Basic Pie Crust

2 2/3 cups flour
12 tablespoons butter cut into 1/2 inch dice
4 tablespoons lard cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup ice water

Place the flour, butter and lard into a food processor. Pulse until butter is in pea sized bits. Add the water quickly while pulsing just until the mixture clings together.
Divide in half, wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Nine graham crackers, ground into crumbs
4 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter

Mix together and press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Chocolate Ice Cream

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla

Combine eggs and sugar and beat with mixer until thick and lemon colored.  Add cocoa and milk and beat on low speed until sugar and cocoa are dissolved. Stir in cream and vanilla. Freeze in ice cream freezer.

Grandpa's Ice Cream

3 eggs
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups heavy cream or 2 cups cream and 2 cups whole milk
1 tbs vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Combine eggs and sugar and beat with mixer until thick and lemon colored. Add milk and beat on low speed until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla and salt and freeze in ice cream freezer.

To make fruit flavored ice cream substitute 2 cups pureed fruit for 2 cups of the cream. Reduce vanilla to 1 tsp. For peach ice cream add 1/2 tsp almond extract.

Banana Bread

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 overripe bananas
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch
loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and
salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small
bowl so they still have a bit of texture. Whip 2 bananas and
sugar in mixer with wire wisk for 3 minutes. Add butter, eggs and vanilla, then dry ingredients. Fold in pecans and mashed bananas. Bake at
350 for about an hour, or until done.

Carrot Cake

1 TB. Baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon,
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 TB vanilla
2 cups sugar
3 cups finely grated carrots

Sift dry ingredients together. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil 
together. Add dry ingredients. Mix in carrots. Divide among 3 8
or 9 inch pans, or 2 square 8 inch pans and bake at 350 for
30-50 minutes depending on pan sizes.

Icing: 8 oz cream cheese, 1 stick butter, 1 cup grated coconut,
1 cup chopped pecans, 1 box powdered sugar.

Key Lime Pie

3 egg yolks
2 limes, zest grated (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice. Use key limes if you can get them.

In a electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the
egg yolks and lime zest at a high speed until very fluffy, abut 5
minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to
beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer.
Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing
just until combined, not longer. Pour mixture into the pie crust.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the filling has set. Oven at 350.

Apple Crisp

2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
Pinch fine salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
4 medium baking apples, such as Braeburn, Rome, or Golden Delicious,
Unsweetened whipped cream or ice cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter 6 (6-ounce) ramekins or 8x8 baking dish..
Stir the oats, flour, brown sugar, pecans, and salt in a medium bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it is in even, pea-size pieces. Peel, core, and coarsely chop the apples and divide evenly among the ramekins. Scatter the crisp topping evenly over the fruit in each ramekin.
Transfer the ramekins to a baking sheet and cook until the fruit bubbles around the sides and the top is golden, about 30 minutes.
Preheat a broiler. Place the crisps about 4 inches from the broiler and cook until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Let cool about 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream, if using.

Doughnuts

Vegetable oil, for frying
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Beat eggs and sugar until light. Beat in butter and milk. Sift dry ingredients, add and mix. Chill thoroughly (about 4 hours). Dough will be very soft.
Turn dough onto well-floured board. Roll gently 3/8 inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Heat oil (2 to 3 inches) in deep-fat fryer or heavy kettle to 375 F.  Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to surface. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
Remove from oil; do not prick doughnuts. Drain on paper towels.

Granola

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups pecan halves
2 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, and pecans together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

Chocolate Cake

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Chop the chocolate and melt in microwave. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Double Chocolate Love Cake

Here’s a recipe you'll fall in love with! Valentine's Day is the perfect time to make cruelty-free decadent treats for your loved ones. This cake is one of Martha Stewart's vegan recipes. Use a heart-shaped baking pan or a bundt pan, and serve it up with some fresh fruit and soy or rice whip! 

vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 cup warm water
½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup sunflower oil
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees and coat an 8-inch round cake pan with spray.
Whisk water and cocoa in a small bowl until smooth; combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, and make a well in center; add cocoa mixture, oil, and vanilla; whisk until smooth; whisk in vinegar and pour into pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes; let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
Run a knife around edge of cake, invert it onto rack, and turn cake right side up. Let cool completely. Transfer cake to a serving plate or a cake stand.
For the glaze: Melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, stirring until smooth; let cool slightly.
Whisk together sugar & water until smooth; add melted chocolate in a slow, steady stream; whisk until thickened (about 1 min.); immediately pour glaze onto center of cooled cake.
Using a spatula, gently spread glaze over top and sides. Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Chocolate Glaze

2 oz. dark non-dairy chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 Tbs. water

Peach Crisp

5 or 6 large peaches)
1 orange, zested
1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cups plus 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 pint raspberries
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 8 x 8 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish.
Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place them into a large bowl. Add the orange zest, 1/8 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the raspberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.

Combine 3/4 cups flour,1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and the cold, diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly on top of the peaches and raspberries. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator and reheat in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm.

Grape-nut Muffins

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup Grape Nuts cereal
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted shortening

Grease and flour muffin pans or line with paper liners. Preheat oven to 425°.
Measure the flour after sifting and combine with the baking powder, salt and sugar; sift again. Add the cereal and mix. Combine egg, milk, and melted shortening; add to dry mixture and mix just until all ingredients are moistened. Fill the prepared muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until done. Makes 12 muffins.

Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 cup (125g) peanut or almond butter
1/4 cup (85g) raw honey
1/4 cup (30g) almond meal
1/4 cup (60ml) water
2 cups (200g) raw uncooked oats

Mix all together and make into 1 inch (2.5cm) balls. Additional water can be added if necessary. You can add a handful of raw cacao nibs if desired. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.