Recipes with vegetable shortening

Fresh peach cobbler with four variations: classic Southern cobbler with batter underneath and hot syrupy peaches poured over top. Swap peaches for blueberries, strawberries, apples, or blackberries.

Diabetic-friendly date nut cookies sweetened with sugar-free orange marmalade instead of sugar. Chopped dates, nuts, and cinnamon in a simple drop cookie.

Homemade pork sausage ground from fresh pork shoulder and seasoned generously with sage, savory, marjoram, parsley, and a hint of allspice. An egg and a splash of water keep the patties juicy and tender.

Golden fruitcake with dried apricots, raisins, candied cherries, orange peel, citron, and shaved almonds in a light cake flour batter. Baked low and slow for 4 gorgeous holiday loaves.

Homemade chicken and dumplings from scratch with fluffy parsley-flecked dumplings steamed right on top of herb-simmered broth. Pure comfort food that fills the kitchen with the smell of thyme and rosemary.

With a true honey flavor, Santa won't be able to resist these cookies when he stops by your house!

Homemade English muffins cooked on a griddle, not baked. Yeast dough rolled, cut, dusted with cornmeal, and griddled into the classic nooks-and-crannies muffins. Freezer friendly.

Monkey tails are frozen chocolate-dipped bananas on a stick, brushed with orange juice to prevent browning. A fun, easy no-bake treat kids can help make.

Texan fried pies stuffed with spiced dried apricot filling in a flaky, vinegar-laced pastry. Hand-held, golden-fried, and dusted with sugar. A classic Southern dessert from scratch.

Hearty bran muffins packed with fiber from bran flakes and all-bran cereal. Make-ahead batter stores in the fridge for fresh-baked muffins all week.

Chocolate-topped peanut butter oatmeal cookies with brown sugar, melted chocolate drizzle, and chopped peanuts. A big-batch cookie recipe that makes six dozen crispy-edged treats.

Apple nut muffins made with unsweetened applesauce, chopped nuts, and just a quarter cup of sugar. Tender, lightly sweet breakfast muffins with a moist apple crumb.

Cocoa bread made with yeast, cocoa powder, and eggs for a soft, lightly sweet chocolate loaf. A unique homemade bread with deep cocoa color and subtle chocolate flavor.

Lemon Jello cake made with lemon cake mix and lemon gelatin, topped with a fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze poked right into the warm cake.

French-style almond macaroons piped from almond paste, filled with rum-spiked chocolate ganache, and dipped in a semisweet chocolate glaze. An elegant three-part cookie.

Pineapple spice layer cake with crushed pineapple, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice topped with a fluffy cooked seven-minute frosting studded with pineapple. A from-scratch showstopper.