By Teri Cayton, The Parsons Advocate
Here we are the third week of April already and we are still getting predictions of snow. I just want green grass, beautiful flowers and sunshine. With the weather we have anymore, the trees have bloomed and already leafed out before the weather warms enough to enjoy. Momma Said, “Oh for the good ole days of four seasons. I guess next week I will be complaining because it is too hot already.”
I remember how excited I would get the closer to the end of May it got, because at the end of the month we would always get out of school. We had our big school picnic right before Memorial Day. The weather would be beautiful and it would be another year of readin, writin and `rithmetic down for the count.
It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy school, actually I loved it. The thing was, summer vacation just made you feel free, it was a feeling of euphoria that the days were long and warm and you could do almost anything you wanted to do once your chores were finished. I always looked forward to hay season because number one we made a little money but for me it was the smells of fresh cut grass, the sun on your back and doing something I really enjoyed doing. Yea I know, I am probably the only person who actually enjoyed back breaking, hand blistering, sweaty work but yes, I loved it.
It really is good to have memories of doing such things as a kid, I can hold my head high today realizing that I learned a very valuable skill at such a young age. The realization of learning a very strong work ethic and what it means to work for what you want. I have worked hard my whole life and I still don’t have much but what I do have is mine and I am very proud of how I earned everything. I have two very independent women to thank for that and I wish I could give them both a kiss and say thank you one more time. Momma Said, “Give them hell kid!”
Not Your Mama’s Banana Pudding (Chessman Banana Pudding)
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz. container cool whip, thawed
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups milk
- 5 oz. box instant french vanilla pudding mix
- 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
- 2 bags chessmen cookies
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cover the bottom of a 9×13″ pan with 1 bag of chessman cookies.
- Layer sliced bananas over the cookies, this will be about 6-8 bananas depending on their size.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in the pudding mix and milk, beat until combined. Allow the pudding to rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Fold in the cool whip. It’s difficult to find 12 oz containers of cool whip, so I used 1 & 1/2, 8 oz containers. Mix until fully combined. Spread this mixture over the banana layer.
- Top with the remaining bag of cookies. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 4 hours, or up to 12 hours.
