Easy & Inexpensive Desserts

[tarheelmjfan]

Since there has been so many great suggestions for inexpensive meals, I thought it would be nice to have a similar thread for desserts. My DH & DS(13) think we're supposed to have dessert every evening after dinner. I used to always make one, but my health limits me now. Lately, we've been buying something from the bakery at the grocery store. That's becoming very expensive, because our DS is a typical teenage boy. He consumes everything is sight. We can't ever get 2 nights out of one dessert anymore. They don't want simple desserts like pudding with cool whip. I could really use some suggestions for desserts I can make that are both easy & inexpensive. Thanks

 

[AlaskaMOM]

2 somewhat healthy dessert ideas:
cobblers:
a can or 2 of fruit - peaches, fruit cocktail, or any flavor pie fillings. OR 1-2 bags frozen fruit - peaches, cherries, blackberries, blueberries- that are tossed with a seasoned flour mixture. (flour sugar, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger; just experiment) then make a biscuit topping from bisquick adding a couple table. melted butter and a couple table sugar to biscuit recipe. bake in 350 oven until bubbly and golden. Serve warm w/ cool whip, whipped cream, or ice cream.
next is a crisp:
same fillings with a different toppping. Except for apples/pears use them like above frozen fruit.
topping: 1/4 cup butter cut up 1/2 cup flour 1 cup oatmeal 1/4 cup chopped nuts (if desired) and spices of your choosing. It should be crumbly. Top fruit w/ crumbly and bake at 375 for 25-35 min ( a little longer for apples) serve w/ above toppings.

I have another idea
You stated that there is rarely any leftover dessert, how about when you make a cake use loaf pans instead, serve one, Freeze the other to serve in a couple of weeks. Just defrost and ice with frosting, powdered sugar, or a glaze. (I definately reccomend waiting to ice after it thaws, as I make lots of cake [and freeze a few] for weddings and special occasions, and have always had success freezing cakes for up to 6 weeks)

Hope this helps!

 

[mhf]

Similar to the above recipe:

grease an 8" square pan; Fill about 1/2 way with cut up apples or pears or peaches. (I used 1 pear and 3 apples today).

Mix 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, 2 tsp melted margarine, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

This serves 4 people. You can put whipped cream or ice cream on it. The recipe claims its 80 calories without the ice cream so that's a plus for me!

MHF

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I wait until I see a good sale in the Bakery isle. * which at least here anyway..is starting now..b/c of the holidays coming up* I stock up..and then I have cakes, brownies, cookies, ect. to bake every 2 nights or so. We love our desserts here too!
If you want to add something healthy to a cake or more fatty dessert try a side of fruit..or every other night do a healthy dessert instead of cake and brownies!

 

[ButterflyJen]

Banana Cream Pie

graham cracker crust (buy, or make, either one works well)
1 pkg. Jello banana cream pudding/pie filling
1-2 bananas
Cool Whip

Prepare pudding as stated on box for pie filling. Slice bananas and place into pie crust. Spoon pudding/pie filling on top of that. Allow to set in fridge. Top with Cool Whip - optional, sprinkle with cinnamon.

*If you really want to make this stretch, you can make it in a 9x13 pan. You'll have to make the crust; just crush up some graham crackers and mix with melted butter. Double the pudding mix and bananas and you've got double the dessert.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Thanks for the suggestions. They all sound great! My DH's fav. dessert is banana pudding. I know he will love the banana cream pie. I love the idea of healthy desserts, & will try all of them. My guys could care less, if it's healthy or not. They just want dessert. The worse for you the better for them. I guess they need more sweetening up than I do. I usually go for what's fastest & most filling.

 

[momof1princess]

let's see....here's a Sugar Free strawberry pie
1 12 oz cool whip
1 small SF instant vanilla pudding
1 small SF strawberry jello (dry)
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 pint strawberries (i use 1 bag frozen if fresh aren't available)
2 graham cracker pie crusts

mix cool whip, pudding, dry jello and milk until well blended, stir in sliced strawberries (leaving a few to garnish) and pour into pie crust. this will usually make two pies, so it's inexpensive AND delicious!

Fat Free Whole Wheat Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bread pan with non-stick cooking spray or line the bottom with parchment paper.
Mix all ingredients until well blended. pour into pan and bake one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
*if you're watching sugar, i'm told super wal-mart has SF honey

enjoy!

 

[wide awake]

Sliced bananas drizzled w/ choc syrup...can also add fresh strawberries or raspberries.

Graham crackers w/ peanut butter...if someone in the family needs to gain weight...otherwise plain.

Vanilla wafers.

Baked fruit such as apples or pears.

Fresh fruit.

Angel Food cake from a store or mix...the mix is much better than what you buy at the store...homemade is even better.

Gingerbread, homemade or from a mix.

 

[Brier Rose]

With the holidays coming...here's one of our favorites:

Bottom Layer-
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick of melted margarine or butter
Beat with a mixer and press into a 13X9 pan

Top Layer-
1 15oz can pumpkin
1 8oz box cream cheese
3 eggs
1 stick of melted margarine or butter
1 16oz box powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp nutmeg

Beat the cream cheese and pumpkin with a mixer until well blended
Add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla, mix well.
Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mix well.
Pour over bottom layer and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.
Center will be gooey, be careful not to over bake.

 

[momsgoofy]

Here's another simple one that DS13 loves.

Chocolate Pie
1 large box chocolate pudding (I use sugar free)
Mix according to directions for pie on package

For the crust use either a graham cracker pre-made one or I buy the frozen crusts and bake one since it only take a few minutes and it's more homemade looking.

