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Yummy!!!

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These are some of the best moments of summer and certainly bring a ton of fun without a lot of effort!  Get togethers with family & friends – grilled hot dogs, sausages, chicken, or hamburgers – kiddie pools and popsicles – fireflies and fireworks – all leading up to The Grand Finale:

DESSERT!

Here’s a list of enticing desserts and sweet summer treats that you should consider for your next family reunion, picnic, or backyard barbecue:

• Chilled Fresh fruit.  Sweet summer fruit can add fantastic, fresh
  flavor without extra calories or sugar.  For anyone watching their waistline (and who doesn’t during summer?) icy cold watermelon, cantaloupe, or honeydew chunks, mixed with cherries, blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries is a great ending to a hot summer day. Topped with whipped cream or served on a skewer – it’s a great treat! And besides – you can have a watermelon seed spitting contest afterwards!
• Fruity Grilled Chocolate Kabobs.  If you want a grown up version of fresh fruit – check this recipe out.  How good does THAT sound?
• Rice Krispie Treats. This marshmallow delight pleases kids and adults alike. You can add your favorite M&M candies or festive sprinkles for a punch of color (and more chocolate!  Or you can try these: Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Bars with Chocolate Butterscotch Topping.  This is a summer classic - all grown up!   You could make your regular rice krispie treats or you can try these…  Such a dilemna!
• Brownies.  Whether you frost and decorate, or just serve and eat – brownies make for easy cleanup and nobody pays attention to how many you eat!  These Brainy Brownies contain a surprise ingredient that some might refuse on its own, but adds nutritional benefits and may surprise you with their great flavor.
• Flag-Inspired Cake.  Whether you’re celebrating July 4th with family or friends – this is a timeless addition to your dessert lineup!
  Simple and fresh it’s a sweet treat that anyone can enjoy. Or you can try this Marshmallow Caramel Boooom Cake! For a light version, you  can cut an angelfood cake into bite size chunks and layer into plastic cups with berries, fat-free / sugar-free pudding, and whipped topoping for individual “trifles”.
• Dirt Pudding!  What a FUN summer dessert! (I love this Wiggle Worm Dirt Pudding!) It can be prepared in individual servings and is very kid-friendly!  With the wide variety of chocolate sandwich cookie flavors, you can find a way to please nearly everyone!
• Homemade Ice Cream.  One of the best summer flavors I can remember tasting was fresh, homemade vanilla ice cream.  Whether you Kick the can, take turns at the hand crank, rely on an electric machine, trays in your freezer – OR even make it in a bag, homemade
  ice cream can make for special memories with friends and family!
• Cookies!  Easy to make, travel ready, and endless variety – the difficulty is deciding which ones to make!  Classic chocolate chip, No bake, Peanut butter, Snickerdoodle, Sugar – the choice is yours!  Try this version of a Girl Scout Samoa!
• “Over 21″ desserts.  So the kiddos have had their dirt pudding, but you want something more grown up for the adults.  Why not make this Kahlua Bowl Cake or these Bourbon Balls?  A really easy trick is to poke holes into a baked cake with a fork, and brush with about 1/2 cup of your favorite rum, brandy or liqueur (Amaretto, Kahlua, raspberry, etc.) and “frost” with whipped topping.  Keep chilled until ready to serve.  If you want the flavor without the buzz, try this  Frozen Strawberry Margarita dessert…
• S’mores. Whether you enjoy the classic toasted marshmallow-chocolate bar-graham cracker variety or you want to try something new, S’mores just taste of summer!   For some variety, try this collection of S’mores dessert recipes!  I won’t tell you how many S’mores I can eat in one sitting, but I will tell you that I’ll be enjoying S’mores one summer night very soon!

photo credit: wharman, photo credit: mmatins, photo credit: thebittenword.com

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One of my all time FAVORITE desserts is bread pudding!  Thanks to having had family in the restaurant business for many years, we’ve got some AMAZING recipes.

I’m proud to share “Mother’s Bread Pudding” from the world famous Mother’s Restaurant in New Orleans–a family tradition.

From my kitchen, to yours!

Mother’s Bread Pudding
20 cups Stale French bread (About 5 loaves)
2 oz Brandy
6 Whole eggs
1-1/2 qts. Whole milk
3 tbs. Brown sugar
2 cups Granulated sugar
3 cups Fruit cocktail, in syrup
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg, ground
3 tbs. Cinnamon, ground
1 oz. Pure vanilla (triple this amount if imitation)
2 sticks Butter, softened to room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8″ x 10″ (3″ deep) baking pan with butter. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until all the bread is broken into small pieces. Pour mixture into baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 90 minutes, until edges and top are browned. May be served hot or cool to warm or cold. Top with buttered brandy sauce. Yields 24 servings.

Buttered Brandy Sauce
1 cup Butter, clarified
1/8 tsp. Cinnamon, ground
1 pinch Nutmeg, ground
2 tbs. Dark brown sugar
1 oz. Brandy

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Raise to a boil, then hold warm in a double boiler or a pot set into another pot of hot water.

Tips:

1.  The more stale the bread is the better it will soak up the wet ingredients.

2.  You can skip the fruit cocktail if you would prefer it plain.

3.  You can also skip the brandy and make a white chocolate sauce with imitation rum flavoring (that’s what I do!)

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