Conference turris::cooks

    I posted one of my favorites, for a cherry pie, in 848.12.  It's
    so good when it is warm!
    Beryl

If youwant a really easy one, make a chocoklate cream pie.  Buy or make 
a pie crust, use chocolate jell-o pudding for the filling and get a 
whipped topping for the top.

If you melt some margerine and chocolate chips in the pudding it tastes 
even better.

    re:.3
    A springform pan is one that has a removable bottom.  Most have
    a buckle on the side so that you can remove the sides of the pan,
    but the bottom holds the cake/pie.  
    I'll post the recipe tomorrow anyway, in case you manage to come
    up with one.  I suppose you could use a deep-dish pie plate or souffle
    pan, but traditionally you would use a springform pan.
    
    sarah
    

Make some of that new "extra chocolate" pudding mix from the jello people...
I like the chocolate mint using half and half and cooking it in a double
boiler to avoid "burning"...pour into a bowl and cover with saran wrap to
avoid getting a skin on top...cool completely in the fridge.  

whip heavy cream, adding some sugar and beating until strong peaks form.
layer pudding and then whipped cream, finishing with whipped cream in
glasses so you can see the parfait layers.  top with some shaved chocolate
if you wish.

    Here are 2 suggestions.
    
    1) Beat 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar. Blend
    	in a can of DRAINED crushed pineapple. (I like alot of pineapple
    	so use the larger can).  In a different bowl beat a half pint
    	container of heavy cream until it peaks. Gently fold the
    	whipped cream into the cream cheese-pineapple mixture. Pour
    	into a graham cracker crust and refrigerate for 4 hours. You
    	can decorate with more pineapple if you like. 
    	
    	This is lighter than a cheese cake so it is great after of
    	full meal.
    
    2) On an even easier note and not knowing what you plan your meal
    	to be like, meaning eat and watch TV or linger over coffee or
        a glass of wine and dessert.  Take a smaller container of sour
    	cream and mix in some brown sugar, start with 1/4 cup. Let
    	in sit for about a half hour in the refrigerator and then
    	stir it up and taste. Add more sugar to your preference. 
    	What you do with this "sauce" is use it for dipping fruit
        into it. Strawberries, pineapple, grapes, apple slices, etc.
    	are great. This is easy because you can wash and prepare the
    	fruit long before dinner, the sauce as well. Arrange the
    	fruit around a bowl of "sauce" and place it in the middle
    	of the dining table, or even on the coffee table in front
    	of the TV, and let it be self serve. I do this for barbeques
    	because everyone usually eats so much, elaborate and heavy
    	desserts don't get eaten. I know the fruit selection isn't
    	that great now but this may suit your needs.
    

    Dishes of really good ice cream, perhaps French vanilla, with
    raspberry sauce poured over it.  By raspberry sauce, I mean the
    stuff that comes frozen in those strange white rectangular boxes
    with rounded edges.  The only way to blow this is to forget to defrost
    the sauce, and then there's always the microwave to the rescue.
      

ICEBOX pudding cake:

Make a batch of chocolate and a batch of vanilla pudding.

Line a 9" square glass baking dish with graham crackers (bottom and sides).

Add a layer of vanilla pudding (use 1/2 or less of the pudding), topped by a 
layer of sliced bananas.

Add a layer of chocolate pudding (use 1/2 or less), topped by a layer of 
chopped nuts.

Add another layer of vanilla pudding, topped with minced drained cherries.

Add another layer of chocolate and lightly sprinkle with nuts.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till the pudding sets (allow 4-5 hours 
to be safe).

Serve chilled.

						     
							- JP

    Here's the cheesecake recipe I said I'd post.  I thought about it
    some more, and you could use a regular baking pan and cut it into
    cheesecake squares, instead of pie slices.  Anyway:
    
    Crush 14 graham crackers, mix in 1 stick melted butter or margerine.
    Press into the bottom of the pan you want to use.  You don't have
    to be fussy, just sort of pat it in.
    
    Soften 1 lb. (2 large 8 oz. pkgs.) of cream cheese.  I use the
     microwave for about 45 seconds, but you could let it sit out at
     room temp. for a few hours.
    Beat the cream cheese with your electric mixer until it is very
     creamy, then add 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. 
    Pour into your pan, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until the
     edges just start to turn golden.
    
    You can serve it as is, top with canned fruit like cherries or
     pineapple sweetened with a little orange juice, or top with the
     the following sour cream topping:
    
    Beat 1 pint sour cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar for 2 minutes,
     pour over COOLED cheesecake, and bake 5 minutes at 450 degrees.
    
    That's all there is to it.  It has no flour in it, so it is
    exceptionally creamy.  It's good without any topping, also.
    Good luck! 
    

	Real quick and easy...

		3 Eggs			3/4 cup sugar
		2 cups Milk		1/2 cup dry Bisquick (or 1/2 cup
		1 tsp vanilla		    flour and 1 tsp baking powder)
		1/2 cup margarine	2/3 cup coconut
		1/4 tsp salt		dash nutmeg


		Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 
		3 minutes.  Pour into ungreased 8" pie plate.
		Bake for 40-45 minutes, (until custard is firm).

Csw

    Scoop good quality French vanilla ice cream into pretty glasses.
    Pour a tablespoon or so of kir liquer over the ice cream.  Garnish 
    with sliced kiwis and add a dollop of whipped cream.
    
    Lynne 

Here's a one-ingredient treat that may be TOO easy...

HELADO DE BANANAS SIMPLISTICO
=============================

1 or more bananas

Do this several hours in advance:

Take banana(s), peel and cut into thick (1" or so) slices and place in freezer.

Do this at dessert time:

Take about a banana's worth of frozen slices and place them in your food
processor (using the large "S" shaped metal bottom-dwelling blade).  Turn
the thing on and let it turn the chunks into frozen banana mush.  Serve
immediately.  Repeat with the rest of the bananas.

The texture is great, the calorie count is low... what more could ya want?

Bon appet�t.

Rich Murray

    
    This seemed like a suitable topic for this recipe.  I saw this on some
    cooking show recently (can't recall her name).  Her recipe called for
    1/2 cup of dried apricots, but since I didn't have any dried apricots,
    I used dates that I chopped up.  It was delicious, and the family 
    gobbled them up quickly.  Perhaps not calorie conscious because of
    the deep frying, but a rather different dessert to serve.  We ate them
    while they were warm, I don't know how they would taste after cooling
    down.
    
    You need:
    
    1 package Wonton wrappers, usually available at your grocery store
    
    1/2 cup chopped walnuts - not too finely chopped
    
    1/2 cup raisins
    
    1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
    
    3/4 tsp cinnamon
    
    2 tbsp sesame seeds.
    
    confectioners sugar for dusting
    
    Oil for deep drying - I used ~3 cups canola oil
    
    
    Mix all dry ingredients (except confectioners sugar), together in a 
    small bowl.
    
    Take a wonton wrapper and brush lightly with water to moisten.
    
    Place a small amount of filling on the wonton and roll the wonton up, 
    then press the ends up to seal it - kind of like wrapping a present.  
    You can of course roll them up any way you please, just try to seal them 
    up so they don't absorb a lot of fat and swell up when they cook.  
    
    Once you've rolled them all (approx 20), heat the oil to 350-375
    degrees, and drop in several at a time (don't overcrowd).  As they 
    turn golden brown, remove to a plate lined with paper towels.  Sprinkle
    with confectioners sugar and serve.
    
    I don't know how they taste with the apricots, but they were delicious
    with dates.
    
    Larry