Raspberry Lemonade Cream Pie

1 graham cracker crust
1 can condensed milk
2/3 c. frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed
8 oz. cool whip, thawed
1 c. fresh raspberries

In a large bowl, combine milk and juice. Mix well. Fold in cool whip. Spoon 1/2 c. raspberries into bottom of crust. Top with filling. Freeze 6 hours. Let set out 20 minutes before serving. Top with remaining berries. Leftover pie may be refrozen or refrigerated.

Easiest Fudge Ever

3/4 bag semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 bag milk chocolate chips

1 c. chopped pecans, optional
marshmallow cream, optional
1 can condensed milk*

Melt chips in microwave. Add condensed milk. Stir. Add nuts, if using. Add marshmallow cream if desired. Pour in sprayed 8x8 pan and refrigerate, about 2 hours, until set.

*Walmart carried a chocolate Eaglebrand milk that can be used instead if desired.

Optional recipe:

1 stick margarine
1 box confectioners sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. milk
1 t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients, except for vanilla, really well. Place in microwave. Cook on high 2 minutes 45 seconds. Add vanilla and stir. Pour in buttered dish. Chill for 30 minutes. Cut into squares.

*My mom mixed this up in a pyrex dish, placing the margarine on top, then placed it in a 400 degree oven, for 5 minutes. She then beat all the ingredients until smooth and poured it into a greased pan and placed in the refrigerator to set.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

1 stick butter, softened
6 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 box confectioner's sugar
3 T. cocoa

Beat all ingredients together for icing cakes or cookies. Adding more milk will make it thinner for a nice glaze.

*Can also omit the cocoa for original buttercream icing.

Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells

2 c. cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1 t. basil
1 t. oregano
1 egg
15 oz. Bertolli or Ragu alfredo sauce (I used bacon alfredo)
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded
15 oz. ricotta cheese
12 pasta shells, cooked as directed on pkg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 3/4 c. sauce on bottom of sprayed 9x13 dish. Combine chicken, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, egg, & ricotta cheese. Place 2 T. of mixture inside each shell. Place on sauce in dish. Spread remaining sauce over top. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake 10 minutes more until cheese is melted. Serve with tossed salad and cheesy garlic rolls.

Zucchini Pepperoni Pizzas

1 zucchini, cut in fourths length wise

1/4 t. oregano

4 T. marinara sauce

4 T. shredded mozzarella cheese

12 turkey pepperoni slices

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle zucchini with salt, pepper, and oregano. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Take the zucchini out of the oven and add 1 T. sauce, 1 T. cheese, and 3 pepperonis to each zucchini along with any additional toppings you choose. Return the pizzas to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble on the top.

Crockpot Sweet & Sour Pineapple Chicken

2 lbs. boneless, chicken* breasts, cut into cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

20 oz. canned pineapple chunks, reserve juice

2 T. soy sauce (omit for gluten free)

1 t. ginger

1 t. paprika

1/2 t. pepper

1/3 c. honey

1 T. cornstarch

1 red bell pepper, diced

cooked rice

Place chopped onion in lined crockpot. Top with chicken. Combine pineapple juice with next 5 ingredients. Add cornstarch and whisk until fully dissolved. Pour sauce over chicken. Add red pepper. Stir everything together. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or on high 4-5. Toss in pineapple chunks just before serving. Serve with cooked rice, if desired.

*may also substitute pork or shrimp, if desired

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Cinnamon Rolls:

1 c. warm milk at 115°

½ c. sugar

1 T. quick rising yeast

4 c.all-purpose flour

2 eggs

¼ c. melted butter

¾ c. butter, cut into chunks

2 T. ground cinnamon

1 c. loosely packed light brown sugar

1 c. chopped pecans, optional

For the Icing:

¾ c. cream cheese, softened

½ c. butter

2 c. powdered sugar

3 T. heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400°. For the Cinnamon Rolls: Add the milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes or until it begins to foam. With hook attachment on stand mixer, add in the flour and remaining sugar and mix on high until combined. Add in 1 egg at a time while mixing and then the melted butter and knead on high speed for 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic and let rise for 1 hour. Roll out the dough on a clean surface dusted with flour and then evenly spread on the butter chunks, cinnamon, brown sugar, nuts, and roll it up. Slice into 3” slices and place them in a sprayed 9x13 pan, cover with plastic and let rise for 45 minutes. Remove plastic. Bake the cinnamon rolls at 400 for 25 minutes. Icing: While the rolls are baking, add the cream cheese and butter to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whip until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar on low speed until mixed in and finish by mixing in the heavy cream. Add the icing evenly over the cinnamon rolls just as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve hot!

