Banana Cream Pie

David's favorite pie has been and always will be, the Banana Cream Pie. Early on in our marriage I made one from scratch. I used under ripe banana's and my custard making skills were mediocre at best. So for the past few years I've resorted to graham cracker crusts and boxed pudding. Effective but not good eats. (Bonus points if you get that!)

So when I gave David the "Pie of the Month" club this year. It really was a win win for both of us. He get's his favorite dessert, pie, and I get to hone my baking skills. And I get pie.

This one was a winner! I did a very thin crust and a recipe I found on Pinterest. It was a success! I mean, I'm not a banana pie connoisseur but David is and he's requested this one from here on out for his banana cream pie!

Here's the recipe below so you too can make the best banana cream pie ever!

1 blind baked 9-inch crust
3/4 c sugar
3 T. Cornstarch
1 T. All purpose flour
A dash salt
1 1/2 c whole milk
1 1/2 c half and half
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 T. butter
4 banana's, barely ripe, quite firm with no brown spots on the skin but no green either
1 1/2 c heavy cream
2-3 T powdered sugar

Have a clean bowl near the store.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Whisk in the milk and half and half. Whisk in the egg yolks, on e at a time.

Cook the custard, whisking steadily, until it thickens and begins to boil. Take care to whisk the sides and the bottom of the pan to prevent lumps of custard from forming. Once it boils, cook the custard two or three minutes more, whisking constantly. Take the custard off the heat.

Add the vanilla extract and butter. Stir until combined. pour the custard into the bowl and lightly press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface. Chill fully, until the custard is thick enough to hold its shape when the pie is sliced. This can take 4-8 hours.

When you are ready to assemble, slice two of the banana's and spread them in the bottom of the crust. Spoon half the custard over them. Slice the other two bananas and cover them with the rest of the custard. Make sure all the bananas are fully covered.

Whip the cream and add the powdered sugar until stiff. Add some vanilla if you desire. Spoon or pipe it over the top of the pie.

Chill until serving.

Lemon Angel Roll

This recipe always reminds me of spring. It's a easy recipe that is so full of lemon flavor. I could eat the whole thing!

1 package angel food cake mix

1 can sweetened condensed Milk

1/3 c lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon rind

4-6 drops yellow food coloring

1 4oz container frozen whipped topping

½ c flaked coconut tinted yellow if desired

Preheat oven to 380. Line 15x10 inch jellyroll pan with aluminum foil, extending foil 1 inch over ends of pan. Prepare cake mix as package directs. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes or until op springs back when lightly touched. Immediately turn onto towel sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar. Peel off foil; beginning at narrow end, roll up cake with towel, jellyroll fashion. Cool thoroughly. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, rind and food coloring if desired; mix well. Fold in whipped topping. Unroll cake; trim edges. Spread with half the lemon filling; reroll cake. Place on serving plate seam side down; spread remaining filling over roll. Garnish with coconut. Chill thoroughly. Store in refrigerator.

Eclair Cake

This may be my favorite dessert ever! I'm not kidding. I only make it once or twice a year, because I will eat it all! Seriously, I'll hide it in the back of the fridge and not share with my family. I know it sounds crazy, but it's just that good!



Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter (1-stick)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
4 large eggs

Filling:
2 pkgs. (3.4 oz) French Vanilla Instant Pudding
2 1/2 cups cold milk
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (room temperature)
1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip

Chocolate Topping:**
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk (3 to 4 tbsp as needed for a thin glaze)
1 cup confectioners sugar


To Make Cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring the water, butter and salt to boil until butter is melted. Add the flour all at once and mix rapidly with a wooden spoon. Stir until the mixture leaves the sides of pan and forms a ball. Lower heat and continue stirring for 2 to 3 minutes to dry dough. Dough should be soft but not sticky. Cool slightly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until completely smooth. Spread in an ungreased 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Crust will puff up the sides of the pan while in the oven. When removed from the oven, prick bubbles with a fork. Let cool.

