Munchin

Want some really good cookies? Try either of these recipes, the peanut butter ones even freeze really well. They are both beautiful and taste fabulous. Especially the chocolate ones, oh my. The peanut butter ones are very chewy and have a store bought texture if you like that.

Brownie Cookies

6 oz bittersweet chocolate

6 oz semisweet chocolate

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces (1 cup) milk chocolate

In the top of a double boiler set over very hot water, melt the bittersweet and semisweet chocolate and butter. Allow it to cool. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl until frothy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until the mixture ribbons off the beaters. Add the melted chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Sift the dry ingredients together. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the milk chocolate chips. The dough will seem more like cake batter than cookie dough. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is well chilled (and more cookie-dough-like). Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment. Scoop up the chilled dough and roll with your hands into small balls the size of a whole walnut (in the shell). Place the cookies on the prepared pans, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake about 10 minutes or a bit longer. The tops of the cookies should look dry and cracked. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to cake racks for further cooling.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Adapted from Annie's Eats

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs

Sugar, for rolling the cookies Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in sugar. Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

*The cookies will be cracked on top and not look done in the middle, but they are. You just have to let them cool on the pan a few extra minutes.

Not For Long

Pictures of our Thanksgiving feast(outdated, I know)
Roasting Chestnuts is a sinch, but with heavenly results.

The pie on the left is a my mom's thanksgiving specialty. Very kid friendly I have discovered.

AB's amazing turkey recipe. Strapped that baby in tight!

I'm back, but not for long. The next few months I am only going to post special requests. In short, baby number two joined my belly making me very sick. Then baby number two's heart stopped beating and was removed by a D&C. Now I am going to finish school in hopes to relieve myself of stress in hopes that baby number three (or new baby number two?) will grow much healthier.

In the mean time, mama B, I will get you that chili as soon as I get the chance(the recipe is in my sleeping little mans room.)

The turkey recipe I used was Alton's and it was truly a hit. Be sure your oven is clean before you roast that baby at five hundred unless you enjoy the pleasant sound of your fire alarm. Personally, mine is quite obnoctious.

Those lovely chestnuts were for this stuffing recipe.

The pumpkin pie was very rich and smooth.

Pumpkin Pie(found on recipezaar)

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
4 well beaten eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup heavy cream , sour cream or more evaporated milk
2 unbaked 9-inch pie shells
Meringue?

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Combine the evaporated milk and the heavy cream in a small saucepan. Heat the milks to the scalding point. Add scalded milks to the other ingredients, mixing well. Pour equally into the two UNBAKED pie shells. Bake 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Pie is done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Top with desired topping.

Ice Cream Peach Delight aka Peach Chiffon Pie (for you fancy namers)

3 ½ cups slices peaches, sweetened or 1 #2 ½ can of peaches
1 3 oz package peach jello
½ C cold water
1 pint vanilla ice cream
½ C whipping cream(whipped)

Add water to peach syrup to make 1 cup, heat to boiling. Add gelatin, stir until dissolved. Add cold water, cut the ice cream into pieces, add to hot liquid. Stir until melted. Chill till mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon. Fold in peaches. Pour onto pastry shell. Chill until firm. Top with whipped cream and decorate with peaches.

Coconut Syrup

Bare will me while I still have not found my camera case people. Guess it's time to go buy a new adaptor right? And I promise I will do just that, soon, I promise. Then I will share with you a very long post of pictures. Until then I have a solution of what to do with a half a can of coconut milk. You make coconut syrup. This stuff is so good. I want to put it on some pecan crusted fench toast..you with me on that one?

Coconut Syrup

1 13.5 ounce light coconut milk
2 T cornstarch
1/2 C sugar
2 C cornsyrup(you can just make a simple syrup if you don't have this on hand)
1/2 flaked coconut

Mix coconut milk and cornstarch until smooth. Add sugar cornsyrup and coconut. Mix and heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and serve cold. This is great for breakfast foods and desserts.


