Faithy’s Favorite Layered Dessert

HOWDY friends…praying you are well and happy on this wonderful day that our Lord has made for us!  I seriously can’t believe how long it’s been since I posted something here.  How does life get so busy?!

Anyway, I’ve recently had several requests for this recipe, so I figured the easiest way to share it would be to post it here.  I have no idea where it originated.  It’s one of those recipes that have been around church potlucks pretty much forever, and there are about a million variations floating around in cyber-space as well.  One of the things I love most about it, is that you can make so many variations of it.  It is very easy to put together, and always a hit!

 

Faithy’s Favorite Layered Dessert 
Ingredients:

Layer #1:   1 cup flour

                  1 cup finely ground nuts (I prefer pecans, but use whatever you like)

                  1 stick of butter or margarine, melted

Layer #2:   8 oz. cream cheese, softened (fat free or low fat work as well as regular)

                  1 cup whipped topping (I’ve used regular, fat free & sugar free - all good)

                  1 cup powdered sugar (regular or Whey Low)

Layer #3:   2 small packages instant pudding (Chocolate, coconut & pistachio are my favorites, but feel free to experiment with whatever flavor you like!  I’ve seen a pumpkin variation that sounds yummy, and a lemon one too.  As with the other ingredients, sugar free pudding works fine too.)

                  3 cups milk (I generally use fat free, but use your favorite)

Layer #4:   Additional whipped topping and topping of your choice (use your imagination!)

                  --For chocolate pudding try chopped roasted pecans or almonds, chocolate sprinkles or chocolate curls for a nice touch

                  --For coconut pudding I use toasted coconut

                  --For pistachio pudding use chopped pistachios

Directions:

Mix layer #1 ingredients and press into a 9x13” pan.  Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (or until lightly golden).  Let cool.  Mix layer #2 ingredients and pour onto 1st layer.  Mix layer #3 ingredients and pour onto other layers.  Top with additional whipped topping and sprinkle with topping of your choice.  (You'll need to work carefully when spreading each layer if you don't want them to mix together.  I've found that if I plop spoonfuls of each layer around the pan, it's easier to connect them together, rather than starting from one big blob in the middle.)

It’s really easy to make the different layers the day before and refrigerate them in separate containers.  Then you can put it all together just before serving.  If you layer everything too early, sometimes the colors from the pudding start to run a bit.  (The chocolate pudding will make your other layers a bit pink.)  It will still taste great, but may not be as good to look at.

I apologize for the poor photo…as many times as I’ve made this, you’d think I’d have a better one.  LOL!  Maybe I’ll remember to take a better one next time I make it.

If you haven’t already, you definitely need to give this recipe a try.  It’s been a favorite in our family for years, and I hope it will become one in yours as well.  Please leave a comment to let me know if you’ve made it before and what variations you’ve used.

I hope it won’t be quite as long before I check in with you again!

Blessings,

--Faithy

Happy Pi (Pie) Day!!!

 HOWDY!!  Just popping in to wish everyone a "Happy PI Day"!!  Hope this beautiful day finds each of you well and happy.  I thought I'd share one of my favorite pie recipes again, in honor of the day, as well as some links for "Pi Day" smiles.

As a bonus...here's a link for some fun ways to celebrate the day.

Enjoy...and if you get a chance...share a piece of pie with someone you love today!
Blessings,
--Faithy

Gig’em (Red Velvet) Cookies

Now that football season is in full swing, I thought I'd share one of my favorite cookie recipes.    I found my base recipe years ago in a book called Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke.  She called them Red Velvet Cookies, but I like my name better.  (Hee, hee...just a little tribute to my Fightin' Texas Aggies!)

I love her books because they're fun little mysteries with lots of recipes included.  They are based in Lake Eden, MN and center around Hannah Swensen, the main character, who is a baker and owner of The Cookie Jar.  If you've never read one, you should!

Anyway, I was intrigued by this recipe, and had to try it out.  Of course, I made a few minor adjustments to the original recipe, but it was so good (and easy) that I've made it lots of times since.  Besides with that beautiful Texas Aggie color, it's a sure hit with my family and me!

Gig’em (Red Velvet) Cookies

Ingredients

2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened baking chocolate

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened at room temperature - (NOT melted)

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I like to use Whey Low® Gold)

1/3 cup sugar (or your favorite sugar substitute)

1 large egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

1 Tablespoon red food coloring (you can use a little less or a little more, depending on how deep you want your red color to be)

3/4 cup fat free sour cream (you can use regular sour cream or plain Greek yogurt if you prefer)

1 (6 oz.) pkg. (1 cup) miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips (the original recipe calls for regular chocolate chips, but I prefer the miniature ones)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  (If you don’t have any parchment paper, don’t worry about it …just be sure to grease your cookie sheet, or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.)

