Banana Cream Pie

I am no seasonded pie maker by any means. I think this is maybe the 4th pie I have ever made in my life, but my husband loves pie so I decided to give it another try. I found this recipe on cooksrecipes.com and like that it had cream cheese in it (cause seriously anything you can add cream cheese to is better right.) Needless to say it was a huge hit at our house and surprisingly easier than I thought so I may be becoming a regular pie maker.

1 (9 inch) baked pie crust

8 TBSP (4 0z) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 Cups cold milk plus 2 TBSP

1 (3.4 oz) package of instant vanilla pudding and pie filling

2 bananas

2 Cups whipping cream

1/4 Cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

With an electric mixer beat the cream sheese until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 TBSP milk and mix until the cream cheese is creamy and lump free. Add the remaining milk; mix well. Add the pudding mix and beat on the lowest speed for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the bananas and place in a single layer on the bottom of the cooled pastry shell. Pour the pudding mixture over the bananas. Refrigerate 1 hr.

Beat the cream together with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread over top the pie. Refrigerate at least 1 more hour and serve. ( I was lazy and used whipped cream in a can,which Kate put on which is why it is so beautiful, since we weren't going to eat the whole pie at once and I didn't want the cream to separate and get my pie all soggy.)

Cookie Turkey

My son's birthday is close to Thanksgiving so we thought it would be fun to send turkey treats for his school class. I saw the idea at Ourbestbites .
They would make a cute place card for Thanksgiving and be a great project for the kids while dinner is cooking!

What you will need:
Double stuffed Oreos
Whoppers
Candy Corns
Mini Peanut butter Cups
Black sprinkles (for pupil)
Yellow Icing
Brown Icing
Red Icing
For step by step instructions click here Ourbestbites.

Granola Bars

Granola Bars

This came from Taste of Home, sent in by Sally Haen of Wisconsin. They are good and pretty good for you. I didn't have sunflower seeds so substituted chopped pecans and that didn't hurt them a bit. I think you can add whatever your taste buds desire when it comes to nuts or fruits.

3- 1/2 Cups quick cooking oats
1 Cup chopped almonds
1 egg, beaten
2/3 Cup butter, melted
1/2 Cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 Cup sunflower kernels
1/2 Cup flaked coconut
1/2 Cup chopped dried apples
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon.

Combine oats and almonds in a 15 inch x 10 inch x 1 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl, combine the egg, butter, honey and vanilla. Stir in the sunflower kernels, coconut, apples, cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the oat mixture.
Press into a 15 x 1- x 1 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 - 18 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 3 dozen bars.

Caramel & Chocolate Covered Pretzels

I wanted to do something fun for Valentines this year. The boys and Eric loved them, my boys went to bed with tummy aches from eating to much sugar throughout the day. Don't worry they were healed & wanted more the next day!

Caramel & Chocolate Covered Pretzels
1 bag 160z. Snyder's Pretzels (Rods or Olde Tyme shape work the best)
1 batch of Caramel (click here to get caramel recipe)
White Almond Bark
Chocolate Almond Bark

Dip pretzels in the caramel then place on a buttered cookie sheet to cool. Once cooled dip in melted almond bark. After the almond bark has hardened, cut the corner of a zip lock bag and put some of the melted almond bark inside to drizzle (or swizzle as my son calls it) across the top of the pretzel.
You could add all kinds of toppings while the almond bark is still wet: sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, crushed candy cane, etc.

One batch of caramel will come close to covering the whole bag of pretzels.

English Toffee Popcorn

This recipe is from Aunt Cherrill and we all know she is one of the best cooks around. She shared some with us while we were in Arizona in January and Dad had to make it. He used his new popcorn machine and then covered it with the yummy candy. Dad used nearly 3/4 C of unpopped corn and thought there was plenty of sweetness. It really is rich and so good but then what can you expect with all that butter. Yum!

2 1/2 quarts popped corn (about 1/2 C unpopped)
1 Cup peanuts
1 1/2 Cup butter
1 1/2 Cup sugar
3 TBS water
4 1/2 tsp. light corn syrup.

Combine popcorn and peanuts in a large metal pan. Melt butter over low heat and add sugar and blend well. continue to cook stirring constantly till it reaches a full boil. Add water and corn syrup. Mix well and continue to cook until it is the color of peanut butter or test in water for hard crack stage at 315 degrees. (It took about 8 minutes.) Pour over popcorn and mix thoroughly.