Pineapple Foster Pudding

My best friend Helen and her boyfriend Josh and I were having dinner one night.  She made the meat and potatoes and I was in charge of the dessert.  Do you see a theme here?  For some reason I was in the mood for something with pineapple (not knowing that Josh was not a fan of pineapple) and decided to make a pudding with pineapple on top.  I decided that a homemade rum pudding with a pineapple, brown sugar, bourbon topping would make a wonderful dessert.  Turns out, Josh likes pineapple when I make this dessert.  This was really quick and simple, I made this dessert in about 15 minutes.  The cooling time is the only thing that you need to take into account.  They need about 30 minutes to totally cool, but you can add the pineapple topping as soon as the pudding looks set.  Just remember to let the pineapple mixture cool a bit before you add it to the pudding.

Ingredients:
2 cups of milk, needs to be 1% or above, fat free won't work
1/2 cup white sugar or you can use a Splenda substitute, just follow the instructions for substituting
3 Tbsp of cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp dark rum, I used Meyer's dark rum

Pineapple topping
1 lg can of chunked pineapple, drained well, reserve 1 Tbsp of pineapple juice
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp of butter
2 Tbsp dark rum
pinch cinnamon
tiny pinch of salt


Add the milk to a sauce pan and while it is still cold, add the sugar, cornstarch, salt and butter.  Over low heat, stir the milk mixture on a regular basis.  You really don't want this to burn, so I would stir pretty often.  Once the milk starts to get warm, stir constantly.  When the mixture gets close to boiling, you will be able to tell by the texture, the pudding starts to get thicker and there may be bubbles.  At that stage, let cook for 2 to 3 minutes still stirring.  Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and the rum, stir and then pour into the ramekins.  Refrigerate immediately.

In a frying pan, add the brown sugar and butter and cook until liquid and hot.  Carefully add the pineapple and the pineapple juice.  Cook for approximately 6 to 7 minutes.  Add the dark rum, cinnamon, and salt.  Remove from heat and let them sit for about 5 minutes.  Pour on the top of the slightly cooled pudding.  Put back in the refrigerator and let cool.  Serve and enjoy!

Banana Split Cupcakes

My upstairs neighbors are always helping me out when I need it.  Today I needed to use their CD burner to make a CD for something important and they helped me out.  So I decided in order to pay them back I would make something delicious.  Originally, I was thinking something silky and chocolaty, but then with Valentine's day right around the corner, I decided to do something a little bit different.  I went leafing through my cupcake recipe book and found a delicious recipe for Banana Split Cupcakes.  I didn't change a thing about this recipe, but I do know that the book is now out of print and I'm not sure the recipe is online.  
    This recipe only makes 12 cupcakes, so if you need to make more, make sure to double it.  The cupcakes are delicious.  I normally don't eat a cupcake after I make it, but these were so good, I couldn't resist.  HEAVENLY!  A mini banana split just for me... perfect!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup mashed banana (about 1 medium banana)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup buttermilk  (you can make this with 1/4 cup milk and 1 tsp of vinegar, let sit for 5 minutes)
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped and toasted walnuts  (toast them by putting them in a pan on medium heat, watch carefully and stir, when they start to smelly nutty, remove from heat)
2 milk chocolate bars  (I used three pieces of chocolate chunks from a bag that I had)

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 to 2 Tbsp milk
1/2 cup of toasted coconut (use the same processes as for the nuts, just don't let burn)
12 maraschino cherries

In a bowl combing the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl combine the banana, butter, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients and stir until mixed well.  Fold in the nuts.  Put cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and then fill 1/4 of the way fill using an ice cream scoop.
Top each one with a piece or pieces of chocolate.  Then fill the with the remaining batter til the cupcakes are 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

While they are cooling, mix the frosting.  Use just enough milk to make it smooth, so that may be more or less than 2 Tbsps.  Once the cupcakes are cool, frost and sprinkle immediately with the coconut.  Then take the remaining chocolate bar and heat it in the microwave.  Drizzle over the cupcakes and place a cherry on top!  Enjoy your treat!  No need for a spoon!

