Caramelized Banana Pudding

This dressed-up banana pudding features bananas caramelized in brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon


Caramelized Banana Pudding

Ingredients
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 cups milk
4 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
48 vanilla wafers
Preparation

1. Cook first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly. Add bananas; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat.
2. Whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar, next 3 ingredients, and 4 egg yolks in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
3. Divide half of banana mixture, pudding, and wafers among 8 (1-cup) ramekins or ovenproof glass dishes. Layer with remaining banana mixture, pudding, and vanilla wafers.
4. Beat 4 egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Spread meringue over ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.
5. Bake at 325° for 15 to 20 minutes or until meringue is golden. Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes.
Note:
For the best flavor, choose firm, ripe bananas with brown speckles.

Southern Living
FEBRUARY 2012

Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake is a classic Southern sheet cake filled with marshmallows and chopped pecans and covered in a rich chocolate frosting. This particular recipe offers a cupcake variation as well as a shortcut version.

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10.5-oz.) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting
Preparation

1. Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted.
3. Microwave 1 cup butter and semisweet chocolate in a large microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.
4. Whisk sugar and next 5 ingredients into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into a greased 15- x 10- x 1-inch jelly-roll pan.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with miniature marshmallows; bake 8 to 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle warm cake with Chocolate Frosting, and sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans.
Kitchen Express Mississippi Mud Cake: Prepare pecans as directed. Substitute 2 (17.6-oz.) packages fudge brownie mix for batter. Prepare mix according to package directions; pour batter into a greased 15- x 10- x 1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and top with marshmallows; bake 8 to 10 more minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover's Double Fudge Brownie Mix.
Caramel-Peanut Mississippi Mud Cake: Omit pecans. Prepare and bake Mississippi Mud Cake as directed. Microwave 1/2 cup bottled caramel sauce at HIGH 15 seconds. Drizzle over browned marshmallows. Drizzle with Chocolate Frosting, and sprinkle with 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts.
Mississippi Mud Cupcakes: Prepare pecans and Mississippi Mud Cake batter as directed. Spoon batter evenly into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until puffed. Sprinkle evenly with 2 cups miniature marshmallows, and bake 5 more minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, and cool cupcakes in muffin pans 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans, and place on wire rack. Drizzle warm cakes evenly with 1 1/4 cups Chocolate Frosting, and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Reserve remaining 3/4 cup frosting for another use. Note: To serve remaining Chocolate Frosting over pound cake or ice cream, microwave reserved 3/4 cup Chocolate Frosting in a medium-size microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 15 seconds or until warm.
This is a favorite I found in Southern Living.

Pumpkin Dog Biscuits (HEALTHY BONE DOG TREATS)

Pumpkin Dog Biscuits (HEALTHY BONE DOG TREATS)

Stop giving your dogs crap from China that is killing our dogs! Here is a Pumpkin Recipe that is healthy for them : Pumpkin Dog Biscuits (HEALTHY BONE DOG TREATS)

2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups brown rice flour *
1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin to smooth. Stir in dry milk, sea salt, and dried parsley (if using, optional). Add brown rice flour gradually, combining with spatula or hands to form a stiff, dry dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface (can use the brown rice flour) and if dough is still rough, briefly knead and press to combine.

Roll dough between 1/4 – 1/2″ – depending on your dog’s chew preferences, – and use biscuit or other shape cutter to punch shapes, gathering and re-rolling scraps as you go. Place shapes on cookie sheet, no greasing or paper necessary. If desired, press fork pattern on biscuits before baking, a quick up-and-down movement with fork, lightly pressing down halfway through dough. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn biscuits over, then bake additional 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on rack before feeding to dog.

* Brown rice flour gives the biscuits crunch and promotes better dog digestion. Many dogs have touchy stomachs or allergies, and do not, like many people I know, tolerate wheat.

Makes up to 75 small (1″) biscuits or 50 medium biscuits

1 scoop of brownie batter + 1 scoop of cookie dough in a muffin pan = Brookies

1 scoop of brownie batter + 1 scoop of cookie dough in a muffin pan = Brookies!

If you want to "SAVE" this recipe be sure to click "SHARE" so it will store to your personal photo album!

Make brownie and cookie mixes according to box directions. Bake as directed on box BUT start checking about half way through the directed time so your brownies stay moist (remember they are a smaller cook area when made as a muffin size and it will vary a little for each oven)

Mock Lemon Meringue Bars

Mock Lemon Meringue Bars The difficulty of making and cutting through soft meringue in this classic bar has been eliminated ! Try this variation and see.

Ingredients

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 cup lemon curd (from 11 1/4- to 12-oz jar)
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup marshmallow creme
1 container (6 oz) Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free French vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is set. Cool 30 minutes.
Spread lemon curd over cooled crust. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, marshmallow creme and yogurt with wooden spoon until well blended. Fold in whipped topping. Spread over lemon curd, swirling to resemble meringue topping. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until serving time. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store in refrigerator.

Bacon Cheddar Puffs

Bacon Cheddar Puffs.

Bacon Cheddar Puffs....oh I so love these! Light an fluffy ...like air with bacon!

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup Sargento Fine Shredded Sharp or Mild Cheddar Cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled

1/2 tsp. onion salt or powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine milk and butter in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture is simmering. Add flour all at once; continue to cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat.

Beat in 1 egg until mixture is smooth. Repeat with remaining eggs, adding just 1 egg at a time, beating until thoroughly combined. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop heaping teaspoons of mixture onto greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Super Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
This recipe is very simple, but if you do not know how to make candy then please follow instructions precisely. I have altered the instructions after a few reviews that it was crumbly. This is not the recipes fault, it is inexperience. Proper candy making is about temperatures. 4 minutes of boiling (from the time the first small bubbles form) bring this candy up to proper fudge/softball temperature as long as you are cooking over medium heat. When in doubt, use a thermometer.
4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
2 cups peanut butter
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions:

1
Prepare a 9 x 11 glass dish by buttering the bottom.
2
In heavy bottom sauce pan combine sugar and milk.
3
Measure and set aside remaining ingredients.
4
Cook over MEDIUM HEAT (temperature too high will cause it to reach temperature sooner and lead to overcooking) stirring occasionally till it comes to a boil then stir constantly.
5
Let boil for 4 minutes EXACTLY, over cooking leads to crumbly fudge as it has moved past softball stage and into softcrack (measure from the first sight of littlest bubbles or use a thermometer - softball stage) I use a stop watch. Remove from heat.
6
Stir in remaining ingredients till all melted and smooth.
7
Pour into prepared dish and refrigerate until firm.