Cream Puff Dessert

When I was growing up my Mom didn't do a lot of cooking or baking outside of perhaps 20 dishes that we regularly had. Her baking included a boxed cake mix sometimes, or once in a while brownies. She tried her hand at cookies but she cooked with lard a lot of the time and when she didn't, it was a high water based margarine and of course the cookies didn't turn out or had a bad flavor so we children would not eat them. One of my favorite desserts were cream puffs but she said she couldn't make them and they never turned out, so we never got them. There was one person I knew could make them and that was my Aunt D. We only saw her a few times a year as she lived quite a ways away, and when we did visit she didn't always have cream puffs made, so I think I got cream puffs about once every year or two. Maybe that is part of the reason I love them so much now?

This dessert is a quick and easier way of making what basically is a cream puff. You spread it in the pan instead of making individual puffs. I personally love it without the chocolate or caramel or nuts... I just want the yummy vanilla pudding and whipped cream, but most people love chocolate so I'll leave that part up to you!




Cream Puff Dessert

1 c water
1/2 c butter (not margarine)
1 c flour
4 eggs


1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
3-1/2 c cold milk
2 packages (3.9oz each) instant French Vanilla pudding


1 carton (8oz) Cool Whip
1/4 c hot fudge sauce
1/4 c caramel ice cream syrup
1/3 c chopped nuts

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat/ let stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Spread into a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, milk and pudding mix until smooth. Spread over puff; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Spread with whipped topping; refrigerate until serving.

Drizzle with chocolate and caramel toppings; sprinkle with nuts.

Homemade Christmas Ornaments

When the children were quite small we made salt dough ornaments and painted them with the children's water paints.

Over the years they've gotten separated in many different bags and boxes, some have gotten broken, others perhaps have been lost. 

I smiled when I saw this little guy on our tree this year. One of the children found him and chose to put him up. I'm happy to see him in such wonderful shape after all these years of being tossed and tumbled.

Homemade Ornaments with a typical Salt Dough

2 c all purpose flour
1 c morton salt
1 c water
food color - optional

Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Mix well. Form a ball by adding water slowly. Add color if preferred and knead 7-10 minutes.

Roll out about 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes with a cookie cutter. Make a hole in the top to hang. Bake on a foil covered sheet 325 degree's for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. Paint and you can varnish or shellac if you would like them to last longer or be shiny. As you can tell from my photograph we used water colors with no finish and it's still perfect 10 years later.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

My husband has been a big fan of Guinness beer for years. As a matter of fact we have 2 custom framed Guinness prints in our Living Room and we named our two cats Guinness and Sam Adams! When I found this cake a couple years ago I knew it was just the thing for my husband. The alcohol cooks out so obviously you can serve it without asking for id.


Chocolate Guinness Cake

2 c Guinness beer
2 c unsalted butter
1 1 /2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
4 c flour
4 c sugar
1 T baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
4 eggs
1 1/3 c sour cream

Icing
2 cups whipping cream
1 lb semisweet chocolate chopped


Grease 3-8" round cake pans and line with parchment paper and grease or spray it as well. Bring 2 cups Guinness and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Using mixer, beat eggs, sour cream. Add beer mixture to egg mixture and beat to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake until tester comes out clean about 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to cool completely.

Bring cream to simmer. Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Chill until icing is spreadable (about 2 hours) be sure to stir frequently.

Place 1 layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup over, top with 2nd layer and 2/3 cup icing. Top with the last layer and spread remaining icing over top and sides.

Grandma's Cranberry Salad

My Great Grandma and my Grandma H. both love jello salads. My FIL seems to as well. I can't say I share this affinity. I like jello but only if it's sugar free and naked. LOL. I don't like whipped cream anywhere near it either! But I know my readers are looking for this recipe and I'm always happy to help out someone searching for it. For all you jello and pineapple lovers, this one is for you.


Grandma's Cranberry Salad

2 small pkgs. cherry jello
2 c hot water
1-10 pkg frozen strawberries, thawed, reserve the juice
1-13 1/2 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, reserve the juice
2 cans whole cranberry sauce
Mini-marshmallows

Dissolve jello in hot water. Add juices from fruit and enough water for 1 cup. Chill about an hour until it starts to set. Add fruit and marshmallows. Refrigerate again until it's completely set.

Cranberry Cake with Hot Butter Sauce

Starting with Thanksgiving I get to enjoy a winter of one of my favorite fruits; cranberries! I love cranberry cakes, bars, muffins, scones and desserts not to mention cranberry juice and drinks! Oh, and cranberry crisp. Mmmm. Just the thought of all these gorgeous desserts with deep red jeweled cranberries make me smile.

I have leftover whole cranberries that I made into a sauce for Thanksgiving (and then uh, forgot to serve...) so I'm going to substitute them in this cake this week. Mmmm I can already smell it. Enjoy!

Cranberry Cake with Hot butter Sauce


2 T butter
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla
2 c flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c milk
2 c fresh cranberries


Cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, alternately with milk. Fold in cranberries. Pour into greased, floured 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees about 35 minutes.


Hot Butter Sauce for Cranberry Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
Evaporated milk - approximately 6 oz.

Melt butter in sauce pan, blend in sugar. Stir in evaporated milk. Simmer about 5 minutes stirring constantly. Serve over cake.