Saturday, August 27, 2022

Guests Owen Dodson and Amy Alessio with Mushy Cookie Pudding Cake! #Giveaway #Recipe

 



Molly MacRae: I'm absolutely tickled to host our guests today - Welcome Owen Dodson and Amy Alessio! Amy was one of my first friends in the wonderful community of mystery writers. Watching her sons, Owen and his brother Josh, grow up has been a special treat. Now here's Owen (AKA The Soon-to-be-Famous Teen Chef) with a special treat of his own. Take it away Owen! 
 

Owen:

Hello! Thanks so much for letting me and my mom blog here at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. I was excited when Molly asked my mom if we could guest post. I’ve made YouTube videos for the Schaumburg Township Library’s channel since COVID started, and it is nice to talk about a recipe in this format, too.

I just started high school, and I enjoy cooking and gardening. I don’t have as much time now, especially with theater and band, but I enjoy cooking on the weekends especially. My mom and I also love going to minor league baseball games. Lots of fun things to eat at the stadiums, too.

This is a recipe for a simple refrigerator cake, and it only takes a few minutes to put together. My Grandma made it, and her mom made it, and my Uncle Dave still calls it Mushy Cookie Pudding.

Mushy Cookie Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

Two larger boxes of Jello instant pudding (5.1 oz, though you’ll have a little left over)

1 box of vanilla wafers

5 cups of milk

You can make this with different combinations of pudding flavors and using graham crackers or Oreos instead of vanilla wafers. I’ve used mint Oreos for St. Patrick’s Day, etc.

Directions:

For this one, I made a batch each of vanilla and chocolate pudding. I used 2.5 cups milk each instead of the 3 listed on the package, as I’ve found it makes the pudding thicker.




Then I layered a bread pan with wafers, and the puddings, using the wafers in between each layer. I refrigerate it overnight, and the cookies are softened, making a rich cake.

My Uncle came over when he heard I made this for the blog.

Amy’s note:

I’m eating the cake as I type this, as I managed to save some from my brother and Owen and his nineteen-year-old brother, Joshua. This cake was a favorite of my late husband’s, too, and we like to keep making things he and my mother enjoyed. Owen and I would love to pull a name from the comments for a $5 Amazon gift card. Please let us know your favorite fast and easy food or dessert to make. And Molly, please, no prunes! (Molly here: Amy and I have been engaged in the War of the Prunes since 2009. Will she ever see the light?)

Back to Amy: For several years I wrote mysteries with vintage recipes, though now I write romance under pseudonyms and have a paranormal mystery being published in increments for Kindle Vella. The first three chapters of Crafting Clues: A Psychic Werewolf mystery are free. I do have a bare bone website, and I write a monthly newsletter with recipes and upcoming book news.

Owen and I look forward to seeing what your favorite easy things to make are in the comments. Thanks for letting us stop by!

Amy and Owen

Molly again: For more tasty treats, look for Amy's Alana O'Neill Mysteries with Vintage Recipes.

Treasures (#1) A young mother discovers an unlikely secret after a fire in an antiques mall in this short mystery with recipes. This is the first in the Alana O'Neill mysteries and includes vintage recipes for: Congo Squares, Kolackys, Chiffon Cake, Pound Cake and Dark Chocolate Cake.

MissingAndy (#2) Antiques store bookkeeper Alana pieces together clues to find some  missing people - and missing cookbooks in this short story. Vintage recipes included are: Cocoa Chocolate Cake, Apples Loaves, Spiced Apple Muffins, Rhubarb Cookie Squares and Lemon Pudding. (short story)


Felled by Fruitcake (#3) Newlywed antiques store bookkeeper Alana seeks answers about a burglary. She also ponders the ingredients for a mysteriously popular fruitcake while adjusting to her new family's spirited holiday celebrations. Vintage 1950's - 1980's recipes from the author's handwritten recipe box collection included are: Holly Clusters, Christmas Peppermint Candy, Mint Chocolate Cheese Cups, Christmas Crescent Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Spritz, Cathedral Window Cookies, Popcorn Balls, Hot Wassail, Mexican Wedding Cakes and Western Fruitcake. (short story)

Blast from the Past (#4) Antiques mall bookkeeper Alana O’Neill researches events from sixty years ago to discover a murderer during a Blast from the Past Valentine’s festival while her teen son resists romance. Over twenty recipes plus variations from the author’s collection of vintage handwritten recipe boxes include Peanut Butter Bars, Potato Chip Cookies, Strawberry Jam Cake, Toffee Crunch Cookies and Butter Cake. (novella)

Struck by Shillelagh (#5) A St. Patrick's Day novella mystery! Vintage recipes include Edible Blarney stones, Refrigerator Cake, Lime Ribbon Delight and more. 

Harassed by Hauntings (#6) When a paranormal investigations team finds a body while taping at the antiques mall, owner Alana knows the culprit is likely a living person. Includes fall-themed vintage dessert recipes from the author's extensive handwritten recipe collection found at antique malls that she doesn't believe are haunted.

Killed by King Cake (#7) Falling sales at her family owned antiques mall inspires Alana O'Neill to organize a Mardi Gras Festival. The latest mystery from this popular series includes vintage dessert recipes from the author's extensive handwritten recipe collection.

 

 

31 comments:

  1. Congratulations Owen on a yummy dessert that I know doesn't stick around once folks know it's in the refrigerator!. Keep up the good work! It just goes to prove that delicious doesn't take hours or lots of ingredients to make.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  2. It is so lovely to have you two here! I think Owen is going to be a rockstar in whatever he does. Congratulations to both of you!

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  3. Thanks for visiting, Owen and Amy. The recipe Owen shared is perfect for my grandsons (age 10 and 12) to try. They'll really enjoy hearing about a teen chef.

