Zucchini Brownies

I made these delicious brownies for Family Home Evening this week and I am laughing so hard because no one knew that THEY ARE MADE WITH ZUCCHINI!  Ha ha family!  Because heaven knows if they knew that they wouldn't have even tried it!  Since they didn't know they all scarfed it down!  Sometimes it's so fun to be sneaky!!

These brownies are delicious!  They are so chocolatety and the m word.  Um, I try not to use that word but you know which one I mean right?  I just really hate that word.  So it starts with M and it basically means the brownies aren't dry.  At all.  Pretty much that word is banned in our house because I hate it so much, but I digress.  These brownies are delicious!!


Zucchini Brownies


Ingredients:

8 oz. zucchini (about one 8" fresh zucchini, trimmed), cut into chunks (about 1 1/2 cups shredded)
3 tbsp. butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips


3/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream or 3 tbsp. milk


Preheat oven to 350 and grease a square 9" pan.  For the brownies, combine the zucchini, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in a food processor bowl and process until smooth.  Add the sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and flour and process briefly, just until combined.  Add the chocolate chips and pulse several times to break up the chips a bit.  Pour batter into the pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
For the frosting, combine the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl or in a saucepan.  Heat until the chips are soft and then remove from heat, stirring until the chips are all melted and it is smooth.  Spread frosting on top of the brownies and refrigerate for one hour to set.  Can be stored at room temperature after that.

Look how m......... not dry it is!!!

Healthy Almond Joy Bites

So thankful to my friend Dionne for giving me the recipe for these yummy treats!!  Sometimes you just REALLY need a chocolate fix and these are perfect for that!  It doesn't hurt that they also have two of my latest obsessions, coconut and almond butter, in the mix either!!

Healthy Almond Joy Bites

Recipe from Dionne

Ingredients:

5 oz. bag unsweetened coconut (I got it from the bulk bin at Winco, I used 1 1/2 cups)

2/3 cup coconut oil, melted (plus 1 tbsp. for chocolate coating later)

1/2 cup almond butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix 2/3 cup coconut oil, vanilla, coconut and almond butter in a large bowl.  Place in refrigerator until a little set.  Roll into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet with wax paper/parchment.  Place cookie sheet in freezer until balls are frozen.  Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and 1 tbsp. coconut oil in microwave at 30 second intervals until smooth.  Dip the frozen balls into the chocolate topping.  Put back into freezer for a few minutes until set.  Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

Caleb requested a chocolate chip cookie dough cake for his birthday this year, which gave me the excuse of looking through tons of recipes until I found one that I thought would be approved of by him.  The only thing I wish I would have done differently is let it harden in the freezer longer after I put it together so the ice cream wouldn't have melted so fast.  It is very rich and decadent!!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake
Recipe from Sugar Plum


Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

Chocolate Cake Layer
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon1 baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup yogurt or sour cream

1 quart chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, softened

Ganache
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:

To make the chocolate chip cookie layers, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook the butter, whisking frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat browned butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined and grainy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator, lightly covered, for 1 hour. (You could speed up this process by placing the dough in the freezer for about 45 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans.

To make the chocolate cake layers, in a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together oil, butter and granulated sugar until well combined and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla and yogurt until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until combined, about 1-2 minutes.

Divide batter into cake pans. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cakes comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; run a knife around outside edges and invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Butter the cake pans again, and line with parchment or waxed paper circles; butter paper.

Divide cookie dough and pat evenly into pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan before running a knife around outer edges and lifting out paper-lined cookies; remove paper.

Spread the ice cream evenly between cookie and cake layers; freeze for 10 minutes before covering with ganache. Meanwhile, to make the ganache, bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Cool to a good consistency before pouring over ice cream cake.

