Éclair Dessert

It is better to make this dessert the day before. I wish I had a picture of it but I always forget.

3 cups of milk
2 packages of vanilla pudding mix (4 serving size)
12 oz cool whip
Graham crackers
Chocolate icing

Filling:
Put 3 cups of milk in large bowl
Add 2 packages of pudding mix
Mix with a whisk for 2 min and then stir in 12 oz cool whip

To assemble
Line the bottom of the dish with graham cracker squares
Pour ½ of the filling over the crackers
Add another layer of crackers
Pour rest of filling over crackers
Top with last layer

Topping:
Melt chocolate and pour on top of crackers

Pumpkin Fudge!!!!

Because you can never have too much sugar!! (I have no idea why the picture is sideways!)

pumpkin Fudge
1 cup half and half cream
3 cups sugar
3 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup pumpkin or sweet potato puree
dash salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
4 tbsp butter (use butter - much tastier than margarine)
1 tsp vanilla

Combine cream, sugar, corn syrup, pumpkin and salt in a large pan. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. When mixture comes to a full boil, reduce heat and simmer until mixture comes to the softball stage (235 degrees F). I find an accurate candy thermometer indispensible for this as the temperatures are really important in having htis turn out well. Remove from heat. Beat in cinnamon, allspice, butter and vanilla. Cool to 110 degrees F (leave your thermometer in the mix to monitor when the temp hits 110, then beat until thick and mixture looses its gloss. I find it easiet to use my kitchen aid mixer to beat the mixture - saves the arm for knitting and spinning! Spoon into a buttered dish. Let cool, slice; cut slices into cubes and EAT!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies!!!

Because of the cream cheese in the filling, I assembled all the left-overs and wrapped them in plastic wrap so I could refrigerate them. I think they are going to be super messy, but awesome!

I got this recipe (see below) from the Better Homes and Gardens site. I made the following adjustments: 1/3 less fat cream cheese for filling, used a carrot cake mix, did not let the cakes sit out for 24 hours (like I could wait that long!)

They are SO GOOD! If I could change anything, I would have the filling be a little stiffer because they are a bit messy!! I'm not sure what would be the easiest way to make it stiffer??

Ingredients

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 package 2-layer-size spice cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 recipe Marshmallow-Spice Filling (see recipe below)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil (grease foil, if using). In a large mixing bowl beat pumpkin and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs, and milk; beat on low speed until combined, and then on medium speed for 1 minute.

2. By the heaping tablespoon, drop mounds of batter 3 inches apart on cookie sheet; keep remaining batter chilled. Bake 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Carefully remove from parchment or foil; cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, lining cooled cookie sheets each time with new parchment or foil. If desired, place cookies in a covered storage container with waxed paper between layers to prevent sticking. Store cookies at room temperature for 24 hours. Prepare Marshmallow-Spice Filling up to 2 hours before serving. Spread about 2-1/2 tablespoons filling on flat side of one cookie; top with a second cookie. Repeat. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 2 hours. Makes 15 whoopies.

Marshmallow-Spice Filling: Up to 2 hours before serving, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter and one 8-ounce package softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 of a 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until well combined.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 15 whoopies
• Calories 379,
• Total Fat (g) 19,
• Saturated Fat (g) 11,
• Monounsaturated Fat (g) 6,
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1,
• Cholesterol (mg) 75,
• Sodium (mg) 387,
• Carbohydrate (g) 49,
• Total Sugar (g) 33,
• Fiber (g) 1,
• Protein (g) 3,
• Vitamin A (DV%) 0,
• Vitamin C (DV%) 1,
• Calcium (DV%) 10,
• Iron (DV%) 6,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Dirt Cake with Worms

We had a small Halloween party with Rodney's family. My mother-in-law and I put it all together. One of the desserts I made was a dirt cake with worms (I doubled it) . It was so delicious! Here's the recipe (with my changes):

Dirt Cake with Worms

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes of instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 1/2 cups of milk (for thicker pudding use less milk)
  
• 2 tubs of Cool Whip (I used 1 big one)
• 1 package of oreos
  
• 1 package of gummy worms (one of the $1 ones at Wal-Mart will be plenty!)
  

Directions:
Mix pudding with milk for 2 minutes (I made my pudding ahead of time and let it chill for about 2 hours)
Mix 1/3 of cool whip with pudding
Crush Oreos in food processor (or in a zipper baggie like I did)
Layer pudding, cool whip, and cookies. Add gummy worms on top to finish. I put about 5 gummy worms in each layer between the cool whip and the cookies for some extra wormies.

Cracker Candy

Cracker Candy

Delicious dessert!

2 sleeves Psaltine crackers (salted is best, unsalted tastes fine too)

2 sticks butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place aluminum foil on bottom of a cookie sheet and grease foil. Line bottom of cookie sheet with saltine crackers. In saucepan over medium/low heat, melt 2 sticks butter and stir in the brown sugar. Stir constantly and bring to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes, still stirring constantly. Pour over crackers evenly. Bake for 4 minutes. Sprinkle 2 cups chocolate chips on top and allow them to begin to melt, then spread with knife. Place in freezer until set. Break up into pieces and serve cold or frozen. If served room temperature, they are still delicious, just slightly sticky.

Oreo Cupcakes

I thought it would be easier to provide the link. These look very good.

http://tpox-proceedwithcaution.blogspot.com/2009/02/oreo-cupcakes.html