Banana Cream Pie

This is a very creamy and delicious pie. Worth the extra effort to make your own filling. Easy and absolutely yummy.

1 9 inch baked pastry shell or 1 graham cracker crust
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cups water
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 medium bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice
Cool Whip (optional)

In a heavy saucepan, dissolve cornstarch and salt in water. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Cool slightly. Arrange 1 banana on pie crust. Mix the rest of the bananas with the filling. Pour filling over bananas. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Top with cool whip.

Orange, Orange Fruit Salad

This is for Rebecca and Dalene. This is the salad I had at Colton's birthday party. It's very easy and tastes delicious.

4 – 1 cup servings
1 pt per serving

1 box sugar free/fat free instant vanilla pudding
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
8 oz. fat free cool whip
1 box sugar free orange jello

Dissolve jello in 1 cup boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Add 5 ice cubes to water to make 1 cup. Add water to jello and stir until the ice cubes are melted. Let set 5 to 10 minutes in the refrigerator, 'til barely soft set. With electric mixer whip in pudding mix (dry). Beat until well mixed. Let stand for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Fold in cool whip and oranges. Let set.

Lemon Pineapple Salad

Rebecca and Dalene, this is for you. This is the salad I had at Colton's birthday party. It's very easy and tastes wonderful.

1 box instant sugar free vanilla pudding
1 can crushed pineapple; well drained
1 8 oz container Fat Free Cool Whip
1 box sugar free lemon Jello

Dissolve Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water. Add 5 ice cubes
to a cup and fill with cold water; add to Jell-O.
Stir until melted. Set aside in refrigerator so it
sets a little bit (about 5 or 10 minutes).
With electric mixer, beat dry instant pudding mix into
Jell-O, beating until pudding is well mixed. Let stand
for 15 minutes in refrigerator. Fold in thawed
cool whip and pineapple.
Makes 4 one cup servings. 1 point per serving.

I drain the pineapple in my colander and press it with a rubber spatula so that it is very well drained.

Soft Buttercream Frosting

This is the frosting I used on Lexi's birthday cake. Excellent tasting without a powdered sugar or greasy taste or texture. But it is a very soft frosting. It also has less sugar than most frosting.

Makes about 6 cups
Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 7 large egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, softened
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. (You could use a double boiler, then transfer it to a mixer bowl.)
2. Return bowl to mixer; fit mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, and mixture is cool, about 10 minutes.
3. Switch to paddle attachment. With mixer on medium speed, add butter, 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until mixture is smooth. Mix in vanilla extract.
Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

SWEET AND SOUR BEANS

1 lb. bacon (fried crisp and crumbled)
2 lg cans pork and beans (drained) (30 oz) (remove pork)
1 onion (chopped)
1/3 cup catsup
1 green pepper (chopped)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 can crushed pineapple w/juice (15 oz)

Mix altogether and bake at 325 degrees uncovered 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I put it in my crockpot on low until hot (about 5-6 hours). If desired you can saute the onion and pepper in bacon grease.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

1 (12.5 oz) can Snow's chicken
2 (15 oz) cans Veg-All mixed vegetables
1 (12 oz) jar chicken gravy
1 dash sage (opt)
salt and pepper to taste
1 package of 2 premade Western Family refrigerated pie crusts

Drain chicken and vegetables. In a large bowl, mix the first five ingredients. May add 1/4 cup milk if desired. Place 1 pie crust into deep dish pie pan. Spoon mixture into pie crust and top with second pie crust. Crimp edges together. Make 2 or 3 slits in top crust and bake at 400 degrees about 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut and serve.

Lazy Days Potato Salad

This one is for you Diane. It is really quick, and tastes good.

1 can (14 1/2 oz) sliced potatoes, drained
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 Tbsp chopped dill pickle
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder and pepper. Drizzle over potato mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 4 servings

2/3 cup (prepared with fat free mayonnaise) equals 93 calories, 3 g fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 780 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 1 g protein

2/3 cup = 2 WW points