Vanilla Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Chill before serving.

Source:http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homemade-Vanilla-Pudding/

Apple Pie

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 3 pounds mixed apples (such as Golden Delicious, McIntosh and Pink Lady)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For the Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 large eggs

Directions

Prepare the filling: Peel, halve and core the apples. Cut each half into 6 wedges and toss with the sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the firmer apples begin to soften but still hold their shape, 8 to 9 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and toss until the juices begin to thicken, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool completely. (The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.

Make the dough: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the shortening and pulse until it disappears, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Beat 1 egg with 1/4 cup ice water in a bowl, then add to the processor and pulse once or twice. (Stop before the dough gathers into a ball.) Lay out 2 sheets of plastic wrap; divide the dough between the sheets and pat each into a disk. Wrap the disks tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Roll 1 disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface (or between 2 pieces of floured parchment paper). Ease into a 9 1/2-inch deep dish glass pie plate. Add the filling, mounding it slightly, and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Chill the pie while you roll the remaining dough into a 12-inch round. 
Lay the dough over the filling and press the 2 crusts together around the edges. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with your fingers. Beat the remaining egg in a bowl and brush over the top crust; sprinkle with sugar. Pierce the top with a knife a few times to let steam escape. Chill 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the pie on a baking sheet; bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly, 55 to 60 minutes. (Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.) Transfer to a rack and cool until set, 2 hours.

Fudge

Ingredients

• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter or margarine in large microwaveable bowl. Zap in microwave on medium until chips are melted, about 3-5 minute, stirring once or twice during cooking. Stir in nuts, if desired.
2. Pour into well-greased 8x8-inch glass baking dish. Refrigerate until set.  

Sources: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fudge/ 

Gelato

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, mix milk and cream. Warm until foam forms around the edges. Remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until frothy. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture gels slightly and coats the back of the spoon. If small egg lumps begin to show, remove from heat immediately.
3. Pour the mixture through a sieve or fine strainer into a bowl. Cover, and chill for several hours or overnight.
4. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a sealed container, and freeze until firm. If the gelato is too firm, place it in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired consistency.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/gelato/     

Cheesecake

               Ingredients:
     Crust:

• 1 1/2 cup Zwieback crumbs
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

      Filling:

• 1 pound cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites

      Topping:

• 1 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

     Directions:

• Blend crumbs with butter and sugar. Press into bottom of 8 inch pie plate
• Bake at 300 degrees F for 5 minutes and cool.
• Blend cream cheese with whipping cream, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon peel. Add egg yolks, one at a time and mix well. Beat egg whites well and fold into mixture lightly.
• Pour on top of crust and bake at 325 degrees for one hour.
• Beat sour cream, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• When cheesecake is done baking, cool slightly then spread the sour cream topping on top of the cheesecake.
• Return cake to oven for 10 minutes. Cool and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight

Source: http://www.momswhothink.com/cheesecake-recipes/cheesecake-recipe.html 

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces (about 2 cups) dark chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
• 12 ounces (about 2 cups) white chocolate, chopped, or white chocolate chips
• 8 peppermint candy canes

Preparation:

1. Unwrap the candy canes and place them in a food processor. Pulse on/off several times for 5-10 seconds each, until the canes have been crushed into small pieces. Alternately, place the candy canes in a large Ziploc bag and seal tightly. Use a rolling pin to roll/smash the candy canes until they are the size you desire.

2. Prepare a cookie sheet by covering it with smooth aluminum foil.

3. Melt or temper the dark chocolate. Pour the chocolate onto the prepared cookie sheet and use an offset spatula or knife to spread it to an even thickness, a little more than 1/8" thick. The chocolate does not have to reach all sides of the sheet, as it will be broken up later anyhow. Place the tray in the refrigerator to firm up while you prepare the white chocolate.

4. While the dark chocolate hardens, melt or temper the white chocolate. Stir in most of the candy cane bits, reserving about a quarter of the mixture to put on top.

5. Remove the tray from the refrigerator and spread the white chocolate in an even layer over the dark chocolate.

6. While the white chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the remaining candy cane pieces over the entire surface evenly. Press down very slightly to ensure they stick. Place the tray back in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes.

7. Once the peppermint bark is completely set, break into small, uneven pieces by hand.

Source: http://candy.about.com/od/specialoccasions/r/pepbark.htm