Marshmallow Crispy Lemon Pie

                                                      Marshmallow Crispy Lemon Pie

I recently made this for a potluck at work and it caught everyone by surprise. I used simple ingredients, an easy as - well - pie, recipe and it came out delicious. So good I had to make one for us, too! I did make cooked lemon pudding as opposed to the instant variety. I prefer the texture and it holds much better. A few folks commented on the "homemade lemon curd." Who was I to disillusion them?

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 c (half of the 3 oz pkg) dry JELL-O Lemon Flavor Gelatin
• 4 c mini marshmallows
• 3 c RICE KRISPIES or krispy rice cereal
• 1 pkg (3.4 oz) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Pudding and Pie Filling
• 1 1/2 c cold milk (we used low fat)
• Strawberries for garnish, if desired

Preparation

1. Microwave butter in large microwaveable bowl on high for 30 seconds or until melted. Add dry gelatin mix and marshmallows, tossing to coat. Microwave 1 minute, stir, and microwave an additional 15 -30 seconds, checking often to see if completely melted and mixture is blended. Add cereal and mix with wooden spoon sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Prepare Lemon Pudding mix as directed on  package. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Press cereal mixture onto bottom and side of a 9" pie pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. It will be a thick layer.
4. Pour pudding mix on top.
5. Cover with a pie lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, until completely set.
6. Remove from fridge and cut using a hot knife. Garnish with strawberries before serving, if desired.

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

At my workplace, people are always commenting on the Bananas Foster Ice Cream. Here's a recipe with all the pizzazz and more, featuring favorites vanilla ice cream (I would recommend Vanilla Bean or French Vanilla ice cream) and a nice, thick caramel sauce.


Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

(from the Cooking Channel TV.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 firm-ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices
• 1/4 cup banana liqueur
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 6 cups (1/2-inch cubes) day-old French Bread
• Vanilla ice cream
• Caramel Sauce, recipe follows (or use commercial)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10 by 14-inch baking dish. Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. 
2. Add the bananas and cook on both sides, turning, until the bananas start to soften and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the banana liqueur and stir to blend.
3. Carefully add the rum and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and flame the pan. (Or, off the heat, carefully ignite the rum with a match and return to the heat.) 
4. Shake the pan back and forth, basting the bananas, until the flame dies. Remove from the heat and let cool.
5. Whisk together the eggs, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the cream, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the cooled banana mixture and bread and stir to blend thoroughly. 
6. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until firm, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

To serve, scoop the pudding onto dessert plates. Top each serving with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel sauce, and serve immediately.

Caramel Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk

Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium heavy saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Carefully add the cream (it may splatter), whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before serving. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)

Yield: a generous 3/4 cup

Tuna Antipasto

There's "antipasta" and "antipasto" and then there's this - one of my favorites that I first tried at a neighborhood supermarket in Winnipeg. One of my absolute anytime favorites, it cans very well and keeps in the 'fridge for a long time plus it's got more zippidy-doo-dah than any other antipasto recipe I have tried. 


Tuna Antipasto

Ingredients

• 1/2 c oil (olive, preferably)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 green peppers & 3 red peppers (sweet), diced
• 2 tins mushrooms, drained OR 1 lb mushrooms - sliced (optional)
• 2 tins solid white tuna
• 1 bay leaves
• 2c sliced ripe olives
• 1 c stuffed green olives, sliced
• 2 1/2 c chopped sweet pickles
• 1 c pickled white onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 c tomato sauce
• 2 c ketchup
• 1 c vinegar

In large saucepan, heat oil and simmer peppers and mushrooms. Add rest of ingredients, mix well and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Put in to sterilized pint jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Here's a family-favorite recipe that we've enjoyed since before my children were born (many moons ago). It's a bit time consuming, but definitely appropriate for novice cooks and those familiar with finding their way around the kitchen. It actually looks a lot tougher than it really is! Preparation takes the most time, so I am dividing it into individual sections to make it easier. And, as a bonus, I have included a second use for all that delicious meat sauce! Enjoy, or should I say "Buon appetito!" 


LASAGNA WITH MEAT SAUCE (enough for 2 - 13x9 pans)

1.THE SAUCE
This sauce is thick, delicious and attractive. The recipe will make enough so you can freeze half the sauce in covered dishes/freezer-safe plastic ware to use with spaghetti for additional meals.
Ingredients:

• 1-2 tbsp olive or canola oil
• 1 large yellow or sweet onion, chopped
• 1-2 green peppers, finely chopped
• 3 lbs ground beef (you can use ground turkey or chicken, but we prefer beef)
• 2 large cans (29 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cans (14-16 oz) diced tomatoes, Italian style
• 1 1/2 c water
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 c sugar
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, or 2 tsp garlic powder
• (you can use 3 tsp Italian seasoning if you don't have the above)
• 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper (approx.)

