Easy Dessert: Banana Nut Pound Cake Pudding

Photo by Family Features

From Denny:  Yet another tasty version of a bread pudding, only this time a prepared and toasted pound cake is used in place of the bread.

This recipe uses candied pecans.  If you can't find them, try roasting your raw pecans in a baking dish at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes - with a little butter like a tablespoon for one-half cup of pecans -  until lightly browned.

After roasting, lightly salt the pecans and add a tablespoon of brown sugar while still hot.  It will melt into the pecans so toss well to coat.  That will get the toasted and sweet taste of commercially prepared candied pecans.  You can make your own roasted candied pecans which are far fresher - and minus all those additive ingredients that seem to alter the full flavor of the nuts.

The beauty of the heavenly mixture of cream and eggs creating a custard for anything immersed in it is a winning combination since baking began.  It's the foundation of many good breakfast casseroles or sweet pudding desserts.

You only require two bananas for this recipe so it is a good choice for what to do with those last remaining bananas sitting on your kitchen counter.  And those broken eggs sitting in the fridge?  This is another way to dispose of those cracked eggs safely - in a baked dish.  I never use cracked eggs for fried or scrambled eggs as those versions of eggs are usually not thoroughly cooked.  Place them in a baked dish like this one and enjoy!

Recipe: Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie

What’s the tantalizing secret to this cream pie? A chocolate layer is spread over the pie shell like a hidden secret under piles of banana slices and fluffy coconut filling. This is a fast filling for the convenience oriented so this pie comes together quickly, chilling for about four hours.

Tomorrow: Romantic Chocolate Fondue for Two


Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie


Yield: 8 servings

From: Kraft Foods


Ingredients:


2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 Tablespoon milk

1 Tablespoon butter

1 baked pastry shell (9-inch), cooled

2 bananas, sliced

1 ½ cups cold milk

1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling

1 ½ cups coconut

1 ½ cups thawed whipped topping

Coconut, toasted


Directions: Microwave chocolate, milk and butter in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread evenly in pastry shell. Arrange banana slices over chocolate.

Pour cold milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ cups coconut. Spoon over banana slices. Spread whipped topping over pie. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Store leftover pie in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.

Tomorrow: Romantic Chocolate Fondue for Two