OMGosh! Last night I made the most amazing truffles. Randy was out to dinner and I was in the mood for chocolate. I found this recipe and it could not have been more simple and they taste like the best chocolate carmels you have evern eaten. I am going to save some and put them in the middle of chocolate cupcakes so when you bite into them, you have this most incredible chocolate soft center that will make you just smile and grab another cupcake. Here it is and it really is so good.

Butter a small glass bown. Set aside. Melt 2 tables of butter in a non stick pan. Add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and 3 tables cocoa and stir until blended. Stirring constantly, over medium heat, cook until mixture begins to boil. This will take about 30 mins. Take off heat and let mixture cool to room temperature for about 15 mins. Then place in fridge for about 30 minutes. Take out and using a small spoon, make about 18 balls and roll in powdered sugar. About half way through making the balls, I put mixture back in fridge for about 15 mins to let it get really cold again. Then proceeded to finish making the balls. Keep in an airtight container in refrigerator. They are just scrumptous. Am taking some to art this morning, will let you know what the ladies say about them. But am going to put the rest inside of cupcakes and see how that goes…….will keep you updated!  By the way, you could roll these in chopped pecans, coconut, cocoa, sprinkles anything you wanted to use.

Tomorrow night I will be taking this to our group Bible Study. I have made it before and it is delicious. A great cool summer dessert that reminds you of Key West or being on an island. Enjoy!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1 1/2 teas grated lime rind

1/2 cup Key Lime juice

Strawberry Sauce

Stir together first 3 ingredients and firmly press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350 for 8 min. Cool

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with mixer until fluffy, gradually add the 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream, rind and juice. Pour batter into crust.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour and turn oven off. Partially open oven door to let cheesecake stand in oven 15 mins. Remove from oven and immedialtely run a knife around ege of cheesecake to release sides of pan.

Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. Serve with Strawberry sauce and whipping cream.

Strawberry Sauce:

1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teas grated  lime rind

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Yields 1 cup of sauce.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup superfine sugar

2 cups self-rising flour

1 teas baking powder

4 eggs

1 teas vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Place 18 paper baking cups in muffin pans. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with mixer until smooth and pale, about 2 to 3 min.

Spoon mixture into the cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and cool for 5 min. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Frost with your favorite frosting. Here is a very simple one:

1 box of powdered sugar

1 stick softened butter

2 teas vanilla

1/4 cup of whipping cream/half & half/or just milk.* (I try to always use whipping cream for my liquid as it adds such a creamy taste, but half and half is better than milk, but milk is fine if that is what is in the fridge) Sometimes, you might need a little less liquid or a little more, depending upon the weather and/or butter you use.

If you want to make a cream cheese frosting, just add 1 8 oz softened cream cheese to the above mixture and mix with the ingredients until smooth. You must let the cream cheese and butter soften to room temperature or will cause lumps in the frosting…

Beat all ingredients untill smooth…..frost cupcakes when they are completely cooled.

OMGosh, I just made these cupcakes and they are so light and fluffy and delicious, I had to taste one the minute they came out of the oven…I will be putting a chocolate ganache frosting on top, with an added chocolate peanut butter swirl on top of the ganache….you will be amazed at how the texture is so different.

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 1/2 sticks butter

5 eggs

2/3 cup superfine sugar

3/4 cup self-rising flour* (this makes it so easy, not having to add salt or baking powder)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 18 paper baking cups in a cupcake pan or 12 muffin pan. (The muffin pans make larger cupcakes than a regular cupcake pan)

Melt the butter and the chocolate chips together in microwave until chips and butter are just melted. Stop microwave after 45 seconds and stir and cook in 10 second intervals. When melted, stir and cool while combining the other ingredients.

Beat the eggs and extra fine sugar until the mixture is light in color and thickened. Fold in the flour. Stir in the chocolate butter mixture. Stir until well blended. Pour into cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake for about 10 to 18 min. Watch carefully, and do not over bake. You can either dust with powdered sugar or frost with your favorite frosting which you will find several under desserts on this blog…Keep in refridgerator for a couple of days in an airtight container.

We had some friends over last night to play chicken foot, which we never got around to since we were busy talking and solving the worlds problems, while eatting the strawberry pie. It was so good and cool and refreshing and the whipped topping just made it melt in our mouths. So here it is, very simple, very pretty and very delicious!

Bring to a boil, 1 cup water, 4 tables cornstarch and 1 cup sugar. When mixture is clear and thick, add 4 heaping tables of strawberry or cherry jello and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool for a minute while slicing a qt of washed strawberries into a cooled and baked pie shell (or you can use a graham cracker crust which is bought and then you don’t have to bake a pie shell. Top with Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream which is just whipped cream with 1 cup of powdered sugar to 2 cups of whipping cream. Whip until whipping cream is stiff.

When stawberries are sliced and poured into pie shell, pour jello mixture slowly over strawberries and refrigerate until cool (at least 2 to 3 hours).  Top with whipping cream

I mentioned the other day that I would post this recipe. It is so easy, but it looks so beautiful when sliced and placed on a plate and your friends and family will think you spent hours cooking. Several people asked, “you made this? I thought you bought it, it is so pretty!” That made my heart just jump for joy, which I really don’t know why when in fact, most bakery cakes leave something to be desired when compared to homemade pastries. But will take compliments anyway they come, ha.

Make a Duncan Hines French vanilla cake mix according to directions, using two 9 in round cake pans.

Make a Duncan Hines Devils Food cake mix according to directions, using two 9 in round cake pans.

Be sure to not over bake the layers, as you do not want them dry. Freezing ahead of time will help assure the layers stay moist.*See note below

Cool all four layers, turning them out onto waxed paper. *(At this point, I sometimes seal them in baggies and place in freezer so on the day I need them, I just pull them out of the freezer and allow them to thaw and then frost.)*

Make the frosting by using the following:

1 cup of shortening

1 stick of butter

1 -2 lb sack of powdered sugar

1/3 cup whipping cream (sometimes I have to add a little more, to bring the frosting to spreading consistency, but add 1 tables at a time)

1 tables almond flavoring

Place a chocolate layer on serving plate and place 1/2 cup frosting on top spreading to edge. Place a vanilla one on top of this and cover with 1/2 cup frosting. Place another chocolate one of top and repeat then the last vanilla layer. Cake will be tall, so if you have to add a couple of toothpicks to hold together, that is fine. Cover sides first with frosting and then the top. You can place grated chocolate on top, or colored sugar or any decor according to the celebration.

For memorial day place little flags on top and border with red or blue frosting. Would make a great centerpiece for your picnic table, especially served with homemade ice cream. YUM!