To Make Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the pudding mix, milk and softened cream cheese together until thoroughly blended. Fold in Whipped topping. Spread pudding mixture over the baked and cooled eclair crust. .

To Make Chocolate Syrup Topping: Melt chocolate chips and butter. Add confectioners sugar and milk alternately until a thin glaze forms. Pour or drizzle over Cool Whip. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

**Usually, I just buy a dove chocolate ice cream topping. When I do this I soften it in the microwave and put some directly on the crust, then the filling, and then more on the top!

Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Brownies...mmmm...these are the the best brownies ever! They are so moist and the frosting is fudgie and so chocolaty. Thanks to my friend Stacy for sharing it with me. I have to freeze any left over zucchini in 2 c increments in the freezer so I can have them year round. I'll post the recipe here and on my recipe blog so everyone can share in the yummy goodness. Enjoy!

Zucchini Brownies
2 c flour
1/3 c baking cocoa
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 c shredded zucchini
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c oil (I have used 1/2 c and it works too, I'm going to keep cutting it until it doesn't!)
1/2 c walnuts (optional)
2 t vanilla.
1-Mix: flour, cocoa, salt, soda in a mixing bowl.
2-In a separate bowl Combine zucchini sugar and oil. Stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
3-Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes before frosting.

Frosting:
1/4 c butter
1 c white sugar
1/4 c milk
1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c mini marshmallows
1 t vanilla
In a saucepan bring butter, sugar and milk to a boil. Boil on medium and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows until melted. Spread on top of brownies while warm.

Layered Chocolate Mousse

This is the first time I've ever made a mousse, and holy cow I'll make it again and again! I may just make a dark chocolate one next, or even a white chocolate one! It was SO good!



3 eggs
4 T superfine sugar
1 1/4 c milk
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 T water
1 1/4 c heavy cream
1/2 c dark chocolate chips
1/2 c white chocolate chips
1/2 c milk chocolate chips

Line a 1lb loaf pan with parchment paper. Separate the eggs, putting each white in a separate container. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Place the milk in a pan and heat gently stirring, until almost boiling. Pour the milk into the egg yolks, beating while you do so.

Set the bowl of egg and milk over a pan of gently simmering water and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens enough to thinly coat the back of a wooden spoon. (I tried a double boiler, but I got impatient and poured it into a regular pan and just stirred carefully!)

Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small heatproof bowl and allow to become spongy. Place over a pan of hot water and stir until dissolved. Stir into the hot mixture. Set aside to cool.

Whip the cream until just holding its shape. Fold into the egg custard, then divide the mixture into 3 equal parts. Melt the 3 types of chocolate separately. Fold the dark chocolate into one egg custard portion. Beat one egg white until standing in soft peaks and fold into the dark chocolate custard until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and level the top. Chill in the coldest part of the refrigerator until just set. Leave the remaining mixtures at room temperature.

Fold the white chocolate into another portion of the egg custard. Beat another egg white and fold in. Pour on top of the dark chocolate layer and chill quickly. Repeat with the remaining milk chocolate and egg white. Chill until set.

To server carefully turn out onto a serving dish and decorate with chocolate curls!

Flowerpot Dirt Cake

This is so good. Don't mistake it for your average pudding with cookie crumbs on top. You'll want to make extra and hide some just for yourself.
1 package chocolate sandwich cookies
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
4 T butter or margarine softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 pkg (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 c cold milk1 carton (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 new flowerpot (8x10 inches)
silk flowers
candy gummy worms

In a food processor or blender, crush cookies until fine. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth. In another bowl, mix pudding and milk until well blended. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped topping. Line flowerpot with foil. Alternate layers of crumbs and pudding ending with crumbs. Chill several hours or overnight. Decorate with silk flowers and gummy worms.

Serves 12.

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

This is delicious, and it only takes 5 minutes. My jeans may never fit again!!!!



5 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
3.5 tbs sugar
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

mix these ingredients together and add

3.5 tbs milk
2 tbs oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
add in choc. chips, nuts, whatever sounds good.

