Pumpkin Dump Cake - Easiest Recipe Ever

Oh happy day, it's really finally going to be fall tomorrow.  It has been almost 90 degrees here in Nashville for the last week.  It's going down to a low of 40 tomorrow night.  Yahoo!

Fall means all things pumpkin.  Do you like pumpkin?  We love it in our house (me particularly) and our youngest so is also a big fan.  When he was younger he could eat a whole pumpkin pie at one sitting.  He didn't like most sweets, but pumpkin and pecan pie sure made him happy.

He lives in Denver now and yesterday was his fiance's birthday.  We are so excited that she is going to be joining our family.  He called and said he wanted to bake her a cake but he didn't have a lot of extra money and did I have any ideas.  Hello!  How many do you want?

He said he didn't have a mixer, or milk, or eggs, or much sugar.  I suggested a recipe I had seen on Pinterest for a pumpkin dump cake that only took a can of pumpkin, a yellow cake mix, pecans, and a stick of butter.  That was the ticket!  Easy.  Not many ingredients.  No mixer needed.

He said he had the pumpkin, pecans, and butter.  All he needed was the yellow cake mix.  That's doable when you are lacking ingredients, equipment, and money.

I sent him a text this morning and asked him how the cake turned out.  He said it was delicious!  I trust his judgment when it comes to pumpkin desserts.  Since it is going to get cool tomorrow, I had to make vegetable soup and the pumpkin dump cake for dinner.  It's called anticipation  - and vegetable soup is always better the second day.

He was spot on about the cake.  It's delicious.  Our son in love ate several pieces and asked if he could "borrow" the rest of it to take home with him.  hahaha  I told him how easy it was to make and I made it gluten free by using a gluten free cake mix.  Even better!

Here is what you need:

1 can pumpkin (I used a 14.5 ounce can, but after I baked the cake I realized it called for a 28 oz can - it worked fine)
1 yellow cake mix (gluten free works)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 stick butter melted

My addition:  1/3 cup sugar, 2 Tsps ground cinnamon, mixed together

First, spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread the pumpkin evenly in the bottom of the pan.  I thought it might be a little blah, so I sprinkled 1/2 of the cinnamon mixture over the pumpkin.  I love cinnamon with pumpkin.

Next, sprinkle the entire dry cake mix over the pumpkin and evenly distribute.

Cover the cake mix with the pecans.

Melt the butter and pour over the pecans and cake mix.

Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the entire pan.  This makes a nice streusel topping when baked.  Yum.

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes or until the cake mix lightly browns. (If using gluten free cake mix, it will not get as brown as a regular cake mix)  The pumpkin should be set, so wiggle the pan to make sure it is done.  If the pumpkin is not set, it will wiggle like jello.  You don't want that.  Put the pan back in the oven until set.

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let cool before cutting.  It cuts in nice squares and is SOOOOOOOOOOOO good.  Pumpkiny, nutty, cinnamony, streusely.  Oh my.

I made fresh whipped cream to go with ours.  I could have eaten the whole pan.  I don't eat many desserts anymore because of the whole gluten issue.  Our daughter, who is also gluten free, was so excited to have dessert and know that she could make this to enjoy at home.  She's going to have to make it because her husband sure did like it!

Now that it's finally getting cool and because it's the season for all things pumpkin, you need to make this as soon as possible.  Really.  It is easy to make, has very few ingredients, and you won't be able to resist it.  There's no sifting or mixing.  What could be better than that to have a fabulous dessert?  I say go for it!  You won't regret it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Fall colors are funny.  They're so bright and intense and beautiful.  It's like nature is trying to fill
you up with color, to saturate you so you can stockpile it before winter turns everything muted
and dreary."  Siobhan Vivian, Same Difference

Heavenly Hash Cake - AMAZING!

On July 4th weekend, we had a party for our youngest son and future daughter in love.  They were recently engaged and they were home from Denver for the weekend, so it seemed like the perfect time to celebrate with all their Nashville friends.

Cortney and Tyler asked me to make their favorite desert - Heavenly Hash cake so of course I did.  Everyone has probably had something called heavenly hash in their life, whether it is candy, ice cream, or some other kind of desert.  Heavenly hash usually involves marshmallows, but not this cake!  Instead, it uses angel food cake and unbelievable chocolate mousse.

This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks called St. Louis Days, St. Louis Nights.  Our oldest daughter gave it to me for mother's day while she was attending college in St. Louis.  I have had it for many years and some of my all time favorite recipes are from this book.

The good think about this cake is that you can use a ready made angel food cake from the grocery if you don't want to bake one yourself.  That eliminates a lot of steps right there.  The rest of the cake is a fabulous chocolate mousse that is made from scratch and worth any and all effort put into making it.  Here is what you need:

12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large angel food cake (store bought if preferred)

Melt chocolate chips over low heat; beat the egg yolks and add them to the chocolate after you temper it.  Do this by adding a little of the warm chocolate to the yolks and stirring thoroughly.  Now, add the yolks to the chocolate and mix completely.  It will be almost fudge like.  This keeps the yolks from scrambling.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites; add 2 teaspoons of sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, beat the whipping cream and set aside.

Add the egg whites to the chocolate and egg yolk mixture.  Stir and add the chopped pecans, vanilla, and salt.  Don't be alarmed.  The egg whites dissolve into the chocolate mixture.

Fold in the whipped cream.

Cover the bottom of a large greased bowl with 1/2 of the angel food cake broken into chunks.

