Rhubarb dessert

Husband loves fresh rhubarb cooked with tapioca so today we picked our first rhubarb and I made some that he thought was great.   Usually I don't measure but for some reason I did today and this is what I came up with.   It is good served warm or cold and a dollop of whipped cream really enhanced it for me.  this is super easy.

3 Cups fresh rhubarb, diced
1 Cup sugar
2 1/2 TBS. tapioca
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. almond flavoring
1/4 Cup cold water
2 drops red food coloring

Mix all ingredients together and let it sit for five minutes.   Bring to a boil and then simmer until the rhubarb is soft.   Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes.   Serve hot or cold with a dollop of cream if desired.

Caramel Apple Nachos

Found this recipe on www.lilluna.com.  Made it for my birthday dessert, and everyone loved it!
Tastes like a yummy caramel apple.  We will definitely be making this one again.

Ingredients

• 3-4 gala apples
• 3-4 granny smith apples
• ½ package Kraft Caramels (unwrapped) (or Ice Cream Caramel Topping)
• 1 TB water
• white chocolate (vanilla) candy coating
• mini chocolate chips
• Heath toffee bits

Instructions

1. Place heath bits and mini chips into separate bowls. It's important to have these all ready so they can be sprinkled on as soon as the caramel and white chocolate are on.
2. Cut a ziploc bag at the corner. This will be for the white chocolate for you to drizzle on.
3. Cut your apples right before working on candy coating and caramel so they do not brown. Place on your prepared dish.
4. Unwrap caramels and place in small pot with 1 TB water. Heat on low-medium temp until melted. (Or if you opt to use Ice Cream Caramel Topping skip this step).
5. At the same time, melt white chocolate by placing candy coating in a small pot on low heat and stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Place in ziploc bag with cut corner as soon as it's done.
6. Drizzle white chocolate and caramel on as soon as they are melted and smooth. Sprinkle toppings (toffee bits and mini chips) on immediately.
7. Serve immediately.

Banana Sour Cream Cake

This recipe comes from a Kraft foods magazine that I got while in Atlanta.  It is moist and delicious.  I took a picture (it was quite impressive since I seldom make desserts) on Clark's camera and he has since misplaced it so I am posting without a picture.  Use your imagination.  Very Easy.

Banana Sour Cream Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
Icing:
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 pkg (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 Cups)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or nuts of your choice

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream and oil with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl often.   Beat on medium for 2 minutes and pour into greased and floured 13 x 9inch cake pan and bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.   Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Beat cream cheese and butter until blended and gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.  Remove cake from pan and carefully cut cake crosswise in half, using a serrated knife.  Place one half, top-side down on a plate and spread top with frosting.   Top with remaining cake half, top-side up and frost top and sides.  Press nuts onto sides.  Can sprinkle nuts on top if desired.  Left-overs need to be refrigerated.
For me there was too much icing so I wrote myself a note to leave the cake in the pan, make less icing and just sprinkle nuts on the top.   Not near as fancy looking but tastes the same.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

I found this recipe on Pinterest just in time to use my four overripe banans.  The cream cheese adds so much to this recipe, giving it a very moist but light texture.  Plus, the roasted pecans are the perfect addition.  Roasting the nuts brings out their natural oils and adds SO much flavor...Don't skip this step!  To roast them, simply place the pecans on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted.  I had some sugared, roasted pecans leftover from another recipe, so I just used those.  The original recipe comes from Sugar and Spice by Celeste.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread
***Makes 2 loaves***

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanillla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 inch loafpans.  (I used 6 smaller loaf pans.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary.  (I  cooked my smaller loaves for about 40 minutes.  They turned out perfect.) Cool bread in pans on wire racks for a few minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Coconut Bundt Cake

This is a recipe that I picked up in Atlanta when we were there several years ago. I made it yesterday for Clinton's birthday and everyone enjoyed it, including Clinton. He generally isn't very fond of cakes but liked this one. The grandsons that are here enjoyed more than one piece. It is easy and good.

1 yellow cake mix (without pudding)
2 boxes instant coconut pudding (I didn't have coconut pudding so used vanilla and some coconut flavoring)
4 eggs
1 C sour cream
1/2 C salad oil
1/2 C milk
1 tsp coconut flavoring (optional)

Topping
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 C chopped pecans
1/2 C brown sugar

Blend all the cake ingredients and beat on high for 2 minutes. Combine the topping in a separate bowl. Grease and flour (I sprayed mine) a bundt pan. Pour in half the batter and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. Repeat the layers. Swirl a knife through the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Can sprinkle with powdered sugar when it is cool if you desire.