Banana Nut Bread

Preheat oven to 325

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups flour
6 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup chopped pecans

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift dry ingredients together; add to creamed mixture. Stir in bananas and chopped pecans.
Pour banana nut bread batter into 2 well-greased loaf pans; bake at 325° for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. This banana nut bread recipe makes 2 loaves.

Stacy’s Homemade Chocolate Frosting

1 cup sugar
5 tbs. butter
1/3 cup milk
6 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate pieces
In a small saucepan combine sugar, butter and milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate pieces until melted and smooth. Spread over केक.

Strawberries and Cream Dessert Squares

from the Betty Crocker website
Crust
1 pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
Filling
1 cup white vanilla baking chips (6 oz)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
Topping
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
10 to 12 drops red food color, if desired
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 15x10x1- or 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press evenly in bottom of pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
2. In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until chips are melted and can be stirred smooth. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in melted chips until blended. Spread mixture over crust. Refrigerate while making topping.
3. In small bowl, crush 1 cup of the strawberries. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Stir in crushed strawberries and 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in food color. Cool 10 minutes. Gently stir in remaining 3 cups strawberries. Spoon topping over filling. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set; serve within 4 hours. Store covered in refrigerator.

Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie

recipe from Paula Deen

Preheat oven 375 degrees

Ingredients:
2 squares (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions:
Melt chocolate and butter together in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove the pan from heat and add sugar, then the eggs; beat well. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Serve warm or cold.

Cherry Vanilla Layer Cake

I saw this on another blog (divine domesticity) and knew I had to make it!!!!
Here we go.......

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix

1/3 c. oil1/

2 c. water

2 -3 eggs, depending on instructions on box of cake mix.

15 maraschino cherries, approximately

3/4 c. maraschino juice

Seeds of one vanilla bean

Your favorite frosting (I used Pilsbury White)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to box directions. Drain the cherries reserving juice; chop cherries in half and reserve.

2. Prepare cake mix according to box directions, adding water and cherry juice to equal the amount of liquid needed for cake mix. (I used 1/2 cup cherry juice and 1/2 cup water)

3. Fold the cherries and vanilla bean seeds into the cake mix; stirring by hand. Pour mix into 2 round cake pans and bake in preheated oven.

4. When cake has completely cooled, frost; serve

Blonde Brownies

Yet another recipe from Paula Deen



Preheat oven 375 degrees



Ingredients:
3 eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
One 16-ounce box brown sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup or 31/2 ounce can shredded coconut (optional)
One 6-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips



Directions:
Beat eggs and butter together; add sugar. Gradually add flour; mix well. Stir in vanilla. Fold in nuts, coconut and chocolate chips. Bake in greased and floured 13x9 inch sheet pan for 25-30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.





Really good!!!

Banana Pudding

recipe from The Lady & Sons Country Cookbook by Paula Deen

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

3 medium bananas, sliced

Vanilla wafers

Directions:

Mix together sugar and flour and slowly add milk. This should be cooked in the top of a double boiler, but you can cook it over low-medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens (this is how I did it)-do not leave it unattended. Slightly beat egg yolks and temper with a small amount of the hot custard; stir well. Add egg mixture to custard pot and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Let cool. In 13x9 inch casserole dish, alternate pudding, bananas and wafers, beginning w/pudding and ending w/pudding.

Dump Cake

recipe from the Catholic Daughters of the Americas El Campo, TX cook book

I know it doesn't have a great name but this is yummy and is easy to make.

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Ingredients:

1 large can crushed pineapple

1 can cherry pie filling

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

1 stick butter

Directions:

Spread pineapple, including juice, in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Spoon the cherry pie filling on top and sprinkle dry cake mix over this (do not stir). Spread pecans over all and dot w/butter. Bake 45 mins to 1 hour at 350 degrees.

*to cut the sweetness substitute regular cherry pie filling w/sugar free cherry pie filling

Lemonade Pie

It's amazing to me that I have more dessert posts than anything else considering I am not much of a dessert eater! I guess I love making them. This is a good one I got from my friend Dana.

INGREDIENTS
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (6 ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (8 inch) prepared graham cracker crusts (or make one big one)

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk and lemonade concentrate. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into pie crusts. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

*I actually put in the freezer and serve it frozen*

Rice Pudding

I made this today. I'm not a big rice pudding fan but this was pretty good. This recipe is especially for Douglas.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cooked white rice

2 cups milk (divided 1 1/2 cups & 1/2 cup)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup golden raisins

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
In a saucepan combine cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar & salt. Cook over medium heat until thick & creamy, 15-20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, egg & raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in butter & vanilla. Sprinkle w/cinnamon. Serve warm.

That's all!

Vanilla Poached Pears

Ingredients:
4 large pears, halved, peeled and cored
3-4 cups apple juice or more if needed to cover pears
1 1/2 inch piece of fresh vanilla bean
Ground cinnamon for garnish

Directions:
Place pears in large saucepan and pour apple juice in to cover the pears.
Add vanilla bean and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer lightly until pears are tender. Be careful not to scorch.
Allow pears to cool before serving. Place pear halves on dessert plates and spoon a small amount of reduced apple juice over the pears, sprinkle w/cinnamon.

White Chocolate Fudge

This is a fantastic gift for anyone. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy!!!

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

2 (6 ounce) packages white baking chocolate (such as Baker's)

3/4 sweetened condensed milk

1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Directions:

1. Line 8 inch square pan w/foil; set aside. Microwave chocolate and milk in large microwaveable bowl on high 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add almonds, cranberries and orange peel; stir until well blended.

2. Spread chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

3. Lift fudge from pan. Cut into 48 pieces. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator up to three weeks. (do not freeze)

Variation: Prepare as directed, substituting 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans for the almonds and 1/2 cup candied cherries for the cranberries.

Outrageous Brownies

Difficulty: Expert

Okay, these are serious! I mean seriously rich & intense. This recipe comes from Ina Garten who adapted it from a bakery in SoHo. The original recipe calls for walnuts but since I am allergic I ommit them.

Pre Heat oven to 350 degrees Cooking time: Approx 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
6 ounces bitter sweet chocolate
6 extra large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee (brings out the intensity of the chocolate)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts (uh, no thanks!)

Instructions:
1. Butter and flour baking sheet (12x18x1)
2. In a double boiler, melt together butter (cubed), 1 pound of chocolate chips & 6 oz bitter chocolate. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla & sugar. Stir warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture & allow to cool to room temp.
3. In a medium bowl, sift 1 cup of flour, baking powder & salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss walnuts & remaining 12 oz chocolate chips in a medium bowl w/ 1/4 cup flour. Add them to chocolate batter. Pour onto baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, then rap baking sheet against oven shelf to force the air to escape from pan & brownie dough. Bake 15 minutes more until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Allow to cool thoroughly before cutting into squares.

makes 20 large brownies

Best Buttermilk Pie Ever!!!!!

Difficulty: EASY

This pie has been a hit and is my sister's most requested dessert.

Heather's Best Ever Buttermilk Pie:

6 eggs

2 sticks butter

1 cup buttermilk

3 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter, let cool slightly. Mix with sugar and whole eggs. Add buttermilk, flour and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into 2 unbaked pie shells and cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

*The pie will come out medium brown and be cracked on top. Not the prettiest pie but tastes absolutely wonderful!!!!*