Bouffant Blonde Cooks

Frozen Lemon Custard Dessert

This comes from an old, yellowed newspaper clipping. I have no idea which newspaper. It does have a note saying it is a favorite contest winner for Oct. 15 (no year listed) for Betty Current. That’s what I don’t know.

That I do know is that in the Deep South -- and much of the country this year -- it is really hot and this sounds like just the thing for a summer afternoon treat!

Frozen Lemon Custard Dessert

1 package honey graham crackers (11 double crackers), crushed (1 ½ to 2 cups; set aside 2 tablespoons crumbs for garnish)
¼ cup sugar or 1 to 2 packets sugar substitute
¼ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup melted butter or margarine
1 quart vanilla ice cream
2 pints lemon custard frozen yogurt
Grated rind of 3 lemons
Raspberries or raspberry sauce

While preparing the crust, remove ice cream and frozen yogurt from freezer and let it soften.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, pecans and melted margarine. Mix and pat into the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish.

Combine ice cream and frozen yogurt. Mix with lemon rind. Spread on top of crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs and return to freezer until frozen.

Remove from freezer 15 to 20 minutes before serving and let stand at room temperature. Slice in 2-inch squares and serve with raspberry sauce or pureed raspberries sweetened to taste with sugar substitute. Garnish with lemon slices and mint leaves, if desired.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve never tried Butter Flavored Crisco, though I swear by the regular white Crisco. It’s a must item for every kitchen -- at least one you plan to use for baking. This recipe is enough to make me purchase some Butter Flavored Crisco just because the cookies sound so wonderful. This recipe came from an advertisement for, you guessed it, Crisco.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

¾ cup Butter Flavor Crisco
1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup large pecan pieces
NOTE: If nuts are omitted, use 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream Crisco, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Blend until creamy. Blend in egg.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture, gradually. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop rounded tablespoonfuls (about 2 measuring tablespoons) of dough 3-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies (they will look light and moist -- DO NOT OVERBAKE), 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies.

Cook on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Remove to cooling rach.

Makes 3 dozen 3-inch cookies.

Lite 'N Easy Cheese Dip

This sweet little clipping is apparently from an advertisement for Sargento cheese. I say that because it’s got their brand of cheese in it. Hey, many wonderful recipes are created by the folks who are promoting their products. The “lite” caught me. The tuna almost stopped me. I like tuna but it just seemed odd. What do you think?

Lite ‘N Easy Cheese Dip

1 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 8-oz. package Sargento Fancy Mild Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well-drained
1 6 ½ oz. can chunk light tuna in water, drained
2 tablespoons chopped pimento, optional

In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt and mustard. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.

Makes 3 cups.

Serve with Devonsheer Melba Rounds or Toast.

Apple Raisin Bars

This recipe was in an October 2011 issue of Family Circle. I was thrilled to get it because at the time our apple tree was producing more apples than I could possibly keep up with.

Apple Raisin Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups packaged light-brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups diced Golden Delicious apple
¾ cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, blend together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes or until smooth.

Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; mix for 2 minutes or until just incorporated. Stir in diced apples and raisins and spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cook completely before cutting into bars and serving.

Makes 12 bars, at 338 calories per serving.

White Chocolate Raspberry Pie

Some pies are made to be savored. This would be one of them. Another great recipe from the folks at Pillsbury. I also love the feedback from other cooks. One suggested using extra creamy Cool Whip instead of the whipping cream. Another used strawberries instead of raspberries and found it to be wonderful. For me, anything with white chocolate is wonderful!

White Chocolate Raspberry Pie

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
5 oz white chocolate baking squares
3 tablespoons milk
5 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
3 cups fresh raspberries

Heat oven to 450°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely.

In microwavable bowl, microwave 4 squares of the white chocolate and the milk uncovered on Medium about 2 minutes or until almost melted. Stir until melted. Cool to room temperature.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange peel with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Beat in white chocolate mixture. Fold whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Spread in bottom of cooled baked shell. Arrange raspberries on filling.

Melt remaining square of white chocolate; drizzle over pie. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Fettuccine Primavera

This recipe appeared in a newspaper back in August of 1990. I have no idea which newspaper. It somehow got clipped off. But I’ve kept this recipe, fully intending to try it one day. Microwaves really do come in handy sometimes when it comes to quickly preparing a meal.

Fettuccine Primavera

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions, minced (including green tops)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium carrot, peeled and very finely diced
½ cup finely diced sweet red pepper
½ cup finely diced green pepper
1 cup finely diced zucchini
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
¾ pound fettuccine
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine butter, oil, green onions, garlic and carrot in microwave-safe 2 ½-quart casserole. Cover with lid and microwave on HIGH (100% power) 4 minutes, stirring at two minutes.

Add red and green peppers, zucchini and mushrooms, arranging mushrooms in center. Cover and microwave on HIGH 2 minutes 45 seconds to 3 minutes 15 seconds, or until vegetables become barely tender.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine al dente according to package directions.

Add whipping cream to microwaved mixture. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes 45 seconds to 3 minutes 15 seconds, or until cream is hot, not boiling. Stir in basil, salt and pepper.

Drain pasta well and return to pan. Add vegetable mixture and toss well. Add cheese and toss again. Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings.

Chocolate Coconut Pie

Okay. Who LOVES chocolate? And who LOVES coconut? This recipe is for you. And me! LOL Thank you Pillsbury for another wonderful recipe!

Chocolate Coconut Pie

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated Deep Dish pie crust, softened as directed on box
1 can (12 oz) coconut milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup chocolate shavings

Heat oven to 450°F. Bake pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 15 minutes.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat coconut milk, granulated sugar and milk to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened.

In large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on Medium (50%) about 2 minutes or until melted. Stir half (about 2 cups) of the coconut milk mixture (haupia) into the melted chocolate. Spread in baked shell. Gently spread white haupia on top of chocolate layer. Refrigerate pie 2 hours.

In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pie; sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Expert Tips

To make chocolate shavings, pull a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler or thin, sharp knife across a block of chocolate. The curls will be easier to make if the chocolate is slightly warm (let it stand is a warm plave for about 15 minutes before cutting). Use a toothpick to lift the curls and arrange them on pie.