Cranberry-Apple Phyllo Crunch

3 phyllo leaves (12 x 17 inches each)
6 tablespoons butter, divided
¾ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup butter
2 cups peeled and chopped apples
¼ cup chopped nuts
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cut phyllo sheets into 2-inch square pieces.  Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet and add 1/3 of phyllo (separating pieces).  Toss lightly until slightly brown.  Remove from pan.  Repeat procedure twice using 2 tablespoons butter and 1/3 of phyllo each time.  Place half in a 1 quart casserole.  Reserve remainder for topping.  Melt the ¼ cup butter in skillet over medium heat; add remaining ingredients.  Stir often until apples and cranberries are soft.  Some juice should accumulate; if not, add 2 tablespoons water.  Place mixture in casserole, top with remaining phyllo.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Cranberry Poached Apples

6 small apples (preferably about the size of a peach)
3 cups cranberry juice
½ cup sugar
1 small lemon, cut into pieces, seeds removed, and ground
¾ cup figs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Peel the apples and core three quarters of the way to the base.  Put the cranberry juice, sugar, and ground lemon into a saucepan large enough to hold the apples in one layer.  Bring to a boil, stir, and add the apples to the pan.  Add enough water so the liquid comes halfway up the sides of the apples.  Cover the pan and bring to a simmer.  Uncover and spoon the poaching liquid all over the apples every few minutes, and turn them around gently in the liquid so they are coated often.  Depending on the size of the apples, they should simmer 10 to 20 minutes to become tender.  Be careful not to cook them to the point where they are falling apart.  When the apples are tender, remove the pan from the heat and let them cool in the poaching liquid.

In a small bowl, mix the figs, brown sugar, walnuts, and lemon juice.  When the apples are cool, stuff the cored cavities with the fig mixture.  Put them in a bowl, taste the liquid, and stir in more sugar or lemon juice to taste.  Pour ½ cups of the liquid over the apples and refrigerate until needed.  Serve warm or cold.  Six servings.

Eggnog & Dried Cranberry Bread Pudding
This holiday pudding recipe is by Mary Lee Bitner, as published in Amado Territory Ranch Inn's Cookbook. Amado Territory Ranch is a popular Southern Arizona destination featuring a charming western-themed Bed & Breakfast Inn, fine dining, art and shopping, birding and more. Read more.

1 Loaf of day-old French Bread, cut into 3/4" cubes
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries or cherries
4 Large Eggs
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Jamaican Rum
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Quart prepared Eggnog
1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream

Grease a shallow 2-quart casserole dish. Place bread in casserole dish, and sprinkle with cranberries or cherries. In a medium bowl, with a wire whisk, mix eggs until beaten. Add rum, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until blended. Stir in eggnog. Pour eggnog mixture over bread, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight. preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake uncovered 50-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Just before serving, place ice cream in small microwave-safe bowl and heat 30-35 seconds, stirring once. Use the ice cream as a sauce for the warm bread pudding. I like to use a scoop of ice cream and then pour the melted ice cream all over, adding a maraschino cherry for garnish!

Mr. Kringle’s Pudding
This recipe by Gen Fuchs is from the Yuma Heritage Festivals' Lettuce Days 'Arizona Grown Cookbook'. Yuma, Arizona, is the Winter Lettuce Capital of the World, and to celebrate, every January Yuma Heritage Festivals hosts Yuma's Annual Lettuce Festival.  Read more.

½ cup Crisco
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup grated raw carrots
½ cup currants
2 tsp. thinly cut lemon peel
½ cup seedless raisins
1 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp. soda
1 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg

Blend Crisco with sugar and egg. Beat lightly. Add grated carrots, raisins, currants, and lemon peel.
Add the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Mix thoroughly.
Then add the soda, dissolved in water.
Pour mixture into a tube mold or a pudding dish that is rubbed with Crisco, and bake in a moderate oven (325 degrees) for 1 hour.
Serve hot with pudding sauce.

Roughley Manor Breakfast Pumpkin Pudding
This delightful treat is from Jan & Gary Peters, Innkeepers of Roughley Manor, a historic Bed & Breakfast Inn situated on 25 secluded desert acres, just outside of Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. Read more.

1st Layer:
1 15oz. can solid packed pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
4 shakes of pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs
Mix all ingredients together.  Pour in 9x13 baking dish.

2nd Layer:
1 box white cake mix

Sprinkle entire box over pumpkin mix in dish.

3rd Layer:
1 cube butter
1 1/2 cups finally chopped walnuts

Sprinkle chopped walnuts over cake mix.  Melt and pour butter over nuts. 
Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
Serve warm or cool.  Provide heavy whipping cream to pour over top if desired. 
Perfect to start your breakfast out or for and evening dessert.


Simple Date Pudding with Sauce
This pudding recipe is from Basket Creations and More LLC, the retail distributor for Bard Date Company in Yuma, Arizona. They offer superb quality Medjool Dates and delicious date products, and custom gift baskets for all ages and all occasions. Read more.

1 Cup Date Crystals
1 Cup Milk
1/4 Water
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 cup sifted Flour
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Cups Date Sugar or Brown Sugar
Brandy

Pour 1/2 cup water over date crystals, and set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, white sugar, milk, vanilla, and nuts. Mix well. Add date crystal mixture. Make syrup of date sugar and boiling water. Pour syrup into a large (3 quart) greased casserole dish, then pour batter into syrup. bake 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. For a holiday dish, add brandy to the syrup mixture.