Jello Salad

Jello Salad
(This jello salad is like those “choose your own ending” books. Use your imagination on the flavor combinations.)

1 (8oz) Cool Whip
2 cups sour cream
1 large (6oz) Jell-o, any flavor
*Fruit (a cup or two, it’s up to you)

Combine Cool Whip and sour cream. Add dry jello and drained fruit. Put in serving dish. Let it set for a couple of hours in the fridge (although I’ve made it and served it within 30 min. and it still worked).

*Some acidic fruits don’t work well in jello unless they are canned. Pineapple, oranges, etc… But apples and bananas are great fresh. You might want to add chopped nuts to some combinations too.

**When January rolls around and we are all dieting again you could also try this with:
lite cool whip
fat-free sour cream
sugar-free jello
fruit

Banana Cake (or bars) with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Cake (or bars) with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

½ c butter, softened (1 cube)
2 c sugar
3 eggs
1½ c mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Pour into a greased 15x10 in baking pan (jelly roll pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until they test done. Cool and frost.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

½ c smooth peanut butter
3 oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
1½ Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp cream (light or heavy) or milk
2½ c powdered sugar, sifted

Beat first 5 ingredients just until blended. Add sifted powdered sugar about 1/3 cup at a time. Beat until smooth, but don’t overdo.

Peach Crisp (or Apple Crisp)

Peach Crisp

2 (29oz) cans of sliced peaches, well-drained or
*** sliced fresh peaches to cover well the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle sugar on fresh peaches (to taste) before putting them in pan.
1 box yellow cake mix
1 tsp cinnamon (you can add some nutmeg too if you like)
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts if you prefer)
2 cubes (1 cup) butter, melted

In a bowl mix dry cake mix, cinnamon (and nutmeg). Put peaches in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix with spice over the top. Sprinkle nuts on cake mix. Drizzle butter on top of cake mix and nuts. Bake at 350* for 50 to 60 minutes. (It should brown well and be mostly dry on top.) Wonderful served with ice cream.

*Variation: Fresh Apple Crisp
Use peeled and sliced fresh apples. Add some sugar to taste and half the cinnamon (1/2 tsp) to the apples. Mix the other ½ tsp cinnamon into cake mix. A little nutmeg is great mixed in with the apples too. Prepare and bake the same as the peach.

Oranges and Cream

Oranges and Cream

Oranges, peeled and cut in chunks (I use seedless)
Whipped Cream (Prepared or *homemade)

Simple and delish!
(*My homemade whipped cream: 1 cup whipping cream, 2 to 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla ext., ½ tsp lemon ext. (opt.). Whip cream to half desired thickness and then add sugar and vanilla (and lemon if using). Continue whipping until done. This is easily doubled.

Cooked Apples

Cooked Apples

Fresh apples
butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg (optional)
flour
dash of salt

Peel and slice apples. Put about equal amounts of brown sugar and butter in a non-stick frying pan. Melt butter and blend sugar down to a think and bubbly liquid. Add apples, sprinkle with cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and a touch of salt. With a spatula, saute’ apples in brown sugar mix and spices until they start to soften and get translucent. Add some flour (a tablespoon or two depending on how many apples you have) and mix it in with spatula. The flour should thicken the sauce until it’s like apple pie filling. When it’s cooked down to your taste, serve. Fantastic alongside fall and holiday meals.