A sign hangs in our kitchen that says "Life is short, eat dessert first"; and sometimes, we do just that. It raises eyebrows and grandparents go "Tsk, tsk" but you can see there is a twinkle in everyone's eyes and they join right in. The kids love it! The main course that follows is a light salad or soup - something that will keep if all of the sweets disappear before the main course is served. Any one of the Comfy Country Creation sweets would contribute to an eyebrow raising good time. Just think of the memories you will create for your children.

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Quick Jump to Recipes in this Section
Cookies, Cakes & Squares
Shortbread / Macaroons / Pfeffernuesse / M & M Cookies / Wacky Cake / Chocolate Poppy Seed Cake / Black Forest Cake / Cream Cheese Icing / Creamy Frosting / Eat More Bars / Confetti Squares / Magic Lemon Squares / Arlene’s Butterscotch Squares / Cherry Flips / Almond Slices / Oatmeal Raisin Cookies / Holly Clusters / Coffee Cake /

Beverages
Hot Chocolate Mix / Kahlua / Crabapple Liqueur / Cranberry Liqueur / Apricot Liqueur / Tropical Ice / Hot Spiced Apple Juice / Rhubarb Punch / Dandelion Cordial /

Candies and Treats
Fruit Crisp / French Pastry gone Crackers / Burnt Sugar Brie / Chocolate Fudge / Sugared Peanuts / Knox Blox / Frozen Fruit Cocktail Salad / Peach Sorbet / Molasses Candy /

Pies, Pastries, & Quick Breads
Pie Pastry / Banana Cherry Cheese Pie / Graham Cracker Pie Crust / Lemon Loaf / Banana Loaf / Corn Bread /

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup margarine (softened but not the already soft kind)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups rolled oats (quick cook kind)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon alspice
• 1 cup raisins

Beat sugar and margarine until blended. Add vanilla and egg. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add raisins. Drop by spoonfull onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 - 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and cool on wire racks. Makes 4 - 5 dozen. Freezes well.
SUGGESTION: Raisins can be omitted for a spicey oatmeal cookie OR another option is to add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the cookie/raisin mixture.

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Almond Slices

• 36 whole graham crackers
• 1 cup butter/margarine
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 8 oz (100 gr) flaked almonds

Line 12 x 15 cookie sheet with tin foil. Make sure sides are covered too. Place crackers on cookie sheet and set aside. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add almonds. Stir until almonds are completely coated. Spoon onto crackers and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake at 325 degrees for 5 minutes - no longer. Cut and remove from pan immediately after baking. To cool, place on wire racks.

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Pfeffernuesse

• 1/2 cup light molasses
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg ~ beaten
• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Heat molasses with butter in the microwave until melted. Cool to room temperature. Stir in beaten eggs. In a separate bowl, mix in dry ingredients thoroughly. Add dry ingredients to molasses mixing with hands to blend. Shape into 1” balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10- to 12 minutes. Ice with a thick white icing if desired or eat plain.
**SUGGESTION**
Double the recipe and freeze a bunch for later. Can be flattened out with a fork before baking. For a softer “gingersnap” bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Banana Loaf

• 2 cups flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cub butter or margarine or shortening
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 tsp grated orange rind

Stir first four ingredients together and set aside. Cream butter; gradually add brown sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with the bananas. A small amount at a time ~ beating after each addition only until smooth. Fold in nuts and rind. Bake in a greased 9” x 5” loaf pan in a moderate over (350 degrees) for 45to 50 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan; cool on racks. For bet slicing results, store overnight.
**NOTE**
Have a bread maker? This recipe can be used by adding an extra ½ hour to the regular recipes cooking time. Just remember; wet ingredients first, then dry with the baking powder and baking soda going in last. Use the light crust setting and the timer.
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Pie Pastry

• 5 ½ cups flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 lb tenderflake lard
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• Water

Mix flour and salt. Cut in lard and blend by hand to resemble course oatmeal. In a measuring cup, beat egg, add vinegar, add water to equal one cup of liquid. Pour into flour mixture and blend. Divide into four equal parts for easier handling. Makes three 9-inch double piecrusts. Can be kept in the fridge for a few weeks if not needed right away.
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Eat More Bars

• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup chocolate chips
  Melt together in the microwave on high for one minute. Stir and melt one minute more.
  Add
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
• 3 cups rice krispies

Spread in a 9 x 13 pan and let cool. Cut into squares. If you can save any, these freeze well.
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Chocolate Fudge

• 3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (One 500 gram package)
• 1 cup eagle brand milk
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate chips. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Spread mixture evenly into an 8” x 8” wax paper lined pan. Chill for two hours. Turn out onto a cutting board and remove wax paper. Cut into squares.
**Suggestions**
Add ½ cup of nuts or ½ cup mini marshmallows or ½ cup M & M’s or ½ cup mini jube jubes or ½ cup coconut or ½ cup of whatever takes your fancy.
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Creamy Frosting

• 2 Tbsp shortening
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cups icing sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk
• cinnamon to taste

Mix first three ingredients with ½ cup of icing sugar. Blend until smooth. Add remaining sugar and milk alternately. Add cinnamon. Mix well.
For something chocolatey, mix in 2 Tbsp of cocoa.
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Knox Blox