**Simple syrup=equal parts water and sugar boiled until sugar is dissolved.

Cake Contest

A while back I entered a fundraising cake contest with a friend. We made a fabulous turtle cake and placed in the top five. We also made a second cake that didn't place but was instantly devoured at one dollar a slice, so it got its fundraising job done. The turtle cake was a fancy up-do to a cake mix and the other was a devils food recipe. Unfortunately, we did not have our camera at the contest, so I will have to upload a photo from my phone later.

Turtle Cake:

Cake

1 box devils food
4 eggs
1/2 C oil
1 lg instant chocolate pudding/3.4 oz

1 C sour cream

1/2 C warm water

Mix all ingredients and pour into two square or circle pans. Bake for 40 minutes at 350.

Carmel Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup light brown sugar

10 tablespoon butter, divided

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of salt

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Melt brown sugar and 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat. Whisk in cream; blend well. Transfer to a heat-resistant bowl. Cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally.2. Place remaining 6 tablespoons butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt. With mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, beating well after each addition until completely smooth. Chill slightly for a firmer texture, stirring occasionally

Chocolate Frosting:

½ C semisweet chocolate chips
¾ C butter
1 tsp vanilla
¾ C cocoa
3-4 C powdered sugar
½ C milk or water

Blend melted chocolate with butter. Add cocoa, vanilla and half of sugar. Add remaining sugar. Whip in milk to get desired consistency.

For Assembly:

Dulce De leche
1 C crushed pecans

1/2 recipe carmel frosting

1 recipe chocolate frosting

2 square/circle cakes

First, wrap and freeze the cooled cake, so you can slice it in half easily. I like to use a bread knife. Between each layer slather some carmel frosting, dulce and then crushed pecan. Repeat, then, repeat again. Frost the outside with chocolate. Then top it with a pile of pecan halves and drizzle with your favorite carmel topping. (I also used homemade)

Peanut Butter Cake:

Unfortunately I probably shouldn't post this cake and peanut butter mousse recipe because they are another bloggers and she shut her blog down. Please email me if you would like me to send them to you though. tammylakey@hotmail.com. As for the chocolate frosting...click here. This is a seriously delicious, slightly tangy, slightly sweet frosting.

Texas

Recently, me and the little guy were lucky enough to go visit my in laws in Texas while Ryan was busy doing an externship. I hate being alone. I get bored fast, my creative juices are stumped when I am always alone. So we woke up, got tickets and jumped in the car to head to the airport twenty minutes later!! Yes, I am a little nuts. When we left, it was eighty five and humid, so we packed shorts. We arrived, and well froze our hinies for a week. When we got home, we got very sick, we are finally going to the doctor now that we are better.
I share this not to sob(because we are so over that now) but because I have not been able to share any recipes. Sorry people. Well give me a week to get my rear in gear with school and we'll be back at it. Okay now that we have that covered here are a few favorites we threw together in the big lone-star-state.

Chocolate pie, that is to die for, literally!

Italian Wedding Soup, this stuff is amazing! I had to make it when I got home because it's Ryan's favorite.

We made cornbread, but it was a little bit disappointing. You see, I have this recipe I love and nothing has compared to it yet. We added cheese and diced green chilis. Yummy!

Moist cornbread:

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
1 cup creamed corn
3 egg

Turn oven on to 300 degrees.
In large bowl mix together dry ingredients, first 5 ingredients.
In smaller bowl mix together wet ingredients, last 4 ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to larger bowl of dry ingredients.
Mix well.
Grease an 8-9 inch pan with pam.
Pour batter into pan and bake for 40 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Olive Oil Cake

Found this recipe in Bon Apetite and just couldn't help but make it. It was calling me for months. What's a girl to do? Sounds weird, but I loved it. It is very simple, easy and has a slight orange flavor. Give a try, you might be surprized. Click here for recipe

A Twist on The Classic

Everybody has seen this recipe somewhere. Or if you're like me...everywhere. I made these the other night with a friend, but decided to take a daring plunge and throw in some butterscotch chips. Oh and it was a good plunge I tell you what. Give it a try, it just makes you love fall even more.

Pumpkin Cookies

one box spice cake mix
one 15 oz can pumpkin
1 cup chocolate chips, milk is my favorite
1 cup butterscotch chips, the "twist"

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix everything and blop scoops onto a pan. Cook for 12 minutes. DO NOT UNDER COOK.

