Ladyfinger Sandwiches

These came about kind of randomly, in search of something OTHER than Tiramisu to use my ladyfingers with. And at first, I even thought, maybe I could do my own pastry cream, something tasting like the custard from Boston Cream Pie. But the reliable fear of making my own custard rose back up, and I wound up using vanilla pudding. I think chocolate would be better, but I knew that if it was chocolate, Dave wouldn't eat it. *shrug*

It is completely easy to make and easy to change flavors, just by using a different pudding. A quick dessert or nighttime snack. And you'll have pudding left over afterwards to enjoy by itself. :)

(Because, really, how much more can I say about these? LOL)



Ingredients:
Instant pudding, any flavor you'd like
Ladyfinger cookies

Directions:
Make pudding according to package directions and let set. Spread onto ladyfingers. Enjoy.


(Yeah, told you it was easy LOL)

Cooking to Combat Cancer : Mixed Berry Tarts

When I read about the above over at Mele Cotte, I knew I had to take part. Between three of four grandparents dying of cancer, my dad is currently going through his third round of chemo.

I went through the Mayo Clinic's recipe webpage, and finally decided upon their Mixed Berry Pie. Which are really mini tarts, but, hey. I won't be picky. ;)




(At least we know with this blog, my close-up-photography skills are bound to improve!) :D

Ingredients:
12 to 15 medium strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup raspberries
1/2 cup fat-free, sugar-free instant vanilla pudding made with fat-free milk
6 single-serve (tart-size) graham cracker pie crusts
6 Tbsp light whipped topping (optional)

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the strawberries and raspberries.

Spoon 4 teaspoons of the pudding into each pie crust. Add about 2 tablespoons of the strawberry-raspberry mix to each pie. Top the fruit with 1 tablespoon whipped topping.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.


So, I altered it a bit, because I wanted to make pretty designs. :) I also chose to do both chocolate and vanilla, for some variety. I ate one already - very yummy. Good for summertime, too, for a quick dessert. :)

Strawberry-Kiwi Cream Tart

Alright, this is it. This is the recipe that first got me published in a cookbook. It's a great summertime dessert, as it only uses the oven for about 10 minutes, just for the crust. And the combination of the pudding, cream cheese, and fruit is very refreshing on a hot day.


Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup sugar
8 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
Filling:
12-ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
1½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. almond extract
1 4-oz. package instant vanilla pudding
Topping:
1-2 kiwis, sliced
1 cup strawberry slices

Directions:
Crust:
Preheat oven to 375F. Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Press firmly onto bottom of 9- or 10-inch tart pan. Bake at 375F for 6-8 minutes, or until edges are browned. Cool.

Filling/Topping:
Combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, mixing well. Spread along cooled graham cracker crust. Make pudding according to package directions. Carefully pour over cream cheese. Put into fridge for 5-15 minutes. Arrange fruit as desired.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I had always heard of these, but for some reason, never made them. Even though there are so many flavor opportunities, just depending on what flavor pudding you choose. The first time I made these I used just the basic chocolate, but I recall using vanilla once. I'd stick with stronger flavors, though, since the vanilla flavor seemed to get lost.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 pkg. (4 serving size) instant pudding, any flavor
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2¼ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups (11 oz. bag) chocolate morsels
1 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.

Beat butter, sugars, pudding mix, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; mix well. Gradually add flour and baking soda; beating until well blended. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire rack.