• 1 package prunes, (16 oz) pitted
• 1 package dried apricots (11 oz)
• 1 can pineapple chunks (20 ounces) drained
• 1 can peaches; sliced (1 lb 13 oz)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 12 ounces ginger ale

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Breakfast Berry Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
Vegetable cooking spray or butter
6 cups bread, preferably dense peasant style or sourdough, cut into 3/4 - 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup raisins
6 large eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cup milk (1% or greater)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (increase to 2 cups if making bread pudding for dessert)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh blueberries
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Directions:
1.Spray or butter the inside of the Crock-Pot® slow cooker stoneware.
2.Place the bread, nuts and raisins in the stoneware and toss to combine.
3.Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
4.Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture and toss to blend.
5.Set Crock-Pot® slow cooker to Low and cook for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or High and cook for 3 hours.
6.Remove stoneware from heating unit and allow bread pudding to cool and set prior to serving. Serve garnished with berries and mint leaves if desired.

Yield: 10 - 12 servings

Pears in Merlot

Ingredients:
zest of 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
4 cups water
1 bottle Merlot wine
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbs whole cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
6 pears peeled, 1/4" cut off at bottom to flatten

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker except for the pears. Cover; cook on High for 1 hour. Add the pears to the stoneware and cook for an additional 1 hour. Remove pears and strain liquid. Pour the liquid over the pears. Serve chilled.

Mothers Day Strawberry Lemon Cake

Ingredients:
¾ cup flour
1 1/3 cup sugar, plus 2 Tbs
10 eggs, separated
1½ tsp vanilla
1½ tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup lemon curd
1 pint strawberries, stemmed and sliced (and more for cake decorating if desired)

Directions:
Lightly butter bottom of the stoneware. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of the stoenware and place inside. Do not grease the sides of the stoneware. Sift the flour and the sugar together and set aside. Using a hand mixer, whip the egg yolks on high speed for 3-5 minutes until thick and pale ribbons form from beater. Set aside. Beat egg whites until foamy and add cream of tartar and 2 Tbs. sugar until thick, glossy, and holds a peak but is not dry. Pour egg yolks on top of the egg whites and carefully fold in by hand, maintaining as much volume as possible. Sprinkle in 1/3 of the flour mixture and continue to fold in and incorporate. Fold in additional flour in thirds until fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Spread batter over the bottom of the stoneware and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Remove stoneware from slow cooker and place on highest shelf possible of a preheated 325°F oven. Cook until center is cooked and top is golden brown. Let cool. Loosen sides of cake from stoneware and invert. Horizontally cut cake in half and spread top and bottom center with lemon curd. Place sliced strawberries on top of bottom and place top of cake on top of bottom. Frost sides with buttercream and then top with buttercream. Garnish with edible flowers or fresh strawberries around edge of cake. Keep refrigerated.

Lemon Mousseline Buttercream

½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
3 drops lemon juice
2 sticks butter, room temperature
5 egg yolks
1 lemon, peeled grated and juiced


In a saucepan, cook the sugar, water and lemon juice to 220°F. Cream the butter and transfer to another bowl. Beat the yolks until thick and pale in color. Continue beating and pour in sugar syrup quickly. Continue beating until mixture is cooled to 80°F. Beat in half the butter. Beat in the lemon peel and lemon juice. Add remaining butter and beat until incorporated, thick and creamy.

Bananas Foster

Ingredients:
6 bananas, peeled and cut in quarters
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp lemon zest, grated
3 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp rum
12 slices pound cake
1 quart French vanilla ice cream, softened
confectioners sugar, for garnish

Directions:
Combine the bananas and coconut in the slow cooker. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cinnamon, salt, corn syrup, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and rum. Pour over the banana and coconut mixture. Cover cook on Low for 1 to 2 hours. To create individual servings, place one scoop of the ice cream between two slices of pound cake. Ladle the bananas and sauce over each ice cream sandwich and dust with confectioners sugar.

Triple Chocolate Mess

[1.] Spray crockpot with: nonstick spray

[2.] Combine in crockpot:
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1 pint sour cream
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 (6 oz.) package chocolate chips
3/4 c. oil
4 eggs
1 c. water

[3.] Cook on low for 6-8 hours (try not to lift the lid)!

[4.] Serve with ice cream