Fiesta Corn

4-5 slices bacon, cut in 1/2 - 3/4" pieces, cooked & drained
1/2 c. chopped yellow onion
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped, optional
1 T. butter
24 oz. family-size bag frozen whole kernel corn, unthawed
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
Salt and black pepper, to taste

In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno in butter. Stir and cook just until veggies are crisp tender. Add the frozen corn and cook and stir until heated through. Stir in the chicken broth; stir in the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 the bacon. Cook until corn is tender and liquid is reduced. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with reserved bacon. Serve immediately.

*Can also use sour cream instead of the heavy cream.1-2 tablespoons cream cheese may also be added, along with the cream, if desired.

Another Baked Beans

2 (28 oz) cans Bush's 'Country Style Baked Beans with Bacon & Extra Brown Sugar', undrained
15 oz can pork and beans, drained 
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. chopped green bell pepper
1 T. oil
1/3 c. barbecue sauce
1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/4 c. ketchup 
1/4 t. black pepper
2 drops liquid smoke, optional
1/4 cup bacon pieces
additional cooked bacon for garnish, optional 


Saute onion and bell pepper in oil until onion is translucent. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Stir all ingredients together in a large non-stick saucepan; heat on medium until just warmed through, stirring occasionally. Pour warmed beans into sprayed 11x7 dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbly. If desired, garnish top with additional cooked bacon pieces or slices in last 5 minutes of baking time. The beans will thicken as they cool.

Creamy Italian Chicken Casserole

2 T. olive oil
1 c. onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. chicken, cooked and chopped into cubes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano, undrained
1 c. heavy whipping cream
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 oz. pasta, (I used elbow macaroni)
Italian seasoning, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package and keep warm. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in chicken, tomatoes and cream. Add Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, let boil for about 3 minutes. Reduce heat, and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened. Add cream cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cook while stirring constantly until cheeses are melted. Add pasta, tossing gently to coat. Spoon entire pan into prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with a salad and warm garlic bread if desired.

Teriyaki Salmon

2 c. fresh broccoli florets
2 c. carrots, sliced
2 T. oil
2 t. salt
2 t. pepper
2 boneless salmon fillets
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
3 T. soy sauce (omit for gluten free)
1/2 c. honey
2 T. sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine first 5 ingredients. Mix and coat vegetables well. Arrange flat on a covered baking pan. Lay the salmon fillets on top of the vegetables. Combine next 4 ingredients until there are no more lumps. Spread evenly over salmon. Bake 12 minutes. Remove the salmon. Toss the vegetables in the roasted juices. Glaze the salmon with any remaining juices. Serve with cooked rice & a salad, if desired.

Memaw's 7 Minute Frosting (for coconut cake)

This recipe takes a lot longer than 7 minutes, but I found it fun to read, so that's why I'm including it. This is my mom's recipe, made with a real coconut, not the packages like we have today (which is what I would use!) Hope you enjoy reading it too! These are her words in the recipe. (mine are in the parentheses)

Get a coconut, Make sure to shake it to make sure it has milk (actually water). Set on end and use a screwdriver and hammer to make a hole. Drain "milk" out through a strainer into a cup. (Mom doesn't give any directions about how to shred the meat for the frosting, but I found this online: Bake the drained coconut in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Cool. The soft meat will separate from the hard shell. Remove the skin with a vegetable peeler and shred the coconut meat with a grater.)

Make a Betty Crocker 2 layer cake. Cool. Slice layers in half by using a thread. Frost each layer, (Except top). Place coconut on each layer. Take knife and plunge through cake in several places (like a poke cake). Pour coconut "milk" into holes and spread frosting over top. (Cover with coconut.) Wait 2 hrs before cutting.

