Individual Peach Cobblers

I love Colorado Palisade Peaches!  I have been know to make the 4 hour trek from Denver to Palisade and fill my entire trunk with peaches and drive back.  This is one of my all time favorite ways to eat them.  I make a peach cobbler topping and then store it in the fridge and just crumble some on top of 1/2 of a peach and bake.  Great desert if you are cooking for only 1 or 2 people, or it can feed an army too!

Source:  Food.com

Ingredients:
Peaches (1/2 per person)

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 small egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup oats (not instant) 

Vanilla Ice Cream for serving

Instructions:
Mix all the toppings together, line the peaches up on a baking dish with a 2 inch side.  Then crumble some of the topping on each peach and bake at 350 for 10-15 min (until the topping is slightly golden). 

Lemonade Pie

A perfect summer dessert!  Super easy plus - Cool and refreshing!

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled

1 (12 oz) container Cool Whip, that's been in the fridge (not freezer)

1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen

1 pre-made graham cracker crust

Instructions: 

In a bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients with a spoon.  Pour into prepared pie shell.  Keep in fridge until you're ready to serve.

Banana S'mores

I found these on pinterest - so easy and so delicious!  Just slice a banana, stuff with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows and bake at 375 for 6-8 min and you have warm chocolate goodness in the picture below.

Red Velvet Cookies & Ice Cream Sandwiches

My co-worker LOVES red velvet, so I decided to make some red velvet cookies for her birthday.  After I made the cookies I decided they would make perfect ice cream sandwiches too.  I used cookies and cream ice cream and they were delicious!  I think these would be perfect for Valentines day, or just a normal weekday!

Source: Duncan Hines
Ingredients:

1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Powdered sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine one (1) box of Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix, two (2) eggs and one-third (1/3) cup vegetable oil using a hand blender or wire whisk.
3. Form teaspoon size balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet or baking pan about one inch (1") apart. Slightly pat down the top of each ball.
4. Cook for 8-10 minutes (the top of the cookie will crack).
5. While hot, lightly sprinkle the top of the cookie with powdered sugar (optional). 

Here is the ice cream sandwich version:

Pumpkin, Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake

I need to admit to being a bit behind on blogging....this is the delicious pumpkin, caramel & pecan cheesecake I served for Thanksgiving this year and yes, I am posting this the day after Christmas so I am a little over a month behind.  Regardless, the cheesecake was decadent and I wanted to share!  My precious niece at 4 helped me unwrap the caramels.
Source: Kraft Recipes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped pecans (divided)
1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snaps
1/4 cup butter melted
4 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
25 kraft caramels
1/4 milk

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 325
2. Chop 1/4 cup nuts finely, place in a medium bowl.  Add ginger snap crumbs and butter; mix well.  press onto bottom of 9x13 inch pan.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with mixer until blended.  Add pumpkin pie spice and vanilla; mix well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on a low speed after each just until blended.  Pour over crust.
4. Bake 45 min or until center is almost set.  Cool completely.  Refrigerate 4 hours.
5. Microwave caramels and milk in microwavable blow on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds; spoon over individual servings of cheesecake.  Sprinkle with nuts and serve with whipped cream.

Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie is a staple at my family holiday gatherings! This is an old family recipe and my paper copy has my Great-Grandma's name (Anna) on the top.  Pecan pie is one of my dad's favorites and this Thanksgiving I even had some help making the pecan pies.  Thanks Erik!   (Just realized I hadn't posted this...so I'm giving my readers a head start on Thanksgiving 2014!!)


Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light karo syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecan halves

Instructions:
1. Before beating the eggs, use to coat the pie crust
2. Beat the eggs until blended, not frothy, set aside
3. Combine 2 T flour with 1/2 cup sugar
4. Melt butter and mix together butter, karo syrup, and salt.  Then add flour mixture.  Next add eggs and vanilla.
5. Pour mixture into pie shell
6. Drop pecans on the top
7. Cover edge of pastry with 2-3 inch wide strip of foil to prevent excessive browning removing foil for the last 15 minute of baking
8. Bake in a hot oven (425) for 10 minutes, and then bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until center is set.
9. Refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled before serving.  Store in refrigerator.