Savor summer with these dessert recipes

smcclanahan

Every weekend we try to put too many activities into that time space. We always think we will accomplish so much, then find out we have fallen way short of our goals for the weekend, but have usually had a great time doing family-oriented things. It seems the chores will always be there tomorrow.

Saturday evening we went to the New Hamburg picnic and dinner. The dinner served in the parish hall was excellent and the activities were a lot of fun. We came home with two attendance prizes and very full tummies. Both of our kids pulled in the children's tractor pull and had a ball doing it. But one of the highlights of the evening was getting to meet another Recipe Swap reader. Barbara Westrich was working at the dinner and I enjoyed our brief moment together. Another great acquaintance made through recipe swapping.

A cook from Altenburg, Mo., has two recipes to share with you today. One vegetable side dish and the other a dessert. I think you will enjoy both of them.

Broccoli Bake

2 packages frozen broccoli

3 eggs

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can Cheddar cheese soup

Cook broccoli and drain. Add beaten eggs and tomatoes. Pour into a greased baking dish. Top with cheese soup. Season with oregano and chives, as desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Yields six servings.

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This pecan pie uses the convenience of a pudding mix for the filling. Be sure to use the cook style and not instant.

Pecan Pie

1 small package vanilla regular pudding and pie filling mix

1 cup white syrup

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 egg, beaten

1 cup pecans, whole or cut-up

1 unbaked pie shell

Blend pudding mix with syrup and egg, add milk and nuts. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake another 1/2 hour longer, covered with a tent of foil.

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An area cook shares several recipes with us today. The recipes sound really interesting, but there is no name on them to share with you. So, whoever you are, thanks for the great envelope full of recipes.

Chocolate Mallow Pie

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 cups cold milk, divided

1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Add pudding mix and remaining milk; mix well. Fold in the marshmallows. Pour into the crust. Refrigerate until serving time. Serves 6 to 8.

I have a made this next recipe several times and you can use almost any flavor pie filling you wish to use, but the cherry is a very good choice.

Frozen Cherry Cream Pie

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups cherry pie filling

2 cups whipped topping

1 graham cracker crust

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the pie filling and whipped topping until blended. Spoon into crust. Cover and freeze for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Yields about 8 servings.

On a hot summer day this salad recipe sounds delicious. Fast, easy, yet full of flavor.

Banana Split Salad

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

3 medium, firm bananas, cut into chunks

1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a large bowl, combine the milk and whipped topping until well blended.

Fold in pie filling, bananas, pineapple and nuts. Yields 10 servings.

Blueberry Angel Dessert

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 8-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 prepared angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 21-ounce cans blueberry pie filling

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar; fold in whipped topping and cake cubes. Spread evenly into an ungreased 9-by-13-inch pan; top with pie filling. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. Yields 12 to 15 servings.

This pizza in a baking pan would be a great treat for church youth group.

The kids love anything that resembles pizza, and this would be a nice change from traditional pizza.

Biscuit Pizza Bake

1 pound ground beef

2 tubes 12-ounces each refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 15-ounce can pizza sauce

1 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 4-ounce can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

1 3 1/2-ounce package sliced pepperoni

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1 can black olives, sliced, drained

In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Meanwhile, quarter the biscuits; place in a greased shallow 3-quart baking dish. Top with pizza sauce. Drain beef; sprinkle over biscuits and sauce. Layer with green pepper, onion, mushrooms, pepperoni and cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

As if brownies aren't a great treat by themselves, try taking them to another level with double frosting them in two layers of frosting.

Double Frosted Brownies

1 package fudge brownie mix, 9-by-13-inch pan size

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1 16-ounce can chocolate fudge frosting

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Spread the batter into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and pudding mix until blended. Add enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost brownies. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Spread with fudge frosting.

Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yields 3 dozen pieces.

Crustless Pineapple Pie

2 cups milk

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk biscuit and baking mix

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Yellow food coloring, optional 2 (8 ounce each) cans crushed pineapple, well drained

Whipped topping, optional

In a blender, combine the milk, sugar, biscuit mix, butter, eggs, vanilla and food coloring if desired; cover and process until smooth. Sprinkle the pineapple into a greased deep-dish 9-inch pie shell. Pour batter over pineapple. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Garnish with whipped topping, if desired. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

This will close another week of sharing recipe sharing. Have a wonderful week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.