Black bottom banana cream pie

Ingredients
1 (9-inch) Pastry Crust
3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Dash of salt
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon stick margarine or butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 cups sliced ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Chocolate curls (optional)
Preparation
Prepare and bake Pastry Crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, cocoa, and dash of salt in a small, heavy saucepan; gradually add 1/3 cup milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in chocolate; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spread chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared crust.

Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, eggs, 1 cup milk, and margarine in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook 30 seconds or until thick. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat cream cheese until light (about 30 seconds). Add 1/4 cup hot custard to cream cheese, and beat just until blended. Stir in remaining custard.

Arrange banana slices on top of chocolate layer; spoon custard over bananas. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; chill 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap. Spread whipped topping evenly over custard. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. Chill until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopies

for the cookies:
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 package spice cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

for the marshmallow spice filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
half of a 7-oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil (grease foil, if using).

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat pumpkin and butter on medium until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs, and milk; beat on low speed until combined, and then on medium speed for one minute.

3. By the heaping tablespoon, drop mounds of batter on cookie sheet; keep remaining batter chilled. Bake 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Carefully remove from parchment or foil; cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, using new parchment paper for each batch.

If desired, place cookies in a covered storage container with waxed paper between layers to prevent sticking. Store cookies at room temperature for 24 hours. Prepare marshmallow spice filling up to 2 hours before serving.

4. To make marshmallow spice filling, beat 1/2 cup softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat until well combined.

5. Spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons filling on flat side of one cookie; top with a second cookie. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 2 hours.

Makes 15 whoopies. These are yummy but rich!

Pretzel jello salad

2 c. crushed pretzels
3/4 c. melted butter
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 c. powdered sugar
1 lg. box raspberry,strawberry or blackberry Jello
2 cups frozen berries of any kind

Mix together pretzels, melted butter and the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Then press in 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool. Mix cream cheese, Cool Whip and 1 cup of powdered sugar; pour over pretzel crust.
Dissolve large package of raspberry Jello in 2 cups boiling water. Add 2 packages of frozen raspberries not drained. Mix well and pour over cream cheese. Chill for a couple hours.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

CRUST:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix (reserve 3/4 for topping)
1 cube butter, melted butter

FILLING:
1 can pumpkin filling made as directed on label.

Topping:
1/2 c sugar
nuts 1/2-1 cup (I like pecans!)
cake mix
shavings of butter ( I used 1/2 a cube)

Reserve 3/4 cup of the yellow cake mix for use later. Mix the remaining cake mix with the melted butter and pat into the bottom of a 9"x13" greased pan. Beat together all of the filling ingredients and pour over the crust.
To make the topping, mix the reserved cup of cake mix with 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and shavings of butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.

Top with whip cream! MMmmmmm

Thanks Heather!!

Fresh Pear & Apple Cake with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake Ingredients:

4 cups peeled and chopped pears and apples
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 egg whites
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Mix pears, apples, and sugars and let sit for one hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 13×9 pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
3. Mix egg whites, oil, and vanilla. Add to fruit mixture.
4. Whisk flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir in the fruit mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
6. Frost and top with chopped nuts.

Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Soften butter and cream cheese.
2. Whip all ingredients until soft and creamy.

Asphalt pie

Oreos
1/3 C. melted butter
1/2 gallon chocolate chip mint ice cream
Whip Cream
Carmel
Hot Fudge

* You will freeze between each layer.

Spray cooking spray in bottom of 9 x13 pan.

Set out ice cream to soften while you are making the crust.

Mix butter with 3/4 package of crushed Oreos and spread on bottom of pan.

Add carmel and then spread ice cream on top of Oreo layer.

Add whip cream layer.

Then top with carmel and hot fudge.

Thanks sisters stuff!

Snickers Salad

This is a favorite that is so easy and could pass for a side salad or dessert.

3 red apples
3 green apples
(I usually use about 5-6 Fuji apples)
1 tub cool whip
2 large or 10 mini snickers bars, frozen.

Chop all of the apples into diced chunks. Toss in a bowl with cool whip. Smash the snickers bars in a Ziploc bag cover with a towel. Mix the snickers in with the apples and cool whip. Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!!

Rocky Road Bars

Cake:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup (recommended: Hershey's)

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

For the cake: Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl. Add to creamed mixture, continuing to beat. Add vanilla and chocolate syrup to batter and mix well. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. While cake is baking, prepare the frosting.

