Sort of Like Whip ‘n Chill

In the 1960s, there was a little box of powdered mix called Whip ‘n Chill which was mixed with water to make a very light and delicious mousse-like dessert.  On the rare occasions when my mother-in-law came for supper, I struggled to find something she would eat.  She didn’t like my cooking but one thing she seemed to enjoy was Whip ‘n Chill so that was always our dessert when Grandma Mary visited.

Whip ‘n Chill has been out of the regular grocery stores for many years and for a time could only be purchased at the Vermont Country Store.  Now, they no longer have it, but it is sold in bulk on Amazon.com at a pretty hefty price.  For our purposes, my version will do just fine.  If Grandma Mary were still with us, I wonder if she would like it.

Grandma Mary

SORT OF LIKE WHIP ‘N CHILL

• 1 envelope (¼ oz.) unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups milk, divided
• One 3.4 oz. package of Cook and Serve Chocolate Pudding (not instant pudding)
• 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)

Soak gelatin in ¼ cup of cold milk.  When dissolved, place in a medium saucepan with the remainder of the milk and the chocolate pudding mix.  Whisk over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Whisk the whipped topping into the pudding mixture and spoon into six dessert dishes.  Cover and chill for an hour.

Makes 6 servings.

Based on 6 servings – 156 calories/serving

Read Full Post »

Homemade Applesauce Cake

Every Christmas, we enjoy watching The Homecoming which introduced the Walton’s and I always wonder how Mama Walton made her Applesauce Cake.  Here’s my version of Livvie’s Applesauce Cake:

HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE CAKE

• 4 medium tart apples*
• ¼ cup pitted dates
• 1-¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup chopped nuts

Whipped cream or topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease and flour an 8 inch baking pan

Peel and quarter the apples.  Place in a medium saucepan.  Add water to cover the bottom of the pan and cook on medium low heat until the apples are soft, adding a little water as necessary to keep mixture from sticking.  This will take 15-20 minutes.  Let cool.  Measure ¾ cup of apples into a food processor.  Cut the dates into quarters and place in the food processor along with the cooked apples.  Pulse several times to finely chop the dates and smooth out the apples.  *You can substitute ¾ cup of unsweetened applesauce for the cooked apples.

Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice in a bowl, whisk together and set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, place the oil, sugar and egg – whisk until smooth.

Stir the date mixture into the oil/sugar/egg mixture, add flour mixture and stir until flour is absorbed.  Stir in chopped nuts.

Spread batter in the prepared baking pan and bake @ 350 degrees  F for about 45 minutes until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on a rack.

6 servings.  Serve with whipped cream or topping.

Read Full Post »

A St. Patrick’s Day Doll and an Easy Dessert

On this St. Patrick’s Day morning, my daughter had my doll table all ready for the celebration.  The doll was decked out in a hand crocheted shawl and tam o’shanter and there was a new embroidered cover for the table.  The picture of the cover doesn’t do it justice – it only measures 2-½ x 5 inches, so you can imagine how tiny the stitches are.

We’re having our traditional Reuben sandwiches for lunch (corned beef and cabbage in a more palatable form for us) and a quick and easy dessert with a little green to honor the day.  This is a deliciously rich dessert.

ST. PADDY PISTACHIO DESSERT

Crust:
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup butter, cut in small cubes
* 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Filling:
* 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 8 oz. carton of Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed, divided
* One small package of instant white chocolate pudding (four ½ cup svgs)
* One small package of instant pistachio pudding (four 1/2-cup svgs.)
* 1-1/2 cups milk, divided
* Green sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

To Make the Crust:

Mix the flour, butter and pecans well.  Press mixture in a 9×9 baking pan.  Bake @ 350 degrees F for 15 minutes until lightly brown.  Cool

To Make Filling and Assemble:

Layer 1: Beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.  Fold in 4 ounces (half of an 8-oz. carton) of whipped topping.  Spread over cooled crust.

Layer 2: Whisk one package of white chocolate pudding and 3/4 cup of milk until thickened.  Spread over Layer 1.

Layer 3: Whisk one package of pistachio pudding and 3/4 cup of milk until thickened.  Spread over Layer 2.

Layer 4: Spread remaining 4 oz. of whipped topping over Layer 3.

