Made the pumpkin bars last night that I posted yesterday. Just had one and they are really good. The flavor of the cake mix crust is so buttery and the pumpkin filling almost tastes like a pumpkin cheesecake. Topped with whipped cream, I think we have a winner folks….
Author: Chocolate Castles
Welcome to Chocolate Castles, a blog about food, family and stories that hopefully will bring a smile to your heart.
Thanks for reading chocolate castles and may the recipes and stories help bring your family and friends a little closer around the table!
Remember that Princess On The Porch is still available on Amazon! Makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys being in the kitchen and needs a little laughter in their lives.
Cranberry Congealed Salad
We cannot have Thanksgiving without a cranberry salad. This recipe, taken from Paula Deen Magazine steps it up a notch. You could even use if for dessert if you wanted. It is delicious. Such a gorgeous red color that is such a complimentary side to the turkey.
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 ( 8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (3 oz) packages orange gelatin (this gives you that great orange-cranberry flavor combination)
2 cups boiling water
2 (14 oz) cans whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 cup cold water
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13×9″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray
In a medium bowl, combine flour, pecans and brown sugar. Add melted butter, stirring to combine. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan; bake for 12-15 min or until light golden brown. Let cool completely.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Add Cool Whip and beat until blended well. Spread mixture over cooled crust; cover and chill for at least 4 hours. or refrigerate for up to 2 days (this would be great to make ahead so you have your salad already made and could concentrate on the turkey).
In a large bowl, stir together gelatin and 2 cups boiling water. Add cranberry sauce, stirring until combined. Stir in 2 cup cold water. Slowly pour gelatin mixture over chilled cream cheese layer. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Cut into squares and serve. Garnish with whipped topping and a fresh cranberry and mint leaf.
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
Another super easy, yet so yummy pumpkin dessert. Brought to you by Jell-O! J E L L-O
Preheat oven to 350.
1 pkg (2 layer size) Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
4 eggs, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 ( 8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 pkg (3/4 oz) pumpkin spice flavor instant pudding (if you can’t find the pumpkin spice, use French vanilla
1/3 cup cold milk
1/2 teas cinnamon
1 envelop Dream Whip Whipped Topping Mix
Line a 13×9″ pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Blend cake mix, 1 egg and butter; press onto bottom of pan.
Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining eggs, pumpkin and dry pudding mix with mixer until blended. Pour onto crust.
Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer pan to cooling rack; cool completely.
Mix whipped topping with milk and beat until blended. Beat on high speed until mixture forms stiff peaks. Spread onto dessert.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I cheated and used real whipping cream. Add 1/3 cup sugar with 1/2 pt of whipping cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Nothing is better than REAL whipping cream…..so easy and makes such a difference.
Serves 18
Brussel Sprouts on a Stem
I am crossing over to the gourmet side. For the first time ever, we came home from Trader Jo’s with a 3 foot stem of brussel sprouts. I felt so proud that I am venturing out. I opened the sun roof on the car and allowed them to stick out of the opening. Randy was driving and kept asking me what in the word were we going to do with this tree trunk of baby cabbages all over it. I gave him a smug look and assured him that flying home from Phoenix on Friday, I had cut out a recipe from a book I found on the plane that required fresh brussel sprouts. We just looked so cool driving down Orange Grove Blvd with these sticking out of the roof of our car. Made me feel so organic and Martha Stewarty.
Well, I now have this 3 foot stem in my fridge and cannot find the recipe that I just knew was in my purse when I left the plane. But in the meantime, I will follow the directions that was attached to the stem. Will let you know how they turn out. If anyone has a suggestion as to how you cook them, please pass it along. Until I cook these, I have no room left in the fridge for my 5 lbs of butter, 3 lbs of cream cheese and gallon of whipping cream that is on my Monday shopping list. Maybe I haven’t crossed over all the way to the gourmet side of cooking. There is still plenty of chicken fried steak leftovers and mac and cheese sitting under the 3 ft stem.
Since we were still in doubt as to what to do with the fresh brussels srpout, we decided to just leave them in the fridge and go to Baskin Robbins for dinner tonight. We can be organic tomorrow.
