Chocolate Cake

My sister made this simple and yummy cake the other day and it was enjoyed by all.

1 yellow cake mix
1 instant chocolate pudding (large or small)
2 C warm water
2 eggs
Mix and bake in 9x13 pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Let cake cool before frosting.

Frosting:
1 cool whip
1 C powdered sugar
1/4 C melted butter
Beat cool whip and powdered sugar till creamy before adding melted butter. Frost cake and refrigerate. Best if sits in fridge overnight.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

This is for you, Melody! These are the cookie bars I made for game night on Thursday. They are ridiculously easy and so good.

The first time I made them I followed the recipe exactly. When I made them for game night I used unsalted butter, quadrupled the salt, reduced the chocolate by 2 or 3 ounces and pressed it all into a 7x11 pan instead of 11x13. That ended up being my favorite iteration, it definitely needs a little more salt and a little less chocolate and I liked the taller bar that came from the smaller pan. When I made them again on Saturday for a BBQ I used regular salted butter, doubled the salt and did half chocolate and half butterscotch chips, which was also really good.


The original recipe is copied from here (an AWESOME recipe blog. If you're not already reading you might want to start. Everything I've tried from her blog has been a winner).

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars
adapted from 24 Hour Menu

1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional – I left these out)

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla till fluffy and add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chunks and walnuts. Press into a greased 9×13 inch pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until light golden brown. I have also doubled the recipe and pressed into a large sheet pan (11X17) with great results.

A few tips: Don’t overbake!!! I overbaked them the first time I made them and when I actually baked them correctly the second time (perhaps even underbaked by a minute), they were 100 times better. Also, the second time I made them, I doubled the recipe and instead of adding two bags of chocolate chunks, I added one bag of chunks and one bag of mint chocolate chips. Fabulous!

Puffy Sugar Cookies

4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and sour cream- mix until blended. Add flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Mix until blended Dough will be a little sticky. Roll out and leave a little thick. Bake 350 degrees 8-10 minutes, then let cool.

Butter Cream Frosting:
cup butter (2 sticks), softened at room temperature.
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 to 3 tsp milk or cream

Use an electric mixer to cream ingredients together adding a tsp. of milk at a time until desired texture. You don't want it too runny. Frost and decorate!

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Cherry Dump Cake

1 can cherry pie filling,
1 large can crushed pineapple,
one box yellow cake mix,
1 cube butter.

Grease a 9X13 pan, put cherry pie filling first, put pineapple next undrained, put dry cake mix over top of that and dot with butter on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. You can put nuts on top also before baking if you wish. It is so easy and great warm with vanilla ice cream.

Pineapple Coconut Angel Food Cake

This is another recipe of Catherine Tackett's and is incredibly good!!!!

Using a box of Angel Food Cake- make as directed, except in place of the water add a can of crushed pineapple, juice and all! (DO NOT ADD THE WATER). Pour into a greased 9x13 pan, top with coconut and bake! Serve with ice cream! Try not to eat the entire pan yourself!

Cornflake Balls (2 versions)

This is a recipe I got from a friend of a friend, these are so yummy! My kids devour them...

The old-fashioned recipe:

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups cornflakes

In a microwave safe dish mix the first 4 ingredients together and microwave just until bubbly. Pour over cornflakes and mix together. Drop balls onto wax paper or tin foil. Let cool and enjoy.






Healthier alternative to the original recipe:


1 cup sugar
1 cup brown rice syrup
1 1/2 cups natural crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups organic or non-genetically modified corn flakes



In a microwave safe dish mix the first 4 ingredients together and microwave just until bubbly. Pour over cornflakes and mix together. Drop balls onto wax paper or tin foil. Let cool and enjoy.

Black Cookies

2 cups- sugar
1 cube- butter/margarine
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
3 cups oatmeal
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine 1st four ingredients & heat to a boil. Turn stove down to medium heat for FIVE minutes. Then remove from heat and add oatmeal and vanilla. Mix well. Scoop out spoonfuls on wax paper and let cool.

Very similar to Janell's no bake cookies, this is Kent's family's version....

Chex Muddy Buddies

15 minute prep time
18- 1/2 cup servings

9 cups any flavor CHEX cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Measure cereal. Put in a large bowl and set aside.

In 1-QT. microwavable bowl, microwave choc. Chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on HIGH 1 minute. Stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until the mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2 gallon resealable storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Never Flat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm always on the lookout for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe--one that makes cookies that are chewy and soft in the middle and slightly crisp on the outside, and that don't get flat or seem too dense. I found this recipe when organizing my cookbooks/recipes this weekend, and decided to try it. I think my search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie may be over--these cookies were SO yummy!

*Note: this makes a large batch, so feel free to half it if you want a smaller/normal sized batch. I rolled the extra dough into balls and froze them for later use.

