Now that everything is in order, holidays finished and school-work schedules are back on track you might want a really easy dessert to make for a fun night with the family. Make it for a Saturday game night. It will even work with pizza if that is your norm.
- 24 chocolate Oreo cookies
- 4 tbsp. room temperature butter-not margarine
- 1 pkg. Chocolate Mousse mix (I know!)
- 1/2 cup caramel topping
- 2 large bananas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the cookies for 2-3 minutes until fine crumbs form. Add the butter, pulse only 4 -5 times until well combined.
Press the crumbs into the bottoms and sides of 6 buttered 4 3/4 inch tart pans. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Let cool completely.
Prepare the mousse mix, reducing the milk amount to 3/4 cup. Stir in the caramel topping.
Slice the bananas and line each tart, top with the mousse mixture and garnish, of course, with whipping cream. To raise the bar a little, make it chocolate whipping cream or grated chocolate.
This is a little whimsy but a great treat just the same.
Pecan Shortbread Cookies
I posted this last year but it is a real keeper for holiday baking. Here it is again.
Makes 2 doz. cookies
- 1 cup flour
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup room temperature butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure clear vanilla
- 1/2-3/4 up toasted and chopped pecans
Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon and salt and set aside. In the mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until very fluffy ( about 4 minutes). Stir in flour then the pecans to make a stiff dough.
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a log about ten inches long. Wrap tightly in parchment paper and refrigerate until firm. (three hours or better yet, overnight).
Unwrap dough and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Bake until edges start to brown. This should be about 12-15 minutes. Check, if they are starting to turn brown around the edges, remove from the oven. Do not burn. Cool and transfer to a rack.
Busy Day Ahead
Today I have baking to do for give-aways at the book signing on Saturday. Also company coming for dinner so I am making my gourmet mac and cheese. THIS is incredible comfort on a plate. It will be served with Don’s niece, Mireille’s, salad. Bocconcini (baby) cheese, fresh basil and baby tomatoes and her dressing. Soooo good!
Also, my computer guru is coming at noon to move this up another notch. As I said, it’s a busy day ahead. Later.