Mom's handwritten notes:

Easy Pork Loin (Joan)

1 pork loin
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Place seasonings on pork. Wrap in foil, fat side up. Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hrs. Open foil during last 20 minutes.

Memaw's Chocolate Caramel Layer Squares

14 oz. pkg Kraft caramels, unwrapped
2/3 c. evaporated milk, divided
18 1/2 oz. box German chocolate or devil's food cake mix
6 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. soft margarine
1 c. chopped nuts, optional

Combine caramels and 1/3 c. evaporated milk in double boiler. Stir constantly until melted. Remove from heat and set aside. Combine all remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips & nuts. Press half into sprayed 9x13 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over top. Crumble remaining cake mixture over caramel. Top with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Cool 30 minutes before cutting into small squares.

*spraying the pan with butter flavor spray before melting the caramels makes for quicker clean up and doesn't effect the recipe.

Memaw's Biscuits

2 c. SR flour
1/3 c. shortening
2/3 c. milk

Cut shortening into flour. Add milk. Mix well with fork. Knead lightly. Roll out on floured surface. Cut out with biscuit cutter (or a glass) with flour on rim to keep from sticking. Place on baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

*butter may be substituted for shortening, in equal proportion, if desired.

Memaw's Sour Cream Rolls

1 c. SR flour
1 c. sour cream
1 stick butter, melted

Combine flour and sour cream. Fill sprayed mini muffin tins. Pour butter over batter. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Memaw's White Chocolate Fudge

3 c. sugar
1 c. evaporated milk
3/8 c. butter
2 c. marshmallow creme
12 oz. white almond bark, cut into pieces
1 c. chopped pecans, optional

Bring sugar, butter, and milk to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Cook to 237 degrees. Remove from heat. Add marshmallow creme, white chocolate, and pecans. Stir until melted. Pour into sprayed 9x13 pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut into pieces.

Debbie's Creme Brulee Cheesecake

1 and 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 and 1/3 cup sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream

10 large egg yolks

raspberries, to garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan. Tear off an 18-inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil. Set the pan in the center of the square and carefully wrap the foil up over the edges of the pan, crimping at the top so that it is secure. Repeat with a second sheet of foil. Be very gentle so it doesn't tear. *Repeat again with a 3rd sheet of foil Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 5 tablespoons melted butter to crumbs and combine. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a glass to press it into an even layer. You don't have to do a side crust, but you can. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Be careful not to tear the foil. Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese for 4 minutes, making sure to scrape the sides. Add 1 and 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and beat for another 4 minutes, scraping sides. Meanwhile, add the cream to a small pot on the stove. Heat over medium low heat until it is warm. You don't want it to boil. While that is heating up, crack 10 egg yolks into a mixing bowl. (Save the egg whites for something else!) Beat the egg yolks for about 2 minutes, until they are pale. While the beaters in the egg yolks are on, slowly add the warm cream. If you are not mixing while you do this, the eggs will curdle. Once all of the hot cream has been incorporated with the egg yolks, it's time to slowly pour that into the cream cheese mixture. Beat the cream cheese and slowly pour in the egg-cream mixture. Make sure you scrape the sides and get out all the lumps. The batter will be pretty thin. Transfer the foil-wrapped crust into a large high-sided skillet, or a roasting pan. Pour the batter into the crust, forming an even layer on top. Fill the skillet or roasting pan with HOT water from the tap. You want the water to go at least halfway up the pan of the cheesecake. Carefully transfer the water bath to the oven. Bake at 325 for about 1 hour and 35 minutes. You will know it is done when it is mostly set in the center and doesn't jiggle too much when you shake it. (some movement is ok--it will continue to set as it cools. It just shouldn't be liquidy.) If the cheesecake starts to brown, turn off the oven. At this point you can either crack the door of the oven and let the cheesecake come to room temperature inside the oven. I removed the cheesecake but left it in the water bath for a couple hours so that there wasn't a drastic change in temperature. When the cheesecake is mostly cool, remove from the water bath, and remove the foil. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight. When you are ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and carefully loosen the sides of the pan. I didn't use a knife, just release the spring very slowly. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

