Layered Pudding Dessert

My mom made something very similar to this back when I was a kid. She didn't make it for US though. She mostly made desserts for company and since my dad was a minister, we had company quite a bit. I always hoped that she didn't invite too many people over because then I knew there would always be leftover dessert for later. Now that I'm all grown up and cook for myself...guess what? I can make this any ole time I want to! This dessert feeds a bunch...is yummy and simple. What more could you ask for?

Layered Pudding Dessert



Crust Layer

1 cup pecans
1 cup flour
1 stick butter ~ room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and press into prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.


Cream Cheese Layer

1 8-ounce package cream cheese ~ room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup Cool Whip

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

Add the Cool Whip and beat just until combined. Spread on top of the cooled crust.


Pudding Layers

5 cups milk ~ divided use
1 3-ounce package instant vanilla pudding
1 3-ounce package instant chocolate pudding
1 8-ounce container Cool Whip ~ divided use
1 3-ounce chocolate candy bar ~ for garnish (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine the vanilla pudding mix and 2 1/2 cups milk until smooth. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip.

In another medium bowl, combine the chocolate pudding mix and 2 1/2 cups milk. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip.


Spread cream cheese mixture on top of cooled pecan crust.

Spread vanilla pudding mixture on top of cream cheese mixture.

Spread chocolate pudding mixture on top of vanilla pudding mixture.

Top with Cool Whip.

Garnish with shaved chocolate, if desired. 

 

Here we go!

 

Mix crust ingredients in a small bowl 

and press into prepared pan. 

Bake for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

 

In the bowl of a standing mixer, 

combine the cream cheese and 

powdered sugar until smooth.

 

Add the Cool Whip and beat just until combined.

 

Spread on top of the cooled crust.

 

Mix up the vanilla pudding and 2 1/2 cups 

milk until smooth. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip.

 

Spread on top of the cream cheese layer.

 

Combine the chocolate pudding mix and 

2 1/2 cups milk. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip.

 

Spread on top of the vanilla layer.

 

Top with more Cool Whip.

 

And some shaved chocolate, if you've got it.

 

Chill, slice and eat!

Creamy Vanilla Bean Pie

This simple pie is so delicious! You could add some coconut to it if you want a little added something or throw some cherry pie filling on top for some extra goodness. But my favorite way is plain and simple. I wished I'd had some whipped cream because that would have been my topping of choice but I was out. So I went with meringue since I had the egg whites left over from using the yolks in the pie. If you don't have vanilla bean paste...no worries...just use the same amount of vanilla extract and the world won't come to an end, I promise. Super good pie, guys!

Creamy Vanilla Bean Pie



1 8-inch pie crust ~ baked
2 cups milk
1 cup half & half
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
dash salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
3 egg yolks

In a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk and half & half until hot but not boiling...about 3 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, combine the flour, sugar and salt.

Whisk in the hot milk mixture over medium heat and stir until thickened.

In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks with a little of the milk mixture to temper the eggs. 

Pour egg/milk mixture into the saucepan with the milk mixture and cook and stir until thickened and boiling.

Remove from the heat and add the butter and vanilla bean paste.

Pour filling into the baked pie shell.

Lay down some plastic wrap on top of the filling and place pie in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Serve with whipped cream.

 
The cast of characters.

 
Mix together the flour, sugar and salt.

 
Add the heated milk/half & half 
mixture and cook until thickened.

 
Pour a little bit the milk mixture into 
the egg yolks to temper the yolks.

 
Then pour that back into the 
saucepan to cook and thicken.

 
Pour into your BAKED pie crust then 
cover with plastic wrap and chill.

 
Top with meringue or whipped cream.

 
Slice and eat! So yum!

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Stuffed French Toast

Breakfast is always welcome around the SFFS house. It's too bad that the majority of the time we have it is for dinner. I'm not a breakfast food kinda girl and I'm certainly not an early-morning-fix-breakfast kinda girl. Poor IT Guy. He loves a hearty breakfast and I just can't do it. I'm so thankful he's understanding about me and my little quirks! (Okay....BIG quirks.) Anyway, I was given a loaf of fresh homemade bread and I knew immediately what I was going to do with it. This little recipe started formulating and a few hours later....we had a winner!! This is so easy to throw together and makes enough to feed 6 - 8 people easy! Double that if you cut each piece in half! And good? Oh yeah!!