Cut up the onion and pepper. Place the oil in a heavy large sauce pan or frying pan. Add onions and peppers and heat until onions begin to turn clear (translucent) - about 5 minutes. If you use garlic cloves, add them now. Crumble up ground beef into the pan and stir and cook until no pink shows and parts of the beef begin to turn crispy brown. Remove from heat, drain, then stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Return to the heat and cook on medium for about 10 minutes, or until boiling, then reduce heat to low/medium and simmer for 3/4 to 1 hour, stirring frequently, until thick. To prevent splatters, use a splatter shield. You may wish to add an additional 1/2 c water during cooking. NOTE: DIVIDE THE SAUCE INTO TWO PARTS AND LET COOL SLIGHTLY. After 15 minutes in the fridge, freeze one half the sauce in freezer-proof storage containers (I divided it the one part into 2 containers, for 2 future meals for us) and use with spaghetti at another time. Budget-friendly, time-saving idea. The remaining half of the sauce will be used for the lasagna.


2. THE CHEESE MIXTURE
This is the other layer in the dish. Rich, creamy and delicious, it adds body to the lasagna. We prefer cottage cheese to ricotta cheese.
Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs cottage cheese (2 or 3 regular tubs or one giant one)
• 1 pkg shredded Parmesan cheese (or 3/4 c grated parmesan cheese in a jar)
• 1/4 to 1/2 c parsley flakes
• 2 pkgs mozzarella cheese (reserved for assembly)

Some people like more cheese in their lasagna, others less. Use what you can afford and what you prefer. We like more filling, so that's why I suggested 3 lbs cottage cheese. Mix cottage cheese, Parmesan and parsley flakes together and place in fridge. Easy.


3. ASSEMBLY
Cook 1 package of lasagna noodles according to package directions, adding a tsp of oil and a dash of salt to the water to stop sticking. When done, drain in colander and run cool water over the noodles. Reminder: this recipe makes 2 pans of lasagna! I used aluminum foil pans the last time.

1. Place 3 lasagna noodles lengthwise on the bottom of each pan, one beside the other. Cover with sauce (about 2 ladles-ful for each layer) using the remaining half of the prepared sauce.  
2. Cover with approximately 1 ladle (4-6 heaping tbsp) of the cottage cheese mixture for each pan. Place dollops more or less evenly spaced over the sauce.
3. Top with approximately 1/3 package of mozzarella cheese for each pan of lasagna. That will give you 3 layers.
4. Repeat the steps (1-3) above
5. For the last layer, place lasagna noodles on top. Put remainder of sauce on the top layer, top with any remaining cottage cheese mixture and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. You can sprinkle on a bit of grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 3/4 to 1 hour, depending on your oven. You will need to place a cookie sheet under aluminum foil pans, and you may wish to catch any drips with a drip pan. Cover for first 15 minutes with aluminum foil, if you prefer it less crispy. Then remove and continue cooking for at least an additional 30 to 45 minutes. When the lasagna is golden and the cheese is bubbly, it's done.
7. Remove, let cool slightly (10 minutes) to set, and then cut into wedges and serve. Garlic bread or salad are perfect accompaniments to the meal.

Wow! Just look what you made!

*Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake*

Ingredients

§          2 pkg. (21.4 oz. each) JELL-O No Bake Cherry Topped Cheesecake

§          10 Tbsp. margarine, melted

§          1/4 c. sugar

§          2 Tbsp. Water

§          3 cups cold milk

§          3 squares  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, cooled

 

Preparation

1.       MIX Crust Mixes, margarine, sugar and water in medium bowl with fork until crumbs are well moistened. Press firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up side of 9-inch springform pan. Spread contents of 1 of the Fruit Pouches onto bottom of crust.

2.       POUR milk into medium mixing bowl. Add both Filling Mixes; beat with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes. (Filling will be thick.) Remove 1 cup of the filling mixture; blend with the melted chocolate. Add to remaining filling mixture; mix well. Spoon into crust. Top with contents of the remaining Fruit Pouch.

3.      Refrigerate at least 1 ½ hours or until firm. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream or chocolate curls (shaved chocolate from a large bar with a cheese grater or slicer) if desired. To serve, run small knife or spatula around side of the pan to loosen crust, then remove side of pan. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

VARIATION

Cheesecake can also be prepared in 13x9-inch pan. Prepare as directed, pressing all of the crumb mixture onto bottom of pan. If you line the pan with parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap, it will be easier to remove the cake after cooling.

GREAT SUBSTITUTE

         Prepare as directed, using JELL-O No Bake Strawberry Topped Cheesecake.


*Recipe originally adapted from kraft.com. Imagination provided by you!