Banoffee Pie

• Bananas. Caramel.  Need I say more?!  I have always heard that sweetened condensed milk magically becomes dulce de leche when cooked long enough, but have yet to try it.  I'm glad I did.  This recipe requires little effort with big-time results, you will not be disappointed :)
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• Banoffee Pie
• From:  Paula Deen
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• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 10 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk 
• 3 large bananas
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

See below for methods to make the Dulce de Leche (I did stove top).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or go the fast route and buy a pre-made crust).

Mix graham cracker crumbs with softened butter and press mixture into 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes.

Once both the crust and toffee filling are cooled, spread half of the filling evenly inside crust. Slice the bananas and layer on top of filling. Pour remaining half of filling over bananas, spreading evenly. Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla (or cheat like I did and use Cool Whip)and spread on top of toffee filling and bananas.

To make the caramel or Dulce de Leche:

Stove Top Method:  Remove the label from can of sweetened condensed milk.  Put in pot and cover completely with water.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for 2 1/2 hours (I would say 3 hours, mine came out a little too runny).  Be sure to keep the can totally covered in water to be safe.  The can will burst if it is not completly covered in water the whole time!  Be careful!!  When cooled enough that you can handle with can with your bare hands, it is safe to open.

Crock Pot Method:  Take the label of the can and place in crock pot.  Cover completely with water.  Put lid on and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Just once again make sure there is plenty of water and the cans are covered the entire time!  Cool before opening.

Oven Method:  Open can of sweetened condensed milk and pour into a glass pie plate.  Cover with tin foil.  Place in a roasting pan and fill pan halfway with water. Place in a 300 degree oven and bake for 40 minutes or until is a rich caramel color.

Buffalo Chicken Po' Boys

I am pretty much a sucker for anything on a menu that says Buffalo Chicken...sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, even mac 'n cheese!  When I saw this recipe from Paula Deen and how easy it was....I had to try!  For another yummy buffalo chicken recipe, I really loved Rachael Ray's Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza.

8 leftover crispy chicken fingers
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup Paula Deen Hot Sauce (I used Frank's)
¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons milk
1 loaf french bread cut into 4 equal pieces and partially split
8 slices tomato (we omitted these)
4 romaine lettuce leaves

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Place leftover chicken fingers on a sheet pan and place in oven for 8-10 minutes or until heated through and re-crisped. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, melt butter with hot sauce. Cook 2-3 minutes stirring.

Pour the butter hot sauce mixture over the chicken and toss to coat.

In a small bowl, combine the blue cheese, mayonnaise, and milk. Whisk until smooth.

Place 2 slices of tomato and a lettuce leaf lettuce into the french bread. Next, place 2 chicken fingers inside, and top with a generous drizzle of the creamy blue cheese.

Orange Glazed Ham Steak

I'm trying to find more recipes that are not chicken, although I could personally eat chicken everyday (others in the house begin to complain if I don't mix it up a bit).  This one from the one and only Paula Deen was a good change and definitely budget friendly!  I halved this recipe and only bought one ham steak (which was only $3.  Can't beat that!

1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/4 cup orange juice
2 oranges, zest finely grated and juiced
2 (1-pound, 1/2-inch thick) ham steaks
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and boiling water until the granules dissolve. Whisk in the orange zest and juice.

Put the ham steaks in a large baking dish. Pour half of the glaze over the meat, turning once to coat them evenly. Bake for 1 hour, flipping the steaks occasionally and basting them with the remaining glaze. The glaze will thicken and the finished ham will be golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer the steaks to a serving platter. Serve hot.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Thank you again Paula Deen! This sounds absolutely serendipitous! There is nothing better than chocolate!

3 ounces best-quality chocolate (or a variety of your favorites)
2 teaspoons store bought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream, for garnish
Chocolate shavings, for garnish
Directions
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a small heavy saucepan or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar, stirring constantly until blended.

Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a blender, place the remaining 1 cup of milk, the chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cram and chocolate shavings.

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

This one is from the queen of butter...Paula Deen.  They are not overly pumpkin-y, which my husband prefers.  The frosting is the perfect compliment to these bars.  All I can say is yummy!  

I took the advice from others and put this onto a cookie sheet rather than a 9x13in pan, and cooked them for 20 minutes rather than 30.  They turned out perfect and were the perfect size, not too thick! 

*Update:  I have made these in a 9x13 pan and thought they were great this way as well...just depends on how many you need to feed!  

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bars:

4 eggs
1 2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1-15 oz can pumpkin
2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1tsp. baking soda

Icing:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using electric mixer, combine eggs, oil, pumpkin, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Combine other dry ingredients together in separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture slowly while using mixer on low speed until smooth.  Spread the batter into a 9x13 inch pan.  Bake 30 minutes. Let cool.

For icing:

Combine cream cheese and butter with electric mixer until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Stir in vanilla and mix.  Spread over bars.