DeSSert PaRtY

Ever thought of turning a gathering into a drop by after you shop dessert buffet nite? My cousin, Jesslyn, shared the idea with me several years ago. Her husband is quite a succesful lawyer/politician in Alabama. She wanted to host a party for some professional friends but knew everyone's holiday schedule gets cramped.

The party can be hosted from 9 - midnight. Your beverage menu can be coffee with various sugars and creams, wassail, & punch. Offer a variety of desserts. This doesn't have to be difficult desserts either.

An easy suggestion is purchase a Pepperidge Farm Chocolate cake. Thaw and garnish the sides with peppermint sticks. Also, the Pepperidge Farm Coconut cake can be garnished with blueberries, lemon slices twisted, and mint leaves.

Make a large pound cake or purchase a large Angel Food Cake. Serve with homemade Devonshire Cream and fruit.

Make homemade bark. Peppermint is always a favorite and adds red to your table. To make bark simply melt the chocolate and pour onto wax paper very thin. Top with your favorite toppings. Let cool and break into bite size pieces. White chocolate and sprinke crushed peppermints ontop. Lightly press the topping into the chocolate. You can drizzle melted red or brown chocolate on top if you desire. Various colors candy melts can be bought in a Wilton Cake Decorating area of many stores.

Microwave the chocolate and add your favorite nuts. You can spoon into small candy cups or onto wax paper by teaspoonfuls. Of course you can pour the same mixture onto wax paper. Break the candy into bite pieces when cooled. You can use any variety of mix ins or toppings. (Peanut butter pieces, Heath bits, coconut, nuts, etc) Remember if you mix in chocolate or peaut butter chips they will melt. It's best to press them into the chocolate once it is spread onto wax paper. Drizzle alternating colors for special effects.

It wouldn't be the holidays without fudge and divinity. Remember these are very rich. Cut fudge really small. Drop divinity small, too. A little bit goes a mighty long way.

Every dessert party needs pie. Choose at least one variety.

For fillers try some of the following:

• pour blueberry pie filling over an 8 oz bar of cream cheese and serve with graham sticks
• purchase chocolate hazelnut nuetella (usually stocked near peanut butter) serve as a fruit dip
• cookie trays (bought or homemade cookies or a combination of both)

You get the idea....a little of this and a little of that and you have a wonderful dessert party. Your friends will LOVE it! Do it before Christmas and the left overs can be used for your family Christmas gatherings. Desserts save well! Ok, they save well if you don't have a midnight snacker in your home!

Mock Devonshire Cream
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in whipping cream. With an electric mixer, beat mixture until stiff. Store in refrigerator.

Nutty Peanut Butter Caramel Bars
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cups self rising flour
2 1/2 cups pecan halves
14 ounces unwrapped caramels
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 ounces milk chocolate chips
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Beat in egg until well combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into sugar mixture and beat until dough forms. Scoop out dough into a 15x10" baking pan and press it out to fill the pan. Scatter pecans evenly over dough. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Set on a wire rack. In a heavy small saucepan, add caramels and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Drizzle caramel mixture over pecans. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let cool completely and cut into bars.

Lavender-Lemon Bundt Cake
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tbs. dried lavender flowers
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest

For the glaze:
2 Tbs. honey
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325°F. Grease and flour 10-cup Bundt pan; tap out excess flour. To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and lavender and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the lemon extract. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the yogurt and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition until just incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the lemon zest.Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the honey until runny. Place the 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a small bowl, add the honey and lemon juice and stir to blend.

Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Serves 16.

Apple Nut Cake
1-1/2 cups oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 cups self rising flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups unpeeled, cored, chopped apples
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a large tube pan.. Combine oil and sugar; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, soda, cinnamon and salt together and add to egg mixture. Add vanilla; mix well. Fold in apples and pecans. Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes if baking in tube pan, or 45 minutes if sheet cake pan. Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan before removing. When cool glaze with cream cheese icing.

