2 cups water
1 cup long-grain rice
4 cups evaporated fat-free milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 egg whites
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped apricots

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and cook about 10 minutes. Pour into a colander and drain thoroughly.

In the same saucepan, add the evaporated milk and brown sugar. Cook until hot. Add the cooked rice, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Simmer over low heat until the mixture is thick and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes Remove from the heat and cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites. Pour into the rice mixture. Add the pineapple, raisins and apricots. Stir until well blended.

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the pudding and fruit mixture into the baking dish. Bake until the pudding is set, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

8 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 prepared graham cracker crust, about 9 inches in diameter
1 can (16 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1 pint raspberries, rinsed and drained

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with the sugar. Gently spread over the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.

Just before serving, spread the crushed pineapple over the cream cheese. Add the raspberries. Cut the pie into 8 wedges and serve immediately.

12 ounces sturdy multi grain bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 large, firm yet ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored and thinly sliced
2 pinches of allspice
2 3/4 cups 1 percent low-fat milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar or firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large, nonstick frying pan, melt 1 1/2 teaspoons of the butter over medium heat until frothy. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Add half of the pear slices to the pan and saute until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle a generous pinch of allspice onto the pears, then transfer them to a plate. Repeat with the remaining butter, oil, pears and allspice.

Arrange half of the toasted bread cubes evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the sauteed pears and then the remaining bread cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the milk, eggs, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the honey, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Whisk until well blended. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes, pressing down gently every so often until the bread absorbs the milk mixture. Remove the plastic wrap and arrange the remaining pears on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake until a knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Filling:
1/2 C sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp lemon peel, grated
3/4 tsp lemon juice
5 C apples, unpeeled, sliced
1 C cranberries

Topping:
2/3 C rolled oats
1/3 C brown sugar, packed
1/4 C whole wheat flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp soft margarine, melted

Methods:

1. To prepare filling, in a medium bowl combine sugar, flour, and lemon peel; mix well. Add lemon juice, apples, and cranberries; stir to mix. Spoon into a 6-cup baking dish.
2. To prepare topping, in a small bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add melted margarine; stir to mix.
3. Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake in a 375º F oven for approximately 40-50 minutes or until filling is bubbly and top is brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

6 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup rice
3 cups skim milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Methods:

1. Put the water and cinnamon sticks into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Stir in rice. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes until rice is soft and water has evaporated.
3. Add skim milk, sugar, and salt. Cook for another 15 minutes until it thickens.

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup peach nectar
1/4 cup pineapple juice or peach juice
2 16-oz cans peaches, sliced, packed in juice, drained (or 1-3/4 lbs) fresh
1 Tbsp margarine, tub
1 cup pancake mix, dry
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup evaporated skim milk
nonstick cooking oil spray (for baking dish)

Topping:
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Methods:

1. Combine cinnamon, vanilla, cornstarch, peach nectar, and pineapple or peach juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles.
2. Add sliced peaches to mixture.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. In another saucepan melt margarine and set aside.
5. Lightly spray an 8-inch square glass dish with cooking oil spray. Pour hot peach mixture into the dish.
6. In another bowl, combine pancake mix, flour, sugar, and melted margarine. Stir in milk.
7. Quickly spoon this mixture over peach mixture.
8. Combine nutmeg and brown sugar. Sprinkle mixture on top of batter.
9. Bake at 400° F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool and cut into 8 squares.

2 Tbsp low fat (1%) milk
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 medium banana, cut in quarters
1 C plain low fat yogurt
8 1/4-inch banana slices

Methods:

1. Place milk, sugar, vanilla, and banana in blender. Process 15 seconds at high speed until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a small bowl; fold in yogurt. Chill. Spoon into 4 dessert dishes; garnish each with 2 banana slices just before serving.

Crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp sugar
1/3 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Filling:
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk, canned
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl.
3. Add milk and oil to the flour mixture.
4. Stir with fork until well mixed and then form pastry into a smooth ball with your hands.
5. Roll the ball between two 12-inch squares of waxed paper using short, brisk strokes until pastry reaches edge of paper.
6. Peel off top paper and invert crust into pie plate.

Filling:
7. Combine sugars, salt, spices, and eggs.
8. Add milk and vanilla. Stir.
9. Add sweet potatoes and mix well.
10. Pour mixture into pie shell.
11. Bake for 60 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool and cut into 16 slices.

For the pie crust:
1 C quick cooking oats
1/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C ground almonds
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp water

For the pie filling:
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
4 tsp vanilla
1 C canned pumpkin
2/3 C evaporated skim milk

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
2. Mix oats, flour, almonds, sugar, and salt together in small mixing bowl.
3. Blend oil and water together in measuring cup with fork or small wire whisk until emulsified.
4. Add oil mixture to dry ingredients and mix well. If needed, add small amount of water to hold mixture together.
5. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until light brown.
6. Turn down oven to 350º F.
7. Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl.
8. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to blend ingredients.
9. Add pumpkin and milk and stir to combine.
10. Pour into prepared pie shells.
11. Bake 45 minutes at 350º F or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.