LITTLE ROCK — Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Our sweet streak continues this week, Allyites. Today we’re all peanut butter and bananas.
Vi Rohren shares this banana dessert recipe in response to Sue Pearcy’s request for a banana dessert like that served at Trio’s.
“I actually found this in a Bon Appetit magazine many years ago” Rohren writes.
Verda Caviness and Barbara Sue Turner shared a similar recipe for the dessert called Banana Delight.
Our Delight
Crust: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup butter, melted Filling: 2 1/4 cups heavy (whipping)
cream, divided use 4 ounces cream cheese, at
room temperature 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’
sugar 2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes instant
vanilla pudding mix 2 1/2 cups milk 1 banana 1/2 cup chopped pecans,
toasted 1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
For the crust: Combine flour, pecans and butter and mix well.
Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Bake until light brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
For the filling: Beat 1 1/4 cups of the whipping cream with the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly blended. Spread mixture over cooled crust.
Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
In a mixing bowl, whisk pudding with milk until thickened. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Return to refrigerator until set.
Thinly slice banana and arrange in single layer over pudding. Whip the remaining cream and fold in pecans.
Spread over bananas. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and chill thoroughly before serving.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Turner sends this delectable-sounding pie recipe for Janice Evans.
Fluffy Peanut Butter Pie
Chocolate crunch crust: 6 tablespoons margarine 1 (6-ounce) package semi
sweet chocolate chips 2 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream
cheese, softened 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened
condensed milk 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 3 tablespoons lemon juice
concentrate 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup whipping cream,
whipped to soft peaks 1 to 2 teaspoons chocolate
syrup
For the crust: In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt margarine and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and gently stir in cereal, stirring until cereal is completely coated. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate. Chill for 30 minutes.
For the filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Gently fold in whipped cream. Transfer mixture to crust. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and swirl with a spoon. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set.
Makes 8 servings.
This banana pudding recipe is for Joy Slatton. It is adapted from Classic Southern Desserts by the editors of Southern Living.
Pound Cake Banana Pudding For the pudding: 4 eggs, separated, divided use 4 cups half-and-half 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 (1-pound) all-butter pound
cake, such as Sara Lee 4 large ripe bananas, peeled Meringue: 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the pudding: Whisk together the egg yolks (reserving and chilling the egg whites for the meringue) with the half-and-half, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly until thickened, 15 to 25 minutes, reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching.
Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, stirring until the butter melts; set aside.
Cut the pound cake into 1-inch cubes. Lightly grease a 3-quart round baking dish.
Place half the cake cubes in the bottom of the baking dish, pushing them together so they fit snugly. Slice 2 bananas and place the slices in a layer over the cake cubes.
Pour half the pudding over the cake and bananas. Repeat with remaining cake, bananas and pudding. Cover and chill at least 6 hours. (The pudding needs to be cold before adding the meringue.)
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
For the meringue: Combine the sugar and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Beat the reserved egg whites and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat 2 to 3 minutes, until stiff peaks form. (When you lift the beaters, the meringue will form peaks that stand straight up. Don’t overbeat, or the meringue will break down.)
Spread the meringue over the chilled pudding, completely covering. Working all over the top, push a spoon into meringue and lift quickly, to form peaks.
Bake 15 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown on the peaks. Serve immediately.
REQUEST
Corn relish/salad like Jason’s Deli “used to serve 5 or 6 years ago” for Karen Bell Fox. It was very colorful and contained corn, peppers, onion and maybe a little jalapeno, she writes.
Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; e-mail:
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food, Pages 38 on 06/27/2012