Strawberry Vanilla Bean 
Stuffed French Toast



16 slices french bread ~ about 1 inch thick
2 - 3 cups fresh sliced strawberries ~ about 1/4 inch thick
1 8-ounce container Strawberry Cream Cheese
2 1/2 cups half & half
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar ~ optional
1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean paste (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Spread strawberry cream cheese onto 8 slices of the bread and arrange in the prepared pan.

Arrange strawberries on top. 

Spread remaining bread with remaining cream cheese and place cream cheese side down on top of berries.

In a large bowl, combine half & half, eggs, vanilla and sugar, if using. Beat until combined. Pour over bread in pan.

Place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap over bread and press down lightly to ensure bread soaks up the liquid.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours or overnight. 

Remove plastic wrap and cover with foil.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top and set.

Cut between bread slices. Serve with maple syrup and garnish with more berries, if desired.

The line up.

Spread cream cheese on half the 

bread then arrange it in the pan. 

Top with berry slices.

Spread the remaining cream cheese 

on the remaining bread and lay on top of the berries.

Mix the milk. eggs, vanilla 

(and sugar if using) and pour over the bread.

Cover with parchment paper and 

press down to ensure that the bread 

soaks up the liquid. Chill several 

hours or overnight.

Bake!!!

Serve it up with some maple syrup!

Vanilla Biscoff Muddie Buddies

I ran across some Vanilla Chex cereal at the store the other day. I didn't buy it but when I saw it, I knew I'd go back to get some to make these. I love regular Muddie Buddies so I was pretty sure these would be just as tasty. And with the Biscoff spread instead of peanut butter....well, I'm here to to tell you...I was right. Have you ever tasted Biscoff spread? You know those yummy cookies you get on an airplane? It's those...all made up into a yummy spread!! This little twist on regular Muddies Buddies was pretty fantastic!

Vanilla Biscoff Muddie Buddies



9 cups (or 1 13-ounce box) Vanilla Chex cereal
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Biscoff spread (found in the peanut butter aisle)
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium sized bowl, melt the butter and Biscoff in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Add the vanilla chips and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until chips are melted.

Stir in the vanilla.

Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl.

Pour Biscoff mixture over the cereal and stir until well coated.

Place mixture in a large container with a lid and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Shake until cereal is coated. 

Store in a sealed container. 

The line up.

Melt the butter and Biscoff together in a bowl.

Stir in the chocolate chips and zap 

it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Stir until smooth then add the vanilla.

Pour your cereal into a large bowl 

then pour the Biscoff mixture on top.

Stir to coat.

Add the powdered sugar.

Shake it up! I use a big plastic 

container with a lid. You could also 

use a couple of gallon sized zip top bags.

Eat and enjoy!!

Yeast Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze

My daughter-in-law and I were out shopping not too long ago when I found a doughnut cutter. I've always wanted to try making my own doughnuts and I'm so glad I did it! They're not nearly as difficult as I thought they'd be. In fact, they were down-right easy! But I'm not telling IT Guy that...because then he'd want me make these all the time. I only glazed mine with a vanilla glaze, but chocolate would be good and even cinnamon/sugar would work! Yummy anyway you do it, I think!


Yeast Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze



1 tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 - 2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup of warm milk
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter ~ softened

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water.

Add warmed milk, egg, sugar, butter and flour to make a soft dough, but not sticky.

Mix for about 2 minutes in a stand mixer.

 Cover dough and let it rest for at least an hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut doughnuts with a doughnut cutter or use a large cutter for the doughnut and a smaller one for the middle.

Allow cut doughnuts to set another 30 minutes to rise before frying.

Fry in vegetable oil until lightly browned on both sides. Set on a wire rack to cool.

Dunk top half of each doughnut into the glaze. Set on a wire rack to cool and allow the glaze to harden.


Vanilla Glaze

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Dash Of Salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk until smooth.

 
Here are the ingredients for the doughnuts.

 
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

 
Then dump everything else in the mixing bowl.

 
Let it mix for about two minutes. 
Make sure you add enough flour 
so the dough isn't sticky.

 
Then let it rise for about 30 minutes.

 
Roll or press out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick.

 
Then cut the doughnuts.

 
Make sure your oil is hot enough, then fry!

 
Here's what you need for the vanilla glaze.

 
Mix everything in a bowl until smooth.

 
Like this!

 
Then dunk the holes...

 
..and the doughnuts.

 
Delicious!!!