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

 

 

 

Something that I am really passionate about is crisps, or crumbles.  I. Love. Them.  They make me so very, very happy.  Something I do not love is cobbler.  I don't want that garbage anywhere near me.  Seriously, keep it away.  But back to crisps, ahhh, crisps.   This recipe is so delicious, of course, why wouldn't it be, it's from the beloved Barefoot Contessa!  The woman knows what she's about!  Of course it wouldn't be my very best friend, Apple Crisp, without my other best friend, Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato.  Did I mention I gained 20 pounds the few days this beautiful number was in my home?  Speaking of Talenti, if anyone is blessed enough to have had the Carribean Coconut, please let me know, in detail, how delightful it is.  I have dreams about how amazing it must be.

 

 

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Recipe from The Food Network

 

Ingredients:

 

5 pounds McIntosh apples(I used Honeycrisp) (I'm a rebel)

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

For the topping:

 

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced (My esteemed friend Trevlyn, who first told me about this delicious recipe, says she justs melts the butter to make it easier.  I'm trying that next time, Trevlyn can do no wrong.)

 

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.  Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.  To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.  Place the crisp on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm. If you have any sanity whatsoever you will serve it with vanilla ice cream.



 

Chocolate Mousse Pie

The kids requested a chocolate pie for Thanksgiving, and I was very happy to oblige them!!  This was was super easy and so delicious!!


Chocolate Mousse Pie
Recipe from Very Best Baking


Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 3/4 cups (16 oz.) semi sweet chocolate chips, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and granulated sugar in 9-inch pie plate. Stir in butter until moistened; press onto bottom and up side of pie plate.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup morsels over bottom of hot crust; let stand for 10 minutes or until all morsels are shiny. Spread chocolate over bottom and up side of crust. Cool to room temperature.  Microwave  2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup cream in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool to room temperature.  Beat remaining cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in chilled small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust; swirl top. Garnish with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until firm.  Microwave  remaining 1/4 cup morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for about 30 seconds; knead until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle chocolate over pie. Llet stand a few minutes before serving.  (I didn't do this very last part, we were in too big of a hurry to eat it!!)

Knock You Naked Brownies

These were eaten too fast to take a picture.  Just trust me, they are delicious!!  Click through to the link for pictures.


Knock You Naked Brownies
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman


Ingredients:

1 stick butter, melted, plus more for greasing

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1/3 plus 1/2 cup evaporated milk

One 18.5-ounce box German chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)

1 cup finely chopped pecans

60 caramels, unwrapped

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

 

Directions:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9X9 baking pan.  Begin by pouring 1/3 cup evaporated milk into a bowl with the cake mix. Add the melted butter and the chopped pecans. Mix the ingredients together; it'll be pretty thick!  Divide the dough in half down the middle. Press half of it into the bottom of the prepared pan to make the first brownie layer. Bake until slightly set, 8 to 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and set aside.

While the brownie layer is baking, in a double boiler (or glass bowl set over a bowl of simmering water) combine the caramels and the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk. Stir occasionally until the caramels are totally melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the caramel mixture over the first baked layer, spreading so it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the top.

Next, on a clean surface or a sheet of waxed paper, press the remaining dough into a square shape slightly smaller than the baking pan. Carefully set it on top of the chocolate chips. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool to room temperature. Cover the pan and refrigerate the brownies for several hours to allow them to set.

When you're ready to serve them sprinkle generously with the powdered sugar and cut them into large rectangles before removing from the pan.

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

I was inspired by a friends facebook post to finally pull out the donut pans that have been sitting in my cupboard for 6 months and make something delicious.  Pumpkin has been hitting pinterest hard the past few weeks, and luckily I had pinned a pumpkin donut recipe recently that I was anxious to try.  These donuts are fantastic!!  Moist (I hate that word), sweet and so, so good.  I doubled the recipe to use up a large can of pumpkin; most of them I just put the cinnamon sugar on top but some of them I put a glaze on just for kicks, and then the last batch I added mini chocolate chips to them.  If you don't have a donut pan these can also be made into muffins, just lengthen the cooking time.  I got my donut pans at Ross for dirt cheap, they are also reasonable on amazon.  Happy eating!!



