Pumpkin Swirl Bread

FILLING:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

BREAD:

3 cups sugar

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

4 eggs

1 cup canola oil

1 cup water

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped dates

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

1 cup confectioners' sugar1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk

Additional chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 8x4-in. loaf pans. In a small bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth. In a large bowl, beat sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins and dates. Pour half of the batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Spoon filling over batter. Cover filling completely with remaining batter. Bake 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in bread portion comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap in foil; refrigerate until serving. Just before serving, if desired, in a small bowl, mix confectioners ‘sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bread; sprinkle with walnuts.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars

1 16 ounce package peanut butter sandwich cookies, divided

4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) butter, melted

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 8-ounce container Cool Whip, divided

1 3.9 ounce package instant chocolate Jello Pudding Mix

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup milk chocolate & peanut butter chips OR 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips + 1/4 peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a blender or food processor, finely crush 24 of the cookies.

In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and finely crushed cookies until well moistened.

Press into an ungreased 8 X 8-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow crust to cool completely before proceeding. In the meantime, mix the package of pudding with the 1 1/2 cups of milk in a small bowl. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and peanut butter together. Fold in 1 cup of the Cool Whip and mix until well blended. Spread the chocolate pudding over the cooled crust. Place dollops of cream cheese mixture over the pudding layer and with an offset spatula, gently spread to completely cover. Spread remaining Cool Whip over the cream cheese. Refrigerate two hours. In a plastic bag, break up the 8 remaining cookies. Sprinkle the cookies and chocolate / peanut butter chips over the top just before serving.

Pralines and Cream Delight

Crust

1 (11.3 oz.) box of crushed Sandies pecan cookies

¼ cup melted butter

Cream Cheese filling

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

8 oz. cool whip, thawed

¼ cup powdered sugar

Pudding

2 small boxes INSTANT butterscotch pudding, dry not prepared and NOT cook n' serve

3½ cup milk

Topping

12 oz. cool whip

Sugared pecans

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup sugar

Remaining Ingredients

¼ cup Carmel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9x13 baking dish combine cookies and melted butter to form crust layer. Press down evenly over bottom of pan and bake for 12 min. Set aside to cool. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cool whip until smooth and well combined. Set aside in fridge until ready to assemble. In small mixing bowl mix pudding packets and milk and refrigerate until ready to assemble. In a medium size skillet over medium heat, combine pecans and sugar. Stir until sugar is melted. Pour them out onto to a piece of parchment paper to cool.

To assemble

Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust. Next gently spoon pudding over the cream cheese mixture. Then top with the cool whip. Sprinkle the cooled sugared pecans over the top. Drizzle caramel sauce over the nuts and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Beth Bond is a certified chef with a culinary arts degree and a hotel and restaurant management degree from Sullivan University in Louisville, Ky. She also has several years’ experience in the hospitality and food service industries. She is a press association award-winning photographer and has several years’ experience in the newspaper industry. She can be reached by e-mail at bethabond77@gmail.com