Banana Pudding

Here are the pictures as promised

I can't begin to describe how much I love this dessert (yes I can, see below). Mmmmmmm!

2 lbs of yellow bananas (no brown spots) sliced in 1/2 inch slices
2 (4-oz serving pkg) Cook and serve vanilla pudding mix
1 box of vanilla wafers
6 cups of milk
Deep baking dish, (I use a pyrex glass dish so you can see the layers) but be creative, a trifle dish would be awesome for this.

Prepare the pudding according to the directions on the box. Remove from heat. Line the bottom of your baking dish with vanilla wafers. Layer the bananas on top of the wafers. Pour the pudding on top just to cover the cookies. Repeat layers, end with a final layer of vanilla wafers and pour the remaining pudding over. Place in the refrigerator to set (at least 3-4 hours). Let's not be greedy trying to eat hot, crunchy banana pudding.

This recipe is soooooooooo stinkin’ easy!!! I believe it was one of the first desserts I ever prepared. My mom taught me how to prepare it, of course I was designated the pudding stirrer because it’s the most tedious portion of the recipe. My mother knew what she was doing, “keep stirring sweety, it will thicken eventually”.

This dessert is best once it has had a chance to sit overnight in the refrigerator before serving. All of the flavors have a change to meld and the cookies change into a spongy filling. The cookies give the cakey texture, the bananas make you feel not so guilty (because it's fruit, right? It can't be that bad for you) and the pudding just adds that silky coolness. Can you tell I'm obsessed?

Some people enjoy adding a whipped topping to finish it off, but I like the basic banana pudding. It’s so easy, sooooooooo good and a great overall spring/summertime dessert.

-Diva (banana pudding fiend)

What's the BIG deal with zest???

I'm sure all of you have heard or even have tried a recipe with lemon, orange or lime zest in it. The zest craze has seemed to intensify over the past year or so. You may be asking yourself is it that great, does it make that big of a difference, could I possibly just leave it out of the recipe.

I mean who really likes lemon, orange or lime rind? Have you tasted it by mistake? It's gross, bitter and disguisting.

But if you ever think of omitting this valued ingredient, it is a big, Big, BIG mistake! The answer is with our a doubt a resounding, NO!

Zest is so vital to the flavor of a dish, used appropriately it will make you dish, POP! The reason is because in citrus fruit the essential oils and a lot of the flavor is packed into the outer layer of the rind. I would agree that you need to be very careful in grating. You only want to grate the outer most colorful portion of the rind. If you grate or zest too deep you will hit the white portion which is very bitter and could ruin the flavor of your dish.

So to answer the question, the BIG deal is BIG FLAVOR!!!

Stay tuned because I will review the different zesters and graters out there on the market, see who wins out as Diva's favorite...

-DIVA