Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

The best picture I could get :)

Cream cheese and milk mixture

Pudding and milk mixture

cream cheese with whipped cream added

pudding mixed with pumpkin

bottom layer

finished product

The mangled mess of trying to get a good slice for pictures

It's Fall! That means it's time for the argument of who is team apple and who is team pumpkin. I'm team...both! Although I only like apple pie if it has a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on it, thanks Dad (I miss you!) So, aside from always having a slice of Anthony's grandma's pecan pie (find the recipe here) at Thanksgiving, I also love a slice of pumpkin pie. I do prefer it cold though, don't ask. I don't know why. Anyway, I saw this recipe for a double layer pumpkin pie and instantly said, I'm making it! 

Now, this recipe was definitely interesting to make. This is a no bake pie so that's a plus if you like those. While I still prefer a traditional pumpkin pie, my family loved this one. It's good, just very creamy. I think that if I make this again, I might make the first layer and freeze it before adding the much thicker and denser pumpkin layer. It just seemed to sink into the whipped cream layer. Or, perhaps make 2 pies out of it? Try it and let me know what you think! Also, let me know if you're team apple or pumpkin:)

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

1 pkg 3oz cream cheese (softened)

1cup + 1 Tablespoon cold milk

1 Tablespoon sugar

1½ c thawed cool whip

1 graham cracker pie crust

2 pkgs (4 serv size) vanilla instant pudding

1 16oz can pumpkin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon cloves

Mix cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon milk & sugar with wire whip (whisk) until smooth. Gently stir in whip cream. Spread on bottom of pie crust.

Pour 1 cup milk in mixing bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whip until well blended, let stand 3 minutes.

Stir in pumpkin & spices, spread over cream cheese layer. Garnish with additional whip topping & nuts if desired.

*I cut 3oz off of an 8oz block of cream cheese

*The pudding boxes were the small 3.4oz ones

*The pumpkin was a 15oz can

*The cream cheese wasn't completely smooth after whisking the heck out of it.

*I mangled the poor pie trying to get a good clean slice for pictures. I had to freeze it and then try to slice it, which was a bit better. The final picture was as good as it was going to get :)

 

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

 

Creamy Banana Pudding

 

Who doesn't love banana pudding? It's creamy (this one is super creamy!), cold, sweet, has vanilla wafers in it AND it's healthy because of the bananas...right?!? haha! Me. I'm not a super fan of the stuff. My husband Anthony loooooves banana pudding. Especially my mom's recipe. He's been craving it lately with seeing banana pudding Blue Bell ice cream, and a certain chicken sandwich fast food joint currently has a banana pudding shake available. So I found this recipe and he was up for trying a new one. I've already made a banana pudding estate sale recipe, you can check it out here. This one is definitely different though. I'd have to say I like this one better. Still not sure how I feel about the slight lemon taste to it though from dipping the bananas in lemon juice. He didn't seem to mind it. 

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Creamy Banana Pudding

Servings 8-10

1 (14oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1½ cups cold water

1 (4oz) serving pkg instant vanilla pudding mix*

2 cups whipping cream

36 vanilla wafers

3 medium bananas slicked & dipped in lemon juice

Combine eagle brand milk & water. Add pudding & beat well. Chill 5 minutes. Fold in whip cream. Layer pudding mixture, wafers & bananas. Garnish as desired.

*I could not find a 4oz box of instant pudding. I used the small 3.4oz box of Jello-O pudding.

*I used the small 16oz carton of whipping cream.

*I beat the whipping cream while the pudding chilled in the fridge.

*I used fresh squeezed lemon juice to dip the banana slices in.

*I used about 50 vanilla wafers because I made 2 layers

*I used an 8x8 square glass dish to make it. I did have a little bit of the pudding mix leftover. 

 

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Beets with Pineapple

We're wrapping up summer here in Texas (hopefully!) and I've got a few more recipes that don't require turning on an oven on the back burner (see what I did there? haha :P) Anyway, this Beets with Pineapple recipe caught my eye. I'm probably in the minority when I say I like beets. So I'm pretty sure I'll be the only one eating this food, and that's okay.

I wasn't sure if this was supposed to be served warm or cold. So I had some while it was still hot and some the next day when it was cold. It was good both ways. I think the sugars did crystalize a bit while being refrigerated. Overall, I probably wouldn't make it again because while I did get everyone to try it, no one else in my family liked it but me. I think it would definitely make a good sweet side to a main dish though.

