Chocolate Eclair Cake

I love all kinds of sweets, but I don't think there's anything better than a great icebox dessert!  I LOVE THIS RECIPE and have been making it for years!  It always gets rave reviews and I get lots of requests for the recipe!  You won't believe how easy this one is!  Plan to make this one the night before you'll be serving it to allow the graham crackers to soften and the filling to set up!!!



Here's what you'll need! (. . . and only 5 ingredients!!!)

Whisk both packages of pudding with 3 cups milk until well blended and it begins to thicken a little.

Fold in an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip.

Lay graham crackers in a single layer in 9x13 pan.

Spread 1/2 of pudding mixture over graham crackers.  (Look at that yummy filling!!!!!!!!!)

Add another layer of whole graham crackers.  (It doesn't have to be perfect- USE THE BROKEN PIECES- IT WON'T MATTER!!)

Pour remainder of mixture over graham crackers.

Add a third layer of graham crackers on top.

Remove lid and aluminum seal from frosting can and soften frosting in microwave for 20-25 seconds.  (Note:  Be sure to remove all traces of the aluminum seal before microwaving!!)  Pour icing on graham crackers and spread evenly with a spatula.

IT'S THAT EASY!!!!!!!!  Refrigerate overnight!!!

This was the lonely piece leftover from today's family get together!  Look at all those yummy layers!!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

2 small packages French Vanilla pudding

3 cups milk

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 box graham crackers

1 container chocolate frosting

Whisk together milk and pudding until well-blended and slightly thickened.  Fold in container of Cool Whip.  Place enough whole graham crackers to cover bottom of 9x13 pan.  Do not overlap graham crackers. Spread 1/2 of pudding mixture over crackers.  Add a 2nd layer of graham crackers.  Then spread the remaining pudding mixture over crackers.  Add a final layer of whole graham crackers.  Soften chocolate frosting in the microwave for about 20-25 seconds.  Be sure to remove lid and aluminum seal.  Spread frosting over entire cake.  Refrigerate overnight!

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Raising 4 Princesses

Tortellini Salad

Thankfully, this year for Thanksgiving, all I have to make is a salad!!  Yay!!!  So I decided a pasta salad with lots of veggies sounded good!  I remembered the salad cookbook from our church and located this yummy recipe.  I made only a few minor changes.  It does take a little time to prepare the veggies, but this is fairly simple to put together!!!

 Doesn't this look yummy????  MMMMM!

 Here's what you'll need!!  Omit what you don't like and add another veggie that's more appealing to you.  Next time, I will be trying this one with artichokes!!  Yum!

 Prepare all your veggies!  I sliced my mushrooms and chopped the broccoli into small pieces.  You may even wish to slice the tomatoes in half if they are too large.  Once that is done, prepare your tortellinis according to package directions.  Drain and rinse. 

Toss tortellini into veggie mixture and add dressing and parmesan cheese!

Enjoy!

Tortellini Salad

2 pkgs. cheese tortellini

1 can black olives

1 bunch of broccoli- florets only

1 small container grape tomatoes

6-8 oz. fresh mushrooms

red onion, chopped (I only used half)

3/4 c. grated Parmesan

Italian dressing (I used about 12 oz.)

Prepare (slice/chop) veggies and add to large bowl.  Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain and rinse.  Add to veggie mixture.  Add Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese.  Toss well to coat and refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

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Chicken and Noodles

I really hesitated on adding this recipe to the blog.  It's really very simple and seems like something everyone already makes.  Then I remembered that my blog is not just for my readers, but also a record of recipes I make frequently.  This is one of our favorites!  Today, it was cold and windy and quite frankly the perfect day for a dish like this one!!   Hope you enjoy!

 Place 4 bone-in chicken breasts in a large pot and add enough water to cover chicken.  Add 3 tsp. of chicken bouillon granules.  Bring to a boil over medium/high heat.  Cook for about 25-30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees in the thickest part of the breast.
 

 Transfer chicken to a plate and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.  See that pot of chicken broth on the back of the stove????- YOU WILL NEED THAT- DON'T THROW IT OUT!!  :)

 To cook the noodles, you will need one bag of Kluski noodles and 2 cans of chicken broth.

 Shred chicken from bone and set aside.

 Add 2 cans of chicken broth to the chicken broth you already have.  Bring to a boil and add noodles.

 Cook noodles for about 20-25 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone.  As my noodles were cooking, I scooped a ladle full of broth into a dish and added a 1/4 c. flour and whisked together then added it back in.  This thickens the broth a little.  To reheat the next day, you may need to add a little chicken broth.

Dinner is served!!!

Chicken and Noodles

4 bone-in chicken breasts

3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 16oz. package kluski egg noodles

2 cans chicken broth

Place chicken breasts in a large pot and add enough water to just cover chicken.  Add chicken bouillon.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees.  Remove from pot, reserving liquid.  Allow chicken to rest for about 10 minutes and then remove meat from bones and set aside.  Add canned chicken broth to liquid from cooking chicken.  Bring to a boil and add noodles.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.  To make a thicker broth, remove a soup ladle of broth and whisk with 1/4 c. flour and return mixture to pot.

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Gooseberry Patch Recipe Roundup

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I had some bananas that were getting overripe and thought baking banana bread sounded good.  I've been seeing lots of recipes for banana bread with chocolate chips so I decided to give it a try!  These are fabulous!!  I adapted the banana bread recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  My mother-in-law gave these pans to all the ladies in the family a few years back.  Each loaf is about the size of 1 1/2- 2 cupcakes.  I used two medium cookie scoops of batter for each loaf.  Hope you enjoy this recipe!  I will definitely be making this one again! 

 Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

 Aren't these little loaves adorable??

Updated 1/30/2013- Made this recipe again today only made it in a standard loaf pan (see pic below). 

 

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
adapted from:  Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas ( I used 2)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease the bottom and sides of loaf pan(s).  In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except chocolate.  Mix until just moistened.  (Note:  I dusted my chocolate chips with about a tsp. of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of each loaf.)  Fold in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into prepared pan(s).  For mini-loaves, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. (If baking one loaf in a regular loaf pan, bake for about 45-50 minutes.)