Archive for the ‘DESSERTS’ Category
Fruit Cocktail Pie II
This is an excellent dessert, easy to prepare, and delicious! Highly recommended! I made this on 16 May and served the next day, highly recommended to chill overnight in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 2 cans fruit cocktail, (15 oz / 425 g cans)
- 1 can condensed milk, (14 oz / 396 g)
- 1 jar maraschino cherries, (10 oz / 283 g)
- 2 tubs Cool Whip whipped topping, (8 oz / 226 g each)
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 graham cracker crusts
Instructions
- Open and drain the fruit cocktail and cherries, slice cherries in half, drain well. I used a Variant and used a can of tart cherries in place of maraschino cherries (got a hater in the family).
- In a mixing bowl, add the condensed milk and lemon juice, stir to mix together until incorporated.
- Add the fruit cocktail and cherries and gently stir into the milk mixture.
- Add 1 3/4 containers of cool whip, gently fold into the fruit mixture so you do not deflate the cool whip.
- Divide the mixture between two pie crust. Place the covers on the pies, seal the edges, and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Can easily make the night before.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving in the US, I will have to experiment making this with homemade whipped topping (stabilized) in Thailand.
Variants: 1. Use a can of tart cherries, drained and cut each cherry half, in place of the maraschino cherries (I got a maraschino cherry hater in the family so I used tart cherries and it worked perfect). 2. Use a chocolate Oreo crust (I had one on hand and used it, also worked perfectly).
Recipe adapted from Just A Pinch Recipe Club, Amber Franks, and the original recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Frosted Graham Crackers
I remember these from my childhood, and remembered these after I put some frosting in my shopping cart and wandered through the cracker aisle and seen graham crackers. Feel free to use your favorite canned frosting for convenience or make your own frosting. Store brand crackers would be a cost saver over name brand. This is a make as much as you like guide.
Ingredients
- 1 can chocolate frosting, (1 lb / 453 g)
- graham crackers
- candy sprinkles, optional, as desired
Instructions
- Open a package of graham crackers and break each cracker in half so you have squares.
- Generously frost a cracker square, top with another square. Repeat with as many crackers as you have.
- Optionally, add some candy sprinkles to a bowl and tap the frosting oozing cracker edges into the sprinkles. This is one package, there is 3 packages in a box.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving, keeping in mind, store bought frosting in the US is very inexpensive and store brand crackers is a cost savers as well. For Thailand, the frosting would best be homemade to lower cost but the graham crackers are pricey however but you can make a lot from box of crackers.
Made these many times when I was a child, Lee Thayer.
United States.
United States.
Carrot Cake II
Sounds like a great tasting cake. My daughter, Samantha has made this and she swears it is delicious! On my to bake and taste list.
Ingredients
- 3 cups carrot, peeled, grated
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon of flour, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, room temp
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained, (canned)
- 2 cups walnuts, chopped, or pecans, for decoration, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and grease with butter three 8 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper, or three 8 inch pans of your choice.
- Grate the carrots using the small holes on a box grater.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk together.
- In another large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, sugar, and eggs and beat with an electric mixer until just combined.
- Keep the mixer running, medium speed and slowly pour in the vegetable oil.
- Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture while still using the mixer, when just mixed in, add another 1/3, repeat until all the flour has been added and mostly mixed in. Stop mixing where there is a small amount of flour not mixed in.
- Add the raisins, pineapple, and carrot to the bowl and fold that into the batter.
- Pour batter evenly between the pans and smooth out each pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans until cooled. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks until completely cooled.
- Frost with your choice of cream cheese frosting. Decorate the sides with chopped nuts if desired.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Substitute chopped pecans or walnuts for the raisins.
Adapted from an internet recipe, photo provided by my daughter, Samantha Thayer
Peanut Butter Pie
This is an easy, no bake recipe. Feel free to use a store bought or homemade crust, such as graham cracker, oreo, or shortbread crust.
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust, graham cracker, oreo, etc.
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix, 4 serving size
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tubs frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided, (226 g / 8 oz tubs)
Instructions
- For the pie crust, feel free to use a store bought graham cracker, oreo, or shortbread crust or make your own.
- In a mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, pudding mix, and milk. Whisk.
- When mixed well, fold in 1 tub of whipped topping.
- Pour mixture into the pie crust, spread out evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or even overnight.
- When ready to serve, top with other tub of whipped topping.
- Can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered, or can even be frozen.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variation: 1. Use a regular pie crust that has been blind baked and fully cooled.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cream Cheese Frosting
This is a basic, but tasty, cream cheese frosting, this is my go-to frosting.
