Quick and Easy Desserts that can be made with stuff you already have in your Kitchen

We've all been there. A friend drops by, your mother stops over or an unexpected neighbor come over and you have nothing to offer them. Or you've planned a wonderful dinner and dessert but you forgot to get the most important ingredient for the dessert and your teenager has the car or it's blizzarding outside so you can't get to the store. What is a host to do? Well, here are some wonderful and elegant desserts that you can make in no time flat with the stuff you already have in your kitchen!

Crepes:

4 Eggs

1 1/3 c. of Milk

2 TBSP of melted Butter

1 C of Flour

2 TBSP of Sugar

½ TSP of Salt

1 TSP of Vanilla

Mix everything together, then pour onto a hot skillet or crepe pan.

Stuff them with stuff you already have in the kitchen. Things like cream cheese, whipped cream, cherry preserves, honey, bananas, peanut butter or chocolate...just use your imagination or just fold and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Either way they will be delicious, quick and easy and your guests will love them.

Egg Custard:

3 Cups of Milk (use whatever you have low-fat, half and half or regular milk)

2 Eggs

2 Egg Whites (you can substitute 3 or 4 eggs total, if you don't want to split the eggs into whites)

¼ C Sugar

¼ C Brown Sugar (or if you don't have brown sugar use ½ cup of white sugar and a little maple syrup)

2 TSP of Vanilla Extract

½ TSP of Almond Extract

¼ TSP ground Nutmeg

Heat milk over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge. (Do not boil). Remove from heat; set aside.

Combine eggs and egg whites in a large bowl; beat well with a wire whisk. Add sugars; beat well with a wire whisk. Gradually add milk to egg mixture beating constantly. Stir in extracts.

Spoon 1/2 cup egg mixture into each of 8 (6-ounce) custard cups; sprinkle with nutmeg. Place 4 custard cups in each of 2 (9-inch) round cake-pans; add hot water to each pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until set. Remove custard cups from pans; cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap; chill. If you have whipped cream you can add a little of that when you serve them.

Brownies:

You have to have at least one chocolate option and who doesn't like brownies!

½ C of either Vegetable Oil or Butter

1 C of Sugar

!/3 C of Cocoa

!/4 TSP of Baking Powder

1 TSP of Vanilla

2 Eggs

¼ TSP of Salt

½ C of Flour

½ C of Walnuts

Cream butter, sugar and eggs, add everything else except walnuts...then add walnuts, bake for 25 minutes (no more no less) at 350 degrees. That's it and they are delicious! If you have some chocolate chips you can add about 1/4 cup to the mixture or you can dust a bit of powdered sugar on top after they have cooled down.

There you have it 3 go to recipes you can use in a pinch with stuff you already have in your kitchen. And if you don't have the ingredients you should get them the next time you make a trip to the store so you will always have something in the pantry that is ready to go when unexpected guests arrive!

Bon Appetit!