Crispy Carmel Treats
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2-1/2 cups Miniature Marshmallows
2 cups pretzels sticks, broken or 5 oz can chowmein noodles
12 KRAFT Caramels
1 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. peanut butter

MELT butter in heavy saucepan on low heat. Add marshmallows; stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
ADD broken pretzel sticks; mix lightly until well coated. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.
MELT caramels with water in heavy saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Add peanut butter; mix well. Drizzle over treats; cool

Easy Chocolate Peanut Clusters
2 pounds white almond bark
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces German's Sweet Chocolate
24 ounces dry roasted peanuts

Meltthe white candy coating or almond bark, German's Sweet Chocolate, and semisweet chocolate chips. Stir in roasted peanuts, mixing well. Drop peanut clusters by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper; let stand until set. Store candy at room temperature. Makes about 3 to 4 dozen chocolate peanut clusters.

Fantasy Fudge
1-1/2 sticks butter or margarine, softened
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
12 oz chocolate chips
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

Place sugar, butter and milk in heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to full boil, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; mix well. Stir in nuts. Pour into greased 13x9-inch pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares.

Haystacks
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanuts
2 cups chow mein noodles

Microwave the butterscotch chips and peanut butter on 50 percent power for 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and blend to coat noodles thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Oreo Truffles
1 pkg Oreo cookies
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 pkg white almond bark
1 pkg chocolate bark

Using a blender crush Oreos. Mix cream cheese and crushed cookies together. Roll into walnut size balls. Chill for 1 hr. Melt chocolate. Dip into either white or brown chocolate. Let chocolate set. Drizzle with opposite color.

Peanut Butter Fudge
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
1 (16-ounce) jar chunky peanut butter
1 (1-pound) package confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Stir in the peanut butter. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Cook over medium heat until heated through, stirring constantly. Do not boil. Spread on a baking sheet or in a 9x13-inch glass dish. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

YIELD: 3 dozen

Peanut Butter Snowballs - Susy Roen
2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. crispy rice cereal
16 oz. package white melting chocolate, chopped

Blend peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar. Add cereal and mix well. Shape into balls by teaspoonfuls. Set balls on waxed paper and freeze for several hours or even overnight.

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler over medium low heat. Stir until smooth. Dip balls into melted chocolate and return to waxed paper until set.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

Peanut Clusters
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 (11.5-ounce) bag butterscotch morsels
1 can salted peanuts
5 cups corn flakes

In a large saucepan, melt peanut butter and butterscotch morsels on medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in peanuts and corn flakes. Mix well and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Chill until set.

Makes 4 dozen confections.


Quick Divinity
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Dash of salt
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans


PLACE sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt in heavy 1-quart saucepan. (Do not stir.) Bring to boil on high heat, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 248°F.
BEAT marshmallow creme and vanilla in small bowl with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Gradually add hot sugar syrup, beating at medium speed until well blended. Beat on high speed 5 minutes or until mixture just begins to lose its gloss and hold its shape when dropped from spoon. Stir in pecans.
DROP teaspoonfuls of the marshmallow creme mixture onto sheets of wax paper. Cool completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Reindeer Food
6 cups Crispix cereal
1 cup peanut butter
12 oz chocolate chips
Powdered sugar (1/2 cup or more to taste)

Melt chocolate chips on low. Once melted, add peanut butter, mixing well. Once a little cool, pour over Crispix cereal. (Pretty much the same idea as rice krispie treats, but different ingredients). Let sit for about 5 minutes and put the mixture into a ziploc bag that contains the powered sugar and shake to cover the cereal.

Rocky Road Bark
1 pkg Chocolate Bark
1cup coconut
1 cup pecan pieces
2 cups mini marshmallows

Melt chocolate according to microwave directions. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well. Pour onto wax paper. Spread thin. After candy sets, break into bite size pieces. Store in airtight container.

Toffee Walnut Bark
1 pkg White Chocolate Almond Bark
1 pkg Heath Toffee Bits
2 cups walnut pieces

Melt chocolate according to microwave directions. Add toffee and nuts, stirring well. Pour onto wax paper. Spread thin. After candy sets, break into bite size pieces. Store in airtight container.

Toll House Party Mix
2 cups toasted cereal squares
2 cups small pretzel twists
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
20 cup caramels
1 (12-oz.) package milk Chocolate chips

Coat13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cereal, pretzels, peanuts and caramels in large bowl. Microwave morsels in medium microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10 to 20 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Pour over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.

