#3671 - Granola Pieces

(by Shirley Ross - friend)

2 cups Quaker old fashioned oats
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 TBSP butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray it with Pam. In a bowl add oats, sliced almonds, chopped peanuts, chopped pecans and coconut--stir to mix. Grease a separate cookie sheet with Pam and spread the oat mixture evenly on the sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Pour the oat mixture into a bowl and add the toasted wheat germ--stir to mix. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. In a saucepan add honey, butter, dark brown sugar, vanilla and salt--cook/stir over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir for 1 more minute. Remove from heat--pour the hot mixture over the oat mixture. Add the chopped dates, chopped dried apricots and chopped dried cranberries--stir well. Spread the mixture evenly over the parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven--use a spatula to flatten the whole top slightly. Cool completely, then break the mixture into pieces.

#2533 - Almond Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix
1 1/2 cups water
4 egg whites
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup almond slivers
6 - 1oz. squares Baker's white baking chocolate (melted according to box directions)

In a mixer add cake mix, water, egg whites, canola oil and almond extract--beat on low until mixed, then beat on high or 2-3 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer--add almond slivers and melted white chocolate--stir until mixed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#1169 - Ceciarchiata

(by Rachel Guarini - friend)

3 beaten eggs
2 cups unbleached flour + extra for dredging
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup olive oil
1 cup honey
1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts (toasted)
2 tsp. lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (toasted)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the almonds on a cookie sheet and roast them for 4-5 minutes. Shake the pan a couple of times--be careful so they don't burn. Cool almonds to room temperature, then chop almonds into coarse pieces. Repeat same procedure with the hazelnuts. In a bowl add beaten eggs, flour, and salt--make a soft dough. Place dough on floured counter--knead the dough 1-2 minutes. Shape dough into a ball, flatten it with your hands, and sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick (rectangle shape). With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1/4 inch wide strips. Dredge the dough strips in flour--cut each strip into dime sized pieces and dredge again with flour--shake off any extra flour. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan--fry a handful of the dough bits at a time until lightly browned--be sure to stir them. Drain the dough bits on paper towels and let them cool. Bring the honey to a boil in a heavy saucepan--simmer over medium high heat for about 3 minutes. Add all the dough balls, prepared hazelnuts, lemon zest and lemon juice to the honey mixture--cook over low heat for 7 minutes. Spread the toasted almonds over an oiled round serving platter and pour the hot dough ball mixture on top--let it sit for a few minutes. When the mixture is cool enough to be handled, shape it into a circle on the oiled platter using your moistened hands. Let it cool to room temperature (it will harden slightly). Break into bite sized pieces.

#1010 - Almond Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
6 TBSP butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup + 1 TBSP flour
1 2/3 cups Baker's angelflake coconut
1 cup whole almonds
6 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Measure 1 cup of whole almonds--take out 16 of the whole almonds and save for later. Chop the rest of the 1 cup almonds--set aside. In a mixer add cream cheese and 2 TBSP butter--beat. Add 1/4 cup of white sugar and 1 egg--beat. Add 1 TBSP flour and all of the coconut--beat. Add 1/3 cup of the chopped almonds--beat. Set batter aside. In a saucepan over low heat add 5 squares of the baking chocolate and 4 TBSP butter--stir and melt. Once melted remove from heat--add 1/2 cup white sugar and vanilla--stir. Beat 2 eggs in a cup--add beaten eggs to the chocolate--stir until mixed. Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder and salt to the chocolate mixture--stir. Add the rest of the chopped almonds to the chocolate--stir. Pour chocolate batter into a greased 8" square baking pan. Pour cream cheese mixture on top of chocolate batter. Arrange the 16 whole almonds any way you wish on top of the cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness--do not overbake or they will be dry. Melt the rest of the baking chocolate (according to box microwave directions) and drizzle on top of warm brownies.

#662 - Sausage Casserole

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

4 1/2 cups water (used for the soup)
2 envelopes Lipton chicken noodle soup (NOT cup-a soup)
1 cup uncooked Carolina rice
1lb. loose pork sausage (not in the casing)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 chopped onion
1/2 of a green pepper (chopped)
2/3 cup toasted slivered almonds

Prepare both envelopes of chicken noodle soup according to box directions. While soup is still hot add the uncooked rice--stir and simmer for 25 minutes until water is all absorbed--remove from heat and set aside. In a skillet lightly brown the pork sausage--pour fat off, then add celery, onion and green pepper--add a little water if it seems dry. Cook until sausage is fully browned and other ingredients are tender. Add the soup/rice and almonds to the sausage and stir until well mixed. Spray a 2qt. casserole with Pam. Pour the whole mixture into the casserole--if it seems too dry add a little water and stir. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

#101 - Creamy Crab Dip

(by Terri Stewart - friend)

1 - 8oz. package Philly cream cheese
1 TBSP dry white wine or vermouth
2 TBSP minced onion
1/2 tsp. prepared white horseradish
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 pound lump crab meat
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and wine. Blend well. Mix in onion, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Fold in crab meat. Transfer mixture to a small shallow baking dish and sprinkle with almonds. Bake 15 minutes or until almonds are golden brown and mixture is hot and bubbly.