These are recipes that I have been tweaking for quite a while. I finally have them to what I feel is close to perfection! They are not your usual recipes, but for a delicious taste experience, give them a try! They are one after another, so just keep scrolling down!
Crock Pot Granola
4 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 (scant) cup tupelo honey
3 cups cashews
1/4 cup olive oil
1-1/2 to 2 cups M&Ns (or chocolate chips)

Click HERE for
a pdf copy of this recipe.
1. Combine everything except M&Ns in crock pot. Mix well. Cook on low heat with the lid ajar for 4-5 hours (or until desired amount of “browness” is reached). Stir about once every half hour or so. Cool completely! Then add M&Ns. I usually measure out the servings, putting each serving in its own plastic bag. Next, I put all the servings in a heavy-duty freezer bag and toss them in the freezer. Then you just grab a serving the day you want to eat it!
2. It is important to cool the granola completely before adding the M&Ns (or chocolate chips) or they will melt. One time I put chocolate chips in while the granola was still warm, and I ended up with big chunks of chocolaty granola (but boy, were they good!).
3. You can also add the following to your granola: wheat germ, almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, cocoa powder (about 2 tablespoons), raisons, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or anything else that might strike your fancy.
4. According to the original recipe in the crock pot book (and I’ve noticed that most crock pot cookbooks do have granola recipes in them), the granola should be stored in air-tight containers and eaten within one or two weeks. However, my experience is that freezing works quite well, and then you don’t have to eat it all so quickly.
A Dozen Microwave Brownies
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour, unsifted
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Icing (optional)
1/4 cup butter
1 heaping cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 teaspoons milk


Click HERE for
a pdf version of this recipe.

 These are extremely moist, delicious brownies!
1. Place butter in glass mixing bowl and microwave on HIGH for 20-30 seconds or until softened.
2. Using a fork, blend in the sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each one. Add vanilla.
4. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Using a microwave muffin pan (or 6 microwave-safe pudding cups on a plate), put 2 paper cupcake liners in each muffin cup.
6. Fill each muffin cup 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter. Bake in microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes 15 seconds for each 6 brownies. (One batch will make 12 brownies.)
7. Allow brownies to sit in microwave for 3-5 minutes after baking
8. Remove brownies from muffin pans. Discard the outermost cupcake liner. Place on wire rack to cool.
9. Make icing. Soften butter in microwave for 15-20 seconds, mix in rest of ingredients. Use only enough milk to make icing the consistency you like.
10. After the brownies have cooled for 15-20 minutes, ice them. After the brownies have completely cooled, wrap in plastic wrap or place in airtight container (to keep brownies from drying out). The brownies can be stored in the freezer if they will not be eaten up in a few days!
A few suggestions & ideas:
1. Sometimes there will be "wet" spots on top of the brownies when they are done cooking. If they are bigger than a dime, bake an extra 15 seconds. After you have made a few batches you will get a sense for when the brownies are done. Small "wet" spots will vanish as the brownies cool.
2. Keep the brownies wrapped in plastic wrap to avoid having them dry out. Microwaved baked good do not form a crust so they tend to dry out quickly unless the top is covered.
3. If you don't ice the brownies, you can put powdered sugar on top to help prevent them from drying out.
4. For a darker, richer brownie, used European or Dutch-processed cocoa.
5. Instead of powdered sugar icing, use a cream cheese icing. Use 4 ounces of cream cheese in place of the butter. Use powdered sugar to taste. Cocoa is optional.
5. To make peanut butter brownies use 1/4 cup peanut butter and 1/4cup butter instead of 1/2 cup butter. Use peanut butter instead of the butter in the icing, and use peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips.
6. For almond brownies, add almond extract to the batter or the icing.
7. For a "silky" texture to the brownie, use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar.
Microwave Pumpkin Pudding.
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup lowfat ricotta cheese
1 1-pound can pumpkin
2 eggs, room temp.
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Click HERE for
a pdf version of this recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Without the Crust!
1. Put sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and milk in a large mircrowave-safe container. Mix well. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.
2. Add ricotta cheese and pumpkin to mix, blending well. Now microwave on HIGH 3 minutes at a time, stirring well after each 3 minutes, until mixture begins to boil (about 10 minutes from beginning of cooking time).
3. While doing #2 above, put eggs in a bowl and beat well.
4. Once the milk mixture comes to a boil, add a few large spoonfuls of that to the eggs and mix well. Now add the egg-mixture to the milk-mixture and stir well. Microwave on HIGH for 2 more minutes.
5. Add butter and stir until it is blended in. Microwave again for 2 more minutes.
6. Let cool for about 10 minutes and add vanilla.
7. Once the pudding is cooled, cover with plastic wrap to keep skin from forming. Store in refrigerator and eat within 3-4 days. Makes about 6 servings.
A few suggestions & ideas:
1. Use pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon.
2. Use 2 cups of milk and omit the ricotta cheese, although the ricotta gives a creamier texture.
3. To cut down on calories, omit or cut down on the butter and use low-fat milk.
More recipes, along with downloadable pdf recipe files, to come!