german twists

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, sliced
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white sugar, or as needed

Recipe

Cook Time: 15 mins Ready Time: 3 hrs 45 mins


• sprinkle yeast over warm water in a bowl and let activate while you complete remaining steps.
• place flour and salt into a food processor and pulse once or twice to combine. scatter butter slices over flour and process until butter is thoroughly mixed into the flour, about 1 minute.
• whisk yeast mixture, sour cream, egg, egg yolks, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; pour mixture into food processor. pulse several times, just until the dough starts to hold together and clean the sides of the bowl (do not overmix). remove dough from food processor and divide in half; form each half into a thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. for best texture, refrigerate overnight.
• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
• sprinkle a work surface generously with sugar and roll out one of the dough disks into an 8x16-inch rectangle. sprinkle dough with a generous amount of sugar. fold the dough over in thirds, letter-style, and roll out again; fold as before and roll out and fold a third time, sprinkling dough with sugar each time. finally, roll dough into a 4x14-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. repeat process with second dough disk.
• cut strips from the short side of the dough rectangles, making them 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. place strips the parchment-lined baking sheets, twisting and slightly stretching them. if preferred, form into horseshoe shapes.
• bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. cookies will puff up a bit to reveal delicate layers. let cookies cool for about 5 minutes on sheets before transferring to wire cooling racks.

Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ready Time: 1 hr 15 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. combine the hot water and instant coffee, then add to the dry ingredients along with the oil, vinegar, vanilla and eggs. mix until smooth and well blended. spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. sprinkle with the 1/4 cup of sugar.
• bake for 45 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• make the topping while the cake is cooling. in a medium-size mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg until smooth. stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. spread over cooled cake.

black halloween punch

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened grape soft drink mix
• 1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 quarts cold water
• 1 liter

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• to make a frozen hand, wash a disposable glove, fill with water, seal with a rubber band and freeze until hard.
• stir together grape soft drink mix, orange soft drink mix, sugar and water until solids are dissolved. combine with chilled just before serving. dip the frozen hand briefly in warm water, then peel off the glove. float the prepared hand in the punch bowl for a ghastly effect.

Bars

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups filling
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter

Recipe

• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (190 degrees c). grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.
• pour one cup of yellow cake mix into a medium size mixing bowl; set aside.
• combine remaining cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1 egg; mix well. press into the baking pan.
• combine filling, 2 eggs and milk in a medium size mixing bowl; mix until smooth. pour evenly over the crust in the 9x13 inch pan.
• pour the sugar and cinnamon into the mixing bowl containing the 1 cup of yellow cake mix. cut in the butter until the mixture looks crumbly. sprinkle this mixture over the pumpkin filling.
• bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the bars come out clean. let cool before cutting.

Vanilla Coffee Creamer

Ingredients

• Servings: 30
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Recipe

Preparation Time: 5 mins Ready Time: 5 mins


• combine half-and-half, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract together in a container with a lid; cover container and shake vigorously until creamer is smooth.

flan mexicano (mexican flan)

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy cream

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 55 mins Ready Time: 6 hrs 5 mins


• place sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns a golden amber color, about 10 minutes. watch carefully once syrup begins to change color, because it burns easily. carefully pour the melted sugar syrup into a flan mold. let cool.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• pour whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, egg yolks, orange juice, orange peel, vanilla extract, and cornstarch into a blender, and blend for a minute or so, until the mixture is smooth. pour in the cream, and pulse several times to incorporate the cream. pour the mixture over the cooled caramel syrup in the flan mold.
• line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. place the flan mold on the towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
• bake in the preheated oven until the center of the flan is set but still slightly jiggly when moved, 45 minutes to 1 hour. let the flan cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. to serve, run a sharp paring knife around the inside of the mold to release the flan. invert a plate on the mold, flip the mold over, and gently remove the mold to unmold the flan and reveal the syrupy caramel topping.

green punch

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 2 (3 ounce) packages lime flavored jell-o® mix
• 1 quart hot water
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
• 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 1/2 cups cold water
• 2 liters

Recipe

Preparation Time: 5 mins Ready Time: 5 mins


• in a large saucepan dissolve the gelatin in 1 quart of hot water. allow to cool.
• when gelatin is cool, pour into a large punch bowl, stir in pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate, sugar and 4 1/2 cups cold water. pour in just before serving.