Cover with half of the chocolate mixture (if you can keep from eating it all).  Add the remaining cake broken into chunks.  Cover with the remaining chocolate mixture.

Refrigerate overnight.

Oh. My.  Goodness.  This is beyond good.  It is amazing.  Since I am gluten free, I cannot eat it with the cake, so I save a little of the mousse and eat it by itself.  SOOOOOOOO delicious.

This is a recipe that is fabulous to take to a pot luck dinner or for when you are having company.  It does make 12 servings, so you may not want to make it just for yourself (unless you intend to eat it all and it is that good)!

Heavenly Hash cake is so good, that I made it twice in 4 days for Tyler and Cortney to enjoy.  Yes, you want to make this one for sure - especially if you love chocolate.  Enjoy!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

When someone asks you to make a favorite recipe for them - always oblige.  There is nothing like showing someone you love them this way.  donna

Cinnamon Sugared Nuts - Oh My!

Hey, do you know what will be here in just a few weeks?  Two big events.  The first is the Super Bowl and the second is Valentine's Day.  It's time to start thinking about that Super Bowl party and what you will serve or take to share.  And what about that special someone, your Valentine?  Or in our case, many Valentines?  What will you do for them?  Well, I have an answer for you that is soooooo good and easy to make.

First, lets talk about nuts.  Do you like them?  We happen to LOVE them (maybe a little too much).  Did you know that eating a handful of nuts every day can help you live longer?  It's true!  Really.  Check this link - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/20/foods-that-help-you-live-longer_n_4612048.html.  Studies show that eating 1/4 to 1/3 cup of nuts a day can increase your longevity.  I am not sure they are talking about THESE nuts in particular, but they are so good and surely they count a little.  Never mind the sugar and cinnamon coating.  Cinnamon is good for you at least.

I made these nuts at Christmastime for stocking stuffers and I almost forgot to take a picture of them.  This is what I had left when I remembered, so use your imagination just a bit.  I always make candies, cookies, carmel corn, and nuts to put in decorative bags to give as extras for everyone.  These are SO dangerously good and are always such a hit.

You know when you are walking through a shopping mall and smell those German roasted nuts that they sell at kiosks?  The ones that smell like heaven?  That's what these are like.  Oh Em Gee.  Delicious.  And, slightly dangerous because it is impossible to control the consumption of said nuts.  But, they would be perfect for a Super Bowl party and for Valentine gift giving.  Here is what you need:

5 cups pecan halves
1 cup almonds or cashews (I used cashews - delish)
2 egg whites
2 TBSP water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Line 2 large baking sheets (with sides) with parchment paper and spray with non stick cooking spray.  (You will understand why this is necessary after making them.  Don't skip this step.)

Mix nuts in a large bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and water on medium high until stiff peaks form - about 4/5 minutes.  Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt, stirring until well combined.  Put the nuts in the egg white mixture and stir to coat completely.  Spread nuts over the baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Allow to cool completely and enjoy - that translates to try not to eat them all at once.  Seriously.

You can store these at room temperature for a few weeks covered.  Like there will be any left in a few weeks.  That's funny.

You might want to make a test batch before the Super Bowl or Valentine's Day just so you will know how good they are.  Next blog post, I will show you a perfectly beautiful container you can make to put these in for gift giving.  Everyone will be so impressed and grateful for all your culinary and craft skills.  Y'all come back now.  You won't want to miss the tutorial.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I always loved Christmas time when we would have a bowl full of mixed nuts in the shell and we would spend time around the table with a nutcracker, eating the nuts.  I liked them all, especially filberts better known as hazel nuts.  donna

Pumpkin, Caramel, and Pecan Cheesecake - WOW!

 Hello everyone!  Yes, October is winding down.  It's almost Halloween.  How is that possible?  Where has this month gone?  The leaves are finally starting to change.  The transition is later this year because it has been so warm.  It's so nice to see the colors in the trees and the variety of hues on the hillsides.  It definitely means fall is here!

Our first born celebrated the 11th anniversary of her 30th birthday on Saturday.  We sat with her boys while she and her lovely husband had a date night.  They don't get a lot of those.  So, we celebrated with the family at our house on Sunday evening.  I cooked dinner for everyone and instead of the standard birthday cake, I made this fabulous pumpkin cheesecake.  The recipe is in the new Bon Appetit and the Food Network Magazine.

It is a Philadelphia cream cheese advertisement and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make it.  Why? Because it sounded absolutely amazing and guess what?  It is absolutely amazing!  Talk about a dessert you are going to want to make for any and all upcoming occasions.  Things like Thanksgiving, Christmas, the new moon, the full moon, the sun shining, the dog got a haircut.  Just pick something.  It's worth it, believe me.

Here is what you need:

1/2 cup chopped pecans divided
38 Ginger snap cookies, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup butter, melted

4 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
25 Kraft Caramels
1/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (notice, it's NOT 350)

Chop 1/4 cup nuts finely, place in medium bowl.  Add crushed ginger snaps and melted butter.  Mix well.  Press into bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until blended.  Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and vanilla, mix well.  Add eggs 1 at a time mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.  Pour over crust.

Bake for 45 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool completely.  Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Make the sauce when you are ready to serve.  Microwave the caramels and milk in a microwaveable bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

Serve cheese cake by spooning the caramel over each piece served and sprinkle with nuts.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.  We desired, it's just not in the picture.  YUMMMMMMY!

