Desserts

German Chocolate Sheet Cake

German Chocolate Sheet Cake

This recipe is just awesome, taken from a Southern Living magazine ,but  has become a favorite to have for dessert.

Makes 48 small servings or 24 Trudy Servings

1 box of German chocolate cake mix

1 large egg

2 egg whites

1 ¾ cups water

1 14 oz can Eagle Brand sweetened milk

1/3 cup each  chopped pecans and coconut

¼ cup softened butter

1 16 oz. box powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

3 to 4 tables milk

Beat cake mix with next 3 ingredients at medium speed for 3 to 4 min. Pour batter into a 15×10 inch jellyroll pan which has been sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Combine Eagle Brand, coconut and pecans. Spread over warm cake. Broil on lowest rach in oven about 2 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool. Beat margarine and next 3 ingredients at medium speed, gradually adding milk. Spread over cake.

Desserts

Fresh Peach Pie

Fresh Peach Miracle Pie

This is one of the first recipes which I remember making as I entered into my late teen years. My Aunt Gladys, who was my biggest cheerleader, gave me a cookbook which now has old spills all through the pages. She showed me this recipe and it quickly became a favorite of our family.

2 cups diced peeled fully ripe peaches

¼ cup sugar, 1 ¼ cups water

1 small pkg of Jello Vanilla Pudding (not instant)

¼ teas salt,1/8 teas nutmeg, 2 teas lemon juice, 1 tables butter, ¼ teas almond extract

1 baked 8 in pie shell, cooled.

Combine peaches, sugar and 1 cup of the water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine the pudding mix, salt, nutmeg, lemon juice and remaining ¼ cup water. Stir to form a smooth paste. Add to boiling fruit, stirring to blend. Then cook and stir until mixture comes to a full boil.

Remove from heat and add butter and almond extract. Cool 5 mins. Pour into baked pie shell. Let stand about 4 hrs or until firm. Serve with sweetened whipped cream and additional sweetened sliced peaches if desired

Desserts

Old Fashioned Tea Cakes

1 cup butter (no substitutions)

1 3/4 up sugar

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

1/4 teas ground nutmet

1 teas vanilla

In bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Stir into the creamed mixture. Knead dough for a few minutes on a floured board until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 325. On a lightly floured surface *(this is where I deviated from the recipe and used the shape and cut method), roll the dough hout to 1/4 ” in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 ” apart onto cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven. Allow to cool on cookies sheets for 5 min before removing and putting on a wire rack to cool completely. I sprinkled powdered sugar over half of mine and the other half, I used cinnamon sugar to sprinkle over before baking………

Daily Thoughts · Desserts

FYI on easy shaping and cutting cookies

OK, I discovered something today that I wanted to share with you. I am making old fashion tea cakes to take to one of our friends when we go to California tomorrow. He had told Randy one day that his grandmother use to make this wonderful little cakes that he always remembered, but had not had in years (this is after Randy had been talking about how much I like to bake and then offered to have me bake some for him). So…..I am off to the internet to find a recipe after not being able to locate them in any of mine. The instructions say to roll out onto floured board and cut into desired shapes. I did not have the time to do all that today, so……….I found a round can the size of what I wanted the cookies to be. Washed it out. Dried it and sprayed it with Pam. Stuffed dough in the can, making sure it was packed solid into the can, filling it up completely. Then I turned the can open side down onto waxed paper. I opened the closed end of the can, leaving the lid in place. Using my hand, I used the lid to slide out the dough onto waxed paper. I sliced the cookies 1/4 ” thick and laid them on the cookie sheet and baked them. It was so easy and fast and they are delicious. I sprinkled powdered sugar over them as they were cooling on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. So they are uniform in size, nicely shaped and a great little cookie to eat with hot tea of coffee. I hope our “friend” (that I have never met) is not disappointed. If he doesn’t like them, we will have them with our Starbucks while sitting on the California freeways this week. Will post the recipe after I take a break and have a cookie with my Dr. Pepper.

Desserts

Coconut and Banana Mini Cheesecakes

3 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

6 tables melted butter

2  (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 medium banana, mashed

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tables banana liqueur (if you do not want to buy this, just use vanilla and decrease the amount to 1 tables)

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Sliced banana and toasted coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Press into bottom and half-way up sides of 2 (12-cup) mini cheesecake pans. Bake 6 minutes. cool completely. *(Instead of doing this, if you are in a hurry, you can purchase the vanilla wafer crusts by the grahm cracker crusts at the grocery store. This recipe would fill 2 of these crusts)

Reduce heat to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat cream cheesea and sugar with mixer at medium speed until creamy. Beat in mashed banana until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in liqueur and coconut. Spoon batter evenly into prepared crusts. Bake 20 minutes. *if using store bought crusts you will need to bake about 30 min. Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. To serve remove from pans. Garnish with sliced bananas and toasted cocount and whipping cream.