Banana Foster Cake

  I have a friend here at Penn State who lived in New Orleans for a while.  We became friends because he comes into the gym every day and works out.  I offered him a cupcake one day after his workout and we've become friends.  So we were talking one day and we got on the subject gumbo and jambalaya.  I told him about my jambalaya recipe, which you can find on here and he bragged about his gumbo recipe.  A few weeks later when things calmed down for everyone, he invited a a bunch of friends over for gumbo night.  I felt the need to bring dessert and thought long and hard about what I could bring that had a New Orleans flair too it and that I had ingredients for, without having to run to the store.  All the recipes online needed special things and I just wasn't going to make a special trip to the store to get them.  So I decided to take a regular butter cake recipe and jazz it up.  This recipe is was a huge hit!  I would tell you to definitely make it and enjoy it with your friends and family!  Bring a little bit of New Orleans home to your house!


   Ingredients
Foster topping :
2-3 bananas, sliced
1/3 c. butter
1/2 c brown sugar
pinch Cinnamon
2 Tbsp dark rum (I used Meyer's)
parchment that is cut out the size and shape of the 9x13 inch pan, grease the pan, place the parchment over it, and then spray with Pam again.

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a pan on the stove over low heat.  When the sugar dissolves take it off the heat, add the rum and cinnamon.  Then pour it in the bottom of a greased 9x13in cake pan.  Layer the slices bananas over the sugar mixture

Cake:
1 boxed butter, yellow cake mix (use the butter type, it is way better)
butter called for on the box
2 Tbsp dark rum (I used Meyer's dark rum)

Mix the cake according to the directions on the box and add the dark rum.  Pout gently over the bananas and sugar mixture.  Place directly in the oven preheated to 325 degrees.  Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until cake is done.  Let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes and then take the tray that you're going to serve it on and hold it against the cake.  USE A HOT PAD!  The cake will still be hot!  Then carefully flip the cake over and  tap on the glass bottom.  The cake should fall right out.  Pull the parchment off the top of the cake and serve!

   This cake is so good, rich, luscious mixture of banana, rum, and caramel.  So GOOD!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake Light

So I'm a little late it catching my blog up, sorry!  One of the things that my attention has been on is little girl named Carmen who is going through chemo in Washington State.  Her mom runs an amazing bakery, Betty Blue and creates some gorgeous and delicious cupcakes.  Her family is friends with a good friend of mine.  So if you get a chance check out her Facebook page at Caring for Carmen or at her website Caring for Carmen.  She's an amazing young lady and she deserves all the love and support we can give her!  Fight hard Carmen!  <3

   
      I was invited to a Superbowl party this year at my friend Stephanie's house.  I wasn't sure what the menu was going to be (turns about it was delicious tacos), so I decided that I needed to make a light dessert.  Light doesn't mean that it shouldn't have a lot of flavor, so I was caught trying to find something delicious and something that wasn't too heavy or rich.  I was surfing through my email a few days before the Superbowl and came upon the Taste of Home light Valentine's Dessert recipe book.  I decided to leaf through it and in it I found this amazing recipe for Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Cheesecake.  I fell in love immediately and decided that this was the answer to my problem.  TOUCHDOWN!  The cheesecake was a huge hit, easy to make, and not that bad for you!
    I actually followed this recipe with fidelity, but when I give this recipe to you, I'm going to suggest that you don't use the chocolate graham crackers.  I am going to suggest that you use just a plain chocolate cookie, like an unfilled Oreo, but I don't know if those exist, however, I would suggest using something with a little more texture.  If you can't find something better, use the graham crackers, they taste good.
  Don't panic if when you go to unmold this cake if the crust seems really lose, it is, but it's still really good and it will be okay.  The recipe makes a lot of crust and even with what falls off, there will still be enough to cover the cake and it will still look okay.  WARNING:   MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME TO LET THIS CAKE SETUP IN THE FRIDGE!
 Without further ado, here's the recipe.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups chocolate Oreo-like cookies about 9 
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese, cubed
1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free cottage cheese
Sugar substitute equivalent to 3/4 cup sugar (I used Spenda Sugar blend) 
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed, divided
12 medium fresh strawberries (optional, I used one and made it the top decoration 
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used less since I used less strawberries) 

Directions 

• In a small bowl, combine cookies crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a 9-in. springform (or baking dish)  pan coated with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

• Hull strawberries if necessary; in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Transfer to the food processor; add the cream cheese, cottage cheese and sugar substitute. Cover and process until smooth.

• Transfer to a large bowl; fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set.

• For garnish, wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. Cut tops off berries. In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip each berry tip until half of the berry is coated, allowing excess to drip off. Place with tips pointing up on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

• Carefully run a knife around edge of springform pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Garnish cheesecake with chocolate-dipped strawberries and remaining whipped topping.

•  Yield: 12 servings