Combine the following until creamy:
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 lb. (4 sticks) real butter (softened)
2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla

Combine the following and then mix with the creamy mixture:
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 heaping cups (1 pkg.) chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

CRUST:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted butter

FILLING:
3 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese at room temp.
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
3 eggs, plus one (1) yoke
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves2
table spoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can substitute bourbon here)

Preheat oven to 350 For Crust.......in a medium bowl, combine crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter, press down flat into a 9 inch spring formpan. Set aside. For Filling......Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, egg yoke, sour cream, sugar and spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined. Pour into crust. Spread evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove and let cool. Cover and refrigerate.

Reese's Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup of peanut butter

1 Stick of butter

2 cups of powdered sugar

Mix in a medium sized bowl. Roll into balls. Dip into melted dipping chocolate. make 40 pieces.

Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Fudge
by Emily Norton

1 ½ c. sugar

1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2/3 c. evaporated milk

½ c. canned pumpkin

2 Tbsp butter

¼ tsp. salt

1 (12 oz) pkg white chocolate baking chips

2 c. miniature marshmallows

1/3 c. chopped walnuts (opt)
1 ¼ tsp. vanilla

Line 8" square pan w/foil & grease foil. Lightly grease sides & bottom of med. saucepan w/butter. Combine sugar, milk, pumpkin, butter, salt & pumpkin spice in saucepan. Stir constantly over med. heat. Bring mixture to boil-- boil for 12 min. Remove from heat & stir in baking chips & marshmallows until melted. Add nuts & vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill until set. Cut into small squares to serve. Cover & store in refrigerator.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

(This was taken before I added all additional toppings)

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus refrigeration.

1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. of caramel (ice cream topping), divided

1 Graham cracker pie crust

1/2 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. Pecan pieces, divided

1 cup cold milk

2 Pkg. (3.4 oz each) Jell-o Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tub of cool whip, thawed and divided

POUR: 1/4 caramel topping into crust, sprinkle with 1/2 of pecans. (the best part!!)

BEAT: milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with a whisk until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cool whip. Spread into crust.

Refrigerate at least an hour. Top with remaining cool whip, caramel topping and pecans just before serving. Makes 10 servings.

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Squares

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Squares

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix - minus 1 cup
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg

Filling:
1 lb. can pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk

Topping:
1 cup cake mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter

Directions:

Grease 9x13 glass cake pan. After taking out 1 cup cake mix for topping, combine remaining cake mix, butter and egg. Press in bottom of pan. Prepare filling, mix until smooth, pour over crust. For topping, combine ingredients and sprinkle over filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut in squares and top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

~another recipe from my cousin Kimi! We had it for dessert tonight and it was fabulous!
~Bethany S.

Raspberry Caves with Cinnamon

A raspberry cave is a Swedish short bread cookie filled with jam. I made these for the international-themed potluck at Amelia's school last weekend. They were yummy!

14 T butter, at room temperature
½-3/4 cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 ¾ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
raspberry jam (or use lingonberry, which is a Swedish favorite)
30 medium paper cups (I used regular muffin cups)

Heat the oven to 375° F.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the flour, combined with baking soda and cinnamon. Divide the dough into 30 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and put in a medium sized paper cup. With your finger, make an indention and fill it with jam.

Bake on a cookie sheet in the middle of the oven for about 12 minutes.

White Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

In large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, almond extract, salt and baking soda until smooth. Pour into a greased 15x10x1-inch jelly roll baking pan. Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare frosting. Sift confectioners' sugar into a separate bowl. Combine butter and milk in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add sugar and extract and mix well. Stir in chopped pecans. Pour and spread over warm cake.

Cook time: 22 minutes

Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies

30-48 mini Reese's cups (one bag)

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

combine butter, sugars, egg, vanilla and peanut butter in a bowl (or mixer). Mix until smooth. Combine flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and chill. Roll in small balls. Place in greased mini-muffin tin. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove and immediately press mini Reese's (top up) into cookie. Cool for 10 minutes and carefully spoon out of pan. YUM!!!!

S’more Cupcakes

Bake chocolate cupcakes and frost with marshmallow frosting and garnish with graham cracker crumbs.
The frosting recipes makes enough for 12 cupcakes. I think it could be stretched!

Marshmallow Frosting:

2 large egg whites, 1 cup sugar, 6 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp light corn syrup, ½ tsp cream of tartar, pinch salt, 1 cup miniature marshmallows, 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large, clean heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, water, cornsyrup, cream of tartar and salt. Set the bowl over (but not touching)simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly,until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch(about 160 degrees), about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the mixture until it isvery warm and soft (but not dry) peaks form, about 2 minutes. Reduce themixer to low and add the marshmallows and vanilla. Continue beating untilthe marshmallows are melted and the frosting is completely smooth, about 2 minutes more. Use right away. Make 5 cups.

Hot Fudge Topping

* 1 cup sugar
* 1 heaping Tbsp of cocoa
* just less than 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1 Tbsp Karo syrup
* 1/3 cup havy whipping cream
* just less than 1/4 cup milk

***Do NOT stir after it starts to boil!***

Cook to soft ball stage, then cover and let steam a minute.
Take off heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 Tbsp butter.