Cooks Cakes

This is an adjusted version of my original Fruit Crisp recipe to be gluten-free, and even vegan if you substitute for the butter. But whether you make it gluten-free or vegan, it's still AMAZING!

What You Need:
1 3/4 cup rolled oats, toasted (divided)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped fine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger (or 1 tsp. fresh ginger)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (or Earth Balance Spread for vegan)
1/4-1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. vanilla
4-6 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1-2" chunks
Optional: 1 cup strawberries or raspberries

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These nests are made from gluten-free no-bake chocolate cookies, and topped with Cadbury chocolate eggs and Peeps. They take about 25 minutes total to make, and are easy to let your little ones help with.

What You Need:
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder (not 'special dark')
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy okay)
3 cups regular or quick oats

Yield: 2 dozen 3" cookies

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Around here, it's not cake that takes the cake for birthdays... it's pie. And this year, I made my husband three different pies to celebrate his big 40th birthday.

#1- French Silk Pie - This rich, chocolate cream pie is amazingly good!

#2- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie - I had to substitute store-bought frozen rhubarb, but it was still fantastic!

#3- Cherry Pie - How can you go wrong with a classic?

The only one missing was my favorite: Lemon Cream Pie... but then, it wasn't my birthday!

I've been a bit under the weather lately, so getting my holiday baking done may be a but of a trick this year. So, I asked my family to rank the most important things to get made between now and Christmas, and here are our Top 5:

#1: Candy Coal

This has become an absolute favorite of family, friends and co-workers. The little bit of black it turns your lips is overlooked because it's just SO good.

#2: Gingerbread Caramels

I was too scared for years to even try caramels, but these have (so far) been foolproof, and we LOVE them.

#3: Mint-Chocolate (Grasshopper) Brownies

Can't live without these. I grew up with them, too.

#4: Gingersnaps

Basic, but so, so good, especially when you eat them right out of the oven.

#5: Okay, this is a tie... Cranberry-Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars for my husband, Sugar Cookies for my boys, and Snowball Cookies for me.

May you find the time in your hectic life to do some baking, too, for the holidays, or just for a Tuesday!

I'm up to my elbows today in cream cheese and pecans. I'm making one batch of each of these perfect-for-fall cheesecake bars.

They're not new. You can find the recipe for the Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars here...

And the Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars here.

Enjoy!

My boys went on a big camping trip (again) this summer. But right before they left we picked pounds of fresh strawberries. So, I made this chocolate-strawberry cake to welcome them home.

What you need:
Click on each link below for the recipes:

6" Chocolate Cake (doctored cake mix or scratch recipe)
Whipped Cream Frosting

Strawberry filling/topping:
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries.
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch

Yield: 6"x5" cake Serves 8-10

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