Cinnamon Dip

1 (8 oz/225 g pkg) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp/30 mL milk
1/2 tsp/2 mL Watkins Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp/30 mL brown sugar
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Cinnamon
1/4 tsp/1 mL Watkins Nutmeg

In medium bowl, beat all ingredients till smooth. Serve with apples or cookies.

Apricot Nutmeg Turnovers

1 cup/250 mL all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp/.06 mL salt
1/2 cup/125 mL butter
8 ounce/225 g cream cheese
1/2 cup/125 mL apricot preserves
1/2 tsp/2 mL Watkins Organic Nutmeg
1 egg
1 tbsp/15 mL water

In medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Cut in butter and cream cheese. Stir together to form soft dough. Refrigerate 1 hour. On lightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/8-inch/3 mm thickness; cut out with 2–1/2 inch/6.5 cm round cutter. Stir together preserves and nutmeg. Spoon about 1 tsp preserves on center of each round. Fold in half and seal with fork. Whisk together egg and water. Brush egg mixture on turnover. Bake at 400 Fº/200º C for 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish with dried apricot pieces, or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 2 dozen.

Copy Cat~Sara Lee's Carrot Square Cake

2 Eggs
1 ts Watkins Vanilla
6 oz Oil
1 ts Salt
1 1/2 ts Watkins Baking powder
2 ts WatkinsCinnamon
1 c Sugar
1 1/4 c All-purpose flour
1 c Carrots; grate fine
1 c Walnuts; well-chopped
1/2 c Light raisins; optional
Cream cheese icing
6 oz Cream cheese; softened
1/4 lb Butter
1 lb Powdered sugar
1 1/2 ts Watkins Orange extract
1 ts Watkins orange peel
1 tb Light corn syrup or pancake
1 tb Cornstarch or flour

Combine first 8 ingredients with electric mixer on medium-high.
Beat 3 minutes scraping down sides of bowl often. Remove beaters.
Stir in last 3 ingredients. Grease and flour 9" square pan.
Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake at 325~ about 50 minutes. Cool
in pan about 30 minutes. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and
sprinkle with additional walnuts. ICING-Cream the cream cheese
with the butter until light and fluffy, using med-high spped of
electric mixer. Add half of the sugar, increasing speed to high.
Add extract and peel and beat about 1 minute. Scrape down sides
of bowl often. Resume beating adding remaining powdered sugar.
Beat smooth. Frost sides and top of cake.

Almost Snickers

12 ounces Low fat ice cream -- softened
1 cup Low fat Cool Whip
1/4 cup Crunchy peanut butter
1-2 servings Watkins Chocolate pudding mix
3 ounces Grape Nut cereal

Mix together ice cream, Cool Whip, peanut butter and pudding.
Fold in Grape Nuts.
Spread in 8x8 inch pan and freeze.

Holiday Bake with Watkins!

Tis the season to bake,eat and be merry!
So if you are going to be spending all the time and energy into holiday baking make sure it is the best it can be with high quality award wining products!

Use Watkins and have your family and friends begging for more!

SHOP ONLINE

Chocolate-Dipped Cinnamon Crisps

Ingredients:
4 small flour tortillas
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup/125 ml sugar
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 ml Watkins Organic Cinnamon
1/2 cup/125 ml semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp/10 ml vegetable shortening

Cut each tortilla into eight wedges. Spray with cooking spray and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF/205ºC for 4 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown. Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon in plastic bag. When tortilla wedges are brown, spray again with cooking spray and place a few at a time in sugar/cinnamon bag; shake to coat well. Place on a piece of waxed paper. In small saucepan or in microwave, melt chips and shortening. Place pan in warm water to keep chocolate soft. Tip wide end of each tortilla wedge into melted chocolate; place on waxed paper and allow chocolate to harden.

Makes 32 wedges, 4 per serving.

Celebration Cream Cheesecake

HEALTHY LIVING RECIPE CONTEST WINNER! - DESSERTS
By: Valerie Putsey, IN

Ingredients:

Crust
1 ¼ cups organic chocolate cookie crumbs
4 ½ tbsp organic sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp organic butter, melted

Filling
½ cup organic heavy whipping cream
1 package (12 oz.) white chocolate morsels or chunks
2/3 cup water
¼ oz. unflavored gelatin
2 (8 oz.) packages organic cream cheese, softened
1/8 tsp Watkins Lemon Extract
1 tsp Watkins Pure Vanilla
1 (14 oz.) can non-fat organic sweetened condensed milk

Garnish
1/3 – ½ cup organic pecan halves
¼ cup organic chopped pecans
1 (5.3 oz.) package chocolate coated candies
2-3 tsp Watkins Organic Cinnamon


Directions:
Crust – lightly coat 10x14 or 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press mixture firmly on bottom of baking dish, set aside.

