Swapped-Center Sugar Cookies

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to bring a dessert for our local cub scouts' annual Blue & Gold Banquet. I decided I was going to do something blue and gold...

I started with the recipe for my great-grandma's sugar cookies. Once mixed, I divided the dough into even portions in two bowls, put blue food color in one half, and yellow in the other.
With the first color of dough I used two same-shaped cookie cutters in different sizes, and cut out large stars with small stars cut out of their centers. Then I did it with the other color of dough.Then I swapped the centers and sprinkled each with a little sugar (I also put food color in my sugar, and put it in an emptied spice jar, so it's easy to sprinkle on... I like this better than frosting sugar cookies because it's faster, easier, and not quite so over-the-top sweet, and these cookies are pretty rich already!)
This worked very well with my recipe because the cookies spread a little, so the two colors expanded into each other a bit and stuck together. If your dough does not spread while cooking, this won't work.
Try hearts, circles, or another simple shape where you have cookie cutters of different sizes in the same shape!

Butter Cream Syrup

My dad's family makes this to pour over pancakes, waffles, crepes, or scones. It is simply decadent.

1/2 c (1 stick) butter
1 c sugar
1 1/2-2 c cream

(you can do this in any amount--the way my aunt actually gave it to me was "1 part butter, 2 parts sugar, 3-4 parts cream)

Melt it all together in a saucepan, blend well.
Serve warm over pancakes with fruit and slivered almonds. Or use in place of other syrup. Store leftovers (if you have any!) in the fridge.
Don't try to cheat and use milk. It's worth the cream. Trust me.

Banoffi

This Irish dessert was introduced to me by my mother in law after she lived there for three years. I like to make it in a pie dish and put the crust up the edges (like a pie) but it can also be made flat with a square dish, with the crust just on the bottom (not up the sides).

Just layer the following into the dish:
1--Crumb crust (I use a graham cracker crust, although I used 2/3 graham crackers and 1/3 almonds--just toss them into the food processor, first process the almonds, then add & process the crackers, then add the butter and a half portion of sugar because banoffi does not need any extra sugar in the crust!)
2--1 can of sweetened condensed milk which has been cooked into dulce de leche (put the unopened can into a pan of boiling water, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes, checking periodically to add more water so that it does not boil dry. Lay the can on its side so it can roll, if you put it on its end the contents will scorch on that end.)
let it cool before adding final layers
3--sliced bananas
4--whipped cream (I whipped about 1 cup of cream, and added a few Tbs of sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla)
5--top with chocolate shavings (or smashed/processed chocolate chips ☺)

Put it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours to set up before serving. This is a great make-ahead dessert, and was the finale of our Irish Feast for St Patrick's Day this year.