Best Crumble I've EVER Had

I can't find the picture for this, but I can tell we it is truly AMAZING. I used plums and raspberries. I believe I used black plumbs, I can't recall for sure though. If you need an easy recipe, please try this. You will not be sorry in slightest. Well unless you eat half of it like I did;)

Fruit Cumble adapted from Ina Garten

2 pounds red plums, cut in 1/2, pitted, and cut in 1-inch wedges or peaches
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons whatever juice you have in your fridge
1/2 pint fresh raspberries or other berry
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds, plus extra for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced plums, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the flour, and the orange juice and toss well. Add the raspberries and toss lightly. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish.
For the topping, place the remaining 1 cup of flour, the remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Pour the mixture into a bowl, add the oats, and work it with your hands until it's in large crumbles. Add 1/2 cup of the almonds and mix well.
Spread the topping evenly over the plums, making sure the fruit is covered. Sprinkle with some extra almonds. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Brioche Rolls

I found these recipes from this website. This girl makes to die for dessert. Literally. I first found her blog because of these pumpkin brioche snails or cinnamon rolls. I didn't take pictures, but the final product was fabulous. I made them with nuts, butter and maple syrup. Then I made the other half with the plain jane cinnamon mixtures and they were both hits.


I didn't try it myself, but I would recommend making a loaf of bread with half the dough and turning it in to french toast. If you must know, if I were to make french toast out if it would go a little something like this. Mix eggs with milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Then crush some corn flakes, pecans and maybe a pinch of brown sugar. Dip the french toast in the egg, then the crunchy mixture then cook on a griddle with a little butter so your brown sugar carmelizes. Nuff said.

Watermelon Limeaid

I made some watermelon lemonade a while back and Ryguy loved the stuff. Being me I couldn't resist the steal when I saw watermelon for 2.50. Big, juicy, ripe, seedless goodness just chillen in my fridge. I threw this together intending for it to be limeade, I must admit it needed twice the limeade to how much watermelon I added, but I still loved it.

Lime Watermelonade:

8 cups cubed watermelon

1/2 cup lime juice(I would double this)

1/2 cup sugar(I would double this)

3 cups water(I would double this)

ice

Blend watermelon in a blender until there are no chunks. Run through a strainer to remove pulp. Add lime juice, sugar and water. Serve over lots of ice.

Blackbottom for Christina

You can't go wrong with these cupcakes. Chocolate bottom, cheesecake top, or cheesey-cake if you ask my niece. I prefer the ones with the crumbly bottoms(I have a recipe for that, if anyone wants it), but my sister in law wanted this recipe. Sorry no pictures.



Black Bottom Cupcakes :

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water plus
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup oil, plus
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar


Sift dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl. Form well in center of dry ingredients and add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat with mixer until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. In separate bowl, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Drop 1/2 tsp of cream cheese mixture on top. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.

Cupcakes

I got the opportunity to help host a shower for my friend who is having a baby girl. I love being able to do stuff like this. I am so blessed to have loads of people willing to babysit at the drop of a hat. I love returning the favor, especially if baking and pink are included. I'm not too much of a girly girl but man do I love a baby in pink polka dots.
I really wanted to try these recipes, but wasn't overly impressed. The frostings are both great and the cupcakes taste cook. They are just a little on the dry side. Especially the chocolate. I am very careful with baking, so they only thing I feel that would make these better is some sour cream or cooking them as little as possible.

Magnolia Chocolate Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted (see note)

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm 5–10 minutes.Set oven to 350 degrees.Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Set aside. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated.Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick cream cheese, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes:(slighty altered by me)

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.


Vanilla Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4-1/4 cup milk or cream(for a firmed shape)

2 tsp vanilla extract

Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Graham Crackers

I have made home made graham crackers a few times, but this recipe seems to be my favorite. They are slightly sweet, crunchy and just plain delicious. I mad them a little thicker this time because it was hard to roll them in my hot kitchen. I also made them circles for fun.


I must admit having them slightly chewy and circle made my little man love them. He devoured these. They make a great on the go snack. They are also great for feeding ducks and turtles we discovered at play group.


