Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked  I used a graham cracker crust
• 3 medium firm bananas
• Whipped cream and additional sliced bananas  I made homemade whipped cream

Directions

• In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt; stir in milk and mix well. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount into egg yolks; return all to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook for and stir 2 minutes; remove from the heat. Add butter and vanilla; cool slightly.
• Slice the bananas into pastry shell; pour filling over top. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Store in the refrigerator. Before serving, garnish with whipped cream and bananas. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 slice) equals 338 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 101 mg cholesterol, 236 mg sodium, 49 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein.

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Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1, 8 ounce, package of cream cheese, softened

1 cup plus 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

1 chocolate crumb crust

2/3 cup plus, 2 tbsp hot fudge ice cream topping, divided

Directions:

In a large bowl beat cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in 1 cup peanut butter and sugar.  Fold in 3 cups whipped topping.  Spoon into crust.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat 2/3 cup hot fudge topping for 30 seconds.  Pour over peanut butter layer and spread to edges of crust.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Spread remaining whipped topping over pie.  Place the remaining hot fudge topping and peanut butter in two separate plastic bags.  Cut a small hole in the corner of each bag; pipe topping and peanut butter over each slice of pie.

Taste of Home Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2010

Bacon Clam Chowder

This was a wonderful chowder recipe, I can't wait to make it again!

Ingredients

• 1 can (6-1/2 ounces) minced clams
• 1 cup Progresso ® Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons butter
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions

• Drain clams, reserving juice; set aside. Place the clams in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, combine the broth, potato, celery, onion, bouillon and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the reserved clam juice.
• Combine cornstarch and cream until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the butter, cayenne and clams. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with bacon. Yield: 3 cups.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup (prepared with sodium-free bouillon and fat-free half-and-half) equals 220 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 50 mg cholesterol, 416 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 20 g protein.

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Spooky Treats

I realize Halloween has come and gone, but here are some great treats to help you plan next year's party.

Purple People Eater Punch

Ingredients

• 2 quarts red grape juice, chilled
• 4 drops neon purple food coloring
• 2 liters club soda, chilled
• 2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened

Directions

• Pour grape juice into a 6-qt. punch bowl; add food coloring. Slowly pour in club soda. Gently spoon ice cream into the punch and whisk to swirl. Serve immediately. Yield: 26 servings (5 quarts).

Bones and Blood

This is very simple to make.  Use ready made bread stick dough.  Cut the ends of each piece of dough and shape into bone ends before cooking.  Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Monster Eyes

Slice carrots into one inch chunks, top each chunk with cream cheese and 1/2 of a pitted black olive.

A little BRAIN, anyone?

This was, by far, the hit of the party.  It is time consuming, but easy to make.  

Use a small seedless watermelon.  

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the green rind off exposing the white.  

Slice off the bottom of the watermelon to create a flat base.  

Using a toothpick, outline squiggly furrows that resemble the folded surface of the brain.  

Carve narrow channels along the tracings with a paring knife to expose the pink fruit beneath the rind.

Creepy Mouths

Super easy and they look great!

Quarter and core an apple.  Coat with orange juice to keep from browning.

Cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter.  

Press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

Cookie Fingers

I used pre-made sugar cookie dough to form these fingers.

Roll the dough into thin, finger shaped cookies.

Squeeze the cookie at the tip and in the center to give the impression of knuckles.

Use a knife to cut creases in the knuckles.

Add an almond to the end to resemble a fingernail.

Cheese Pumpkin

Shape Velveeta Cheese into a Pumpkin shape.

Use olives to create eyes and a mouth.

Use a red pepper for the nose and pupils and place the pepper stem on top.