This cake is really easy to make and is even better the second day.  Oh so good.  Give it a try, especially if you are a pumpkin lover or a cheesecake lover.  It is a marriage made in heaven!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake!
Hedy Lamar

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake - Spectacular!

 It's countdown to Thanksgiving which is only 9 - count 'em - 9 days away.  Are you cooking?  Are you going to someone's house?  Are you going to a restaurant?  Are you skipping it altogether?   If you are cooking, do you have your menu set?  Do you have to take a dish if you are going elsewhere?  So many things to think about, so little time.  

If you are serving dinner at your abode and you want a dessert that is scrumptious and not too difficult, have I got a "must try" for you!  Woweeeee, this pumpkin cream cheese cake is fabulous.  If you are in charge of taking dessert to someone else's home, have I got a "must try" for you!  Oh, I just said that didn't I?  Well, I am not being facetious when I say give this cake a try.  I mean, what's not to love?  Pumpkin and cream cheese in the same dessert should seal the deal without any other considerations.
This cake is easier than baking a pie, but has that same moist, spicy flavor that pumpkin pie has.  It has cinnamon and cloves and nuts, and cream cheese, and a cinnamon glaze that is oh so good and cream cheese.  Look at this slice up close.

See that vein of cream cheese deliciousness running through there?  Doesn't it make you want to take a bite?  Or maybe just eat the whole piece?  And, this time of year is perfect for anything pumpkin.  We love our pumpkin bread, pumpkin crunch, pumpkin dump cake, Trader Joe's pumpkin tea,  and now we have THIS lovely cake that would be perfect for a breakfast type coffee cake, or even more perfect for an after dinner treat.  I have to say, Dan and I jumped right in as soon as it was ready - still warm actually - and enjoyed it with a lovely cup of hot java.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Dan doesn't like pumpkin pie (I know, I know), but he really loved this.  As a matter of fact, he had two pieces!

Here is what you need (because you really do want to make this!)

Filling

1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 TBSP all purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)  ( I used 1/2 cup chopped pecans)

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  (note temperature)  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

In a large bowl,  sift together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and sugar.  Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.   Fold in nuts if using.

Pour half of the pumpkin batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan.  Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.  Cover the cream cheese with the remaining pumpkin batter.  Using a knife, stick it straight down through the top layer of pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling.  Swirl the knife around these two layers creating a marble effect.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let the cake cool before removing from pan.

After removing the cake from the pan, pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides.  Hold yourself back at this point.  Now, serve.

This cake is worth the effort to make, believe me.  I had the urge to make something sweet this afternoon while I was Christmas crafting.  Do you ever have that urge come over you?  The "I need something sweet" urge?  If you don't, I understand....but I get that urge and today was one of those days and I wanted something pumpkin.  Simple as that.  I pulled out this recipe and went to work.  Let me say, it was a really good choice!  This cake is moist, slightly spicy, with that wonderful vein of cream cheese running through it and that delicious cinnamon glaze topping it.  Perfection!

This cake will be just the thing for Thanksgiving, Christmas,  and all winter.  Yummmmmo!  It would be a wonderful gift to give for the holiday season, or take one to work and share with your co-workers. Have the neighbors over for coffee and cake.   Be sure and have the recipe handy because they will ask for it.  Now go rummage through your cupboards and see if you have all the ingredients because you really, really want to make this.  Now.  Really.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.
William Powell 

Salad Made With Romaine, Fresh Peaches, Blackberries, Mozzarella, Candied Pecans and Home Made Poppy Seed Dressing - This Is For You Jaley!

A very talented young friend of mine posted on Facebook that she had gone to the grocery last night and gone a little overboard on buying peaches and wondered what she could do with them.  I told her it looked like there was a cobbler or crisp in her future.  Or perhaps, a salad with peaches.

Jaley, this is for you!  I created this salad recently when our family came over for dinner.  I had lots of South Carolina peaches on hand and a pint of fresh blackberries.  I am always trying to think up new ways to makes salads because, let's face it, the same old vegetable salads get old and bo-ring!

This salad has romaine lettuce, fresh peaches, fresh blackberries, candied pecans and fresh mozzarella cheese that has been cut into bite sized cubes.  To go with it, I made a home made poppy seed dressing that is so good I could probably drink it with a straw.

Here is what you need for the salad:

1 head romaine lettuce
2 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced (or more if desired)
3/4 cups fresh blackberries (or a couple of handfuls if you don't want to measure)
1/2 cup pecans
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bite sized cubes

First, you want to candy your pecans.  Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over medium to low heat.  Add the brown sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon until it melts.  Add the pecans and stir until the sugar starts to cling to the pecans.  Remove pan from heat and let cool.  Be careful not to burn your pecans.  They take on a wonderful toasted caramel flavor that is divine.  Just don't eat them all before you add them to the salad.

Cut or tear your romaine lettuce and add to a large salad bowl.  Peel, pit and slice the peaces, add to the greens.  Add the blackberries and the pecans.  Cut the mozzarella into bite sized cubes and add to the salad.  Toss.

Now, you will definitely want to make this fabulous poppy seed dressing.  Here is what you need:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp champagne vinegar (available at most groceries)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds (available in the spice aisle, most groceries)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp grated sweet onion

Mix the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake, shake, shake.  Or whisk together in a bowl.  Serve in a small pitcher or bowl, or  you could pass out straws.

