Strawberry Cake

After Ethan requested a Peanut Butter Cake, Cole requested a Strawberry cake.  This is the recipe we used for the Strawberry cake.  It also was simple and tasty.

Best Ever Strawberry Cake

Printed from Cooks.com

1 box white cake mix

3 TB. plain flour

1 (3 oz) box strawberry jello

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup oil  (I actually only used 1/2 cup oil & it was fine)

1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and chopped up

4 eggs

Combine cake mix, flour, Jello and water.  Add oil and eggs, one at a time, beating well between.  Add strawberries.  Beat 2 minutes.  Pour batter into well greased and floured 9×13 pan.  Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes.

FROSTING (adapted from Paula Deen's Recipe)

1 stick butter, softened

1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 10 oz. package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

Mix all together and then add 7 cups powdered sugar.

Top with fresh cut strawberry's and chill in refrigerator until time to serve.

Peanut Butter Cake

Ethan requested a Peanut Butter Cake for dinner the other night.  This recipe is very simple and tasty.

Mix the following in a pan and bring to boil:
1/4 cup cream peanut butter
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter

Shift the following and add to the above mixture:
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix and add to the above mixture:
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir weel and pour into greased cookie sheet (jellyroll pan).  Bake for 15 minutes at 375.

FROSTING:
Mix in pan and bring to a boil:
3/4 cup butter
6 T. buttermilk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Take off the stove and add 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 T. vanilla.
Pour over warm cake and serve!

Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake

Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix 
Ingredients called for on cake mix (eggs, oil and water) 
2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant Vanilla or French Vanilla pudding 
4 cups milk 
1 container chocolate frosting (or your favorite homemade chocolate frosting)

Directions:

Make cake mix according to directions and bake in a well-greased 9x13 pan. 
When cake is finished baking and is still warm, poke holes all over cake using a wooden spoon handle or other similar size object (you want those holes fairly big so the pudding has room to get in there and you need to poke straight through to the bottom of the cake).
In a medium bowl, add milk to pudding mixture and continue to whisk until most of the lumps are removed. Pour pudding on top of warm cake, making sure to pour straight into the holes in the cake.
Take a spoon and spread it evenly across the top of the cake (very gently press down pudding to ensure that pudding goes into the holes and spread it all the way to the sides).
Put cake in fridge and allow to cool completely before adding the frosting (about 2 hours). 
Remove the lid and foil covering from the tub of chocolate frosting and microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Stir frosting with a spoon- it should still be thick, but pourable. Pour chocolate frosting on top of pudding.
Spread frosting to evenly cover cake. Start in the middle and gently spread to the sides. Allow to cool on the counter for a few minutes, then put into the fridge to fully cool and set up.

Recipe courtesy sixsistersstuff.com

Peanut butter Fingers

1 cup butter

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups oatmeal

Cream butters, sugars and peanut butter together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt, soda and oatmeal. Press into lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 15-18 minutes until light brown. Be careful not to overbake. Spread with a thin layer of Peanut butter while still warm. When cool frost with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate frosting:

2 3/4 cup powder sugar

6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

6 Tbsp butter

5 Tbsp evaporate milk

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter until smooth. Add powder sugar and cocoa powder alternating with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffly. Add more milk or powder sugar until reach desired consistency.

Lemon Bars

I needed something sweet to take to a potluck the other day and I had about 0.2 % of normal baking ingredients on hand.  However, with a quick run to my little neighborhood market I was able to pick up some lemons and whip these up.  Be warned that my cooking times were almost twice as long, but that could certainly be because I have a tiny european oven that runs on moroccan electricity.  Nonetheless - they were delicious and tart.

(Courtesy of Miss Ina Garten from the Food Network)

Ingredients


For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons) ( I reduced this by about 1/3 because my first batch was too tart)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used 3/4 cup because of the tartness issue again)
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Soft Yummy Caramel Corn

I made this the other night for a Girls Night and it so quick and easy.  There are lots of caramel corn recipes, but this is the soft, gooey, sticky kind that we really like.

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup karo syrup
1 cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together, except for the vanilla.  Cook until soft ball stage or around 220 degrees.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Pour over three bags of popped microwave popcorn.  I always try to go through the popcorn and remove all the seeds that didn't pop because no one likes chomping down on a hard seed.  This recipe really is so easy and I usually have all these ingredients on hand.

I also used this same recipe for Caramel Apples last night, but just cooked the caramel until it was around 245, medium almost hard ball stage, so the caramel was more firm.  Then we rolled the apples in crushed candy bars and drizzled with chocolate (I took the picture before the chocolate drizzles while they were cooling).

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

I was craving a Key Lime pie the other night.  This recipe is so simple and you can't really go wrong with it.  I whipped this together in under 20 minutes and then refrigerated for a few hours.


