Banana Cream Pie Pudding

Banana Cream Pudding and also great for Crepes :)  from Rosalyn Schmidt

Grandma Decker’s Cream Pie

1/3 C Flour 

2/3 C Sugar

¼ t.    Salt

Mix dry ingredients together.

2  C   Milk – Scalded

Gradually add to dry ingredients.  Stir on medium-high heat until boiling, then 1 more minute.

3 Egg yolks   Stir ½ the milk/dry ingredient mixture into yolks, then back into pot.  Boil 1 minute.  

Add 

2 Tbls. Butter

1/3 C coconut

2 tsp. vanilla

OR

If making banana cream, add 1 extra Tbl.  vanilla, put pudding in a bowl, cover with plastic and cool until room temperature (may refrigerate).  Then put a layer of pudding, a layer of bananas, then another layer of pudding in crust.

No-Knead Bread -baked in Cast iron Dutch oven

Here is the recipe for the bread we tried. It was so good with the molasses in it. It is a huge loaf, so we made it in our bigger enamel cast iron pot. Start a batch tonight... You won't regret it. 

I got it off this blog (if you want the full instructions): 

http://www.frugallivingnw.com/frugal-homemaking/amazing-no-knead-bread-step-by-step-recipe/

White No-Knead Bread

6 cups bread flour (recommended) or all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/2 t. instant or active-dry yeast
2 1/2 t. salt

2 2/3 c. cool water

Wheat No-Knead Bread

3 cups bread flour + 3 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. instant or active-dry yeast

2 1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbs molasses

2 2/3 c. cool water

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the molasses and water and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated; the dough should be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest 12-18 hours on the counter at room temperature. When surface of the risen dough has darkened slightly, smells yeasty, and is dotted with bubbles, it is ready.
2. Lightly flour your hands and a work surface. Place dough on work surface and sprinkle with more flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice and, using floured fingers, tuck the dough underneath to form a rough ball.
3. Generously dust a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with enough flour, cornmeal, or wheat bran to prevent the dough from sticking to the towel as it rises; place dough seam side down on the towel and dust with more flour, cornmeal, or wheat bran. Cover with the edges or a second cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
4. After about 1 1/2 hours, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot, such as a cast-iron Dutch oven, in the oven as it heats. When the dough has fully risen, carefully remove pot from oven. Remove top towel from dough and slide your hand under the bottom towel; flip the dough over into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough looks unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
5. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10-15 more minutes, until the crust is a deep chestnut brown. The internal temperature of the bread should be around 200 degrees. You can check this with a meat thermometer, if desired.
6. Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Almond Sheet Cake with Butter Frosting

• Almond Sheet cake with Butter Frosting

So much like Yum Yum Brownies - just not Chocolate :)

• 
  
• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Water
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 2  Eggs, Lightly Beaten
• 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
• Sliced Almonds For Sprinkling On Top
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• ½ cups Butter
• ¼ cups Milk
• ½ teaspoons Almond Extract
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 15 x 11 jelly roll pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through baking powder) and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Then add it into the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Stir in sour cream, beaten eggs and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan and bake 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Spread warm (not hot) cake with butter frosting (recipe below). Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Cut into squares and serve.

For the frosting:

In a medium saucepan, combine butter and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; whisk in almond extract, and gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Frost almond cake.

*Notes: I don’t make the frosting until I’m ready to frost the cake (it will start to harden if it sits). I also sprinkle the almonds on top while the frosting is still warm so they’ll stay in place.