Double/Triple Layer Pudding Pie

This was originaly a double layer pumpkin pie recipe. The pumpkin layer was just instant vanilla pudding with a can of pumkin and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (just in case you'd like to try it). We weren't so fond of the pumpkin layer, but we loved the cream cheese layer, so I modified the recipe to make it all enjoyable. It's not a very exact recipe, so play with flavors and amounts and have fun with it.



1 Cookie pie crust (previous recipe)(I used vanilla wafers in the pie pictured above)
1 12 oz cream cheese softened
1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping or whipped cream
Milk per pudding package
1 (6 serving) package of instant pudding of choice OR 2 (4 serving)packages instant pudding of choice (pictured above is a layer of chocolate mint, and a layer of chocolate.)

Mix cream cheese, 1 Tbsp milk, and sugar in a large bowl with wire whisk or beaters until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping/cream. Spread on bottom of crust. (I found this made enough for 2 pies actually. I saved half of this layer in a bowl in the fridge for several days until I was ready to make another pie. It kept very well.)

Mix the pudding according to the pudding PIE directions on the package. Beat for a minute and then pour on top of cream cheese layer. If making a triple layer, chill pie until set before repeating this step for the third layer.

Refrigerate for several hours or until set. Garnish with additional whipped topping, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Graham Cracker/Cookie Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or cookie crumbs)
3 Tbsp sugar (not necessary for Oreo cookie crust)
1/3 cup butter, melted

Mix all together and press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

Perfct Pie Crust

This recipe is a mixture of Mom's recipe and one from The Pampered Chef:

Sorry no picture yet. I burnt my pie this Christmas. But it really does make a great crust that tastes fabulous and rolls really well. If you use this before I do, take a picture to post, please.

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vinegar
3-4 Tbsp cold milk

Combine flour, slat, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Evenly cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender. Combine egg and vinegar in small bowl and add to flour mixture. Add milk a little at a time until dough is moist enough to form a ball. Makes 2 pie crusts, or 1 double crust pie shell.

Spicy Turkey Injection and Basting Sauces

I forgot to take a picture of the turkey out of the oven. Too bad because it was beautiful; and tasted great to boot.



1 syringe for injection sauce

Injection Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp carlic juice or garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
6 Tbsp lemon juice

Basting Sauce:1/2 cup butter
1/2 garlic clove
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce

Combine injection sauce ingredients; fill syringe and inject into all meaty portions of turkey until skin is tight. (Inject slowly, withdrawing needle gradually to allow maximum juice retention.) Cover turkey loosely; refrigerate for several hours or overnight until time to cook the turkey.

While turkey cooks, prepare the basting sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic; cook and stir for several minutes. Stir in four; cook until bubbly. Remove from heat; add the remaining ingredients. Return to heat; cook until the mixture thickens and boils. Brush on the turkey about 15 minutes before it is done.

Cherry Stuffing for Turkey

This was a big hit at Christmas this year.



8 bacon strips, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
7 ounces unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cherries

In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 Tbs drippings. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. In a large bowl, combine the stuffing cubes, broth, sage, thyme, pepper, and salt. Stir in the bacon, celery mixture, and cherries. Just before baking, loosely stuff the turkey.

Mom's Fresh Cranberry Sauce

1 package (2 cups) cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 orange rind grated (or 1/4 cup OJ concentrate)

Place all ingredients in a power mixer (kitchen aid, etc.) and mix on low speed for 15 minutes. Let stand 30 minutes, and then mix on low for another 10 minutes. (Keeps up to a year in the fridge.

FYI: I guess our store sells larger bags of cranberries, but when I made this I did 2 cups, which was only half a bag of cranberries. The sauce was so sugary that you could still feel the granules (they didn't completely dissolve.) I would suggest using more cranberries, or less sugar. We also found that heating the sauce in the microwave helped to dissolve the sugar.

Banana Bread

This fabulous recipe is thanks to our good friend Renee Fry

1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 Tbsp vinegar)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream sugar and butter together then add the eggs and mix well. Add the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir in just until moistened.

Pour into pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean; about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from pans and cool completely. Wrap tightly in saran wrap.

Orange Cranberry Bread

A Christmas treat!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
Grated peel of 1 orange
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons hot water
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat egg. Add orange juice, peel, butter and hot water. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon into greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. ( I made this using the mini loaf pans)

Rachael's Oreo Balls

Trust me, these are DELICIOUS! And, since everyone in the Sherwood family loves Oreos I thought I would share this. I get requests to make these for baby showers, brunches, and all kinds of parties. They are really easy to make, but that will be our little secret =)




1 package oreo cookies

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 pkg chocolate almond bark ( I use the "candiquick" you can find at Target)

Use an electric chopper or blender to grind oreos until they are a powder. Mix in the cream cheese. Form small balls with the mixture. Melt the almond bark in the microwave and dip the balls until they are covered and place them on wax paper to dry.

