Striped Delight

This is another all time favorite in our house!  I got this recipe from my mother as this is something she always made around Thanksgiving and Christmas and everyone loved it.  We were able to spend Thanksgiving with our friends this year and only needed to bring a dessert, and one that wasn't a pie as they already had those taken care of.  I chose this dessert because it is so easy and fast to make.  I think everyone loved it especially the kids!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 pkg 8oz. cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
2 8oz. cool whip
2 pkg instant chocolate pudding
3 1/2 cup milk

Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 sugar and butter for crust, and press into baking dish.  Beat cream cheese, 2 Tbsp milk, and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.  Fold in on 8oz. tub of cool whip and spread over crust.  Mix milk and pudding together and pour over cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate for two hours.  Spread 8oz. cool whip over top of pudding layer and top with nuts or chocolate shavings if desired.  Serve cold.

Butterfinger Blondie Bars

Last week we celebrated Ryan's birthday here at the house, and when we do this the kids always get to pick what dessert they want.  So we looked around on Pinterest and he chose to try these Butterfinger Blondies!  Turned out that Ryan and my husband really liked them the most.  Once I got to looking at the ingredients I decided I didn't really want the butter cream icing for the topping.  I ended up using a cool whip/cream cheese type topping that I use in another dessert I make.  It tasted really good, but in my mind the two did not go together.  The topping has to be refrigerated therefore this made the Blondie part more firm than I cared for.  I think I would prefer just making the Blondie part and topping it with vanilla ice cream and butterfingers.  Even with all this being said it was yummy and probably something I'll make again!

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp course sea salt
1 11oz bag butterfingers chopped

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Spray 9x13 dish with nonstick spray.
Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.
In large bowl mix flour, baking soda, and sea salt.
With mixer on low gradually add in the dry ingredients just until combined.
Stir in the chopped butterfingers.
Spread in a 9x13 baking dish evenly.
Bake 25 minutes until center is set.
Cool completely after removing from oven.

Topping
8oz cream cheese softened
8oz cool whip
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 - 11oz bag butterfingers chopped

Combine all ingredients and mix until well blended. 
Spread evenly over top of cooled blondies.
Sprinkle chopped butterfingers on top and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350°
Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.
On low add your dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) until just combined.
Stir in your chopped Butterfinger.
Spread in a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until center is JUST set.
Remove from oven and cool completely.
Read more at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/08/butterfinger-blondies.html#Gex9z5cLcu6vRulv.99

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt (or regular salt)
2 cups coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 16 “Fun Size” bars)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°
Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.
On low add your dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) until just combined.
Stir in your chopped Butterfinger.
Spread in a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until center is JUST set.
Remove from oven and cool completely.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)
Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Read more at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/08/butterfinger-blondies.html#Gex9z5cLcu6vRulv.99

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt (or regular salt)
2 cups coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 16 “Fun Size” bars)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°
Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.
On low add your dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) until just combined.
Stir in your chopped Butterfinger.
Spread in a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until center is JUST set.
Remove from oven and cool completely.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)
Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Read more at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/08/butterfinger-blondies.html#Gex9z5cLcu6vRulv.99

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake

Today was one of those days where I just had to do some more baking!  The kids got out of school at noon  so I felt like I had some extra time to get a dessert whipped up without having to watch the clock.  I was looking for something that sounded easy and looked good in my pins and decided to go with a Cinnamon Roll Cake.  Of course as I'm getting all the ingredients out I'm thinking of how to add some pumpkin to this, and what I'm going to change up to try it.  In the end it all worked out and we loved it!  My husband said this is better than the Anything and Everything Pumpkin Cake and his new favorite dessert with pumpkin in it!  It's gonna be so good with my coffee in the morning!

Ingredients

CAKE:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1-2 tsp nutmeg
1-2 tsp pumpkin spice
3/4c. milk
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 can Pumpkin
3 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

TOPPING:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 9x13 baking pan with Bakers Joy
In medium bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice.  Whisk together and set aside.
In mixing bowl combine sugar and eggs and beat until smooth.
Add pumpkin to sugar mixture and beat on low until blended well.
Add milk to mixture and mix on low.
Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until all is incorporated..
Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 36-40 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

GLAZE:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Anything & Everything Pumpkin Cake

Any time I make a dessert for something or someone else besides my family they just act like it's so horrible that it's not for them and they always want some really bad.  So after making the Pumpkin Pound Cake last week for a dinner at our church I knew I would have to make something for my family over the weekend.  I had so many recipes pinned containing pumpkin I couldn't believe it.  I ended up going with this recipe from Clever Housewife and the whole family loved it!  The only thing I did different was add chocolate chips to mine and use a whole bag of Heath bits on top of cake.  I personally did not care for chocolate chips being added but my husband seemed to really like them in the cake.  Next time I make this I think I will mix some heath in the cake mix and add more heath to the top of cake.

