August: Potlucks!

August Theme: Potlucks. What do you take with you?

Monday, September 29, 2008

Lime Gelatin, Shrimp, and Grapefruit Salad

Okay, I would NEVER in a million years make this, but as I was reading through the Lion House Cookbook the other day I came across this recipe. It was too entertaining not to share.

1 large package lime gelatin
1 cup boiling water
6-8 ice cubes
2 T sliced olives
1 T sweet pickle relish
1/2 T minced onions
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp vinegar
3/4 cup shrimp
1 1/2 cups grapefruit sections, drained
3 T chipped green peppers
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/4 cup mayo

Make up gelatin according to package directions, using boiling water and ice cubes for the ice cube method. Cool until syrupy. Add remaining ingredients except mayo and cream.

Pour into 1 1/2 quart mold or 8 individual molds. Chill until firm. Unmold or cut and serve on lettuce leaves. Top with a dollop of mayo or mayo fluffed with whipped cream, if desired.

Can you say YUCK?!?!

Chocolate Mousse Trifle

I was going to make this so that I could get a picture, but haven't gotten around to it yet. So I'm posting it, and hopefully will get add one later. It's all chocolatey goodness whether you use mousse or jello pudding!

5 cups cubed brownies (1/2 inch cubes)
1 2.8 pkg chocolate mousse mix (or jello pudding)
1 12 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed (or whip your own cream . . . I'm not really a Cool Whip fan)
1/4 cup English toffee chips or almond brickle chips
grated or shaved chocolate

Place half of the cubed brownies in trifle bowl or other clear bowl. Prepare mousse mix according to package directions. Spread half over brownies top with half of the whipped cream; sprinkle with toffee bits. Repeat layers of brownies, mousse and whipped cream. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Refrigerate until serving.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Honeybun Cake

I have had this recipe for a while but just recently made it for a baby shower and was asked to share the recipe, so here goes!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
3/4 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 8 oz. sour cream
1 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 c. powdered sugar
4 T. milk
1 T. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix oil, eggs, sour cream and cake mix together. Stir about 50 strokes by hand. Pour half of batter into ungreased 9x13. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over batter. Cover with rest of batter. Swirl cake with knife to marble it, as much as you like. Bake for 40 minutes. Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour over cake while fresh out of oven!

This is a delicious cake to make for a dessert the night before and then eat it for breakfast that next morning. Your husband, your children,... well and let's be honest-- you yourself will thank you for making this cake! It is the easiest "cinnamon roll" you'll ever make!

Tomato Parmesan Crostini

I'm sorry this isn't part of the theme, but I just got this recipe from my Mom and HAD to share it with you all. It is delicious. It just melts in your mouth and you will be going back for FOURTHS on this one!

4-5 tomatoes, plum or ripe whatever-kind-of-tomatoes you have on hand
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. olive oil (extra virgin if you have)
salt to taste
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 loaf french baguette, sliced 1/2" rounds

Combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, oil and salt & pepper. Mix well and set aside. Mix the parmesan cheese and mayonnaise and spread on each bread round. Place bread rounds on baking sheet. Top each round with a spoonful of tomato mixture. Bake at 400 degrees fir 10 minutes or until bubbly & bread is toasted!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Fudgy Cream Cheese Ribbon Cake


This is the recipe I was going to bring to the swap, but I had a baby instead. :)

1 (18 1/2 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350ยบ. Grease and flour, (may use baking cocoa instead), 10” bundt cake pan WELL. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Adding dry instant pudding mix. Pour batter into pan. Set aside. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and cornstarch until fluffy. Slowly beat in sweetened condensed milk. Beat in egg and vanilla, beating til smooth. Spoon evenly over cake batter. Bake 50-55 minutes til toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes; CAREFULLY remove from pan onto cake plate. You may have to tap sides quite a bit to loosen or run a knife around edge to help loosen. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with white chocolate and/or chocolate glazes if desired.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Pistachio Dessert

First Layer:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
 
Mix all together and press in bottom of pan and flatten.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until light brown.  Cool in fridge.
 
Second Layer:
1 8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 small tub of cool whip (save 1 cup for the top of dessert)
 
Whip cream cheese and powdered sugar together than add cool whip then spread on cooled first layer.  Cool in fridge.
 
Third Layer:
2 small pkgs. of instant pistachio pudding (or your choice of flavor)
3 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
 
Beat until pudding consistency.  Spread on second layer, cool.
 
Fourth Layer:
Spread on one cup cool whip.  Chill until cold throughout. 