Filling – In a medium bowl, beat whipping cream on medium for 1 minute: refrigerate. In a medium bowl, microwave 1/3 package of white chocolate morsels until melted, stirring after each 30 seconds. Set aside. Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan, let stand for 1 minute. Heat water on low, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed, add melted morsels. Continue mixing adding lemon extract, vanilla extract and condensed milk until well blended. Stir in gelatin and fold in whipping cream. Pour over chocolate crust and refrigerate 2-3 hours until set, or overnight.

To serve, garnish with pecan halves around outer edge of cake. Sprinkle with candies, chopped pecans and cinnamon.

Hint – options are limitless with garnish and candies. Use different colored candies for different occasions. And try different Watkins Extracts for other flavor combinations.

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
4 cups/1 liter day-old French bread, cubed (fat-free if available)
1/4 cup/60 mL raisins
2 cups/500 mL skim milk
1/2 cup/125 mL sugar
3 egg whites or 1/2 cup/125 mL egg substitute
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Organic Cinnamon
Dash Watkins Organic Nutmeg
Dash Watkins Organic Cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Spray a 1-1/2 quart/liter casserole with Watkins Cooking Spray. Add bread cubes and raisins; toss to mix. In medium bowl, combine milk, sugar, egg whites, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Pour over bread mixture, pressing down cubes with back of spoon until soaked with egg mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted toward center comes out clean. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 6 servings.

Apple Compote

4 apples, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp/15 mL melted butter

2 tbsp/30 mL brown sugar

1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Cinnamon

1/4 tsp/1.2 mL Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup/125 mL apple cider

Sauté apples in the mixture of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until tender. Add vanilla and apple cider and simmer for one minute. Serve immediately.

Apple Bars

4 cups/1 liter peeled and sliced apples
1 cup/250 mL sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup/125 mL vegetable oil
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup/250 mL raisins
Water
2-1/2 cups/625 mL all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL baking soda
2 tsp/10 mL Watkins Cinnamon
3/4 cup/180 mL chopped walnuts
1/4 cup/60 mL sugar
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Cinnamon

Mix apples and sugar together in medium bowl. Let stand 1 to 3 hours to draw out juice. Add eggs, oil and vanilla. In small saucepan, add raisins and just enough water to cover; bring to a boil, then drain. Combine raisins, flour, soda, 2 tsp/10 mL cinnamon, and nuts. Fold in apple mixture. Spread in a greased 15 × 10-inch/38 × 25-cm baking pan. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over bars. Bake at 350°F/180°C for 20 to 25 minutes or until bars test done. If desired, bars can be frosted with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Makes 36 bars, 1 per serving.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (3 oz/85 mL) cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp/15 mL butter, softened
2 cups/500 mL powdered sugar
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract

Combine all ingredients in small mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Watkins Bavarian Apple Tart

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. Watkins White Vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. Watkins Cinnamon
1 package (8 oz.) reduced-calorie cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. Watkins White Vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. Watkins Cinnamon
4 cups peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples

Cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat well. Add flour and cinnamon; beat well. Spread onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside. Beat together cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla; spread onto crust. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl; toss apples in this mixture. Arrange apples in an attractive pattern on top of filling. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake 25 minutes; cool completely. Keep refrigerated. Makes 8 servings.

Watkins Fresh Fruit Tart

Pastry dough for 10-inch pie
1 package (8 oz.) reduced-calorie cream cheese
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar, to taste
1 1/2 tsp. Watkins Vanilla
2 peaches or nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. Watkins Orange Extract
1/2 to 1 tsp. water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare dough and press onto bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Trim edges if necessary. Prick crust with fork. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla; mix well. Spread evenly in cooled tart shell. (At this point, tart may be covered and refrigerated overnight.) In large bowl, combine fruit; carefully spoon over filling. In small bowl, combine honey, orange extract and enough water to make a glaze. Brush glaze over fruit. Remove sides of pan before serving. Makes 10 servings.

