BBQ Beans and Nanner Puddin'

This weekend we were lucky enough to be invited for a BBQ to celebrate the promotion of one of our Air Force friends. Not only are the Gonzales' one of the kindest families I have ever known, but they are also amazing hosts! All the food was amazing, and I'll be stealing the idea to put spinach dip in the Hawaiian bread! Just letting you know that! I asked Lisa what I could bring and she said she had been craving baked beans, so I found a great recipe for BBQ beans that I wanted to try. I have been having pregnancy cravings for banana pudding, so that was the dessert I decided to take!Banana pudding is one of those things that just completes a meal for me! Unless, it has meringue (YUCK)! I like mine with either cool whip, or homemade whipped cream. One of my favorite places to get this dessert is at Longstreet Cafe. They serve it warm! This particular recipe comes from a cookbook I feel like I mention every post, "My Southern Food A Celebration of the Flavors of the South". I love that it's easy and most everything is almost always in your house!

Good Ol' Nanner Puddin'

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 cups evaporated milk, divided

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

36 vanilla wafers

5 bananas, sliced

1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping (or homemade whipped cream if you prefer)

In a small bowl combine the cornstarch, salt, sugar, and 1 cup of the milk. Bring the remaining 3 cups of milk to a boil in a large saucepan and add the sugar mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat as the custard thickens. Reduce the heat and add the butter and vanilla. When the pudding is thick, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. In a large dessert bowl or clear compote bowl, layer the vanilla wafers, bananas, and pudding, repeating the layers in that order until all the pudding is used. Top with the whipped topping, cover, and chill the pudding before serving. I like to eat it warm, but that's just me!

The photo for these beans didn't turn out so well, but they sure were tasty! I think I even saw one guy at the BBQ go back twice just for them! LOL! I like that they are an interesting mix of beans and that they are beautiful color. They would be great at any event. This recipe comes from, "Southern Living 1001 way to Cook Southern".

Barbecue Beans

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 lb. ground beef (optional)

10 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled ( I only used 5 and it turned out great!)

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can pork and beans, undrained

2 Tbsp. molasses ( I used maple syrup and it was just as good)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard ( I prefer spicy brown mustard)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1. Cook the onion and , if desired, ground beef in a Dutch oven, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink;drain. Stir in bacon and remaining ingredients, and spoon into a lightly greased 2 1/2 qt. baking dish. Chill 8 hours, if desired.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bean mixture for 1 hour, stirring once.

Come back tomorrow, when I plan to share a sausage and wild rice casserole that is so delicious it'll make you slap your mama!