Baked Pumpkin Donuts
Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Beat everything together until smooth.  Add 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (8 ounces)  flour, stirring just until smooth.  Lightly grease two standard donut pans.   If you don’t have doughnut pans, you can bake these in a couple of standard muffin tins; they just won’t be doughnuts.  Fill the wells of the doughnut pans about 3/4 full, using a scant 1/4 cup of batter in each well.  Bake the doughnuts for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean.   If you’re making muffins, they’ll need to bake for 23 to 25 minutes.  Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after about 5 minutes, loosen their edges, and transfer them to a rack to cool.  While the doughnuts are still warm (but no longer fragile), gently shake them in a bag with cinnamon sugar.   If you’ve made muffins, sprinkle their tops heavily with the spiced sugar of your choice. 

Scotcharoos

I had forgotten all about these yummy treats, and honestly, I can't understand why.  These are so good!  I have to make a solemn promise to myself to never make that kind of error again!  Scotcharoos, forever!!!

Scotcharoos
Recipe found all over the internets

Ingredients:

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

6 cups crisp rice cereal

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Generously butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. Set aside.  In a large pot, mix together corn syrup, sugar, and peanut butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring until peanut butter melts. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, and stir in crisp rice cereal.   Transfer mixture into a well buttered 9x13 inch pan. With your hands well buttered, pat it down into pan.   In a medium saucepan, over medium low heat, melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips until smooth. Spread over top of bars and let bars cool. Cut into squares.

Chocolate Layer Cake

Caleb searched for quite a while before he found the perfect birthday cake for me to make him this year. He chose well, it was delicious AND easy - the best combination ever, if you ask me!!!



Chocolate Layer Cake
(modified from this recipe)


Ingredients:


1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package chocolate instant pudding
4 eggs
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup water
1 (8 ounce) package semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided
2 cups thawed whipped topping
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape bottom and side of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Chop 4 chocolate squares; stir into batter. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
Stack cake layers on plate, spreading COOL WHIP mixture between layers. Microwave butter, corn syrup and remaining chocolate and water in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down side.

Homemade Twix Bars

Homemade. Twix. Bars. Yes, you heard right. I'm not going to lie and tell you they come together in a snap, because they're a TAD time consuming, but worth every minute.



Homemade Twix Bars
Recipe courtesy of Not Without the Salt


Ingredients:

Shortbread

5 1/2 ounces (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground rice (rice processed in a spice grinder until it is able to pass through a fine sieve to remove chunks)* (I DID NOT ADD THE RICE - Kathee)

Make the Shortbread:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-X-13-inch baking pan with pan spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add the flour, ground rice and salt and allow the dough to come together. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when you squeeze it.

Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the baking pan. Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the pan from front to back and bake for another 10 minutes, until the shortbread is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack to room temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare the ….

Caramel

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt plus more for sprinkling over the caramel layer

Make the Caramel:

Combine the sugar, golden syrup, water, and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Remove any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan by wiping down the sides with water. You can use your hand or a pastry brush. Place the pot on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Wipe down any stray sugar crystals that appear using a very clean and wet pastry brush. Do not stir from this point on. Keep an eye on the pan. The mixture will be very bubbly.

When the sugar syrup starts to turn golden brown insert a candy thermometer to check the temperature. When it reaches 300°F, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 1minute, or until the bubbles subside. Carefully whisk in the heavy cream. Stir until smooth, then whisk in the condensed milk. Add the salt. Whisk until smooth.

Return the pan to the heat and stir constantly over medium heat until the caramel reaches 240°F. Remove from the heat and pour over the shortbread. While the caramel is warm sprinkle the surface with the best quality salt you have. Kosher is fine, Fleur de Sel is better, Maldon would be my preferred choice.

Allow to set. This will take about 2 hours.

Once the caramel layer has cooled prepare your …

Chocolate Glaze

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Bittersweet chocolate chips also work)(I USED SEMISWEET BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HAD ON HAND - Kathee)
2 tablespoons butter

Melt the chocolate and butter over a bain marie or in the microwave. If using the microwave melt it slowly – in 30 second intervals. Stir well after each interval.