The crunch of those little poppy seeds with the tangy sweetness of the dressing is the perfect compliment to this salad.  Also, there are no preservatives or msg. like you get in bottled dressings.

If you have other greens instead of romaine, feel free to substitute.  Just don't overwhelm the fruit with greens.  You want a nice balance.  You could also substitute feta, blue cheese, or a nice smoked gouda for the mozzarella, but the creamy goodness of the mozzarella is so good with the fruit, you might want to reconsider.  It's your choice.

Who doesn't appreciate cool and crunchy food in this hot, muggy, humid weather?  This salad fits the bill.  There is no cooking required except for the pecans and you could leave them plain if you wanted -  it just wouldn't be quite the same if you know what I mean.

So Jaley, give this salad a try.  I think you will really like it and let me know what you think.  I've got your back girl!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"An apple is an excellent thing -- until you have tried a peach."
George du Maurier (1834-1896)

Donna's Fresh Peach Dump Cake

Freestone peaches are finally in at the farmer's market.  Hooray!!  I love the early cling peaches, but they are hard to slice since the pit does not come out easily and you lose some of the peach that clings to the pit.  Freestones get their name because you cut around the middle of the peach, pop it open and the pit comes right out.   That way, you do not loose any of the succulent, juicy peach flesh.  You get to eat and utilize every last bite of juicy, sweet, heavenly peach.

I brought home a big basket of peaches the other day and wanted to make something right away because the peaches were very ripe and would not last long in this heat.  I HATE to waste a peach.  I shared some with our daughter's because their boys love peaches and I used the rest to make my fresh peach dump cake.   This recipe is quick and easy and you really should try it.

Here is what you need:

8-10 large peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced.
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsps. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 box yellow cake mix, dry
1 stick butter, melted

First, peel and slice the peaches and place in a large bowl.  Sprinkle peaches with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the cinnamon and stir to help the peaches release their juices.  These peaches were so sweet, I didn't need more sugar.  Feel free to add a little more sugar if you think it's necessary, but remember you are going to add a can of sweetened condensed milk.  Place the peaches in a 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle the peaches with the chopped pecans and shredded coconut.  Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the peaches, pecans and coconut.  Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the peaches.  Pour the melted butter over the dry cake mix.  Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cake mix is brown on top.

Now let me tell you, the sweetened condensed milk caramelizes on the peaches, coconut, pecan goodness and wowza, it is delicious.  The buttery crunchy cake mix adds another  level of goodness.  If you don't like coconut or pecans, leave them out, but they do make the cake even MORE delicious.  Also, you can add a big dollop of whipped cream or ice cream and yum, yum, yum, you have one of the best desserts ever!

If you have a basket of fresh peaches and are wondering what to do with them, give this super easy dessert a try.  It's worth the time it takes to peel and slice the peaches and it's easier than making crust for a pie or cobbler.  As a matter of fact, I think I am going to go have a bowl full of goodness right now.  Wish you could join me.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I really think heaven must smell like peaches, or peaches smell like heaven.

Best Banana Split Dessert Ever

Mmmm, banana splits.  What a treat.  Dan and I used to share one back in our dating days which was about the time the dinosaurs roamed the earth.  Yes, they had banana splits then too.  I never could eat a whole banana split, it was just too much ice cream for me.  I know, I know, I am one of the strange people of the world who doesn't like a lot of ice cream.  Dan on the other hand is a completely different story.  Sometimes I refer to him as Dan, Dan the ice cream man.  He literally could eat ice cream every day.  

But let's talk banana split desserts!  Now these are a totally different story because this is not made from ice cream, but is scrumptious for lack of a better word.  It is truly OH EM GEE good.  I made this dessert on Easter Sunday and it was a major hit - I mean M A J O R!  My daughter told me her husband wondered if we were still up at 10 pm that night because he was willing to drive all the way across town just to have some more of his new favorite dessert!  Made me laugh out loud for sure.  He has celiac and I made this gluten free for him so he could enjoy dessert too.  Will certainly be making it again, like this weekend for Dan's big Medicare birthday.  Now you know how old he is.  

Look at this dessert in the pan.  It's hard to see all the wonderful layers, but it is fabulous.  Just sayin'.  

There are nuts, chocolate, vanilla, bananas, strawberries, cream cheese and whipped cream with that fabulous crunchy chocolate crumbled on top.  The only thing it doesn't have is pineapple and a cherry.  Oh well, feel free to add that if you want.  Personally, I don't think you will miss it one bit.

The crunchy chocolate topping is this:

I buy these at World Market and they are less than $3.00 a container.  I think Target may have them too, I'm not positive.  They are thin chocolate wafers with a crunchy crisp in them made from rice flour so they are also gluten free!  Fantastic.  You don't have to save the for toppings, they make a wonderful little "taste of chocolate" when you need one.

Here is what you need for this dessert:

Crust:

1 cup flour (I used Bisquick gluten free baking mix)

3 TBSP granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter, and mix with other ingredients.  Press into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.  Bake at 350 until light brown, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Cream cheese layer:

2 cups cream cheese ( 16 ounces)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup cool whip or whipped cream

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with mixer until smooth.  Fold in cool whip.

Banana layer.

Slice 4 - 5 medium bananas and cover bottom crust layer.  Cover with cream cheese layer.

Vanilla Pudding layer:

2 small boxes Vanilla instant pudding

3 cups milk

Mix vanilla pudding with milk and pour over cream cheese layer.

