Ingredients

-1 cup butter, melted
-2 cups sugar
-4 eggs
-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
-6 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
-3/4 cup chopped walnuts
-1 can pear halves, drained
-10 walnut halves (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.

Mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, cocoa, vanilla and flour. Stir in the chocolate and chopped walnuts, mixing well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange the pears, cut-side down, on top of the mixture. Place the walnut halves between the pears, if using. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack before turning out and serving. This cake can be served warm or cold.

Ingredients

-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 rounded tablespoon sugar
-1 rounded teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
-2/3 cup frozen vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
-4-6 tablespoons ice water
-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor; pulse to blend. Add butter and shortening and cut into flour mixture using pulse button. When mixture resemble coarse meal, transfer to large bowl. Combine 4 tablespoons ice water and cider vinegar in small bowl; pour over flour mixture. Stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding additional 2 tablespoons ice water if necessary.

Gather dough into 2 balls and flatten balls into disks. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes or up to 4 days. Well-wrapped dough can be frozen up to 2 weeks. Allow dough to soften slightly at room temperature before continuing.

Ingredients

-1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced into small pieces (about 1 1/4 cup)
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
-1 teaspoon flour
-8 soft caramel candy squares, chopped into bits
-Salt, approximately 1 teaspoon
-1 tube crescent roll dough (8 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place diced apple into small bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir to coat apples. Add sugar, cinnamon and flour and stir until apples are evenly coated. Set aside.

Line baking sheet with parchment to keep melting caramel from sticking during baking. Separate dough into triangles, gently stretching shortest side then cutting each into two roughly even triangles. Place one tablespoon of apple filling in center of each triangle. Top with caramel bits (about half a square) and a pinch or two of salt.

Bring corner of longest side across edge about 2/3 of way and pinch together. Bring opposite corner across then final corner and pinch edges together to create a small pouch. Filling will seem like a lot, but dough will stretch as you pinch together.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden and filling is bubbly. Cool on tray for a couple of minutes for caramel to firm. Serve warm.

Ingredients

-1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, thawed if frozen
-1 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin puree
-1/2 cup canned no-salt tomato sauce
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-2 ounces turkey pepperoni (1/2 cup)

Directions

Place the oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8-10 minutes.

Whisk the pumpkin puree, tomato sauce and garlic powder in a small bowl until combined.

Spread the sauce evenly over the baked crust. Top with mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni. Bake until the crust is crispy on the edges and the cheeses have melted, about 12 minutes.

Ingredients

-1 package (48 ounces) frozen dinner roll dough, thawed
-1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
-2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
-1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
-1/3 cup chopped ripe olives
-32 pepperoni slices
-Vegetable oil

Directions

For each calzone, press two dinner rolls together. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 6 x 3 1/2-inch oval. Spread 1/4 cup sauce to within 1/2 inch of edge. Top with 1/4 cup cheese, 1 tablespoon green pepper, 1 to 2 teaspoons olives and 4 pepperoni slices.

Press two more rolls together and roll into a slightly larger oval. Place over filling; firmly press edges to seal.

Cut another roll in half and roll out to 1/8 inch. thickness. Cut a 3 x 1/4-inch strip. Place lengthwise down center of calzone.


To form laces, cut four 1 x 1/8-inch strips; place across center strip. Cut two 4 x 1/4-inch pieces of dough.

Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 16 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cut calzones in half before serving.

Ingredients

For Filling:
-1 1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
-1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed
-1/2 cup honey

-2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or allspice
For Dough:
-2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
-1 cup whole-wheat flour
-1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
-Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or allspice
-1/3 cup canola oil
-3 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
-1 cup sugar
-1/3 cup honey
-2 large eggs
-3 tablespoons low-fat milk, plus more as needed
-2 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

For Filling: Combine dried and fresh cranberries, honey, orange zest, cinnamon and cardamom (or allspice) in a medium nonreactive saucepan (see Kitchen Note that follows) over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook, stirring, until the fresh cranberries burst and soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor and puree. If the mixture seems dry, stir in up to 2 teaspoons water. Transfer the mixture to a nonreactive container and refrigerate while preparing the dough.

For Dough: Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cardamom (or allspice) in a large bowl. In another large bowl, combine oil, butter, sugar, honey, eggs, milk, orange zest, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat the wet ingredients with an electric mixer first on low speed, then on medium speed, until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until evenly incorporated. If the mixture is too dry to hold together, stir in up to 1 tablespoon more milk. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 to 45 minutes to reduce its stickiness.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a 6 inch-long log. Working with one log at a time, center it on a 16 inch-long sheet of baking parchment or wax paper. Cover with a second sheet. Press and then roll into a 12 x 15-inch rectangle of even thickness, inverting the dough occasionally to roll out any wrinkles and patching it to make the sides as even as possible. Transfer the dough, in the paper, to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining log of dough and transfer to the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the dough is slightly firm, about 15 minutes.

To Prepare Pinwheel Rolls: Place one sheet of dough on a work surface. Peel off the top sheet of paper. Spread half the reserved filling evenly over the dough (it will be a thin layer). Working from a 15 inch-long side, tightly roll up the dough jelly-roll style, leaving the bottom sheet of paper behind. While rolling, slightly stretch out the center to yield an evenly thick roll. Wrap the roll in a clean sheet of wax paper, twisting the ends to prevent unrolling (see Tip that follows). Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough and place on the baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 3 to 4 hours.

To Bake Cookies: Position racks in the upper third and center of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one pinwheel roll at a time, trim the uneven ends. Cut the roll crosswise into 1/4 inch-thick slices using a large serrated knife; periodically turning the roll to maintain a relatively round cookie shape. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Bake the cookies until puffed and barely golden brown, 12 to 16 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to middle halfway through baking. Immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Cut and bake the remaining pinwheel roll.

Kitchen Note: A nonreactive pan—stainless steel, enamel-coated or glass—is necessary when cooking acidic foods, such as cranberries, to prevent the food from reacting with the pan. Reactive pans, such as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart an off color and/or off flavor in acidic foods.

Ingredients

Savory pastry dough
-2 pounds Golden Delicious, Gravenstein or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into -slices 1/3 inch thick
-1 1/4 cups sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
-1 egg
-1 tablespoon water

Directions

Prepare the pastry dough as directed and refrigerate for 1 hour.

In a bowl, combine the apples, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated. Add the flour and toss again to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch pie pan and tap out the excess flour.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into thirds. Combine 2 of the pieces into 1 and, using a heavy rolling pin, roll out into a round 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick. Carefully transfer the round to the prepared pan and press gently into the bottom and sides.

Turn out the apple mixture in the pastry-lined pan. Dot the top with the butter pieces.

Roll out the remaining pastry into a round about 10 inches in diameter. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water until blended. Using a pastry brush, brush the edge of the bottom pastry shell with a light coating of the egg mixture. Lay the second round on top and, using scissors, trim away all but about 1/2 inch of the overhanging dough. Then crimp the top and bottom edges to form a decorative rim. Cut a small slit in the top of the pie to act as a steam vent. Brush the top lightly with the egg mixture and place the pie on a baking sheet.

Bake until the crust is a rich golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a rack and let cool slightly. Serve warm.