*The foil is to keep your cheesecake dry since it will be baked in a water bath

Chicken Cordon Bleu Mini Sandwiches

12 oz. pkg. Perdue breaded chicken nuggets

1 tube crescent rolls, each cut in half lengthwise, for a total of 16 triangles

8 slices deli ham, cut in half

½ c. Dijon mustard

4 slices swiss cheese, cut in 32 strips

Place a chicken nugget on the widest part of the triangle. Top with ½ slice of ham, a squirt of mustard, & 2 strips of swiss. Roll up the dough around the chicken bundle. Place on a lined and sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes until cheese is melted, chicken is heated through, and roll is browned. Remove and serve warm with remaining Dijon or other condiments.

These would be great for appetizers or parties.

Easy Cheesy Garlic Rolls

1 tube refrigerated biscuits

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

 ½ tsp garlic powder

 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375. Cut biscuits into fourths, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, garlic powder, parsley, and mozzarella, coating all of the biscuit pieces. Place the pieces in a sprayed muffin tin, three pieces per tin (you’ll have two extra — just use them in whichever tin you want). Bake for 15 minutes. Best served fresh out of the oven!

Ireland's Fudge Pie

2 squares unsweet baking chocolate

1 stick butter

2 eggs

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter & chocolate together. In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add all ingredients to eggs. Pour in a glass pie plate. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Mason Jar Lid Pies

12 regular-sized mason jar lids and rings
2 , 14.5-ounce cans berries in light syrup (cherries, blueberries, blackberries, etc..)
½ cup granulated sugar
3-4 tablespoons cornstarch

 14-ounce box refrigerated pie crusts (set out about 15 minutes room temperature)
 1 egg, well-beaten, optional (for egg wash)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the inside rings of the canning lids on it with their rubber seals facing down. In a small saucepan, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Drain the juice from one of the cans of berries into the saucepan and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has started to thicken. Drain both cans of berries. Gently mix in both cans of drained berries and set aside. Unroll the pie dough. Use a canning ring as a guide, cut a circle ¾-inch larger than the canning ring itself. Cut out 12 pie crust circles.These circles will be the bottoms of your pies. Make the top crusts by using a canning lid as a guide and cutting out circles ¼-inch larger than the lid itself. Cut out 12 tops. Score each top by making 3 slits in the center of the dough. Make sure each canning ring on the sheet pan is fitted with its lid. Place the pie crust bottoms inside the rings fitted with lids, pressing up the sides. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of pie filling into each bottom shell. Do not overfill the pies or they will burst. With your fingertip, rub a bit of water around the edge of each crust. Cover each pie with a top crust and, using a fork, gently crimp the edges together. When you crimp the pie crust, use the edge of your finger to counterset the fork, rather than pressing the fork and the crust into the canning ring. You want to keep the crimped edge up off the canning ring, otherwise the crust may “melt” against the hot ring in the oven. Brush the tops of each pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake for 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

*These can also be made in muffin tins if you don't want to invest in Mason jars.

Orange Julius

6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 c. whole milk
1 c. water
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
ice cubes
orange slices, for garnish

Combine orange juice and water until smooth. Pour in blender and pulse for 5 seconds to thoroughly combine. Pour in milk, sugar, and vanilla. Add 6-8 ice cubes. Pulse for 30-45 seconds or until smooth and frothy. Divide orange julius into chilled glasses and serve immediately. Garnish with orange slices.

* Optional preparation: Leave the orange juice frozen and omit the ice cubes. You can also substitute 2 c. orange juice for the concentrate.

Very refreshing, especially in the summertime!

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

4 green peppers, cut in half lengthwise (can also use different color peppers if desired)

2 T. olive oil

red onion, chopped, sauteed

fresh mushrooms, sliced, sauteed

crushed garlic, sauteed

ground cumin, cooked with onions and mushrooms

1 lb. ground turkey, cooked, rinsed, and drained

1 small can tomato puree

chopped tomatoes

soy sauce, optional

oregano

mozzarella cheese

Place pepper halves together side by side on cooking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in 400 degree oven for a 15-20 minutes. While the peppers are baking, cook the onions and mushrooms with all the other ingredients, except for mozzarella. Spoon into pepper halves and top with mozzarella cheese. Place back in oven just long enough to melt cheese. Yum!

