Chocolate Cannoli Filling

12 oz whole milk Ricotta cheese, strained
8 oz Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa

In a mixing bowl, using a rubber or silicone spatula, blend together Ricotta and Mascarpone cheese while running and pressing mixture along bottom of bowl to remove any lumps. Fold in powdered sugar and cocoa. Cover and chill 30 minutes (or until ready to use).

Homemade Reese Squares

1 cup butter
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup powdered sugar
6 oz. chocolate morsels

In saucepan melt butters. Add cracker crumbs and sugar and mix well. Press into 9x13 baking dish.

Melt chocolate morsels and spread over mixture in pan. Cool and cut.

Kentucky Bourbon Balls

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup butter, softened
50 pecan halves (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon shortening


Stir together first 3 ingredients until blended. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Gently press pecan halves into 2 sides of each ball. Chill 8 hours.
Melt chocolate and shortening in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Dip bourbon balls in chocolate, and place on wax paper.
Chill 1 hour or until hardened.

Oatmeal Cake Cupcakes

Cake Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats (not instant or quick oats)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick, room temperature)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Boil water. Pour over oats and let sit until cool. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and white sugar for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating each until incorporated. Slowly add flour mixture, beating until just combined, and then add oats. Stir until combined. Fill each cupcake tin 2/3 full (not more than that, these rise a lot!). Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 5-7 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling ingredients:
1 stick of butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
6 oz evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 oz flaked, sweetened coconut

In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and stir until boiling. Slowly add evaporated milk, stirring continuously until bubbling. Add vanilla and coconut, stirring until well combined. Set aside until slightly cooled.

Cut a cone out of the top of each cupcake, reserving the cone, and fill with a heaping teaspoon of filling mixture. Replace cone top.

Frosting ingredients:
3 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Have ready a heavy saucepan no more than 6 to 7 in. in diameter, a bowl (wider than bottom of saucepan) filled with cold water, and a candy thermometer.

Pour 1/2 cup cream into saucepan, resting bulb of candy thermometer in liquid. Add sugar and butter and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Continue boiling, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 238°F, or a small amount dropped into cold water forms a soft ball. Immediately remove from heat and place bottom of pan in bowl with water. Let cool to lukewarm (about 110°F).

Beat remaining 2 1/2 cups cream and the vanilla in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Whisk or stir about 1/2 cup into the caramel, then another 1/2 cup. Add caramel mixture to remaining whipped cream and beat a few seconds until stiff. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Rewhip briefly before using.

Place frosting in a piping bag and pipe a big dallop of frosting on each cupcake. Garnish with caramel sauce or toasted flaked coconut.