Stuffed Jalapenos

9 jalapenos
12 ounces cream cheese
2/3 to 3/4 lb bacon
cumin
garlic powder
soft bread crumbs

Slice jalapenos in half, and remove core and seeds.  Cook bacon most of the way, then diced into small pieces (I discard the really fatty parts).  Mix softened cream cheese with bacon, then add a dash of cumin and a few dashes of garlic powder.  Stuff jalapenos with the cream cheese mixture. Spread bread crumbs out on a plate, and press the cream cheese side of each jalapeno into the bread crumbs, then brush off the excess.  Place jalapenos cream cheese side up in a glass pan or on a metal baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Then move rack up and broil for 1-3 minutes, watching to make sure the bread crumbs crisp and lightly brown, but don't burn. Serve warm.

Samoa Cupcakes

1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
1 box chocolate fudge instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand mixer, combine all ingredients. Beat for about two minutes. Place slightly less than a 1/4 of a cup of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

*mini cupcakes, a less than a tablespoon of batter per liner, bake 8 to 10 minutes.  Check with a toothpick

Salted Caramel Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 oz. (1/2 block) cream cheese
1/2 cup good quality salted caramel sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar

Allow butter to set out at room temperature about 15 minutes (you can gather your other ingredients in the mean time). 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and continue to beat until fully smooth and well incorporated.
While slowly mixing, pour in caramel sauce (should not be warm). Add vanilla.
Continue slowly mixing and add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, allowing the sugar to blend a bit before adding each additional cup.
Scrap down the sides of the bowl and then blend the frosting an additional 30 seconds or so. The frosting should be fluffy, and all ingredients fully incorporated.

Frost cupcakes or cake.

Drizzle frosted cupcakes with the leftover salted caramel sauce, then top with toasted coconut.

Almond Squares

1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup almond paste
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 ounces sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk (reserve egg white), almond paste, and flavoring; beat until well blended. Stir in flour.

Spread mixture in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Beat egg white (at room temperature) until foamy; brush over entire surface of dough, and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly, and cut into 2 inch squares. Store in airtight containers.

Coconut Macaroons

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, coconut and salt. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla using your hands until well blended. Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be a little smaller than a golf ball.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until coconut is toasted.

Key Lime Pie Tarts

1 23 oz jar Private Selection Key Lime Filling (found at Smith's)

2 eggs

1/2 C sweetened condensed milk

1 pre-made graham cracker crust

whipped cream

lime zest

12 foil cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill muffin pan with 12 foil liners. Divide the graham cracker pie crust among baking cups. Press to bottom and slightly up sides of cup. Beat together key lime fruit filling, sweetened condensed milk, and eggs until well mixed. Fill the cups to the top. Bake 25 minutes. Top with piped whipped cream and lime zest.

Virgin Pina Colada Drink

20 oz can crushed pineapple, pureed
1 can frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 can coconut milk
1 can cream of coconut

Mix together!