From Penny's Table - Desserts

We've a sampler of recipes this week to offer. I'll start with my favorite beverage for a cold winter night, especially good for those sleepless nights. It's a nice alternative to hot cocoa.

Hot Vanilla Milk

3 tbsps sugar free vanilla flavored syrup (Da'Vinci is a good brand)
1 cup milk
2 tbsps heavy cream

Mix in mug, heat in microwave for about 1 minute or until just hot.

You can alter this dessert just a bit and create a minty flavor. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to the chocolate pudding and crushed soft peppermint candies to decorate the top. Wonderful for Christmas!

Millionaire Dessert

1 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 8 oz container whipped topping, thawed
2 3 oz. pk gs instant chocolate pudding mix
3 1/2 cups cold milk

Combine flour, butter, pecans and pat into 13 X 9 pan. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Beat cream cheese with remaining sugar and milk until smooth. Fold in half the whipped cream. Spread over crust. Make pudding with remaining milk and spread gently over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping and dust with cocoa or grated chocolate. Serves 12-15

Mama recently made a cake that was absolutely delicious. She made it up as she went and I've taken the liberty of naming it. It isn't exactly a recipe that follows, but I think you'll find the cake easy and wonderful.

Mama's Tropical Paradise Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can cream of coconut
1 jar lemon curd
1 recipe cream cheese frosting made with
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
Shredded sweetened coconut

Use cream of coconut to replace all or portion of water called for in cake mix. Bake in your choice of pans (Mama always uses 9x13, but I think this would be very pretty in layers) as directed on package. Fill cake with lemon curd, then frost with cream cheese/pineapple frosting and top the whole with shredded coconut.

Here's a good recipe to use up any leftover turkey:

Penny's Wild Rice and Turkey Salad

2 cups chopped cooked turkey
4 cups cooked Wild Rice
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps. mustard
1/4 cup slivered almonds
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Mix all ingredients well. Chill if desired. Serve in lettuce cups. Or serve in hollowed out tomato shells (I'd skip the raisins if I did this) on lettuce lined plates.

Haven't had time to make cookies? These are super easy and take just minutes start to finish.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
1 egg
1 cup sugar (or granulated sugar substitute)

Mix ingredients well and roll into small balls. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until edges just start to brown.

Variations:
Black eyed Susans: Using thumb create a small indentation in cookie ball. Fill with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Peanuttier Cookies: Flatten ball slightly and press coarse crushed peanuts into top.

Peanut Butter Cups: Press balls of dough into the smallest size muffin tin. Form into a tart shell. Fill center with a chocolate kiss, chocolate cream cheese filling or with miniature peanut butter cup. Bake about 15 minutes.

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