banana pudding poke cake

my grandpa holyoak turned 91 this week,

and for his birthday party I wanted to try out a recipe I had seen for a banana cake.

(remember he doesn't eat chocolate & bananas are his fave!)

he's also not supposed to eat a lot of sugar, 

so i tweeked it to have as little sugar as i could.

banana pudding poke cake

1 sugar free yellow cake mix (plus the water, eggs, & oil it calls for)
2 small sugar free, fat free banana pudding boxes
4 cups cold milk
1 tub sugar free cool whip
(opt.) crushed nilla wafers

bake yellow cake mix according to package instructions.
let cool for a few minutes and use a wooden spoon handle to poke holes all over the cake.
mix the two pudding powders with 4c. cold milk and stir well.
let sit for just a minute until it begins to thicken.
pour pudding over entire cake making sure it gets into the holes.
let set in fridge for a couple of hours.
"frost" cake by spreading tub of cool whip evenly over top just before serving.
(opt.) top with crushed nilla wafers.

i'm pretty sure i saw him eat at least five plates of cake,

so i'm gonna call it a success! ;-)

now, the search is on for a cake to celebrate the big 9-2!!!

samoa cake (or cupcakes)

samoa cake (or cupcakes)

2 cups  sugar

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. cocoa 

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 c. oil

1 t. vanilla

2 t. coconut flavoring

1 c. coconut, packed

1 (scant) c. boiling water

preheat oven to 350° and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

in a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

add in eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and coconut flavoring. mix well.

fold in coconut, then add boiling water.  (batter will be very thin!!)

pour batter into 9x13.

bake at 350° for 28-32 mins.

salted caramel buttercream frosting

2 sticks butter, softened

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. caramel topping

4 c. powdered sugar

1 t. salt

cream butter until fluffy.

add in vanilla extract and caramel topping.  

add powdered sugar and salt and mix until smooth.  

if icing is still too thin add a bit more powdered sugar

wait until cake is completely cool & frost!

enjoyed from http://spice-is-nice.com/2011/06/30/samoas-cupcakes/

blueberry brown sugar cookies

blueberry brown sugar cookies

1 3/4 c. white whole wheat flour

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. butter/margarine

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 t. vanilla

1 T. milk

3/4 c. fresh blueberries

whisk flour, salt, baking powder & cinnamon together.

in another bowl, cream butter & brown sugar.

add egg & vanilla and mix.

add dry ingredients until mixed well.

add milk, then fold in blueberries.

roll into small balls, flatten slightly, bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 mins.

frozen lemonade pie

frozen lemonade pie (just like BestBites)
1 14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 [8 oz.] tubs fat free/sugar free cool whip
1 can light lemonade frozen concentrate
1 'sleeve' graham crackers, crushed
3 T. butter or margarine, melted
1/4 c. splenda
[opt.] red food coloring

mix graham crackers, splenda and butter to form crust.
fold milk, cool whip and concentrate carefully together until well mixed.
[add 5 red food coloring drops, if desired]
spoon whipped mix over crust.
freeze!

coconut macaroons

coconut macaroons
1 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
4 c. coconut
2 stiff beaten egg whites

to make them "bird's nests":
[1/4 c. chocolate chips, 1/4 c. butter, and robin's eggs candy]

mix flour & sugar, then gradually add corn syrup & mix until smooth.
in a seperate bowl -beat egg whites until stiff, add coconut.
add coconut mixture to flour mixture.
shape into small balls and use your thumb to push down the center of each cookie.
bake at 375 degrees for 13 minutes.

to make them bird's nests:
[melt chocolate chips & butter over low heat.]
[spread spoonful of chocolate on top of cooled cookie.]
[place two eggs on top.]

no fail peanut butter cookies

no fail peanut butter cookies

1 c. peanut butter

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 egg, beaten

mix sugar & peanut butter.

add baking soda & egg.

mix well.

roll into small balls.

bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

let everyone think you are a kitchen genius!

cracker toffee

cracker toffee

40 saltine crackers

1 c. butter or margarine

1 c. brown sugar

1 classic bag hershey's nuggets with almonds, chopped (i use my mini food processor)

(----could also substitute chocolate chips)

place saltines flat on foil/parchment lined sheet pan or casserole(9x13).

in small pan, melt butter & sugar together.

boil for 3 minutes.

pour onto saltines, evenly coat.

bake at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes.

top with chocolate.

spread evenly as it melts.

cool in fridge until hardened.

break into pieces and devour.

pumpkin cinnamon roll bars

pumpkin cinnamon roll bars
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
4 eggs
1/2 c. oil (or applesauce)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 vanilla cake mix

mix all ingredients, whichever way you want to, all together.
mix until smooth.
pour into jelly roll pan.
bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
let cool, then frost with cream cheese frosting (but maybe add 2 T. of milk)
cut into bars.

do not forget to lick every single utensil clean, when you're done. it is that good.

banana sheet cake

banana sheet cake
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. yogurt
(every single kind you have in your fridge works just fine---this is the secret!!)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2-6, mashed day-old, bananas

cream butter, eggs, sugar, yogurt, vanilla.

add remaining ingredients and mix well.

bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

frost with cream cheese frosting (and nuts, if ya want)

my 90-year-old grandpa eats more bananas than anyone I know.
and this recipe always reminds me of him.
enjoy it.

fruit pizzAZ

fruit pizzAZ
1 sugar cookie mix, prepared (or a batch of homemade)
1 8-oz. cream cheese
2-3 c. powdered sugar
1 T. butter or margarine
1 t. vanilla
1 c. blueberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1 lb. strawberries, hulled & sliced
1 c. diced pineapple

...and a flag, of course.

prepare and bake sugar cookie mixture as directed in a jellyroll pan.
let cool.
in a small bowl, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter & vanilla.
spread on cookie.
top with fruit in pattern of AZ flag.

happy 100th b-day AZ.

lemon heaven cookies

lemon heaven cookies
1 boxed cake mix, lemon flavor
1 tub cool whip
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. powdered sugar

mix the cake mix, cool whip and egg together until just evenly moistened, (don't overmix)
roll 1/2 inch balls out of dough.
roll in powdered sugar to coat outside evenly.
place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins.

the mr. calls these lemon spring nuggets....they're the essence of spring at it's finest!

scotchies with some oatmeal

scotchies with some oatmeal

1 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. butter or margarine

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. oats

2 c. butterscotch chips, or 1c. chocolate/1 c. butterscotch, or any dang kind really!!!

mix flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.

in another bowl, cream butter, sugars, eggs & vanilla.

mix dry into creamed mixture.

stir in oats & chips.

scoop onto greased cookie sheet.

bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes, just until the edge is light brown.

cool them on sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to wax paper.

feeds 3 dozen-ish

pineapple sheet cake

pineapple sheet cake

cake:

2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple in it's own juices

(don't drain)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

frosting:

8-oz. cream cheese, soft

1/4 c. butter or margarine

1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

p.s. coconut or any nuts on top, is to die for!

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

mix flour, sugar, and baking soda.

add pineapple in juice, vanilla, & eggs.

pour into sheet pan (11x17-in. cookie sheet with sides).

bake for 25 minutes.

**it's gonna look like it's getting too done, but it's not. let it go for 25 minutes exactly. it's the sugars in the pineapple crystalizing that makes it look like it's burnin'! 

while the cake is baking, mix all the frosting ingredients together.

spread over the hot cake (that's the secret) and cut into bars when cool.

feeds 20-ish