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chocolate chips if desired
1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 – 8 oz. tub cool whip
1 bag Heath Bits
Caramel Sundae Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, spice and pumpkin puree until a smooth batter forms. Pour batter into a greased 9×13 baking dish, and bake according to the directions on the cake mix box (approx 23-28 mins).
-Remove cake from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes after baking.
-Using the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
-Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake. This should fill in the holes and soak into the cake.
-Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
-Remove cake from refrigerator and spread cool whip over top of cake. Sprinkle on the heath bits, and -drizzle caramel over top. (I didn’t think the cake needed a lot of caramel at this point so I only used about ¼ of the jar. I thinned it out first by heating it in the microwave.)
-Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight (best).

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Here lately I have pinned so many recipes that contain pumpkin.  I love fall, love baking, and love pumpkin desserts!  Our church was serving a dinner last week and I usually make some type of pound cake for these because they tend to be super easy.  Wanting to make something new I was so excited when I realized I had pinned a Pumpkin Pound Cake by Whipperberry.  I followed her recipe exactly as is and it turned out yummy!  It was moist and of course had good flavor.

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk together your sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Fold in the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into your pan and bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.  I baked 55 minutes as I am just always just over cautious of not wanting things to be dry, but this could have baked at least 3 more minutes and been just fine.

Double Ghiradelli Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this Triple Chocolate Cooke recipe at For The Love of Cooking blog about a year ago.  I fell in love with these cookies, believing they are the best chocolate cookies ever.  The recipe has been listed in my shared favorites all along, but I decided to go ahead and post it to my blog giving the link and credit to the original recipe.  I title mine as only double chocolate because I only use two kinds of chips, but everything else is the same.  Also, I truly believe it makes a difference using the Ghiradelli chips!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies: 

• 1 cup of butter, softned
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 2 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat.

Beat together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla and one egg at a time until well beaten.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt then mix thoroughly. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and gently stir until evenly mixed. Drop a heaping spoonful of the cookie dough on the baking sheet, two inches apart.

 

Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, it will depend on how big you make them. Cool on baking trays before moving to a rack to finish cooling. Enjoy.

I also bake these for Christmas goodies to give away as gifts!

Pumpkin Bread

I am finally getting around to posting my Pumpkin Bread recipe I make every year around Christmas time.  I usually bake some goods for my kids teachers and let the kids pick out an ornament as Christmas gifts.  Many times the teachers have asked for this recipe and I never seem to make the time to get it to them.  This year I made labels for my blog website and put on the goody bags.

About 11 years ago I worked at The First Baptist Church child program in Jasper, TX, and one of the child's mother made this bread and attached the recipe with it as a Christmas gift.  I have come to realize that Pumpkin Bread is my favorite, and this one is always moist being a big plus for me.  This is the only recipe I've ever tried and there is no reason to try another!

I use the 9x5 loaf pans, & bake 45min to hour, or mini loaf pans for gifts.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Last night I had a want to bake moment again!  I have so many things in my favorites on foodgawker that it's hard not to bake when I have a few minutes.  These bars were something I knew I had all the ingredients on hand to make and I did.  They were super easy to make, and so amazingly good!  My husband has a huge love for peanut butter and chocolate together.  Me on the other hand thinks those two ingredients are very rich together and can only eat a little of any dessert containing these two things.  I will say I love the taste though.  Peanut butter and chocolate just seem to melt in your mouth!  You can find the original recipe here at the pinch of yum blog.

Prep time:  20 mins, Cook time:  40 mins, Total time:  1 hour, Serves: 20 (I got 9 bars)

• 1 stick butter, unsalted (1/2 cup), softened
• ½ cup white sugar
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt (less if you don’t like salty/sweet)
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven 325 degrees

Make the cookie dough by creaming the butter, sugars, and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture in with the butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.

Make the cheesecake filling: Cream the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Press half to two-thirds of the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour the cheesecake filling over the dough. Crumble the remaining dough and sprinkle over the top, OR roll it into a flat layer and place it over the cheesecake layer.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and bake for another 15-25 minutes, or until tops is lightly browned and cheesecake layer is set. Serve warm or cold and store leftover bars in refrigerator.

Christmas M&M Cookies

I actually had a little bit of spare time today, and what did I find myself wanting to do?  There is just that love for cooking that has me wanting to bake!   Just some cookies I saw on foodgawker and knew the kids would love them.  So it was time time to whip them up on a whim, and they were easy, fast, and yummy!

Christmas M&M Cookies
Yields about 1 1/2 dozen

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup salted butter, chilled and diced into cubes (about 1/2-inch)
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2  large egg
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 (11 oz) bag M&M's


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, blend together butter and sugar on low speed until it starts to come together then increase mixer to medium speed and whip until creamy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Mix in egg and egg yolk. Stir in vanilla.  With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combine (batter will be thick due to the chilled butter). Mix in M&M's (I set aside about 1/4 cup of the M&M's to lightly press into the tops of cookies before baking so they show through more, totally optional). 

Scoop dough out 2 Tbsp at a time and shape into a ball, place on nonstick cookie sheet  - fitting 8 per sheet.  Bake in preheated oven 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. 

