Made In America

America's birthday is tomorrow.  You may be celebrating with family or friends.  You may need a last minute, easy, dessert idea.  Here I am to save you!  Below are two very simple, quick, dessert ideas...enjoy!

Ingredients for the first dessert:

• 1 package softened low fat cream cheese
• 1 small package of fat free cool whip
• 1 premade graham cracker pie crust
• Strawberries
• Blueberries


• 2 Tbsp sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and cool whip.  Once mixed well, fill the pie crust, top with fruit.  Refrigerate until served.  Easy, right?  I hate to say I told you so.

Not a fan of cream cheese?  Okay, then try this alternative.  You'll need:

1 package instant pudding (I typically use vanilla or banana cream).  You'll need milk for this as well.

1 small package of fat free cool whip

1 premade graham cracker pie crust

Strawberries

Blueberries

Following the directions on the pudding, make the pudding.  This usually involves whisking some milk and pudding powder together in a bowl.  This should take 5 minutes tops!



My somewhat sad attempt at an America flag!



Add the pudding to your pie crust.  Top with cool whip, and then top with fruit!  Done!  Refrigerate until served.

Happy 4th of July to all of you! 

A little chocolate pie, a little alcohol, a little buzz.

A few months ago, I had these really good pudding shots at a bachelorette party courtesy of the Maid of Honor, Ms. Lauren Sullivan.  She rattled off how she made them, and I committed it memory, which was not an easy task given the circumstances!

I decided to transform these delicious pudding shots into an Easter dessert!  This recipe has alcohol in it.  Do what you will with that information.

You will need:

• Chocolate cookie pie crust
• 12 ounce container of fat free cool whip
• Large box of sugar free chocolate pudding mix
• Jimmies (optional)
• 3/4 c Kahlua
• 1/4 c Vodka

Mix the chocolate pudding mix with the Kahlua using a hand mixer or a whisk.  Then add the Vodka.  Once that is well blended add the cool whip, and stir/beat until the cool whip has been completely folded into the chocolate mixture.  Pour the filling into your pie crust, top with jimmies, and place in the freezer for at least an hour before serving.

The recipe above is what I used for my Easter dessert, however, I did find the alcohol content to be somewhat potent.  With that being said, I would use less Kahlua next time, but maybe you are braver than I am.  You could also substitute Kahlua with Bailey's.  It might even taste a little creamier if you used that instead.  I'll try that substitution next time I attempt this one! 

Remember don't eat and drive! ;-)

Max Brenner - Part Deux

It's Good Friday, so me and the hubby decided to make it a Great Friday and took a vacation day.  We decided we would head into the city and hit up the new Max Brenner restaurant in Boston.  This was our second time visiting this small chain; our first time was on our honeymoon in Australia.  We had heard that they were opening a Boston location, and couldn't think of a better way to spend our day off; reliving our honeymoon and indulging in chocolate desserts!

The atmosphere of Max Brenner's during our Sydney visit was amazing.  It was a rainy day, but we still sat outside on the patio under some umbrella's and heat lamps.   We each ordered a cappuchino, and decided to split Belgian waffles with chocolate sauce, fruit, and ice cream.  We inhaled everything!  It was by far the best dessert we had ever had.  All this being said, you now can understand why we couldn't wait to try the newly opened Boston location.

Upon arriving, our mouths salivating, we noticed a HUGE inflatable rat outside the restaurant, angry union workers, and a small child vomiting (pure coincidence).  We didn't let this scene scare us away so we walked through the crowd and right in to be seated.  The location in Sydney only served dessert and drinks, but the Boston location has a full menu.  We knew we wanted to stuff ourselves on dessert, so we decided to limit our lunch.  We split the unforgettable spicy tuna salad sandwich with waffle fries dusted with chili and chocolate powder.  The sandwich was delicious (I even recreated it the next day at home!), and the fries were incredible. I dare you to find better waffle fries.

Now time for dessert!  The dessert menu is pretty large so it took us a little while to decide on what we wanted.  I decided I needed to re-experience Sydney and ordered a cappuchino with the banana split waffles.  The banana split waffles consisted of 2 Belgian waffles, caramelized bananas, ice cream, chocolate sauce, and chocolate covered wafer crisps. I have to say I was completely disappointed with my cappuchino.  As you can see from the picture above, in Sydney they served my cappuchino in a cute mug with chocolate on the side.  This time it came in a plastic cup. I kid you not!  The cheapest cup ever, and the presentation was just awful.  So sad.  The dessert made up for it though.  It was really good, just short of great.  I have to say Sydney takes the cake on the better dessert, pun intended.

Most ginormous dessert ever!

James decided to hold off on the cappuchino (which was a good idea given my review above), and get the euphoria peanut butter chocolate fudge sundae which was deep chocolate peanut butter ice cream, dulce de leche ice cream, caramelized toffee bananas, pure chocolate chunks, milk chocolate sauce and warm peanut butter sauce garnished with whipped cream and crunchy hazelnut bits.  It was absolutely ridiculous!  Needless to say, when we each got our desserts, we knew immediately, we should've split one! 

We left feeling very stuffed, on a sugar high, but with light pockets.  Max Brenner does charge a pretty penny for all that chocolate.  I think we will return, but next time we'll skip the sad looking cappuchino, and definitely split a dessert.  Don't forget to take a nice stroll through the city after visiting Mr. Brenner, you'll definitley have some calories to burn off!