Banana Slush

My favorite slush. When I went to make some this summer and noticed the fading pencil and my handwriting from 30 plus years ago...I decided I needed a cyber copy
Banana Slush
1 qt water
1 kg can oineapple juice (like a LARGE can)
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate (It calls for a 6 oz...but they haven't had those for years.)
1 can lemonade
6 large bananas mashed
Sugar to taste.
   Grind it, mix it freeze it. To serve. Add frozen slush to cup. (I freeze at least part in ice cube trays and use 7-8 in a very tall glass) chop it up a little with a knife of a fork. Add soda, usually lemon-lime, but we have loved all the varieties. Keep chopping and enjoy. this is one of those things that I am sad when it is done!

Ooh La La French Silk Pie

Baked pie shell

1 C. Sugar

3/4 C. Butter (make sure it is real butter)

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate melted and slightly cooled

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

Whip cream 

Chocolate curls

    Cream sugar and butter about 4 minutes or until light. Blend in cooled chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time beating for 2 minutes after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Put in baked pastry shell. Chill several hours. Add whip cream on top and garnish with chocolate curls. 

Favorite Brownie Recipe

1 C. Butter

1 2/3 c Sugar

    Cream this together and add: 

4 eggs

 Mix well and add:

1/2 C. Cocoa

1 C. Flour

   Bake at 350* for 25 minutes. 

 I like to add chocolate chips, but it needs to bake a bit longer.

Mint Frosting

1/2 C. Butter

2 C. Powdered sugar

1/4 C. Milk

1/4 tsp. peppermint 

Red or green food coloring

  I also like to make a simple ganache for the top. Or use:

Fluffy Cocoa Frosting

1/2 cube butter

1/4 C. Cocoa

2 C. Powdered sugar

1/4 C. Milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Pumpkin Gingerbread with Caramel Sauce

This recipe means autumn and the holidays are here. We love it. I double the recipe and use a 9X13 pan. I also increase the baking time. The sauce is great on ice cream also.

 2 1/4 c. Flour
1/2 c. Sugar
2/3 c. Cold butter
  Cut this together and add 3/4 c. Chopped pecans. ( I don't add these)
Press 1 1/4 c into a 9X9 pan (don't grease it). To remaining crumbs add:
1 1/2 tsp. Ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. Molasses
1/2 c. Puréed pumpkin (it can be canned, I just grow my own)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
 Mix well and pour over crust. Bake 40 minutes at 350*.
Sauce
1/2 c. Butter
1 1/4 c. Light brown sugar
2 Tbs. Corn syrup
1 c. Half and half or cream
1 tsp. vanilla
  Melt butter. Add sugar and syrup. Cook boiling about 5 minutes. Add cream, and return to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm with cake

Thanksgiving Pies (as promised)

Here are the pies I served. The Caramel Apple Pie recipe is in an earlier post. I think I might love pie!

Pecan Chocolate Chip Pie

   4 eggs

   1 cup sugar

   1 cup light corn syrup

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1/2 cup butter, melted

    1 cup chopped pecans

    1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

  1 unbaked pastry shell (10 inches)

  In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla. Add

butter and mix well. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into

pie shell.

Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 10-12 servings.

Cherry Almond Mousse Pie

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, divided

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1/2 teaspoon almond extract, divided

1 frozen pie shell (9 inches), baked

1 jar (10 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup cold water

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

Chocolate curls, optional

In a small saucepan over low heat, cook and stir 1/2 cup milk and

chocolate until the chocolate is melted and mixture is thickened,

about 4 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract. Pour into pie shell;

set aside.

Set aside eight whole cherries for garnish. Chop the remaining

cherries; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until

fluffy. Gradually beat in water and remaining milk. Beat in pudding

mix and remaining extract. Fold in whipped cream. Stir in chopped

cherries and almonds.

Pour over pie. Chill 4 hours or until set. Garnish with whole cherries and chocolate curls if desired.  