Vanilla Dessert Squares

Graham crackers
1/2 cup Watkins Vanilla Dessert Mix
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. Watkins White Vanilla
Water
1 tbsp. Watkins Chocolate Dessert Mix
1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Layer a 15 x 11 inch baking sheet with graham crackers. Combine Vanilla Dessert Mix, sugar and water; mix well. Stir in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil and thicken. Pour hot mixture over graham cracker and let cool to room temperature. When cool, whip cream until stiff. Spread over dessert layer. Place another layer of graham crackers on top of whipped cream. In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, White Vanilla and enough water to make a smooth glaze. Spread evenly over graham crackers. in another bowl, combine the Chocolate Dessert Mix, hot water, and enough of the powdered sugar to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle over dessert. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. Make 18 servings.

Pumpkin Butter Cupcakes

Fall would not be complete without the sweet, wholesome taste of pumpkin.
These delectable cupcakes will satisfy any sweet tooth.

2 1/4 cup/560 mL all-purpose flour
1 tbsp/15 mL Watkins Baking Powder
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL baking soda
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL salt
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Cinnamon
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Ginger
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Nutmeg
1/2 cup/125 mL butter, softened
1 1/3 cup/325 mL sugar
2 eggs
1 cup/250 mL Watkins Pumpkin Butter
3/4 cup/175 mL milk
3/4 cup/175 mL chopped walnuts

In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. In large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Blend in pumpkin butter. Stir in dry ingredients and milk, blending until batter is smooth. Stir in
chopped walnuts. Spoon batter into paper lined muffin tins. Fill about 2/3 full. Bake at 375° F/190° C for 18 to 22 minutes. Makes 16 cupcakes

Swirled Pumpkin & Caramel Cheesecake

1-1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, softened
24 large marshmallows
1/2 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons Watkins ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Watkins ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon Watkins ground cloves
salt to taste
1 teaspoon Watkins vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 caramels
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Prepare the crust by combining the cookie crumbs and margarine. Press into a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes.

Prepare the filling in a microwave safe bowl by combining the marshmallows, milk and pumpkin. Cook on medium heat and stir until all marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.

Beat in cream cheese, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and vanilla; fold in 1/2 container whipped topping.

Melt caramel in microwave and drizzle 2 tablespoons over crust. Pour filling into crust and top with remaining whipped topping, pecans and any remaining cookie crumbs. Drizzle remaining caramel over top. Refridgerate for 8 hours or until chilled.

Makes 8 servings

Watkins Sour Cream Fudge

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 tablespoons Watkins Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla

Directions

1. Boil sugar, syrup and cream, add Coca dissolved in hot water.

2. Cook to soft ball stage.

3. Add vanilla, beat until creamy.

4. Pour into buttered pans, cut into squares.

Watkins Brown Sugar Fudge

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon of Watkins Vanilla

Directions

1. Dissolve sugar in cream, cook until soft ball stage when tested in cold water.

2. Remove from fire, add butter, nuts and flavoring.

3. Let cool.

4. Beat until creamy, press in buttered pan and cut into squares.

Almond Roca

• 1 pkg. soda crackers (salted)

• 1 ¾ cups brown sugar

• 1 lb. butter

• 1 tsp Watkins Vanilla Extract

• 1 tsp. Watkins Caramel Extract

• ¾ cup sliced almonds

• 1 pkg. Chocolate chips (2 c)

Spray the bottom of a cookie sheet with Watkins Cooking Spray. Cover with a layer of soda crackers and set aside. In a saucepan, heat brown sugar and butter. Bring to a rolling boil & then add the extracts. Boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat and stir in almonds.

Pour mixture over cracker base. Cook at 350 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Place back in oven until chips start to melt (10-20 minutes). Let cool, then cut into squares. Freezes well.

Piña Colada Topping

1 can (8 oz/227 g) unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
1 large ripe banana, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 cup/125 mL)
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL Watkins Rum Extract
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL Watkins Coconut Extract
2 tbsp/30 mL toasted shredded coconut

Combine pineapple, banana and extracts in small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. Spoon over
frozen yogurt and sprinkle with coconut. Serve over frozen non-fat vanilla yogurt, low-fat ice
cream, angel food cake, waffles or pancakes.

Makes 1 cup/250 ml.

Coconut Fudge Sauce

3/4 cup/125 mL evaporated milk
1 package (6 oz/170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup/125 mL sugar
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL butter or margarine
2 tsp/10 mL Watkins Coconut Extract

Heat milk, chocolate chips, and sugar in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly
until chocolate is melted and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat; stir in butter and extract. Pour into jars; cover tightly. Refrigerate no longer than 4 weeks. Serve warm or cold over ice cream.

Makes 1-1/2 cups/375 mL.

Note from Watkins Kitchen: Also try other Watkins Extracts, such as Raspberry, Orange and Peppermint in place of Coconut.