quick, light, southern style banana pudding

a couple of weeks ago, I received light of my next blog post. though this dessert is not particularly seasonal, it does provide a great dessert that can be made year round, not to mention possible seasonal variations. you know me and recipe variations…

recently, kyle and I were conversing about one of my favorite pastime desserts. his response, “what’s banana pudding?” WHAT’S BANANA PUDDING? I absolutely could not believe that this kid had never heard of banana pudding, let alone, tried it.  i immediately investigated and asked his sister how this could be possible. her response: “who WOULD know about banana pudding? no one eats banana pudding.”  i could not believe my ears.

growing up in the south, i remember indulging in creamy pudding with chunky bananas and soggy nilla wafers. yum. although, banana pudding is commonly known in cafeterias and hospitals as a “stay away, that stuff looks disgusting” dessert, banana pudding represents a creamy favorite for us southern belles. you all know i don't bake and although there are better ways to make banana pudding, especially the homemade way, i'm leaving you with something 100% easy. below you will find a simple and no-think recipe for a great dessert.

ingredients:
- instant sugar free, fat free, banana pudding
- reduced fat nilla wafers
- 2-3 ripe bananas
- fat free cool whip
- 3 ½ cups of fat free milk (i used soy milk, but i wouldn’t recommend using soy milk for this. the end result was too diluted)
- splash of vanilla
- garnish with chocolate chips

directions:
combine pudding mix with 3 ½ cups of milk (or as box indicates) and a splash of vanilla. whisk for 2 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. while waiting for pudding to set, line bowl with nilla wafers and layer with sliced bananas. pour pudding on top. layer another set of nilla wafers and sliced bananas. top with cool whip and sprinkle chocolate chips if you please.

first layer of nillas and bananas

second layer after pudding

  

banana pudding gets better as it ages. when the nilla wafers go soft and begin to merge into the pudding, it becomes a cake-y treat. that’s usually what deters you from purchasing a bowl at the cafeteria. but guess what? it’s the part i look forward to. happy cooking! ☺

saonara summer

summer is gone, fall is here, and winter is near. tank tops and sandals are stored, blankets have been added to beds, and peacoats and gloves are in full bloom (at least in chicago).  kitchens are filled with the sweet aroma of pumpkin, potatoes, squash, cranberries, and rich winter meats. i, myself fall into this category. lately, i have been cooking with cans of pumpkin, sweet potato and squash baby food jars (i'm telling you... it's a great way to incorporate a rich and thick vegetable for your base in soups or sauces), and my stove has been warming soups, stews, and hearty meals.

though i have fully embraced the changing seasons, i have one last summer recipe to share before we fully cross to the other side. mango, avocado and cucumber salsa. ohhhhh ya. this recipe is so simple and of course, can be altered to your personal preference.  we'll start with the simple basics.

ingredients:
- 2 mangos
- 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
- 1 red onion

scoop seeds out

- 1-2 avocados
- jalepanos
- cilantro (as much as you'd like)
- approximately 2 tb lemon or lime juice
- salt and pepper


directions: peel, chop, mix

what better presentation than 2 fish bowls, literally?

seriously, i told you these recipes were easy and quick. this salsa is AWESOME and not to mention healthy. it's basically a fruit salsa but extra extra colorful. you can also use this salsa in combination with other favorite dishes. it's absolutely amazing over fish. in the past, i have replaced the avocado with green olives and scooped my summer salsa over tilapia and mahi mahi. bake the fish as you normally would and you get a fresh, fruity, and flavorful baked fish dish. DELISH. you can also try it as a side dish by itself. like i said, this is the last summer recipe. get ready for some great seasonal and holiday content! please make suggestions if you'd like to see anything in particular. and as always, happy cooking :)