Banana Pudding

We had friends coming over so I had to find a easy last minute dessert to make
I came across this one on pinterest.
You can never go wrong with banana pudding, right??

Ingredients:
1 box vanilla wafers
4-5 bananas (or more if you desire)
3 cups of milk
2 small boxes of french vanilla pudding (i just used regular vanilla and it was still amazing)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip

Directions:
Line the bottom of a 9x13 with vanilla wafers
slice your bananas and layer evenly on top of wafers
combine milk and pudding & blend with an electric mixer
In a separate bowl, mix together cream cheese & condensed milk until smooth.
Fold in whipped cream.
Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mix & stir until well blended.
Pour mixture evenly over bananas
Layer the remaining vanilla wafers on top
Serve right away or refrigerate.

OH.
MY.
WORD.

beyond delicious! It was a total hit!

Cheesecake

A few years ago, I was about 19 or 20 years old, living at home, going to the local community college and working my tail off at a job I hated. We didn't live by any family and my dad being a collegiate level coach, we usually have his athletes over for Holiday dinners, etc.
This particular Holiday (Thanksgiving), my grandparents were flying in to spend the Holiday with us. Being older, I wanted to help my mom prepare Thanksgiving dinner instead of just sitting back watching football with the boys.
I found this recipe in a magazine during my lunch break at said job.
I was a little nervous to make it for a crowd but it was BEYOND AMAZING!!
It one of those things where you feel stuffed to the core, but it's so good you just want to keep eating it.
My grandma even asked me for the recipe.
That made me feel good seeing as I think she is a bomb cook!
Now that the Mr. and I live closer to my extended family, we got to spend Thanksgiving at my Grandparents house this past year and my grandma asked if I would make "My Cheesecake" again. So, I figured it's about time to share it with the rest of you.

Ingredients:
2 cups Graham crackers (crushed)
1 1/4 cups sugar (divided)
6 tbsp butter (melted)
4 pkgs cream cheese
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line 9x13 pan with tinfoil
mix crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter; press in bottom of pan.
bake 10 minutes

BEAT cream cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended
Add sour cream-mix well.
Add eggs, ONE AT A TIME, beating on low after each until blended.
pour over crust.
Bake for 35 minutes (center should almost be set)
Cool completely
Put in fridge for 4 hours

Top with whatever your heart desires.
Caramel, nuts, fruit, etc.

mmmmmm!!!!

Chocolate Pie

This takes about five minutes to make and is DELICIOUS!
If you have ever had a "dirt cup" this takes exactly the same.
My husband loves these pies so we make them quite a bit.

Ingredients:
Oreo Pie Crust
1 small box of INSTANT chocolate pudding
Milk
Cool Whip

Directions:
Make pudding according to directions on box
Refrigerate until pudding is set
Top with Cool Whip

Easy Peasy!!!

Owl Cupcakes

I made these little devils for a work and church party.
boy, were they a hit and so easy to make.

They were a bit time consuming...but then again I did make 50!
I couldn't get some of the Oreos to come apart evenly so some of the eyes looked a bit funny.

All you need is a box of of (any) chocolate cake mix
Chocolate frosting
Oreos
and Reese Pieces

I think it's pretty self explanatory but if you want step by step deets let me know :)

Homemade Butterfingers

My sister-in-law told me about this recipe and I just HAD to try it.
I've seen it all over the web, so I am sure most of you have already tried this or have at least seen it.
I was actually quite surprised how much these tasted like butterfingers

Ingredients:
1 lb. Candy Corn (YES! Candy Corn)
16 oz. Peanut Butter (smooth)
Dipping Chocolate (I used Almond Bark..found in the baking isle)

Directions:
In a microwave safe bowl melt the candy corn for 1 minute and then at 30 second intervals until melted.
Add the peanut butter and mix in with the candy corn.
If the mixture seizes, put it back in the microwave and melt for 30 seconds more.
Stir mixture with a rubber spatula until well combined and smooth.
Pour into a greased 8x8 glass dish and refrigerate until solid.
Once chilled, cut into rectangles and remove from pan.
Melt the dipping chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and dip each rectangle in the chocolate, coating all surfaces. Place on a piece of parchment paper and let set.

The pictures don't do justice of how yummy these are!

Brownie Maddness

The picture says it all

Ingredients:
1 box of brownie mix
1 jar of marshmallow fluff
1 container of chocolate frosting

Directions:
Cook brownies as directed on box
Once finished, let brownies cool for 30+ minutes
Warm marshmallow fluff in microwave for 15 seconds
Spreed over cooled brownies
Put in fridge for 5-10 minutes
Warm chocolate frosting in microwave for 15-20 seconds
Spreed over marshmallow fluff

then enjoy the yummy goodness!!

**Side note:
-It is very rich, so I suggest cutting small pieces
-It yummiest when warm

Darn Good Chocolate Cake

The title explains it all.
:)




Ingredients:
Vegetable Oil (for misting the pan)
Flour (for dusting the pan)
1 pkg plain devil's food or dark chocolate fudge cake mix
1 pkg chocolate instant pudding
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Lightly mist a bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set pan aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, warm water & oil in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on slow for 1 minute, then increase speed to medium, (scrape sides as needed). The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in chocolate chips, making sure they are well distributed throughout the batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

3. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45-50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake & invert it onto the rack to cool completely for 20 more minutes or serve while its still warm.


**I enjoyed it more when it was warm.
**we also topped ours with powdered sugar

Creamy Carnival Cups

We decided to invite some friends over last minute
We didn't have any treats ready then I remembered this recipe
It was a hit!

So fast and incredibly easy
and yummy ;)

Ingredients:
1 c water
1 pkg (4-serving size) Jello
*any flavor, we used strawberry*
2 c vanilla ice cream
cool whip

Directions:
Boil 1 cup of water
in medium bowl add water & dry gelatin mix
stir for at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved
Stir in ice cream with wire whisk until well blended
pour into dessert bowls/cups
refrigerate for 30 min or until set
top with whipped cream

4th Of July JELLO

Since this was mine & Kyle's first 4th of July alone I wanted to make it really fun!

The day before we went to a local campsite, roasted hot dogs & marshmallows
Then back to our place to play games and eat treats!

I got a little festive and make some Red, White & Blue jello



I first made the Red Jello according to the directions on the box
let it set
Made the Blue Jello (directions on box), poured on top of the red jello
Let it set
Then topped with whipped cream

It was a fun, easy and yummy treat on a hot summer night.