Ingredients
- 250 grams Cream cheese, this is one regular block, (8 oz)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sour cream, Shortcut
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Add the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream to a mixing bowl and allow the butter to come to room temperature.
- Cream together with an electric mixer.
- Add half the powdered sugar, beat until the mixture is free of lumps, then add remaining sugar and mix until smooth and free of lumps. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. You may need to mix just a bit more powdered sugar to get the consistency you desire.
- This will easily frost a 9x13 cake, a 9 inch layer cake, or 24 cupcakes. Only frost when the cakes are completely cooled.
Notes
This is low cost per serving.
I would not make the sour cream if just making this, just plan this this around sour cream you have made and available.
Shortcut: Sour Cream.
Adapted from several internet recipes.
Cookie Dough Fudge
I found this recipe and made it on a whim, was not disappointed! This is excellent fudge, and so easy!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, room temp, (3/4 block / 1 1/2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 9x9 pan with foil.
- Add the butter, cream, vanilla, and condensed milk to a mixing bowl, mix with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Add the brown sugar and mix again.
- Add the flour and mix that in with the electric mixer.
- Remove the mixer and clean off the blades. Swap those out for a sturdy spoon. Add half the powdered sugar and mix that in, then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix that in, the dough will be quite stiff. Then add the chocolate chips.
- Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, and pack down evenly. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours.
- Run a butter knife along each side of the pan where there is no foil, then use the foil and lift the fudge out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Use large knife and cut into 16 squares.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Chocolate Malt Chocolate Chip Cookies
Excellent cookies, probably the chocolate cookies I have made, everyone loved these. Highly recommended!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temp, (1 block / 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup malted milk powder
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and malted milk powder. Whisk together.
- In another mixing bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, and sugar, cream together using an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix with electric mixer until fully incorporated.
- Now use a sturdy spoon and add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined, repeat until all the flour mixture is mixed in. The dough will be stiff.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix those in.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or even overnight. (I chilled it for an hour then proceeded with cooking them.)
- When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Spoon dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until set.
- Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for 5 minutes.
- Then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
White Chocolate Biggies
For Christmas 2019 my Mom gave me a cookbook, specifically 'the chocolate cookbook' and that is where this recipe comes from. These are excellent cookies, hands down! Highly recommended.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened, (1 1/2 blocks / 3 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 package white chocolate chips, (312-340 g / 11-12 oz)
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup golden raisins, or sun-dried raisins
- milk, as needed, just a tablespoon or two
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C / 350 F, line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly greased foil.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, whisk together.
- In another mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Add the flour mixture and use a sturdy spoon to mix together until well mixed. The dough will be very stiff, if too stiff, mix in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, but keep the dough stiff.
- Stir in the chips, pecans, and raisins.
- Drop by very heaping tablespoons, 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten dough slightly.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until firm in the center. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Adapted from a recipe listed in 'the chocolate cookbook', page 42.
Tart Cherry Crisp
This is an easy to prepare dessert with common ingredients. I made this on 18 Mar 2020, as written using canned tart cherries, absolutely delicious. My parents also enjoyed this dessert. This will be a regular. When I get back home (Thailand), I will be making this using fresh cherries.
Equipment
- Oven
- Pie Dish (9 inch)
Ingredients
- 2 cans tart cherries, drained well, (14½ oz / 411 g each)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold butter, cubed, (¼ block / ½ stick)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F), get out a 9 inch pie pan.
- In mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon, whisk together, then add the butter and cut in with a large fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the well drained cherries to the pie pan, spread out in an even layer and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture over the cherries.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is crisp and the cherries bubbly.
- Serve warm or cold, enjoy.
Notes
Variants: 1. Use 4 cups fresh tart cherries, pitted, in place of canned. 2. Use 1 can drained of tart cherries and 1 can of sweet cherries, also drained. 3. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Fruit Cocktail Cake II
This sounds really good, on my to make and taste list. This will use a bundt pan for baking.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 can fruit cocktail, undrained, (15 oz / 425 g)
For the Glaze
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup walnuts, or pecans, chopped, optional
- candy sprinkles, optional, as desired
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), grease a bundt pan with butter or spray with cooking spray.
- Add all Cake ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix together.
- Pour into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Make the Glaze.
- Turn the cake out onto a plate.
For the Glaze
- In a small saucepan, add the Glaze ingredients and put on medium heat. Stir as the glaze heats until almost a boil, and the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat.
- Pour the glaze over the warm cake after it has been turned out onto a plate.
- Cut into slices, serve warm or cold, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Recipe provided by my Mom, Joann Thayer.
United States.
United States.
