Graham Crispies

This crispy treat is so rich, you wouldn't think it was made out of your everyday graham cracker.

Ingredients:


1/3 box of plain or cinnamon graham crackers
2 sticks butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange whole crackers on a foil-lined baking sheet.

2. In a saucepan, bring butter and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 3 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Pour over crackers.

4. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cut crackers into smaller sections while warm. Crackers will become crispy as they cool.

Enjoy this sweet, crispy treat!

Banana Nut Bread with Honey Butter

Even my granny, the queen of banana nut bread, wants to try making this recipe. It's so moist, thanks to the sour cream. Serve it warm with honey butter and it just melts in your mouth.

Ingredients:


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened, plus more for buttering the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large, ripe bananas
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour either a 9x5-inch loaf pan or a 9x13-inch pan (whichever you prefer to use).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3. In another small bowl, mash the bananas with a wooden spoon or a fork.

4. In another large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the 1/2 cup butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla and then beat to combine. Don't over mix.

6. Add the dry ingredients; stir. Add chopped pecans; stir.

7. Pour the batter into the pan and place on a sheet tray so the bottom won't burn.

8. If using a loaf pan, bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. If using a 9x13-inch pan, bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then turn out onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool, or serve slightly warm with the following Honey Butter recipe!

Honey Butter


Ingredients:


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey


1. Mix the butter and honey together in a small bowl with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Serve with the banana bread and enjoy!

Chocolate Oatmeal Drop Cookies

These are my stepdad's favorite cookies. And when he requests them, he wants to lick the wooden spoon, bowl, spatula and everything. And he doesn't wait for them to harden; he eats them off the wax paper with a spoon. Yeah, they're just that good.

Ingredients:


2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats (or quick-cooking oats)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan off of the stove, combine sugar and cocoa powder. Add in milk and butter; stir.

2. Place saucepan on the stove and turn heat to low. After sugar and butter are melted, increase heat to medium-low. Cook until it starts to boil, stirring frequently.

3. Boil for about 2 minutes, then remove pan from heat.

4. Add the peanut butter and oats. Stir until well mixed.

5. Stir in vanilla. If mixture is too thin, add an additional 1/2 cup oats. Let mixture cool for about 15 minutes.

6. Drop mixture onto wax paper by spoonfuls. Let harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Eggnog Pound Cake with Eggnog Icing

You won't find a moister pound cake, or a more decadent icing. And for an added bonus, this one tastes like the holidays. If you don't like eggnog, don't fret. I sent my brother a loaf and he said it was the best he had ever had (and we didn't tell him it had eggnog in it). So give it a try; it's delicious and so simple to make.

Ingredients:


1 box of pound cake mix
1 1/4 cup eggnog
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or 1/8 teaspoon dried, but fresh is always better)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

2. With an electric mixer, beat all ingredients together for 2 minutes on medium speed.

3. Pour batter into the greased loaf pan.

4. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then invert pound cake onto a wire cooling rack and flip back over to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy with the following Eggnog Icing recipe!

Eggnog Icing 


Ingredients:


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces powdered sugar
1/4 cup eggnog
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or 1/8 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. With an electric mixer, beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy.

2. Gradually add in powdered sugar and eggnog, beginning and ending with sugar, beating on low speed.

3. Add nutmeg and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Spread icing on top of entire pound cake loaf or serve on the side to spread on individual pieces of cake. Enjoy!