Italian Cookies
2-stick butter or margarine
4 cups flour
1 ½ cup sugar
6 eggs (beaten)
6 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla

Frosting: Add confectioner's sugar and milk till desired consistency.

Cream sugar & butter together in large mixing bowl. Add vanilla to eggs then to sugar & butter. In separate bowl sift together flour and baking powder. Add to rest of ingredients. Place dough on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until slightly brown on bottom.

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Pineapple Cake
1 20oz can crushed pineapple
11/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup coconut

Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan or dish; set aside. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and reserved pineapple juice alternately to beaten mixture, beating at low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in pineapple. Spread batter in prepared pan. Combine brown sugar, pecans, and coconut. Sprinkle over batter. Bake in a 350 oven about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center and comes out clean.

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Zucchini Bread
1 cup chopped walnuts
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini (not peeled)

Mix together baking powder, flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the rest of ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees in greased loaf pan for 55 minutes.

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Anjou Pears in Chocolate

4 ripe Anjou pears (about 2 pounds), peeled, quartered and cored
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
4 sprigs fresh mint
4 cookies (optional)

1. Place the pear pieces in a stainless-steel saucepan. Add the sugar, water, and vanilla. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook the pears for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are very tender when pierced with the pointed tip of a sharp knife.
   
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a bowl. (You should have about 1/2 cup of cooking liquid in the pan. If you have more, boil it until reduced to 1/2 cup; if you have less, add water to bring it to 1/2 cup.) Add the bittersweet chocolate and the cocoa powder to the liquid in the pan. Mix with a whisk over low heat, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
   
3. Transfer the chocolate sauce to a bowl. Cool to room temperature. It should thicken to a syrup-like consistency. (Yield: 1 cup.)
   
4. Divide the sauce among 4 dessert plates, and arrange the pear pieces on top of the sauce. Decorate each serving with a sprig of mint, and serve, if desired with a cookie.