Chocolate Explosion Cake

from Dawn’s kitchen!

1 box Super Moist Devils Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup chocolate milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
1 container (16 ounces) sour cream
1 small package (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding mix
1 bag (12 ounces or 2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare pan.

Gently mix milk, butter, eggs and sour cream until eggs are incorporated. Add dry cake and pudding mixes. Mix until well blended. Batter will be very thick (almost like like brownies, but it will bake up like a cake- really!!). Fold in chips. Spoon into pan(s).

Bake 55-65 minutes or until top springs back (toothpick will not be totally clean with this cake). Cool in pan 10 minutes and turn out on wire rack and cool completely.

I pour ganache over it — no real recipe I just put chocolate, a chunk of butter and a splash of milk all in the microwave and voila, ganache!

Spritz Cookies

2cup butter
8ounces cream cheese
2cup sugar
2egg yolk
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla
1tsp salt
Food coloring, optional
Sugar sprinkles or other decoration, optional

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and cream cheese together until combined and fluffy. Add sugar, egg yolk, flour, vanilla, salt, and optional food coloring. Mix well.
Apply desired cutting plate shape, and fill cookie press with dough. Press cookies on to ungreased baking sheet. If; you are using those little ball sprinkles, add them before baking.  It is best to use cookie sheets vs. PC Stones, or use parchment on the stone.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned at the edges. Decorate as desired.

Just wanted to add that this recipe makes me love my cookie press!

Homemade vanilla ice cream

• 3 cups milk
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups half and half
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 6 cups whipping cream

Preparation:

Scald milk until bubbles form around the edge of pan. Remove from heat; add sugar and salt, stir until dissolved. Stir in half and half, vanilla extract and whipping cream. Cover and refrigerate.

I use a rival electric ice cream maker so pour into the container to the fill-line, insert the paddle and top with the lid.  I like to put the canister in the bucket and start the motor so I can make sure it is running free and clear before adding the ice.  Add about 3 inches of ice in the bucket around the can then 1/4 cup of rock salt.  Continue the layers until full and keep the ice filled throughout the process.  Once the ice cream maker stops pull out the paddle and get a big spoon.  Dip the spoon into the ice cream and eat a huge bite before freezing the rest.  It will be soft at first but will harden up nicely when frozen.

Gather family around with bowls of crunched up oreos, m&ms, sprinkles, and different kinds of syrups.  Have fun!

Magic Milk Shakes

Here is a great recipe for milk shakes if you don’t have any ice cream in the house and let me tell you, they are great. The site is fantastic so I’m just going to supply the link to the milk shake recipe and let you browse from there. Enjoy! http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/magicmilkshakes.htm

Molasses Cookies

Oh my, I just made these divine cookies, I found the recipe over at http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/10881

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325°F. and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter, shortening, and 3 cups sugar until light and fluffy and beat in molasses. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture and combine well.

In a small shallow bowl put remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Form dough into 2-inch balls and roll in sugar. On baking sheets arrange balls about 4 inches apart and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake cookies in batches in middle of the oven 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. (Cookies should be soft.) Transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool.

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

Easy Peach Cobbler

Quick and Easy Peach Cobbler

1 large can peaches in syrup or 8 small fresh if in season, drained (or fresh peaches, sliced)
1 cup sugar (less sugar if desired)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter

Pour peaches (undrained) in 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.

In seperate bowl combine sugar, flour, milk, baking powder, and melted butter..mix well and pour over your peaches. Dust top with cinnanon.

Bake 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

**Skip the baking powder if using self-rising flour**

This is a great recipe that is also quick and easy.  I’ve made it twice now because our peaches are falling off the tree and I haven’t been in the mood to make jam yet.  Enjoy!

Frozen Hot Chocolate

As you can probably tell, I am not into desserts much but who can resist and quick and easy way to handle the chocolate craving?

Frozen Hot Chocolate
from:  Melanie
1/2 c. powdered hot chocolate
1 cup milk
ice (half-blender full)

combine and blend.

How easy is that? Ever since I read this recipe I’ve cleaned out all the hot chocolate packets and a half-empty can I had up in the cupboard. Next I am going to try this with a mocha mix I got from Flylady.

Peanut Butter Dessert Bars

1 c. sugar
1-1/2 c. peanut butter
1 c. light corn syrup
4-5 c. cereal (Special K, rice krispies, corn flakes…)
1-1/2 c. chocolate chips
1-1/2 c. butterscotch chips

Boil sugar & corn syrup. Remove from heat then add peanut butter then cereal. Press in pan. Cool. Pour melted chips over bars.

Raspberry Surprise Crunch

2 c. crushed pretzels – rolled out
3 T sugar
1/2 c. butter

Mix pretzels, sugar, and butter.  Press into 9×13 pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

1 6 oz. raspberry jello
1 10 oz. frozen raspberries
3 c. boiling water

Dissolve jello, add raspberries, let set until syrup stage.

1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple – drained
1 12 oz. cool whip

Beat cream cheese and sugar.  Fold in topping and pineapple.  Spread on cooled crust.  Pour jello on top.

Refrigerate until set up.

**This is such a yummy summery dessert, light and fruity, and sure to impress with the layers.  The pretzels offer a little salty flavor and the berries are just plain yummy.  You could also do this dessert with strawberries and strawberry jello or any other fruity combo.  I would love to know what other combos you come up with!