TASTY SAMPLE FROM SOUTHERN LIVING RECIPE BOOK

The Southern Living Cooking School will offer decorating tips and advice. But most of all, it will focus on easy-to-make recipes. Each person attending will receive a Southern Living cookbook with 138 recipes.

What kind of recipes are included? Here's just a sample of two of the delicious desserts featured in the Fall 1999 recipe book under the "Sweet Endings" category.

Chocolate Pound Cake

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter, softened

3 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in a pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool on wire rack. Spread with Chocolate Glaze. Makes 1 (10-inch) cake.

Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan; boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in chocolate morsels and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 7 minutes.

Toasted Pecan Cheesecake

1 1/4 firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, toasted and divded

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

3 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

1/4 cup caramel ice-cream topping

Stir together 1/4 cup brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup pecans and butter until blended; press into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add vanilla and, if desired, bourbon; beat until blended. Add remaining 1 cup brown sugar; beat 1 minute or until smooth. Pour into crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes.

Spread ice cream topping on top of cheesecake; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup pecans, gently pressing in. Chill 8 hours. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Prep: 10 minutes. Bake: 55 minutes. Chill: 8 hours.