Cooking - My Time To Relax & Enjoy...

I enjoy cooking. I'm not a great cook. I'm not a bad cook. With that said, I enjoy cooking because for whatever reason I arrive joy from it and it helps to release any tensions that have build up over time.

I thought I would share a couple of recipes that I prepared tonight. The dessert we plan to take down to Justin, Kelly & Kilee and Leaa, Jesse & Liv tomorrow. It's a banana pudding recipe that is simple to make and best of all - NO BAKE. You will love this recipe. Make it. Enjoy it. Share it. This is one of my favorite simple dessert recipes and one that always brings forth a request for the recipe.

The second recipe is a simple smoked turkey recipe that I plan to put on the smoker tomorrow morning. One of our long time dear friends is in the hospital and hopefully will be released tomorrow to go home following surgery. C and her husband L love turkey so it only made sense to help ease the transition home with a meal they both enjoy.

Banana Pudding Recipe

I add the whole container of Cool Whip. I crumble wafers for a topping and I use 1 package (3.4 oz) of French Vanilla and 1 package (3.4 oz) of Banana Cream pudding instead of the 5 oz. instant package in the recipe. I also use a 9x13 glass pan repeating the layering. Use all the bananas and wafers you like. Splurge! It makes alot! Chill overnight...



I packed these in tupperware since we are taking them to the kids...



Smoked Turkey Recipe

I pretty much followed the recipe on this one except I added a 24 oz bottle of Goya MOJO CRIOLLO marinade to the brine water. I'll be sure and post a picture of the finished bird tomorrow afternoon once it has been smoked.



I heated the stock pot only enough to disolve the kosher salt. I did not boil. Once cooled, I added the turkey and began a 4 hour soak.



FWIW, tonight's dinner was Beth's Melt in Your Mouth BBQ Ribs (Oven) Recipe. I have been concentrating more and more on oven and crock pot recipes in anticipation of not having as much preparation time once Alyzabeth An joins us... I should have taken pictures but then by the time I thought about it, only a few rib bones were left :)

BTW, Alyson said this was a keeper!

Peace... fm