Miscellaneous Desserts

Mama’s Sweet and Saltines

40 saltine crackers*

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 C. light-brown sugar

8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 ½ cups)

Preheat oven to 425º. Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil and saltine crackers.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over crackers, covering them evenly. Put cookie sheet into oven and watch closely. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until just bubbly.

Remove from oven and pour chocolate chips over crackers. When chips begin to melt, spread them over crackers with a knife. Transfer pan to freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. The chocolate-covered crackers will form a solid sheet; break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

*Substitute graham crackers for saltines to create a sweeter snack. Use one stick of butter instead of two for a crunchier cracker.

Trisha Yearwood, Country Living, April 2010

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Small loaf of day-old French Bread

1 C. heavy cream

1 C. milk

4 eggs, beaten

6 oz. premium white chocolate divided

½ C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Break bread into small pieces and place in baking dish. (Can toast bread to make it more crunchy if it’s too fresh.)

Heat cream, milk and sugar until bubbly. Add 4 oz. of chocolate and stir until completely melted. (Save other 2 oz. for sauce.)

Slowly mix beaten eggs with milk mixture, until creamy. Add vanilla. Pour the milk and egg mixture over the bread in baking dish.

Let sit for 30 minutes.

Bake 350º for about an hour, or until it begins to brown on top.

Sauce:

½ C. cream or half & half

2 oz. white chocolate

Mix together until chocolate is completely melted.

Pour this over the cooked pudding, then take a knife and pn=unch holes in pudding so sauce can soak through bread.

Can be served warm, or cold from the refrigerator!

Susan Cox, August 2010

Pumpkin Crunch

1 regular can pumpkin

1 C. sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tall can evaporated milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 yellow (pudding) cake mix

1 – 1 ½ C. pecans

1 C. melted butter

Mix pumpkin, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Pour into 9x13 pan completely lined with waxed paper. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture; sprinkle chopped nuts over this and pat in lightly. Drizzle melted butter over nuts.

Bake at 350º for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in pan. When cool, turn out onto serving dish and remove waxed paper.

Icing:

1 – 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened)

1 C. powdered sugar (I used more)

1 tsp. vanilla

18 oz. container Cool Whip

Mix icing ingredients well. Spread over cake. Cut into bars and serve. Keep chilled. It’s better on the 2^nd day.

Susan Cox. August 2010