Archive for the ‘DESSERTS’ Category
Snowman Cookies
This recipe will use the store bought Nutter Butter cookies and the reason for this is the shape. No quantities are given for this guide, this is just a make what you want guide.
Ingredients
- Nutter Butter cookies
- vanilla almond bark
- MM candies
- decorating gel, red or orange
- decorating gel, black
Instructions
- Place the cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you start, you need them chilled when you start dipping them.
- Setup a double boiler and add the vanilla almond bark and let it melt fully. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Add some MM candies to a small bowl.
- When the bark is melted and smooth, drop a Nutter Butter cookie into the bark, use a fork and roll it over to make sure it is coated, lift it out, shake off the excess, and place on the foil or parchment. Place two MM candies (same color) on one end of the cookie, these will be the buttons. Repeat for as many as you want to make.
- Once the vanilla bark cools and hardens, use the black decorating gel to make eyes and a mouth and the red or orange to make a nose. Let the gel set.
- Serve and enjoy, don't stack these or you may damage the eye, mouth, and nose features.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from looking at a photo of these.
Chocolate Covered...
I used the Tulip brand of chocolate compound, aka almond bark, in Thailand when I made Rocky Road Candies, and they turned out great. Then after that, I dipped cookies spread with peanut butter in the chocolate, and even cherries. This is just a guide and more or less for me to document what I am coating with the chocolate. Since chocolate compound needs no tempering, just melt and use. No quantities are listed for this guide.
Ingredients
- chocolate compound
Items to Dip (what I have used)
- large marshmallows
- maraschino cherries
- vanilla wafer cookies
- graham crackers
- butter crackers, flavor the chocolate with peppermint extract
- peanut butter cheese crackers
- Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cream Wafer Cookies
Instructions
- First thing to do is to chill whatever you plan on coating with chocolate. Place items on a tray and place in the fridge to chill for at 30 minutes.
- Setup two pots, one that fits inside the other, with the smaller pot ideally with handles to keep it above the bottom of the larger pot. Add water to the larger pot set the smaller pot inside. The goal is to just heat the smaller pot with steam from the larger pot. Add your chocolate compound. I have 1 kilo (2 lbs) in this pot. Put the pot on medium heat to create steam, no need for a rolling boil with the water.
- Once the chocolate compound is fully melted, you are ready to start. When you get done, just pour the left over chocolate into a small foil dish or heatproof bowl and allow to cool. Once hardened, you can simply use it again at a later date.
Marshmallows
- For large marshmallows, you can spear each one with a wooden skewer or simply toss one in the chocolate, flip it around with a fork, lift it out, shake off excess, and place on parchment paper or foil to cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
Peanut Butter Cheese Crackers
- Here is the glow in the dark crackers I remember from my childhood.
- Simply toss one in the chocolate, flip it over with a fork, lift it out, shake off excess, and place on parchment paper or foil to cool. I sprinkled on some chocolate sprinkles I had on hand.
- Serve and enjoy.
Butter Cracker Thin Mints
- Mix in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, after it is mixed in, simply toss a cracker in the chocolate, flip it over with a fork, lift it out, shake off excess, and place on parchment paper or foil to cool. I sprinkled on some chocolate sprinkles I had on hand.
- Serve and enjoy.
Marshmallow Peeps
- Dip then add a mini marshmallow for a tail. I also added chocolate sprinkles.
ChipMates
- This is my shout to Kroger. ChipMates are a Kroger brand of cookies that are excellent, and I used the Chunky version of these.
Graham Crackers
- This basically makes S'mores but I dipped the crackers first in the chocolate, let that set up.
- Add some marshmallow cream to a cracker, top with another cracker, cheater type S'more.
Notes
In Thailand, a block of Tulip brand chocolate compound, 1 kilo (2 lbs), costs about 218 Baht ($7.25), in the US, Walmart brand, chocolate almond bark, 1 1/2 lbs (24 oz / 680 g) costs about $2.77. Per serving cost is actually low as you can dip a lot of items. The good part is you can save leftovers of the compound and use at another time or add to a new batch.
Common method for making candies, nothing new here.
Mandarin Orange Pie II
A very good pie that uses canned mandarin orange segments, and when I go back home (Thailand), I will be using fresh mandarin oranges for this.
Ingredients
- 1 package cream cheese, room temperature, (250 g / 8 oz)
- 1 can condensed milk, (396 g / 14 oz)
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- food coloring, 2 drops yellow, 1 drop red, optional
- 1 tub Cool Whip, thawed, (8 oz)
- 1 chocolate crumb pie crust, store bought or homemade, Shortcut
- 1 can Mandarin oranges, drained
- melted chocolate/almond bark, for drizzle, as desired
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until light and well beaten.
- Add the condensed milk, orange marmalade, and sour cream. Beat again until well mixed. At this point the filling is ready if you are not using the food coloring.
- To use the food coloring, simply add 2 drops of yellow and 1 drop of red coloring. Mix with the mixer for another 30 seconds or so or until the coloring is fully mixed in. Feel free to add more coloring as desired.
- Fold in the Cool Whip.
- Spoon half of the filling into the crust and spread out evenly.
- Set aside 6 or 8 orange segments (depends on how many slices you want to get from the pie), place the rest of the orange segments on the filling.
- Spoon the rest of the filling over the oranges.
- Place 6 to 8 segments equally spaced onto the top.
- Drizzle with melted chocolate as desired.
- Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to chill before serving.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Red Hot Applesauce Jello
I remember this when I was growing up. My Mom just showed me this recipe in her cookbook she put together when she was in high school. Time to make this again. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box strawberry jello, (4 serving size)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup cinnamon red hot candies
- 1 can applesauce, unsweetened, (15 oz/425 g or 2 cups fresh), Shortcut
Instructions
- Place the red hot candies and the jello powder in a heat proof bowl. Boil water on the stove, when hot, measure out 1 cup, pour the water into the bowl while you are stirring.
- Continue to stir for 2-4 minutes, until the red hots are dissolved.
- Stir in the applesauce. Now pour into smaller serving cups if using those. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set and chill.
- Serve as a side dish or as a dessert, enjoy.
Notes
Banana Split Pie
Easy and tasty! This is a delicious pie.
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cookie crust
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 boxes instant vanilla pudding, (4 serving size)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced lengthwise
- 1 banana, sliced
- 12 maraschino cherries, drained well
- 1 tub Cool Whip, divided, (8 oz tub)
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
- chocolate syrup, as desired
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the milk and pudding mixes, whisk for 2 minutes.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding in the pie shell.
- Top the pudding with strawberry and banana slices.
- Add half the Cool Whip to the remaining pudding and stir together until blended.
- Spread mixture over the fruit. (I totally missed taking this photo.)
- Spread remaining Cool Whip over the pudding mixture.
- Drizzle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set.
- Slice, top each slice with a maraschino cherry, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost in the US, I will price this again if I can make this in Thailand.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Mandarin Orange Pie I
Sounds good, on my to make and taste list, and soon.
Ingredients
- 1 can condensed milk, (14 oz can)
- 1 package Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz / 250 grams)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 cans Mandarin oranges, drained well, (14 oz 425 g cans)
- 1 graham cracker crust
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the condensed milk, cream cheese, and lemon juice.
- Beat with an electric mixer until mostly smooth.
- Fold in the drained orange segments.
- Spread filling in the graham cracker crust. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to fully set.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving in the US, for Thailand, I will experiment making this with fresh mandarin oranges and will price that when I prepare that.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Soft Molasses Cookies
This recipe is from my Mom and she has prepared these for many years, and they are excellent cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Get out a baking sheet and line with foil or parchment paper.
- Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix together to make the dough.
- Roll the dough into balls and place on the baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until just starting to brown on the edges.
- Remove from the oven, let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Adapted from my Mom's recipe.
Coconut Dream Pie
This recipe makes use of the dry whipped topping called Dream Whip, and sounds very tasty. On my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
- 2 envelopes Dream Whip
- 2 3/4 cups cold milk, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 boxes instant chocolate pudding mix, (4 serving size)
- 1 cup coconut, flaked
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 pie crust, blind baked or graham cracker
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the 2 envelopes of Dream Whip, 1 cup of milk, and the vanilla, beat with an electric mixer on High speed for 6 minutes or until soft peaks form.
- Add the pudding mixes, remaining 1 3/4 cups of milk. Beat on Low speed until blended, then switch to High speed and beat 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the side and bottom of bowl.
- Fold in coconut and chopped nuts.
- Spoon mixture into the prepared crust and spread out evenly.
- Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost in the US, I will price this in Thailand when I obtain the local version of Dream Whip.
Adapted from the recipe on a box of Dream Whip.
Dream Pie
This recipe makes use of the dry whipped topping called Dream Whip, and sounds very tasty. On my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
- 2 envelopes Dream Whip
- 2 3/4 cups cold milk, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 boxes instant chocolate pudding mix, (4 serving size)
- 1 pie crust, blind baked or graham cracker
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the 2 envelopes of Dream Whip, 1 cup of milk, and the vanilla, beat with an electric mixer on High speed for 6 minutes or until soft peaks form.
- Add the pudding mixes, remaining 1 3/4 cups of milk. Beat on Low speed until blended, then switch to High speed and beat 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the side and bottom of bowl.
- Spoon mixture into the prepared crust and spread out evenly.
- Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost in the US, I will price this in Thailand when I obtain the local version of Dream Whip.
Adapted from the recipe on a box of Dream Whip.
Dream Cake
This uses the dry whipped cream mix named Dream Whip. I look forward to making this as I just found a whipped cream dry mix on Lazada and then I may be able to prepare this in Thailand. This is on my to make and taste list. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix, Shortcut
- 1 packet Dream Whip
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup cold water
- frosting, of your choice
Instructions
- For the cake mix, your choice, I have included in the Recipe Notes for three shortcuts for yellow, chocolate, and spice cake mixes.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), grease with butter two 9 inch rounds or one 9x13 inch pan.
- Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl, and use an electric mixer on on Low speed and mix until everything is combined. Switch to Medium speed and mix for 4 minutes or until well blended.
- Pour into the prepared dish(s) and spread out evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. For two round cake pans, cool for 15 minutes then loosen edge with a butter knife and turn out the cakes to cool completely. For a 9x13 pan, allow to cool completely in the pan.
- When the cake is completely cool, frost with frosting of your choice, and I have listed several shortcuts for frosting in the Recipe Notes section.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost in the US per serving and I will price this in Thailand using locally bought ingredients, not imported items, which would be high cost.
Shortcuts: Yellow Cake Mix, Chocolate Cake Mix, Spice Cake Mix, Dream Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Adapted from the recipe on a box of Dream Whip.