1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 package of crackers)

1/3 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 (14 ounce) cans of sweetened condensed milk

1 cup key lime juice or regular lime juice

2 eggs

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into a pie pan and bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes. Then let cool. Mix together the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice and eggs. Then fill the pie shell. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes. Once cooled refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Top with whip cream.     

Fruit Pizza

I really thought I already posted this recipe, but when I looked this morning I couldn't find it.  I make this recipe a lot also.  It is a crowd pleaser and always impresses people when I bring it to dinner.  The great part is that it is really simple and you can't really screw it up :)  I bake it in my tart pan and it turns out looking really nice.  I've actually had people ask me where I bought the dessert and when I tell them I made it they are shocked.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in egg. combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased pizza pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust.
5. Arrange desired fruit on top of filling, and chill.

recipe courtesy of www.allrecipes.com

Pavlova

I've wanted to make this recipe for a long time just because I think it sounds cool to say "I had Pavlova for dessert tonight." Apparently it is some type of New Zealand recipe named after a famous ballerina.  So tonight I made it.  This dessert is really so simple and easy.  While the kids loved the dessert, it probably wasn't my most favorite dessert dish, but really good and definetly worth making at least once in your life.  The original recipe I got from allrecipes.com, but I made a few changes after reading several other Pavlova recipes.

4 egg whites

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 pint fresh strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Draw a 9 inch circle on the parchment. An easy way to do this is to draw around the outside of a 9 inch pan with a pencil.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar gradually, while continuing to whip. Make sure sugar is completely dissolved. Mix together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cornstarch; lightly fold into meringue with white vinegar and vanilla.
3. Spread a layer of meringue to fit circle on parchment, approximately 1/4 inch thick. With remainder of mixture, pipe or spoon swirls around the edges to form a shallow bowl shape.
4. Bake at 250 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 1 hour. Turn off oven, but leave meringue in oven for an additional 30 minutes. When cool, the meringue should be hard on the outside, and slightly moist on the inside.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cream and half a cup of confectioners sugar, and whip until thickened. Decorate with fruit of your choice; strawberries are excellent.

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

This is so simple and DELICIOUS!! Really, go make it right now.  I got this recipe off the Design Mom blog, but she found it at 101 Cookbooks.com.

3 cups greek yogurt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla (if using).  Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Refrigerate 1hour.  Freeze in ice cream maker according to the manufacture's instructions.  I like to serve this frozen yogurt with lots of fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or any kind of fruit that you like :)

* the vanilla is optional.  It makes the frozen yogurt really sweet.  Some of the recipe suggestions were to leave out the vanilla and only add 2/3 cup sugar.  So, decide how sweet you like your ice cream and then adjust accordingly.

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

For some reason I've been making a lot of homemade ice cream lately.  This recipe is delicious and so simple.

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup Key Lime juice (you can use fresh key limes, or I just used Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice in a bottle)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 prepared graham cracker crust

Combine first four ingredients.  Pour into freezer can of an ice-cream freezer and freeze according to manufacture's instructions.  When done stir in graham cracker crumbs from pie crust, reserving some crumbs to garnish.  Put ice cream into a freezer-safe container, cover and freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm.  Serve sprinkling each serving with graham crackers (also can garnish with lime wedge).

Berry Sorbet

Ingredients

• 1 cup SPLENDA® Granular (I used regular sugar)
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen blackberries, thawed
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Directions

1. In a large measuring cup, dissolve Splenda in water.
2. In a food processor or blender, puree berries until smooth, adding sweetened water gradually. Pour in cream, and pulse until blended.
3. Pour mixture into ice cream machine and let freeze until mixture is very thick. Eat some right away! Then freeze the rest.

Recipe courtesy of www.allrecipes.com

Raspberry Sour Cream Pie

We have an abundance of raspberries right now and I wanted to make something other than plain raspberry pie.  I found this recipe at www.allrecipes.com, and it turned out really nice.  I think you could substitute any kind of fruit (peaches, like peaches and cream, would be great also).

• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups raspberries
•  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I left out the walnuts because my family doesn't care for nuts)
• 1/4 cup butter, chilled

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and lemon colored. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, flour and salt together. Stir into egg mixture. Gently fold in raspberries. Divide into 2 unbaked pie crusts.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center begins to set. Sprinkle with topping and return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until topping is golden brown. Allow to cool before serving.
4. To make the topping: In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour and chopped nuts. Cut in butter until crumbly.

This is so yummy!!!