Sprinkle top with green sugar – maybe you’ll be more creative than I was in sprinkling the sugar.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

6 to 8 servings

Read Full Post »

Apple Cake with Peanut Butter Icing

I first made this recipe as a bundt cake in 1987.  It is from a 1978 cookbook, Southern Sideboards.  For today’s dessert, I cut the recipe in half and baked it in a 9×9 inch pan.  Easy to make, easy to work with and definitely good and easy on the tongue.

APPLE CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER ICING

• ½ cup cooking oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1-½ tsp. vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½  tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1-1/2 cups chopped, peeled tart apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease a 9-inch baking pan

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs.  Add vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt – blend into creamed mixture.  Fold in pecans and apples.  Pour into a greased 9×9 inch baking pan.

Bake @ 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean..  Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Ice with Peanut Butter Icing (below).

PEANUT BUTTER ICING

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tblsp. evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla.
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter

In a small pan, place the brown sugar, butter and milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat immediately and stir in vanilla and peanut butter.  Beat with a spoon until icing is room temperature and thick.  Spread over cake.

Servings:  9

Read Full Post »

Swedish Dream Bars

I found this recipe at Christmas time in 2007 at My Sister’s Kitchen and each year have planned to make some for the holidays.  Once again this year, I failed to have them in time for Christmas but did make them for a rainy January day and they are wonderful.  They are very rich, so one or two bars will be plenty per serving.

SWEDISH DREAM BARS

The Crust:

• ½ cup butter
• 2 Tblsp. dark brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

The Topping:

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1-½ cups dark brown sugar
• ¼ tap. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely
• 2-3 Tblsp. powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Butter a 9-inch baking pan

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, 2 Tblsp. sugar and 1 cup flour.  Press this mixture into the buttered baking dish.  Bake @ 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and set on a rack.

In the same bowl, place ¼ cup flour, 1-½ cups sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs and vanilla.  Mix together until smooth.

Add the chopped walnuts.  Pour this mixture over the baked crust and return to oven to bake for 25 minutes.  Place on rack to cool.

Press powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer to cover the top of the cake.

Cut into 16 bars.

Read Full Post »

Country Cherry Pudding

I found this recipe in a 1945 Calumet booklet – Favorite Recipes for Country Kitchens.  This makes a quick and easy dessert for lunch or supper.  As it bakes, the sauce becomes thick and cooks into the cake.  Cuts and serves nicely.

COUNTRY CHERRY PUDDING & SAUCE

• ½ cup plus 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tblsp. Canola oil
• ¾ cup frozen tart cherries, thawed and drained

Sauce:

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup cherry brandy or cherry juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tblsp. butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Grease a 9-inch baking pan

In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder salt and ¼ cup granulated sugar.  Add milk and canola oil to make a stiff dough.

Spread the dough in the bottom of the baking pan.  Dampening your fingertips with water will help spread the dough evenly.

Arrange the thawed/drained cherries on top of the dough.

In a small saucepan, combine the water, cherry brandy or juice, ¼ cup sugar and butter.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Pour boiling mixture over cherries.

Place in oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes @ 375 degrees F.  Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm.

4 servings.

Read Full Post »

Delicious No-Bake Eggnog Pie

At this time of year, we usually have some straggling leftovers and I wanted to make something for Sunday dinner that would use up two cups of dairy eggnog.  I remembered a pie I had made for Christmas in 1985 from an old 1978 Southern Sideboards cookbook.  I adapted it a bit, including leaving out an extra two cups of whipped cream – I felt we had indulged enough over the holidays.  It’s a good dessert with a crunchy graham cracker/almond crust and a smooth creamy filling.  Make the day before serving so the pie can chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

DELICIOUS NO-BAKE EGGNOG PIE

CRUMB CRUST:

• 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup chopped almonds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter, melted

FILLING:

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 cups dairy eggnog
• 2 Tbsp. rum
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped
• Freshly grated nutmeg for topping

TO MAKE THE CRUMB CRUST:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, almonds, cinnamon and melted butter in a small bowl.

Press the mixture on the bottom and sides of a buttered 10-inch pie pan (deep).*  Set aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a cup, sprinkle gelatin over water to soften – set aside.  Mix 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch and salt in top of double boiler.  Gradually stir in eggnog.  Cook over hot, not boiling water, stirring constantly until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin until dissolved.  Allow filling to cool …

…then fold in rum and whipped cream.

