Chocolate Chai Latte Cookies
Cookie:
1 (18.25 oz) package butter recipe chocolate cake mix
3 tablespoons instant chai tea latte mix*
1/ cup butter, softened
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Drizzle:
1 ½ cups powered sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 to 5 teaspoons water
Heat over to 350 degrees Combine all cookie ingredients except chocolate chips in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until well mixed and smooth. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until tops are set and cracked. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.
Combine all drizzle ingredients except water in a small bowl. Add enough water for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Store between sheets of waxed paper in container with tight-fitting lid.
*Substitute 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
No-Bake Date Squares
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (8 oz. package) chopped dates
1 (1 oz.) square semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
powdered sugar
Combine butter, brown sugar, dates and baking chocolate in 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened (8 to 10 minutes). Stir in all remaining ingredients except powdered sugar. Pour mixture into lightly greased 9-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours before cutting. Cut into one inch squares. Roll squares in powdered sugar. Makes 81 squares. Tip: serve date squares in small paper or foil cups.

Cantaloupe Bread
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups cantaloupe–peeled, seeded and pureed
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsps. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour loaf pans. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla and cantaloupe. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Stir flour mixture into cantaloupe mixture; stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in a preheated oven for one hour or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.
Cranberry Orange Muffins
2 cups flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp salt
grated zest of one orange
1 large egg
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/ cup milk
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
1/ cup pecans or walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 10 standard muffin cups with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Stir together flour, sugars, baking powder salt and zest. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, milk and orange juice until blended. Add to the dry ingredients; stirring just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Fold in the cranberries and nuts just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Do not over mix. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it level with the rim of the cup. Bake until golden, dry and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes. Makes 10 muffins.
Pecan Coffeecake
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp. minced lemon zest
1 egg
2 egg whites
½ cup nonfat plain yogurt
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans (for filling)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (for filling)
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon (for filling)
For filling: In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream sugar, oil and lemon zest. Mix in egg and egg whites. In a food processor, blend yogurt and cottage cheese. Add to egg mixture with vanilla and lemon juice. Slowly stir in the flour and baking powder until completely blended.
Lightly spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray, then lightly dust with flour. Pour in 1/3 of the batter. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the batter. Then top with remaining batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Invert on serving plate. Serves 18.
Ham and Cheese Quiche with Hash Brown Crust
3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed and squeezed dry in paper towels
1 Tbsp. Melted butter
1 tsp. Emeril’s Original Essence
½ plus 1/8 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups half-and-half
1/4 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
4 ounces baked ham, chopped
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch round glass pie pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, butter, Essence, and 1/8 tsp. salt and toss to combine. Add the Parmesan and toss to combine. Press the potato mixture into the prepared pan, spreading with your fingertips to evenly cover the bottom and up the sides. Bake until the potatoes are set and golden brown about 22 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the half-and-half, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the Swiss cheese and ham, stir, and pour into the prepared potato crust. Bake until the center of the custard is set but still slightly soft, puffed and golden brown about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Slice and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Firelight Cherry Bread
½ cup liquid crisco
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup maraschino cherries (cut in half)
½ cup maraschino cherry juice
juice of one orange
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Mix all and bake one hour at 350 degrees. (I put my batter in mini bread pans and bake for ½ hour.)
Firelight Inn Granola
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup crisp rice cereal
3/4 cup raisins
½ cup wheat germ
½ cup brown sugar
1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. Oil
½ cup coconut
1 (7 ounce) package dried mixed fruit bits
Place all dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix well
Mix cinnamon, oil and honey together. Pour over dry mixture and mix until well coated. Spread mixture evenly in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 40 minutes (stir after 20 minutes). Add dried fruit.
Cheese Danish Muffins
1 package 4 oz softened cream cheese
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1 egg
1 1/4 cups milk
½ cup melted margarine
1 Tsp. Grated lemon zest
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
3 ½ Tsp. Baking powder
1 Tsp. Salt
In a bowl cream together cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice. Set aside. In another bowl, beat egg lightly with a fork; add milk, margarine and zest. In another bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg mixture; stir until blended. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling half full. Place 1 Tbsp. Cheese mixture over each; top with remaining batter. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Firelight Inn Sugar Cookies
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup salad oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cream of Tarter
Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Beat sugars, butter, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients until well blended. Roll in balls, then roll in colored sugar. Flatten with a cookie stamp or bottom of glass. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Makes 4 ½ dozen.
Firelight Brie & Canadian Bacon Quiche
1 package (6 ounces) Canadian Bacon
8 eggs beaten
½ cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 package (4.5 ounces) Brie cheese, cubed
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
In a 9-inch pie plate sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, place Canadian Bacon slices around the sides and bottom, overlapping slightly.
In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients; stirring until blended. Carefully pour egg mixture into the pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand five minutes before cutting. 6-8 servings.
Banana Blueberry Bundt Cake
½ cup slivered almonds
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 ripe medium-sized bananas, pureed to measure 1 ½ cups
1 cup blueberries
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle almonds evenly onto bottom of a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add sour cream, egg, vanilla and banana puree; beat until well blended. Stir in blueberries.
Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into first bowl until just blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a plate. Serve warm. Makes 12 servings.