Once completely melted pour over the caramel. Using an offset spatula, smooth the chocolate in a nice even layer.

Place in the refrigerator to set. They cut best when chilled.

Cut into desired shape and size. Serve.

Butter Bars

Last night for dinner we had breakfast burritos, not really something I need to share a recipe for. But our dessert? Oh, my, the dessert. In the name of everything buttery and bad for you, make these Butter Bars - NOW!!!


One funny thing that happened at dinner....... we were all talking and sharing, having a great meal. Suddenly, Cam speaks above everyone else, "Hey! Guess what? I entered the drawing in the library for one of the Justin Bieber posters!!!" Complete SILENCE. Everyone looks at each other. Massive laughter ensues. "What in the world did you do that for?" "Justin Bieber? What is wrong with you?" After we settled down he told us his plan, "I want to draw a mustache and beard on it and put it in Colby's room!!" Oh!!! That made sense, because that particular brother gets accosted on the street by preteens who think he is the Bieb's in the flesh!! We were all worried there for a second though!!!


Butter Bars
Recipe courtesy of Everywhere on the Internets


Ingredients:


Crust:

1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups powdered sugar


Directions:

Combine crust ingredients and pat into a 9X13 pan. Beat cream cheese, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add butter and sugar. Mix well. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Inhale at a dangerously unhealthy speed or hoarde for youself.

Cake Mix Chocolate Bars

Cake Mix Chocolate Bars



Ingredients:

(1) yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine the cake mix, eggs and oil. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a 9X13 pan.  In a seperate bowl, combine the milk and chocolate chips. Microwave to melt, stopping every 30 seconds to stir. Pour chocolate mixture over crust. Sprinkle the remaining crust over the chocolate mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until they start to turn golden.

S'Mores Bars

Umm, I'm pretty sure I don't need to tell you how good these bars were. Just look at it for crying out loud!! I've already been asked to make this again, I was told it was the best thing ever created in the existence of Earth, I was offered a bribe to give someone an extra piece, I could go on and on. This dessert was VERY well received!!!



S'Mores Cookie Bars

Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen


Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 king-sized Hershey’s milk chocolate bars
1 large egg
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme/fluff
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
(7 full-sized graham cracker sheets, processed til fine)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan (I line my pan with foil for easy removal and cutting). Use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Set aside. Meanwhile,whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place blobs of it on the chocolate and then spread it around.

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (I rolled the dough out between two pieces of waxed paper and use a spatula to place pieces of it on the top and pressed the pieces together). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (I did mine a little longer to get that nice brown color), until lightly browned. Be sure to cool completely before cutting into bars. Makes 16 squares.

Panna Cotta

Last night's dessert was DELICIOUS! My husband and I had panna cotta for the first time a few months ago and I have been wanting to make it ever since. The recipe only made 6 ramekins, but I didn't double it because I was almost sure my kids wouldn't even want to try it. (Was I sure, or was I hoping?) Three of them decided they wanted to try it so I divided one ramekin into thirds (yes, I am THAT greedy) telling them, "I know you will hate this, I am sick that it is getting wasted." Well, they inhaled it and pronounced, "This tastes like wiggly vanilla ice cream!!! More! More! More!" So, being greedy, I divided another one into thirds!!! I know!! But in my defense, I had made a backup pan of brownies that they had all already eaten one of, so really, I was just limiting their sugar intake. (wink). One of my boys spent about an hour thinking of all the different things we could do to panna cotta ("lemon flavored, chocolate sauce, oh, I know Mom, BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE!") so I know that they really did love it and weren't just being silly. This is easy and delicious, it's a perfect summertime dessert.


 
Panna Cotta
Recipe from Allrecipes


Ingredients:

1/3 cup skim milk (I used 1%)
1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups heavy cream (I used half whipping cream and half half and half, that's what I had)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Pour milk into a small bowl, and stir in the gelatin powder. Set aside.

In a saucepan, stir together the heavy cream and sugar, and set over medium heat. Bring to a full boil, watching carefully, as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan. Pour the gelatin and milk into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour into six individual ramekin dishes.

