Pineapple Raspberry Julius

When Walmart was out of most of orange juice concentrates and only had a bunch of GV ones covered in sticky juice concentrate I was bummed because I was craving an orange julius. I got home and decided to make a pineapple one instead. I found this recipe and added a little twist. It was so yummy! Even my kids were asking for more. 

6 oz. frozen pineapple concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup powdered sugar sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12-16 ice cubes
about 1 cup frozen raspberry

Add first 5 ingredients into blender and blend until well mixed. Add the ice cubes and blend until there are no ice chunks. I used the frappe setting on my blender. Next add the raspberries in and frappe again until they are well incorporated. Pour into desired cups and enjoy! Warning- if you don't want to share make it after the kids are in bed ;)

Raspberry Cream Brownies

All of the following recipes are from my fabulous Aunt Jeanette Gulbransen. Count yourself lucky, these are top secret recipes that she doesn't share often and she gave me permission to share it.

Raspberry Cream Brownies

Brownies
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
3 cubes softened margarine or butter
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
Mix all ingredients together until creamy. Scrap bowl and mix more. Use a deep pan cookie sheet to bake. Butter pan and flour it.

Hint: batter should be fairly thick when putting in the pan, poor batter in the middle of the pan and spread out leaving an inch space between batter and edge of pan. When it cooks it will fill to the edge. If you don't the batter will cook over the edge. Cook at 350 for 20-25 mins or until done.

Raspberry cream filling
8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup raspberry preserves (or any preserves, I added blackberry to mine as well)

Mix until smooth, you might add more powdered sugar to make it thicker, spread over brownies put in fridge or freezer. Then make chocolate glaze and put that on top.

Chocolate Glaze
1 cube butter/margarine
1 cups chocolate chips

Melt together and then spread on top of brownies. Refrigerate to harden.

Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies

My Aunt Jeanette gave me a fun little cookbook as a wedding gift full of her favorite recipes. It is one of my favorite cook book and this recipe came from that cookbook. It has become one of my favorites over the last year and a half. These are my Great Grandma Davies chocolate chip raisin cookies. They are sooo yummy, plus they bring back great memories of my grandma, who passed away almost over 2 years ago. I prefer these cookies over any other and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies
This first step you will want to do about an hour before making the cookies, either that or you can put the mixture in the freezer while mixing the other ingredients.
Add 1 cup water to 2 cups of raisins and boil for 5 mins. Let cool.

Cream Together:
1 C shortening
2 C sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Then add:
3 1/2 C flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

To make sure the spices are evenly disturbed I usually mix the above ingredients together in a separate bowl before adding to the creamed mixture.

Next add:
Cooled raisin mixture and chocolate chips (I use a full bag, but you can use as many or as little as you would like).

Drop by the spoonful onto greased or nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 mins or until golden brown.

My favorite way to eat these is to dip them into a glass of cold milk. Seriously the best!

Chocolate Cake with Caramel Topping

Chocolate Cake
cake mix or homemade cake batter
2 to 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking bar
about 1 TBSP butter

Pour cake batter into greased pan. Melt chocolate on stove top with butter. Pour chocolate onto top of batter. Swirl or spread as you please.

Bake cake as directed. Take out of oven and let cool.

Frost with favorite frosting (we used canned frosting this time, which we rarely do).

Caramel Topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk

fill large pot with water, place can in water. Place on oven and bring to simmer or low boil. Simmer/boil for 2.5 to 3 hours.

Take pot off of heat, let sit for a few minutes. Next take can out of pot and place in cool water. Let sit until cool to the touch. Next open the can and you have caramel!

Cut a slice of cake, drizzle caramel over top and enjoy!

We cooked caramel on stove for 2 hours and feel like it could have gone for 30 mins to 60 mins longer. But it was still delicious as is.

Fudge

This is the easiest fudge to make. It is pretty much fool proof. Enjoy.

Fudge
by Joy Mickelsen

2 sticks butter
1 can Sego evaporated milk (I use western family and it works fine as well)
4 1/2 cups sugar

Bring to boil. Boil for 5 minutes.

Then add:
2 packages semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 jar of marshmallow cream (7 oz)
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well.

Pour in greased cookie sheet. Cool.

Enjoy.

You can also add walnuts to the fudge if you would like.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!