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  4. This looks delicious. Thanks for sharing. Congrats and welcome to Mystery Lovers' Kitchen.

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  5. Welcome to the Kitchen Owen and Amy! Owen you are a marvel (and so is your mom). I'm checking out your YouTube videos, and they are adorable. As far as fast-and-easy desserts, pudding is a always a winner on that score, and you've turned it into a wonderful icebox cake for summer. Love it! Take care, both of you, and cheers for your tasty to visit to Mystery Lovers' Kitchen! ~ Cleo

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  6. What a fabulous child friendly recipe. It's never to early to get kids working in the kitchen. Congratulations Owen.

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  7. This looks easy enough for even me. So you end up with two layers of cookies and two layers of pudding?

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  8. School, theater, AND band? No wonder you don't have much time for cooking, Owen -- so double thanks to you and your mom for making time to visit Mystery Lovers' Kitchen! (Amy, good job! Plus, he's adorable!)

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  9. I love this yummy-sounding recipe, Owen, and that you love to cook!

    My older son (now 36) got interested in cooking for the first time in high school, and now he's quite accomplished. The younger one (now 33) always was into it. As a mom, I encourage them to make food as soon as they were tall enough to see over the kitchen counters and be responsible with a knife. Even before that they stood on a stool and helped with baking.

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  10. This sounds great! Add bananas and you have banana pudding cake!
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  11. This look delicious!!!!! Such a fun dessert!

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  12. Owen and Amy, thank you! This recipe - the whole post - is perfection. You hit it out of the ballpark!

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  13. Thank you for the recipe Owen it sounds delicious deborahorteg229@yahoo.com

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  14. Welcome and Congrats. Too small of a kitchen to bake from scratch.

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  15. That sounds easy to make. And pudding! I like to make butter mochi. Just mix everything together and put it in the oven.
    Wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. My favorite easy dessert is a bowl of red jello (strawberry, cherry, etc) with sliced bananas, with vanilla pudding on top decorated with vanilla wafers. Easy and so good!! lindalou64(@)live(dot)com

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  17. Quick and easy Dump Cake, 1 box cake mix, 1 large can pie filling (your choice for both) 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup milk. Mix together, pour in prepared pan and bake as directed on cake mix box. Keep on cooking! Thanks to you both. makennedyinaz(at)hotmail(dot)com.

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  18. Welcome to this sight. You can post recipes like this all the time! Can't wait to make a quick trip to the store. Have you made the Pistachio Pudding recipe? It's made with pineapple fruit cocktail and cool whip. It should be on the pudding box. Big hit over here. My twin grandsons (16) love to try things too. Will give them this recipe. bobntoni@aol.com

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  19. My favorite easy and fast food is deviled eggs.
    Kitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net

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  20. Yum! So many terrific recipes mentioned here! And we do know the Pistachio Pudding one - fabulous! Who know fruit cocktail could be so good.

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  21. Yum! Love the recipe! Our favorite easy dessert is fruit salad. Slice up any fruit and top with whipped cream. Love banana pudding with vanilla wafers too!

    Thanks for the chance!

    jarjm1980(@)hotmail(dot)com

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  22. Thank you Owen for this simple yet yummy sweet treats! Love to stop by Mystery Lovers' Kitchen to learn some new and interesting recipes as well as some intriguing cozy mysteries by talented authors!
    cwkuen(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  23. This yummy recipe looks like a riff on the ever adored Southern Banana Pudding! Switching out the flavors in the recipe is so interesting, too! My favorite easy dessert recipe is simple chilled summer fruit in season - watermelon, green grapes, fresh cherries, seasonal berries, dates, etc!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  24. welcome Amy and Owen. Wow Owen, you have got it going on. Best of luck to you in all of your adventures. I like to make cookies and brownies, cut and freeze them. Yummy. I also like to take grapes and freeze them. Yummy. During summer we eat a lot of fruit. Here are two simple recipes that we enjoy. Vanilla Mug Cake 1/4 cup flour and 1 1/2 tsp - 2 TB white sugar - 1/4 tsp baking powder - dash salt - 2 TB butter, melted - 3 TB milk - 1/2 tsp vanilla (sometiimes my husband will add some choco or chocolate chips - I like to add fresh fruit on mine after cooked) Add dry ingredients to a microwaveable mug - stir in wet ingredients mix well - Microwave 80 seconds Baked Pickle Snack - Use muffin tin - preheat oven to 400 - put some mexican shredded cheese on bottom of muffin holes - dry pickles off with paper towel - put one on top of shredded cheese - put more shredded mexican cheese on top of pickles. - bake for 15 minutes to make cheese crispy - pop on paper towel to absorb most of grease from cheese - I like to dip mine in ranch dressing
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  25. Sounds yummy, especially with banana pudding! Thanks for sharing
    Tamara Gordon
    TGordon614@aol.com

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  26. This looks so delicious! Thanks for a yummy recipe! maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Thanks, Jess

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  27. Fun looking recipe! Thanks for sharing. My teenage daughter loves to make easy snacks. Halloween is her favorite holiday. She likes making snacks starting in September each week up until Halloween. Two recipes she will be making are making are mummy hot dogs and Halloween marshmallow pops. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  28. I love the chocolate and vanilla layers. I would probably at some kind of a peanut butter layer in there, too! Or maybe use the nutter butter cookies. The possibilities are endless! Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.!

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  29. My mom and I like to buy shortcake and pile it high with whipped cream and bananas! lindaherold999@gmail.com

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  30. I love easy, no bake recipes. This pudding looks delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe, and for this chance to win! areewekidding(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  31. O wow I love this ty... amazing

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