I promise these are not too hard. They take no special ingredients. And they are a great snack. Give them a try if you just love it home made like me.

Graham Crackers :

adapted from here

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons white flour
1 cup graham or just plain whole wheat flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1 t baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen

1/3 cup honey, such as clover

5 tablespoons milk, I used rice one time, but like it either way

2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Topping (optional)3 tablespoons granulated sugar1 teaspoonground cinnamon

Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.
Roll out the crackers:
Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers.

Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough. Using a toothpick or skewer, prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the tough, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

I heard somewhere that trifles are great because you can make them with not so good cake and they still taste good. I decided to try it my own way and make one with some fluffy, moist angel food cake, and it didn't just taste good, it was fab-u-lous. mmmm. I could have ate that whole cake by myself. I even thought about staying home, just so I didn't have to share. So try the cake, or the pudding, or just go for the whole thing if you have the time! Because guess what the cake is good. Even when it is not covered in pudding, whipped cream and berries.

Oh and want to know a secret, angel food cake is fat free.

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle:

Here is the Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Here is the Angel Food Cake Recipe

1 C heavy cream

1 T confectioners sugar

2 C sliced berries

1 chocolate bar, for garnish

Make pudding and Angel food cake according to directions. Or buy them if you must. Beat heavy cream and confectioners sugar until stiff peaks. Be sure you reach stiff peaks.
Start by cubing the angel food cake.

Make one layer on the bottom of your glass dish. Now top that with half of the pudding. Then one cup of the berries. Repeat.

Top with cream and use a peeler to garnish the top with shavings of chocolate.
Serve immediately.

Snickerdoodles(and Sandies)

(this is what I share

with my friends, way too

often)

Sandies

Um, these cookies are pretty much fantastic, please try them, now!

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda1

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Enjoy!

Fudge

What do you do with your extra cookies and cake? I send them to school with my hubby. Please believe I am not the baker who doesn't eat their own goods. I do, a lot. I just make more than a lot. I have had a little stress lately so I made not just a lot, but an extra lot. In fact, one of Ryan's buddies made a request. So I willingly obliged and headed to the grocery store on Monday for the ingredients to this recipe. (It's not mine, nor did I alter it dramatically so you will have to click the link to get the recipe.) Thank you to my dear friends for helping. This recipe took a little attention, which is definitely not doable with my little rugrat.

I will tell you one thing, the fudge was awesome, I ate way too much of it. If your crazy like me and eat fudge in the summer. Give this a shot, you won't be sorry.

**few things I learned, since it was my first go at fudge:

-don't let sugar crystals form on the side of the pan.

-put parchment on your pan to make for easier flipping and cutting after it chills

-you don't need to stir while it is cooking

-be sure to have an accurate thermometer.

Black and White Sandwhich Cookies

Yum, yum, yum! If you love the classic oreo recipe, these cookies are for you. I started with a box of yellow cake mix, but you can use any kind you like. The frosting is a rich, smooth chocolatey delight. Try it out if you want the most gooey yummy sandwhich cookies. Oh ya did I mention these things are so easy my one year old helped me make them. His favorite part was sticking his little finger in the frosting.Too lazy to make the frosting? Thats okay, these things are pretty enough to much all by themselves.

Easy Cookies:

one box yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 C vegetable oil

Mix all of the ingredients until you can't see any more powder. Roll in balls and cook in a 350 oven for 8-10 minutes. Let them stand on the pan a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. They are gooey, in the best way possible.

Silky Chocolate Frosting:

adapted from recipezaar

½ C semisweet chocolate chips
¾ C butter
1 tsp vanilla
¾ C cocoa
3-4 C powdered sugar
½ C milk or water

Blend melted chocolate with butter until smooth. Add cocoa, vanilla and half of sugar. Add remaining sugar. Whip in milk to get desired consistency. If you want fluffy frosting, whip it until it starts to become lighter brown. You will only need half a batch to one box of cake mix.

For Decoation Purposes

Look at this cake, isn't it cute. Would you believe Ryan decorated it. I attempted to cut my finger off with a serated knife while visiting my parents, so I wasn't up to the task. Yes, this is what my kitchen often looks like, please forgive me.