For the frosting: Put butter, chocolate chips, sugar and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stirring ingredients together, boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and nuts. Allow frosting to cool a bit and then add marshmallows. Pour over warm cake. Serve at room temperature.

Cookies n Cream Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, Ghiradelli makes bittersweet chocolate chips.
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
one package of marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 cups Rice Krispies
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
4-6 oz. white chocolate, chopped
finely chopped Oreos, for topping

Directions: Place bittersweet chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. Set aside. Grease a 9×13″ pan.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted and well combined. Turn off heat and stir in the melted chocolate and the vanilla extract.

Gently stir in the Rice Krispies and coarsely chopped Oreos, and mix to coat evenly. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, leveling the top. (I like to use a piece of plastic wrap over my fingers and press it down with my hand.) Allow to cool completely.

Once cooled, cut into squares. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until completely melted. Place the finely chopped Oreos in another bowl. Dip the top of each square into the white chocolate and then the finely chopped cookies. Set aside to cool and let the chocolate set completely.

Or spread melted whit chocolate over the top of the un-cut treats the sprinkle with cookie crumbs and lightly press down. Then cut and serve.

Store in an airtight container.

Strawberry whipped Sensation

4 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip whipped topping, thawed, divied
8 OREO chocolate sandwich cookies, finely chopped*
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

LINE 9x5 inch loaf pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mash 2 cups of the strawberries in large bowl. Add condensed milk, juice, and 2 cups of the whipped topping; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

MIX chopped cookies and butter. Spoon over whipped topping mixture. Cover with ends of foil and gently press cookie mixture into whipped topping mixture. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.

INVERT dessert onto serving plate when ready to serve; remove pan and foil. Spread remaining whipped topping onto top and sides of dessert. Slice remaining 2 cups strawberries; arrange over dessert. Store leftovers in freezer.

*I doubled the amount of OREOs and butter to make a thicker crust. next time i think i will quadruple it

Cinnamon Crème fraîche

2 C. heavy cream
1 C. buttermilk
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Put both cream and buttermilk in a sealed container. Shake well leave out at room temperature overnight, at least 8 hours.
In the morning, shake well. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste and beat until fluffy. Serve with fresh fruit for a fabulous breakfast! Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Skor trifle

Skor Trifle

Ingredients:
1 box mix chocolate cake
2 boxes chocolate instant pudding
1 tub whipped topping
2 Skor bars, or Heath bars, or whatever toffee bars you can get your hands on

Instructions:
Make cake and pudding ahead of time. In trifle dish or glass bowl layer crumbled cake, pudding, whipped topping and crushed Skor bar. Repeat 2-3 times, ending w/ whipped topping and Skor bar.

Super Moist Cake

1 box cake mix
1 cup mayo
1 cup water
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon

Oven at 350 for 40 minutes

Marshmellow fondant

16 oz mini-marshmallows
2-5 T water
2 lbs powdered sugar
½ c shortening (or more! Just keep the shortening out!!)

Put the marshmallows and 2 T of water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir, microwave for another 30 seconds, stir, continue until it is melted. Dump 3/4 of the powdered sugar into the bowl. Grease your ENTIRE work space with the shortening and then grease your hands with shortening. Dump out the marshmallow/sugar mixture and kneed it like you would bread dough. Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar and keep kneading. You will know when it is done. It will look like this:

Homemade Pop Tarts

pie crust(recipe follows)
good jam(your choice)
Glaze
Sparkling Sugar

Pie Crust

1-1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cold water
Combine flour and salt in bowl. Add shortening or butter and blend with fork, pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture is fairly coarse. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, gently mixing dough after each addition until dough forms a ball. (Dough can also be prepared in food processor. Use the pulse button just until it starts to pull away from the sides. Be very careful not to overwork the dough.) Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a square/rectangle. Cut out long strips about 2 inches wide, and 3 inches long. Repeat till you run out of dough.

Glaze:

1 cup powder sugar
milk to thin
Place powdered sugar in bowl. Pour milk slowly until it has a consistancy of really thick syrup.


Assemble: Take one pie crust rectangle, fill with a tsp of jam. Cover with another piece of pie crust. Crimpe all four edges. Repeat until you run out of pie crust. Bake at 450F for abou7-8 minutes or until slightly brown. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, pour glaze on to Poptart and decorate iwth sparkling sugar.

