RecipesBrie Phyllo Cups Mini phyllo shells from the freezer section hurry along these elegant cups. They look fancy and taste delicious but are a snap to put together for a special occasion.—Brenda Little, Boise, Idaho
RecipesCarrot Cake Sandwich Cookies This cookie’s always been a favorite with my kids, and a best-seller at bake sales. If you want to gild the lily, you can add toasted chopped walnuts or pecans to the frosting. —Linda Ross, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
RecipesAunt Lou’s Fresh Apple Cake My Great-Aunt Lou made a luscious fresh apple cake recipe that became a family tradition. My mom makes it for our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks. —Cristy King, Scott Depot, West Virginia
RecipesCake with Buttercream Decorating Frosting This sweet creamy frosting made with real butter is easy to blend together and holds its shape nicely when used to decorate a special layer cake. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
RecipesChocolate Ganache Cake with Raspberry Sauce Divine and heavenly are the words that come to mind when I take a bite of this fudgy, luscious cake. Nothing soothes the soul like dark chocolate. — Laura Moore, Prescott, Arizona
RecipesCatfish Cakes These cakes are crispy on the outside and moist and flavorful on the inside—a real treat! I like to serve them with hush puppies and coleslaw. I developed the recipe to put to good use all the catfish we catch at our lake cabin. —Jan Campbell, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
RecipesMocha Crackle Cookies These cake-like cookies are better than brownies. They have crackly tops and a subtle coffee flavor. —Louise Beatty, Amherst, New York
RecipesChocolate-Praline Layer Cake For the chocolate-lover in all of us, this dessert is the one. Packed with pecans, the luscious layers are topped off with heart-shaped chocolate candies. Every day is Valentine’s Day with this cake!—Kathy Engler, Brookfield, Wisconsin
RecipesDixie Pie When Mom baked this old-fashioned sugar pie, family members would clamor for second servings. We love the combination of cinnamon, coconut, nuts and raisins. She’d sometimes toss in a few chocolate chips for variety. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner were not complete without this dessert.
RecipesPeanut Butter Cup Pie I can put this pie together in 10 minutes and just pull it out of the freezer when we’re ready for a scrumptious dessert. Feel free to substitute different flavors of pudding mix and candy bars, such as butterscotch pudding and Butterfinger candy bars. —Tammy Casaletto, Goshen, Indiana
RecipesCran-Apple Oatmeal Cookies The original recipe for these delightful cookies called for raisins. Since we aren’t raisin fans, I added dried cranberries instead. The results? Incredible! –Theresa Smith of Rome, Georgia
RecipesRoasted Carrots with Thyme These roasted carrots are so simple but always a hit. Cutting the carrots lengthwise makes this dish look extra pretty.—Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
RecipesOrange Cream Chiffon Cake Light and luscious, this sponge cake is bursting with orange flavor. It’s the perfect dessert to serve after a filling meal, or with afternoon tea or coffee.—Faith Sommers, Bangor, California
RecipesNever-Fail Pecan Pie This incredible pecan pie recipe came from my mother-in-law. Her pies were a were a hit everywhere she took them and I never saw anyone not enjoy each mouthful! She was kind enough to pass this recipe on to me, and it’s one that I really enjoy making. —Beverly Materne, Reeves, Louisiana