Pour mixture into the pie shell and sprinkle with nutmeg.  Cover and let chill in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

*I had a 10-inch pie plate but apparently it wasn’t deep enough.  I poured the leftover filling into two custard cups, covered and chilled for a nice light dessert after the pie is gone.

6 servings

This has nothing to do with eggnog pie but I couldn’t resist showing you this picture.  It’s not everyone who can look out the back door and see a St. Bernard dog in the snow.  Our neighbor’s dog is usually looking for a shady spot or barking to get back in the house, but today he was in his glory in all that beautiful snow.

Read Full Post »

Chocolate Almond Roca Cookies

I made these rich candy-like cookies last year on a sunny Sunday before Christmas.  My daughters and grandchildren were here for lunch and I was looking for something to serve that would be “holly jolly”.   This delicious confection adapted from a recipe on Mennonite Girls Can Cook was perfect.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND ROCA COOKIES

•     12 long graham crackers
•     1-1/2 cups sliced almonds
•     1 cup butter (not margarine)
•     1 cup dark brown sugar
•     1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (Ghirardelli)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Line an 11×16 inch jelly roll pan (with lips to catch spills) with parchment paper.  Lay the graham crackers in the pan to fit snugly.  Sprinkle with almonds and set aside.

Place the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Bring to a full rolling boil – bubbles across the top surface of the mixture.  Pour hot mixture carefully over the almond/graham cracker base, spreading to cover all of the crackers and nuts.

Place in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bubbly all over.  Remove from oven and sprinkle even with chocolate chips. Let cookies stand for a minute to melt the chocolate, then use a spatula to spread the chocolate in a thin layer.

Cool in the pan on a rack to room temperature.  Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to harden chocolate topping.

Using the spatula, lift and break the cookies in random size pieces.

This makes a large batch of delicious, rich cookies.

 

Read Full Post »

Cranberry Cake and Brandy Sauce

This dessert was adapted from a recipe on AllRecipes.com.  I first made it for Christmas dinner in 2004 and my daughter and I loved it.  The original was for a large bundt cake and I cut the recipe in half to make this version which I bake in an antique 7-inch tube pan.  It could also be baked in a 9-inch loaf pan.

CRANBERRY CAKE AND BRANDY SAUCE
Cake

• 3 Tblsp. butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
• 6 oz fresh cranberries

Sauce:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 Tblsp. brandy

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease/flour 7-inch tube pan or 9-inch loaf pan.

To make the cake
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar.  In a medium bowl mix together dry ingredients.  Beat flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with evaporated milk, beginning and ending with flour.   Stir in cranberries.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 50-60 minutes @ 325 degrees F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (loaf pan may take longer).

Let cool in pan 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

To make the sauce:
In a small pan combine the butter, sugar and cream.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in brandy.  Drizzle warm sauce over slices of cake.

The sauce is quite rich and this amount is just right for drizzling over 6 individual slices of cake.

6 servings

Read Full Post »

Pear Cheese Cups

On September 14, 1995, my oldest daughter and I were planning to leave the next morning to take the youngest daughter on a surprise pre-wedding bachelorette trip to Cleveland to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which had just opened on September 2.  For supper, I made a 9-inch Pear Cheese pie from a recipe in a 1965 Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, using a vanilla wafer crust.  We all enjoyed it very much (and also the bachelorette trip).

Today, I wanted to make a dessert for lunch that would be lower in fat/calories and would make just 4 servings.  I cut the original recipe in half, used vanilla wafers in place of the crust, and made these very good individual Pear Cheese Cups.  Use a deep custard cup – my granddaughter in St. Louis gave me some nice Pampered Chef deep cups which also have lids.  They are especially good for transporting desserts to my daughter’s house for lunch each Friday.

PEAR CHEESE CUPS

• 4 vanilla wafers
• 2 cups fresh ripe Bartlett pear slices  (about 3 medium pears)
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 oz softened light cream cheese
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• ¼ tsp grated lemon peel
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Have four deep custard cups at hand

Place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each of 4 deep custard cups.

Place ½ cup of pear slices in each of the cups.

In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk and cream cheese, beat smooth.  Whisk in sour cream, lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar, flour, salt and nutmeg.  Pour over pears in each cup (about ¼ cup each) and spread to cover pears.

Bake @ 375 degrees F about 25 minutes until brown around the edges and just set.  Let cool on a wire rack.

4 servings.  Good room temperature or chilled.  This is a light, delicious dessert.

Read Full Post »