Chocolate Pecan Pudding Dessert

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup chopped nuts

Combine ingredients and cut together as a for pie crust, until they resemble coarse meal.
Press well into 9x13x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 mins. Remove from oven and cool.

1 cup powdered sugar
2 packages (8 oz) softened cream cheese
1/2 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping

Beat together sugar and cheese until fluffy. Add one-half the whipped topping. Spread on cooled crust.

1 pkg (5.9oz each) instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk

1/2 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping

Whisk pudding and milk together for two minutes. Spread the pudding on the cream cheese layer. Spread remaining whipped topping on pudding layer. Sprinkle with additional chopped nuts, if desired. Chill several hours or overnight.

Cajun BBQ Shrimp

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup water or broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
• salt to taste

1. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, basil, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper and paprika. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and spices and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in the broth and Worcestershire sauce; simmer until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 more minute. Taste and season with salt before serving.  I like to serve with rice or pasta and a little bread to sop up all the tasty goodness.

Apple Cider Syrup

Apple Cider Syrup

1 1/2 c Apple Cider
1/4 c Brown Sugar
1/4 c Apple Cider
2 T Cornstarch
1/4 t Pumpkin or Apple Pie Spice

Mix 1/4 c apple cider with cornstarch, set aside. Boil remaining juice and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cornstarch and apple cider mixture and spice. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Especially good with Pumpkin Belgian Waffles.

Pumpkin Belgian Waffles

Pumpkin Belgian Waffles
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
4 eggs
6 T butter, melted
1 c milk
1 c well-shaken buttermilk or 1T lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1c
1 c canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 c apple cider

Preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk eggs in a large bowl until blended add cooled melted butter, then whisk in milk, buttermilk, pumpkin, and apple juice until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until smooth. Spray waffle iron lightly with oil and pour about 2/3cup batter into waffle iron. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serve with Apple Cider Syrup.