Yes, I do realize that Valentine’s day was on Tuesday, but it just seems fitting since the recipes today are all sweet. And the funny thing is that I didn’t actually make anything sweet for my sweetie this time. We had some delicious orange rolls for breakfast, and I’d gotten him some Oreos as part of his gift, so we really didn’t need anything extra to be sweet. Still, it never hurts to have some recipes ready for when you do need them.
So without further adieu, let’s start with some cookie recipes. First up was a cardamom orange sugar cookie that I tried out for a cookie exchange a couple years ago. The flavor was okay (I’m a huge cardamom fan!), but the technique just had too many issues.
Luckily, this next one is a WINNER!! I actually blogged about it several years ago, but it’s so amazing, I wanted to remind you that you need to go make them.
Again, I know they don’t look like the most spectacular cookie, but even my non-spice-cookie-loving husband can barely stop eating them. The previous posting of it has the recipe, and I urge you to make it the next time you need a spice cookie. I’ve even made this with my niece and nephew. It has a chilling period, which gives it some flexibility. And kids always enjoy rolling cookie dough into balls and rolling them in sugar.
Next up is the crepes, fritters, pancakes, and waffles category, for which I was delighted to remake some yummy buckwheat pancakes. I’ve made and blogged about these before, so I won’t belabor them here. They’re a bit heartier than regular pancakes and would be nice with some added spice or topped with a fruit compote.
Last up for today is the dessert category, a catch-all category for sweet treats that don’t fit in anywhere else. This particular recipe is for banana pudding bars. That’s right, a family favorite recipe in a *somewhat* more portable form. I am personally not a huge fan of bananas. Or pudding. But the many people in my life who DO like those think that this is a fabulous dessert. (I have tasted it, and it’s fine. I’m just not a fan, as previously mentioned. ;P ) It’s also nice that this dessert is easy to put together, made of easy to access and affordable ingredients, and it actually has to be made ahead of time.
Banana Pudding Bars (From the Simple and Seasonal blog)
1 1/2 c.3 c. finely crushed vanilla wafers (I felt like there was nowhere near enough crust the first time, so I’ve increased the amount. Feel free to tweak to your preference.)
1/3 c.1/2 c. melted butter (I’m actually guesstimating these amounts, but I’ll adjust as needed the next time I make these.)3 sliced bananas
2 3.4 oz. packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 c. milk
2 1/2 c. thawed cool whip
- Preheat the oven to 325. In a large bowl, mix together the crumbs and butter and press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. (The first time I made this was for a big group, so I did it as written. But when I made it again for pictures, I was feeding a smaller group, halved the recipe, and used an 8×8 pan.
- Top the crust with the bananas. (I’m sure they mean you to use more bananas, but again, I’m not a big fan. Measure with your heart.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mixes and milk. Spread 2 cups of this over the bananas.
- Stir 1 cup of the cool whip into the remaining pudding and spread over the first pudding layer. (To be honest, I’m not sure the point of this particular step. Next time I’ll probably just do one layer of pudding and one of cool whip. But to each their own.)
- Spread the remaining cool whip over the top. Chill at least 3 hours before serving. (If you want, you can top it with more vanilla wafers [whole or crushed] or bananas before serving. If using whole wafers, I might top them a few hours before serving, so that they soften a little. If topping with bananas, I’d do it right before serving, so they don’t brown too much.)
So that’s what I’ve got for you this time. Stay tuned for next month (hopefully) to see what else I’ve been getting into. 😀
Food, Faith, and Other Fabulous Finds 