The perfect blend of sweet juicy mulberries and tart sour cherries makes this one of my favorite fruit pies!

Yield: 

Two 9-inch pies

Ingredients: 

5 cups of sour cherries, washed and pitted (will measure more like 3 cups after pitting, if you pit by hand)
7 cups of fresh mulberries, gently washed
3/4 cup sugar, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons clear jel*
1/2 cup water
Sugar for sprinkling, optional

Pie crust dough for two 9-inch pies with tops (I use my foolproof pie crust recipe)

Instructions: 

1. In a large stock pot, combine fruit, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. You can also taste and see if you want to add more sugar to your pies. We use 3/4 cup, which seems just sweet enough to us, but you may prefer yours sweeter or less sweet (also depends on how ripe your sour cherries were!).

2. In a small bowl, mix clear jel and 1/2 cup water with a fork, to remove lumps.

3. When the fruit mixture starts to boil, stir in some (most) of the clear jel mixture. The fruit will thicken into pie filling very quickly. If the pie filling doesn’t look quite thick enough for your preference, add all of the clear jel/water mixture, stirring as you add to prevent lumps.

4. As soon as filling is thick (usually less than a minute from the time you add the clear jel), remove from heat.

5. Pour filling evenly/equally into two unbaked 9-inch bottom pie crusts. Place top crust over filling (be sure to poke a few holes in the top crust so the steam can escape!) and seal edges with fingers dipped in water (I crimp/pinch the edges to seal).

6. Sprinkle sugar over pie tops if desired. Bake pies at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until crust is browned and cooked.

7. Serve warm with ice cream, or eat it cold, by itself.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A sweet fruity pie made with mulberries and a little lemon

Yield: 

3 pies

Ingredients: 

3 quarts (12 cups) ripe mulberries, washed and drained
1 cup sugar
dash salt
1 large lemon
1 cup water
1/3 cup clear gel/Sure Jel
1/2 cup cold water
Pie crust (unbaked) — we use this foolproof pie crust recipe

Instructions: 

1. Wash the lemon (but don’t peel), and thinly slice it. Remove seeds and chop.

2. Put mulberries in a large stock pot. Add 1 cup sugar and a dash of salt. Add the chopped lemon and one cup of water. Heat to boiling.

3. Dissolve 1/3 cup clear gel in 1/2 cup cold water and add to boiling mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

4. Line pie dishes with pie crust. Pour in pie filling. Place top crust on pies (be sure to have some holes in the top crust for steam to escape!), sealing edges with a little water before fluting. Sprinkle tops with sugar if desired.

5. Bake pies at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, until crust is browned.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A sweet and juicy peach dessert with a crispy oatmeal topping! Yield: 

16 servings Ingredients: 

12 cups ripe thinly-sliced peeled peaches
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar

Crumb topping ingredients:

2/3 cup flour
1 1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick oats
2/3 cup softened butter Instructions: 

1. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, mix 6 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 6 tablespoons brown sugar. Add sliced peaches and toss to coat. Spread peaches in prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, combine crumb topping ingredients and stir/cut together with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over the peaches.

4. Bake peach crisp in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes or until peaches test done with a fork. Enjoy hot or cold or with ice cream! 🙂

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Simply the tastiest healthy homemade vanilla pudding you’ll ever meet! Yield: 

about 7 cups of pudding (12-14 small servings) Ingredients: 

1 cup sugar (or vanilla sugar*)
6 tablespoons corn starch
dash of salt
6 cups whole milk
6 (large) egg yolks OR 3 whole (large) eggs**
4-6 tablespoons butter***
1-2 tablespoons vanilla extract Instructions: 

1. In a large heavy stock pot, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt to combine and remove lumps.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs briskly. Add milk and whisk. Pour milk mixture into sugar mixture and whisk.

3. Heat milk mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid lumps or sticking, until milk boils. Allow to boil/bubble for 1 minute and then turn off heat.

4. Stir in butter and vanilla extract, stirring until butter melts. Serve hot if you desire, or allow to cool and refrigerate before serving.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A flavorful vanilla quinoa pudding, reminiscent of tapioca pudding with a nutty twist! Yield: 

4-5 cups of pudding Ingredients: 

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained*
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon corn starch**
1 egg
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions: 

1. Place quinoa and water in a small sauce pan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil, covered, over medium heat. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa is clear rather than white in the middle, and little “tails” appear.

2. In a large sauce pan, whisk together the sugar, salt and corn starch. Add the egg and whisk well. Whisk in the milk. Add the cooked quinoa.

3. Heat milk mixture over medium-medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until boiling. Let bubble for 30 seconds and then remove from heat.

4. stir in butter and vanilla extract. Allow pudding to cool, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Stir and serve warm! Leftovers can be refrigerated and served cold.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A flavorful moist carrot cake with sweet cream cheese frosting Yield: 

18 servings Ingredients: 

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups finely grated carrots*
1/4 cup well-drained crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Icing Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Ground cinnamon and ground walnuts, for dusting (optional) Instructions: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, blend sugar and oil. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice and mix.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, soda, and baking powder. Fold into the batter in the large bowl.

3. Stir in carrots, pineapple, and walnuts to make a thick batter.

4. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, until cake tests done. Cool in pan on a wire rack, covered with a thin clean towel.

