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.

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.