresh strawberries
Prepare Jell-O as directed, When Jell-O is firm, slice strawberries and put on top.

Kahlua Pie (Gourmet Club)

9” Pie shell (baked)
4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 (1 oz) squares semi sweet chocolate
¼ cup of water
1 envelope gelatin
¼ cup cold water
¼ cup Kahlua
1 ¼ cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
2 egg whites
Toasted Almonds (chopped)

Directions:
Beat egg yolks in top of double boiler. Add ½ cup of sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Melt chocolate in small pan with ¼ cup of water, stir into yolks. Simmer until it begins to thicken. Soften gelatin into cold water. Add to chocolate, stir, and remove from heat. Add Kahlua. Place bowl in ice to cool.
Beat cream with 2 tbsp of sugar until stiff. Beat whites until stiff. When chocolate begins to gel, slowly fold in ½ cream and egg whites. Pour into pie shell and place in refrigerator for a few hours. Rewhip cream and place on top with almonds.

Grandmummy’s Chocolate Sauce

1 tbsp butter
1 square of unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
Melt butter and chocolate. Pour water and boil. Put sugar and reboil. Reduce heat, simmer for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt.

Baked Bananas

2 tbsp soft butter
4 lg or 8 sm bananas
¼ cup vermouth or cider
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Pam a baking dish or coat with butter. Peel banana and arrange in dish. Pour vermouth or cider, honey, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with cinnamon, and dot with butter. Bake 400˚F for 15 minutes. Baste every 5 minutes with liquid.

Aunt Cindy’s Pumpkin Rolls

Serves 8-12
½ can pumpkin filling
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ flour
½ tbsp baking soda
¼ tsp. each of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon
2 tbsp butter (or margarine)
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup confectionary sugar

Mix together: ½ can (2/3 cup) pumpkin filling, 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, ¾ cup flour. ½ tbsp baking soda, ¼ tsp. each of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon spread evenly into a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Bake 12 minutes at 375˚F. Turn out while hot (directions below), chill completely, then fill with following: 2 tbsp butter (or margarine), ¾ tsp. vanilla extract, 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 cup confectionary sugar. Mix together with electric mixer until very soft and creamy.

Before chilling the pumpkin mixture: Right out of the oven, cover the pumpkin cake with a piece of wax paper and an upside down (2nd) cookie sheet. Flip and carefully peel wax paper from bottom of cake. Replace with fresh wax paper and/or cotton/linen dishtowel on top; flip again and remove wax paper from the op of cake. This will remove the trusty top layer. Replace with fresh wax paper and towel inside. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature and then refrigerate until completely cooled. Carefully unroll, removing only the inside wax paper and only far enough to stuff filling into center and spread on unrolled surface. Re-roll inside outer wax paper and towel, re-chill and serve.

Don’s Bailey’s Irish Crème

1 ¾ cup Jamesons’ Irish Whiskey
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
½ pint or 1 cup of light cream
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
2 tsp of instant coffee

Mix ingredients at high speed in blender or mixer to desired consistency. Keep refrigerated.

Wilton Buttercream Icing

“This creamy, flavorful icing is ideal for decorating.”
Makes 3 cups.
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
½ cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 tbsp. milk
Directions: Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Keep covered with damp cloth until ready to use. Refrigerate when not in use. Keeps for up to 2 weeks in airtight container. Rewhip before using.

Gina’s Famous Fruit Pizza

2 ½ (8 oz) pkgs. Of quick crescent dinner rolls
3 tbsp sugar
1 (8 oz) pkg of cream cheese, softened
1 (3 ½ oz) tube almond paste
½ Tsp of almond extract
2 cups of fresh strawberries (halved of quartered)
1 cup of fresh raspberries
1 cup of fresh blueberries
1 cup of seedless grapes
1 (11 oz.) can of mandarin orange segments (drained)
2 kiwi (peeled, sliced, and quartered)
1 jar of apricot preserves, (heated in saucepan until melted)
¼ cup of toasted almond slices
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Shape dough as needed to make large pizza crust on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 14-19 minutes. Cool completely. Use mixer and food processor to mix cream cheese and almond paste together. Mix with almond extract and 2 tbsp of sugar. Frost crust evenly with mixture. Decorate with fruit. In a pot, melt apricot preserves, and brush over fruit. Sprinkle almonds over. Cover and store in fridge until cooled.