Strawberry layer:

Slice fresh strawberries and cover top of vanilla pudding layer.  I used about 20 strawberries.

Chocolate Pudding layer:

2 small boxes Chocolate instant pudding

3 cups milk

Mix chocolate pudding with milk and pour over strawberry layer.

Cover chocolate pudding layer with 2 cups of Cool Whip or whipped cream.   

Cover Cool Whip with shaved chocolate or break up pieces of Belgian Chocolate Wafers.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Now, cut the dessert into squares, put them on a plate and watch them disappear!  Holy cow, this one goes in a big hurry and it is  so easy to make.  Yum.  Yum.   Yum.  Can't wait till Dan's birthday Saturday to enjoy another piece of this fabulous Best Banana Split Dessert Ever!  I know Chris will be happy!!  Don't wait too long to try this one!  It will be a hit and will be requested again and again.  

Everyday Donna

Things to remember:

Life is short, don't buy green bananas!

Strawberry Frozen Pie with Vanilla Wafer Nut Crumb Crust

Happy Monday to you!  Hope your weekend was a wonderful one.  Thankfully, it rained just enough on Saturday to wash away some of the pollen that has been plaguing me and half the population in Nashville.  I have never seen as much pollen as we have this year.  Guess that's the payback for a mild winter, but I am willing to make the trade off.   Yes, I am having allergy symptoms, but I will deal with those for the time being.  The warm beautiful weather and beautiful blooming trees are worth a few boxes of tissues.

Our first born daughter and her family moved here in December, right before Christmas, which thrilled us all!  Her in-loves made their first visit this past weekend and we all had a cook out Sunday evening.  The entire Nashville family was there.  The weather was stunning, the grandsons all got to play outside to their heart's content and we got to catch up with Alma and Jack.  I play board games with Alma on FB just about every night, but we haven't seen each other in person for many years.  You know how you can pick up with some people right where you left off - never skip a beat?  That's how it is with them, they are such wonderful people.    We had a great time catching up AND they asked us to visit their summer home on the Maine coast which would be awesome.  Perhaps we will get there one of these days.  We definitely look forward to their return visits to Nashville, that's for sure!

Daughter #1 asked if I would make dessert.  Me?  Why of course!  Thanks for asking.  You know how I love to bake.  Because it has been so warm, I was in the mood for something summery and super delicious so I decided to make this Strawberry Frozen Pie which is outta sight!  I have been making this pie since the first year we were married (1969).  The first time I made it was for Dan's grandmother when she came to our house for dinner.  She loved it and I have been making it ever since.  It is actually a combination of two different recipes.  The crust is from a similar recipe, but it has egg whites in it and I don't trust serving raw egg whites, so I always used the filling from one recipe and the fantastic nut crumb crust from the other.  Here is what you need to make this excellent frozen pie:

Ingredients:

Crust

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 stick melted butter

Filling:

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, or 2 10 ounce pkgs frozen strawberries with syrup
1 cup sugar for fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar for frozen strawberries


Whipped cream or cool whip for topping (I made fresh whipped cream)

If you are making your own vanilla wafer crumbs (which I do), place about 1/3 box of vanilla wafers in a gallon sized zip lock bag, squeezing all the air out.  Roll with a rolling pin until you have small pieces - enough for 1 1/2 cups.  (I don't like the crumbs to be like dust, I like very small pieces, about the size of the chopped nuts).  I chop the pecans in my nut chopper.  If you don't have a nut chopper, use a knife and chop into small pieces.  Place vanilla wafer crumbs and nuts in a bowl.  Melt 1 stick of butter in microwave and add to vanilla wafer crumbs and nut pieces.  Press in the bottom and up the sides of a 10 inch pie pan.  I use my trusty corning ware pie plate that I got for a wedding gift.  I realize it is now an antique.  Sigh.  Put in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Cool before filling.

Using a mixer, blend cream cheese and sour cream  in a mixing bowl until well mixed.    Mix 1 1/2 cups sliced berries with 1 cup sugar and stir.  Add to cream cheese mixture.  (If using frozen berries, thaw berries and add 1/2 cup sugar and mix.  Add to cream cheese mixture.)  Blend with a mixer to break up strawberry pieces, don't completely pulverize.  You want some strawberry pieces in the filling.    Pour into crust.

 Freeze until firm.  I usually freeze overnight.  Remove from freezer about 5 minutes before serving and decorate with whipped cream.   That strawberry in the middle of the pie  in the picture is HUGE.  Kroger had giant California strawberries on sale and I do mean GIANT!  They were delicious.

How to make whipped cream:

Put 1 pint heavy whipping cream in a deep bowl and beat with mixer on medium high until it starts to thicken.  Add about 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla.  Beat until it forms stiff peaks.  Don't over beat or  you will have butter.  It should look like this.

I piped the whipped cream onto the top of the pie by placing it in a gallon sized zip lock back after cutting a corner off the bag and placing a large star tip in the hole.  Fill the bag with cream and pipe on however you want.  Now, this is a lot of whipped cream and I actually used part of it for the cheese cake I will write about tomorrow.  Just thought I'd let you know.  You could actually use about 1/2 of a pint of heavy whipping cream.

Now, let's discuss this pie.  Description?  Heavenly!  Delicious!  Amazing!  Fantastic!  Awesome!  Divine!!  And, it's really super easy.  Our 8 year old grandson doesn't like strawberries much, but he said it was the best pie he had ever eaten!  Today's endorsement from the world's pickiest eater.  Made me smile.  Jack and Alma raved about it - especially Jack who likes fruit type desserts, so it was definitely a good choice.  (Wait till we get to the cheesecake).  

