Last Call: Charlotte's Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

~3 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies

~6 to 8 bananas, sliced (not quite ripe)

~2 cups milk

~1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding

~1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

~1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

~1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions:

1. Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

2. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer.

3. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.

4. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies.

5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Last Call: Rosalie's Kahlua Trifle

Kahlua Trifle

 

Ingredients:

 

~One box of Devil's Food chocolate cake, prepared

 

~One 16 ounce container of Cool Whip

 
~One package of chocolate pudding, prepared (can be instant or cook-n-serve)

 

~One cup of Kahlua

 

~Skor or Heath bars (about 3 regular size), crumbled

 

 

Directions:

 

1. After preparing the chocolate cake in a 13x9 pan, let it cool. Also have prepared chocolate pudding chilling in the refrigerator. Once the cake is cooled, pour the cup of Kahlua all over the cake, allowing it to absorb the liquid. Then cut cake into 2 inch cubes.

 

2. Take deep bowl, or trifle service piece if you have it and place a layer of cubed cake on the bottom. Scoop several spoons of the chocolate pudding next, covering the cake and filling in the gaps. Then, scoop several spoons of whipped cream on top of pudding, covering it. Finally, sprinkle crumbled candy bars generously over the whipped cream.

 

3. Repeat layers until you reach top of bowl, ending with the crumbled candy at the top!



Last Call: Cranberry-Almond Biscotti

Cranberry-Almond Biscotti

Ingredients:

~4 c. sifted flour

~½ tsp salt

~1 tsp baking powder

~1 1/3 cups sugar

~1 stick of butter

~1 stick of margarine

~1 tsp vanilla extract

~1 tsp anise extract

~6 eggs

~1 cup chopped almonds

~1 package of dried cranberries/craisins

Directions:

1. Cream butter and margarine, then add sugar slowly. Add one egg at a time, then add extracts and beat thoroughly.

2. Add sifted flour, baking powder and salt (about 8 or 10 tablespoons at a time), mix and continue adding flour mixture until finished. Add chopped nuts and berries. Dough will be soft.

3. Grease 3 cookie sheets lightly. Using a large mixing spoon, spoon out 3 tablespoons of dough, forming small loaves. 3 small loaves will probably fit on one cookie sheet (and they WILL expand during while baking).

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes and remove. Cut dough into slices and turn them on their sides and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, flip cookies and bake the other side for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden brown.

5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

 

 

Last Call: Pineapple Ricotta Muffins

Pineapple Ricotta Muffins

Ingredients:

~15-oz. container ricotta cheese

~1/2 cup vegetable oil

~1 egg

~1 cup crushed pineapple

~2 cups all-purpose flour

~1 Tablespoon baking powder

~1/2 teaspoon baking soda

~1/2 cup sugar

~1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a blender combine cheese, pineapple, oil and egg; blend until smooth. Combine dry ingredients, and fold in cheese mixture. Fill muffin cups half full, and bake about 20-25 minutes, until tops are light golden.

Last Call: Croissant French Toast w/apples, pears & cranberries

Croissant French Toast with Spiced Apples, Pears & Cranberries

Ingredients:

Fruit topping:

~1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries 

~3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar

~1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Grand Marnier

~4 medium Fuji apples

~4 medium Granny Smith apples

~6 Bartlett pears

~6 Tbsp. butter

~2-3 Tbsp. cinnamon, or to taste

~1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

~1/2 cup maple syrup

Batter:

~2 cups half-and-half or cream

~4 eggs

~1 Tbsp. cinnamon

~1/4 cup powdered sugar

~ 1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier

~24 mini or 12 large croissants

~Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a small pan, cook frozen cranberries with about 2 Tbsp. of the brown sugar and 1 tsp. Grand Marnier until tender. Set aside.

2. Peel and dice apples and pears and sauté in butter over medium heat with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, for about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier and maple syrup. Continue cooking, stirring often, until tender. Fruit will release some juice during cooking. Be sure to keep this to spoon over croissants with the fruit. Remove from heat, add cranberries and stir. Fruit topping can be made ahead and refrigerated, then reheated before serving.

3. Mix all ingredients for batter. Use a sharp serrated knife or scissors to cut a small piece off the top of each croissant. Dip each croissant into batter, and allow excess batter to run off. Cook croissants on a griddle or in a skillet as you would French Toast, browning on both sides. Remove from heat, and spoon cooked fruit and juice over the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately. Serves 12.

Last Call: Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

~2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

~1/2 Cup margarine or butter, melted

~1 can Cream Of Chicken Soup

~1/2 Cup onion, chopped

~2 Cups cheddar cheese, grated

~1/2 teaspoon pepper

~1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine soup, onion, melted butter, and seasonings, stir well. Stir in cheese and frozen hash browns. Place in 9x13 dish and bake at 350 for thirty minutes, or until bubbly.

Last Call: Spinach and Pancetta Quiche

Spinach and Pancetta Quiche

Ingredients:

~ 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

~ 4 eggs

~ 1/2 cup cream

~ salt

~ pepper

~ garlic powder

~ 1/4 pound pancetta, diced

~ 1/4 cup grated parmesan

~ 1/2 onion, diced small

~ 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach

~ 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375*F. The first thing you want to do is cook the pancetta a little. In a saucepan over medium high heat add the diced pancetta and let cook for about 5 minutes. Set aside to let cool.

2. On a lightly floured surface take out the sheet of puff pastry and roll it out with a rolling pin until big enough to put in your pie pan. Put the puff pastry in the pie pan, set a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper on top and set a small pot in the middle and put in the oven. This is called blind baking and what it does is give the crust a head-start so you have a nice flaky crust instead of undercooked dough. Let cook in the oven until a pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

3. While that is cooking get the egg mixture ready. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, and parmesan until all mixed together. Add the spinach, pancetta, onion, and season with salt, pepper, and onion powder.

4. Once the puff pastry is ready, take out of the oven and take the pan off and the foil. Add the egg mixture and pop right back into the oven! Let cook for another 20-25 minutes, or until the center doesn't jiggle. Let cool for a couple of minutes and serve.