I believe that I had mentioned in an earlier posting that I have been writing a bi weekly food column for a little paper called the Pike Rive Community News. A friend of mine started this little local paper in the Amburg Area. It consisted of news, nice little columns, comics and a crossword puzzle. Unfortunately, Janet Kaat was unable to get it profitable in the time she had and the next issue will be the last. I was having a lot of fun doing the column and had been looking for such an opportunity. But Janet invested in it an it was a GOOD paper.

Just for fun, I will attach my latest column so you can see what it was like. I hope to do a book of them some day and this was my practice. Hope I can find a new practice place and hope Janet can continue in some way. As it said it was good and fun.

JUST DESSERTS

By

Mary J. Kunert


My Mother made fantastic desserts. She had nine of us so she looked for easy, delicious and economical ways to feed us. We ALWAYS had dessert with our main meal. We also ALWAYS had bread and butter on the table with every meal.

From her I also learned that it is nice to put good looking dishes on the table. One of the easiest “fancy” desserts she prepared was nothing more than pudding, whipped cream and graham crackers. Even the most amateurish of cooks can put this together and it will look great.

FRENCH PASTRY

1 Package Instant Chocolate Pudding – Regular or fat or sugar free
5 Whole Graham Crackers
1 Large Container of Cool Whip or Whipped Cream

Mix the pudding according to the recipe on the package. Break the crackers in half. Place two halves side by side about two inches apart. Spread about a tablespoon of pudding on each half. Layer another cracker and the pudding until they are all used up in two stacks. Cover each stack generously with the Cool Whip. Let set for a couple of hours so the crackers absorb some moisture. When serving, cut each stack in half and serve with the cut side down. It is nice to swirl a bit of chocolate syrup on the plate and over the pastry for effect.

Easier, but not so elegant, you can purchase a graham cracker pie crust or make one using the following:

24 Graham Crackers
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
¼ Cup Sugar

Crush the graham crackers to make 1 ½ cups. Pour into a 9” pies tin. Add the melted butter and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Cool to room temperature.

Then pour either instant or cooked pudding (prepared for pie not pudding) into the crust. Spread whipped cream over the top or serve with a dollop (I love that word.) on top.
Chocolate Grahams make a wonderful chocolate crust. You can use cinnamon or oatmeal flavors for an exciting taste, or add some cinnamon, allspice or nutmeg to the plain grahams.

Last year, I found measuring spoons for a pinch, a smidgen and a dash. I bought several and used them for package decorations for all the “cooks” in the family last Christmas. What fun!


I have another dessert that I found on the Internet that is easy and Oh so Good and full of chocolate and whipped cream. This one is not so healthy because it is full of sugar and fat. It is best made with real whipped cream and chocolate chips - not exactly diet foods. But it is easy and really tastes good. It is called

STRANGE CHOCOLATE PIE

1 1/3 cups sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 dash salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup margarine -- melted
5 ounces evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup butterscotch morsels
1 9 inch pie crust -- unbaked
Whipped cream - Lots

1. Sprinkle butterscotch and chocolate chips over bottom of unbaked pie
shell.
2. Combine sugar, cocoa and salt; set aside.
3. In mixing bowl, combine eggs, melted margarine, milk and vanilla
extract. Beat well with a wire whisk. Add sugar mixture and beat again to
combine.
4. Pour over chips in pie shell and bake in preheated 350-degree oven
for 45-50 minutes.

Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Again, calories and fat can be cut by using Cool Whip, low fat evaporated milk but to really get the taste use the real thing.

Desserts don’t have to look pretty to taste good, but it is nice to make a good presentation. The cook does not have to be an expert or have a lot of time to prepare the above.

I will in a future column share a recipe for the ugliest looking best tasting cupcakes in the world. And they don’t even need frosting.







By the way, it is Dick's 74th birthday today, May 7th. If you can, send a card to him at ekunert@charter.net.

Love

Mary