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Archive for the ‘Comfort Food’ Category

Banana Pudding

Hubby likes bananas. As in if we don’t have any, he goes a little bananas. Other than meat, they are the one thing he thinks he must have on a daily basis.

The other day, I was feeling particulary generous and offered to make him banana pudding. After his comment that he didn’t think we had any instant in the pantry, I was less inclined, but forged ahead anyway. I’m glad I did because the pudding was really good – smooth and creamy with just the right amount of banana flavoring.

The recipe is easy, so make it and enjoy!

The ingredients - all simple and good.

Blend dry ingredients in a heavy-duty saucepan. If you don't have a heavy pan, cook this via the double boiler method. It will take longer, but you won't run the risk of scorching your pudding.

So, I forgot to take a photo of the milk being added to the dry ingredients and then cooking until it starts to thicken. Once that happens, add about 1 cup of the milk mixture, stirring in just a bit at a time, to your beaten eggs.

Pour egg mixture back into the pan and stir continuously.

When it has thickened, add in the banana flavoring and remove from heat.

Slice a banana and line dessert bowls with Nilla wafers and banana slices. Pour pudding on top.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap, pressing it down on top of the pudding to keep a film from forming. (say that fast three times in a row!) Refrigerate for at least an hour.

 

You can serve plain or...

add some whipped cream or...

dip bananas in chocolate and add to pudding with a few more Nilla wafers.

Banana Pudding

1/3  cup sugar
2     tablespoons cornstarch
1/8  teaspoon salt
2  cups milk
2  large eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons banana flavoring

1 banana

Nilla wafers

Slice banana. Line dessert cups or bowls with Nilla wafers and banana slices, set aside. Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl. Set aside.

In 2-quart heavy saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Gradually stir about one cup of the hot mixture into eggs, a few spoonfuls at a time,  then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. (Note, if you mix the eggs and the milk mixture together all at once, you’ll end up with eggy lumps that will not be the most palatable thing you’ve ever tried to swallow.)

Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in flavoring.

Pour pudding into dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator. When ready to serve, garnish with whipped cream, banana slices (dipped in chocolate if you want some added deliciousness) and a few Nilla wafers.

Enjoy!

She Who Doesn’t Always Have Instant Pudding

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The other day I had a package of stew meat languishing in the fridge and decided to put it to good use as stroganoff.

You might find the ingredients and methods of this recipe a little different, but the results were quite tasty!

Ingredients - and I forget to put sour cream and Dr. Pepper in the photo.

Spice up the meat and then put in a baker. I use my terra cotta wonder, but you could use a dutch oven.

Pour in the Dr. Pepper and bake at 350 until meat is fork tender.

The beef is cooked and has some great juice in the bottom pan.

Add in sour cream right in the pan. If you're lazy like me, one less dish to clean is a good thing. Stir in mushroom soup.

Fill a plate with piping hot egg noodles.

Top with beef and enjoy!

 

Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pounds lean stew meat

1 can mushroom soup

1 tsp. onion flakes

1/2 tsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. all-purpose seasoning

1 cup Dr. Pepper

2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp. salt

1 package of cooked egg noodles (or make your own with this easy recipe)

Season meat with onion flakes, seasoning, parsley and salt. Put in a terra cotta baker (or Dutch oven). Pour in Dr. Pepper and bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until meat is fork tender.

When done, mix in sour cream and mushroom soup. Serve over hot egg noodles and stand back to enjoy the looks on the faces of those enjoying this great comfort food meal.

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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Easy Tater Tot Casserole

In the grand scheme of things, I realize on a scale of one to 10 the healthiness of this casserole is somewhere down in the single digits, but sometimes don’t you just crave some good ol’ delicious comfort food that you know is adding five pounds to your thighs while you eat it?

Well, the craving overtook my better sense the other day and I made Tater Tot Casserole. I think I pilfered this recipe from one of my aunts way back when Hubby and I were in newly wedded bliss, toned and fit. Goodness, but that was a long time ago.

Sorry, I digress.

Anyway, this casserole is super easy to make and so comforting on a cold, blustery day. Add a salad and you’ve got a nice, simple meal.

 

The ingredients - I think I managed to include them all in the photo this time!

 

Mix the seasoning, onion flakes, salt and pepper into your ground beef as you brown it.

 

 

While you brown the ground beef, put the tater tots in a casserole dish in the oven and start getting them warmed up.

 

 

Mix mushroom soup into ground beef. I'm lazy and mix mine right in the skillet.

 

 

Sprinkle cheese on top of meat mixture. I realize I did not measure out the cheese and am eyeballing it. It was just the way things were rolling that day.

Gooey cheese, all hot and ready to be devoured.

 

Ready to eat. Yum!

Tater Tot Casserole

2 pounds of ground beef

1 package of tater tots

1 cup shredded colby-jack cheese (or cheddar)

1/2 tsp onion flakes

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

all-purpose seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put tater tots into a 9 x 13 casserole pan (I lightly spray mine with PAM first) and place in the oven while you brown the ground beef. I add the onion flakes, seasoning and salt and pepper to the ground beef. When the hamburger is browned, mix it with the two cans of cream of mushroom soup and spoon over the top of the tater tots. Layer on cheese and cover with foil. Bake for about 20 minutes or until soup is hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake for a few more minutes until cheese is a melted layer of luscious gooey-ness. Remove from oven and serve. I like to sprinkle the top of my casserole with a bit of chopped parsley. Hubby likes his straight up “without any of that weird green stuff on there.”

Happy Entertaining and Enjoy!

Shanna

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If you are looking for a simple, comfort-food type of dessert to finish off a meal, Baked Custard is a great option.

It is one of the few desserts that Hubby actually likes and has been known to beg for. I usually don’t mind, because it is so easy to make.

So without further ado…

Baked Custard Ingredients

Beat eggs until combined but not foamy, mix in sugar, flour, vanilla and milk.

Pour custard into cups.

Optional - top with cinnamon before baking.

You know the custard is done baking when a knife inserted comes out clean.

 

Baked Custard

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Beat eggs until well combined but not foamy. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Using an 8×8 glass baking pan, place in four custard cups (or ramekins or small oven-safe bowls). Pour boiling water into pan until it is standing about 1 inch.

Pour batter into custard cups and then carefully place pan in an oven preheated to 325 degrees. Bake about 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a custard cup comes out clean.

We like to sprinkle cinnamon on top of the custard just before baking. So good and so simple!

Enjoy!

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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