Desserts

[Joy Williams]

For all of you who have a sweet tooth, how about sharing some of your favorite dessert recipes?

[Joy Williams]

Strawberry De-Lite

This is a favorite for this time of year - when the strawberry picking is at its best. It's low calorie and a very light dessert.

2 Small packages Strawberry Jello (not instant) I use Sugar Free as my husband is diabetic and you can hardly tell the difference.
1Large package Vanilla Pudding (not instant)
3 1/2 Cups water
1 Quart Strawberries - chopped
Store bought Angel Food Cake
8 oz Cool whip

Mix Jello and Pudding with water.
Boil til dissolved.
Cool.
Add chopped strawberries.
Break Angel Food Cake into pieces and layer in bottom of 9 x 13 dish.
Pour strawberry mixture over cake and "smush" to cover the cake.
Spread Cool Whip over top.
Enjoy!!

[Amanda and Quinn]

My all-time favorite banana bread, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Here's my favorite! Yummmm!

Lemon Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take 2 lemons and grate them finely until you have 4 teaspoons. Set aside.

Mix the following ingredients in a food processor (or mixing bowl) until it forms coarse crumbs:

• 1 tsp. lemon peel
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Put it into a greased 13"x9" baking pan. Cover with waxed paper or parchment paper and press flat. Throw away the paper. (duh) Bake 18-20 minutes, until it starts to brown. If you are using a stoneware pan, you may need to bake it for 7-10 minutes longer.

Beat the following with an electric mixer on medium speed (or by hand) until well blended:

• 3 tsp of lemon peel
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Pour mixture evenly over the warm crust. Return to oven and bake another 18-20 minutes or until center is set and edges are beginning to brown.

Place pan on wire rack and cool completely.

Cut into squares. Sift some powdered sugar over the top.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Oreo Truffles. I can hardly call this a recipe, but people always ask me how to make them, and they are SO easy!

Ingredients
1 package oreos
1 16 oz package cream cheese
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Remove the cream centers of the Oreos, and set them aside.

Then, using a food processor (or crush them in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin) crush the Oreo cookies until they are very finely crushed, almost a powder.

Using a hand or stand mixer, mix the cream centers and cream cheese into the crushed oreos.

Roll into balls and chill in the fridge for an hour.

When they are chilled, dip in the melted chocolate. I like to buy white chocolate too and drizzle it over the top for a decorative finish. They taste really good, and are super simple!

[Joy Williams]

Oooh, this sounds so good - and sooo easy. I will be trying these this weekend!!

[Camilla and Darwin]

let me know how it goes!

[Joy Williams]

These are really good! I didn't have the white chocolate to drizzle, but they were still good - Not too sweet and very easy!! Thanks Camilla!

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

I made these and you are right, they are very, very tasty. I did, however, find them incredibly messy as when I was making them into balls, they were soooooo sticky. Did I do something wrong???

[Joy Williams]

Frances, I must have done the same thing b/c mine were real sticky too. I keep them in the fridge as they do soften up quite a bit if left out. But they are sooo good and I love that you can just pop one in your mouth and go when you need just a little something sweet. Maybe Camilla can enlighten us as to what we did wrong.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I can't believe I just say this comment, months later. Sorry! They are usually pretty sticky I think. If you don't want them to be that way, you could probably add less cream cheese or less oreo cream centers. I just freeze mine before dipping, that seems to help. If you don't want the chocolate to melt when left out, you could use candy coating or almond bark.

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

English Almond Roca

1 cup white sugar
1 cup real butter
1 cup slivered almonds
3 thin bars Hershey chocolate bars

Boil sugar and butter until light/dark tan color and consistency of "brains" (stirring constantly) Add slivered almonds and keep stirring. When fully mixed. pour into non-greased 9 1/2 x 13 1 inch deep rectangle dish and quickly lay Hershey bars (name side down) over mixture. Spread evenly with fork (the heat alone will make the chocolate melt). Put into the fridge and allow to set for a few hours. When hard, turn upside down (it will come out easily) and with the point of a sharp knife break into pieces. Your guests will love this sweet delight and have no idea how easy it was to make. Remember, the key to success, is to not under/over boil the butter and sugar mix. The color should be a light/dark tan.

[Miranda]

Yum Yum Cake

1 chocolate cake mix
2 Bananas

Topping:
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding
1 8oz tub of cool whip

Mix chocolate cake according to package and bake. Slice bananas and put on top of cooled cake. (You can dip the bananas in a little lemon juice to keep them from discoloring). Soften the cream cheese. Make vanilla pudding according to package except using just 1/2 of the milk. Add the cream cheese and cool whip. Spread on top of the bananas.

You could also use yellow cake and pineapple! yum yummm :)