It appears we’ve been ghosted by Old Man Winter with nary a frosty fleck of the powdery white stuff.

To make up for it, Enterprise reader, Brenda Campbell, dropped off a few favorite recipes she’s prepared over her lifetime. One recipe was a vintage Hershey’s pie, the Chocolate Snow Ghost Pie – made without eggs. This pie and another old Hershey’s recipe, the Hand Me Down Cake, were published in Good Housekeeping Magazine. According to Brenda, these desserts are “more than 45 years old.” Both recipes accompanied heartwarming personal stories that would melt even the heaviest of snows – and hearts. The ingredient list for Snow Ghost Pie forecasts a wintery mix of rich, feathery, and frosty chocolate and cream that’s as pure and white as snow.

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been captivated by the thought of scary, ghastly apparitions and goblins. Upon reading about Snow Ghost Pie – I concurred the recipe was more appropriate for a spirited Halloween party in October. But as I gave the idea more thought, I realized there’s a Ghost that’s relevant to our everyday living – and not just for a single season of life. You see, I’m much more than captivated – I’m deeply in love with and in a relationship with the Holy Ghost. The Ghost is not just an illumination but a person – one just as real as God our Father or Jesus Christ his son.

When found in the King James version of the Bible, the word Ghost means the living essence of a person. The words “breath” or “soul” were often used as synonyms of the word “Ghost” and were not intended to mean the spirit of a deceased person or paranormal apparition

We’ve all heard the expression “giving up the Ghost” when someone dies. The phrase refers to a person’s final breath or exhalation at which time the Holy Ghost exits the body. As language evolved, the word “Spirit” became the standard term for living essence – often for the soul. This reflects a change in meaning over the years.

In the book, The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, evangelist and Biblical Scholar, R. A. Torrey, describes at length the Holy Spirit as a person and the work of the Spirit – all important to know and understand.

Torrey makes a pivotal point. If we think of the Holy Spirit as just power or influence in our lives, we will always be wondering, How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?  Trying to get more of the Spirit to use Him to our advantage – leads to spiritual pride and beliefs that we are superior. But if we consider Him, biblically, as a divine person, our thoughts will change to, How can the Spirit have more of me?

Torrey encourages us to grasp the Holy Spirit as a divine person of infinite majesty, glory, holiness, and power who has, in “marvelous condescension” come into our hearts and made his home there. His purpose – to take possession of our lives and make use of them. A deeper understanding puts us “in the dust and keeps us in the dust.” Is there anything more humbling than to imagine a person of divine majesty and glory dwelling in our hearts – ready to use us?

Consider the many people who have come from the humblest places in life who have testified to personal relationships with the Spirit – followed by a complete transformation of their lives as Christians. The Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts – ever present, ever loving, ever helping in all circumstances of life.

That Snow Ghost – He’s an all-season Ghost. I get the drift.

SNOW GHOST COCOA CREAM PIE

½ cup Hershey’s cocoa

1 ¼ cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

3 cups whole milk

3 Tbsp. melted, salted butter

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 9-inch pastry shell or crumb crust

Sweet whipped cream

Combine cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually blend milk into dry ingredients, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Blend in butter and vanilla. Pour into pie crust. Carefully press plastic wrap directly onto the pie filling. Cool and chill 4 hours. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream.

HERSHEY’S “HAND ME DOWN” CAKE      

¾ cup softened, salted butter

1 ¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup Hershey’s cocoa

1 ¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 1/3 cup water

In a mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, thoroughly mixing between each addition. Mix in vanilla. Beat in flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt while alternating with water. Mix well. Bake in 2 8-inch well-greased and floured baking pans in a 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Completely cool, frost with your favorite chocolate frosting and pipe white icing in shape of a hand on top.

LEMON MOUSSE PIE

1 pkg. (2 crust) Pillsbury all-ready pie crust

Filling:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

½ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup water

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

6-8 drops yellow food coloring

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 cups whipped, whipping cream

Prepare and bake pie crust according to pkg. directions for a one-crust pie. Allow crust to completely cool before filling. For a rope edge, press thumb at an angle into crust edge. Pinch dough between thumb and knuckle of index finger. Repeat around edge of pie. Use 2nd crust to cut out small bunny/chick shapes. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake shapes in a preheated 450-degree oven for 4-6 minutes. Set aside to use with piped topping. For the filling, in a saucepan, combine gelatin, lemon juice, and water. Allow to stand 1 minute. Stir over medium heat until dissolved. Stir in lemon peel and food color. In a mixer bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar, and beat until smooth. Slowly beat in softened gelatin. Blend. Chill until slightly thickened. Fold in whipped cream. Mix well. Spoon into crust. Chill 1 hour. Garnish chilled pie with piped whipped cream, lemon zest, and cookies. Keep refrigerated.