Nuke it for 1 min 45 seconds in the microwave. let cool and enjoy! also...this has a tendency to come over the top.. helps to open your microwave at around 50 seconds left and let it deflate a bit

Fresh Peach Pie

Mash 3 or 4 peaches

Add: 1 C sugar 2 Tbsp Cornstarch and 1/2 c water.

Cook until clear and thick.

Add: 1 tsp almond extract 2 Tbsp Butter.

Cut fresh sliced peaches in cooked pie crust. pour the above mixture ofer fresh sliced peaches. Let cool. Top with ice cream.

(If you have left over sauce, save it in the fridge to top your ice cream with later, or sometimes I just eat it with a spoon!)

Russian Cream

CREME:
1 cup sugar
2-1/4 cups water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1-1/2 cups sour cream
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped

TOPPING:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen sweetened raspberries

Directions: Dissolve sugar and gelatin in water over low heat. Remove from stove; stir in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Chill the mixture until slightly thickened (like unbeaten egg whites). Fold in whipped cream with wire whisk until well blended. Layer with raspberries in dessert cups. Chill until set. It will be thick like a jello, but much creamier and yummier!

Chocolate Strawberry Cake

This just looked too good to pass up. You could also dip strawberries in chocolate to place around the base...yummy.
Ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup baking cocoa
1 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted
FROSTING:
2/3 cup shortening
1 package (32 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup water
ICING:
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate shavings and additional confectioners' sugar, optional
Directions: In a small bowl, stir water into cocoa until blended; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. heart-shaped pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Slice 10 strawberries; set aside. Dip remaining whole strawberries into melted chocolate, about three-fourths to top. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; refrigerate until set. For frosting, cream shortening and confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy; gradually add water, beating until smooth. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. Set aside to dry, about 30 minutes. For icing, heat chocolate chips and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Spread over frosted cake until smooth. Refrigerate until set. Before serving, arrange two rows of sliced strawberries on top of cake in a heart shape. Fill center with chocolate shavings and dust with confectioners' sugar if desired. Place dipped strawberries around base. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Lemon Creme Pots

1 jar (10 oz) lemon curd (I made homemade, recipe follows)

1 c fat free sour cream

Yellow liquid food color

4tsp powdered egg whites (just whites) or 1 cup whipped cream

1/2 t vanilla extract

1/2 c sugar

You're going to need a butane torch for this one!

1-Whisk lemon curd in large bowl until smooth. Stir in small amount of sour cream to lighten, fold in remaining sour cream and add a few drops of food color.

2-Place lemon mixture in to 8 4 oz glasses. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. (You could also put raspberries underneath the lemon for a yummy berry treat!)

3-To serve: Stir powdered egg whites into 1/4 c warm water in a bowl until dissolved. Beat with mixer until frothy. Add vanilla. Turn speed to high, dding sugar 1 Tbs at a time until soft, shiny peaks from when beaters are lifted.

4-Put meringue in a large ziptop bag. Snip the corner and pipe so meringue mounds above the rim.

5-Hold a small butane torch above the meringue about 5 inches Lightly brown the meringue. If you don't have a torch top with whipped cream instead.

Lemon Curd
5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced
1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled
Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Watermelon Slice Cookies

From Taste of Home Magazine

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Red and green gel food coloring
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Set aside 1 cup of dough. Tint remaining dough red; shape into a 3-1/2-in.-long log. Wrap in plastic wrap. Tint 1/3 cup of the reserved dough green; wrap in plastic wrap. Wrap remaining plain dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll plain dough into a 8-1/2-in. x 3-1/2-in. rectangle. Place red dough log on the end of a short side of the rectangle; roll up. Roll green dough into a 10-in. x 3-1/2-in. rectangle. Place red and white log on the end of a short side on green dough; roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight. Unwrap and cut into 3/16-in. slices (just less than 1/4 in.). Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cut chocolate chips into small pieces. Lightly press raisin bits and sesame seeds into red dough to resemble watermelon seeds. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until firm. Immediately cut cookies in half. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen.

