I’ve been waiting for spring to share this recipe with you. You can serve it anytime, but for me it belongs on a springtime menu. Maybe that’s because my mom served it when she hosted “Club” which usually fell during April. I just finished making this dessert for Easter Dinner. It takes a little time- longer than what I’m used to spending on one dish, but it’s worth the effort…
Apricot Dessert
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cans apricots, drained
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup pecans
1 box vanilla wafers, crushed
In a microwaveable bowl beat eggs, sugar and butter well, then microwave in small increments (about 1 minute) take out, beat again, then repeat this process until thick. This takes about 2-3 minutes.
Whip the heavy whipping cream until thick…only the cream, no sugar.
Crush the wafers, drain the apricots and prepare to layer…
I love my OLD OSTER REGENCY. My mother-in-law gave it to me for Christmas over 20 years ago and I wouldn’t trade it for a new one. It kneads, blends,crushes, and mixes. It also has a sausage making attachment that I’ve never used-but who knows, I might someday…
Start the layering with the crushed wafers, pecans, apricots, pudding, whipped cream. Repeat ending with whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed wafers.
Chill… ENJOY!
St. Paddy’s Day wouldn’t be complete around our house without a Blarney Stone. We stumbled upon these tasty cakes at a wonderful bakery in a nearby town some years ago. We’ve tried our hand at making them ourselves and the end result is pretty close to bakery bought
Blarney Stones
4 eggs
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Frosting
7 cups confectioners’ sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups finely chopped peanuts
Directions
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick and light yellow in color about 4 minutes. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined. Beat in milk and butter.
Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Cover and freeze overnight.
* For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. Frost the top and sides of frozen cake squares; roll in peanuts. Place on wire racks to set. Yield: 2 dozen.
Never Fail Pie Crust
This is a no fail crust, one I can even make. It came from Kitchen Treasures Mennonite Cookbook which I love.
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cold milk
Cut butter into flour and add milk. Knead lightly. Roll out on floured board. (Use a marble stone to roll pastries,it keeps everything cold which helps in keeping the dough intact.)Makes 2 9 inch pie crust
For A Fruit Pie
For a large pie mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 heaping tsp. flour with enough water to make a thick smooth paste. Pour over fruit. Cover with pastry top. Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees til golden. Turn oven off and let sit for 1/2 hour
Pie Tricks: Cover edges with aluminum foil crimped loosely around to keep crust from burning. For a crisper bottom crusted pumpkin pie; lightly rub sugar covering bottom before adding filling.
It’s great to visit other communities. I love gathering recipes. This one comes from one of the members of the Cowboy Story Tellers of The Western Plains. Kansas cooks have one up on everyone. They are above and beyond the best cooks around.
Graham Cracker Snacks
Graham Crackers
1/2 lb. butter
1 C. brown sugar
Chopped nuts
Using a jelly roll pan sprayed with Pam-Use graham crackers broken in half– line pan and space 1/4″ apart.
Melt in pan butter and brown sugar, bringing to a good boil.
Pour over graham crackers.
Sprinkle with nuts.
Bake at ~350 for 10 minutes.
A great end to any meal, one of my mom’ s specialties.
MIMI DARLA’S APRICOT SNACK CAKE
2 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 can apricot filling
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts, chopped
Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and soda together. Add the pie filling, oil, eggs, vanilla,and nuts. Mix. Pour into greased 9X13 in. pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45minutes- 1 hour. Frost with icing.
Icing
1-2 cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tbsp lemon juice
Mix and pour over warm cake
Caramel Apple Crispies
4 cups Rice Crispies
1 cup Grape-nuts cereal
1 14 oz. pkg. caramels
6 oz. dried apple slices, chopped fine
2 T. water
Mix cereals and apple in a large bowl. Heat caramels with water in microwave, for a few seconds to melt, stir til smooth. Pour over cereal mixture. Mix thoroughly. Dip hands in cold water and shape into balls. You can also press into greased cake pan, refrigerate and cut.
Gourmet Popcorn Balls
I have made these for over 30 years. They turn our nice and soft, not hard and crunchy. No chance of missing teeth, fillings, caps etc. The recipe was given to me from a Kansas cook…I told you, you just can’t beat those Kansas cooks!
Chewy Popcorn Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3/4 cup light karo corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons butter
Pop 1 1/2 cups of popcorn, sort out any unpopped kernels, and place the popcorn in a large bowl.
Place sugar, whipping cream, syrup and butter in a saucepan and cook until a candy thermometer reads the soft ball stage. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can use a spoon and drop a small amount of the syrup into a bowl of water, if the syrup turns into a soft pliable ball, it is ready.
Pour mixture over the popcorn, mix and shape into balls.
Allow to cool.