I like to decorate, I just don't have the time to practice, but if you have more time then me, give these recipes a try. They are easy and great for decorating. The taste of both is pretty good, but nothing to go nuts and brag about.

If you just want to touch up on your skills, save time and use these simple recipes to practice decorating. The frosting is also a perfect consistancy for easy decorating.
Easy white cake:


1 (18 1/4 ounce) package plain white cake mix
1 cup sour cream or yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanill extract

Orange zest(optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Place cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla in mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop machine, scrape down sides of bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. Scrape down sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined and thickened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place pan in oven. Bake the cake until it is light brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 35-40 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a dinner knife around edge of cake and invert it onto wire rack. Allow cake to cool completely, 30 minutes. Frost as desired.


Wilton Buttercream:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re whip before using.

Sister-in-law

Are you salivating yet?

I spent some time living with my sister in law when I was single and my brother was in Afghanistan. As you could imagine, living with a married woman, I didn't exactly have parties every night. We did however, enjoy some delicious food together.

She makes this beautiful cake that is a spin off of molten cake. You know the kind they serve at Chili's.

You start with a chocolate bundt cake, cut holes with a fork to fill it with hot fudge. Then, drizzle on some Carmel, then fill the hole with ice cream now top that with some chocolate shell, caramel and ice cream.

I switched it up a little by using a home made devils food cake recipe that is to die for on its own.

If you want to be really authentic like my sister-in-law put a sparkler or two in the middle and light it while you sing birthday wishes.(I warn you it will likely set off your smoke alarm, but you will be so happy, you just may not care!)

I also made my own fudge and Carmel sauce. The sauces were great on their own. The only complaint I had was that the carmel was ever-so-slightly gritty in texture. The taste was so phenomenal though I still loved it.

Molten Style Birthday Cake:

Assembly:

one recipe devils food, made in a bundt

1/2 recipe carmel
1/2 recipe hot fudge

1/2 bottle chocolate shell
1/2 gallon vanilla bean ice cream
some sparklers if your feeling crazy

Make the cake according to directions. While cake is hot, or rewarmed, poke holes with a fork and pour over half of the hot fudge. Now drizzle a little carmel all over the cake. Fill the hole in the middle with as much ice cream as you can. Now cover that ice cream with fudge shell. Top that off with a little more fudge and carmel and enjoy!

Devils Food Cake

adapted from here

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs, room temperature
4 oz. (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder 1 C hot water

1/3 cup sour cream

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cake flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift flours, soda and salt. Add hot water to coco and chocolate, mix until very smooth. Add the dry and the wet to the sugar mixture by starting with dry, wet, dry, wet, dry, Bake in pans greased and lined with parchment paper for 20-25 minutes at 350.

Hot Fudge Sauce:

adapted from recipezaar.com

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place milk, chocolate chips and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla (sauce will thicken while it is cooling)

Carmel Sauce:
adapted from recipezaar.com

1 cup butter

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 3/4 cups brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add milk and sugars. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Cool slightly.
Pour into blender, add vanilla, and cover and blend on medium until smooth.

Strawberry Cake (from scratch)

I have this thing about things being from scratch. I just love them so much more. Why? maybe the freshness of them. Or the limitless possibly for alteration. Or maybe it's the lack of ingredients I can't pronounce. I can't help myself I just love them. So I went on a loooooong hunt for a totally from scratch Strawberry cake and thanks to this cook who sent me a recipe. I slightly altered it and got this. If you want a brighter color of cake, you can add red food coloring. I just like the natural color the berries added.

This cake is dense, moist, and has a good strawberry flavor. Everyone loved it, hope you do too.

Strawberry Cake

3 cups self-rising flour(you can sub this for 1 C flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp salt)
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup pureed strawberries
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 large eggs, beaten


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.Prepare the cake batter; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pureed strawberries, vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up. Prepare the cream cheese frosting (recipe below); frost as desired and refrigerate until ready to serve.



Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick of butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups of powdered sugar


Beat cream cheese and butter until no bumps remain. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Makes enough to cover the cake.