One Bowl Brownies

We had vanilla ice cream in the freezer so I put my thinking cap on to make a dessert that went with the ice cream and I came up with brownies! These brownies are delicious! I am not a chocolate person so brownies are a big step for me, but warmed and served with melting vanilla ice cream works for my taste buds. My husband is a die hard chocolate fan and he loved these. When we were on our cruise there was a dessert called chocolate molten cake served with vanilla ice cream and it was the favorite dessert of our entire table minus mine of course. Needless to say my husband said these brownies reminded him of chocolate molten cake, but not as chocolaty as the cake, which is a big plus for me. If you are a fan of fudgy chocolate brownies these are for you, but they are not for you lovers of a cake brownie.

One Bowl Brownies

Fudgy Goodness

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chololate (I substittued with 12 tablespoons of cocoa and 4 tablespoons of oil)

3/4 cup butter or margarine

2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Microwave chocolate and butter or margarine in a large bowl at HIGH for 2 minutes or until butter or margarine is melted. Since I was not using chocolate squares I melted the butter first and then once melted stirred in the cocoa.
3. Stir until chocolate/cocoa is melted. Stir in oil (if using cocoa and not chocolate squares). Stir in sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts (if using).
4. Spread in greased 13 x 9 (I used ) inch pan. Bake for 35 minutes.Do not overbake. 

Recipe from Allrecipes

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Please forgive me for taking so long to post another recipe. Between mainly working the closing shifts for my job and working opposite shifts as my husband it has left very little time to experiment in the kitchen. Plus, we were gone for a week on a wonderful 7 night western Caribbean cruise! My husband and I felt like one of the main activities that we participated in while on the cruise was eat, eat, and eat. There was always food available and it was always presented beautifully and tasted delicious. Anyways, onto this yummy recipe. While flipping through one of my favorite cookbooks (thanks to my in-laws) I saw this carrot cake recipe and decided it was just what my taste buds were craving! Plus, I bought 100% pure vanilla from Mexico and wanted to give it a try. This cake was so moist and delicious. I also brought some to my co-workers and every single one raved about it and wanted the recipe. My boss is still asking for more :)

 Here we are on our cruise with our HUGE slices of cheesecake!

An example on the cruise of their art presentations all made out of food!

Carrot Cake

Deliciously Dense & Moist

 

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but I added it)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups finely shredded carrots (lightly packed)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla (I added this step myself)

1.Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease two 8 x 1 1/2 inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of pans with waxed paper; grease the paper. Set pans aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon (if desired), salt, and baking soda; set aside.

3. In another bowl combine eggs, carrots, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir until combined. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; peel off wax paper. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.

5. Frost with cream cheese frosting (see recipe below). If desired sprinkle chopped pecans (see below) over frosting. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Icing

2-8 ounce packages of cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

3 cups confectionery sugar; sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (if desired); toasted

1-2 tablespoons butter; melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine 1-2 tablespoons melted butter with chopped pecans. Spread an even layer on baking sheet.

3. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted; flip pecans half way through baking time.  

4. Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter until smooth.

5. Add sifted confectionery sugar one cup at a time; beat after each addition until smooth.

6. Add vanilla and beat until smooth.

7. Taste and adjust as needed.

8. Frost cake and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Carrot Cake recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 15th Edition

Cream Cheese icing from Me but idea created from combining various other recipes

S'More Cookie Bars

With the recent increase in outside temperatures here in Sunny Florida my mind has started drifting to previous summers and camping. When we go camping there always has to be an evening of S'Mores! Which for those of you who know me know that I love S'Mores, but oddly enough in general I do not like chocolate or marshmallows. With my mind on camping and my cravings for S'Mores intensifying I knew something must be done fast. I began googling S'More bars in order to find a recipe that does not require camping and campfires :) I was amazed at the amount of S'More bar recipes on the Internet, but I decided to stick with the S'More Cookie Bar recipe from the trusty Hershey Chocolate site. Boy oh boy am I glad I tried this recipe! It was so yummy, moist and definitely took care of my S'More craving :)

S'More Cookie Bars

Yummy, Moist and Curves Your S'More Cravings

1/2 cup butter or margarine; softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1.55 oz. each) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars
1 cup marshmallow creme

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease 8-inch square baking pan
3. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy
4. Add egg and vanilla; beat well
5. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended
6. Press half of dough into greased pan
7. Arrange chocolate bars over dough, breaking as needed to fit
8. Spread with marshmallow creme
9. Scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallow creme; carefully press to form a layer
10. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned
11. Cool completely in pan on wire rack
12. Cut into bars. 16 bars.

