Frozen S'mores

We had a small 4th of July gathering.  Mr. Devilish Dish made "Brisket on a Stick" which is really giant ribs.  I made my Mom's Corkscrew Pasta Salad  because it is Little Devil's favorite.  We had baked beans and Vodka Slushes too.  I was trying to keep things simple and "make ahead" and I really wanted a make ahead dessert too.  Mr. Devilish Dish suggested Peach Cobbler, which I absolutely love, but I wanted to try something new.  The 4th of July and summer always makes me think of S'mores but right now we are in straight pool and patio mode in our yard, and the firepit is covered up.  Not to mention it is hotter than heck this time of year, and cooking dessert over a flame just didn't sound fun.  I thought about making a S'mores homemade ice cream, but again it is the lazy days of summer.  I thought surely some kind of frozen s'mores bar or ice cream sandwich exists.  And yes!  Here we are.  This was a simple but fun dessert to make and it turned out to be a huge hit.  Light and cool, it was the perfect bite after a big bbq meal.  I'll definitely be making this treat again this summer.  A fun alternative to the traditional s'mores!

A fun and cool alternative to the 
traditional roasted s'mores.

Just a few ingredients.

Mix the pudding mix and whole
milk together, then fold in a 
little bit of the whipped topping.

Line a pan with parchment paper
(See note below)
Top with cracker sections and then
the chocolate mixture.
Freeze.

Meanwhile, mix together the
marshmallow cream and cream cheese.
Fold in remaining whipped topping.

Spread this on top of the set 
chocolate mixture.

Make sure this is smooth.
See how I left parchment overhanging
the edges of the pan? This step is important
to ensure you can cut into neatly 
shaped bars.

Top with graham cracker sections and 
return to freezer several hours or overnight.
Use the parchment paper to lift the 
frozen slab out of the pan and onto a 
cutting board.  Cut into neat squares with a 
sharp knife.

Enjoy.  These made an ideal dessert 
for the hot Fourth of July!

FROZEN S'MORES BARS

1 (5.9 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
2.5 cups cold whole milk
1 box graham crackers (you will have one package leftover)
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang the pan.  (This step is important.) Break the graham cracker rectangles in half, creating squares and line the bottom of the pan.  (I had to carefully cut a couple to fit around the edges)  Set aside.  In a bowl, beat together the pudding mix and cold milk until smooth and creamy.  Stir in quarter of the whipped topping (about a heaping 1/2 cup) and mix well.  Spread the chocolate mixture over the graham crackers and place the pan into the freezer.  Mean while, mix together the marshmallow creme and cream cheese until smooth.  Fold in the remaining whipped topping.  Remove the pan from the freezer and spoon the marshmallow mixture over the chocolate mixture and top with more graham cracker squares.  Cover the pan and freeze for several hours or overnight.  Remove from the freeze, and use the parchment paper to lift the frozen slab from the pan onto a cutting board.  Use a sharp knife to cut evenly into squares using the graham cracker sections as your guide.  Serve immediately or place the sections into an airtight freezer-safe container, placing parchment paper between each layer.  Keep frozen until serving.

Enjoy,

ONE BANANA Banana Bread

A while back we went to visit the Devilish Nephew and family.  There was a lone banana on the counter, getting darker and riper every day.   The Devilish Nephew was about to throw it out when Mr. Devilish Dish stopped him.  "Don't throw that out, it's perfectly ripe, she'll bake something with it." And he was totally correct.  I've heard many pastry chefs say that the blacker and uglier the banana looks, the sweeter, more intense banana flavor is inside.  It's hard to let a banana lay on the counter looking all sad and gross, but trust me, this is prime banana flavor.  This theory about letting the bananas get extremely ripe is totally true.  There is so much delicious banana flavor, you don't need an entire bunch.  Just one (Or two if they're small) will do.  The family was so impressed with how moist, delicious and intensely flavored this bread is.  Now you have a purpose for that lonely black banana that's been haunting you from the counter all week.  No need to waste it, because it's idea for this ONE BANANA Banana Bread!

This is the most delicious, moist and intensely
flavored banana bread.  You won't believe 
there is only one banana in there!

I baked this in Colorado.  I made no adjustments
for the altitude and it still came out delicious.

Save that lone banana, and let it get VERY RIPE
for this recipe.  You won't be disappointed.

ONE BANANA -BANANA BREAD

1 very ripe banana
1 egg
whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a loaf pan generously and set aside.  Mash the banana into a large bowl.  Crack the egg into a measuring cup and add enough whole milk to make 1 cup.  Pour this in with the banana.  Add the butter and vanilla.  Combine together until you  have a slightly-lumpy batter.  In a separate small bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and baking soda.  Stir this into the banana mixture.  Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake approximately 45-60 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool before removing from loaf pan.  Slice and enjoy.