OK, OK, I”ll Leave
Wanting to be sure that I get up in time to say goodbye to Eric, my SIL, before he headed to work, I come downstairs at 6:45 this morning. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, there, in all it’s glory is one of my bags packed and sitting by the door. All I could do was think, “my goodness, all you had to do was tell me that it was time for me to go home, you didn’t have to hint to me by packing my bags and having it by the front door!” I really thought we had had a good time and that I had been helpful rearranging some of their furniture and appliances in the kitchen. Or that being sure to pour in lots of bleach in the washing machine, (oops, that might have been where I went wrong, I added the bleach to the clothes, not the towels). And the tiny bleach spots on the carpet in the kitchen are JUST NOT THAT NOTICABLE! So really, to sneak in my room and pack my bags, had really hurt my feelings. All of a sudden I remembered that Jodi had the same exact bag as I and had packed up some clothes to take to her MIL in the hospital for Eric to drop off this morning. Well, what a relief to know that maybe in a year or so, they will be ready for another Nana visit. I am having to sign a covenant that says that I will never do laundry at their house again, or move appliances as Eric couldn’t find the coffee machine in the dark yesterday morning. But all in all, I think it was a great visit. Have to go, Jodi is dropping me off at the airport at 12 for a 3 o’clock flight. She says that she is not trying to get rid of me but that she wants to get through with her crying spell early before Eric gets home and sees her with red swollen eyes….I wonder? No, surely not that….
Ding Dong Delicious Chocolate Cake
For Jaden’s birthday cake, he wants an ice cream cake. He wants me to make it so have been looking for something other than just the regular one. When Jaden saw this one on my FB page, he said, “this is the one”. It consists of filling, cake layers and frosted with chocolate frosting and whipping cream. Since he wanted an ice cream cake, am adding frozen chocolate ice cream to the middle of the cake. Here we go…
Cake:
Make one Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake according to directions for two 9″ round cake pans. When cake is done, cool awhile and then slice each layer in 2 layers, giving you now 4 layers. Set aside.
Freeze about 2 cups of slightly softened chocolate ice cream (or flavor or your choice) in a 9″ round cake pan that you have placed Saran Wrap to extend over the edges. This will make it easy to pull it out after the ice cream freezes. This also ensures that it will be exactly the same size as the cake.
Filling:
1 stick softened butter, unsalted
1 8 oz softened cream cheese
1 8 oz Cool Whip
Mix until smooth. Place one cake layer on a serving platter that will fit into your freezer. Put about 1 cup of the filling and spread, just until the edge of the cake layer. Place a second cake layer on top. Using the frozen ice cream layer, place on top of cake layer. Place a third cake layer on top of ice cream. Use another 1 cup of filling. Place last cake layer on top and place in freezer for at least 1 hour.
Frosting:
This is your choice, you can either use chocolate frosting, softened ice cream or whipping cream. Cake will need to be frozen until serving time.
Granma In A Minivan
Why do I forget all the things that happen to me when I visit these little darlings? You would think that even if my memory failed me that I would learn to write a diary of my visits. But I guess it is like childbirth. When I get home, all I remember is the sweet little voices that say, “can Nana sit by me?” or “I love Nana more than anything but an Ipad”. But I seem to forget the moments that I need to go through basic training before trying to get in some of the predicaments that I seem to always get myself into. Today, we were headed to take two of the sweet darlings to Chick Fila..we get Noah strapped into his car seat, Caleb is now strapped in. Jodi turns on the ignition, gets the video’s playing to keep them quiet, (yes the benedryl has worn off from this morning already) when all of a sudden, Caleb announces that he has to go to the bathroom. Jodi ask me if I wouldn’t mind taking him so she wouldn’t have to turn the car off. Being the great Nana that I am, I tell her of course, I would be happy to do that. Well, we are off and running. We had a couple of little side trips before going to eat. We went by Eric’s work to pick him up, causing me to once again crawl over two seats, a console and crushed cheese nips on the carpet. After dropping Eric off to his destination, we proceed. I decided that it was easier just to stay in the back than try to crawl over the seats again. Before pulling into Chick Fila, Caleb announces that he just can’t hold his pee pee any longer. Jodi shows him the Chick Fila sign, signaling that we are just almost there. “Mom, would you mind going ahead and climbing up here so you can jump out to hurry Caleb into the bathroom, as that will be faster than me parking and trying to get Caleb in?” Does she not remember that I am old and the only positions I am suppose to be in are laying down or sitting in a lazy boy chair watching television? But…of course I agree, so here I go, crawling over the two seats, when I fall bottom and shoulder first into the front seat with my legs up in the air. My feet have got tangled in the wires that connect the videos to the back of Noah and Calebs seats…She is now driving and trying to untangle my feet so my head doesn’t end up in the front floorboard. We are laughing so hard that we were the ones almost peeing in our pants. But she did it, I was not untangled and hurrying Caleb into the bathroom. Well, he was running and I was walking fast…my foot was still sore from Caleb running the grocery cart over it yesterday. We are back home, all safe and sound. I think I will start to videotape my incidents here just in case before the next trip, I forget that I need to bring lots of pain medication, and of course, Depends, for all those funny moments when we aren’t close to Chick Fila.
