*Recipe from AllREcipes.com

Ingredients

2 cups graham crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2-8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Preserve Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line one 12 cup mini muffin tins with paper liners. In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, stir with a fork until just moistened. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of crumbs into each liner and pack down (a shot glass in a useful tool for this!). Bake the crusts for about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, cream together cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Top each crust with the mixture, filling the cups almost to the top. Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Top each cheesecake with about ½ teaspoon for the berry topping. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. Store leftovers covered in the fridge.

Strawberry Preserve Sauce

Makes 1 cup sauce

Ingredients

½ cup strawberry preserves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ cup rose wine or water

Directions

Bring all ingredients to aboil in a small sauce pan, continue to boil a few minutes, and then reduce heat to a simmer and let reduce by about ¼ or until desired consistency, stirring often. Cool and store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.

Topping:

¹/₄ cup packed brown sugar
¹/₄ cup sugar
¹/₂ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon cold butter or margarine
¹/₂ cup chopped pecans

Cake:

¹/₂ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
¹/₂ cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¹/₂ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¹/₄ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¹/₄ teaspoon ground clove
¹/₄ teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

In a small bowl, combine sugars and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the sour cream, pumpkin and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture. Beat on low just until blended. Spread the batter into two greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans. Sprinkle with topping. Bake at 325°F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the center comes out clean.

Recipe property of Shawona Jones.

Ingredients

For the cake

½ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¹⁄₃ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
²⁄₃ cup milk
3 egg whites

For the fruit glaze

12 ounces apricot or raspberry preserves (or heated jelly may be used instead)
3 tablespoons water

For the icing

9 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup water
½ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
Food coloring (optional)

For the garnish

Tiny edible sugar flowers and/or leaves, for decorating tops of petit fours

Directions

For the cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a sheet of parchment in a sheet pan and grease sides. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 12-15 or until cake is golden. Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Cut cake in half and spread preserve on one side and carefully stack second side on top. Place in fridge for 10 minutes.

For the icing (icing can be colored)

Combine all icing ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Heat over boiling water to lukewarm. Leave on double boiler. Remove cake from fridge. Cut into squares or use cutters for more unique shapes. Add each individual cake to a wire rack with a sheet pan to catch drips and pour warm icing over cakes evenly. Repeat if necessary. Careful not to over ice cakes. Add garnish.

Ingredients

For the Pancake Mix

1½ cups buckwheat flour
1½ tablespoons agave nectar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ cups almond milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts
Cooking spray

For the Berry Compote

½ pint blueberries
½ pint strawberries sliced
½ pint raspberries
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
2 tablespoons water

For the Lemon Ricotta

½ cup skim ricotta
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
1 tablespoon mint, chopped

Directions

In a small sauce pan, add berries, water and marmalade. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until it thickens. Mix together ingredients for the ricotta & store in fridge till its time to serve.

Preheat griddle over medium heat. Mix dry pancake ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix together wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to dry. Fold together. Measure out cakes with a small ladle or ice cream scoop to a sprayed griddle. Cook each for about 3 minutes per side, and store cooked cakes in a warm oven (200°) until all are cooked.

Place cakes on plate (3 for a full serving of whole grains). Top with compote and a dollop of ricotta mixture.

Turn leftovers into a trifle by alternating cake, compote, ricotta in a tall glass container. Top with any extra compote. Cover with plastic wrap and place a small plate on top to weigh down. Place in fridge for at least 1 hour. Turn upside down over plate and remove bowl. Slice like a cake and serve.

INGREDIENTS

For the streusel

¹⁄₃ cup all purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped

For the coffee cake

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, softened
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat 350°F. Grease an 8×12 baking pan and set aside.

For the streusel

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut butter in with you fingers to form coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts and set aside.

For the coffee cake

In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to butter sugar mixture alternating flour mixture with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.

Scrape into pan and evenly cover with streusel topping. Pat crumbs gently into batter and cake 30-35 minutes or until cake has risen and golden brown. Insert a knife to test if cake is done, if it comes out clean, it’s finished. Cool for ten minutes and serve warm.

Recipe Property of Shawona Jones

INGREDIENTS

For the crumb topping

½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup walnuts, chopped
¹⁄₃ cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
½ teaspoon instant espresso
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, cut into pieces

For the cake

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
²⁄₃ cup sugar
½ cup dried cherries, chopped
4 ounces melted butter, cooled
2 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup strong coffee
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven 400°F. Butter an 8″ square pan and add cut parchment paper to bottom of pan.

For the crumb topping

In a medium sized mixing bowl add flour, walnuts, sugar, orange zest, instant espresso, ground cardamom and combine. Add butter and mix by hand to form crumbs. Set aside.

For the cake

In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, ground cardamom, and dried cherries.

In another bowl add cooled butter, eggs, milk, coffee and vanilla extract and combine well. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Stir to mix but not beat. Stir only to get an evenly moistened batter.

Scrape into pan and evenly cover with crumbs. Pat crumbs gently into batter and bake 30-35 minutes or until cake has risen and golden brown. Insert a knife to test if cake is done, if it comes out clean, it’s finished. Cool, cut into squares and serve with coffee.

Recipe Property of Shawona Jones

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1²⁄₃ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the batter just until blender. Fold in blueberries.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the batter in the pan. Spoon remaining batter over the top, and then sprinkle the remaining pecan mixture over. Use a knife or thin spatula to swirl, the sugar layer into the cake.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack. Invert onto a serving plate, and tap firmly to remove from the pan. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Recipe Property of Shawona Jones

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
3 eggs, separated

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix flour and sugar together. In a separate bowl, beat yolks until light, and then add to sugar mixture. Add to buttermilk, along with melted butter (slightly cooled so as not to damage eggs).

Beat egg whites until stiff, and then fold gently into buttermilk mixture. Pour all into blind-baked pie shell, then bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is brown and the filling firm. Cool until set enough to slice.

Recipe adapted from “Southern Cooking” by Mrs. S. R. Dull

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease 8 6-ounce ramekins with a generous amount of butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Over a double boiler, combine butter, chocolate, and cream. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth and thick. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla and flour until smooth. Set aside. Mix on high speed, egg, egg yolks, and sugar until thick and lemon colored, about 10 minutes. Fold egg mixture, one third at a time into chocolate mixture. Be careful to not to deflate the eggs. Divide batter into prepared cups evenly.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes until edges of cake are set and center still jiggles. Cool for 3 minutes. With knife, loosen cakes from side of each cup, and turn each out onto dessert plates. Serve immediately.

Recipe Property of Shawona Jones

Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup raspberries
½ cup sugar
Water

Directions