Payday Crunch Bars

June was an absolute whirlwind for us.  As many of you have probably seen on the news, the Oklahoma Sooners Baseball Team won the NCAA Men's College World Series.  This is only their third time to win since 1951 so it was kind of a big deal.  Mr. Devilish Dish is a die-hard baseball fan.  The post season run the team went on to make it to Omaha for the series was nothing less than historic.  I've never seen my husband so fired up.  We had a watch party at least twice weekly for over a month.  If you know anything about baseball you know the schedules and game times are wonky.  As in "Come over Monday at 1:30 pm for a watch party" and "See you again Wednesday at 6:00 pm for game 2."  As I've said many times before when it comes to my husband and Oklahoma sports, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." So I just made side dishes and desserts and delicious frozen beverages while he grilled meat outdoors and cheered on the team.  You also probably know baseball folks are superstitious.  Not a little stitious, SUPER stitious!   So every time we won, we had to do the whole thing over for the next game.  I will say of all of my watch party creations these PAYDAY CRUNCH BARS were the biggest hit.  Something about peanuts always makes me think baseball so these were perfect.  Very crunchy, slightly sweet and salty and easy to eat while cheering.  That's a home run!

Payday Crunch Bars are a definite
HOME RUN!

Just a few ingredients too.

Combine the syrup, peanut butter
and sugar over medium heat.

Boil this mixture together
for one minute.  Then add vanilla.

Combine the peanuts and 
Chex cereal in a large bowl.

Pour the boiled mixture over the
cereal mixture.  Stir lightly to coat.

Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with a piece
of foil and lightly grease the foil.  This will make
cutting into bars much easier.  These are very
crisp and crunchy.

Allow to cool completely 
before cutting into bars.

Enjoy.  Preferably while winning a 
National Championship.

PAYDAY CRUNCH BARS

1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups rice Chex cereal
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups cocktail peanuts

Combine cereal and peanuts in a large bowl and set aside.  Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil and lightly grease the foil.  Don't skip the foil step as it makes these bars MUCH easier to cut later.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine Karo syrup, peanut butter and sugar.  Bring to a boil and boil together for one minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour this mixture over the cereal and peanuts.  Stir to coat and lightly press into greased pan.  Allow to cool completely.

When ready to cut, lift the foil out of the pan, and peel off the slab of crunch bars.  Cut evenly into squares and enjoy.

Pink Fluff Dessert

So last year, the Mother's Day festivities were literally created around the paper plates and napkins I bought for the occasion.  The plates were half-circles and looked like lemon wedges.  The matching napkins made it so cute I just knew I wanted a lemon dessert to match, and I made my TWO-INGREDIENT LEMON BARS. This year, I was stuck for inspiration, so I did the same thing.  I went out and chose my cute paper plates and napkins and decided to build a dessert around that.  I found some really cute pink paper plates with pastel roses, and coordinating napkins.  When I showed them to my friend, she said, "You have to make my husband's grandmother's Pink Fluff recipe."  Now I had no idea what Pink Fluff was but I assumed it was one of those desserts that may or may not be called a salad, but probably contains marshmallows and fruit, and qualifies as a dessert.  The cherry pie filling in this dessert gives it the perfect shade of pastel pink.  The only change I made is using freshly whipped cream instead of Cool Whip and I always do in these kinds of recipes.  It's light and fluffy and chilled so it is ideal to serve all summer long.  Both my mom and aunt loved it, and asked for the recipe.  AND I took the leftovers to my friend, who gave it the stamp of approval!  

A quick and easy dessert that 
tastes as pretty as it looks.

Just a handful of ingredients...

Combine the pie filling, pineapple
and pudding mix.

Fold in the whipped cream and 
then stir in the marshmallows.
Allow to chill.

Now you have a beautiful pastel pink dessert.

Garnish with additional marshmallows and
some maraschino cherries.

Enjoy!

PINK FLUFF DESSERT

(1) 20-ounce can Cherry Pie Filling
(1) 20-ounce can Crushed Pineapple, undrained
(1) 3.4-ounc box instant vanilla pudding mix
1.5 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks
2 cups mini marshmallows (plus more for garnish)
maraschino cherries for garnis

In a large bowl, combine cherry pie filling, pineapple and pudding mix.  Allow to set up while you whip the cream.  Carefully fold in the whipped cream.  Once the whipped cream in incorporated, carefully stir in the marshmallows.  Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours.  When ready to serve, garnish with additional marshmallows and maraschino cherries.

Strawberries Romanoff

Strawberry season is upon us, and it's a great time to make this vintage dessert.  It's simple, but very elegant.  It was rumored to be Jackie Kennedy's favorite dessert and was served to Princess Grace of Monaco during a White House visit.  If it is impressive enough for a FLOTUS and Princess, then it is sure to impress your guests.  This classic dessert is ideal for any spring dinner party or luncheon. So easy to make, it is simply fresh ripe strawberries soaked in orange liqueur and orange juice for several hours.  To serve, you top it with a decadent vanilla whipped cream.  A perfect use for spring's abundance of fresh ripe strawberries.

