Just Desserts

 
  

• Just because a recipe calls for it doesn't mean you have to use it (I hate cilantro but love parsley)
• Do not ever believe the number of servings because it makes a big difference on who you are feeding
• Good cooking does not have to be or should it be difficult
• Not everything has to be made from scratch
• Great ideas come from food magazines but be daring and change them up
• Cooking for family and friends is good for the soul

 
  

I am not a dessert person.  Give me appetizers, meats, pastas, salads and I'm a happy camper.  My idea of dessert is a chocolate martini.  Because I am not crazy for sweets I am often not asked to bring them to dinners.  You see, people are reluctant to eat food that the cook won't eat.  I am also not very good at desserts.  For a combination Cinco De Mayo/Kentucky Derby party I attempted a Derby Pie.  It turned into more of a Derby pudding.  It was good but it wasn't pie.  So imagine my surprise when I have been asked not once but twice in the last two months to bring dessert.

The first was for my friends who had invited us for dinner.   I looked at all the dessert recipes and decided this was one I couldn't screw up and so easy that it's almost embarrassing to call it a recipe.

Creamsicle Pie

 You go to the store and buy a pre-made graham cracker crust, a pint of vanilla ice cream, a pint of orange sherbert, some Cool Whip, and a small can of mandarin oranges.   You soften the vanilla ice cream and put it in the pie shell, then you top that with the orange sherbert and top the orange sherbert with frozen Cool Whip.  Sprinkle on some mandarin oranges, pop it in the freezer for a couple hours and you're good to go. Take it out about ten minutes before serving.  This really does taste like a Creamsicle.  You can skip the crust if you want and just spoon into custard cups.  I'm thinking of trying a frozen Almond Joy version with chocolate almond ice cream, coconut sherbert, and sprinkling  almonds and chocolate shavings on top.  Maybe an Oreo crust for that one.

My second request came with an invite to my friend's Mother's Day celebration.  I was asked to make brownies for the kids.  That is easy enough,  you go to the store buy quality brownie mixes, add the ingredients and bake them like the instructions tell you to.  Just be careful you don't over bake them.  Since this was ridiculously easy and not a recipe I felt guilty.  So I whipped up an adult dessert more to my idea of what dessert should be.

Prosecco Jello Shots

• 2 cups (9 ounces) fresh raspberries
  
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 1 750-ml chilled bottle Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine), divided
• 3 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (measured from two 1/4-ounce envelopes)

• Place raspberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a medium bowl; toss gently to combine. Let stand at room temperature until raspberries release their juices, tossing occasionally, 20-30 minutes.
• Place 1/2 cup Prosecco in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand 5 minutes to soften. Bring 1 cup Prosecco to a boil with remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved.
• Transfer gelatin mixture to a large pitcher. Add raspberries with juices, remaining Prosecco, and  remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, stirring to dissolve any sugar.
• Using a slotted spoon, divide raspberries equally among coupe glasses or other small wide, shallow glasses or cups. Divide Prosecco mixture equally among glasses, about 3/4 cup per glass. Chill until firm, about 3 hours. Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
  
  Instead of putting this into shallow glasses or cups I bought plastic shot glasses and served them individually.  This will make about 30-35 shots dependent upon the size shot glasses you buy.  
  
  
  
  
  Now I'm afraid I'll get asked for more dessert contributions and I think that will be pushing the envelope.