Here's my quick 'n easy banana cream "pie" recipe: I take half a low-fat graham cracker & spread it w/nutella (or not) then top that w/some instant sugar-free pudding banana flavor (of course) then top that w/fresh sliced bananas, repeat one more time ending w/whipped cream on top & a sliced banana for pretty. This hardly takes any time but taste & looks like it did. Its creamy, crispy & sweet!

Nutella is the best. It tastes great even by itself.

I made this cake for my birthday last week and my daughter asked were I got the recipe. I told her that I was just putting in what I thought would be good and that all recipes start somewhere. Her response was that people who make up cakes are 'real bakers that know what they are doing.' Well, the first cake didn't make it home from work so my family could have leftovers, my family ate the second in 3 days and so tonight I'm bringing a third to a cook out. But it's super simple. Mix up a white or vanilla box cake mix according to direction except reduce the water by 1/4 cup. Drain a can of bing cherries, cut in 1/2 and add to cake batter. Add 1 tsp. of almond extract and fold in. Bake according to the box, but it may take a few more minutes w/ the extra moisture from the cherries. For the frosting, make a basic frosting but use ALOT of vanilla (about 1 TBS) and mix in 1/2 c chocolate chips. Spread over cooled cake and enjoy!

Thanks, Cassandra, for the pumpkin recipe. I'm a pumpkin FANATIC. I'm always searching for sweet recipes with pumpkin in them. Lately I've been trying to perfect my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I recently took a weekend trip to Louisville, and a local whole foods store had some, so I bought a few. They were amazing. If you have any more pumpkin recipes to share, or know where to find really good ones, please let me know! Thanks.

Nutella goes great with almost anything. Makes for an indulgent yet almost instant dessert. Serve with sliced apples, whole strawberries, bananas, and pineapple chunks. Spread some on angel food cake pieces. Use it to top vanilla ice cream, and garnish with fresh mint. Make cookie sandwiches with it. Make Nutella and banana sandwiches. Use your imagination....be creative.

i made a very delicious, very rich, very addictive (eggless) mousse by mistake one day:

-1 cup heavy cream
-2 tablespoons butter
-4 tablespoons powder coffee mix (i use international delights, cafe france), or sub. strong brewed coffee
-1 bag Ghiradelli 60% cocoa baking chips
-sweetened whipped cream (the real, homemade kind)
-powdered sugar
-unsweetened cocoa powder

Heat cream, butter, and coffee mix until almost boiling. Turn off heat and stir in chocolate chips until completely melted. Cool for 1/2 hour. With a mixer, whisk on medium high speed until mixture thickens and turns lighter in color, about 10-15 minutes. It should stiffen to a whipped cream consistency. Refrigerate for at least two days, in an air-tight container. Check on the mixture, using a spoon. If stiff yet fluffy, it's ready to serve.
Scoop out into serving glasses or bowls using an ice cream scoop. Top with whipped cream, then a pinch or two of cocoa powder, then a pinch of powdered sugar. Refrigerare for about 5 minutes to allow powdered sugar to crust. Remove and serve.

I'm writting in regards to Bettys question about diabetic desserts... To be honest..from personal experience of being a diabetic myself..I have a HUGE sweet tooth!! So, what I do is trade real sugar, to Splenda. It measures out cup for cup, and leaves no nasty aftertaste. I have substituted splenda for sugars needed in just about everything. BUT...here's the deal...keep in mind that just because you are substituting sugar for splenda, remember that fat turns to sugar, sugar turns to fat, carbs are also sugar (Breads, cakes, pasta's etc...) So, just be carefull and read your recipes well, and if you buy desserts from the grocery store..READ THE LABELS!! Know what your putting into your mouth!

Everything looks so good, but is bad for diabetes. any sugar free recipes?

Spring/Summer Fruit Tart

I'm sure everyone has a version of this.

Sponge tart shell (often available in a blister-pak in the produce dept.)

