A to Z bread

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups A-to-Z ingredients (choose from list below)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
***A-TO-Z INGREDIENTS:***
Apples, peeled and shredded
Applesauce
Apricots (dried), chopped
Banana, mashed
Carrots, shredded
Coconut
Dates, pitted and chopped
Figs (dried), chopped
Grapes (seedless), chopped
Oranges, peeled and chopped
Peaches, peeled and chopped
Pears, peeled and chopped
Pineapple (canned), crushed and drained
Prunes, pitted and chopped
Pumpkin, canned
Raisins
Raspberries, unsweetened fresh or frozen
Rhubarb, chopped fresh or frozen
Strawberries, fresh or frozen
Sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
Zucchini, peeled and grated 

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil and eggs; mix well. Stir in A-to-Z ingredients of your choice and vanilla. Combine flour cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into liquid ingredients just until moistened. Stir in nuts.

Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans, or 5 mini loaf pans. Bake at 325 F for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

I got this recipe from the Casper 3rd Ward cookbook printed in 2004.  The recipe was submitted my Nancy Gerlock.  When I first made it I made pumpkin and banana mini loaves.  I made sure to thank Nancy and even gave her one of each for submitting the recipe.  This is SO easy that at 32 weeks pregnant, amid Christmas rush, I am still baking 1-2 batches of this bread for friends.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

This recipe came from my mother in law.  She started making them when my hubby was a kid for Christmas treat baskets and in the stockings.  When I joined the family I fell in love with them and have added them to the family treats my mom made for years.  I have started making them 3 months in advance and freezing them till Christmas  

Ingredients

• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups Krispies cereal
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (I use wax instead, they set faster, you can find baking wax in baking aisle)
• 54 mini-muffin paper cups

Directions

In large electric mixer bowl, beat peanut butter, margarine and sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Add Krispies cereal, mixing thoroughly. Portion mixture, using rounded teaspoon. Shape into balls. Place each ball in paper cup. Refrigerate.

Melt chocolate morsels and shortening in small saucepan, over low heat, stirring constantly. Spoon 1 teaspoon melted chocolate over each peanut butter ball. Refrigerate until firm. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Canned Biscuit Donuts

I have started making these for the boys for school snacks, special breakfast treats, and after school snacks.  They are really simple and cheap as most the time I have everything on hand already!  I usually just use cinnimon and sugar but I have listed all the varieties.

Ingredients

• Peanut oil, for frying
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar

Icings:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 5 tablespoons milk, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cans large buttermilk biscuits
• Colored sprinkles
• Chocolate sprinkles

Directions

Heat 2 inches peanut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow bowl, stir together the ground cinnamon and sugar and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, set aside. This is the vanilla icing. In another bowl, whisk together 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons of milk and set aside. This is the chocolate icing.

Lay out the biscuits on a cutting board and with a 1 1/2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out a hole from the middle of each biscuit. Fry them in the oil until golden and then flip with tongs to fry the other side. You can even fry the donut holes. Drain on paper towels and then toss in the cinnamon-sugar or ice and decorate with sprinkles, as desired.

Given to me by Sabrina Maness.  She told me she found it on Food Network's website, a Paula Deen Recipe.