Quick Banana Pudding

 

1 large package (6 oz.) instant vanilla pudding

2 1/2 C. cold milk

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (16-oz.) container whipped topping

2 - 3 bananas, sliced

40 vanilla wafer cookies

Prepare pudding according to package directions, using cold milk. Stir in condensed milk. Blend well; fold in half the whipped topping.

Layer pudding, bananas and vanilla wafers; top with remaining whipped topping and a few banana slices. Refrigerate overnight.

Stuffed Cabbage

 I love this stuff..So Yummy

2 pound cabbage head

Filling:
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 pound lean ground pork
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup water
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Stewing Sauce:
1 small can sauerkraut
1 can whole tomatoes
1 small onion, cut fine
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Remove core from cabbage head and put in boiling water only long enough to wilt outer leaves.

To make filling, scald rice in boiling water for 5 minutes; rinse with cold water. Mix rice with remaining filling ingredients.

Put 1 tablespoon filling on each cabbage leaf. Fold one end of leaf over, then one side. Roll tightly and tuck other end in to secure.

To make the sauce, finely chopped the cabbage left over after leaves for rolling are removed.

Mix sauerkraut, tomatoes, onions, sugar and seasonings.

Put sauce in bottom of kettle and between layers of cabbage rolls. Cover top of kettle with water. Cook on low heat about 1 1/2 hours. Water may have to be added during cooking to keep rolls completely covered.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

2 t. shortening

2 t. flour

1 1/2 lbs. ground pork

1/2 lb. ground beef

2 large onions, chopped fine

2 T. fresh chopped parsley

1 t. sage

1 t. garlic salt

red pepper and black pepper to taste

Pastry:

4 C. flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 C. melted shortening

1/2 C. milk

2 eggs slightly beaten

Combine shortening and flour in a large Dutch oven. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until a roux is of copper color. Add other ingredients and cook until meat is browned and onions are tender. Drain well and cool.

Divide pastry into 22 equal portions. Roll each portion into 5 inch circles. Place about 2 T. meat mixture in each circle. Fold in half; moisten edges w/water and press with fork to seal.

Heat 1 inch of oil to 375°F. Fry pies in hot oil until golden, turning once. Drain well on paper towels.

Pastry:

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add melted shortening, stirring until blended. Combine milk and eggs stirring well. Pour milk mixture into flour, stir just until blended, adding more milk as necessary.

Oven-Dried Tomato Bruschetta

12 plum tomatoes
kosher salt

Thanks Alexandra

1 baguette
olive oil
fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch thick slices
fresh basil

Preheat oven to 200ºF.
Halve each tomato lengthwise through the stem. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, side by side on a rimmed cookie sheet. (Tomatoes should not be touching one another.) Sprinkle each tomato lightly with salt.

Place in the oven and bake for six to eight hours, or until tomatoes are shriveled, but not dry and brittle. Check every couple of hours. (The tomatoes should still feel flexible when removed from the oven.) Remove tomatoes from the oven, and let cool completely before storing. Store in a glass jar or Ziploc. Moisten with olive oil if tomatoes are too dry. The tomatoes will keep indefinitely.

For the bruschetta, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Slice the baguette into ¾-inch thick rounds, drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Top each baguette slice with a piece of mozzarella, a few oven dried tomatoes and a few small leaves of basil. Serve.