GLAZE (Optional):
1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 teaspoons milk

In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and milk. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in walnuts, apple and raisins.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks.

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and enough milk to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle over warm cookies. Yield: about 4 dozen.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add mashed bananas, margaine or butter, and milk. Beat with an electric mixer on low setting until blended, then beat on high for 2 minutes. Add eggs and remaining 1 cup of flour, and beat until well blended. Stir in the walnuts.

Pour equal amounts of batter into the two loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

To make these up to one month ahead, simply bake the loaves and cool completely. Place each loaf in a freezer bag and freeze up to one month. Thaw for 1 hour at room temperature before slicing.

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 9-inch glass pie plate with shortening or spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix bananas and lemon juice; set aside.

In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except whipped topping and walnuts until blended. Add banana mixture; stir until blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.

Spread pie with whipped topping; sprinkle with walnuts. Store covered in refrigerator.

Cut bananas in half; insert popsicle stick in end that was cut. Place on tray lined with wax paper, and put in freezer for about 30 minutes – just to make them cold.

Melt chocolate with vegetable oil in microwave for 2 minutes. Dip banana halves in chocolate, spooning chocolate over the bananas to coat. Roll in chopped nuts.

Place the chocolate bananas on the same tray and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Core and quarter the apples, but do not peel. Slice thinly into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice to coat. Add the celery, grapes and walnuts and toss. Cover and chill. Mix the mayonnaise and honey (if desired) together until smooth, add to the apple mixture, and toss.

Ingredients can be adjusted according to your taste (add more or less grapes, etc.).  You can mix types of apples (tart or sweet) as long as they are firm and crisp.  Using both yellow and red apples makes the salad pretty.

Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs, whiskey and vanilla. Mix together flour, cinnamon, and nuts; add gradually to the butter mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Oil waffle (pizzelle) iron. Heat iron completely. Then spoon approximately one teaspoon of butter onto iron. Cook until golden brown.

Makes 10 dozen.

Browned Butter Icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. (Batter will be soft.) Stir in tomatoes, raisins, and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 70 to 75 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely. Spoon Browned Butter Icing over cake.