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Beets with Pineapple 

(either tidbits, crushed, chunks)

serves 4-6

Recipe: R. Baird

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. corn starch

19oz can pineapple

¼ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 1lb. can sliced beets drained

Thicken pineapple with cornstarch, add brown sugar & salt. After thickening, add remaining ingredients & heat thoroughly.

* I used light brown sugar

* I used pineapple tidbits

* I used unsalted butter

* I used fresh lemon juice

* I couldn't find sliced beets at my store so I bought whole ones and sliced them myself.

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Orange Juice Balls

It's been SOOO hot here in Texas that I just haven't wanted to cook anything. We're in that stage of summer where it's too hot to turn the oven on and it's too hot to stand outside next to a hot grill. If I were single, I'd probably just live off of sandwiches and cereal all summer, haha! The Lord has blessed me with a husband and 2 wonderful children who aren't as on board with that idea as I am. In any case, I've been thumbing through my recipes trying to find something "summery" to make. Hello Orange Juice Balls. No cooking required, yay! 

After making these, I'd say they were a flop in my book. They were really really wet and looking back, I think maybe I should have thawed out the orange juice and then measured the ½ cup. Instead, I packed my measuring cup with ½ cup of the frozen juice. Like I said, they were very wet (I couldn't add additional cookies because they got eaten up) and super tangy. I mean, they weren't terrible, I'd just tweak it a bit if I were to make them again. You can see in the pictures that the powdered sugar was soaked up instead of staying a white coating.

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Orange Juice Balls

1 - 7½ oz. pkg vanilla wafers (crush)

¾ c. Flaked coconut

¾ c. Powdered sugar

½ c. Undiluted frozen orange juice

Mix dry ingredients. Add juice & mix well.

Roll into small balls - - Then in powdered sugar

Makes about 30.

*I measured the orange juice without thawing it. Maybe next time thaw it before measuring it.

*I used additional powered sugar to roll the balls in. Not the amount in the ingredients list. That was added to the dry ingredients.

*I froze the balls before rolling in powdered sugar and then kept them in a sealed container in the fridge.

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Marinated Beans

Let me start by saying I love beans. When I saw this was a bean type of salad, I was in! I will say that my oldest liked them (but didn't eat any after the first day) and I think my husband did too. Not 100% sure about that though. My youngest, isn't really a bean fan but he did at least try them. Personally, I loved this recipe. It was just a lot for me to eat on my own though. I will say that I used pinto beans  and cooked them with very little seasonings. Normally I season them up really well when just making a fresh pot of pintos. I also never soak my beans, but I did for this recipe because that's what the recipe says to do. To cut out a step, just buy some canned beans, drain and rinse them really well. They'll work just fine if you don't want to cook them first :)

* What kind of oil is usually used for salad oil? Also, what kind of vinegar is usually used when a recipe just calls for vinegar? I never know what to use! Please let me know in the comments what you'd suggest :) 

Here's my interpretation of the recipe:

Marinated Beans

From the Kitchen of Aileen

1# (pound) beans, soak over night, or prepare beans by cooking until just tender, drain & cook.

1 bunch green onions

½ c. celery

½ c. bell pepper (optional)

1½ tsp salt

1½ tsp course ground pepper

1 c. salad oil

½ tsp garlic

½ tsp celery salt

1¼ c. vinegar (champagne vinegar may be used also)

Mix all together & let stand over night or several hours.

*I used pinto beans. Soaked overnight then cooked with just a tad bit of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

*For the salad oil, I used canola oil

*For the vinegar, I used apple cider vinegar

Delicious when you first make it, but even better the next day when served cold.

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

New Happenings!

Hi friends!

I've been working hard behind the scenes and unfortunately neglecting this blog. Please forgive me. I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone with some things. So...I've set up a new Facebook page for The Second Chance Kitchen as well as a YouTube page where I hope to do some Live cooking and other videos...as soon as I get the nerve up to be in front of the camera :) Please click here to visit my Facebook page or just search for Second Chance Kitchen :)  Thanks y'all!

Corn Bread (small)

 

It's no secret to those who know me that I LOVE cornbread! Add some fresh pintos or blackeyed peas on top of a piece and that's a perfect meal for me! This one was good. It's a sweet cornbread. I made it in my 8x8 square dish and it came out a a bit thin. Maybe next time make it in a loaf pan so it's a little thicker? Or muffins would be a good option as well.

My interpretation of the recipe:

Corn Bread (small)

½ cup flour

½ cup yellow (corn) meal

2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1/8 cup sugar

1 egg

½ cup milk

1/8 cup Wesson oil

Bake 425º for 25 minutes

*I try to use exact brands if mentioned so yes, I did use Wesson oil :)

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.