5. To make icing, mix ingredients in order listed, using an electric mixer. Spread over cake and dust with cinnamon and walnuts if desired. Enjoy!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A sweet bread with apples and cinnamon throughout, baked in a circular “loaf” Yield: 

1 huge loaf Ingredients: 

Dough ingredients:

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil or melted butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons dry yeast
5 to 6 cups flour

Apple filling:

3 cups coarsely chopped apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice (skip if apples are tart)

Egg wash:

1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling — optional Instructions: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first seven dough ingredients, in order listed. Stir in a cup or two of the flour, then add yeast.

2. Add enough additional flour to equal about 5 cups, and stir/knead into a smooth dough, adding additional flour if needed. Knead dough for 8-10 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.

3. Place apple filling ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.

4. Punch down the risen dough, kneading to remove excess air bubbles. On a lightly-floured surgace, roll the dough into a large round, about 1/2-inch thick. Spread apple mixture over the dough.

5. Fold the edges of the dough over the apples and continue to fold/roll the dough to make one big lump with the filling enclosed. Let rest 5 minutes.

6. Grease a 10-inch springform pan. Place springform pan on a large cookie sheet (to catch any leaks during rising/baking).

7. Now, this part gets messy. Using a sharp knife (I use a serrated one), cut off chunks of the dough and place them in the prepared pan. You should end up with 15-20 chunks of dough (though a particular number doesn’t matter). The apple pieces should be randomly dispersed throughout the dough chunks. Sprinkle with any escaped apple pieces.

8. Combine the egg and sugar, and then dab the egg wash over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Cover gently with a piece of plastic wrap and place pan in a warm location to rise.

9. When dough has almost doubled in size, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and then place baking sheet/springform in the middle of the oven (remove the piece of plastic wrap first, of course!!!) to bake for 45-55 minutes or until done. When I make this, usually the edges of the top get well-browned before the middle is cooked. So, after about 25-30 minutes, I cover the darker areas loosely with foil — sometimes forming a large loose “ring” of foil (with no foil in the middle) to lay on top.

10. When challah is done, remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out of pan onto a cooling rack and cover with a clean towel until completely cool.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (we like dark brown sugar best!)
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions: 

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter on low heat.

2. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and milk, stirring to combine. Increase heat to medium (or perhaps just below medium).

3. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil.* Use a spoon that won’t melt — the caramel gets pretty hot!

4. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon.

5. Serve warm or cold with apple slices, or drizzle over ice cream.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A rich, creamy cheesecake bursting with dark, rich semi-sweet chocolate
Yield: 

16
Ingredients: 

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs*
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons sugar

Filling
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
12 Tablespoons cocoa powder (baking cocoa)
4 Tablespoons butter
28 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (4 1/2 8 oz. packages)
1 cup sugar**
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, room termperature
3/4 cup sour cream (6 oz.)

Optional: 1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed in 1 Tablespoon cold water
Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a metal or glass bowl on the bottom rack with bottledwater.

2. Crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar.
Grease a 9 inch springform pan (sides and bottom) and press the graham
cracker mixture evenly along the bottom of the springform pan.

3. Mix the baking cocoa and butter until smooth. Then add the mixture
and semi-sweet chocolate chips to a sauce pan on low on the stove and
cover. Stir mixture periodically until all the chips are melted and the
mixture is mixed.

4. In a large bowl beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.
Add vanilla and sugar. Slowly add one egg at a time while beating with
an electric mixer on low, doing a scrape down of the bowl with a
spatula periodically. Add and mix in sour cream. (Optional: Also add
cornstarch mixture and mix in).

5. Slowly beat in chocolate mixture–beat just enough to mix in evenly.

6. Pour into crust.

7. Bake for 60-80 minutes, depending on desired doneness***

8. Cool and then remove rim. Refrigerate before serving. Best served 24 hours or longer after you begin refrigeration.****

Additional Notes: 

* You can use chocolate cookies for the crust if you desire a dish with even more chocolate flavor.

** You you prefer sweeter chocolates you may wish to add more sugar
(double). The recipe is very deep and rich and not overly sweet.

*** 60 minutes is sufficient for us, but ovens vary and with such a
thick cake your results may vary. You may find at 60 minutes your cake
is more moist texture; if too soft and creamy for your liking try 80
minutes for a more solid cake. Note that you may need to cover the
cake to prevent over browning. A compromise may be 60 minutes and try
turning off the oven and opening the oven door and allowing the cake to
sit in the oven for 15 minutes before removing to cool. 60 minutes
works for us, but with such a dense, thick cake you may need some minor
adjustments.

**** You can freeze slices of the cheesecake. Place in the fridge the night before serving to thaw.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A rich, nutty cheesecake with pretzel crust
Yield: 

16 servings
Ingredients: 

Crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

40 ounces (5 [8oz.] packages) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup semi-sweet chips

Topping:

8 ounces (1 cup) sour cream
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts

Instructions: 

1. To make crust: mix together crushed pretzels and butter or margarine. Press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar well. Add peanut butter and vanilla, beat. Add eggs beating just to combine.

3. Stir in chips. Pour over crust and bake 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 15 minutes but leave oven on.

4. Mix first 3 topping ingredients together until smooth. Spread on
cake and sprinkle with peanuts. Return to oven for 5 minutes.

5. Cool on a rack 10 minutes and run knife around edge of pan. Cool another hour before refrigerating overnight. When slicing, dip knife in warm water inbetween cutting and wipe off so you don’t get a pile up around each slice.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.