Better Homes and Gardens Sponge Shortcake

This is my  favorite shortcake recipe which I got out of my faithful, old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. There are two in the book: the regular one and a sponge cake version. I much prefer the sponge cake. And if you do whole wheat cooking, this recipe is even better with ww pastry flour and Sucanat in place of white sugar!

Sift together 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour (or ww pastry - add back the bran you sifted out), 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat 2 eggs till thick and lemon-colored about 3 minutes at high speed on mixer. Gradually add 1 cup sugar (or Sucanat), beating at medium speed 5 minutes.

By hand, quickly fold dry ingredients into egg mixture. Add 2 tablespoons butter to 1/2 cup hot milk. Stir into batter with 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend well. Pour into paper-lined 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes; remove from pan. Top with sweetened fruit and whipped cream.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pies

My grandmother made this pie recipe for her family for years and it was my late brother, Tim's favorite. He always asked her to make it for him. We love it, too. I found out she got it from her church's cookbook.

(Makes 2 pies - serves 12-16)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 can blueberry filling
1 cup pecans, ground
1 tsp. vanilla
2 unbaked pie crusts

Preheated oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle ground pecans evenly in both pie crusts and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and cool completely before filling. You're done with the oven.

Soften cream cheese and add powdered sugar. Add cream and beat briskly until soft peaks form. Add vanilla. Divide cream mixture evenly into pie crusts. Refrigerate for several hours. Spoon blueberry filling over tops of pies. Serve. Freezes well for several months.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Base:

3 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed and mostly cooled
3 lg. eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted or softened
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice

Topping:

2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups pecans, chopped
2/3 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 inch pan. Set aside.

Base: Into the mashed and mostly cooled sweet potatoes add the eggs, sugar, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, nutmeg and allspice. Blend thoroughly with an electric mixer. Spread into pan.

Topping: Mix together brown sugar, flour and chopped pecans. Mash in butter with a fork until texture is crumbly and butter is about pea-sized. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.

Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes.