Chocolate-Pepperminit Bundt Cake...

18 1/4oz. pkg. devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
3.9oz. pkg. chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
8oz. container sour cream
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. milk
1/2 cup coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies

Heavily grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. Set aside.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer just until combined. Beat at high speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a long toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Place cake on a serving plate. Stir together powdered sugar and enough milk to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over cake; sprinkle with crushed candies.

Spiced Pecans...

1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 cup water
3 cups pecan halves, toasted

Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cook 9 more minutes on medium-low or until a candy thermometer registers 236 degrees (soft-ball stage). Do not stir. Place pecans in a large bowl; pur hot mixture over pecans. Stir until they start to lose their gloss.

Spread pecans on wax paper and separate quickly with a fork. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Mocha Punch...

1 quart chocolate milk
4 cups strong brewed coffee, chilled
1 cup Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur
14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 quart chocolate ice cream
1 quart coffee ice cream
Semi-sweet chocolate shavings

Combine chocolate milk, coffee, liqueur and condensed milk in a large pitcher. Cover and chill. Pour chilled mixture into a large punch bowl. Scoop chocolate and coffe ice creams into punch; stir gently. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Gingerbread Scones...

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup milk

Combine first 5 ingredients; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumbly. Combine molasses and milk; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lighty floured surface and knead lightly 4 or 5 times.

Divide dough in half; shape each portion into a ball. Pat each ball into a 5-inch circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Cut each circle into 6 wedges, using a sharp knife; do not separate wedges. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Wassail...

3 cups sugar
9 cups water, divided use
5 cinnamon sticks
6 cups cranberry juice
3 cups orange juice
3 tbsp. lemon juice

Combine sugar, 3 cups water and cinnamon sticks in a large stockpot; boil for 10 minutes. Add cranberry juice, remaining water, orange juice and lemon juice; heat thoroughly. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.

Cranberry Applesauce...

3/4 lb. cranberries
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
4 lbs. apples, cored and quartered

Place cranberries, water, sugar and apples in large saucepan. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until apples are soft. Cool slightly and press mixture through a sieve or food mill. Sprinkel with cinnamon before serving, if desired.

Granny's Gingerbread...

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup light molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. cloves
6 tbsp. warm water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together in a medium-size bowl. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices together in a small bowl. Alternating with water, gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Pour batter into a greased 8X8-inch pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Pound Cake...

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
5 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup whipping cream or whole milk
1 recipe Peanut Butter Frosting, if desired (see below)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add brown sugar and peanut butter; beat thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, stirn in vanilla. Sift together the dry ingredients and add alternately with whipping cream. Pour into a lightly greased and floured very large tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Frost, if desired, with peanut buter frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/8 tsp. salt
5 to 6 tbsp. milk
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
16 oz. powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth.

Herbal Spiced Cider Mix...

1/4 tsp. cardamom seeds
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 tbsp. dried lemon balm, chopped
3 tbsp. dried orange mint, chopped
1 tsp. dried lemon verbena, chopped
2 tsp. dried lemon basil, chopped

Mix all together in a bowl. Store in an airtight container. To make cider, add about 3 tablespoons mix to one quart apple cider, cranberry juice or red wine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and steep 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and serve.

Spiced Cider Mix...

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. orange zest, grated
1 tsp. allpice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (if desired)

To make cider: Combine 1/4 cup mix, one cup apple juice and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. (Can also be made using red wine instead of apple juice!)

Sunset Orchard Spiced Tea Mix...

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup dry orange drink mix
2/3 cup dry instant tea
2 envelopes (.65 or .72 oz. each) instant spiced cider mix

Combine sugar, drink mix and tea together. Blend in cider mix. Place in an airtight container. For each 7 ounces of hot water used, add 4 1/2 teaspoons of mix; let steep two minutes.

Hot Chocolate Mix...

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 1/4 cups instant nonfat dry milk
2 cups instant chocolate drink powder
1/2 cup malted milk powder, chocolate flavor
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup nondairy creamer (you can use regular OR flavored)

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and store in an airtight container. To make hot chocolate, place 1/3 cup of mix in a mug. Pour 3/4 cup hot water over mix and stir to dissolve. For a richer cup of cocoa, try using warm milk in place of water.

Spicy Apple Butter...

4 lbs. apples, stemmed and quartered
1 cup apple cider
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice

Cook the apples and cider in a slow cooker 10 hours or overnight on high. Sift the apples through a food mill and return pulp to the slow cooker. Add the balance of the ingredients and cook one hour longer. You may want to leave the lid off the slow cooker to cook off some liquid. Ladle into hot, sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.