Mississippi Mud Pie

Mississippi Mud Pie

1/4 lb butter
3oz. unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
pie crust

Preheat oven to 350. Combine butter and chocolate, stirring until blended, and set aside. Beat eggs until light and frothy, then stir in corn syrup, sugar, vanilla. Add chocolate mixture, stirring. Put everything in the pie crust. Bake 35-40 minutes until the top is crunchy.

Dan's note: this tastes like eating melted chocolate. It's very tasty. 8.0/10, winner of our dessert-o-thon in July 2006.
Source: Julie Brown

Cream cheese icing

Icing (cream cheese icing?)

1 box powdered sugar (1 lb)
1 stick butter
1 package cream cheese (light or neufchatel) (8 oz)
1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp milk

Beat butter and cream cheese together, until blended. Slowly mix in powdered sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add vanilla and milk.
Source: same recipe card as "world's best chocolate cake," from Mom

Date bars

Date bars

1 cup sifted flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Bring water and dates to a boil, simmer 4 min. Remove from heat, add butter, stir until melted. Cool. Stir in egg, vanilla, nuts. Add dry ingredients, stir until well blended. Pour into greased pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Dan's note: these are good, and not very sweet at all. Rated 7.3/10
Source: Grandma's recipe box

Carrot cake

Carrot cake

1 1/2 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

For icing:
8 oz cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 box confectioner's sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Beat oil and sugar well, add eggs, beat well. Sift flour, cinnamon soda, and baking powder; blend with egg mixture. Fold in carrots and nutes. Bake at 350 for 1 hour in loaf pan or 30 minutes in layer pans. Baking time may be a little longer- bake until just firm. Mix icing ingredients, ice cake.

Dan's note: more spices (maybe some nutmeg, and/or a little allspice and cloves?) would be good. Rated 7.5/10
Source: Grandma's recipe box

British bread pudding

British Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS
6 1/4 cups cubed whole wheat bread
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried mixed fruit
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine bread and milk, and set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
Then stir in egg, butter, raisins, mixed fruit, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Mix well.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch square baking pan.
Bake in preheated oven until golden and firm to touch, about 35 minutes.
Leave in baking pan to cool, then cut into squares.

Dan's note: I used a little extra milk and egg. It made a nice cakey thing. I made some caramel sauce too (at Beej's recommendation), which I could take or leave.

Blonde brownies

Blonde brownies

1/3 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Source: Mom

Apricot cake

Apricot cake

1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp ground cloves or 1/4 tsp cardamom
1/2? 1? cup apricot nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 egg
1/2 cup snipped dried apricots

Stir dry ingredients together, except apricots. Stir wet ingredients together, then add to dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in apricots. Spread batter on 11x7x1.5" pan. Bake at 350 for 25 min. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Dan's note: this is a little boring. It's just a cake. The top is nice and soft though. Chop the apricots as finely as possible. (used mediterranean apricots, I think? They were moister than usual dried apricots) Rated 5.9/10
Source: Grandma's recipe box