Friday Evening Notebook + Banana Pudding Recipe

I am hearing . . .

Children are playing outside and their laughter is coming through my little window above my desk, which is open. The temperature is beautiful, 60 degrees, and it's sunny. At 9:53 pm. :)

In the kitchen . . .

Today I made a nanner puddin to finish off our 4th of July meal. (For those of you not acquainted with southern terminology, that's banana pudding.) I think I ate almost as many vanilla wafers as I laid down in the bottom of the pan. I forgot how yummy they are! Kind of like picking berries . . . gotta keep your strength up. ;) Then the smooth, soft layers of banana and the simple but comforting process of making homemade pudding. Is anything more homey than homemade pudding? Stirring away as the pudding steams and thickens . . . those thick, warm, vanilla bubbles are almost mesmerizing. We top our banana puddings with meringue, always a special finishing touch.

It has been years since I've made a nanner puddin myself, probably since I lived in Wainwright. I've eaten my share in the past five or so years, living in the south as I did before moving back to Alaska. A dear lady at my home church in Florida made nanner puddin devotedly for all of our church fellowships, which was at least twice a month. To this day hers are my absolute favorite. The reason why I haven't made a nanner puddin in so long is probably self-explanatory at this point -- I haven't had the need to! :) But now that I'm away from Mrs. Brenda, I need to make my own again.

(Recipe at end of post.)

I am reading . . .

Tread Upon the Lion, Book 3 of The Liberty Bell series by Gilbert Morris, Revival Praying by Scott Pauley, Lighting Styles by Kevin McCloud, and the books of Ezra and Psalms in my devotions

I am enjoying. . .

Reading blogs that I have recently discovered

My plans for next week. . .

Help with the building project going on at our property. Move a deep freezer and its contents into our kunichuk (Arctic entry room). General housecleaning, and maybe tackle a few areas that haven't been targeted yet this summer. Create plans for a standing shelf for behind the dryer (you can see it here). And hopefully a few bike rides with my sister, photography included!

 

 ❧

 

R E C I P E

 

 

Recipe from Great-Grandma Addie Chisholm

Vanilla wafers

6 bananas

3 eggs, separated

3/4 C. sugar

2 T. flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 C. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. butter

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 C. sugar

Place cookies on bottom and sides of one 9" x 13" dish. Slice bananas and layer evenly over cookies.

 

Separate eggs. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt; stir in milk. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Take 1/3 of hot mixture and, in a medium bowl, stir with egg yolks. Mix egg mixture with contents in saucepan; cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, for five minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter, stirring until butter is melted. Pour pudding evenly over banana layer.

Make a meringue with the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium with an electric mixer. When peaks begin to form, turn on high and slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over the banana pudding. Place under a preheated broiler for about 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully, wait for even browning, and remove as soon as possible.

 

From: Jesus

 

1 Corinthians 1:3 

 

"Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." 

 

We can only find grace and peace in Him. Are you running short today? Jesus is waiting for you to come into His presence where He can pour these precious gifts upon you! 

 

Have a blessed Lord's day, friend!

Frozen Chocolate Pudding Treats

 

 

The first bite of one of these creamy, dreamy pudding treats is instant love!

My mom made these in the summer when I was kid. It was one of those desserts that I got lost in. You know, the ones where the rest of the world fades away, and it's just you and the pudding treat as all concept of space and time is erased...

They're so good it'll make your eyes cross!

❧

R E C I P E

 

 

Recipe from "The Jell-o Pages" cookbook

3/4 C. graham cracker crumbs
3 T. butter, melted

3-1/2 C. whipped cream
1/2 C. peanut butter
1 C. milk
1 (4-serving) pkg. instant chocolate pudding

Line 12 muffins cups with paper liners. Combine crumbs with butter; press 1 T. of mixture into bottoms of lined cups, top with 1 T. whipped cream. Gradually beat milk into peanut butter until smooth. Add pudding and stir until well blended, then fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon mixture into cups. Freeze.

Blue and White

Soothing hues of spring.

The Maker

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

"Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee."

(Jeremiah 32:27, 17)

For me, a lot of things are just too hard, but not for God. He's the Maker of heaven and earth.

He's almighty, and accessible.

"Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

(Jeremiah 33:2-3)

Break Up, Phase 2

Break up is not a simultaneous event here on the Kotzebue Bay. Two rivers empty into the bay. After the original bay ice moves out, the bay gets dumped again with the river ice.

When the rivers broke up a few days ago the community was surprised by the sheer amount of the incoming ice from the rivers. According to this news report, we were "threatened" by the fast-moving ice. It wasn't quite that bad, but it did tear up a building, dug up cement culverts, and created a contest for two front end loaders that had teamed up to protect other beach-front properties from destruction.

My Bonnie lies over the ocean (or bay, in this case)

I wish I could bottle the sounds of break up. The gentle gurgle of water, the deep crashing of icebergs, the crisp shatter of ice, and the smooth crackle of slush, makes for quite an Arctic symphony!

Chocolate Biscotti

This has got to be the most decadent thing you can enjoy with a nice cup of coffee.

This cookie that, at first glance appears to be a chocolate brick, once slipped into liquid bliss (ie coffee), soaks up said bliss like a sponge, transforming the brick into melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

They're terrible.

I used to make these for my family every other weekend or so. I think I did it for the light of sheer joy that sprang to my brother's eyes as soon as he saw them.

I think it's a family tradition I need to start up again.

❧ 

R E C I P E

 

 

Modified recipe from Allrecipes.com

1/2 C. butter, softened

2/3 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-3/4 C. flour
1/4 C. cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and chocolate chips. It will form a stiff ball of dough. (I like to use my hands to work it all together.)

Divide the dough in half and place on a greased baking sheet. Shape each half of dough into a 9-inch long and 1 1/2-inch wide log.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Flip the baking sheet around for even baking and bake for 20-25 more minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let biscotti cool until able to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch wide diagonal slices. Place biscotti cut side down on baking sheet. Bake again until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.