Cherry Swirl Delight

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 T. sugar or splenda
1/4 c. butter, melted
20 oz. can cherry pie filling, I use no sugar added
1 small pkg, cherry jello, I used sugar free
1 c. boiling water
15 large marshmallows, optional*
1 c. milk
12 oz. cool whip, thawed

Combine crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press into 9" pie plate. Chill. Dissolve jello in water. Chill until partially set.Combine marshmallows and milk. Heat and stir to melt marshmallows. Cool. Fold into cool whip. Combine pie filling with jello. Swirl into cool whip mixture. Spoon into pie crust. Chill to set. Makes 8 servings.

*you can probably just use marshmallow fluff, added to some milk, instead of having to melt the marshmallows.

Kathy’s Pumpkin Chicken Chili

 1 1/2 lbs chicken, cooked, shredded

 1 onion, chopped

 1 green pepper, chopped

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 2 15oz cans diced tomatoes

 15 oz can pure pumpkin

  2 cups chicken broth

  1 1/2 T. chili powder

 1 T. cumin

 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

  15 oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

*instead of all the separate spices, you can use a pkg of taco seasoning, You can also use 2 cans of dark kidney beans, instead of 1 red and 1 white.

Saute onions, peppers and garlic in oil or butter. Place all ingredients, except beans into a large pot, & bring to boil. Reduce heat. Add beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Or cook in a lined crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.

Kathy's Turkey & Rice Soup

24 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 lb. turkey breakfast sausage, cooked, rinsed,  and drained
2 c. cooked rice
1 1/2 c. leftover cooked turkey meat
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
turkey stock to cover
seasonings to taste

Place all ingredients in a lined crockpot, using turkey stock to fill to level desired, Cook 4-6 hours on low.

Tiramisu Mousse Cheesecake

40 vanilla wafers, crushed
3 T. butter, melted
3/4 c. sugar
4, 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened, divided
6 T. brewed coffee, cooled, divided
3 eggs
1/3 c. milk
1 small pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
16 oz. cool whip, thawed, divided
1/2 square baking chocolate, coarsely grated*, or 3/4 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. fresh raspberries, optional
chocolate sauce, optional

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of sprayed 9x13 pan. Beat 3 pkgs of cream cheese, sugar, and 1 T. coffee in large mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, on low speed until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 28 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Beat remaining cream cheese until creamy. Add milk & remaining coffee. Mix well. Add dry pudding mix, beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 c. cool whip. Spread over cheesecake. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 4 hrs. Garnish with remaining cool whip, raspberries, and drizzle with chocolate sauce if desired, before serving.

*8 oz. baking chocolate = 1 1/3 chocolate chips
*4 oz. baking chocolate = 3/4 c. chocolate chips

Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

Cake:
1 white cake mix + needed ingredients
1/2 c. mashed banana

Custard*:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
8 egg yolks
4 c. milk
1 t. vanilla

Topping:
16 oz. cool whip, thawed
1/8 t. vanilla
4 bananas, sliced
1/2 c. coarsely crushed vanilla wafers, or graham crackers
1/2 c. chopped pecans, optional

Prepare the cake as directed on box. Add mashed banana until combined. Pour batter into sprayed 9x13 dish. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.Let cake cool for 5 minutes. Use the handle of a wooden or plastic spoon to poke holes in the warm cake. Combine the sugar and flour in a saucepan. Whisk in egg yolks and then milk. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 10-15 minutes, until bubbly and thick. Remove from heat and add 1 t. vanilla. Let cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over warm cake and spread evenly over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hrs. Combine cool whip and vanilla. Uncover cake. Top with sliced bananas, and spread cool whip mixture over top. Sprinkle with crushed cookies and nuts. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

*You can make this using 2 small pkgs of  (banana or vanilla) pudding mix instead, following directions on box for a "classic pudding pie" resulting in a thicker, firmer pudding.