Recipe from Hershey's Kitchens

Shortbread Cookies

My Uncle owns a bakery in North Carolina and one of my favorite cookies at his bakery is shortbread. Being that I only get his yummy goodies a few times a year, when I came across this recipe I knew that I had to give it a try. Of course, I don't come anywhere close to my Uncle's from scratch bakery but this recipe was yummy enough to hold me over till my next North Carolina trip :) The day I was making this recipe I just so happened to be on the phone with him. He asked me what I was doing with the noise in the background so I proceeded to tell him I was cutting butter into flour lol. He of course made sure I was using REAL butter! So, my advice handed down from my Uncle the baker when you make this recipe use REAL butter :)

Shortbread Cookies

A Treat that Is Not Super Sweet

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter; I let the butter sit out to room temperature in order to cut it into the flour with ease

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a medium bowl combine flour and sugar. Using a pasty blender (or I use 2 butter knives to cut the butter in) cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling
3. Form the mixture into a ball and knead until smooth
4. To make shortbread wedges, on an ungreased cookie sheet pat or roll the dough into an 8-inch circle
5. Make a scalloped edge
6. Cut circle into 16 wedges (I only got 8 wedges out of it)
7. Leave wedges in the circle
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bottom just starts to brown and center is set
9. Cut circle into wedges again while warm
10. Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes
11. I sprinkled the cookies with sugar while they were still warm and cooling
12. Transfer wedges to a wire rack and let cool (I skipped this last step)

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New CookBook 15th edition

Banana Bread

Banana's are not one of my favorite fruits and quite frankly I am allergic to them (not deadly allergic), but there is one recipe I cannot turn down that contains banana's and that is my mom's banana bread. This recipe has wonderful flavor and stays very moist. I had a friend over to study one day and I happened to have some of my mom's banana bread on hand that my mom had actually made. My friend informed me she was not crazy about banana bread, but would be willing to try it. Let's just say that she loved it! She even went back for seconds :)

Mom's Banana Bread

Moist and delicious

1 large egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
3 very ripe mashed banana's (the riper the better)
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
If desired serve with butter or cream cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease 3 small aluminium mini pans or 1 greased large (8.5 inch) pan
3. Mix with beater egg and oil
4. Add sugar and mix
5. Add banana's and mix
6. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well
7. Pour batter into baking pans. It is best to use 3 small aluminum mini pans but 1 large pan will work fine
8. Bake for 30 minutes for 3 small pans or 60 minutes for 1 large (8.5 inch) pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If top begins to brown to fast cover very loosely with foil
9. If desired spread individual slice with butter or cream cheese

Recipe from my Mom

Surprise: Not from scratch!

Cinnabon Cinnamon Streusel

Surprisingly Delicious!

So, for this post I decided to take the time to make a shout out to all my readers who don't have the time to make things from scratch or who quite frankly don't like to make things from scratch. This is one of my favorite box mixes that actually tastes good. Yes, you read correctly I sometimes even use a box mix ;) You can make these into muffins or a quick bread. Either way they are both delicious and super easy. These are perfect to make for a quick morning brunch or to have as dessert with coffee. The key that I have found with the few box mixes I have tried is to not over bake! I usually set the timer on the minimum time that they recommend or even a little less to ensure they don't over bake and stay moist. In the future, I will post a few more box mixes that I find edible and in the meantime feel free to comment on any of your favorite box mixes for our fellow busy readers. Enjoy! :)

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This recipe is always a crowd pleaser and has endless possibilities for creativity and variety. Add your favorite sauces and toppings and you are guaranteed not to be disappointed.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

A Guaranteed Crowd Pleaser

1 Zipploc Snap n Seal Tupperware container (9.5 cup, 76 ounce, 2.25L. See photo below)

1 box of 12 large ice cream sandwiches

Cool whip
Oreos
Hot fudge
Carmel

1. Crush desired amount of oreos; set aside
2. Place 1 layer of ice cream sandwiches on bottom of tupperware
3. Top with a layer of cool whip
4. Top cool whip with crushed oreos, hot fudge and carmel
5. Repeat layers
6. Freeze a few hours before serving

Recipe created by Me

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

For Valentine's Day I thought what better way to celebrate than making a yummy red velvet cake for my husband and I. This recipe turned out delicious and I would definetely make this again. The original recipe called for a 3-tier cake but instead I made it a 2-tier which turned out fine, but the cake pans were very full! The recipe had several steps and took some time but the work was worth it in the end.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:

3 eggs

3/4 cup butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon unsweeetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1-ounce bottle red food coloring (2 tablespoons)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk or sour milk*

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar

Frosting:

8-ounce cream cheese (does not need to be softened)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (I did not sift it and it still came out very smooth and creamy)

To prepare the cake:

1. Allow eggs and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes
2. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour three 9x1 1/2-inch or 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pans. Or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside
3. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
5. In a very large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds
6. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined
7. Scrape sides of bowl; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more
8. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
9. Beat in red food coloring and vanilla
10. Alternately add flour mixture and butter milk (or sour milk*), beating on low speed after each addition just until combined
11. In a small bowl combine baking soda and vinegar; fold into batter
12. Spread batter into prepared cake pans
13. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for 8-inch pans, 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 13x9x2-inch pan, or until wooden toothpick inserted near the center(s) come out clean
14. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes (I allowed them to cool longer). Remove layers from pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on wire rack; cool thoroughly.

*To make 1 cup sour milk, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup total liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using it in a recipe.

To prepare the cream cheese frosting:

1. Cream the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium-high speed
2. Add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture in batches. Beat on low until just combined, increase speed to high until desired consistency is reached
3. Frost as desired

Cake recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (15th edition)

Frosting recipe from Amy's Blog

Dirt Cake- Best Ever!

