Raspberry Lemon Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup half and half cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp lemon extract
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the eggs, cream, oil and lemon extract in a seperate bowl. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raspberries. Spoon into 18 greased or paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 400' for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Buttermilk Pecan Waffles

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 tbs chopped pecans

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light. Add buttermilk; mix well. Add dry ingredients and beat until batter is smooth. Stir in butter. Pour about 3/4 cup batter onto a lightly greased preheated waffle iron. Sprinkle with a few pecans. Bake according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown.
Makes about 7 8-inch waffles.

Dixie Pie

pastry for 2 single crust pies
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup flaked coconut
whopped topping and additional chopped nuts, optional

Line two 9 inch pie plates with pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 in beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Line crusts with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450' for 10 minutes. Discard foil. Cool on wire racks. Place raisins in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth. Drain raisins. Stir raisins, nuts and coconut into creamed mixture (mixture will appear curdled). Pour into the crusts. Bake at 350' for 30-35 mintues or until set. Cool on wire racks. Garnish with the whipped topping and nuts.

Sweet Potato Pear Pie

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup finely ground pecans
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
3 tbsp cold water
2 small pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced or 1 16-oz can pear slices drained
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 18-oz can sweet potatoes or 1 16-oz can pumpkin
3 beaten eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

In a medium mixing bowl combine the 1 cup flour, ground pecans, the 2 tbs brown sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in shortening til pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tbs of the water over part of the mixture, gently toss with a fork. Push to one side of bowl. Repeat til all is moistened. Form dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough from center to edges, forming an 11 inch circle. Ease pastry into a 9 inch springform pan and pat in place with fingers. Pastry should cover bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up sides. Trim edges if necessary. Set aside. Toss pear slices with granulated sugar and the 1 tbs flour. arrange in the pastry shell. Drain and mash the sweet potatoes. In alarge mixing bowl combine sweet potatoes or pumpkin, eggs, milk, the 3/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and the 1/4 tsp salt. Place pastry shell with pears on oven rack; carefully pour in sweet potato filling. Bake in a 375 oven for 55-60 minutes or til a kife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes; loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more; remove sides of pan. Cool completely. Chill to store. If desired, top with whipped cream and chopped pecans. Makes 8 servings

Too many leftovers

It is official. I am sick of turkey. The funny part is that we didnt have our thanksgiving dinner until saturday and it's only monday. I only have half a breast and half a thigh left but i'm not even sure if they're going to get consumed any time soon. At least before it starts to go bad. I have been contemplating freezing whats left. I did that last year and I ended up using all the left overs in some fashion or another. I have an awful lot of other left overs tho that need to be used. Namely mashed potatoes and mashed yams. Now i've been thinking of a shephard's pie with the potatoes and turkey, not sure how it'd turn out, but cant come up with any thing for the yams. I've only ever had them solo. Never mixed with something. I will admit I am the most uncreative person when it comes to coming up with new recipes. There's a reason I have as many cookbooks as I do. The shephard's pie with turkey is simply cuz I cant think of anything else to do with the mashed potatoes.

Strawberry Bread

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp lemon extract
4 eggs
3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter, sugar and extracts together in a big bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternately with preserves and sour cream. Fold in pecans. Pour into 2 greased and flour loaf pans. Bake at 350' for 50-60 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

1 10-oz package halved strawberries in syrup, thawed
2 8-oz packages cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups cool whip
1 prepared chocolate flavor crumb crust

Drain strawberries, reserving 1/4 cup liquid
Beat cream cheese, reserved liquid, thawed strawberries, sugar and vanill auntil smooth.
Fold in cool whip. Spoon into crust.
Refrigerate several hours or over night.
Garnish with strawberry halves and kiwi slices.