Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C. Sugar
• 1/2 C. + 2 Tbs. Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 4 C. Whole Milk
• 5 Large Egg Yolks (beaten)
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 4 Tbs. Butter
• 1 12 oz Box Vanilla Wafers
• 6 – 7 Bananas (sliced about 1/3″ thick)
• 9″ x 13″ Cake Pan (lightly sprayed with non stick spray)
• 1 Large Container Whipped Topping

Directions

On medium low heat in a large sauce pan place sugar, flour, salt, and milk. Stir until mixture is completely blended. When mixture begins to softly boil, cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The pudding will begin to thicken. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of hot mixture to beaten eggs and stir until blended. Place pudding mixture back on stove on medium heat and add egg mixture, continue cooking for 3 minutes longer. After 3 minutes turn heat off, add butter and vanilla, beat until blended. Remove from stove and let cool for about ten minutes while you prepare the pan and vanilla wafers. Spray your pan with non stick spray and place vanilla wafers to cover the bottom and sides of baking pan. Slice bananas and cover the wafers with bananas. Pour pudding in pan, covering bananas and wafers. Place banana pudding in refrigerate until completely cooled. When pudding has cooled and set, cover completely with whipped topping. Place plastic wrap on any leftovers and store in refrigerate.

Ingredients

• 2 sheets (about 1 pound) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 3/4 cup (about 6 ounces) cream cheese
• 3/4 cup jam, such as apricot or cherry, or orange marmalade
• An egg wash made by beating together 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon water
• About 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar for sprinkling the turnovers

Directions

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each sheet of pastry into a 12-inch square and cut each square into four 6-inch squares. Put 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cream cheese in the center of each square, top it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of jam and brush the edges of each square with water. Fold the squares in half diagonally to form triangles, press edges together firmly, then press edges with the tines of a fork to seal them well. Arrange the turnovers on a dampened baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash, and with a sharp knife cut several slits (for steam vents) in the top of each turnover. Sprinkle the turnovers with the sugar, bake them in the upper third of a preheated 425 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden, and serve them warm.

Makes 8 turnovers.

Source: Gourmet, March 1993.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup or 1/2 stick Parkay margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

Beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla until fluffy. Add the sifted powdered sugar 1/2-cup at a time until all is used. If frosting becomes too stiff, thin with a few drops of water.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon water
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Chocolate Sauce* (recipe to follow)

Directions

Grease a large baking sheet with 1 teaspoon butter; sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon water. Set aside.

Stir together flour and sugar.

Bring 3/4 cup water and 1/3 cup butter to a boil, stirring constantly, in a saucepan over medium-high heat; remove from heat, and quickly stir in flour mixture. Beat mixture with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth and leaves the sides of pan, forming a ball of dough. Gradually add beaten eggs to dough, beating well until mixture is smooth and glossy. Drop dough by rounded 1/8-cupfuls (about 14 mounds) evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Pierce 1 side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape; let cool on baking sheet on a wire rack.

Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Cut each cream puff in half horizontally. Fill bottom halves evenly with whipped cream mixture; top with top halves. Drizzle with Chocolate Sauce, and serve immediately.

Makes 14 cream puffs

*Chocolate Sauce:

1 cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter

Stir together all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until chocolate and butter are melted and sauce is warm.

Makes 1 cup

Southern Living, JANUARY 2006

Ingredients

• 1 pkg lemon cake mix
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 C oil
• (2)8 oz. pkgs cream cheese
• (1) 8 oz. container sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1 T lemon juice

Directions

Mix together cake mix, egg and oil. Press into 15×10 (lightly greased) pan. Bake at 350(F) for 10 minutes.

Beat 2 pkgs of cream cheese, sour cream, 2 eggs, sugar, lemon peel and lemon juice. Mix and pour over crust. Bake at 350(F) for 35 minutes.

Refigerate.

*contributed by Francine Korous