This vintage dessert is simple to prepare,
but so impressive to serve.

The ingredients.

Soak your clean, hulled strawberries 
in a mixture of orange liqueur and 
fresh orange juice.

Cover and refrigerate several hours.

To serve, place some of the berries
and juice in a serving dish.

Top with sweetened
vanilla whipped cream.

So simple, and perfect for ripe
spring strawberries!

STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF

1 quart fresh strawberries
1/2 cup orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed juice from an orange
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Wash and hull berries.  Place in bowl with the liqueur and orange juice.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours.  When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla until stiff and pipeable.  Place the strawberries, with a little bit of the liquid in a glass serving dish (such as a parfait glass or individual serving bowls.)  Pipe the whipped cream decoratively on top with a pastry bag.  Garnish with mint leaves or candied violets if desired.

Irish Cream Cheesecake

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  This is one holiday Mr. Devilish Dish and I love to celebrate.  Sometimes we go the fun route and celebrate with something non-traditional like Shamrock Shake Pie, and sometimes we enjoy bacon and cabbage.  We both have Irish heritage - his roots are "Black Irish" which is clearly evident with his dark hair and olive skin.  My side is the stereotypical auburn haired, lighter skin tone version.  I even have a claddagh tattoo, which is an Irish symbol representing LOVE (heart), LOYALTY (crown) and FRIENDSHIP (hands).  It's safe to say we appreciate our heritage, although Irish Cream may not be something our ancestors enjoyed.  We definitely enjoyed this IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKE.  To be honest, I hardly ever make any cheesecake besides my New York Style Cheesecake, since that is everyone's birthday request.  I don't think I've ever made a cheesecake with a sour cream topping, but not only did it add flavor, it made the top absolutely perfect and smooth.  If you are looking for a WOW dessert for the month of March, or you simply love the flavor of Irish Cream liqueur, this cheesecake is a total winner.

Our new favorite cheesecake!

The ingredients...Though they seem
complicated, cheesecakes are usually
just a few ingredients and simple to
prepare.

Use a small glass or cup to get the 
crust tapped down evenly.

Bake that thing and allow to cool
completely before you prepare the topping.

Combine the topping ingredients.

Spread evenly over the top of the 
baked and cooled cheesecake.

Chill until cold and set.

Enjoy for a Happy St. Patrick's Day
or any day you want a delicious dessert.

IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKE

For the Crust:
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1/2 Irish Cream liqueur

For the Topping:
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup Irish Cream liqueur

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  To prepare the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.  Spread the mixture evenly across the bottom and partly up the sides of a 9 or 10-inch springform pan.  Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.  With a mixer combine the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Add the Irish Cream and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour into the chilled crust and bake for 25 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before topping.  To prepare the topping thoroughly blend together sour cream, sugar and Irish cream.  Spread mixture evenly on top of cheesecake.  Allow to chill and set until firm.

 

 

Shamrock Shake Pie

Mr. Devilish Dish loves the flavor combination of mint and chocolate.  He will always choose Junior Mints at the movies when I choose Milk Duds.  He loves mint chocolate chip ice cream, and he especially loves when the month of March rolls around and he can get a Shamrock Shake at McDonalds.  I'm not usually a fan, but when I saw the recipe for this Shamrock Shake Pie, I knew right away I would be planning a special meal for St. Patrick's Day.  We enjoyed Bangers & Mash (sausages and mashed potatoes) and delicious Creamed Leeks, which brought a beautiful, natural green to the dinner plate.  Rounding out the meal was this not so traditional but super tasty and fun pie.  It was colorful and truly tastes as good as it looks. I made things simple by using a store-bought graham cracker crust, and garnished my pie with chocolate mint candies.  The perfect dessert for any meal during the month of March.

This is the cutest, and tastiest dessert.

The ingredients.  Be sure to read my 
note regarding whether you want to use
Cool Whip or heavy whipped cream.

Garnish with whipped cream and 
mint candies.  So cute and tasty too.

SHAMROCK SHAKE PIE

1 Premade Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 (3.4 ounce) box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip OR 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream - whipped*SEE NOTE

Optional Garnish Ideas: Additional whipped cream, mint candies, maraschino cherries

In a large bowl mix together the pudding mix and milk until well combined.  Add the food coloring and mint extract.  Fold in the Cool-Whip or whipped cream.  (*NOTE: I'm not usually a fan of Cool-Whip so I will substitute heavy cream that I have whipped myself.  While I think it makes a better flavor and texture, Cool Whip does contain a stabilizer that will keep your pie longer without weeping.  That being said, this pie lasted at least 2 or 3 days for us without getting melty or "weepy."  If you think you need to make this pie in advance - more than just the day before serving - you might want to use Cool Whip instead of whipped heavy cream.) Once this mixture is combined, pour into the premade crust a refrigerate until completely set, about 4 hours or overnight.  When ready to serve, garnish with whipped cream and mint candies or maraschino cherries.

Have a Lucky March,