Best chocolate cake I've ever made.

I'm not a huge fan of cake, but this was definitely one of the best cakes I've eaten. It probably helped there were 2 toppings on it.


Kate's Chocolate Cake from Allrecipes.com

• 1 (18.25 ounce) packagedevil's food cake mix
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 cup Melt® Organic Buttery Spread, melted

• 5 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in sour cream, melted Melt®, eggs and almond extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Satiny Chocolate Glaze

3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

3 T. butter

1 T. light corn syrup

1/4 t. vanilla

In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.


 Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Nesquik Chocolate Whip Topping

1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 t. vanilla
1 T. confectioners' sugar
3 T. powdered Nesquik

Combine ingredients and beat until peaks form.

Game Day Eats

 Date night included BYU football and these yummy treats last Friday. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip, and Honey Glazed Hot Wings. What girl wouldn't want to cuddle with their hubby and watch sweaty guys pummel each other while these treats were nearby??? There was pizza too, but you've already got my pizza dough recipe... The dip would also make a perfect girls night snack, don't you think? The wings were still spicy, but there was just enough sweetness to keep me going back for more. Enjoy!

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

Recipe from here

1/2 c butter

1/3 c brown sugar

1-8oz block of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips, roughly chopped

Melt butter in a medium saucepan, add brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil and let bubble for a minute or two. Let mixture cool, or it will melt your chocolate chips.

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with a mixer for 1 minute until smooth. If your cream cheese is too warm, you will have lumps. Add in vanilla. Then, on low speed, add in the butter and brown sugar mixture until combined. Add in most of chocolate and let the mixer break them up. Pour into a bowl and top with more chocolate. Dip with pretzels, green apples, animal crackers, bananas, sugar cookies, a spoon, your finger...

Now for the wings. Jacob usually handles the wings, but this was my first time and I must say, not bad for a girl...

Honey Glazed Hot Wings
Recipe inspired by allrecipes

2lbs chicken wings
salt and pepper to taste
1 c honey
1/2 c butter, melted
1/2 c hot sauce

Preheat outdoor grill to medium heat, lightly brush oil on grates with a paper towel and tongs.

Rinse the wings and dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Spread out on grill and cook for about 20 minutes, until juices run clear. Periodically brush 1/2 cup of honey on wings while they cook.

Meanwhile melt butter in a large bowl and mix with hot sauce and remaining 1/2 cup of honey.

When wings are done dump in the sauce and serve with delicious blue cheese. I don't ususally like store bought blue cheese dressing since I always grew up with home made but, I was super impressed with Marzetti's Simply Dressed All Natural Blue Cheese dressing. You can find it with the refrigerated dressings by the produce. Delicious. Go on make your hubby's night.

Pumpkin Blondies

I love baking in the fall! My absolute favorite spice is nutmeg. I actually named my dog Nutmeg when I was a kid. Poor Nutmeg, she was a bad, bad dog. My brothers wanted a dog so bad and they were determined to take care of her, crazies and all. She would drag them up and down the streets Literally, Cody and Dylan were riding on their tummies as she ran. She never stopped barking, and she clamored every single visitor that came into the backyard to the ground. She got sent to live in Idaho on my Aunt and Uncles' farm. Anyway, I still love nutmeg (the spice). Normally I make a huge batch of pumpkin chocolate chips at the first sign of fall. This year I decided to try something different. Pumpkin Blondies. They will definitely be reappearing next year. They will not, not, not be made again this year however, since I could not keep my hands off of them. So mix it up a little. Make these for a change, they're good. I promise. :)

PUMPKIN BLONDIES

Slightly adapted from Sugarcrafter

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp nutmeg

¾ tsp cloves

1 ½ sticks of butter

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups pumpkin

1 cup white chocolate chips

½ cup coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 9″ baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, and then mix in the pumpkin.

Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until well-combined. Stir in the chips and coconut using a spoon.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out (mostly) clean.

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely before cutting. (Makes flavors more robust)

*photo from sugarcrafter. I didn't get any pics before the missionaries dug in.

Better than U No What Apple Dumplings ;)

Okay, you gotta try these! Jacob and I made them for Dad's birthday. They are what I call, totally a cheater dessert, but that makes them even better! Seriously I couldn't stop thinking about them for days. And the smell while they're in the oven is almost better than eating them. Dad said they were as good as he remembers his Mom making them :) I meant to get a picture of the 9x13 that we completely finished in less than 12 hours. Yeah. Do you believe me yet? Are you writing down the ingredients on your shopping list?...

Apple Dumplings
Recipe and photo from pioneerwoman.com
For in detail instructions click on the link.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Granny Smith Apples
• 2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• Cinnamon, To Taste
• 1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda

Preparation Instructions

Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.

Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

WARNING: Prepare this dish at your own risk. It is beyond imaginable.

Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies

These are the best homemade brownies I have yet to make. This could possibly have something to do with my intense craving for, well food, since I've been nursing Elijah.

Luci loves anything with chocolate. She was helping me and I turned away for a minute to look at the recipe, and there she was slathered in chocolate goo.

Deep, Dark Chocolate Brownies

Recipe adapted from melskitchencafe.blogspot.com

2 sticks (8 oz) butter
10 oz good-quality semisweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips *optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch metal pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray. Alternatively, you may use parchment. These are pretty sticky at first!

Melt butter and chocolate in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Add 1 cup of the sugar to the hot chocolate mixture. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Whisk in remaining 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until mixture is glossy and smooth. Whisk in salt and cocoa powder, then add flour and stir until it disappears (do not overbeat). Stir in chocoate chips.

Spread in pan and bake until a pick inserted in center comes out with crumbs, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature then chill for an hour or more. Lift from pan, place on a cutting board, cut into squares.

Makes 1 13×9 inch pan (yield depends on how big you cut your brownies, but they are rich, so small is fine.

Sad Days

It's a sad day around my house when I can't use my oven. It's been broken for over a month now. It's especially sad since it's Christmas time, and what better time is there to bake than now? So, I've been adding to my no-bake dinners and desserts recipes. We have had a lot of soup! Which we love. I also made this yummy cheesecake the other day. And here's a fun recipe for homemade Almond Joys. My friend has a great tradition of getting friends together and dipping chocolates together. Each person brings a few different centers to dip and then you walk away with tons of chocolate to share...or eat :) I guess some of you might remember my huge tray of chocolates from last year??

grandma's lemon cheesecake
(just_cook_already.blogspot.com)

ingredients

2 packages of Graham crackers
1 stick butter, melted (reserve a little bit for the end)
2 small lemon jello packages
2 cups boiling water
1 can chilled carnation milk
12 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. sugar
1 crushed pineapple (undrained)

directions

mix 2 packages of graham crackers with 1 stick of melted butter. line a 9 x 13 dish, reserving some of the mixture to sprinkle on top later. mix 2 small lemon jello packages in 2 cups boiling hot water. put in refrigerator until soft set. beat 1 can chilled carnation milk. add 12 oz cream cheese (you might have to buy 1 large brick and 1 small one), 2 tbsp. of sugar. add jello and 1 can crushed pineapple (undrained). pour mixture over crust and sprinkle some leftover crust mixture over the top. chill, and serve.

Almond Joys

6 T. butter; melted

1/3 c. light corn syrup

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. salt

2- 3 cups of powdered sugar (add enough to make dough easy to work with, but not stiff)

3 1/4 c. sweetened coconut

Almonds; if desired

 In large bowl, stir together butter, corn syrup, vanilla and salt.

Gradually add powdered sugar and coconut, beating until blended.  

Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon additional powdered sugar on flat surface.

Spoon coconut mixture onto prepared surface; knead about 5 minutes.

Using 1-1/2 teaspoons mixture for each candy, shape into egg shape.

Place on foil or wax paper-covered tray.  

Place 1 almond on each ball if desired.

Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before dipping.  

Yields 40

Festive popcorn

I call this "festive" popcorn because you can make it any color you want to fit any holiday. I made it orange today for Ella's class snack and added candy corn since Halloween is next week. I also like it because it's not sticky! Apparently the kids liked it because the container came home empty. Her teacher also loved it and asked for the recipe. She was surprised to learn there is jell-o in it. So here's the link or just take a look at the copied recipe below:

http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/04/10/green-pea-hummus-and-pink-popcorn/

Pink Popcorn

You can use any red Jell-O powder for this; I tried cherry and raspberry and liked raspberry better, although cherry was a paler pink.

Lots of popped popcorn – a big bowl (around 15 cups or so)
2 cups sugar
1/2 small box red Jell-O gelatin powder
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Put the popped popcorn in a large bowl, carefully picking out any unpopped kernels. (I do this by popping into one bowl, then lightly scooping out the popcorn with my hands into another, leaving the unpopped kernels in the bottom.) Preheat the oven to 250F. Line one or two rimmed baking sheets with foil.

In a medium saucepan (with room for the mixture to at least double in size), bring the sugar, Jell-O, water and butter to a boil. Once fully boiling cook for 4 minutes without stirring, swirling the bowl occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and soda. Pour over the popcorn and toss with tongs to coat completely. Spread out onto the baking sheets and bake, stirring once or twice, for an hour. Set aside to cool.

Have Fun with it!

Jody