Virgin Piña Colada Smoothies

This is the perfect treat for everyone and tastes better than its alcohol-fused namesake!

Ingredients:

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice or very ripe pineapple pulsed in food processor
1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk,
3 peeled and frozen bananas

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Divide between glasses and serve immediately! Use pineapple slice as a garnish!

The Watermelon Patch

A farmer in the country has a watermelon patch and upon inspection he discovers that some of the local kids have been helping themselves to a feast.

The farmer thinks of ways to discourage this profit-eating situation.

So he puts up a sign that reads: "WARNING! ONE OF THESE WATERMELONS CONTAINS CYANIDE!"

He smiled smugly as he watched the kids run off the next night without eating any of his melons.

The farmer returns to the watermelon patch a week later to discover that none of the watermelons have been eaten, but finds another sign that reads: "NOW THERE ARE TWO!"

No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake

This has got to be one of the easiest and tastiest dessert recipes on the planet! The best thing is... it comes out perfect every time!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. strawberries, washed and sliced
1 box Graham Crackers
2 containers whipped topping
1 bar dark chocolate
1/3 cup half and half

Directions:

In a 9×13 pan, the whipped topping, graham crackers, whipped topping, strawberries. Repeat this sequence of ingredients, until you reach the top, ending with a strawberry layer.

For the ganache, break the chocolate into pieces. Heat the cream or half and half until almost boiling, then pour on top of the chocolate, whisking until melted. Immediately drizzle on top and garnish with strawberries.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Mama's Apple Pie

Apple season is here, so it's time to start baking an old family favorite! This is my favorite recipe for apple pie!

Ingredients:

2 - 9 inch pie crusts (one for the top crust, one for the bottom crust)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter
6 cups thinly sliced apple

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2.  Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and salt.

3.  Stir in the apples.
4.  Place into pie crust, dab with butter.

5.  Cover with top crust, and slit evenly to allow steam to escape.

6.  Seal the top crust to the bottom by pinching the edges together.
7.  Cover edge of the crust with a three inch strip of aluminum foil.
8.  Bake 40-50 minutes or until crust is brown and filling begins to bubble through top.

Watermelon Agua Fresca

This drink tastes like summer! If you love watermelon and other fruity beverages, then you'll love this tasty treat!

Ingredients:

8 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 cups club soda or seltzer water
Lime slices

Directions:

1.  Combine half the watermelon, half the water and half the sugar and puree in a blender.

2.  Pour through a coarse strainer into a large container.

3.  Repeat the same with the remaining watermelon, water and sugar.

4.  Stir in the lime juice.

5.  Refrigerate until well chilled.
6.  To serve, stir in club soda, or seltzer water, and garnish glass with lime slices and sugar.

Shark Attack

This is the ideal drink on this hot Labor Day weekend, plus it's so incredible easy to make!

Ingredients:
2 cups ice cubes
1/4 cup lemon slices
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup rum
Splash grenadine
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, plus more for garnish

Directions:

In a pitcher, add all the ingredients and stir to combine. Garnish with maraschino cherries, if using. Pour into rocks glasses, garnish with maraschino cherries and serve

Not Yo Mama’s Banana Pudding

This is my favorite Paula Deen recipe! Once you've tasted it, any other banana pudding will seem so blah!

Ingredients:

1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups milk
1 5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies

Directions:

Line the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

* Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Hot Apple Dumplings

Nothing tastes better than hot homemade apple dumplings! This recipe comes out perfect every time!

Ingredients:

2 Granny Smith apples
1 cup water
1 cup sugar divided
1 stick butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
8 canned biscuits (I use Pillsbury buttermilk)
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and slice apples vertically into 8 slices each. Cover with cold water to keep them from getting brown while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

2.  In a medium saucepan, mix the water, 3/4 cup of the sugar, butter and vanilla over heat and bring mixture to a boil.

3.  Separate each biscuit in half. Wrap biscuit dough layer around a slice of apple, stretching it to slightly overlap and seal the bottom.

4.  Place the wrapped slices sealed side down in a 9 X 13 baking pan. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the apple slices.

5.  Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over the tops of the wrapped apples. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Watermelon-Lemonade Spritzer

Ingredients (yields 5 servings.):

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2-1/2 cups carbonated water
Lemon slices

Directions:

1. Place watermelon in a blender.
2. Cover and process until blended.
3. Strain and discard pulp and transfer juice to a pitcher.
4. Stir in limeade concentrate.
5. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
6. Just before serving, stir in carbonated water.
7. Garnish servings with lemon slices.

Drunken Melon Balls

Drunken Melon Balls

Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Honeydew melon
Vodka
Pineapple Juice
Peach Schnapps
Tequila (opt)

Use a melon ball scoop out the melons and then fill your bowl with melon balls. Pour your liquor and juice over the balls. Cover and freeze just until partially frozen. You can also chill them for a few hours if you don’t want them partially frozen. Enjoy!