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Company's coming over and you need a fast dessert out of the pantry stash-- cheap too

29K views 60 replies 37 participants last post by  MaggieTru 
#1 ·
I was thinking this morning what about a thread to share those TNT recipes that you can make fast and easy as a mix but taste SO much better, and come from cheap stuff you have in the pantry.

We had 2 extra adults at the table last night, it was fun and I served a coconut pie for dessert that I love and rely on. It's one of those recipes like Wacky Cake that everyone "knows" but not everyone has a recipe for so here goes. I've had it so long I don't even know where it came from.

Impossible Coconut Pie
Pre heat oven to 350 (this bakes alongside dinner often quite nicely on the very bottom rack)

Pour into a blender or use a bowl with a hand blender or whisk:
1-1/2 cups milk (the classic recipe calls for 2 cups but it ALWAYS overflows my 10 inch pie plate and 1-1/2 works GREAT)
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter (melt if whisking together by hand) (I used Becel and just scooped some in last night, it works fine too if no butter)
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar (I use a bit less because I get the big bags of coconut from Costco and it's sweetened)
1 cup unsweetened coconut
2 tsp vanilla

So blend the ingredients and pour into a GREASED 10 inch pie plate. I spray with PAM and it works well.

I let it sit for a few moments to let the flour settle to the bottom for a "crust" which is more like a soggy bread puddingy texture, not a real crust but it's more like it has layers and the top is crusty and crunchy with coconut, creamy custardy middle and the bread pudding bottom.

Then shove into the oven ON THE BOTTOM RACK so the bottom has a chance to brown and set. This improves the pies layering and texture and keeps the coconut from scorching.

It also means you can carry on roasting whatever it is you are doing for dinner on the top rack, yesterday I was roasting 2 chickens for dinner.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or till the center is set and a knife comes out clean like you do for any custard.

While the family eats dinner this can cool off and be served still warm and lovely for dessert.
 
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#3 ·
Here's my favorite, fast and easy dessert. (I try to always have the ingredients for this on hand)

CLOUD PIES

5 T. lemon juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk (I generally make my own)
1 16- oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
8 oz. whipped topping
1 1/4 c. chopped pecans (we have our own pecan trees)
2 8-inch graham cracker pie shells

Combine lemon juice and condensed milk in bowl; mix well. Add pineapple, whipped topping and pecans; mix well. Spoon into pie shells. Chill until serving time.
Yield: 16 servings
 
#4 ·
I have no idea where this one originated. Our family calls it "Junk", the youth group calls it "Stuff".

One angel food cake, torn into 1 inch pieces.
Juice from one can of fruit cocktail
1 8-oz. container whipped topping.
Mix all ingredients together, spread into a 9"x13" pan and freeze for several hours until firm. Cut into squares andserve frozen.
 
#5 ·
EASY CHERRY DESSERT

2 21-oz. cans cherry pie filling
1 2-layer package white cake mix
1/2 c. melted butter

Spoon pie filling into 9"x13" baking pan. Sprinkle cake mix over top. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.


I've also used chocolate cake mix, or apple pie filling with spice cake mix.
 
#6 ·
mmmm that's the kind of thing I'm talking about!!! THANKS LADIES!!!!:D

Here is my Granny's peanut butter fudge that just involves melting stuff in a saucepan:

Melt and stir together:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1 regular size packet choco or butterscotch chipits (I use 1-1/2 to 2 cups of the bulk bin chips)
and
1/2 small bag of mini marshmallows (I figure by eye here and I use the big ones, snipped with scissors if I'm getting fussy)

I don't worry too hard about porportions. It works.

Melt and stir till smooth and blended.

Pour into an 8x8 inch greased pan and CUT WHILE STILL WARM then cool and serve.
 
#7 ·
CARAMEL DUMPLINGS

Sauce:

2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. white sugar
2 c. brown sugar
1 T. oleo

Batter:

2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 T. oleo, softened
3/4 c. milk

Put all the sauce ingredients in a 10"x10" pan and let it simmer lightly while mixing batter.

Mix ingredients for batter well. Drop by teaspoonfuls into the suace as it simmers. Put into 350 degree oven and bake until brown, about 20- 30 minutes.
 