Sizzling Cupcakes
Still in Arizona and when we get a minute to relax, after the 3 kids are given a half bottle each of Benydryl, (we just knew that they were going to get a runny nose so we were prepared, so we loaded up on it at CVS) and are sleeping ever so soundly, we turn our attention to The Voice and to leafing through magazines. This recipe caught my eye. I have been hearing all about maple and bacon flavored cupcakes, but until I saw this, never thought they sounded like something I would like. Am going to try these when I get back home.
Heat oven to 350; line 18 cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Whisk together 1 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder (Hershey’s), 2 1/4 teas baking powder and 1/4 teas salt. Beat 2 sticks softened unsalted butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl; beat in 3 eggs and 1 teas maple extract. Beat in flour mixture; alternating with 3/4 cup milk. Fold in 2/3 cup (10 slices) chopped bacon, cooked until crispy.
Divide batter among liners and bake at 350 for 21-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean.
Frosting:
Melt 1 cup milk chocolate chips in microwave and cool slightly. Beat 1 box (16 oz) powdered sugar, 2 sticks softened unsalted butter and 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Beat in 1 teas maple extract and melted chocolate chips.
Spread frosting over cupcakes. Garnish with additional chopped bacon.
Italian Hoagie on a Stick
Am visiting Jodi and Erics for a few days. Am finding that if I want gluten, I had better make a run to the nearest Subway. Jodi has been trying to stay off gluten which means that anyone in this household will be drooling over the pizza ads and driving by the hamburger joints. When I saw this recipe in Family Circle last night, I suggested that we get the ingredients and treat ourselves to a gluten free Hoagie. Sounds like a winner and would be a great dinner party appitizer. With so many people trying to go gluten free, this might just be the perfect dish to serve during the holidays, before putting out the dressing and pumpkin pie.
12 10″ wooden skewers
4 oz provolone, cut into 1″ cubes
4 oz cheddar, cut into 1″ cubes
4 oz sliced Genoa salami, rolled
4 oz sliced mortadella, rolled
4 oz sliced capicola, rolled
12 large pimento stuffed olives
18 grape tomatoes
6 small sweet gherkins (cut in half)
6 artichoke hearts in oil, drained and quartered
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tables grainy mustard
2 tablespoon honey
Thread skewers, alternating cheese cubes and rolled meat with olives, tomatoes, gherkins and artichokes in the order you prefer.
Combine mayo, mustard and honey. Serve as a dipping sauce.
Serves 12
Thou Shall Not Steal…Or Chew Gum…Especially In Church
I really don’t understand how these things continue to happen to me. Today I am in Phoenix and went to church with the kids. We sat on the 3rd row from the front and was excited to have the kids in the nursery and participating in worship. I sat between Jodi and a gentleman to my right. When the sermon began the minister told us we would be reading Acts 6 and 7. I am one of those old fashioned members who are always fussing all time about the “youngsters” who never carry their Bibles and just read from their phones, I didn’t want to admit that I had traveled without my Bible by just pulling out my IPhone and reading from my phone. I looked over to the back of the seat to my right and immediately pulled out the Bible from the seat pocket and opened it up to Acts 7! The minister read the entire chapter, which was over 40 verses, when I began to notice that there were no other Bibles in the pew backs. Immediately, I realized that the Bible I was using must belong to the man sitting next to me. I didn’t know if I should close it up and put it back during the reading or offer to “share” it with the rightful owner, so I just kept reading as though I didn’t know it belonged to him. He was gentlemanly enough to never pick it up during the service so as not to embarrass me. When church was over, he picked his Bible and I apologized that I had used his Bible, thinking that it belonged to the church. He walked out with me telling me that when I didn’t have a Bible, I could use my iPhone, which he had seen lighting up in my purse, as there was a Bible app I could get. I guess he thought since I went around stealing Bibles, I must not be a regular church attendee. It was very embarrassing but not as embarrassing as the time that we were told to turn around and shake hands with the people sitting around us in church. As I was introducing myself to some visitors and sticking my hand out to shake their hand, my gum flew out of my mouth and landed right in the middle of the ladies open palm. I never saw them visit our church again. It was a rather long time before se sat on that side of the church. Am giving thanks today that I won’t be back here for awhile. By then, maybe the man will forget my face. I was just so glad we weren’t told to shake hands with others today. I had forgot to spit my gum out before going into church.
Chocolate Castles 