Uncooked Banana Pudding

Lighter than traditional banana pudding and can easily be made lighter in calories.  This recipe comes out the Hopkins County 4-H Food Show, where I had the honor of judging some terrific, young cooks.

This recipe was prepared by a very young cook.  It was very tasty and needed to be shared here on SDR.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 8 ounces light sour cream
• 1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups low fat milk
• 1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies
• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced

In a large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping and pudding mix, then blend in milk.  Stir well.

In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other clear serving dish, put down a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, finally a layer of sliced bananas.  Repeat until all the ingredients are used.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

More recipes from the Hopkins County 4-H Food Show

• Peanut Butter Cocoa Balls
• Grilled Tropical Salsa
• Monkey Bread
  

Monkey Bread from a Monkey

Last recipe entry from me from the Hopkins County 4-H Food Show. Isn't it pretty?  It's hard to believe a little monkey, ur I mean, a little kid made this monkey bread.

I sure hope they (the AgriLIFE Extension office) ask me to judge again next time.  It was SO MUCH FUN meeting the kids, listening to them spout their nutrition education, while proudly standing behind their prepared dishes.  Those kids were down right cool!

HERE'S MONKEY BREAD from a CLOVER KID

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cans refrigerator biscuits (10 biscuits each)
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• cooking spray

Heat oven to 325ºF.

Mix white sugar and cinnamon together in a plastic storage bag or paper sack.  Remove biscuits from the tubes. Place each biscuit on cutting board and cut each into fourths with a butter knife.

Place about half the biscuit pieces into the cinnamon sugar mix and shake bag, until thoroughly coated.

With an adult helper, heat butter and brown sugar in a small pan over low heat, stir until mixed together.

Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray, be sure to coat it very well.  Place the coated biscuit pieces evenly in the bundt pan.  Finish coating the remaining pieces, then add them to the bundt pan.

Pour brown sugar mixture over the biscuits.  BAKE in oven 35 minutes.

Have the adult helper remove the bundt pan and place on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  CAREFULLY turn the pan upside down onto serving plate, the sugary coating will still be hot.  The monkey bread should fall right out.  Allow to cool at least 5 minutes or more, before serving.

To eat, just pinch off pieces and Enjoy!

Grilled Tropical Salsa

Sweet and Spicy plays it up in this salsa.  So simple to throw together an 8 year old kid can do it.  In fact, a cool 8 year old DID MAKE THIS.

This is the second recipe I wanted to highlight from the Hopkins County 4-H Food Show.  In case you missed my last post about the show, read the Peanut Butter Cocoa Balls recipe.

Grilled Tropical Salsa would be perfect with tortilla chips, inside a quesodilla, or right on top of chicken or beef fajitas.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 2 fresh pineapple slices, 1/2 inch thick
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup purple onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, cleaned and minced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• salt to taste

Grill the pineapple on medium high heat for approximately 2 minutes on each side.  Remove form heat; cool and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Combine the pineapple with remaining ingredients.  Add salt to taste.  Makes 2 cups of salsa.

Peanut Butter Cocoa Balls

This is a totally nutritious snack!  Yes it is!  According to Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension and the Hopkins County 4-H Club, it's considered a nutritious snack.  So there.

My fun friend, Kim, asked me last week if I wanted to be a volunteer for a 4-H food show event at our local Ag extension office.  I said, "Sure!"  Turns out, we had the fun of judging the nutritional knowledge and recipe presentation of young cooks from the ages of 7 to 14 years of age.  And let me tell you, those kids had it going on!

These great young cooks had learned how to balance a nutritious meal, studied nutrient facts, learned how to operate kitchen appliances, kitchen safety, and last but not the least, presented a delicious recipe.  For the next few posts, I wanted to highlight some recipes from the food show.

Moms & Dads, your kiddos can make these recipes.  Now, they WILL need your supervision and assistance working appliances, but they can put these recipes together.

LET'S START WITH THE WINNING RECIPE
made by Timothy, 8 years old.

Peanut Butter Cocoa Balls

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup coconut, plus 1/3 cup to coat balls
  
• 1 cup chopped nuts, plus 1/3 cup to coat balls
  

Warm the peanut butter in the microwave up to 1 minute, enough to make it easy to stir.  Add in honey, vanilla, and cocoa powder; mix thoroughly.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well.

Use a 1 inch scooper to help roll dough into balls, then use either the extra coconut or chopped nuts to coat balls.  Can be chilled or served immediately.
Let's look at them again.

Macaroni & Cheese with Hot Dogs

Every time our church gets together to eat, I serve this up for the kids in the crowd. Their faces light up when they see something on the buffet table they recognize & love to eat.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 box Thick & Creamy Kraft Mac & Cheese,
• 4 tablespoons real butter instead of margarine
• 1/2 cup hot milk
• 3 or 4 wieners, use your favorite brand

Cook macaroni directed on the box; drain. Slice wieners into bite size pieces and microwave on High for 1 minute.  Blend the macaroni, cheese powder from box, butter and milk.  Stir in heated wieners.  Add a few tablespoons of milk at a time to keep it from getting sticky.  Note: Butter gives the dish a creamier texture and the extra milk keeps it smooth until ready to serve.

SERVE A CROWD

3 boxes of Thick & Creamy Kraft Mac & Cheese, use real butter instead of margarine 1 package of wieners 1 cup of hot milk Follow the directions above.  You'll want a disposable roasting pan with a lid to carry this size dish.

YOUNGER COOKS CAN HELP

Wieners can be cut up using a butter knife. Younger cooks can mix the butter, milk and dry cheese into the macaroni.