Put this recipe in your arsenal and pull it out when you want something quick, easy, fantastic and special.  Summer is just around the corner and this pie is so good for warm summer days.  Think about making it for Easter, Mother's Day or Father's Day.  You will get requests to make it again.  The nut crumb crust is maybe the best crust ever and so much easier than a traditional pie crust.  The filling - well I could just eat it with a spoon right out of the bowl - it's somewhat like ice cream or frozen yogurt only better.  The combination of the crust with the filling - they write novels about those kinds of things.  That's all I can say about it.  You will just have to make one and eat it to understand.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Good friends are like stars.....you don't always see them, but you know they are always there.  author unknown

Not Your Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole - Sweet Potatoes, Pineapple, Coconut, and Pecans

Someday I may learn how to take a "food" picture that looks as good as the food tastes.  It would be so nice if there was a way to take a picture on your kitchen counter or table that looks like one from a magazine.  Unfortunately, it doesn't because I took this casserole right out of the oven ready to put on the table for dinner.  Do you know how hard it is to set up a shot in a hurry while people are waiting to eat?  It is not easy at all, especially when it is in a casserole dish or some sort of pan and you are looking down at it.  This one kind of looks like a pizza, but it's not.  It is a truly amazing sweet potato casserole with pineapple and coconut.  To that mix, I also add pecans.  Why?  Because I like them of course.

I then tried to take a picture of it served on a plate and I won't tell you what it looked like, so I nixed that picture.  Sorry.  The words dog and food come to mind.  It just did not look appetizing in any way so use your imagination and think about how wonderful it tastes because it does.

Do you like sweet potatoes?    We sure do, especially baked with some butter and a little cinnamon on them.  Yummmm.  Or, there is the standard sweet potato casserole with the marshmallows on top and it is really, really delicious I am not denying.  It's the one every mom made for Christmas and Easter when we were growing up.  But, there are more casseroles and recipes out there, and this is one of my favorites.  It is out of my Saint Louis Days, Saint Louis Nights Cookbook and I have been making it for years.

Do you know the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?  You know how some people call them yams?  I looked it up (of course) and it seems that they are two totally different plants botanically.  Yams come from Africa - sweet potatoes are grown here.  There are two varieties of sweet potatoes and one remains hard when cooked and the other is soft.  The canned ones in the grocery that say yams are actually the soft variety of sweet potatoes.  The soft sweet potatoes were called yams by African slaves because it reminded them of the ones they knew and that is how we came to call them yams.  Now, does that clear that mystery up?  Did for me.

Sweet potatoes are very nutritious!  Here is some information I found on the web that might actually shock you.  I knew they were nutritious, but not THAT nutritious.  Check it out.

According to nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the single most important dietary change for most people, including children, would be to replace fatty foods with foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes.

CSPI ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables. With a score of 184, the sweet potato outscored the next highest vegetable by more than 100 points. Points were given for content of dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars and complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. Points were deducted for fat content (especially saturated fat), sodium, cholesterol, added refined sugars and caffeine. The higher the score, the more nutritious the food.

Sweet potato baked 184  next highest vegetable
Potato, baked 83

Now, are you shocked?  It is the MOST nutritious vegetable that you can eat.  The next vegetable to it is a plain potato.  Who knew?  Now we all know and that is amazing because they are versatile, delicious and nutritious.  Yay for the sweet potato!  At least it's not something like Brussel's sprouts and only a select few of us seem to like those.  

We were having company for dinner last night and I decided to bake a ham.  There is something about spring that says it's time to eat ham.  Maybe it's because so many people serve ham for Easter, I really don't know.  So, I needed some sides and when I bake ham, I think sweet potatoes - they just seem to go with ham.  That meant pulling out one of my favorite recipes - sweet potato souffle with pineapple and coconut.  Don't panic, it's not like a traditional souffle.  Not really sure why it's called that, maybe because of the eggs in it.  I will tell you this, it is fantastic and easy.  Here is what you need.

8 medium sweet potatoes (or 2 32 oz cans, drained)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup  brown sugar

2 well beaten eggs

2 tsps baking powder

1 cup drained, crushed pineapple

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Wash sweet potatoes and bake, covered with foil at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes until fork completely penetrates potato.

Cool, peel and put potatoes in a large mixing bowl.  Mash potatoes until smooth.  Stir in butter and both sugars.  Add the eggs and baking powder, pineapple, and salt.  Mix well.  Transfer ingredients into well-greased 2 quart casserole.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cover with coconut and pecans.  Bake an additional 10 minutes.

(Because yesterday was volunteer day for us, I used canned yams drained.  They worked fine.  I do think fresh sweet potatoes are a little better, just depends on how much time you have.)

Ooooooooooooh my, this is good.  Our daughter said it's like eating dessert for dinner and it is.  Even her 2 year old gobbled it down.  Now that is an endorsement!  

This is an excellent side dish to serve when you are looking for something different and it makes a lot - great for a crowd.  Also, keep in mind just how nutritious sweet potatoes are (just don't tell your children).   Let's all eat more sweet potatoes.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Sweet potatoes are not just for holiday meals!  Enjoy them anytime.  They are good for you and taste good too.

It's Called Pumpkin Crunch But We Called It "Pumpkinlicious"!

