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LEMON DESSERT

Crust and topping:
21/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar

Filling:
1 8-ounce container of frozen whipped topping
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 10-ounce can frozen lemonade (frozen; do not thaw)

Crust and topping: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Spread half of mixture in a 9-by-13-inch pan. Reserve other half for topping.

Filling: Mix together the frozen whipped topping, Eagle Brand milk, drained crushed pineapple and frozen lemonade. Spread on top of crust. Sprinkle with remaining graham cracker mixture. Refrigerate for several hours. Cut into squares and serve chilled.

(Test note: This tasty dessert can also be frozen. You can use 12 ounces of whipped topping if desired.)

-Luella M. Gess, Minot (Verendrye Electric Co-op) – January 2000 issue

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

1 cup whipping cream, whipped (reserve some for garnish)*
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 can fat-free Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 baked angel food cake

Topping:
1 16-ounce package frozen strawberries (thawed)*
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries (optional)

Garnish:
Remaining whipped cream

Whip together the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla; set aside. In a large bowl mix together the condensed milk and lemon juice. Fold in the whipped cream mixture (reserving some for garnish). Tear angel food cake into large chunks; fold gently into milk/cream mixture. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch pan and refrigerate. When ready to serve, cut into squares and top with strawberries. (Fresh strawberries may be added to frozen strawberries or reserved as garnish, along with the extra whipped cream.)

(Test note: Quick to fix and flavorful, too. An attractive company dessert. *You may use an 8-ounce container of lowfat whipped topping in place of the whipped cream. If you do, omit the powdered sugar and vanilla. For a Valentine's Day treat, make this in a heart-shaped springform pan.)

-Jill Becker, Bismarck (Capital Electric Cooperative) -- February 2000 issue

APPLE PIZZA

Dough:
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
31/4 cups white bread flour
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
11/4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon yeast

Filling:
3-4 cups apples, chopped small
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour (scant)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dough: Place dough ingredients in breadmaker; follow instructions on your breadmaker to make dough. When dough is ready, remove it from your bread machine and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough in half; form into two 12-inch pizza dough rounds on greased cookie sheets. Filling: In mixing bowl, combine filling ingredients. Spread filling on unbaked pizza crusts. Topping: Combine topping ingredients; crumble on top of filling. Bake each pizza for 12 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees or until done.

(Test note: An attractive and tasty dessert! If you wish, you may use brown sugar, rather than white, for the topping.)

-Betty Bina, Emerado (Nodak Electric Co-op) -- March 2000 issue

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SURPRISE

1 chocolate cake mix, with or without pudding in the mix (prepared as directed on package)

Topping:
1 17-ounce jar caramel topping
11/2 cups whipping cream, whipped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3 Heath or Skor candy bars, chopped or crushed

Prepare cake as directed; pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan and bake according to package directions. Cool. Spread caramel topping generously over cake. Whip the cream until thick; fold in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Spread on top of cake. Top with crushed candy. If you have any caramel topping left, you can drizzle it over the crushed candy. Refrigerate if not serving right away.

(Test note: Very simple and very delicious! You can also used frozen whipped topping for this recipe instead of whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla.)

-Lorraine Jelsing, Harvey (Verendrye Electric Co-op) -- May 2000 issue

COTTAGE CHEESE COOKIES

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 cup small-curd cottage cheese (creamy, not dry)
11/2 teaspoons vanilla
11/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (scant)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream the brown sugar and butter. Add egg, cottage cheese and vanilla. Mix together. Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and cinnamon); mix together. Add to liquid mixture, stirring until blended. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

(Test note: A moist and tasty cookie. Goes well with ice cream.)

-Dorothy Larson, Litchville (Dakota Valley Electric Co-op) -- June 2000 issue

KID'S ICE CREAM

1 Egg Beaters container (equivalent of 2 eggs)*
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped chocolate-covered peanuts
1/2 cup chopped malted milk balls
1/2 cup milk
3 cups whipping cream
Ice cubes and rock salt (used as instructed for your ice cream freezer)

Mix Egg Beaters*, sugar and peanut butter. Stir in chocolate-covered peanuts, malted milk balls, milk and cream. Pour into an electric ice cream freezer container. Prepare according to instructions that came with your ice cream freezer.

(Test note: Kids of all ages will love this excellent, fun-to-make dessert, which uses ice cubes and rock salt. If you have a large crowd, you may want to double the recipe. *In testing, we used the refrigerated variety of Egg Beaters [rather than the frozen], where 1 small cuplike container is equal to 2 eggs. To avoid possible food poisoning, do not use raw eggs.)

-Sandie Schmidt, Dickey (Dakota Valley Electric Co-op) -- June 2000 issue

DISAPPEARING MARSHMALLOW BROWNIES

1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
11/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Melt butterscotch chips and butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. When cooled, beat in eggs, sugar and vanilla. Combine and add flour and baking powder. Fold in marshmallows, chocolate chips and nuts. Spread in a greased (or sprayed with cooking spray) and floured 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes around 24, depending on how you slice them.

(Test note: These chewy-soft brownies tasted great. And, yes, they disappeared in a hurry!)

-Nola Thom, Edgeley (Dakota Valley Electric Co-op) -- July 2000 issue

CHERRY RHUBARB SALAD

4 cups rhubarb, cut up
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 6-ounce box cherry gelatin (dry)
1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling

Topping:
2 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

*See test note below for alternate topping

Cook rhubarb and 1 cup sugar in water until rhubarb is all apart and not chunky (will have about 4 cups when done). Add gelatin. When cool, add cherry pie filling. Pour into an 8-by-12-inch glass dish or individual dessert dishes; put in refrigerator to set.