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Strawberry Shortcake

Courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:

1 large angel food cake

For the custard: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

For the glaze: 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin (recommended: Jell-O) 1 cup water 2 cups fresh strawberries, cut in 1/2 (if berries are extra large, they can be cut into quarters) Whole fresh strawberries and mint leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Slice cake, using a serrated knife, horizontally into 3 equal layers.

For the custard:
Mix together cream cheese, condensed milk, and whipped topping in a bowl; set aside.

For the glaze:
In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin; add water. Cook stirring over medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Fold in strawberries.
For assembly:
Place 1 layer of cake in a large clear bowl. Top with a layer of glaze, followed by a layer of custard mixture. Repeat layering in this order for remaining cake, glaze and custard. Top cake with 3 whole fresh strawberries and fresh mint leaves.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Orange Sludge

This recipe is from The Domestic Art (Volume II); these cook books were created by a woman in Utah for her friends and family but they became so popular by word of mouth that she kept on printing and selling them.
I'm planning to bring this to the gathering this weekend.

Orange Sludge

Combine dry in a medium dish:
1 (3 oz.) box vanilla pudding
1 (3 oz.) orange jello
1 (3 oz.) tapioca pudding
Stir in 3 cups boiling water. Mix until smooth. Set in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Add:
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
About ½ container whipped topping
Stir and refrigerate several hours.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Chocolate Pudding Dessert

And of course, you can't have this be the topic and not add THIS dessert. We had this all the time in YW & RS back home. I LOVE it.

Crust:
1 stick butter
1 c. flour
1/2 t. vanilla
2 T. sugar
1/2 c. nuts
Mix ingredients and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

Filling:
1 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 of 12 oz. cool whip
Mix and pour on cooled crust and chill.

1 large box instant Chocolate pudding.
Mix by following directions on box. Pour onto filling. Add remaining cool whip and sprinkle with nuts.

Fudge Striped "Salad"

2 small packages vanilla pudding
16 oz. cool whip
2 small cans mandarin oranges
1 pkg. Keebler fudge striped cookies
2 c. butter milk
2 cans pineapple tidbits
bananas or strawberries, optional

Drain all fruit, mix buttermilk, pudding & cool whip. Add fruit and mix. Before serving, save 6 or 7 cookies for the top of the salad and crumble up the rest and stir into the salad. Place remaining cookies on top. Enjoy immediately!

Chocolate Eclair Cake


Crust:
1 cube butter/margarine
1/4 t. salt
1 c. water
1 c. flour
4 eggs

Filling:
3 c. milk
3 small packages instant vanilla pudding
8 oz. cream cheese
12 oz. cool whip
Hershey's Magic Chocolate Shell

Crust Directions:
Bring margarine, water & salt to a boil, remove from heat. Add flour and beat in eggs, one at a time. Spread on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Prick with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Cool.

Filling Directions:
Beat together milk, pudding, and cream cheese. Spread on crust. Spread cool whip on top of filling. Drizzle Hershey's Magic Shell on top of cool whip. Chill 4 hours!

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

I know Jamie just posted a banana pudding recipe, but I love this recipe--so there's no harm in multiples, right?




2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies
6-8 bananas
2 cups milk
1 (5 oz.) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Line the bottom of a 9x13 dish with 1 bag of chessman cookies & layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix & blend well using a handheld mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve. This always tastes better to me the day after you make it and all the juices make the cookies softer. Delicious!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Banana Pudding

Hi Ladies! I am back, finally! I have the slowest internet connection on the planet, so I don't do much on the internet for the time being.

Anyway, this is a recipe I came to love durin my mission to North Carolina. I think it embellishes regular banana pudding just enough to make it scrumptious. Enjoy!

Condensed milk
1 1/2 C. cold water
1 vanilla pudding mix (small, instant box)
1 C. (1 pint) whipping cream, whipped
36 vanilla wafers
3 medium bananas sliced and dipped in lemon juice (to prevent browning/discoloration)

* Combine milk and water. Add pudding mix and beat until well blended. Chill 5 min. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon 1 C. pudding mixture into 2 1/2 qt. round glass serving bowl. Top with 1/3 each of wafers, bananas and pudding. Repeat twice ending with pudding. Chill thoroughly.
* Tip: just put a little bit on bottom of bowl or there won't be enough. It works better in taller bowls.

Aunt Julie's Family's Favorite Jello

1 large box peach jello
1 quart home bottled peaches
whipping cream

Make jello according to package directions, but DO NOT add the cold water. Instead, dump in a bottle of home bottled peaches with the juice. Chill until gelled and top with real whipped cream.