If only I could get a picture of this dessert that would: 1. do it justice and 2. let you taste it just so you could know how good it is.  Maybe good is not the right word, maybe it should be fabulous - pumpkinlicious.  All I know is that it is one of the best dessert's ever - EVER!  Goodness gracious, I have no effective description for this fantastically wonderful goodness.  

Our second daughter and son in love came to dinner last week, and I wanted to make a dessert that I had all the ingredients for.  Well, God bless Pinterest  because I had found this recipe a while back and posted it to my recipe boards.  Let me tell you, it's a keeper!  Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

3 eggs

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cups butter (1.5 sticks)

1 12 oz container cool whip

1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon and eggs and pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture.  Sprinkle pecans on top of cake mix.  Cover nuts with pieces of thinly sliced butter.  (Make sure it is almost completely covered with butter, you'll understand when you eat it).  Bake at 350 for one hour.  Let cool completely  Beat cool-whip, cream cheese and confectioners sugar together and spread on top.  Serve.

Wowee, did we all love this dessert.  Our "kids" each ate two pieces.  I mean, yeah, it's that good.  You are thinking that is a lot of butter, but it makes the pecans all "praline like" and the filling is like pumpkin pie and all that gooey goodness on top.  Wowza.  If you could just taste it, you would rush to your kitchen right now and make one.  I'm not kidding.

This is an easy dessert to make for the holidays and everyone will enjoy it of that I can be sure!  This will become a standard at our celebrations - right there with coconut cake and pecan pie.  It's actually better than pumpkin pie and easier to make.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.  It's making my mouth water just writing about it.  If only I had a yellow cake mix in the house......

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Christmas was better when I still believed in Santa.  Oh to be 20 again.  ; )

Pie, Pie, Me Oh My - Pecan Pie

Have you seen the movie Michael - the one where John Travolta plays a really quirky angel?  That movie is one of my favorites.  At one point, he asks Andy McDowell's character to sing a song about pie.  Michael loves pie.  I love pie.  Actually, who doesn't love pie?  Lemon meringue, chocolate cream, apple, cherry, chess, pumpkin, pecan - the choices are endless.   The lyrics to the song say "my, my, me oh my, I love pie!"  That pretty well describes the way I feel about pie - especially pecan pie.  I probably like pie better than cake, it just seems like it takes a little more effort to make somehow.

Saturday evening we had family over for dinner and I made hubby Dan's and son in love Todd's favorite -  pecan pie.  I also made a pumpkin pie and home made whipped cream.  Yum.  This recipe came from my mother in love and was given to me when we were first married 42 years ago and I have been making it ever since.  She is no longer with us, but I think of her every time I make this pie and say a thank you.

This is a picture of the poor, dilapidated recipe book that I used to write my favorite recipes in for so many years.  There is no more space to write recipes.   I bought this book before we were even married.  The spine is broken and I have to hold it together with a rubber band, but  this poor old book has served us well.   Sounds kind of like a John Denver song doesn't it?

As you can see in this picture, my two favorite recipes are written side by side - Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Pecan Pie.  The pages are smudged and covered with schmutz, but I cannot begin to tell you the number of these baked goods I have made over the years time and time again.  These are two family favorites!

I always make my own pie crusts, but you can use a frozen pie crust,  just make sure it is a deep dish crust so that it will hold all the filling.  My pie is baked in a 10 inch corning ware pie pan that I received as a wedding gift 42 years ago.  The stories it could tell!  Now for the recipe.  Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Karo white corn syrup (or another brand works fine)
1/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs, beaten till yellow
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 heaping tbsp flour

This is easy!  Put the eggs in a blender and blend until yellow.  Add corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, salt, cinnamon and flour.  Blend for a minute or two until thoroughly mixed.  Set aside.

Put chopped pecans in bottom of unbaked pie crust.  Pour filling mixture over pecans.  They will begin to rise to the tops of the filling.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Baking time seems to vary every time I make this pie.  I guess it depends on the size of the eggs - not really sure.  Just watch it and take it out once filling is set.  Let pie cool slightly before serving.

You can serve this pie with ice cream, or I like to make whipped cream which is really easy.  This is what you do:

Put 1/2 qt heavy whipping cream in a deep bowl and beat with mixer on high speed until it starts to form stiff peaks.  Just before the peaks form, add a couple tablespoons of sugar and a splash of vanilla.  Continue beating until done.  This is what your pie will look like when you serve it.

Sorry, this is not the prettiest piece ever served because I thought to take the picture just as I served it, but it is the best tasting pecan pie ever!  It is also a very easy recipe.  Give it a try.  You are going to love it.  Pie, pie, me oh my, I love pie!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
Jim Davis

As I sit here eating one of these heavenly cupcakes, I thought about all the things I have baked in my life.  They would be too numerous to even count or name.   I will tell you though, this recipe is in my top five favorites.  It is a carrot cake recipe from my St. Louis Days-St. Louis Nights cookbook and I highly recommend that you try this recipe.  Normally, I bake it as a 3 layer cake but, we had family coming for dinner last night and opted for cupcakes instead because they are just easier to make, eat and store.  And, you can keep going back for another one without a plate and fork.  Yes, they are that good.  My son in love said they were 10 carat.  (get it?  haha)  The thing that is so different and really good about this particular recipe is it is made with pineapple instead of raisins.  I know lots of people who do not like raisins, so here is a great option for you.