Oatmeal Spice Cake with Brown Butter frosting

1 1/2 c flour
1 c quick-cooking oats
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 c shortening
1 c water
2 eggs
2 Tb molasses

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 inch pan with shortening; lightly flour. Beat all ingredients with electric mixer in large bowl 30 seconds on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Prepare Browned Butter Frosting; spread on cooled cake.


Browned Butter Frosting
1/3 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2+ Tb milk

Heat butter over medium heat until delicate brown. Mix in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and enough milk until smooth and spreadable. (For me it takes at least 3 tablespoons of milk - just make sure you add enough milk to make it soft and smooth. If the frosting is too thick, it will tear the cake and not look pretty!)

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES SPECIAL

2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla (real vanilla is best!)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
5 1/2 c flour (I keep my flour in the freezer, I don't know why, but it does something magical to cookies, it makes them set up so much better)
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding (french or regular vanilla, they are both good)
3 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix in the order listed, place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes ( I like my cookies really soft, so I cook them for 8 or 9 min and they are so soft and good, they don't really look all the way done, but after they cool they set up perfectly)

Banana Layer Cake/ cupcakes

I got this fabulous recipe out of "Cooking Light." Originally it is for a banana layer cake, but I decided to make cupcakes because I think they're easier ao I will give you the original recipe, but also add that when I made these, I cooked them for about 10-11 minutes (depending on your oven) and I used canned cream cheese frosting, not homemade.

Also, a few tips: if you don't have buttermilk on hand (which I never do) you can fill your measuring cup with normal milk a little less than the 1/2 cup line, and then pour a couple of tsp. or so of vinegar in it til it reaches the 1/2 cup measurement. This will curdle it and voila! Buttermilk. Also, I toast my nuts on a baking sheet in an oven set to about 300-325; toast until brown and you can smell them. To easily toast coconut, spread the coconut on a microwave-safe plate in an even layer, and microwave on high 30 sec. Stop and stir it, then microwave again another 30 seconds. Keep stirring and doing this until your coconut is brown and crunchy, but not burnt.

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 & 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 & 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

Frosting:
2/3 cup (about 5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Remaining ingredients:
2 tbsp. finely chopped pecans, toasted
2 tbsp. flaked sweet coconut, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. To prepare cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, line the bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place granulated sugar, oil, 1 & 1/4 tsp. vanilla, egg whites, and egg in large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Add banana; beat well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire racks.
5. To prepare frosting: place cream cheese, and 1 tsp. vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar; beat at low speed until smooth.
6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup icing, and top with other cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle pecans and coconut over top layer of cake. Store cake loosely in refrigerator. Yield: 16 servings.

Cobbler in seconds! For 1-2...

1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

[mix all together (at this point i put in a Ziploc and put what i don't use in the fridge then when i want some cobbler i just take out what i need) take out 1/2 cup of mixture and put in microwave safe bowl cook for 1 minute (bubbly) stir. then get out some fresh or canned peaches (or any fruit you like) and put in bowl microwave for 30 seconds then add topping and micro for 30 more...
voila! yum yum!

Mississippi Mud Cake

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain devil's food cake mix
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, just add 3 tsp. white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups milk)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmellow creme or 1 1/2 cups mini marshmellows
Chocolate Pan Frosting (recipe below)
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly mist a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
2. Place the cake mix, melted butter, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and blend on low speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down pan. Then blend on medium about 2 minutes more until the batter is blended and light and fluffy. Pour it into prepared pan.
3. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, about 40 to 42 min. Remove the pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Spread the warm cake with the marshellow creme or mini marshmellows.
4. Prepare the chocolate pan frosting.
5. Pour the hot frosting on top of the marshellow creme and spread it out with a spatula so the frosting reaches the edges of the cake. Scatter the top with toasted pecans. Cool the cake for 20 minutes before serving.
Note: To toast pecans, preheat oven to about 325. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet in an even layer, and place in oven for about 5 minutes or so, just until you can smell them and they're not burnt.
This cake can also be stored, covered at room temp. for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake on the counter overnight before serving.

Chocolate Pan Frosting:
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter
4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup whole milk
4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over low heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cocoa powder and milk. Let the mixture come just to a boil, stirring, and then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in confectioner's sugar until the frosting is thickened and smooth.
2. Pour the warm frosting over the top of a cooled cake of your choice, spreading it with a spatula so that it reaches all the sides of the cake. Work quickly because this frosting goes on best while still warm.