Unwrap and separate the squares of chocolate, and put them into a small microwave-safe measuring cup.  (You can use a bowl, but since the measuring cup has a handle, it’s much easier to remove from the microwave when it’s hot!)  Melt the chocolate squares for 90 seconds on HIGH, then stir them until smooth and set them aside to cool.

Whisk together flours, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugars.  Beat at medium speed until smooth, then add the egg, and continue mixing until the batter is smooth again.  Add the red food coloring and mix until it is even distributed and not streaky (30 seconds or so).

Shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl.  Add the melted chocolate and mix again for another minute on medium speed.

Shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl again.  At low speed (to prevent a flour blizzard in your kitchen!), mix in about half of the flour mixture (about 1 cup).  When the flour is mixed in, add about half of the sour cream, and mix well.

Scrape down the bowl again and add the remaining flour mixture.  Beat until the flour is fully incorporated, then add in the rest of the sour cream.  Mix just until combined.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and mix in the chocolate chips by hand.  (I use a firm rubber spatula for this.)

Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon to spoon the dough onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets.  (At this point the dough can be a bit sticky.  If you have trouble working with it, just put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before scooping out your cookies.)  Bake the cookies at 375°F, for about 9 to 11 minutes (depending on your oven), or until they rise and become firm.  (If you like them more "cakey" take them out on the early end.  The longer you cook them, the more they'll dry out and become eventually become crisp.  They're good either way, but somewhere in the middle is my favorite.)

Slide the parchment from the cookie sheets and onto a wire rack (if you aren’t using parchment paper, let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes or so before removing from the pan to wire racks to cool).

Once all the cookies are cool, you can remove them from the parchment paper and put them on waxed paper for frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened to room temperature (again, be sure to soften, but not MELT your butter)

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese (or regular cream cheese), softened to room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

About 2 cups powdered (confectioners’) sugar

Using a hand mixer, mix the softened butter with the softened cream cheese and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.  (I’ve also done this in my food processor - which makes it very quick and easy.)  Add the powdered sugar (a little at a time) until the frosting is consistency you want for spreading.

These make delicious gifts too.  I have yet to find someone who could eat just one!

Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Oh...and BTHO outta Ole Miss this weekend Aggies!!
Blessings,
--Faithy

Faithy’s Favorite Raspberry Lemonade Pie

We must have pie.  Stress cannot exist in the presence of pie. -- David Monet --

Howdy folks…sorry I’ve been AWOL again…imagine…real life taking on more importance than virtual life…LOL!

Anyway, I thought I’d pop in and share another quick, easy, and absolutely yummy recipe.  This is an old favorite of mine.  Can’t remember where I got the original recipe, but I’ve adapted it over the years to make it my own.  It’s a wonderfully cool and creamy summertime treat!

The recipe goes together really quickly, but you’ll need a little patience to wait until it freezes.  (I always use any extra as a taste sample, and just eat it unfrozen, to help with that patience part.)

Faithy’s Favorite Raspberry Lemonade Pie

1 (14 oz.) can fat-free (or regular) sweetened condensed milk (I always put it in the refrigerator ahead of time so that it is chilled when I start)

1 (12 oz.) can frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, partially thawed (use a little less of this if you prefer more sweet than tart…I like it a bit tart, so I always use the whole thing!)

1 (8 oz.) tub non-dairy whipped topping, thawed (I generally use the lite version)

1 small container fresh raspberries (save a few for garnish)

1 graham cracker crust (I generally use the chocolate cookie crust with this one, but I didn't have any.  I also use the reduced fat version of the graham cracker crusts when I can find them.)

Pour sweetened condensed milk and raspberry lemonade concentrate into a large mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.  Fold in the whipped topping and raspberries (don’t worry if they break apart as you mix them in…the little bits of frozen raspberry spread throughout make this really good!).  Once everything is well combined, pour into the pie crust and garnish with a few fresh raspberries (fresh mint and lemon slices also make good garnishes for this pie).  Freeze until firm (3 hours or so) and enjoy!

Feel free to play with the recipe and substitute any flavor of frozen juice concentrate and fruit to suit your tastes.  (I’ve used regular limeade or lemonade - plain or with fresh blueberries before.  I even tried a mixed berry juice once.  Lately, I've been thinking that frozen orange juice concentrate with mandarin oranges might just be delicious!)  If you come up with another great combination, please let me know.  I’d love to try it!

I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful 4^th of July weekend.  Get out there and spend it making memories with your family…you’ll be glad you did!

And I'm proud to be an American,

where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

-- Lee Greenwood --

I hope you will also take a moment to remember where TRUE freedom comes from…

One can have political freedom and still be a prisoner of sin, while one who is in a political prison and knows Christ can be more free than his jailers.

Freedom in Christ is the ultimate freedom to be celebrated, not only on special days, but every day of the year. -- Billy Graham --

If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

 -- John 8:36 --

Blessings,

--Faithy