#10 ·
sunshine said:
doesn't look/taste last minute or "poor".
OH AMEN TO THAT SISTER!!!!

I love pulling stuff together at the last minute, from scratch that is really easy, and raking in the compliments cause they know it isn't a mix but only I know it cost less, took about the same effort to put together (sometimes LESS) and tastes so rich!

I can look organized, wealthy AND especially thoughtful for peanuts in time and energy.

That's like when I really score a good deal at the supermarket and on the inside I'm yelling and screaming and jumping up and down "I WIN I WIN"

This is another, just won the lottery feeling that makes me all warm and fuzzy about winning the battles of life.

Life handed me a nasty short payday, and I SHOWED LIFE WHERE TO STUFF IT!!!!

Right on. I get my thrills this way and I gotta try your dumplings, they look great!

Most really really good home cooking is like this. Necessity really is the mother of invention and at the heart of real home cooking!
 
#11 ·
Originally posted by sunshine
EASY CHERRY DESSERT

2 21-oz. cans cherry pie filling
1 2-layer package white cake mix
1/2 c. melted butter

Spoon pie filling into 9"x13" baking pan. Sprinkle cake mix over top. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.


I've also used chocolate cake mix, or apple pie filling with spice cake mix.
This is almost identical to the "Dump Cake" recipe I use all the time (and was planning to post in this thread!) except that mine uses one can cherry pie filling and one can crushed pineapple.  You can also do it with yellow cake mix.  I love this recipe, and always have the ingredients in my pantry for quick desserts.  :chef:
 
#14 ·
Flan (baked custard)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 14 oz can evaporated mllk or use regular milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor and pour into a 2 quart baking dish that has been lined with a caramel coating. (Recipe follows.)

Place pan in a larger pan that contains water. Bake 55-65 minutes or until pudding is soft set. Chill. Invert onto platter. Drizzle caramel on top when serving.

Caramel coating:

3/4 C sugar
1/2 C water
Cook in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until bubbly and caramel brown. Do not burn! Pour into a warm baking dish. Roll dish to coat sides.
If you can't be bothered with the caramel add some ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the mixture instead.
 
#15 ·
Apple Batter Pudding


Serves 4

Butter - 25g (1 oz)
Apples - 450g (1 lb), peeled, cored and thickly sliced
Plain flour - 110g (4 oz)
Sugar - 50g (2 oz)
Ground cinnamon - 1 tsp
Egg - 1
Milk - 300 ml (10 fl oz)

Pre-heat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F / Gas 7. Place the butter and apples in a 25 x 30 cm (10 x 12 inch) roasting tin. Cook for 10 minutes.
Put flour, milk, sugar, cinnamon and egg into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the batter into the roasting tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the batter is well risen and golden.
Can substitute other fruits for the apples
 
#17 ·
:D glad you like this thread, it's turning out to be a real little goldmine with everyones finest little pantry dessert recipes.

Here is another fast, cheap dessert quicker than a mix, and so tasty!

Hot Fudge Sponge Pudding (microwave, makes a cake layer top over a hot fudge sauce bottom)

In a 2 L or 8 cup casserole mix the following:
1 scant cup of flour
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 TBSP cocoa powder (I use the baking kind, no sugar)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (can be left out)

Now mix into the above ingredients till just blended:
1/2 cup milk
2 TBSP oil

Now sprinkle the mess with:
1-1/2 TBSP cocoa and
1/3 cup sugar

NOW pour:
1-1/2 cups boiling water
over it all

And NUKE at Medium High for 10 minutes watching it doesn't boil over. (which is why you use such a big dish for this too)
 
#18 ·
Lemon Bars makes 3 to 4 dozen

I took this old classic lemon bar and cranked up the lemon a notch. The original was from Taste of Home 1997 annual page 301. It bakes for 20 minutes then another 20 to 25 for a total of 45 minutes give or take.

Lemon Bars:
Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 inch pan

Combine:
1-1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup icing sugar
3/4 cup soft butter (warm a bit in the microwave)

and the margery touch: 1 scoop of Countrytime Lemonaide powder. If you don't have any it's ok too, but it does bump up the lemon a bit.

Pat into a GREASED (I spray with PAM) 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Whisk the following in a bowl and pour out onto the hot crust:
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp Flour
1/4 cup Lemon Juice

and my touch? a few drops of Lemon extract --again if you don't have it, it will work but this bumbs it up a notch.

Bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes till leight golden brown, cool and dust with a little icing sugar and cut into squares.
 
#19 ·
For last min. desserts I usually fall back on an apple crisp.I'll have one of the kids drive to Stewarts for vanilla ice cream to put on top of the crisp to melt so lovingly over it. Yum!

We never get last min. guests and we usually only have dessert when there is company so they are always planned. I do keep angel food cake mix, pudding mix and fruit in the freezer so I suppose I could get creative with that. Some kind of trifle.
Nice thread.:)
 
#20 ·
I have used this recipe for years, my mom used to make it she always called it Apple Delight

2 (21 ounce) cans apple pie filling
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Pour apple pie filling into a 9x13-inch pan.
Sprinkle cake mix over apples.
Drizzle melted butter on top, stirring slightly to evenly moisten dry cake batter. Bake 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
 
#51 ·
This is great with peaches and cooked in cast iron.
 
#21 ·
Chocolate Cherry Crisp

1 15 oz pkg brownie mix
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup margarine -- melted
2 21 oz. cans cherry pie filling

Heat oven to 350.
In large bowl, mix brownie mix and oats. Add margarine. Stir until moistened. (Mixture will be dry)
Spoon pie filling in 9 inch dish. Sprinkle with brownie mixture.
Bake 35 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
 
#25 ·
These recipes are my favourite kind. Grab, mix, wack in and hey presto, everyone's happy. Like Darlene, my evil twin, I'm printing them off and they'll sit in my recipe archive. I'm cooking Margery's Impossible Coconut Pie tonight.

I thought I'd add another one to the list. This is ideal for when someone drops in for coffee and you want to bake something fast. It's Scones - NOT rhyming with own, but scones rhyming with John. I watched Martha Stewart make scones on her show recently and I was horrified at the recipe she used. It contained two sticks of butter!!! Outrageous! It should only have a fraction of that or it turns into something resembling brioche. Anyhow, enough from on top of my high horse, here's my recipe for scones that are suitable for jam and cream (Devonshire Tea):

Makes about 10 scones

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk (or plain milk)


Sift flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into bowl. Add softened butter and rub in well with your finger tips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add enough milk to make a soft dough... not sticky. Turn onto a floured board and shape - don't knead it. The more you handle this dough the tougher it will be. The shape should be one inch height. Cut with a round cookie cutter and place on baking sheet . Brush with a little milk. Bake @ 200/high until risen and golden brown (15 min).

While still warm, break the scone into two halves and top with raspberry jam (or some other red jam) and thick cream (no butter). Traditionally these are served with tea.
 
#41 ·
I love scones and the best adn quickest recipe is as follows:

Lemonade Scones

4 cups Self Raising Flour
1 1/2 cups (375ml can) lemonade
1 cup cream
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients quickly with your hands.
Roll out, cut and bake in amod hot oven 190 degrees C for 10-12 minutes.

These scones are so light and fluffy. Just wait until you turn the mix out onto the board you can feel how light they are then!!
The sweetness comes from the lemonade (it doesn't have to be cold either, I keep a can in the pantry for when i need to make a batch), amd the fat comes from the cream.
 
#26 ·
Oh Bethany thank you! Those look lovely.

My grandparents were asstd British Isles and my Step Gran Dulce who is still alive, and comes to visit me will love those next time. We always have tea at about 330 to 4 in the afternoon with her. And when I was growing up and visiting at her place. Fruit cake, muffins with butter and jam, cookies that Grandad called biscuits, etc.

I wanted to do a nice tea for her when she was here, and we had some 4rth cousins over (she knows them all -- she's related by birth and by marriage which sounds and is complicated.-- Old Quaker family with all kinds of interconnections.)

I made strawberry shortcakes with whipped cream but I couldn't find a proper shortcake recipe like I remember so I sweetened the biscuit recipe (not cookies, the other kind) and threw in some cream and they were ok, but next time, I think I'll make these and find some real Devonshire cream.

When I was little Dulce kept a Jersey cow and she made real homemade Devonshire cream.

And you are right about the pronunciation of scones. Drives me nuts to hear it rhyming with stones. I was taught to say it as you do.
 
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