que: My brother in law is having his company bar b que. I am going to make a dessert. I usually make brownies but would like something different. There are going to be quite a bit of people there between the ages of 21 and 40ish...I would like something that appeals to all but is fast and easy for me to make. Any suggestions? I don't want to bring anything store bought. Thanks for your help.|||No Bake Cookies INGREDIENTS: 4 ounces butter or margarine 1/2 cup milk 2 cups sugar 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 3 to 4 tablespoons peanut butter, optional 3 cups oats, quick or old-fashioned 1 teaspoon vanilla extract PREPARATION: Place chocolate chips, peanut butter (if used), oats, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Combine the margarine, milk, and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Combine the hot mixture with the oatmeal and chocolate chip mixture; stir well. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Then place in the refrigerator over night to cool.|||Make the Nestle tollhouse cookie dough and bake it in a jelly roll pan. Cut into bars. They are so moist and chewy and good. Texas Sheet Cake is also good.|||Peanut butter balls are fast and easy to make. And are great bite sized snacks.|||line up twinkies in a large rectangle dish... put a bunch of coolwhip on top then sliced strawberries.... easy cheesy to make and everyone willl, love it!|||Lemon bars are always a crowd pleaser.|||You will need a pastry bag with a plain tip. If you can save some green plastic berry baskets, these mushrooms look totally realistic placed in them. Meringue Mushrooms 1/2 cup egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 4 ounces chocolate confectioners' coating Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. (Do not use a silicon mat, use parchment for these or they will be ruined prying them off.) In a large glass or metal bowl, use an electric mixer to whip egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla. Continue whipping until the whites hold soft peaks. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar so that it does not sink to the bottom, and continue whipping until the mixture holds stiff shiny peaks. Place a round tip into a pastry bag, and fill the bag half way with the meringue. To pipe the mushroom caps, squeeze out round mounds of meringue onto one of the prepared cookie sheets. Pull the bag off to the side to avoid making peaks on the top. For the stems, press out a tiny bit of meringue onto the other sheet, then pull the bag straight up. They should resemble candy kisses. Do not worry about making all of the pieces exactly the same. The mushrooms will look more natural if the pieces are different sizes. Dust the mushroom caps lightly with cocoa using a small sifter or strainer. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the caps are dry enough to easily remove from the cookie sheets. Set aside to cool completely. Melt the coating chocolate in a metal bowl over simmering water, or in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth. Poke a small hole in the bottom of a mushroom cap. Spread chocolate over the bottom of the cap. Dip the tip of a stem in chocolate, and press lightly into the hole. When the chocolate sets, they will hold together. Repeat with remaining pieces. Store at room temperature in a dry place or tin.|||I just posted these in one of my previous answers, but everyone I make these for loves them. They definitely are a crowd pleaser. The recipe is very easy (don't be discouraged by the number of ingredients!) I will definitely make these again and again! BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES INGREDIENTS 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 egg 1/3 cup white sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup water 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. No frosting needed. (Makes about 2 dozen)|||cheesecake!!! they come in box form now so forget all the cream cheese and stuff... u can make them like cup cakes also, very attractive & verrrry delicious......|||You could make chocolate chip cookies. If that's too plain, try adding pecans or walnuts to the cookie mix. You could also make a bundt cake, frost it, and put some colorful sprinkles on it. Brownies are also good, but you said you usually make them and would like to try something different. You could always make an apple pie, banana bread, or a pound cake. Have fun with it.|||Twinkie Pie (no one will know there are twinkies in it unless you tell them!) 1 box twinkies 1 large box instant vanilla pudding 1 large can crushed pineapple (do NOT drain) 16 oz. Cool whip Slice twinkies lengthwise. Place in dish cream-side up. Prepare pudding according to directions. Pour over twinkies. Pour pineapple with juice over pudding. Top with cool whip. Chill. Yum!!! This recipe is very easy to double or triple for a crowd. And if you want fast and easy, this is the recipe!|||PIE OR LEMON BARS recipe for fantastic lemon bars: base: 1cup margerine 2cups flour 1/2cup powdered sugar mix together and pat down into a 9x13 pan bake at 350 for 15 minutes topping: 4eggs 1cup sugar 1cup powdered sugar 8tbsps lemon juice 6tbsps flour rind of 1 lemon 1tsp backing POWDER mix well an spread ontop of base finish: bake the entire dish at 350 for 25 minutes|||Rice Krispy treats or peanutbutter Krispy treats always go over big.|||Here are some of my most requested recipes: Mocha Cake: 1/2 cup Crisco 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 4 tbsp. cocoa 4 tbsp. prepared coffee 1 7/8 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. vanilla extract Cream Crisco and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Mix cocoa and prepared coffee in a separate bowl to form a paste and add into the creamed mixture. Sift flour with salt. Add baking soda and vanilla extract to buttermilk. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Pour into two greased and floured cake pans with parchment paper rounds on bottom of pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on racks for 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool completely. Mocha Frosting: 1 stick butter, softened 4 tbsp. cocoa 4 tbsp. prepared coffee 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tbsp. milk 1 box powdered sugar Cream butter thoroughly. In a separate bowl, make a paste of cocoa and coffee and add to creamed butter. Add in box of powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk if needed. Mix well. You may need a few more tsp. of coffee for spreading consistency. Ice your cake and enjoy! Cream Cheese Pound Cake 8 oz. softened cream cheese 3 sticks butter, softened 6 eggs 3 cups granulated sugar 3 cups all purpose flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. lemon extract 2 tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a tube pan. In a large mixing bown, cream the cream cheese and butter together until incorporated. Add in the sugar in small batches and cream together until fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Mix the salt and flour together and add to the creamed mixture in small batches until incorporated. Add in the two flavorings. Pour batter into the greased/floured tube pan and bake for one hour and fifteen minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Depending on your oven it may take up to thirty extra minutes cooking time. Cool in pan until cool for easy removal. Chocolate Delight: 1 cup flour 1 cup pecans, chopped 1 1/2 sticks butter 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 12 oz Cool Whip 1 lrg. pkg. instant chocolate pudding To prepare crust, mix together flour, butter, and pecans until uniformly mixed. Press into bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before proceeding. Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar and add in 1 cup of Cool whip. Spread this mixture over the cooled crust. Prepare chocolate pudding as directed on package. Spread this chocolate pudding over cream cheese layer. Spread remaining Cool whip on top. Chill until ready to serve. Blueberry Cheese Pie: 2 sleeves graham crackers, crushed 1 stick butter, melted 16 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 can blueberry or other pie filling Cool whip To prepare crust mix together graham cracker crumbs and butter and press firmly into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool completely before proceeding. Cream together the cream cheese, sweetened milk, and lemon juice. Spread over the cooled crust. Spread pie filling over the top. Top each serving or the entire pie with Cool whip. Chill until ready to serve. Banana Pudding: 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 1/2 cups cold water 1 pkg. 4 serving size vanilla pudding 1 pint heavy whipping cream 3 bananas, sliced 1 box vanilla wafers Whisk the sweetened condensed milk and water together. Add in the pudding mix, stir and chill in fridge. Meanwhile in a chilled bowl, beat the whipping cream with hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream together with the pudding/milk mixture. Layer pudding/cream mixture on bottom of another bowl with layers of bananas and wafers until you have used all the pudding mixture, bananas, and wafers. Chill and serve.|||Symphony Bars are always a big hit http://www.associatedcontent.com/article鈥?/a>