• 3 small packages of jell-o (any flavor)
• 3 packages of knox unflavored gelatin
• 4 cups boiling water

Oil a 9 x 13 cake pan. Set aside.
Mix jell-o and gelatin together in a glass bowl. Pour hot water over and mix for 2 to 5 minutes or until completely dissolved.
Pour into pan. Use oven mitts to place pan in fridge. Let set for 2 to 3 hours.
Slice into cubes. Store in fridge in plastic bag or sealed container for as long as it lasts.
COMMENT
This is a wonderful finger food for any age. It doesn’t melt or become messy if left out. Can be cut into shapes with cookie cutters rather than into cubes.
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Frozen Fruit Cocktail Salad

• 1 large can of fruit cocktail ~ 3 ½ cups
• 1 package of lemon jello powder
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 - 3 oz packages of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (colored ones are ok)
• 1/4 cup maraschino cherries ~ drained & quartered
• 1 cup of heavy whip cream ~ whipped

Drain fruit cocktail (reserve 1 cup of juice). Dissolve jello in hot water. Add reserved fruit cocktail juice and lemon juice. Chill until partially set. Beat cream cheese and mayonnaise together until smooth. Add fruit cocktail, cherries and marshmallows. Fold in whip cream. Pour into a mould or bowl and freeze over night. Garnish with frosted grapes. Serves 10
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Banana Cherry Cheese Pie

• 1 - 3 oz package of lemon jello
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• ½ cup cold water
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 - 250 gram package of cream cheese ~ softened
• 1 ½ cups sliced bananas
• ½ cup chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 graham cracker pie crust ~ see below

Dissolve jello and sugar in hot water. Add cold water and lemon juice. Gradually add jello to cream cheese ~ mixing until well blended. Chill until slightly thickened. Whip until fluffy. Fold in fruit and pour into piecrust. Chill or freeze until firm.
**Suggestions**
In stead of lemon jello, use whatever flavor you wish. Then use fruit to compliment the jello. Strawberry jello ~ bananas and strawberries Lime jello ~ kiwi and green grapes Orange jello ~ mandarin orange slices and bananas Raspberry jello ~ fresh raspberries
Use your imagination.
Thanks to Shannon Sawby- 14 yrs old ~ Airdrie, Alta. for sharing this recipe.
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Graham Cracker Pie Crust

• 1/3 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs or oreo cookie crumbs

Melt butter. Stir in sugar and crumbs. Mix well. Press into a glass pie plate and microwave on med-high for 2 ½ to 3 ½ minutes. Cool before filling. If baking in the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
**Suggestions**
To make 1 ½ cups of crumbs mix in a blender 18 graham crackers OR 26 vanilla wafers OR 30 ginger snaps OR 24 chocolate wafers
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Peach Sorbet

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups fruit puree
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  

Combine sugar and water and bring JUST to the boiling point. Be sure sugar is dissolved. Chill until cold. Blend in fruit and lemon juice. Pour into a small cake pan and freeze until almost firm. Turn into a bowl and beat until firm, but fluffy. Pour into a container and freeze until firm.
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Magic Lemon Squares

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup flaked coconut (fine)
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 can eagle brand milk
• 1/2 c lemon juice

In a medium bowl, combine first six ingredients. Mix together to form a crumbly mixture. Set aside. In another bowl, combine milk and lemon juice. Press 1/2 crumb mixture in a 9 x 9 pan. Pour in milk mixture and sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Freezes well.
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Arlene’s Butterscotch Squares

• 2 small packages of butterscotch chips (300 grams each)
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup peanut butter (crunchy is OK)
• 1 cup fine coconut
• 1 small bag of colored marshmallows
• 1/2 cup of cut up maraschino cherries

Melt chips and butter together. Cool. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Spread in an 8 x 11 well-buttered pan. Cool completely and cut into squares. Store in fridge.
Thanks to Arlene Brulotte ~ Thunder Bay, Ont. for sharing this recipe.
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Sugared Peanuts

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups peanuts (unsalted is best for flavor)

Put all three ingredients into a dutch oven. Heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon - until boiling. Boil on medium & stir continuously for 10 minutes - until mixture is crystallized. Remove from heat immediately and quickly spread in a single layer on ungreased baking sheet with sides. Bake in 300-degree oven for 15 minutes. Shake or stir. Bake for another 15 minutes. Loosen peanuts with pancake flipper. Cool. Store in airtight container. Makes approx 8 cups. Freezes.
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French Pastry gone Crackers

• 2 - 4 serving pkgs of instant vanilla pudding powder (the kind that does not need cooking)
• 4 cups of milk
• 84 unsalted soda crackers (approx)
• Frozen whipped topping (in a tub) thawed

Beat pudding powder and milk together until smooth. Line ungreased 9 x 13 pan with crackers. Spread 1/3 of the pudding over top. Spread with 1/3 of whipped topping. Repeat layers twice more. Refrigerate for 24 hours or even longer for good results.

Fruit Sauce

• 2 cups sliced strawberries/blueberries/saskatoons
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

Mix all the ingredients in saucepan. Heat and stir until boiling and thickened. Cool. Drizzle sauce over individual servings. Cuts into 24 pieces. Garnish with fresh fruit.
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