Top with cool whip and you are done.

Unfortunately, this one will only last us one meal and we are a family of 3...okay, sometimes there are 2 slices left if DH and I aren't in a piggy mood for chocolate...lol


And honestly, the Smores from 50's Primetime are a piece of cake...

Preheat the broiler

On a baking sheet put graham crackers, topped with chocolate bars, topped with marshmallows

Place in oven, under the broiler...watch carefully till golden brown and chocolate is melting.

Place on plate and drizzle with good ol' Hershey's syrup.

It takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and they are yummy.

 

[travelbug]

Super, super easy and very inexpensive:

"Easy Yogurt Pie"

8 oz. Cool Whip
8 oz. fruit-flavored yogurt (cherry or blueberry are favorites)
9-in graham cracker pie crust

Stir together Cool Whip and yogurt. Pour into crust. Let set for a couple hours in the frig before serving. Or freeze the pie and serve frozen.

(Consider one drop of food coloring when mixing together if the yogurt is a pale color, if you think it would look more attractive to your family.)

 

[Cheshire Figment]

DISNEY'S GRAND FLORIDIAN BEACH RESORT

STRAWBERRY SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

16 oz Strawberries (frozen variety, thawed with juice and pureed)
16 oz Sour Cream
1 tbls Lemon Juice (frozen variety, reconstituted, not concentrated)
2 tbls Vanilla Extract
3 oz Sifted Powdered Sugar (by cup measure)
1 tbls Grenadine Syrup
2 oz Half-and-Half

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

Mix strawberries and sour cream, beat slowly until well mixed. While mixing, add grenadine, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sugar until a smooth consistency. Add half-and-half and mix for five seconds. Chill, shake well before serving. Fresh strawberry halves may be added as a garnish.

This can make a wonderful dessert!!

 

[mjh8955]

Super simple and great with ice cream. Dump a can of cherry, apple or peach pie filling in a casserole dish, dump a box of cheap jiffy white cake mix over it and make sure top is smooth (has to be white, has to be Jiffy). Dot with little slices of stick margarine all over the top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour (when top is brown). This is the easiest dessert ever and everyone loves it. Double it and make it in a cake pan if you have big eaters.

 

[AlaskaMOM]

DISNEY'S GRAND FLORIDIAN BEACH RESORT

STRAWBERRY SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

16 oz Strawberries (frozen variety, thawed with juice and pureed)
16 oz Sour Cream
1 tbls Lemon Juice (frozen variety, reconstituted, not concentrated)
2 tbls Vanilla Extract
3 oz Sifted Powdered Sugar (by cup measure)
1 tbls Grenadine Syrup
2 oz Half-and-Half

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

Mix strawberries and sour cream, beat slowly until well mixed. While mixing, add grenadine, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sugar until a smooth consistency. Add half-and-half and mix for five seconds. Chill, shake well before serving. Fresh strawberry halves may be added as a garnish.

This can make a wonderful dessert!!

Oh! My! Gosh!
This sounds so good! We had something like this on our cruise this summer and was wondering if I could make something like it.
Thanks Cheshire Figment!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Thanks again for the suggestions. I'm making a grocery list & plan to buy ingredients for several of these at one time. With our DS(13), I'll have to make one a day. More suggestions appreciated.

 

[LightBurnsBlue]

You've probably already thought of this, but I needed to make a cheap dish to pass at a college meeting for tomorrow and I just made a pan of Rice Crispy Treats.

40 large marshmallows
3 TB Butter
6 C rice crispy cereal

I used generic everything and it cost me about $4 to buy everything, and I still have lots of butter, cereal and mashmallows leftover. I mixed in a few TB of peanut butter, and they taste great! Also store very well.

 

[LoveWDW]

Mix and bake in the same pan. Easy and cheap.

Fast Fixin Fruit Cake

1 pkg cake mix (I use yellow but can use anything)
¼ cup oil
2 eggs
½ cup water
1 can pie filling (I use cherry)

Pour oil in 13x9x2” pan, tilt pan to coat bottom.
Add cake mix, eggs and water.
Mix with fork or spatula until blended, about 2 min, scrape sides, spread batter evenly.
Spoon pie filling over; use fork to marble.

Bake 350 deg. 35-45 min. until pick comes out clean.

 

[Reese]

Yogurt and berries. I buy a large bag of frozen berries and take some out to defrost during the day. Mix them with plain or vanilla yogurt depending on tast. Also different flavoured yogurts put a dap in a bowl top with wheat germ add another flavour top with wheat germ ect. Also granola and yogurt (I'm a yogurt junkie can you tell).
Fake smores are very easy too. Take grahm crackers and spread nutella on one side and marshmallow fluff on the other. Grahm crackers and strawberry cream cheese make a nice mini low cal cheesecake replacement.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Chocolate Mousse

2 pkgs of Sugar Free Chocolate Instant Pudding
16 oz. FF Milk
1 cup of FF Cool Whip
(fresh raspberries on top, optional)

Mix together and served chilled in a Mickey Martini Glass

WW=2 points

 

[jag90]

One of the favorites around here is Root Beer Floats. I buy store brand root beer and store brand vanilla ice cream.

Another favorite is an Ice Cream Sandwich Cake. I buy store brand ice cream sandwiches, unwrap them and put a single layer in a 9x13 pan, cover with a layer of store brand whipped topping, sprinkle with chopped nuts (I usually use peanuts), refreeze until hardened, scoop out like you would any other frozen dessert. You can also add a can of cherry pie filling before spreading on the whipped topping. My kids don't like cherry pie filling so I usually skip that step.