I usually double the recipe because it just doesn't seem to make enough cookies for us. That may be because I resemble the cookie monster in more ways than one!

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes

From Taste of Homes Simple and Delicious Magazine

3 c sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 c sugar

Biscuits
2 c flour
3 T sugar, divided
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c heavy whipping cream
1/2 c plus 1 T butter melted, divided
1/2 c miniature semisweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl combine strawberries and sugar; cover and refrigerate until serving.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 T sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine cream and 1/2 c butter stir into dry ingredients until a thick batter forms. Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by 1/3 cupfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Brush with remaining butter; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Cut biscuits in half horizontally Spoon fruit onto bottom halves. top with whipped cream if desired; replace biscuit tops. Serve immediately.

8 Servings

***These are wonderful still slightly warm out of the oven. But I didn't like them too well left over the next day, so now I half the recipe for my family! Enjoy

Chocolate Divinity

This is one of my favorite candy's. My dad was the one that made it and I always loved it. I tried it with the chocolate in it this time, but it's just as good without it, or with some nuts stirred in at the end.

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup water

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 egg whites

1 12 ounce package (2 cups) semi-sweet real chocolate chips

2 teaspoons vanilla

In 2 quart saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved (5 to 8 minutes). Without stirring, continue cooking until candy thermometer reaches 260 ° F or small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a hard ball (30 to 60 minutes)

Meanwhile, in large mixer bowl beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form (2 to 3 minutes). Reduce to medium speed; continue beating while slowly pouring hot syrup into egg whites in a thin stream.

Beat at high speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture loses gloss and starts to hold shape (4 to 6 minutes) By hand, stir in chocolate chips and vanilla just until chocolate melts and forms swirls. Quickly drop by tablespoonfuls onto buttered cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Lemon Squares

Nothing tastes like spring more than fresh strawberries, cucumbers, and Lemon Squares.

1 1/2 C all purpose flour
3/4 c butter, softened
1/4 c and 2 Tab confectioners sugar

Filling:
3 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
3 T all purpose flour
3/4 t baking powder
3 T lemon juice
1 1/2 t grated lemon peel
Additional confectioners' sugar

1-In a bowl, combine the flour, butter and confectioners sugar. Pat into an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
2-For filling, in a small bowl beat eggs. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice, and peel; beat until frothy. Pour over the crust. Bake 25 minutes longer or until light golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars.

Chocolate Custard

This delicious dessert it very rich! It's more fudgy than fluffy, but still very wonderful. A little goes a long way.

1 egg
2 T Sugar
Dash Salt
3/4 c half and half
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 t vanilla
Whipped cream

In a small saucepan combine the egg, sugar and salt. Wisk in cream. Cook and stir over med heat until mixture reaches 160 and coats the back of a metal spoon

Remove from heat, whisk in chocolate chips and vanilla until smooth. Pour into small dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream. 4 servings.

Fh'Zookie

(Repeat from my other blog, but it's so good I had to put it here!)

I had this dessert at The Firehouse Pizzaria. They call it the Fh'zookie and it's the best thing I've had in a long time. So I had to figure out how to duplicate it at home. I thought I'd share it with you.

You need cookie dough. It can be homemade, or it can be the kind you buy. I used the kind you buy because I really don't need a bunch of cookies sitting around to turn me into a blue monster that drools at the word cookie.
So anyway, put your cookie dough into a ramekin (my friend even did it in her muffin tins). Cook the cookie until it's golden around the edges but still a little bit undone in the middle. Pull them from the oven and top with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with chocolate and carmel. Eat while the cookie's hot! If you wait the cookie becomes just a cookie and not this wonderful, melty, dreamy desert.
At the resturaunt they have all different kinds of cookies to choose from-oatmeal raisin, white chocolate macadamia nut, chocolate chunk, toffee, and M&M. I really like the chocolate chunk, with the toffee as a close second!
I think this may even be better than cheesecake. :)