Topping: Whip cream, powdered sugar and vanilla together. Smooth topping over top of firm cherry/rhubarb-gelatin mixture.

*Topping test note: When Lillian doesn't have whipping cream available, she uses one 8-ounce container whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, and one 8-ounce package cream cheese. Blend Cool Whip and cream cheese until thoroughly mixed. Smooth over gelatin mixture.

(Test note: This salad was easy to prepare and very tasty. The sweet pie filling takes away the tartness of the rhubarb. You could use other flavors of pie filling and gelatin in place of cherry if you wish.)

-Lillian Hagen, Stanley (Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative) -- August 2000 issue

BANNANA DESSERT

Cake layer:
1/2 cup butter
11/2 cups sugar
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
2 medium mashed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour

Frosting:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 to 41/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons firmly packed
brown sugar

Cake layer: Mix cake layer ingredients together in large bowl. Pour into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan (or large bar pan). Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.

Frosting: Beat all frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. Spread over cool cake.

Topping: Mix together nuts and brown sugar; sprinkle over frosted cake.

(Test note: Very good! Makes a lot of frosting; reserve the extra for frosting another cake or a pan of bars.)

-Judy Cunningham, Brocket (Nodak Electric Co-op/Polar Communications Corp.) -- September 2000 issue

BUTTERMILK SQUASH BAKE

2 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash*
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
5 ounces milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cut up raw squash and scoop out the seeds. *Put the squash in a pot with a small amount of water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until it's soft. Then mash up the squash (mixture will be thin). Next, cream 1/3 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir in cooked squash. Pour into a greased 11-by-7-inch baking pan or 11/2-quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until almost set. Topping: Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over casserole. Return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until bubbly. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

(Test note: A wonderful fall recipe-tasty and easy to prepare. Great served with a festive meal or as family fare. Other varieties of squash could be used as well.*You can also cook the squash by baking it, as we did in testing the recipe. We'd recommend you remove the seeds from the squash before cooking.)

-Bev Weigel, Berlin (Dakota Valley Electric Co-op) -- October 2000 issue

FLUFFY PUMPKIN PIE

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Filling:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 cups whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)

Crust: Mix crust ingredients, press into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until light brown. Cool; set aside. Filling: In mixing bowl, mix all filling ingredients, folding in whipped topping last. Pour mixture into pie shell. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve. Serve chilled.

(Test note: A very tasty, light pie to serve with your Thanksgiving feast.)

—Donna M. Eichele, Robinson (Northern Plains Electric Cooperative) November 2000

COCONUT SURPRISE CANDY

21/2 cups flaked coconut
21/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup mashed potatoes (prepared without milk and butter)
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening
Chopped walnuts(optional)

In a large bowl, combine coconut, sugar and mashed potatoes; mix well. Roll into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. In a microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip the balls into chocolate and then into walnuts (if desired). Return them to waxed paper until chocolate is set. Yield: About 4 dozen.

(Test note: These are pretty and fun to make. In testing, we used about a cup of walnuts, chopped fine. Preparation tip: Once balls are rolled, skewer each with a toothpick, then dip in chocolate and remove toothpick. Roll in walnuts before chocolate layer sets.)

-Irene C. Smith, Lidgerwood (Dakota Valley Electric Co-op consumer) December 2000

RIBBON FINGER SQUARES

1 3-ounce package of lemon gelatin
1 3-ounce package of orange gelatin
1 3-ounce package of lime gelatin
1 3-ounce package cherry gelatin
6 ounces unflavored gelatin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Boiling water (as called for in recipe)

Step 1: Dissolve lemon gelatin and 1 package unflavored gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Lightly butter or spray cooking spray on sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Pour the gelatin in the pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until it begins to set.

Step 2: Milk mixture: Dissolve 2 packages of unflavored gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Add additional boiling water to make 3 cups liquid. Pour 1 cup of the milk mixture into the pan atop the lemon gelatin; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Steps 3, 4, 5: Repeat Step 1 with each flavor of gelatin. Alternate milk and gelatin layers; refrigerate 20 minutes between each stage. Chill until final layer is set. Cut into squares and serve cold.

(Test note: Making these tasty, colorful gelatin squares is easier when you get the pan level in the refrigerator and leave it there, pouring the gelatin and milk layers into the pan while it is still in the fridge. These can be eaten with the fingers. In testing as a Christmas recipe, we used red and green gelatin. Colors can be varied.)

-Darlene Knutson, Park River (Polar Communications consumer) December 2000

CRANBERRY PECAN BARS

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup finely chopped pecans (use half for crust)

Topping:
11/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 beaten eggs
1 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon finely chopped orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup coconut
Remaining pecans

Crust: Combine 1 cup flour and 2 tablespoons sugar into a bowl. With a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Press flour mixture into an ungreased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Topping: Meanwhile, mix together 11/4 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons flour. Stir in eggs, milk, orange peel and vanilla. Fold in the cranberries, coconut and remaining pecans. Spread over hot, partially baked crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan. Makes 36 bars.

(Test note: These attractive bars will add taste, color and texture to your holiday cookie platter. Plus, they're easy to prepare.)

-Betty Renner, Mandan (Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Co-op consumer) December 2000