Eclair Dessert

I tasted this dessert for the first time at a funeral. I debated whether it was in bad taste to ask for the recipe, but ... I just had to have it. No regrets.

2 (3 oz.) boxes French vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed
2 sleeves graham crackers
1 tub milk chocolate frosting

Combine pudding mix and milk; beat until thickened. Fold in Cool Whip. Layer half of pudding mixture into bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with a single layer of graham crackers. Repeat.

Remove foil lid from frosting tub and microwave 30 seconds. Stir, and then pour over top layer of graham crackers; spread evenly with a spatula. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Janet's Stirred Persimmon Pudding

I was introduced to persimmon pudding by my husband's family. The recipe his mother uses differs from the traditional preparation in that the pudding is periodically stirred during baking. The result is just as tasty, but it resembles spreadable fruit rather than a brownie. For a real treat, top with whipped cream—or skip the whipping and just drown the pudding in half-n-half!

1 quart persimmon pulp
2 cups sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 quart milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a very large bowl, stir together persimmon pulp and sugar. Incorporate beaten eggs, and then stir in flour and baking soda. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into 13" x 9" baking dish and bake for 90 minutes (stirring after the first half-hour, and then every 10 minutes thereafter), or until a rich garnet color.

For a half recipe, use a 2-quart baking dish.

Simple Stove-Top Rice Pudding

As a kid in South America, I ate my share of arroz con leche (rice pudding). This version, however, is the best I've ever tasted. I recommend making the cinnamon-and-dried-fruit variation by adding 1/2 cup raisins and 1 teaspoon cinnamon along with the vanilla at the end.

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup medium- or long-grain rice
2-1/2 cups whole milk
2-1/2 cups half-and-half
2/3 cup granulated sugar (may substitute brown sugar)
1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (at least 3 quarts) or small soup kettle (4 to 5 quarts). Stir in salt and rice; cover and simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice until water is almost fully absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Add milk, half-and-half, and sugar. Increase heat to medium-high to bring to simmer, then reduce heat to maintain simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until mixture starts to thicken, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking and scorching, until a spoon is just able to stand up in the pudding, about 15 minutes longer.

3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Cool and serve at room temperature or chilled. (Can be covered with plastic wrap on surface of pudding and then refrigerated up to 2 days.)

From The Best Recipe

Julie's Pumpkin Dessert

I got this recipe from a coworker at my first "real" job. Ten years later, it is still a favorite at our house and among my friends!

3 beaten eggs
1 large can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 box yellow cake mix
1-1/2 sticks butter, cut into pats

Preheat oven to 350. Mix eggs, pumpkin, sugar, milk, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Top with dry cake mix and cover with pats of butter. Bake 50 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Raspberry-Almond Cheesecake Squares

These elegant bites taste just as good as an actual cheesecake—maybe better! The crust can be made the night before, as it needs to be completely cooled before adding the filling.

Crust
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

Filling
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves

For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray, line it with foil (allowing excess to hang over sides), and spray foil with cooking spray. Combine flour, sugars, almonds, and salt in food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture firmly into prepared pan. Bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.

For the filling: With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and extracts until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Spread preserves over cooled crust, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Dollop tablespoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over jam and spread into even layer.

Bake at 350 until slightly puffed, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. Cut into 2-inch squares. (May be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Makes 2 dozen.

From Cook's Country

Black-Bottom Cupcakes

What's better than a chocolate cupcake? A chocolate cupcake filled with cream cheese!

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
Salt
1 large egg
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2-1/4 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper or foil baking cups. Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the egg and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, the remaining 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Add oil, vinegar, vanilla, and 1-1/2 cups water, and stir until smooth.

Fill each baking cup two-thirds full with the cake batter and top with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Bake until the edges are firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen.

From Every Day with Rachael Ray

The Best Peanut Butter Cookies

These big cookies are a bit more work than regular peanut butter cookies, but the fabulous flavor that results from the generous use of brown sugar, vanilla, and roasted peanuts makes it all worthwhile. My husband likes these so much that he won't let me make any other type of peanut butter cookie!

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup Jif extra-crunchy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup roasted salted peanuts, ground in food processor to resemble bread crumbs

Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 350. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer until creamy. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar; beat until fluffy (about 3 minutes), scraping down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then the eggs (one a time), and then the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gently stir into wet mixture. Add peanuts and stir gently until just incorporated.

Working with generous 2 tablespoonfuls at a time, roll dough into 2-inch balls. Place on cookie sheets, leaving 2-1/2 inches between balls. Press each dough ball twice with a dinner fork dipped in cold water to make a crisscross design. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets (top to bottom, front to back) halfway through baking time, until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges but not on top, 9 to 12 minutes. (Cookies will not look fully baked.)

Cool on cookies sheets until set, about 4 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack with a wide spatula to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen.

From America's Test Kitchen

Mom's Chocolate Cake

My mom got this recipe from a church cookbook when I was a kid. I used to make it for bake sales at school, and teachers would compete to buy the entire cake at once! I recently learned that it is quite similar to a Depression-era recipe for "wacky cake."

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Preheat oven to 375. In an 8x8 baking pan, mix dry ingredients. Make a well in center and add wet ingredients; stir to combine. Bake for 25 minutes.

Variation: For a 9x13 pan, double the recipe and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Tiffany's Dirt Pudding

I got this one from my cousin. It's much tastier than other Oreo pudding versions I've tried, and people always ask me for the recipe. I love it because you can make it ahead of time!
1 large package Oreo cookies
3 cups milk
2 small boxes French vanilla instant pudding
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

Crush Oreos in a food processor. Spread half of the crushed Oreos on the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, beat together milk and instant pudding until mixture thickens. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and cream cheese until creamy. Add Cool Whip and pudding mixture to cream cheese mixture and stir well to combine. Pour over crushed Oreos in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining crushed Oreos evenly on top.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill 4 hours, or overnight. (May be frozen; thaw 1 hour before serving.)