Orange Pistachio Pudding

Ingredients:



* 4 small packages of Orange Jello


* 2 cups of water


* 1 can condensed milk


* 4 cups of fresh orange juice or 2 (6 oz) cans of frozen orange juice concentrate thawed


* 4 (11 0z) cans of mandarin orange pieces drained


* 2 cans of evaporated milk or 3 cups of milk


* 1 tub of Cool whip or non dairy topping


* 1 cup of pistachio (unsalted, shelled)


* 1 pack of instant pistachio pudding for serving (optional)





Method:



* Roast pistachio in a frying pan on stove on medium heat, when light brown turn the stove off and set aside.


* Boil 2 cups of water.


* Dissolve jello in it.


* Let it cool.


* When cold add rest of the ingredients. (keep some mandarins and pistachios for garnish, you can grind some pistachio for garnish)


* Mix well until every thing is well incorporated.


* Pour in serving container.


* Chill in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours to set.


* Serve it garnished with mandarin pieces and pistachio pieces or ground pistachios.


* I served it straight and also with Pistachio instant pudding following the instructions on box and serve it alternating layer of orange and pistachio pudding as shown in pictures.


* However this is optional, if you don't like pistachio pudding you can omit this step.


* This is very versatile recipe. You can add walnuts or pecans or almonds instead of pistachios this if desired.


* You can make this with any fruits like pineapple, berries using any fruit flavor Jello.




Enjoy :)







Recipe modified and adapted by Surekha from a recipe from family and friends.

Photographs by Surekha.

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Chocolate Cream filled Strawberries

Strawberries are in so much abundance right now and so sweet, this inspired me to try this recipe. Here is my version of recipe. This is a quick delicious dessert and I find it little less messier and easier to make than the chocolate covered strawberries, which are my favorite too !!



Ingredients:



* 2 pounds of large strawberries

* 8 oz. block of cream cheese soften at room temp

* 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips

* 1 cup of regular or powdered sugar

* 2 teaspoons of corn starch mixed in 1 tablespoon of cold milk

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Graham cracker crumbs



Method:



* Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry.

* Remove the top and clean out inside with a paring knife (I use tip of potato
peeler)

* If you want the strawberries to stay upright, you can slice the bottom tip off slightly and thus flatten from the bottom.

* Once strawberries are cored and ready, set them aside.

* Melt chocolate chips in Microwave with constant monitoring and stirring occasionally until smooth.

* Combine melted chocolate, cream cheese, sugar, tablespoon of milk + corn starch and vanilla with a mixer until smooth. (I used hand mixer with blade attachment to get all the lumps out and make it extra smooth)

* Refrigerate the filling for 15-20 min.

* Add chocolate cream cheese mix to cake decorating piston and fill strawberries.

* Once strawberries are filled, roll the top in graham cracker crumbs.

* I left some strawberries just filled with chocolate cream and without graham cracker crumbs.

* Refrigerate them covered and serve them chilled.




Enjoy :)





Suggestions/Hints:



* You can use condensed milk instead of sugar to desired sweetness.

* Instead of Cream cheese you can use Neufchatel cheese or also can use Mascarpone cheese.

* If you want to make Cheese Cake Cream filled strawberries:

-Just omit the melted chocolate and add few drops of fresh lime juice in the cream cheese mix.

- You may want to add 1 table spoon more sugar or condensed milk to this mixture.

- You can still roll these in graham cracker crumbs and/or can drizzle with little chocolate if you like.




Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.

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