Tag: Desserts

Next Best Thing to Robert Redford Dessert

Dessert
Dessert
This old favorite recipe really made me chuckle when I ran across it. This was a very popular dessert back in the 80’s . Apparently Robert Redford was, too. I think now we should rename it. My personal favorites would be ‘next best thing to Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt”. This recipe or a similar version also used to be called “Better than Sex Dessert”, pretty risque for the 80’s! Anyway this recipe originally came from the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, Nov 8, 1981. It is truly an oldie, but goodie.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 8 ounce carton Cool Whip, thawed
  • 1 large package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 large package instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 3 cups cold milk
  • Chocolate bar, grated

Instructions
Mix together: flour, butter and pecans until crumb like. Press into bottom of a 9×13 inch pan and bake until golden brown (350 degrees for 15-20 minutes). Cool.
Make a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar and the Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust. For the top layer, mix pudding mixes with milk until smooth and thickened. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Spread remaining topping over top and sprinkle with grated chocolate bar. Refrigerate until serving.

Super Easy Cheesecake

Everyone loves cheesecake. Guests coming? You don’t know what to make for dessert? You can’t go wrong with this super easy favorite recipe of mine.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
  • 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 8 ounce carton sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 graham cracker pie crust

Directions
Mix all ingredients and pour into pie crust. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool before serving.

7 Layer Bars

Here’s another favorite recipe! These bars are so easy to make, but so hard to stop eating. I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t love them.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 6 ounce package chocolate chips
  • 1 6 ounce package butterscotch chips
  • 1 1/3 cups coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts
  • 1 15 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Melt butter in a 13×9 inch pan. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over butter. Add chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and nuts in layers. Pour milk over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hr.

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No Bake Pioneer Bars

Here is another favorite recipe from my Mom. After you read the ingredients you will see where it got it’s name. These are good and hearty and maybe somewhat healthy.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups peanut butter
  • 1 cup nuts, chopped
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 2 Tablespoon butter

Directions
Mix the peanut butter, nuts, powdered sugar, rolled oats, vanilla, and 4 Tablespoon melted butter. Press into a 9×13 inch pan and chill. Melt the chocolate chips and the 2 Tablespoon butter over a double boiler (or use microwave). Spread on top of first layer. Chill and cut into squares.

Old Fashioned Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This is another of those oldie but goodie favorite recipes. It was given to me by my son’s best friend’s mother. Easy to understand why they spent so much time at his house.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 can (15-16 ounces) sliced pineapple, drained
  • maraschino cherries
  • pecan halves
  • 1 yellow cake mix, prepared per package directions (can use drained pineapple juice for liquid)


Directions
Melt butter in a 13×9 inch pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Next arrange pineapple slices over that. Place one cherry in center of each pineapple ring. Arrange pecans around pineapple. Carefully pour cake batter evenly over fruit. Bake as directed on cake mix or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in middle. Invert pan onto plate, let pan set for a few minutes before removing. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Sweetheart Cherry Pie


This was one of my son’s favorite recipes as a child. He loved cherries and anything made with cherries. Actually he still does! This is a really easy dessert to make and will surely please the men in your life, too.


Ingredients

  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 graham cracker crust

Directions
Combine cherry pie filling, coconut and almond flavoring. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Whip cream, adding the powdered sugar as you whip it. Blend the whipped cream and cream cheese together. Gently fold in the cherry pie mixture. Pour into crust. Chill until firm.

Nani’s Favorite Coconut Diamond Bars

Coconuts
Coconuts
There is nothing like a pan of bars! Here is an old favorite recipe of mine . These are perfect for parties, potlucks, or just ‘because’. The crust is crispy and the top is chewy. So many bar recipes have chocolate in them and this is a great non-chocolate recipe. It’s one of my oldies but goodies.


Ingredients

  • 6 Tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teapoon vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • 1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Directions
Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt, and 1 cup flour. Pat into the bottom of a 9×9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
While the first layer is baking, beat eggs slightly, add vanilla and brown sugar, beating just until blended. Add the 2 tablespoons flour and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in coconut and nuts. Spread over baked layer. Bake about 20 minutes longer. Cool and cut into diamonds.

My Mom’s Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Pudding
Chocolate Pudding
This was a favorite recipe of my Mom’s. She used to make it for us for dessert. It was always a treat to have and so much better than store bought pudding. It is easy too. This is really an old fashioned dessert.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoon Cocoa
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup nuts, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 Tablespoon Cocoa
  • 1 3/4 cup hot water

Directions
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, sugar and 2 tablespoon cocoa. Add milk, melted butter and nuts. Pour this mixture into a 9 inch square pan. Mix the brown sugar and 4 tablespoon cocoa together and sprinkle over top of mixture in pan. Pour hot water over all of this. Bake @ 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

Oreo Mint Dessert

I was looking through my favorite recipes and found this one and just had to chuckle. This was a popular dessert in the 70’s. I think every shower or ladies event that I went to served this dessert at one time or other. Sometimes it is just fun to make these old classic desserts, it can bring back some really good memories. Hey, and the men love this one, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 package Oreo cookies
  • 1 cup small pillow mints (you know, the classic, little pastel colored after dinner mints)
  • 1 cup miniature marshmallows
  • 1 pt cream, whipped (no added sugar needed)

Directions
Crush the Oreo’s and spread 1/2 of them evenly in a 9×13 inch pan. Gently stir the mints and marshmallows into the whipped cream. Spread on top of Oreo’s. Top with the remaining Oreo’s.
Chill 24 to 48 hours before serving. Top each piece of dessert with a mint, if desired