Monday, August 30, 2010

Crissi's Nutter-Butter Banana Pudding

Another recipe courtesy of my sister.

INGREDIENTS:
3 C. Milk
3 Large Eggs
3/4 C. sugar
1/3 C. Flour
2 TBSP. Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla
5 Ripe Bananas
1 package of Nutter Butter Sandwich Cookies (1 pound package)
Tub of extra creamy Cool-Whip

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Removed from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.

Fill a large bowl with ice. Place saucepan in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly chilled.

Meanwhile, cut bananas into 1/4 inch slices. Break all cookies into thirds.

Spoon half of pudding mixture into a 3-quart bowl. Top with bananas and cookies (about half of bulk) Spread half of tub of cool whip on top. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies and layer more bananas and cookies before adding remaining cool whip. Add a few slices of bananas and cookie chips to top for garnish. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. The longer it chills, the better it tastes! It gives it time for the flavors to infuse and the cookies to soften!

Crissi's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is courtesy of my sister Crissi Brooks. I take no credit, good or bad, since I myself have never tried this one before.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Regular Crisco Shortening
1 Stick Butter, softened (Do not use margarine)
1 1/3 C. sugar
1 C. light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 TBSP. Vanilla
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp. Salt (optional)
1 tsp.Cinnamon
1/2 C. Oats
3 C. Flour
2-12 oz. packages of chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate whichever you prefer)
2 C. chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
Beat Crisco, butter and sugars for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat Well. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Mix dry ingredients together - then add to sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop 1/4 cup mounds, 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes.

Makes huge yummy cookies!

Opal Stout's Sugar Cookies

OK...so I am not really sure who Opal Stout is but, I do know she was a resident of Tulia, Texas where I grew up and apparently her recipe for Sugar Cookies is the BEST EVER!!!!!

Posted by request of my sister Crissi Brooks.

INGREDIENTS:
Mix together in a VERY large bowl:
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Powdered Sugar
1 C. Fleishman's Margarine, softened
1 C. Canola oil
2 Eggs

Add the following and mix...you may have to use your hands
5 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Vanilla (After starting this recipe one time and discovering I was out of vanilla, I found that substituting Brandy for the vanilla makes an equally delicious sugar cookie)
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract

Pinch off dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Flatten each ball on a cookie sheet with a glass or cookie press that is dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown around the edges.

Makes a lot of cookies!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Strawberry-Hibiscus Sorbet

I have just returned from Mexico where I had a delicious Hibiscus Sherbet. As I was eating this delicious dessert, I said to myself, "I must make something like this when I get home."

I frequently drink Hibiscus tea, so I already had the dried flowers at home just waiting for me to create my own delicious dessert.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 C.water
1/4 C. dried hibiscus flowers

SYRUP:
1 C. water
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. light corn syrup
1 C. sliced Strawberries
1/2 C. very sweet dessert wine like Barefoot Moscato

INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine the water and hibiscus in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to steep for at least 1 hour, until cool. Strain and discard hibiscus flowers, being careful to discard any sediment at the bottom of the pot. Refrigerate until chilled.

Make the syrup by bringing the water, sugar, corn syrup and straberries to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and blend strawberries until smooth then add the wine and refrigerate until chilled.

Combine the syrup with the hibiscus tea. Pour mixture into an ice cream freezer and procees until freezer stops. ENJOY!