Kneaders Rasberry Bread PuddingCream mix:1 1/2 loaves aged, white bread1 qt. heavy cream3 C. sugar1 egg1 tsp. vanillaFruit Filling:5 C. frozen raspberries1 C. sugar1/2 C. apple juiceVanilla Sauce:1 1/3 C. butter5 Tbs. flour3 C. heavy cream2 tsp. vanilla1/3 C. sugarDirections:In large bowl combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Cut bread into 1 1/2" cubes and add to cream mixture, coating bread well. Let stand 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes to allow cream to absorb completely. For fruit filling, combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Layer a 9x13 dark baking dish 3/4 full with bread mixture, pour fruit filling over bread mixture, spreading evenly, top with remaining bread. Bake 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm. Top with vanilla sauce. For vanilla sauce, over medium heat, melt butter, and add flour. Stir 10 minutes until it has a nutty aroma; do not brown. Add salt, cream and sugar and boil til mixture is thick. Remover from heat, adding vanilla. Serve this wonderful sauce cold.

Jam's Pumpkin Bars

I call this Jam's Pumpkin Bars because my sister Jamie gave me the recipe and she likes to make these.  They are delicious, especially during this time of year.

1 (15 oz). can Pumpkin Puree

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup oil

4 eggs

Mix all wet ingredients together.

Then add...

2 cups flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 bag of chocolate chips (in my mind this is mandatory, but I guess you could leave it out)

Mix all together and spread on jelly roll (11x17) pan that is NOT greased, although I did line mine with wax paper (just a habit that I often do when making brownies or bars, it helps them come out of the pan easier).  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Cover with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 cup (1/2 cube) butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. milk

4 cups powdered sugar

Spread on bars when completely cool!

Can't Leave Alone Bars

These are very similar to the Revel Bars Jenn posted. The main difference is that this recipe uses a boxed cake mix for the crust. They are really good and the chocolate is so gooey.

Ingredients:
1 package (18-1/4 oz. size) white cake mix (use chocolate if you're a chocoholic)
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 can (14-oz. size) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 T. cup butter, cubed
1 t. vanilla

In a bowl, combine the dry cake mix, eggs and oil. With floured hands, press 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set remaining cake mixture aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, chocolate chips and butter.

Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 45 seconds; stir. Microwave 45-60 seconds longer or until chips and butter are melted; stir until smooth. Add vanilla. Pour over crust.

Crumble remaining cake mixture over top. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before cutting.

Cake Balls

Easiest thing to make and they are really, really good. These would be especially good for Christmas treats. I found the recipe and picture at allrecipes.com. I've made them with cake and frosting from scratch and from the packaged stuff. We really like chocolate cake mixed with chocolate frosting dipped in white chocolate.

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting
1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate flavored confectioners coating (I used much more than this, and I used the chocolate bark)

DIRECTIONS
Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended. Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.

No Bake Double Good Dessert

I'm pretty sure this is the recipe that a friend brought over for lunch today. It's really, really good. I enjoyed the peanut butter, I even think that doing it mint flavor (replacing the peanut butter with cream cheese, adding mint extract and a few drops of green food coloring) instead of peanut butter would be good too. If it's not the recipe my friend used, I'll post the real recipe when I find it.

20 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Press crushed cookies into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan, reserving a few for decoration. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Stir in the peanut butter until well blended, then fold in the whipped topping. Spread over the crushed cookie base, sprinkle the remaining cookie chunks on top, and freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Thaw 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving. From allrecipes.com

Better Than Sex Cake

For a dessert to earn that name, it's got to be made of chocolate, but this was pretty good. My husband sure enjoyed it. I combined two recipes from allrecipes.com to get this version.

1 (18.25) lemon cake mix
1 can Mountain Dew
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
3/4 c. sugar
2 pkgs. vanilla pudding (would probably be good with white chocolate or lemon pudding too)
3 c. milk
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Prepare cake in 13x9 in pan replacing the water with Mountain Dew.

While the cake is baking, combine pineapple with juice and 3/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes until thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally. Pierce top of hot cake with fork at 1 inch intervals. Pour pineapple mixture over cake. Cool completely.

Beat pudding mix with milk until smooth. Spread pudding over cooled cake.
Whip cream until slightly thickened. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla, and whip until soft peaks form. Spread over top of cake. Chill cake for 24 hours. Sprinkle with coconut and pecans just before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

To toast coconut, place coconut on a cookie sheet at bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Repeat with pecans, if desired.

Wendy's Frosty

This is a copycat recipe that I found on another food blog. This really tastes just like the frosty's at Wendy's. The texture is just a little different, but oh so close-it is totally worth (and not too bad for you either). This recipe is one large serving, so double or triple it.

1 cup skim milk (I used 2% because it is what I had)
3 T. sugar free/fat free instant chocolate dry pudding mix
2 heaping Tablespoons cool whip
8 or or ice cubes.

Put all in the mixer and then blend away!