Banana Pudding Squares

Recipe Courtesy of Kraft

A favorite homey pudding dessert gets updated with a fresh banana cream flavor twist!

Ingredients

• 3 Cups fat free milk cold
• 1 Package PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat softened
• 1 Cup margarine (1/2 stick) melted
• 1 Cup powdered sugar
• 1 tub COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping (8 oz) thawed
• 35 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers finely crushed
• 3 bananas
• 2 Package JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding & Pie Filling (4-serving size each)
• 1 square BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate grated

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Directions

1. COMBINE wafer crumbs and margarine; press firmly onto bottom of 13×9-inch dish. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. MIX Neufchatel cheese and sugar until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping; spread carefully onto crust. Set aside. Cut bananas crosswise in half, then cut each piece lengthwise in half. Arrange over Neufchatel cheese mixture.
3. POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Spoon over bananas. Spread with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Store any leftover dessert in refrigerator.
4. How to Evenly Spread Whipped Topping over Dessert: Stir remaining whipped topping gently in tub to soften. Place small dollops of topping evenly over top of dessert, then use a small metal spatula to spread whipped topping in an even layer.
5. How to Easily Remove Dessert from Dish: Line dish with foil before using, with ends of foil extending over sides of dish. Prepare recipe as directed. When ready to serve, remove dessert from dish using foil handles. Cut into pieces to serve.
6. Makeover – How We Did It: We’ve made over this favorite dessert to save you 80 calories and 13 g of fat per serving compared to the traditional recipe. We used Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers and margarine instead of flour, butter and peanuts for the crust. In addition, we cut the amount of sugar and chocolate in half and used better-for-you products in the creamy layers. These simple changes result in a great-tasting dessert that can save you both fat and calories!
7. Substitute: Prepare as directed, using JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding & Pie Filling.
8. Nutrition Bonus: This great-tasting dessert is made with better-for-you products and can fit into your overall healthful eating plan!

Yield: Makes 24 servings.

 

Prep Time: 30 min    Cook Time: 3 hr

Note: Nutrition Information Per Serving (24 servings): 120 calories, 5g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 9g sugars, 2g protein, 6%DV vitamin A, 2%DV vitamin C, 4%DV calcium, 0%DV iron. Nutrition Information Per Serving (16 servings): 170 calories, 7g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 290mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate, less than 1g dietary fiber, 14g sugars, 4g protein, 8%DV vitamin A, 4%DV vitamin C, 6%DV calcium, 2%DV iron.

Nutritional Info

• 120 Calories
• 5g Total fat
• 2g Saturated fat
• 5mg Cholesterol
• 210mg Sodium
• 18g Carbohydrate
• 1g Dietary fiber

• 10g Sugars
• 2g Protein
• 6%DV Vitamin A
• 2%DV Vitamin C
• 4%DV Calcium
• 2%DV Iron

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Both of my grandmothers were excellent cooks. As a child, I lived in my grandmother Eva’s kitchen, she loved to entertain and I spent many weekends, observing recipes, shinning silver, cleaning chandelier tear drops and preparing for celebrations, my mother’s mom, grandmother Marie baked the most delicious pies I’ve ever tasted which is probably where I got my love for baking pies.

 

Around 2002 I started a tradition of baking apple pies for the holidays and today, I spent the day with my daughter baking apple pies, during the holiday season I normally cook 20 or so for my family however this year I’m adding a few special people to the list.

One in particular is a military man who works in my apartment complex as a leasing agent to show our appreciation for the sacrifice him and others are making for the country.

To all the other military personnel, please accept our love and prayers and much gratitude from our hearts. Here is the recipe I used:

Deep Dish Apple Pie

8-10 tart apples ( I use Granny Smith’s)           
1 fresh lemon (seeded 1 tablespoon)                 
 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (or to your taste preference)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (I use I can’t believe it’s not butter)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 box 2-9 “ Pillsbury Pie Crust                                 

If you’re using the Pillsbury Pie Crust, thaw them in the refrigerator until ready to use. Your deep dish pie pan should be about 9 in. wide and 2 in. deep.

Prepare the dry ingredients: add the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, mix thoroughly.

Peel and core your apples and thinly slice lengthwise. After slicing each apple, drop the slices into a bowl with lemon juice, and turn them in it to stop them from going brown, and then add apples slowly to dry mixture and toss (I like to turn it with my hands) until evenly coated.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C, gas).

Turn the apples into your lined deep dish and dot with butter; place the remaining pie crust dough over the top. Seal and flute the edges. Cut three small vents in it near the center to allow the steam to escape. Cover the edges with foil to prevent from cooking to fast or burning.

Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the crust is evenly browned and the juice beings to bubble through the vents. If the pie appears to be browning too quickly, reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F (180 degrees C, gas)

 Pie crust recipe coming soon.

 

                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allyson’s Irresistible Mocha Cheesecake

Allyson’s Irresistible Mocha Cheesecake

 

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 packets Gano Mocha™ coffee mix
2 eggs
1 graham cracker crust

Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and mocha at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, mix until blended.
2. Pour into crust.
3. Bake at 350° F for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cook and refrigerate 3 hours. (Place pan filled with 1 inch of water on bottom shelf while cooking to keep cheesecake moist.)

Angelic Berry Trifle

Growing up in Mississippi allowed pick blackberries all summer long, after we’d picked enough for my grandmother Marie to make the most delicious blackberry pies in the whole world, we’d eat them until we were blue in the face.

My children, neices and nephews don’t enjoy this same tradition, but the great thing about living in Florida has been fresh fruit practically all year around. I love fresh fruit and especially berries they make a nutrious and healthy snack that just needed to be rinsed and eaten.

“Although berries are small, they are brimming with an overwhelming number of beneficial compounds, such as anthocyanins, catechins, quercetin, ellagic acid and pterostilbene, a relative of the powerful antioxidant resveratrol found in grapes and red wine.  Find out more about the nutritional value.”

 

 

Angelic Berry Trifle Use your farm-fresh berries for this flavorful, layered treat that’s as simple as it is impressive. Using angel food cake makes it a lighter dessert for hot summer nights.Serves: 6 INGREDIENTS 8 ounces blueberries 8 ounces strawberries, sliced 8 ounces red raspberries 8 ounces blackberries 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch Lemon juice, to preserve freshness of fruit Store-bought angel food cake, sliced 1/2-inch thick Lemon Custard 1 cup cold water 1 package (8-serving) instant lemon pudding 16 ounces whipped cream topping INSTRUCTIONS             1.       Place half of each variety of berries into a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and reserve. 2.       Combine the remaining berries, water, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook about 3 minutes, just until the berries begin to break down and release juices. Remove berries from the heat and let cool to thicken the mixture. 3.       In a clean bowl, stir instant lemon pudding and cold water together until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream topping. To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the lemon custard into individual glass serving cups. Add a layer of angel food cake, breaking the slices into chunks. Then soak the cake with a layer of the berry juice mixture, top with reserved fresh berries and serve.