Prepared lemon curd
1 8oz. pkg. softened cream cheese (mascarpone would work equally well)
1/2 C. of sugar
1 t. of vanilla
1 1/2 C. of whipping cream
Kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.
Optional: melted apricot preserves

Spread lemon curd on the sponge shell, covering surface.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla til smooth.
Beat whipping cream til peaks form. Fold cream into cheese mixture. Spread on top of lemon curd.
Slice kiwi and strawberries and arrange along with other berries/fruits on top of cheese/cream mixture. If desired, melt a half cup or so of apricot preserves (or use purchased strawberry or other fruit glazes which are available)and pour over fruits. Refrigerate til served.
Note: You might want to add more than 1/2 C. of sugar if you like more sweetness or you can add sugar to both the cheese and the cream. You can also puree strawberries to add to the cheese mixture, if desired. You can also omit the curd, if you choose.
Makes a nice, quick, attractive dessert.

Hi I just invented a lemon curd sablé with whipped marscapone chantilly garnished with candied organic rose petals for a degustation(Incredible with Vouvray or a Tariquet Primiere Grives if you have a sweet tooth) cant make enough of em! Hope you enjoy.

Lemon Sablé with Whipped Marcaspone (balanced by) Rose Confit.

Sablé
1 cup of flour( I use a mixture of cake flour and regular high grade all purpose)
1/4 cup of raw cane sugar
4 tablespoons plus 1 tsp of cold unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk whipped
2tablespoons of creme fraiche( you can use sour cream but add a tsp of honey to it)
1/2 of a vanilla pod(slice pod in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds of one half.. stick the other half in a jar of sugar and presto Vanilla sugar in three days)
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour and sugar. Add the butter and mix until coarse and sandy.
In a non reactive bowl, whisk yolk, creme fraiche and vanilla bean together. Add to the flour mixture and mix with a fork or by hand(however its imperative your hands remain cold) Or just use a paddle if you are used to using a machine. Turn out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum one hour... roll out flat and use a circular cookie cutter(or juice glass to make circles).
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C or I think its 420 F
Bake until ever so slightly golden.. all ovens are different but I have never passed beyond 8 minutes.. set aside and cool.

Lemon Curd
4 eggs
3 Lemons
1 cup of sugar
whisk the eggs and sugar together until well blended juice the 3 lemons and add to the egg mixture. Heat and stir continuously over low heat until thick.. set aside and cool in refridgerator in a pipe bag or bottle.
Whipped Marscapone
1 container of marscapone(250gr)
3 Tablespoons of Vanilla sugar
Whip the marscapone with the vanilla sugar and put in a piping bag or a freezer bag with the tip end cut off when ready to use.
Candied Rose petals
Organic petals only!
1 whipped egg white almost stiff
With a pastry brush, brush both sides of petal with eggwhite and then dip in fine grain sugar
let dry in oven on a silpat for three hours on extremely low temperature or on the counter not too humid for 24 hours.( will keep for up to a month in a hermetic container)

Assembly:

place sable cookie on work surface... pipe lemon curd on cookie round.. then pipe a bit of marscapone and garnish with rose petal confit!
Hope this wasnt too long!
Stacey Delepau

(I prefer this to pumpkin pie, and many of my friends agree)

ready made dessert shells (chocolate, of course)

1 1/2 cups sweetened whipped cream (the real thing, please)whipped to medium peaks

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 can pumpkin puree

cinnamon, nutmeg, to taste.

mix all together gently, scoop into chocolate dessert shells, chill and serve

Angel Delight
1 angelfood cake (cut into serving pieces)
1 can whip cream or non dairy whipped topping
1 can pie filling your choice( we use cherry or strawberry)

Put angel food cake in serving dish, top with whipped topping and pie filling.

Simple but looks great, and it doesn't take any time.

For the summer time I like taking Klondike ice cream bars, top with sliced fresh strawberries and whip cream topped with a cherry.