​PEAR-APPLE PIE BARS

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup shortening
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
9 tablespoons cold water
-- FILLING:
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
4 cups finely chopped peeled apples
3 cups finely chopped peeled ripe pears
1 egg white, beaten

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, lemon juice and water; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide in half, making one portion slightly larger. Chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out larger portion of dough between two large sheets of waxed paper into a 17-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Press pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of pan; trim pastry even with top edges.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add apples and pears; toss to coat. Spoon over crust.
Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Trim and seal edges. Brush lattice top with egg white.
Bake at 375 deg. for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 dozen.
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HAZELNUT CREAM CASSATA

1 package 2-layer-size white cake mix or lemon-flavored cake mix
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel (only if using white cake mix)
1/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1 and 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar
Halved toasted hazelnuts

-Grease and flour three 9-11/2-inch-round cake pans; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Prepare cake mix according to package directions using the water, oil, and eggs called for. (If using white cake mix, stir in the 1 tablespoon lemon peel.) Divide batter among prepared pans. (If you have only two 9-inch cake pans, cover and chill one-third of the batter and bake it after the other layers are out of the pans.) Bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly.
For filling, in a small bowl stir together the chocolate-hazelnut spread and ricotta cheese. Place one layer of cake on a serving platter; spread top with half of the jam. Spread half of the chocolate mixture over jam. Top with another layer of cake. Spread with remaining jam and remaining chocolate mixture. Top with remaining layer of cake. In a chilled bowl beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Top with hazelnuts. Cover; chill up to 24 hours. Makes 12 servings.
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CHOCOLATE MALT CRISPY BARS

4 cups malted milk balls, divided
1 package (10 ounces) large marshmallows
3 tablespoons butter
5 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup malted milk powder, divided
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Chop 1 cup malted milk balls; set aside. In a Dutch oven, combine marshmallows and butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in the cereal, 3/4 cup malt powder and chopped candy. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. pan.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in remaining malt powder. Spread over cereal bars. Top with remaining malted milk balls. Let stand until set. Cut into squares. Yield: 2 dozen.
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BUTTERNUT CHEWIES

1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs until light and foamy in a large bowl. Add sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Then add the remaining ingredients, blending well. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
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MINI APPLE STRUDELS

1 and 1/2 cups chopped peeled tart apples
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches)
Butter-flavored cooking spray
Confectioners' sugar, optional

In a small bowl, combine the apples, sugar, walnuts, flour and cinnamon. Set aside.
Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface (keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out). Spray with butter-flavored spray.
Fold in half width-wise; spray again with butter-flavored spray. Spoon a scant 1/3 cup filling onto phyllo about 2 in. from a short side. Fold side and edges over filling and roll up. Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat.
With a sharp knife, cut diagonal slits in tops of strudels. Spray strudels with butter-flavored spray. Bake at 350 deg. for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired. Yield: 6 servings.
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BANANA PUDDING

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter (not margarine)
4 egg yolks (large eggs are better)
box of Vanilla wafers
4 or 5 ripe bananas

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and milk in 2 quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Mash one of the bananas and stir into the mixture.
Mix a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, beating rapidly to avoid cooking the yolks. Stir the warm yolk mixture into the remainder of the pudding mixture, and cook until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter and vanilla.
Line the bottom of a 9" x 9" baking dish with a layer of vanilla wafers. Place a layer of banana slices in the baking dish on top of the vanilla wafers. Don't stint and put one slice of banana per wafer. Line those banana slices up edge-to-edge. Pour, spreading as necessary, half of the pudding over the banana layer. Put down another layer of vanilla wafers, another layer of banana slices, and cover with the remaining pudding.
Meringue:
4 egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the egg whites at high speed until they form soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar. At high speed, gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the vanilla into the meringue, and spread the meringue over the pudding, sealing it at the sides of the dish.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until meringue browns, 12 to 15 minutes, depending upon your oven.
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SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE BARS

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 and 1/2 cups white sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll dough
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the cream cheese with 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar, and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough.
Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Stir the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar together with the cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the cheesecake along with the almonds.
Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.
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DIABETIC RECIPE: APPLE BREAD PUDDING

1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Cups 1% lowfat milk
1 Cup egg substitute
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 slices stone-ground 100% whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut corner-to-corner
2 large apples, cored and diced

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9" square baking dish with nonstick spray.
Mix sugar & cinnamon. In a bowl, blender, or food processor whisk or blend milk, egg substitute, brown sugar & vanilla extract.
Arrange half the toast in baking dish; sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar and apples. Repeat layers. Pour milk mixture over top.
Bake uncovered 40-50 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Number of Servings: 9
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