TURTLE CANDY
2 (12 oz.) pkgs. chocolate chips
1 can condensed milk
2 c. peanuts
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt chocolate chips into top of double boiler, stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoon on waxed paper and allow to dry.

Vacuum Cleaner Bars
1/2 cup Margarine, melted
1 package Yellow cake mix *
3 Eggs8 ounces Package cream cheese, softened
1 pound Powdered sugar
1/2 cup Flaked coconut
1/2 cup Chopped walnuts or pecans
* Use plain cake mix without pudding added.

Combine margarine, cake mix and one egg. Stir together until dry ingredients are moistened. Pat mixture into bottom of well-greased 15x10 inch jellyroll pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 325~F. Beat remaining two eggs lightly then beat in cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir in coconut and nuts. Pour over mixture in jellyroll pan. Bake at 325~F for 45 to 50 minutes or unti golden brown. Cool to room temperature before cutting into squares.

Mound Bars
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped nuts
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon cocoa (Optional)
7 ounces coconut, flaked
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, eggs, nuts, sugar, flour and cocoa together. Pour ingredients into a glass 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for 25 minutes. Combine coconut and milk and spread over first layer. Bake again for 10 minutes. Spread melted chocolate chips over bars and bake for 5 minutes. Chill before cutting.

Reunion Blueberry Cobbler
3 cps fresh or frozen blueberries
2-8 oz cans crushed pineapple (undrained)
¾ c sugar

Mix and pour into 13/9/2 pan

Melt 1 stick of margarine and pour over fruit mixture

Mix the following ingredients:
Yellow cake mix
1 cup pecans
½ cup coconut
¼ c sugar

Sprinkle over fruit mixture bake at 350 degrees for 30 -45 minutes

Whipersnaps Cookies
1 lemon cake mix (strawberry or chocolate is great, too!)
1 (4.5 oz) cool whip
2 eggs, beaten
½ to 1 cup powdered sugar

Combine dry cake mix, whipped topping, and eggs. Drop by teaspoon and roll in powdered sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake @ 350 degrees 10 – 15 min.

Sour Cream Cookies
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
Sugar, for sprinkling

Heat oven to 375. Grease 2 large baking sheets. In a bowl, beat butter and sugar 2 minutes. Beat in egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Add flour slowly, until combined. Drop the dough by 1/3 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake in lower third of oven 15 minutes or util cookies spring back when pressed lightly. Let stand 3 minutes on baking sheets; cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 9 cookies

Sky-High Lemon Icebox Pie
9-inch pie shell, baked
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons lemon juice (more for tart flavor)
Grated rind of 2 lemons
3/4 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
4 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 pint cream, whipped
Lemon slices, twisted

Place egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, salt and lemon juice in top of double boiler; cook over boiling water, stirring until thick; add lemon rind and gelatin which has been soaked in cold water for 5 minutes. Let mixture cool. Beat egg whites until stiff; slowly add 2/3 cup sugar. Beat until
creamy. Fold egg whites into cooled lemon mixture. Place in baked pie shell, sky-high; chill at least 6 hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with lemon slivers.

Taste of Texas Pecan Pie
1 Deep Dish Pie Shell (I prefer Marie Callenders frozen)
1/2 cup Dark Karo Syrup
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
2 cups chopped Pecans

Melt butter while it is still hot, put in small mixing bowl and add syrup and sugar. Mix with a wire whip until smooth (until sugar had dissolved). Add the eggs and vanilla and whip for about two minutes. Pour this mixture into the pie shell and top with pecan halves. Bake at 325° for 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in refrigerator before serving. Serve with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.

Decadent Triple Layer Mud Pie
1 Ready Crust Chocolate Pie crust
2 sq semi sweet baking chocolate, melted
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 cups cold milk
2 pkgs (4oz size) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mixes
8 oz whipped topping, thawed

Pour choclate and sweetened cond milk into bowl; stir til smooth. Pour into crust. Press nuts evenly onto chocolate in crust. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat until thickened and smooth.

Spread 1 ½ cups of the pudding over chocolate in crust. Immediately stir ½ of the whipped topping into remaining pudding. Spread over pudding in crust. Top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate 3 hrs or until set.