Coconut Pie

This has been an all time favorite of mine since I was a little girl!  I always loved my moms' coconut pie and now I have her recipe.  I've made it about 3 times since I've been married and it still never seems to turn out like my moms, but it's still good!

Ingredients for filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 Tbsp flour
• 3 eggs (yolks separated)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup coconut

Meringue Topping:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tarter 

Separate egg whites.  Place yolks in pot you'll be cooking them in, and beat them up really good.  Then add 1/4 cup milk, mixing well.  In a separate bowl combine sugar and flour.  Add this a little at a time to yolk mixture until all mixed up smoothly, not clumpy.  Next pour in rest of milk, and add vanilla.  It will be runny at this point.  Cook on 4/5, or medium low heat, stirring constantly, about 15-20 minutes, until the filling thickens up.  Remove from heat, add coconut and pour into pie crust.

For the meringue, beat egg whites until they are peaky.  Add sugar, and cream of tarter.  Beat until meringue thickens up, taking about 5-10 minutes.  Once thick and peaks will stay up, add to top of pie and spread all the way to edge of pie crust.  It tends to separate at edge after setting so be sure and get a good spread to the edge.  Sprinkle top with coconut.

Bake @ 350 degrees until top is lightly brown.  About 10-15 minutes. 

 

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

This is the second time I've ever made these and they have been a hit both times.  The recipe comes from the 2011 Taste of Homes Annual Recipe book.  These cook books are my favorite! 

Ingredients 
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 cups crisp rice cereal
4 cups Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp shortening divided
1/2 cup vanilla or white chips (Ghirardelli brand)

Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter and butter until blended 
Slowly add the powdered sugar until all is combined
Stir in cereal
Shape into 1-inch balls or whatever size you prefer
Refrigerate until chilled

In microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and 1/4 shortening.  Microwave on high until the chips are melted, about 3 minutes, and stir until smooth.  Dip balls into chocolate and place on a pan lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate until chilled.

In small microwave safe bowl, combine vanilla chips and remaining shortening.  Microwave at 70% power until melted, about 2 minutes, stir until smooth.  Drizzle white chocolate over balls and refrigerate until set. 
Tip:  I used my Wilton Decorator Plus to make drizzle over peanut butter balls

Oreo Pudding

This is really dirt pudding, but I never make it to look like dirt so we can just say it's Oreo Pudding.

Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 stick butter at room temperature
1 cup powder sugar
1 pkg sm box instant vanilla pudding
1 pkg sm box instant french vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cup milk
2 pkg oreos
12 oz or larger cool whip

Preperation
In gallon zip lock bag crush 1 pkg oreos.
In mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until completely combined.
In separate bowl mix pudding and milk.
Add pudding to butter mixture and blend together.
Stir in cool whip and then add the crushed oreos. 
Line glass bowl with whole oreos in different layers around the edge, adding pudding after each layer.  Stick remaining oreos on top of pudding.
Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Layering oreos around edge

Here is a photo of this pudding I made for my daughters birthday!  This is what she wanted for her party and the colors made it fun. 

Triple Chocolate Cake

This is a moist chocolate cake that my whole family loves!  I got the idea from a cake my husbands mother makes, with her using a yellow cake mix.  Well one time I wanted to make her cake and I only had a chocolate cake mix, so it was fixed up on a whim and we loved all the chocolate in it.  Then I started using Ghirardelli chips in all my baking and it really is so much better with these.

Ingredients
1 devils or fudge chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup water
1 small box instant fudge pudding
1 bag Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

Preparation
Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Spray bundt pan with bakers joy, or nonstick spray.
Combine all ingredients (excluding chocolate chips) in large mixing bowl.  Beat on low for 30 seconds.  Turn mixer to high and beat 2 minutes or until completely combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into bundt pan, bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick insert comes out clean.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

1 box Devils Cake Mix	1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 stick softened butter	1 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 eggs	desired amount frozen Reeses, chopped
3/4 cup Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chips

 

Preparation

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Line 13x9 baking dish with foil and spray generously with nonstick spray.
In bowl mix cake, butter, & eggs until combined well and a dough forms. Spoon dough into baking dish. With clean hands press and spread evenly into baking dish. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. In small bowl mix peanut butter and sweetened condensed, then spoon as evenly as possible over cake. Use spoon to spread somewhat evenly. In bowl, use fork to chop Reeses, and sprinkle over top.
Bake 27-31 minutes until set. Let cool completely to assure it is totally set.

Chocolate Cupcakes

 

Ingredients

2 cups sugar	1/2 cup canola oil
1 3/4 cups All purpose flour	2 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 cups Hersheys Unsweet Cocoa	1 cup Brewed Starbucks Dark Espresso Coffee
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder	2 sticks salted butter room temperature
1 1/2 tsp Baking soda	7 cups Confectioners Sugar
1 tsp salt	1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs	2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup milk

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine first 6 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Stir in the hot coffee and mix well with a spoon (batter will be thin).
Pour 1/4 cup batter into each cupcake paper.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

*Icing
In bowl combine butter, 4 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for about 2 minutes after each addition, until icing reaches desired consistency; you may not need to add all the sugar.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.