Banana Pudding

Great for pot lucks! I almost never make this full recipe. It's very easy to cut the ingredients in half and makes a much more manageable dessert.

2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
8 oz. sour cream
16 oz. whipped topping, divided
4-5 large bananas
1 box vanilla wafers

Put a large handful of vanilla wafers in a zip top bag, crush with a glass or rolling pin and set aside. Whip pudding with milk. Add sour cream and half the whipped topping. Mix well. Layer bananas and vanilla wafers in large (13x9) casserole. Pour pudding over layers. Spread remaining whipped topping on top and sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers. Chill thoroughly. Makes 8 large servings.

Texas White Sheet Cake

1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. almond extract

Butter Pecan Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir in remaining cake ingredients until smooth. Bake in greased 13x9x2 pan at 350ºF for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool.

For Frosting: Melt butter and milk in saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir in remaining frosting ingredients. Beat until creamy. Pour and spread onto cake.

Lemon Blossoms

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 pkg instant lemon pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
3 tbl vegetable oil
3 tbl water

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding, eggs and oil and blend until smooth. Fill each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel. Sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil, and water. Mix until smooth. Dip cakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible. Place on wire racks over wax paper. Let set about 1 hour. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes 4-5 dozen

Heavenly Pie

This recipe is the result of a search for the perfect millionaire pie. It isn't exactly what I was looking for, but it's so delicious! I've been making this pie for so many years I can't remember where the recipe came from. I do remember the original recipe called for 'fruit,' so technically you could use whatever fruit you desire, but I use crushed pineapple exclusively. It's the perfect consistency and the flavor is out of this world. An added plus: you can use fat-free and reduced fat ingredients to make this pie and you'll have a 'heavenly' guilt-free dessert.

HEAVENLY PIE

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 9-inch graham cracker pie shells
1 can Eagle Brand milk
9 oz. Cool Whip
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

Combine cream cheese, milk and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Stir in pecans and pineapple. Pour into pie shells and refrigerate for several hours.