Cool the ramekins uncovered at room temperature. When cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before serving.

Serve with fresh berries, chocolate sauce, use your imagination!

Homemade Magic Shell

I have had an obsession with Magic Shell for a long, long time. I just really love it. I've tried several recipes to recreate it and this is by far the best. It was so delicious on my ice cream, and the bananas were amazing. I'll be putting some on strawberries for a snack later today, because, what the heck, I have strawberries and now I have a huge container of homemade magic shell to use up!!!




Homemade Magic Shell
Recipe from Smilemonsters

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut oil


Directions:

Pop in the microwave for about a minute and stir together well.

Done!

The chocolate sauce will harden as soon as it hits something cold.

Have fun!!!

Boston Cream Pie

This is delicious and so easy!



Easy Boston Cream Pie



1 yellow cake mix
1 small pkg. vanilla pudding
1 carton of Cool Whip
1 can of chocolate frosting



Make cake mix according to diretions in two round cake pans. Let cool completely. Make pudding mix according to directions but with only 1 cup of milk. Let set. Once set, add half of the carton of Cool Whip and mix together thoroughly. Put one of the cake rounds on a plate. Top with the pudding mixture. Put the other cake round on top of the pudding mixture. Frost with chocolate frosting as desired. Keep refrigerated.

Caleb's Birthday Cake

So Caleb is what some would call a foodie.  He loves to eat.  He loves to try new foods.  He loves to cook.  He loves to peruse cookbooks.  In addition to being a surgeon, he wants to own a restaurant one day, and plans on going to cooking school in France.  He looked long and hard through my cookbooks until he found the perfect cake for me to make him for his birthday and darn it, he picked a good one!!! 


Sandy's Chocolate Cake

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tbsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups sour cream
1 1/3 cups boiling water
Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
3 squares semisweet chocolate
5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.  Blend in vanilla.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with sour cream to creamed mixture.  Mix on low just until combined.  Stir in water until blended.  Pour into three greased and floured 9 in. round baking pans  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat.  Cool several minutes.  In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, sour cream and vanilla.  Add chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cake.



Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home, Grandma's Favorites.

Peanut Butter Frosting

I could eat this by the vat.  I put it on cupcakes, but can't stop thinking about it on brownies.  Oh, excuse me, was I drooling?

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp. milk, or as needed
2 cups powdered sugar


Place the butter and peanut butter into a bowl and beat with electric mixer.  Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable.  Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get nice and fluffy.  Taste test it just to make sure it's safe for human consumption.  Make a whole new batch because your taste test went wrong and you ate it all.

Recipe from Allrecipes.

German Apple Fritters

Delicious.


4-5 medium apples, peeled and cored
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. oil
dash of salt
1 cup milk
oil for frying
cinnamon sugar mixture

Slice apples into 1/4 slices.  Blend flour, baking powder, sugar, egg, 2 tbsp. oil, salt and milk.  Batter should be smooth and of good dropping consistency; add more milk if necessary.  Dip apple slices into batter and put into a skillet with 1/2 inch or more of hot oil.  Fry fritters quickly until golden brown on both sides; remove from oil and drain.  While still hot, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.  (I also sprinkled with powdered sugar).  Serve hot or cold.

Recipe from Worldwide Ward Cookbook

Pumpkin Crisp

Confession:  I hate pumpkin pie.  BUT!!!  I  love love love crisps of any kind.  This is so good, mostly because it isn't like pumpkin pie at all, which is good, because I hate pumpkin pie.  Did I say that already?  Because I do, I really hate it.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs
1 can pumpkin
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 brown sugar
1 stick butter

Remove one cup from the cake mix for later use.  Mix the remaining cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg in bowl.  Pat into the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.
In another bowl, mix together the pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, white sugar, milk and spices.  Pour over the cake mix mixture.
Combine remaining cake mix, brown sugar and butter in a bowl until crumbly.  Crumble in small pieces on top of pumpkin mixture.  Bake in a 350 oven for 55 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream or better yet, VANILLA ICE CREAM.