Posts Tagged by dessert

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After spending a little time in the yard yesterday to start spring cleaning it (before snakes may slither in!!!), I once again, as realized about this time each year,  confirm that I DETEST yard work, period.  I so want to be one of those folks who look forward to piddling in the yard, fluttering about pulling weeds here, planting flowers there… “becoming one with nature!”  Just ain’t me…. and I was nowhere in sight when God was handing out those genes.  I’m the one with good intentions, going to the annual Wake Forest HerbFest where I roll around one of the cute little Radio Flyer wagons and get all giddy filling it with tender young herbs and unusual tomato plants.  Usually, in 2-3 weeks time, the thrill is gone,  and I’ve grown the nicest pots of DRIED HERBS you’ve ever seen.  Thank goodness a few of my favs, like chive, don’t need a lot of attention and thrive on their own.

Last year, I dabbled in hay bale gardening where I planted a lot of varieties of maters, but forgot about those after a bit too… yet a LOT of maters actually came to be.  I haven’t yet decided if I’ll try that again this year or not… more about that later!

Back to yesterday… (because with every small movement, this muscle or that one takes me back there), I concluded that the main reason I don’t like yard word is D.I.R.T.!!!  (I don’t even care for all that sand at the beach, which is a problem when you love the beach!).  Dirt gets everywhere... under my fingernails (even when wearing gloves?!?), inside my socks… hair… mouth, even in my bra!  I just get too dirty out there in the dirt, period.  So when I came in yesterday at dusk, I pondered the whole dirt thing, and came to this conclusion.  I hate dirt.  Yet, I love dirt CAKE!  So here’s to dirt and those that “dig” dirt (with the highest admiration!)… whether under your fingernails from outside, or licking off your finger with my kind o’ dirt from the kitchen!

Wendy’s Dirt Cake… quick and EZ

…a fun cake to serve a crowd any time of year, but especially nice in the springtime!

Serves 12ish

1      large pkg.         Chocolate Creme-Filled Cookies*
2      8 oz.                  whipping cream (make fresh or use 2 packaged)
2      8 oz.                  cream cheese, softened
2      large                 instant pudding mix
4      cups                  milk
food coloring, opt.
flower pot safe for food, about 5 qt. size
garden trowel for serving
flowers, gummy worms/bugs for garnish

DIRT:
*You can save money by using “no name brand” cookies from dollar or discount store.
Save 1 (or more whole cookies) to plug hole in bottom of flower pot.

Place cookies in processor and pulse until consistency of dirt!  (If you don’t have a processor, this can be done in a zippered bag by rolling into crumbs with some sort of bottle or jar.)  I like to keep a few cookies out and break into pieces to have a ‘crunch’ in the dirt crumbs.

FILLING:
Mix pudding but using a little less milk than you would for usual pudding so it will be a bit firmer in the cake.  With mixer, blend in the cream cheese; whirl in the whipped cream, or you can do them (pudding/cream cheese and whipped cream) as 2 separate layers in the cake.

Start by covering hole with whole cookie(s) and a layer of dirt in bottom of pot.  Alternate 2-3 layers (number of layers will depend on size/shape of your pot.  End by topping with ‘dirt.’

GARNISH:  throw in some silk flowers (or real as in picture if in jar or bottle of water)… hang a gummy worm or two around too.

CONTAINER: Some clay pots have been chemically treated so best to use a cleaned plastic or ceramic type flower pot.   If using a clay pot, it should first be washed well/sterilized through a cycle in the dishwasher.

SERVING SPOON:  It’s fun to keep the “theme” going by using a garden trowel which you can find at a dollar store.

PUDDING:  These is where you can get creative and have fun… make chocolate, vanilla or anything that goes good with the chocolate cookies.  In both these pictures, I used mint…wished I had taken a good picture of the INside!  I like to do this at St. Patty’s Day and make sure I add a little green food coloring to get a nice bold green layer in my cake!  [singlepic id=115 w=320 h=240 float=right] “DIG” In!