This recipe is by far one of my and my husband's favorite dessert's (after my mom's homemade from scratch pies of course)! Growing up through the years for my birthday or any other special occasion I always asked my mom to make this dessert for me. This is so delicious and there has never been one person who has tried this dessert and has not liked it. This dessert can also be fun because you can layer it in a decorative flower pot and place gummy worms throughout the dessert as well as fake silk flowers; hence the reason we call it Dirt Cake! I promise you that you will not be disappointed with this dessert and that it is easy to make.

Dirt Cake

This dessert is on my family's favorite dessert list hands down!

1 package oreos

1 8-ounce cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2 packages (3.4 ounce each) instant vanilla pudding*

3 1/2 cups cold milk

1 13-ounce cool whip

1 decorative flower pot or trifle bowl

Silk flowers (if desired)

Gummy worms (if desired)

1. In a food processor crush entire package of oreos until fine and then set aside
2. In mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth
3. In another mixing bowl combine and mix both packages of instant vanilla pudding and cold milk until smooth and thickened
4. Fold pudding mixture into cream cheese mixture
5. Fold in cool whip
6. If using a flower pot line with foil and then begin alternating oreo and pudding mixture. Make sure you start and end with oreos.
7. Chill several hours before serving
8. Place gummy worms (if using) and silk flowers (if using) in flower pot right before serving

*I have heard of people substituting the instant vanilla pudding with instant chocolate pudding. I personally would not change one thing about this dessert, but for all you chocolate lover's out there you may want to try the substitution.

Recipe from my Mom

Texas Sheet Cake

About a year ago my mom gave me a recipe for a texas sheet cake. I finally now just made the recipe! I am not a big chocolate fan but my husband is a die hard chocolate fan so my mom really gave me this recipe with my husband in mind. I finally decided to make this cake when my husband and I went over to my good friend and her husband's house for the Superbowl. This couple, like my husband, are big chocolate fans so I thought what better way then to share a yummy chocolate dessert with all of them.

Texas Sheet Cake

This cake is super moist! It melts in your mouth!

Cake:
1 cup butter
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract*

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract*
6 tablespoons buttermilk
4 cups powdered sugar**
dash of salt
3 tablespoons cocoa

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
2. For the cake mix butter, water and cocoa in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and then remove from burner
3. In a mixing bowl combine sugar and flour
4. Pour hot cocoa mix slowly into flour and sugar
5. Add eggs and salt and mix until well blended
6. Combine buttermilk and baking soda together in a measuring cup and mix until well blended
7. Add buttermilk and baking soda mixture to batter
8. Add vanilla extract and almond extract (if desired*)
9. Bake in greased cookie sheet (I used a 10x15) for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes clean
10. While the cake is baking make the frosting by combining all of the ingredients and mix well
11. Pour frosting over hot cake right out of the oven

*Almond extract is one of those ingredients that has a very strong flavor. The next time I make this cake I think I will either decrease the measurement or substitute and double the vanilla extract. Many people enjoy the strong flavor of almond extract but I am particularly not one of them.
**I actually only had 3 cups of powdered sugar on hand and it still turned out delicious. Also, I did not sift the powdered sugar and it came out lump free, but if you want to be sure your frosting is lump free sift before mixing. 

Recipe from my Mom

Cheesecake Bars

A delicious rich and creamy dessert. I also found this recipe to be extremely easy.

Cheesecake Bars

1/3 Cup Butter, softened
1/3 Cup packed brown sugar
1/3 Cup chopped walnuts (omitted)
1 Cup siften all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup white sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

To make the pastry:

1. Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add in the flour and nuts (if using) and stir until mixture becomes crumbly.
3. Press the mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish and bake for 12-15 minutes.
4. Let cool on a wire rack.

To make the filling:

1. Beat together the white sugar and cream cheese until smooth.
2. Stir in the egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla mixing well.
3. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over baked crust.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. Let cool on a wire rack.

Keep refrigerated.

A possible variation to this recipe would be to top with your favorite pie topping (i.e. cherry, strawberry, apple, or blueberry etc.)


Recipe from my friend Amy's Blog where she got the recipe from Allrecipes

Pumpkin Cookies with Icing

These pumpkin cookies are absolutely delicious and moist. I enjoy eating these cookies year round.



Pumpkin Cookies:
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin (not the pie filling)
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream together shortening and sugar.
3. Beat in egg.
4. Add pumpkin.
5. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together.
6. Add mixed dry ingredient into pumpkin mixture.
7. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown.
8. Allow cookies to cool before frosting.

Icing*:
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
8 teaspoons milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups confectionery sugar, sifted

1. Cook butter, vanilla, milk, and brown sugar together in a saucepan over low-medium heat till melted and combined.
2. Remove from heat and stir in confectionery sugar.
3. Frost cool cookies with warm icing**.

*This icing can be very sweet and make too much so in the past I halved the ingredients and still have left over icing at the end.
**This icing begins to thicken fast so ice cool cookies quickly with the warm icing. 

Recipe from my Mom's Cousin