Sift or whisk together dry ingredients. In a large bowl beat eggs, add sugar and milk, mixing well. Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until smooth.

Choose a method of dispensing the batter- a piping bag, or funnel can be used, if you don’t have either available, a plastic zip-closure bag can be used- fill with batter and trim a bottom corner of the bag to dispense. If using the funnel, you will need use a finger to plug the funnel when not in use, or only add enough batter for one cake at a time. If using the plastic bag use a clothes pin or binder clip to seal the bag when not dispensing batter.

Fill a heavy pan or pot with fairly deep sides with oil to a depth of 1 to 1 ½ inches. Heat the oil to 375º F. Pipe batter into oil, creating a lattice or looped designs. Cook until brown, flipping once. Remove promptly and drain on paper towels.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Unfold and flatten 7 to 8 cupcake tin liners and distribute on the baking sheet. Rinse and dry 8 apples and remove their stems. Insert wooden dowels or another appropriate type of stick into the stem end of the apples.

Keep a double boiler or a pot of simmering water at the ready. It will be needed to keep the syrup hot enough to prevent it from hardening while the apples are coated.

Combine all ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and hold for three minutes, without stirring. Brush down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush to remove any crystals that form. Continue to boil until the syrup reaches 290º F on a candy thermometer, or the soft-crack stage.

Bring water in double boiler or pan to a boil. Remove the cinnamon stick and add food coloring if desired. Set pan with syrup over, but not in, the boiling water. Quickly dip each apple into the syrup, carefully twirl each apple to remove excess coating. Set on cupcake liner and allow to set.

Recipe can be divided in half to prepare 4 apples. Candied apples should be eaten within a day.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Unfold and flatten 7 to 8 cupcake tin liners and distribute on the baking sheet. Rinse and dry 8 apples and remove their stems. Insert wooden dowels or another appropriate type of stick into the stem end of the apples.

Keep a double boiler or a pot of simmering water at the ready. It will be needed to keep the syrup warm enough to prevent it from thickening while the apples are coated.

Heat caramels and water gradually, until they are fully melted and smooth. Bring water in double boiler or pan to a boil. Set pan with caramel over, but not in, the boiling water.

Dip apples, one at a time, removing excess caramel by scraping on the side of the pan. Coated apples can then be dipped in chopped nuts, sprinkles, or any other coating that appeals.

Place each apple on a cupcake liner and allow to set. Refrigeration will set the caramel faster.

Follow package directions to defrost and prepare the fillo dough.
Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Combine the chopped nuts, sugar, cinnamon cloves and 1/3 the zest of a lemon in a small bowl.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 13” x 9” baking pan. Trim the fillo so that is slightly larger than the baking dish. Take as single leaf of fillo dough and carefully lay it across the bottom of the pan so it is centered, and gently smooth it into place. Using a pastry brush coat the entire surface of the fillo sheet with butter. Add a second leaf over the first and coat with butter as with the first layer. Build until there are at least 6 layers of fillo dough. Sprinkle ¼ to 1/3 of the nut mixture over the top layer of fillo dough, then lay out 4 more leaves of fillo, buttering between each. Repeat this until all the nut mixture has been used. Add a final 6 leaves over the final last of the nuts, continuing to butter each sheet, including the topmost layer.

Once baked, the layers fillo dough will be very light and flaky, and cannot be cut without entirely breaking into little pieces. Therefore, the baklava must be sliced before it is baked. Often it is cut into triangular or diamond shapes, but any pattern that makes convenient serving sizes will work. With a very sharp knife, using clean, long strokes slice through all the layers, but if you do not cut entirely through the bottommost layer it will not cause a problem. The top layer of dough may try to shift while you cut. Gently use your fingers to hold the dough in place as you slice.

Bake the baklava for 45 minutes to an hour, until the baklava is a golden brown.

About 15 minutes before baking is complete, combine the sugar, honey, lemon juice, lemon peel and orange flower water in a saucepan, heat to dissolve the sugar and then bring to a gentle boil for at least 5 minutes to create the syrup. Pour the syrup directly over the baklava once baking is complete. Pour the syrup gradually, making certain to coat an cover all portions of the baklava. The syrup with bubble up, when poured over the hot pan. If poured too rapidly, this bubbling of the syrup will lift the top layer of fillo from the baklava and allow to float away from it’s place. To prevent this, pour slowly but steadily, traveling across the surface to coat all areas evenly.

Allow the baklava to cool for at least a half hour, and re-cut the pieces, making certain to cut through all layers this time. The baklava may be removed when cool enough to handle and served upon reaching room temperature.

Combine melted butter with graham cracker crumbs and mix until well combined. Pour crumb mixture into pan, press the crumbs into the pan starting in the center and working the crumbs up the sides of pan until ¼” from top edge of pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325º.

Mix sugar and flour until combined. Add vanilla and sugar mixture to cream cheese and mix until smooth and fluffy then add eggs and egg yolks until just combined. Stir in whipping cream and lemon peel and pour batter into pan.

Place pan in center of oven on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake for 1½ hours, or until center of cake is nearly set when shook. Begin to check for doneness after roughly an hour and fifteen minutes. Remove from oven and allow for 15 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan using a thin bladed knife. Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes more and release sides from bottom of pan. Cool for roughly 2 additional hours before chilling in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.

Serves 12 to 16.

Preheat oven to 350ºF and butter a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan

Whisk together dry ingredients and in a separate bowl combine the milk and vanilla. In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar to the butter while beating at high speed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add pumpkin puree and mix in on low speed until just blended.

Next, add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts. Beat on low speed, or use a spatula or wooden spoon, scrapping the sides of the bowl until the batter is smooth. Add 1/2 c. each of chopped walnuts (or pecans) and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Scrape into the bread pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 60 minutes, and check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf, which will remain clean upon removal when fully cooked.