You can cover the balls in white or dark chocolate and drizzle them in various colors. These were drizzled in pink because I made them for a baby shower.

Cream-Filled Cupcakes

1 pkg (18 1/4 oz) devil's food cake mix
2 tsp hot water
1/4 tsp salt
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

Prepare & bake cupcakes according to the package directions. Cool 5 minutes before moving to ire racks to cool completely.

Combine water and salt until dissolved. Cool. Beat marshamallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high until light and fluffy; add salt water. Put filling in a pastry bag. Insert tip 1/2 way into center of each cupcake and fill w/small amount of creme.

Frosting:
In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips with the whipping cream. Cool. Dip cupcakes into frosting and cool for 20 minutes. Store in the fridge.

Yeild: 24 cupcakes

Sweet Herbed Carrots

2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp sugar
2 cups sliced fresh carrots
3 to 4 lettuce leaves
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a large skillet, cook and stir the butter and sugar over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Stir in carrots; cover with lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with water. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.

Discard lettuce. Stir in the parsley, cream, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 2 servings.

French Chicken/Broccoli Casserole (the fancy one)

1 pound fresh broccoli, sliced in spears and steamed 2 minutes OR 3 packages (10 oz each) frozen broccoli spears, thawed
3 to 4 cups cooked chicken, skinned, boned, and cut into large pieces

Sauce:
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 jar (2 oz) diced pimiento
8 oz Old English cheese, cubed or shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a greased 9X13 baking dish, layer the broccoli spears and shicken pieces alternately. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine melted butter, dissolved constarch, broth, seasonings, milk, and pimientos. Cook until thickened. Add cheese; stir until melted. Pour warm sauce over top of chicken and broccoli layers. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Hot Almond and Cream Drink

This is a recipe from Sarah Terry in my ward. She made it for book club this month and it was a big hit.



2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 tsp. almond extract
12 cups water
ground nutmeg to shake on top
 
On low heat, heat butter and sugar until melted.  Add ice cream and extract.  Beat 1 to 2 minutes.  Add 12 cups boiling water for 16 servings.

Maryle's Caramels

2 cups corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 sticks butter (1 cup)

Boil on medium heat until soft ball stage; around 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. (candy doubles in size, so use a bigger pot.) Pour on buttered cookie sheet. Cool and cut into squares. Wrap in wax paper.

Old Virginia Wassail

2 quarts cider
2 cups orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 stick cinamon
1 tsp whole cloves
Sugar or honey to taste

Simmer and serve hot.

Peggy's Fudge (or "Cheater Fudge" for those of us who struggle making the real stuff)

1 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup evporated milk (or cream)
1/4 cup butter
dash salt
7-9 oz marshmallow fluff (the more the better)
1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts (optional)
Several handfulls of mini marshmallows

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat. Stir until it comes to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (It will stick a little.)

Pull off heat and stir the chocolate chips, vanilla, and nuts in. Pour into a buttered pan and sprinkle marshmallows over top, gently patting marshmallows down into the fudge. Let cool.

Striped Chocolate Popcorn

12 cups popped popcorn
2 cups miniature pretzels
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 ounces white candy coating, coarsely chopped
2 ounces milk chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the popcorn, pretzels, and pecans. Drizzle with buttr and toss. Place white candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power for 2-3 minutes or until melted. Drizzle over popcorn mixture; toss to coat. Spread on foil-lined baking sheets.

In another microwave-safe bowl, heat milk chocolate coating, uncovered, at 50% power for 1-2 minutes. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. Let stand in a cool place until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 17 cups

Almond Roca (English Butter Toffee)

1/2 cup water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz. chocolate chips
Chopped almonds

Butter bottom of a cookie sheet and generously sprinkle with half of the almonds.

Combine first 5 ingredients together in a medium large saucepan (candy nearly doubles while cooking so leave plenty of room in the pan for boiling.) On medium high heat, stir rapidly until the butter and sugar combine. Cook to hard crack stage (candy forms hard strings when drizzled into a cup of cold water) and candy darkens to a light brown color, stirring constantly. (Candy will begin to follow the spoon around and the boiling will calm down before it is ready to pour.)

Pour candy over chopped almonds. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top of hot candy and wait until the chocolate is shiny and melted. Spread like frosting and sprinkle more almonds over the top. Let cool and break into pieces.