I get lots of compliments when I made this pudding.  I hope you will enjoy it this Thanksgiving.

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all?purpose flour

Dash of salt

4 eggs, separated

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 to 6 bananas, sliced

35 to 45 Vanilla Wavers

(Reserve 1 banana and 10 to 12 wafers for garnish)

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Stir in 4 egg yolks and milk.  Blend well. Cook, uncovered over boiling water, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat, cook, and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add Vanilla. Spread small amount on bottom of 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Cover with sliced bananas and wafers. Repeat ending with custard.

Beat egg whites until stiff gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon on top of pudding. Cover surface sealing edges. Bake at 435 degrees for 5 minutes or lightly brown. Chill. Before serving, garnish with banana slices and wafers upright around edge of dish. Yield: 8 servings

My Country Kitchen is preparing for Memorial Day.  We honor our men and women currently and previously in our armed services for their courage in standing up to others so that America may be free.  I want to thank each of you for all you do and did for our country!!  You are our heros, thank you!

While having the day off, it is time to fire up the grill.  BBQ chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, steaks, and grilled corn on the cob will be a few of the items on the grill.  Fresh green beans and new potatoes cooked together with a strip of bacon make a wonderful side dish. I picked up a fresh cantaloupe at the road side stand yesterday.  This is chilled and ready for a refreshing treat.  I’m making a Strawberry Creme Cake for dessert with homemade ice cream.  Yummy! Enjoy your Memorial Day!

Strawberry Creme Roll

3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon white sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a jelly roll pan. Line it with buttered foil or buttered parchment paper.

Beat the eggs until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add 1 cup white sugar, beating constantly. Stir in water and vanilla extract. Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour batter into tin.

Bake for 15 minutes. It should be springy to the touch, and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the pan.

Lay out a tea towel, and sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar. Turn the jelly roll out on the towel. Take off the paper or foil. Cut away crusty edges. Roll the cake up in the towel, and leave it to cool.

Whip the cream. Add unflavored gelatin and 1 tablespoon sugar. Fold in strawberries. Unroll the cake. Spread with the strawberry cream, and roll up again. Chill. Cover the top with more whipped cream when serving.

Homemade Ice Cream

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 cup white sugar
6 cups milk

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, salt and sugar in freezer canister of ice cream maker, and stir well. Add enough milk to bring mixture to the fill line on canister. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

CRUST

3 Tablespoons of butter
½ cup ground almonds
2 Tablespoons Splenda

FILLING

I cup boiling water
1 small box lime sugar free gelatin
½ pint heavy cream
8oz Cream Cheese
3 Tablespoons Key Lime Juice
1 cup Splenda

For the crust, melt butter and mix with the almonds and Splenda.  Take the mixture and press around a 9″ pie dish.  Let chill in the refrigerator.  At least 4 hours to set.

For the filling, mix the water with gelatin and let set partially set in the refrigerator.  (Note, the box will say to add 1 cup boiling water and 1 cup cold water.  ONLY and the 1 cup of boiling water.)  While this is setting, take heavy cream and beat in a bowl to make whipped cream.  Set aside and take the cream cheese, Splenda, and key lime juice and blend until smooth.  Then add the partially set gelatin and gently fold in the whipped cream.  Pour into pie shell.  Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  Serve and enjoy.

About 5 carbs per serving (when cut into 8 pieces.)

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks)plus 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon mint extract
• 4 drops green food color
• 1 cup HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13×9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Place 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 2 minutes or until melted. Stir in granulated sugar and vanilla. Add eggs; beat well. Add cocoa, flour and baking powder; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. Prepare Mint Cream Center by combining powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, water, mint extract and food color. Beat until smooth. Divide and spread evenly on brownies. Cover; refrigerate until cold.

5. Prepare Chocolate Glaze by placing remaining 6 tablespoons butter and chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute or until mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly; pour over chilled dessert. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert. 24 servings.

My favorite tea is chai tea.  Warm or cold it is delicious!  I first made a chai topping using Cool Whip and adding two to three tablespoons of chai tea seasoning then stirring.  This is wonderful on top of most any dessert.  If you are a chai tea person, I’m sure you will enjoy these cupcakes.

1/2 cup liquid chai concentrate (available in the tea section of your local grocery)
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup uncooked quick oatmeal, not instant
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

1. Combine the dry ingredients (oatmeal through sugar) in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Add chai, applesauce, vinegar, extracts, and coconut. Mix well, and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
4. Best served warm, cut into rounds and top with Chai Mousse (see recipe below).

Great for Valentine’s Day parties.

2 1/2 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon  Salt
1 cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
1 egg, beaten well
2 tablespoons Pet Milk
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Confectioner’s Sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.  Cream shortening and sugar together, mixing well.  Stir in egg, milk and vanilla.  Roll dough in plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Rollout dough and cut with a heart cookie cutter. Every cookie needs a top and bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  When cool assemble the cookies. Put a teaspoon of jelly on the bottom of a cookie, and then cover with another cookie.  Shower with Confectioner’s Sugar.

As you can tell from the ingredient list, this is not a cake you would want to serve all the time. Make
this cake for a special occasion. You will absolutely love it.

1 cup softened margarine
½ cup softened butter
1 - 8 oz pkg of cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
Dash of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour

(DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN) Combine margarine, butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Beat well. Add
salt and vanilla. Beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cake flour a
little at a time, beating well. Pour batter into a greased floured 10 inch tube or bundt cake pan. Place
pan in COLD oven. Set oven to 275 degrees and bake for 1 ½ hours or until wooden pick inserted in
the middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan. Turn out on platter and dust with powdered sugar.

I love the fall season!  I hope you will enjoy this Carmel Apple Pie recipe as much as we do.

2 pastry shells, 9-inch

4 Granny Smith apples peeled and cored, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 lb Caramels coarse chopped

2 tablespoons Flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup Milk

Milk for top

Sugar for top

Preheat oven to 375?. Fit 1 round of rolled pastry into a 9-inch pie pan.

In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, cinnamon, caramels, flour and milk. Spoon mixture into pie shell.

Top with the remaining rolled pastry. Fold the edge of the top pastry under the bottom pastry. Pinch together and flute the edge all around with a fork. Cut several slits in the top so the steam can escape during baking. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Pie is best served slightly warm.
8 Servings

4 c. apples, peeled, diced
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 eggs
½ c. oil
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Cream Cheese Frosting
½ c. butter
1 (3 0z.) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

To prepare cake combine apples with flour; toss to coat. Ass remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Batter will be very stiff. Bake in greased 9×13-pan at 350 degrees 45 to 60 minutes.

Combine frosting ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cake.

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup natural chunky-style peanut butter
6 cups crispy brown rice cereal
2/3 cup chopped dried cherries or  dried cranberries

Cooking spray

Combine honey and peanut butter in a large pot and heat over medium-low heat until melted, about 2-3 minutes. Add brown rice cereal and cherries and stir to combine until mixture is sticky. Press into a 9 by 13-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool, then chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Cut into 15 (2 1/2 by 3-inch) squares.