SIMPLE FRUIT COBBLER

¼ cup melted butter

1 cup Southern Biscuit Complete biscuit mix

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup whole milk

1 can pie filling

3 Tbsp. melted butter

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a 1 ½ quart baking dish, melt butter. In a mixer bowl, combine biscuit mix and sugar. Add milk to the mix and stir until completely mixed. Pour mixture over butter, and do not stir or mix. Brenda adds these steps: In a bowl, add some cinnamon to the flour mix. Combine pie filling with melted butter and cinnamon. Evenly spoon pie filling over the top of the butter, and do not stir. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until center tests done and springs back.

POPULAR MUFFINS

1 beaten egg

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup Wesson salad oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

½ cup chopped pecans

Grease sides/bottoms of a 12 muffin tin with 2 ¾ -inches in diameter. In a mixer bowl, beat egg. Stir in milk and oil. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Stir in nuts. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. You can use self-rising flour and omit baking powder and salt. Serve hot from the oven or split and reheat under a broiler.

APPLE MUFFINS

1 cup grated apple

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Nut Crunch Topping

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup chopped pecans

½ tsp. cinnamon

Prepare recipe for Popular Muffins using these additions. Stir in the grated apple with the oil and add cinnamon to the flour. For the nut topping, in a bowl, combine brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon. Sprinkle tops with topping before baking for 25-30 minutes.

IRON SKILLET UPSIDE DOWN PANCAKE

4 chopped, cooked, drained bacon strips

1 peeled, sliced large apple

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

1 beaten large egg

¾ cup whole milk

1 Tbsp. melted butter

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar

Pure maple syrup

In an 8-inch cast iron or ovenproof skillet, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Use slotted spoon to remove bacon to drain on paper towels. Reserve bacon drippings. Add apples to drippings. Cook while stirring over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped bacon, brown sugar, and cinnamon. In a mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. In another bowl, combine the beaten egg, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Pour over the apples. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Invert onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve with maple syrup. Brenda amends this recipe using 1 cup Bisquick mix with ¾ cup whole milk, 4 Tbsp brown sugar, omits the white sugar, and no egg. She adds ½ cup chopped nuts and fresh blueberries to the mix.

GOLD RUSH GRIDDLE COOKIES

3 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup butter or shortening

1 beaten egg

¾ cup whole milk

1 ¼ cups raisins

In a bowl, mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture is mealy. Add egg, milk, and raisins. Mix until all ingredients are moistened and dough holds together. Dough is very stiff. Roll out on floured board to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch cookie cutter. Heat griddle until drops of water dance on it. Do not overheat. Oil griddle lightly with shortening. Place cookies on it. As the cookies brown, the tops become puffy. Then turn with spatula and brown on other side. Serve warm.

FRUIT AND NUT BARS

¼ cup softened salted butter

½ cup sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

1 egg

1 cup whole milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2 cups coarsely ground dried fruits

1 cup chopped nuts

Confectioner’s sugar

In a mixer bowl, mix butter, sugar, corn syrup, and egg thoroughly. Beat in milk. In a bowl, sift dry ingredients together; stir until moistened. Then mix in dried fruits and nuts using craisins, dates, raisins, or dates, etc. Stir in your choice of chopped nuts. Spread in bottom of a well-greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until tests done. Turn out of pan and completely cool before cutting. Cut in 1 x 2-inch bars, and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

DOLE’S HONEY-LIME FRUIT TOSS

20 oz. pineapple chunks, juice reserved

15 oz. drained Mandarin oranges

1 sliced large banana

1 peeled, halved, sliced kiwi

1 cup quartered strawberries

¼ tsp. grated lime peel

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. honey

Drain pineapple. Reserve ¼ cup juice. In a bowl, combine pineapple chunks, Mandarin oranges, banana, kiwi, and strawberries. In a bowl, combine reserved pineapple juice, lime peel, lime juice, and honey. Pour over fruit salad and toss to coat.

BERRY GOOD COBBLER

Berry Mixture

3 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Crust

1/3 cup softened salted butter

7 oz. Martha White Strawberry/other muffin mix

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup whole milk

Whipped cream

For the recipe, you can substitute 16 oz. thawed, drained, unsweet frozen mixed berries instead of fresh fruit. When using fresh fruit, gently stir berries, sugar, and water together. Set aside. Place butter in 8 x 8 baking dish. Microwave 1½-2 minutes until butter is melted. In a bowl, stir together muffin mix, sugar, and milk just until blended. Pour evenly over butter in baking dish. Evenly spoon berry mix over the crust mixture in baking dish. Do not stir. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm or cool topped with whipped cream.