My Mom's Banana Pudding

I have never seen a written recipe for this banana pudding, but this is like her cornbread.  I remember standing on a chair beside her watching her make this delicious dessert. I always have the ingredients and occasionally, if I'm out of milk, I will use heavy cream or half and half and that makes it even better. And be careful when separating the eggs not get any white in the yolks, as that will make the custard grainy, not smooth.

Mom's Banana Pudding

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 T cornstarch

1/2 t. salt

3 eggs, separated (and try not to get any of the whites in the yolks)

2 cups whole milk (scald 1 3/4 cups in microwave) I used 1 cup 2% and 1 cup heavy cream

1 t. vanilla extract

2 T butter

2 bananas

Vanilla Wafers

Mix sugar, flour and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the egg yolks. Slowly stir and add 1/4 cup of cold milk gradually.  Add the scalded milk: cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until it comes to a boil.  Add vanilla and butter. Let cool. Cover the bottom  and up sides of baking dish with vanilla wafers, then top with sliced bananas. Pour custard over bananas and top with whipped cream or meringue.

Meringue

3 egg whites

2 T sugar

1 t. cream of tartar

Beat egg whites until foamy, then add sugar and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Top pudding and bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned about 10 minutes.

If you prefer whip cream of Cool Whip, crumble vanilla wafer crumbs on top. Refigerate.

Mediterrean Orzo Salad

You can use any small pasta for this recipe.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

12 oz. orzo pasta cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water

2 T olive oil

1 large yellow pepper, diced

1 med tomato seeded and diced

1 cucumber seeded and diced

1 medium carrot shredded

1 8oz. package feta cheese (optional)

3 T toasted pine nuts

3 T  fresh chopped basil

2 T capers

½ c. olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

3 green onions chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. cumin

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. dried mint or 2 t fresh

salt and Pepper

Stir together orzo and 2 T  olive oil in large bowl.  Stir in bell pepper and next 7 ingredients.

Whisk together ½ cup olive oil and next 8 ingredients.  Pour over orzo and mix.  Refrigerate until serving. 

Shrimp Salad

Another recipe that I had forgotten about until a friend called and asked me to make it for a birthday luncheon.  The ingredients are a little different than most, but it's delicious.

3 cups cooked shrimp, diced
1 cup diced celery
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup sliced stuffed olives
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped dill pickle
1 cup mayonnaise
2 T chili sauce or cocktail sauce
2 t horseradish
1 t salt
Combine shrimp, celery, and eggs. Blend other ingredients and add to shrimp mixture.  Toss lightly and serve chilled.  Yield: 6-8 servings

Eden Isle Chicken or sometimes known as Chicken Supreme or Delight

This recipe can be easily halved.  Save half of the mixture and freeze and thaw for future use.

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 thin slices ham
8 slices bacon
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg. Lipton Onion Soup mix
Wrap chicken around ham and bacon around chicken.  Place in a 9x13 baking dish.  Mix last 4 ingredients and pour over chicken.  Bake 350 for 1 hour covered, then remove foil and bake another 30 minutes.  Serve with rice.

White Bars

I actually thought that I had already posted this recipe,  but this morning when I started to gather ingredients for making it, I realized it was not on the blog.  It has always been one of my daughters favorites, but my son in law would do all types of chores and repairs for just one piece of this delicious cake.  It taste just like wedding cake.

Cake: One Duncan Hines white cake mix with the following additions:
            1 egg (not white)
            1 T almond extract
            1 box instant vanilla pudding

            1/4 cup oil
Mix cake using package directions.  Spray a half sheet pan (12x16) with Pam. Spread evenly in pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Cool.
Frosting:
             4 cups powdered sugar
             1/2 cup butter, softened
             1-2  T almond extract
              milk to make spreadable
Beat all ingredients until smooth.  Spread on cooled cake. Cut into bars.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

8 green onions sliced

5 cups of chicken broth

1 stick real butter

7 tbsp flour

½ cup sherry

1/4 t. Nutmeg

1 pint heavy cream

Saute mushrooms and green onions in butter.  Add flour and make a paste.  Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Add sherry and simmer 10 minutes.  Add cream and nutmeg and heat. DO NOT BOIL

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Although, I must give credit to the Little Rock Junior League cookbook, Big Taste of Little Rock, for this recipe, a friend of mine added the sauce and it absolutely makes it.  Never tried it without the sauce, but can't imagine that it would be as good without.  And you need to get the cookbook, it has great recipes.

4 cups heavy whipping cream
16 ounces French bread, torn or cut into 1 inch pieces
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
2 T vanilla extract
2 cups white chocolate chips

Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
5 T Butterscotch Schnapps Liquer
6 T butter

Pour cream over torn bread pieces and let stand for 10 minutes.  Combine sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth.  Add to the bread and mix well into the bread.  The mixture should be soupy.  Stir in chips.  Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Bake 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Sauce:
Pour 3/4 inch water in bottom of a double boiler and bring it to a simmer over medium low heat.  Place sugar and egg yolks in the top of the double boiler (not yet over simmering water) and stir vigorously with a whisk until light in color.  Whisk in the the Butterscotch Schnapps and place in top of double over the simmering water.  Cook, whisking vigorously, until mixture is hot and slightly thickened.  3-4 minutes.  Add the butter and stir until it melts.
Pour over entire baked bread pudding or cut into pieces and pour over individual pieces.  May be rewarmed in microwave.