Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

• Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min./batch
• Yield: 24 Servings

15 20 35

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• DRIZZLE:
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons 2% milk

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans.
• Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
• If desired, combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm muffins. Serve warm. Yield: 2 dozen.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 each) equals 105 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 46 mg cholesterol, 113 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. 

Originally published as Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins in Taste of Home December/January 2007, p10 

These are really good.  I didn't make the glaze, and I don't think that they need it.

Earthquake Cake

1 chocolate cake mix

Mix as directed and pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan

Sprinkle on top:

1 cup nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coconut

Mix together:

8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup margarine, 2 cups powdered sugar

Drizzle over the top of the unbaked cake. Do not stir or spread.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Emma's Pumpkin Bars

3/4 cup margarine
2 cups sugar
16 oz. pumpkin pie filling
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking power
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup nuts, if desired

Cream sugar and margarine until fluffy. Blend in pumpkin and eggs. Addy dry ingredients and mix well. Add nuts. Pour into greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Frosting

4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Combine first 3 ingredients. Add sugar a little at a time until desired consistency.

I usually don't put the nuts in the bars. I chop them and sprinkle them on top.

Ollie's Puffed Wheat Squares

Boil together:

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey or syrup
1/2 cup butter
3 tsp cocoa

Boil about 2-3 minutes. Let cool slightly and add

1 tsp vanilla

Pour over 10 cups of puffed wheat cereal. Pack into greased pan if you want to cut in squares or can just crumble it to eat like pop corn.

Linda's Caramels

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup butter
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
pinch of salt

In heavy saucepan stir constantly with a wooden spoon to just barely beyond soft ball stage on a candy thermometer. Pour into 9 x 13 pan. Cool. Cut and wrap in wax paper.

Linda's Crumb Topping for Apple Pie

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine

mix together until crumbly. Makes 2 cups. Use 1 cup per pie

Grandma Anne's Hot Water Pie Crust

Mix together:

1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup shortening
until well blended. Looks like thick cream. Let cool about 15 minutes.

Sift together:

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

add slowly to creamed mixture. Chill dough about 5 hours or over night.

Makes 1 double crust pie. I usually double the recipe and you can freeze the left overs.

Ollie's Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar

Sift dry ingredients together. Slowly add to creamed mixture of:

1/2 cup water
1 cup margarine or 2/3 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Blend in 1 cup mashed banana (about 2)
1 cup chocolate chips

Pour into greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Ginger Snap Cookies dipped in white chocolate

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 TBS ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 unbeaten egg
1/2 cup fancy molasses

Mix and roll into 1" balls and then roll in sugar. Place on greased baking sheet. Do not smash down. Bake at 350 for 10 min. Do not over bake.

When cool, dip one edge in melted white chocolate. Let set up on waxed paper

Makes almost 4 dozen