Super Easy Fudge
- 14 oz can of Sweetend Condensed Milk
- 1 bag of chocolate chips
- 2 tsp of vanilla extract
- 4 Tbsp butter
- Combine all and heat until melted and begins to thicken.
- Pour into a tin foil-lined 9×9 pan.
- Refrigerate until firm.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS: I love sprinkling crushed peppermint on top for Christmas treats. You can also add a bit of crunchy peanut butter. It’s an easy enough recipe to mess around with.
Leave a comment
Pumpkin Ice Cream
from Ben & Jerry’s “Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book”
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 C sugar
- 2 C heavy or whipping cream
- 1 C milk
- 1 C unsweetened canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend.
- Pour about 1 cup of the cream base into another bowl, add the pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and stir until blended. Return the pumpkin mixture to the remaining cream base and blend.
- Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS: This is one of my favorite ice cream recipes ever! It makes a generous quart and is so yummy 🙂
Honey Vanilla Ice Cream
from allrecipes.com,
- 2 cups milk
- 1 (7 inch) vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- In a medium pan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to simmering. Do not boil. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, honey, and salt until light colored and frothy. While whisking constantly, slowly combine the hot milk with the egg mixture. Transfer the mixture back to the sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) when tested with a candy thermometer, or becomes thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat.
- Remove the vanilla bean from the mixture and reserve. Strain custard into a large bowl. Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean into the custard. (Vanilla bean pod may be used again.) Stir the heavy cream into the custard. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- When cold, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS:
Coconut Custard Pie
from Macy’s “Great Gatherings” recipe book; recipe by Cat Cora.
- 1 store-bought or homemade unbaked 9in pie shell
- 1 1/2 C sweetened flaked dried coconut
- 1 C sugar
- 1/2 C all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 C whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven as appropriate for the crust you are using and bake. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
- Adjust the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Spread teh coconut on a rimmed baking sheet, place in the oven, and toast, stirring once or twice, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly golden and fragrant. Pour onto a plate to cool.
- In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, flour, and salt, place over medium heat, and slowly add the milk while stirring constantly. The cook, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mixture has begun to thicken and is bubbly. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer, or until thickened. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks just until blended. Gradually whisk in 1 C of the hot milk mixture, then slowly whisk the combined mixtures into the milk mixture remaining in the saucepan. Return the pan to medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and custardy. Remove from the heat.
- Add the butter, 1 C of the coconut, and the vanilla to the hot mixture and stir to mix well. Pour the hot filling into the baked pie crust and let cool completely. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Top with the remaining 1/2 C coconut just before serving.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS: I served this with vanilla & honey ice cream and browned peaches and it was delicious!
Paula Deen’s Banana-Chocolate Gorilla Bread
from Good Morning America.
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
- 2 tubes refrigerated crescent roll dough (12 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 2 bananas, sliced 1/4-inch to make thick 48 slices
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar with the butter over low heat.
- Break open the crescent roll packages and separate the triangles of dough. Brush each triangle with sweetened condensed milk and top with 2 banana slices and 1 teaspoon chocolate chips; fold the edges of the triangle together and seal. Sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar.
- Place half of the walnuts in the pan and top with half of the dough packets. Pour half of the brown sugar-butter mixture over the dough and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake for 1 hour, until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place a platter on top of the pan and invert. Serve warm.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS: I did not use the sweetened condensed milk or cinnamon sugar and it was still delicious!
Jenny’s Blueberry Pie
- Baked pie crust, cooled
- 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/3 C sugar/Splenda
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water
- Heat in a small saucepan 2 cups of blueberries, 2 Tablespoons water, and the sugar. Crush a few berries with a spoon to release some juice.
- When the berries have softened and become juicy, add the cornstarch mixture. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and and fold in 1 more Cup of blueberries. Pour the berry mixture in the pie shell. Cover the top with the remaining blueberries. Press them into the pie a little, so they stay in place. Cool.
- Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS:
Nanaimo Bars
courtesy of Weight Watchers.
- 1/4 C butter
- 1/4 C sugar
- 1/3 C unsweetened cocoa
- 1 egg
- 1 C low-fat graham cracker crumbs
- 3/4 C rolled oats
- 1/2 C unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 C chopped walnuts
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 tsp butter
- 1 Tbsp fat-free milk
- 2 C powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
- 2 tsp. butter
- Line a 9×9 baking pan with plastic wrap.
- Melt butter, sugar, cocoa, and egg. Cook one minute.
- Stir in graham cracker crumbs, rolled oats, coconut, walnuts, and vanilla.
- Pat the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Freeze until firm, 30 minutes.
- With an electric mixer, beat butter and milk. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread of the crumb crust and chill 15 minutes.
- Microwave bittersweet chocolate and butter 10 seconds, stir.
- Spread over the filling, chill 2 hours.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS: Very yummy and fewer calories per serving (145) than most desserts.
Grandma Johnson’s Scones
- 1 C sour cream
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 C flour
- 1 C white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 t salt
- 1 C butter
- 1 egg
- 1 C raisins
- In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking sheet.
- In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, tartar, and salt. Cut in butter.
- Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened. Mix in raisins.
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut into 12 wedges and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown on the bottom.
NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS: I’ll never use another scone recipe. It was so simple and very yummy!
The Experimental Kitchen 