Banana Cream Pie

Go bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S over this delicious pie!

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
• 4 bananas, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
2. Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
3. Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
   
5. Beat egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form.
6. Spread over filling. Broil until toasty.
7. Chill until cool. Serve. Enjoy. Have fun.

Doll-Sized Lunch

Lean How to MAKE A DOLL SIZED lunch!!! It's perfect for a tea party with your favorite doll or action figure!

Splats! Salad

• Half a head of Lettuce
  
• Half of a Cucumber
  
• 1 Carrot
  
• 1 Tomato
  
• Salt 
  
• Pepper
  

Chop the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Wash in  a salad spinner or other cleaning device. Wash and peel the cucumber and the carrot. Slice the cucumber  and shred the carrot. Wash the tomato and slice . Toss everything into a bowl and add salt and pepper. 

Basic Skills

Learn some basic cooking skills in this two part video!

Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins (these are optional, it's great with or without them)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-10 inch tube pan.

2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized plastic bag. Cut the biscuits into halves or quarters and place six to eight biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Shake well.

3. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the greased pan. Continue layering until all the biscuit pieces are coated and in the pan. If you are using raisins, place them among the biscuit pieces as you are layering.

4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the layered biscuits.

5. Bake for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Pull apart and enjoy!

Icing:

Ingredients:

1/2 pound cream cheese
1/2 pound butter
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1.Allow cream cheese and butter to get to room temperature.

2. Beat butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl with a mixer.

3. Slowly add in the pound of powdered sugar.

4. After all the powdered sugar is added mix for 12 minutes (do not mix less than that).

Pumpkin Pie

Learn to make a delicious homemade pumpkin pie

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1 cup half-and-half 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional 1 piece pre-made pie dough Whipped cream, for toppingPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color. For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated. Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and enjoy

Irish Stew

Olive Oil 4 Strips of Bacon 3 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 onion, diced 2 tablespoons garlic, minced Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup flour 4 ounces unsalted butter 3 cups chicken, beef, or veal stock or broth 1 tablespoon Plochmans (or dijon) Stone Ground mustard 2 cups mushrooms, sliced 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces 1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces DUMPLINGS 3 Tbsp. shortening 1-1/2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt 3/4 cup milk In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat oil. Add the stew beef and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef to a plate. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the butter and melt. Add the flour to make a roux. Lower the heat and cook the roux until it is brown, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the stock and raise the heat to medium high. Add in the cooked beef. Add the mustard. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until liquid is slightly reduced and thick. In a separate saute pan, saute the mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. Add the mushrooms to the stew and simmer another 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. For the dumplings, cut shortening into the flour, baking powder and salt with pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in Milk. Drop dough by spoonful into the stew. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for 10 minutes longer. Serve and Enjoy!