Sugar Free Banana Pudding

With all the wonderful sweet confections that are available these days, we sometimes forget about those who love the sweet things in life but must be careful on how much they consume.

Well this recipe for my Sugar Free Banana Pudding is just for you my friends. Especially for my friend Pansy who takes care of her Father-in-law's sweet tooth. He is going to love you for this one! Everyone swears it isn't sugar free!!! ENJOY


Sugar Free Banana Pudding(*SF)

2 small boxes instant *SF french vanilla pudding mix
1- 12 oz tub *SF Cool-Whip topping
3 Cups Skim milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp Vanilla flavor
2 boxes SF Vanilla Wafers Murray or Nilla brand
4-5 bananas sliced

Homemade whip topping

1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 single packs of Splenda

In a large chilled metal bowl combine all ingredients and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. (the Kitchen Aid Stand mixer works great for this)

Pudding Directions:

In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Blend completely until thickened. Mix in sour cream, vanilla flavor and cool-whip.

In the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish add a layer of vanilla wafers. Top with 1/3 of pudding mixture and a layer of bananas. Repeat with wafers, pudding mix and bananas ending with the wafers on top. Dollop, spread or pipe the homemade whip topping over the vanilla wafers. Add a few wafers on top for a decorated look if you wish.

** You may crush the wafers if you desire to do so and change up the bananas with pineapple for a variety. The pudding can be made into individual portions or in a clear trifle bowl for a pretty presentation.

My Cake Creations

As I was talking with friends last night, I was encouraged to display some of my cake creations. They seem to like them very much so I went through my pictures today and pulled some of my favorites to share with you.

This is one of my favorite birthday cakes I did for a friend when he turned 30. The Hear No, See No, Speak No evil Monkeys were so fun to create with Fondant. The cake flavor was chocolate with peanut butter frosting.

I made this traditional birthday cake with a political flair. I call it my Political Clown Cake. The two guys that I made it for have the same birthday and worked together. Pretty neat I thought.

Last but not least, this was a wedding shower cake for a couple that worked with my Mother In Law. It was the second time I had ever used fondant. Everything turned out great and the shimmer dust I used really set off the bow. It was so much fun to work with.

So there you have it! A few of my favorite creations. I hope you have enjoyed viewing them. I hope to add more soon as well as some delectable cookie treats that you will be able to purchase for the Holidays!

Rockin' Birthday Shrimp Boil

My husband, daughter and I traveled to my parents home over the weekend to celebrate my Dad's birthday. It was such a beautiful weekend to celebrate him and a great excuse for good food too.

My 12 year old niece Audrey wanted to plan the shindig so we were eager to see what she would come up with. She decided that we would have a shrimp boil with all the works, Karaoke for entertainment and of course a birthday cake made by her. Now being the entertainer and baker that I am I was so happy that Audrey wanted to do all of this. She seems to take it after her Aunt and that makes me smile. :)

The menu went like this; Shrimp, potatoes and corn, cabbage kielbasa, salad, garlic bread and all the sweet tea this southern gal could handle. I was able to grab a picture before it was all consumed.

I just have to share a picture of the cake too. Audrey was so proud of her accomplishment and I think she did such a fine job. She used the karaoke CD container for part of the decorations which was a great idea.

We all had a great time singing and goofing off with the karaoke music and even my Dad did a little singing of his own. Sorry, no pictures or recordings of that. :)

So here's to great family time, creative celebrations and life! Maybe this will inspire you to have a family celebration this weekend!

Edible Gifts~ Tipsy Pears

With the Holidays around the corner, I have stared preparing for my Edible Gift Giving Extravaganza. It is one of my favorite times of the year because I share my homemade jellies, jams and fruits from the Summer with my friends and family.

Pears are now in season as well and it is the perfect time to make this wonderful recipe for "Tipsy Pears". You have to store them for at least 2 months before using, so making them now will be perfect timing for Christmas gifts. Who doesn't enjoy an Edible Gift?

I hope you enjoy the recipe!

Tipsy Pears

1 lb. small, firm ripe pears, about 8-10

1 1/4 cups red wine (good quality) If you wouldn't drink it, don't use it!

1 cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup brandy

a preserving pan

a 3 cup preserving jar, sterilized

Makes about 3 cups

Carefully wash and dry the pears, making sure the stalks are still attached. Put the Burgundy and sugar in a preserving pan or large saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Add the prepared pears and cinnamon stick to the syrup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pears are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and, using a slotted spoon, pack the pears into the prepared jar.

Return the syrup to the stove and boil rapidly without stirring for 5 minutes. Strain the syrup and add enough brandy to make 2 1/2-3 cups of liquid, or enough to cover the pears completely.

Pour the syrup over the pears and top the jars with more brandy if necessary.

Seal, Label and Date.

Store in a dark, cool place for at least 2 months before using.

Fancy cake and flowers

This Summer has been full of weddings for me as well as our family. We had two back to back in July and they were both very beautiful.

My husbands niece was married on July 17th and she requested that I make her wedding cake and flowers for her. I wanted this to be so pretty for her so I set out weeks ahead designing her cake.

I have to admit that this is the biggest wedding cake I have ever made and was scared to death it was going to go all wrong. Nonetheless I put on my Cookie girl cape, rolled up my sleeves and licked my fingers through 30 pounds of cake frosting. It was so much fun and tasty too!

Each tier of the cake was a different flavor. I did a traditional wedding cake, a Hawaiian sunset with coconut and pineapple filling, and a Lemon cream cake with a lemon and strawberry filling.

Each moist and flavorful cake was such a big hit with the guests. My favorite has to be the traditional wedding cake. You just can't beat a classic.

The flowers were a mix of colorful blooms including pink and white roses. Yes they were absolutely fake but turned out to be very pretty. They complimented the fuchsia bridesmaid dresses perfectly.

All in all I was pleased with how things turned out and the Bride was so happy with it too. Especially the fact that the cake was black and white. She had wanted that so bad and I surprised her with it.

Her expression when she first saw the cake

is what made it for me.

The Cookie Thief...Food for Thought

A woman was waiting at an airport one night,
With several long hours before her flight.
She hunted for a book in the airport shops.
Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.


She was engrossed in her book but happened to see,
That the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be.
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between,
Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.

So she munched the cookies and watched the clock,
As the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock.
She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by,
Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I would blacken his eye."

With each cookie she took, he took one too,
When only one was left, she wondered what he would do.
With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh,
He took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half, as he ate the other,
She snatched it from him and thought... oooh, brother.
This guy has some nerve and he's also rude,
Why he didn't even show any gratitude!

She had never known when she had been so galled,
And sighed with relief when her flight was called.
She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate,
Refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.

She boarded the plane, and sank in her seat,
Then she sought her book, which was almost complete.
As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise,
There was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.

If mine are here, she moaned in despair,
The others were his, and he tried to share.
Too late to apologize, she realized with grief,
That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.

How many times in our lives, have we absolutely known that something was a certain way,only to discover later that what we believed to be true ... was not?

Source: Chicken Soup for the Soul, copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
Author: Valerie Cox