Seal the Deal Banana Pudding

My one-year anniversary of dating my now husband was a big deal. Neither of us had ever dated anyone for that long so we felt we needed to honor this event properly. We each did what we knew best. He wrote me a song, I promised to make whatever food he wanted. I was expecting a request for something like fettuccini alfredo, maybe my famous cheese ball he liked so much, but he instead asked for banana pudding. I had never made banana pudding and I actually had no idea he liked it, but apparently this was one of his favorite desserts that both his mom and grandma made. I had a lot to live up to.

My favorite resource, aka my mother, was not an option this time. I couldn’t recall Mom ever making a banana pudding, so I turned to the greatest kitchen accessory known to modern man; the Internet. Nothing fancy, just a quick search in Google. The first link on the page was a banana pudding recipe on Recipelink.com. This pudding originally came from the cookbook More From Magnolia by Allysa Torey, collection of recipes from the famous Magnolia Bakery in NYC (remember in the SNL skit, Lazy Sunday, when they buy cupcakes before the movie? Yup, that’s Magnolia’s). Once we were able to sample it, it was easy to see why this recipe popped up first in my search. Donnie raved, along with the guys in the dorm he shared with, and I fell in love with banana pudding for the first time. Donnie and I often joke that this is what “sealed the deal.”

Banana puddings range in ingredients from the very simple (instant banana pudding, Nilla Wafers, sliced bananas), to more complex versions, where you literally make your pudding from scratch. This version is the best of both worlds. It uses instant vanilla pudding mix along with sweetened condensed milk and heavy whipping cream to form the base. It’s rich and really fattening, but always a crowd pleaser and a good alternative to the regular holiday desserts. It’s easy too. Small disclaimer: As I’ve already explained, I did not create this recipe, but it’s so good, I have to share it. I’ve tweaked the ingredients just a tad, but if you want to see the original, here it is:

http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_5.html

Seal the Deal Banana Pudding
Serves 10-12

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups ice cold water
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix *
3 cups heavy whipping cream
2 (12-ounce) boxes Nabisco Nilla Wafers
1 large bunch of ripe bananas, sliced

In a small bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes more. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight, before continuing.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.

To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass). Arrange wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then layer bananas on top of cookies and follow with a layer of pudding mixture. Repeat the layering at least twice more (depending on depth of bowl), garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer of the pudding, if you desire. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Tips: Like I said, it’s easy, but you do have to plan ahead. I usually start the day before I need it so I don’t have to pull it out early (not a good idea). The pudding mixture can turn into a speckle-y, sticky mess all over the counter when you’re beating it, so I recommend covering the bowl with a dishtowel during this process. The original recipe calls for only 1 box of Nilla wafers, but I’ve always found that’s it’s just never quite enough. I was usually about 10 or 12 cookies short. Go ahead and buy an extra box. It’s easy to get a husband, friend, stranger, etc. to finish of the rest of the box anyhow.

And while we’re talking about the wafers, don’t buy the generic brand even though it’s cheaper! We did this once and they were nowhere near as good. However, buy whatever brand of pudding you want, you won’t be able to tell a difference. Oh, and this recipe is great to serve at breakfast too!

Herbed Macaroni and Cheese

Donnie and I had a day off of work today. We decided to drive down the mountain to Oakhurst to buy a new oven, browse through some of the thrift shops and pick up some groceries. The drive down was a lovely one. The non-coniferous trees are finally setting themselves apart from the endless pines in shades of yellow and orange. Although the colors are nowhere near as vibrant as my home state of Michigan, they remind me of my younger autumns and of course, my mother’s cooking.

My mom is a vegan now, but she use to whip up some amazingly dairy laden dishes. The one I always requested on my birthday was her baked macaroni and cheese. The edges would come out brown and chewy, something you’ll never get from a box. Which is why when Donnie tried to buy some boxed mac and cheese at the grocery store, I cut him a deal: I’d make the real thing if he’d leave that awful stuff on the shelf.

I would have called Mom for her recipe, but just a few weeks ago, I ran across a tasty-sounding version in Sunset Magazine. Although I didn’t have the brie and fresh herbs it called for (or the bacon for that matter), I figured it would still be delicious with some variations. FYI, this dish is pretty heavy, high in calories and carbs. Pair it with a vegetable or salad for some balance, no need for bread or another side.


Herbed Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 4

12 oz. elbow macaroni
3 Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips (or any bacon substitute)
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp each of dried tarragon, basil and rosemary
1 tsp garlic salt
¼ c. green onions, chopped
½ c. cream cheese
¼ c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ c. Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook macaroni, drain and set aside in another bowl.

While pasta is cooking, fry veggie bacon strips ‘til crisp, then chop into small pieces.


In the warm pasta pot, add whipping cream, cream cheese, half of the shredded cheddar, 2 Tbsp. of the butter, herbs, garlic salt, onions and the bacon strips.

Stir until melted and blended well, then mix with the pasta.

Transfer macaroni and cheese into a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

In small bowl, combine the rest of the melted butter with the breadcrumbs, then sprinkle over mac and cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Tips: Any fragrant herbs would be good in this recipe. If you’d like to use fresh ones, use a ¼ cup of each. If you’re willing to shell out the extra bucks for the brie like the original recipe calls for, you can replace a half cup of it for the whipping cream. Also, I used garlic salt to be quick, but fresh garlic and some sea salt would work well.