Pistachios are a popular dessert nut in many parts of the world. This is largely due to their rich and complex flavor that brings a nutty, buttery savoriness to recipes. Additionally, because of their smooth texture and luxurious mouthfeel, pistachios are popular for creamy desserts like gelato or pudding. These small tree nuts also bring a pleasing color to recipes, imparting a light green hue synonymous with the nut itself. This pistachio pudding dessert layers that nutty indulgence with sweet and tangy cheesecake filling and creamy, velvety whipped topping. If you plan to bring this pistachio pudding dessert to an event, you might want to make a second batch to leave at home.

Ingredients for Pistachio Pudding Dessert

• Butter: Creamy, rich and real butter makes this dessert’s pistachio torte crust layer. Butter is a lush complement that enhances the natural flavor of the pistachios.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is combined with crushed pistachios and sugar to create this dessert’s dense, torte-like crust.
• Confectioner’s sugar: Commonly known as powdered sugar, this gives the pistachio torte sweetness. If you find that you’re out of confectioner’s sugar, you can easily make your own from granulated white sugar.
• Pistachios: The top-billed nut and primary flavor of this dessert. Choose unsalted, raw nuts that have a bright green or pale yellow hue for maximum freshness. While buying pre-shelled pistachios makes the prep work a lot quicker and more accessible, the nuts will stay fresher longer in their shells. Just make sure to remove the shells before adding them to the recipe.
• Cream cheese: Tangy, smooth, soft and rich cheese is the foundation of the first layer of this dessert. For the best flavor, choose a good quality cream cheese brand.
• Sour cream: Mixing equal parts sour cream and cream cheese will create smoother, lighter cream cheese while adding moisture and enhancing the flavor.
• Whipped topping: Often dairy-free, whipped topping is made from hydrogenated oils instead of heavy cream. The benefits of using whipped topping include better stability, more heat tolerance, and its ability to fold into and become incorporated with the cheese and sour cream. If you prefer an alternative to whipped topping, our experts have some suggestions. This pistachio torte recipe uses whipped topping as the final layer of the desert.
• Milk: Regular milk is used to make the instant pudding for the second layer of this dessert. Use whole milk for a richer and creamier flavor or a lower fat option if you’re hoping to shave some calories without much flavor loss.
• Instant pudding: Instant pistachio pudding creates a gorgeous light green, silky smooth and delightfully nutty layer in this dessert.

Taste of Home

What some people refer to as picnic season, I lovingly call potato salad season. I don’t know about you, but anytime I’m planning to dine outside, I always like (nay, expect) to see a bowl of creamy potato salad front and center—and southern potato salad recipe is one of my family’s favorites.

This potato salad is southern comfort food at its finest. What makes it “southern” is its inclusion of mustard and chopped sweet pickles. As a result, this easy potato salad recipe has a wonderfully balanced blend of flavors, unlike other potato salad recipes that often get flagged for being bland or gloopy. This classic cookout recipe is sure to please at any backyard barbecue, potluck or family luncheon.

Ingredients for Southern Potato Salad

• Potatoes: You can’t have potato salad (or these other tasty potato recipes) without, well, potatoes. Peel and cut into uniform cubes, then boil until fork-tender. Don’t make the mistake of overcooking or undercooking the potatoes, as both options will yield a less-than-satisfactory potato salad texture.
• Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs are a common addition to many potato salad recipes. If you don’t have a go-to method already, learn how to boil eggs perfectly every time with our guide.
• Onions: While some potato salad recipes opt for yellow or red onion for a little extra bite, this southern potato salad recipe opts for mild-tasting green onions. They add flecks of green to the dish and enhance the potato salad with a subtle onion flavor, rather than overwhelm it.
• Pickles: For southern-style potato salad, finely chopped sweet pickles are the name of the game. The sweetness of the pickles balances the sharpness and acidity of the onion and mustard.
• Mustard: A little mustard is an essential ingredient to make the best southern potato salad. You can use yellow mustard, Dijon or any kind you enjoy. Here are our Test Kitchen’s picks for the best mustard.
• Mayonnaise: One cup of mayonnaise is all you need to make a potato salad that’s rich and creamy, rather than heavy or too saucy. For an authentic taste, choose Duke’s Mayo if you can find it. Otherwise, try your hand at making homemade mayonnaise for some extra zhush.
• Seasonings: Just a pinch or two of celery seed, salt and pepper is the perfect simple seasoning for this classic southern potato salad recipe.

Taste of Home

Nothing says Mother’s Day more than kids bursting into the bedroom at a ridiculously early hour with a wobbling tray of orange juice and toast. As adorable as that may be, why not take the opportunity to spoil Mom with a spread of decadent brunch dishes that she may not make for herself? (Served on a table, not the bed.) Think golden French toast bakes, fluffy quiches, fruit salads and homemade pastries that are surprisingly easy to make but still oh, so impressive.

Even better, many of these elegant brunch recipes can be prepped ahead of time and popped in the oven when it’s time to start the celebration, which cuts down significantly on morning chaos. Since Mother’s Day is a spring holiday, it’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate fresh seasonal ingredients like asparagus, leeks, peas, blueberries and radishes, which you’ll find throughout this collection of Mother’s Day brunch ideas.

As you plan your Mother’s Day menu, make sure to include a good mix of sweet and savory options. And don’t forget the drinks! Go the boozy (but classy!) route with mimosas, or lean into creamy decadence with rich and cozy hot chocolates. Whatever you do, don’t forget the coffee—many moms have been known to run on the stuff. Throw in a Mother’s Day gift basket and you’re set for a special celebration.

Taste of Home

Banana bread makes every meal better, whether you’re swapping it for toast at brunch, topping it with vanilla ice cream for dessert, or simply snacking on a slice as is. Banana bread is one of our favorite loaf pan recipes. Customize your creation by adding canned pumpkin, cinnamon sugar apples, dried cranberries or baker-approved chocolate chips. Revisit tried-and-true classics or test out delicious new favorites you’ll want to bake on repeat.

If your bananas are too yellow and you’re craving a soft slice of breap ASAP, here’s how to ripen bananas quickly. Not ready to bake just yet? This is how to make bananas last longer. And if you’ve ever wondered can you eat green bananas? the answer is yes.

Taste of Home