They are also iced with - wait for it - cream cheese icing.  Yes!  What can be better than that?  Also, make note of the fact that the baking temperature for this recipe is 325 instead of the usual 350.  So, here we go.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (I reduce it from 1 1/2 cups because it is so gooey otherwise)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups grated carrots (I use the blender to get them very fine and it's easier)

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice

Icing:

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 16 ounce box powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

some milk

add these ingredients to the icing if you want - 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple drained

I usually make plain icing.  I have made it with the pineapple and pecans for the layer cake and it is really delicious, just personal choice.

Directions:

Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, mix oil, sugar, and eggs, beating after each egg is added.  Add dry ingredients to mixture.  Mix well.  Add carrots, pineapple (with juice) and nuts.  

For 3 layer cake:

Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.  Fill equally.   Bake at 325 for 40 minutes.  Ice.

For cupcakes:

Line 2 dozen (24) muffin tin cups with paper liners.  Fill almost to top of paper cup.  (you may have a little batter left, I just dump it).  Bake at 325 for 26 minutes  or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Icing:

Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, a little at a time and beat until all sugar is incorporated.  Add milk a few drops at a time until icing is of spreading consistency.  Add vanilla.  Ice cupcakes.

Dan considers himself quite a connoisseur of all confections and he LOVES these cupcakes.  He just said he could probably eat 6 at a time.  That is just another endorsement for how good this cake is.  It is such a treat to have for these lovely fall days, especially with your favorite hot drink.  

Give this recipe a try.  You will make it again!  Yes, our guests took some home to enjoy later.  Now, I shall enjoy the rest of this delectable morsel.  Wish you were here to have one too!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Everything in your life is there as a vehicle for your transformation. Use it!

 Ram Dass

Pretty As A Peach

How do you pass up a basket full of peaches at the Farmer's Market?  They smell like heaven, they look like perfection, they taste like manna and there are so many options - so much potential.

After our weekly shopping trip yesterday, I came home with another huge basket of peaches.  I just can't buy a few when the whole basket is calling my name.  Do you ever have that happen?  Yes, they speak to me.  They speak of warm summer days and memories and good things to come.  They hold promise.  There is creative potential in that basket.  There is hope and happiness.  You didn't know that about a simple peach did you?  Well, that is what I see when I look in that basket.  So, I picked the basket that called out for my attention and brought it home along with a lot of other wonderful summer goodness. We can talk about that later.  Right now, let's discuss these peaches.

I have already made a batch of peach preserves (incredible with biscuits), and I am sure there is another batch in this basket.  We have had sliced peaches on ice cream and several heavenly cobblers, but this time another idea came to me.  See?  Creative potential at it's finest!

What if I made a peach upside down cake like a pineapple upside down cake, but put my own spin on it?  Sounded good to me so this is what I did and let me tell you, it worked!  Here is the recipe and what you will need.

Ingredients:

about 6 large ripe peaches (amount may vary)
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed down
1/2 to 2/3 cups granulated sugar
cinnamon, enough to sprinkle over topping
coconut, a few palms full
pecans, about a 1/2 cup chopped

1 9x13 baking pan

heat oven to 350

Slice peaches in uniform size, no more than 1 inch thick at widest point
put 1/2 to 2/3 cup granulated sugar over them (to draw out the juices).  Stir to distribute sugar.  If you don't have enough to cover the bottom of the pan, slice a few more peaches and stir into the butter/brown sugar mix in the pan.

Make yellow cake mix according to directions, set aside.

Melt 1/2 stick butter in 9x13 pan.  Remove pan from oven as soon as butter is melted.  Add brown sugar to butter and stir, it will be very thick and pasty.  Add peaches and mix in juice. Make sure to mash out any lumps in the brown sugar.   Distribute peach slices evenly over bottom of pan.  This is why uniform size is necessary, so that when you bake the cake, it will turn out of the pan and look pretty.

Now, add a few hands full of coconut.  (I didn't measure.  Oops)  Enough to distribute over entire pan, but not too thick.  Sprinkle nuts over coconut.  Evenly sprinkle with a little cinnamon.  Now, pour cake mix over the topping and use a spatula to make sure the cake batter covers all of the topping.   Put in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  It takes longer than the cake directions say because of all the topping.  It will get very brown, so don't be alarmed.  Remove from oven when cake is done.

Let the cake cool until you can put your hand on it and it is only slightly warm.  The edges should separate from the cake pan.  Now comes the tricky part.  Place a large tray upside down on the cake pan.  Pick the tray and the cake pan up and flip it over quickly to turn the cake right side up on the tray.  Good luck!  Your cake should look like the one above.  If you don't like coconut, or nuts, or either, just leave them out of the topping.  The peaches are delicious on their own.  We just happen to love all of the above and I tossed it all in the mix.  This cake is fabulous warm with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.  (It's also fabulous if it's not warm and there's no ice cream or whipped cream)  Talk about good summertime eating!  Oh yeah!!

Enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetables of summer.  It may take a little effort to prepare so many of the wonderful things nature has provided for us, but your family will love you for it.  That's why summer bounty holds so many memories for me.   Think I'll go have a piece of summertime memory right now.  Hope you enjoy this recipe.  Make some memories for your family.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“A Georgia peach, a real Georgia peach, a backyard great-grandmother's orchard peach, is as thickly furred as a sweater, and so fluent and sweet that once you bite through the flannel, it brings tears to your eyes.”
Melissa Fay Greene, ‘Praying for Sheetrock’