Pumpkin Pie

30 ounces of pureed pumpkin (We loved the home grown pumpkin- I had to use an immersible blender to get it smooth enough)

1 ½ c. sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp/ salt

1 tsp/ ground ginger

1 tsp/ ground nutmeg

6 eggs

1 can of evaporated milk

2 unbaked pie shells

     In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar and spices. Mix it up well. Add the eggs and mix with a fork, lightly beating the mixture. Add the milk. At this point the mixture is very liquid – hint, put the empty shells in the oven and pour the mixture in while on the rack. Cover edges with foil. Bake at 375* for 25 minutes. Remove foil edges and bake 25- 30 minutes more. It is done when a knife comes out clean.

Buttermilk Pie

 1 baked pie shell

3 large eggs

¾ c. sugar

3 TB flour

1 ½ c buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 TBS fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon rind

1 tsp. butter melted

 ½ tsp. ground nutmeg

   Beat eggs and sugar until light and lemony colored. Add flour and beat until well mixed. Add buttermilk, vanilla lemon juice, lemon rind and butter. Pour into baked pie shell and dust with nutmeg. Bake 375* fir 25-30 minutes.

Coconut Cream Pie

2 c coconut milk (it was a can)

½ c. sugar

3 TB. Cornstarch

Pinch of salt

3 large egg yolks

2/3 c shredded coconut

1 ½ tsp coconut extract

½ tsp. vanilla

1 baked pie shell

     In medium saucepan, whisk together coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch and slat. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly until you feel like your arm’s going to fall off. Remove from heat and in a medium bowl lightly whisk egg yolks until frothy. Whisk ¼ of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks and then return mixture to saucepan. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until it starts to thicken about one minute more. Stir in shredded coconut, coconut extract and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and cover surface with wax paper of plastic wrap. Chill

  Topping

1 ¼ c. heavy cream

2/3 c. shredded coconut

2 TB sugar

1/8 coconut extract

1/8 tsp vanilla

   Toast coconut and set aside to cool. Pour prepared coconut custard into baked pie shell. Whip cream until it forms soft peaks. Stir in sugar and extracts. Spread over pie and press toasted coconut on top.

   I go this along with other great pie recipes from the book Pie by Sarah Weeks. It is a cute little mystery also!

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 c. sugar

3 TB cornstarch

2 TB cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

3 c. milk

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1 TB butter

   In a sauce pan, combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt. In a separate bowl beat egg yolks and milk. Add to saucepan and blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into a baked pie shell. Chill. (I added sliced bananas to the bottom for Carter)

Pizza Dough

Thank you. Morgan. I am posting this as I get tired of trying to remember where I have put it. Using this for chicken garlic pizza yum!!

1 cup warm water              1tsp salt
1 Tbs yeast                         2 Tbs oil
1 Tbs sugar                         2 1/2- 3 cups flour

Combine water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until dissolved. Add oil and salt. Gradually add flour. Knead for 5 minutes. Let rise until doubled. Roll out and add toppings

New Favorite French Bread

  I found this marvelous bread recipe. It worked so well and the spread is fantastic also. I  am going to try this as a pizza crust also.

11/2TB. Instant yeast

1/2 c. Very warm water

11/2TB. Suagr

2 c. Water

11/2 TB. Oil

21/4 tsp. salt

6 c. Flour

  Combine yeast 1/2 c. Water and sugar. Let proof for 10 minutes. Then add remaining water, oil, salt and 3 c. Of flour. Mix until flour is incorperated and slowly add remaining 3 c. Flour gradually. Knead for about 5 minutes. The turn out onto generously floured surface. Every 10 minutes, knead 2 or 3 times for the next hour. Form into 4 loaves and brush with beaten egg white. Slash three diagonal lines in the top. Raise until double or 30 minutes. Bake at 425* for 10 minutes. Then 375* for 20 minutes.

Garlic Herb Spread

1/2 c. Butter

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1/8 tsp. each of dill, marjoram,thyme and pepper. 

   Let spreads come to room temperature and stir together.