*If using the store bought 9 in crust, you do not need to bake before filling the crusts with the filling. Just increase your cooking time to 30 minutes. You will also not remove from pans after the 2 hours of refrigeration. Just cut and serve directly from these pans. It is only the cupcake size pans which you would remove them from before serving.

Desserts

Cheerio Treats

These are addicting! One of my bestest friends brought these over one day and said that she made them for her grandchildren who are in their teens and every time they were in town, they requested these from her. They are simple to make and just hit the spot when you are hungry for something, but not too terribly sweet. Thank you Cora for introducing me to something else to have to give up when I have my first heart attack.

Melt in microward:

3 tables butter

10 oz miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

When melted, stir and add the following:

5 cups plain cheerios

1 cup M&M’s (peanut or plain)

Stir and press into a long glass pan (9 by 13). When cool, cut into squares.

Desserts

Rocky Road Brownies

These are without a doubt, my favorite brownies. I have been making them since the 1980’s and anytime I take them anywhere, they get rave reviews. A friend of mine, Linda Cooper served them to us after a baseball game one night when we were at her house. They immediately went on my list of “favs”. I think they will be on yours also.

Rocky Road Brownies

1 pkg. (4 oz) German Sweet Chocolate

5 Table butter, divided

1 pkg. (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

¼ cup sugar

3 eggs

1 table flour

½ teas vanilla

¾ cup sugar

½ cup flour combined with ½ teas baking powder and ¼ teas salt

1 teas vanilla

¼ teas almond extract

Melt chocolate and 3 tables butter over low heat, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool.

Soften remaining 2 tables butter. Add cream cheese, creaming until light. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar, beating until fluffy. Stir in 1 egg, 1 tables flour and ½ teas. Vanilla. Set aside.

Beat 2 eggs until lemon colored. Gradually add ¾ cup sugar, beating until thick. Combine the flour mixture. Add to egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in cooled chocolate, 1 teas vanilla, almond extract and if you want, ½ cup chopped nuts. Pour half of chocolate batter into a greased 8” square pan. Spread cheese mixture over this and top with remaining chocolate batter.

Bake at 350 for about 35 to 40 mins. While still hot, spread with ½ jar of marshmallow crème, then top with frosting, below.

Frosting:

1 sq (1oz) unsweetened chocolate, 1 ½ tables water and 1 tables butter 

1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ½ teas vanilla and ¼ cup egg substitute.

Combine chocolate, water and butter and melt in microwave for about 25 to 30 seconds.

Stir and add remaining ingredients. Pour over marshmallow layer as frosting hardens quickly.

Casseroles · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Meats · Salads

Snowy, Snowy Thursday

I am still looking out the windows and just keep staring at the beautiful falling snow. This is one of the most beautiful days I have ever seen truly in my life. It has been snowing all day, and I just keep looking, afraid that it has stopped, but so far, it hasn’t. God seems so close when it is the gentle, quiet snow falling all around. It makes me so grateful for eyes to see and ears to hear the quietness of the snow as it continues to fall and decorate the ground.

This weather is to me, one of God’s great gifts to us. It makes me slow down and enjoy the fireplace, read a book or write a letter. On Tuesday of this week, a friend and I were invited to a friend of ours house for lunch. We had a great time and it was one of those days that we are always talking about having. Just lunch and laughter at someones home. Yes, you heard right. She fixed lunch, all homemade and it was delicious. I am posting two of the recipes which she fixed. The chicken salad and fruit salad, I have never had.  So am passing these on to you. They make the perfect lunch or dinner for company. It was just a wonderful relaxing time for the 3 of us. Rita, you outdid yourself and I thank you for taking the time and effort to make us feel so special. Next time, my house……you deserve a break! Thank you so much for the recipes. They were so good and know our friends will enjoy cooking them and eatting them…..so here they are:

Parfait Salad
 
First Layer
 
1 large package lime jello
2 cups boilng water
8 ice cubes
1 #2 can crushed pineapple (reserve 1 cup juice)
Make jello with boiling water and ice cubes. In a 11×7 pan or dish add and mix in crushed pineapple. Jell until firm.
 
Second Layer
Follow directions on one envelope of dream whip
add softened 8 oz. package cream cheese to “whipped” dream whip
Mix well
Spread over first layer. Chill
 
Third Layer
1 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cook all ingredients until thick. Stirring constantly.  Cool. Spread over 2nd layer.
Can be made day ahead.
 
Chicken Casserole
3-31/2 pounds chicken breast (cooked)
1 stick butter
45 Ritz crackers
1 can cream of chicken soup
1  8 oz sour cream
Pull apart cooled cooked chicken. Layer on bottom of casserole dish. Mix soup and sour cream together.
Take half of the mixture and stir through the chicken.  Use the other half of mixture to spread over the chicken.
Melt the butter and crush the crackers into the butter and mix together.  Spread evenly over the chicken.
Bake 350 for 25 minutes
Desserts

Chocolate Molten Cakes

Well, my sweet friend, Dena wrote today to ask me to blog this recipe. It is so awesome baked in little heart shaped ramekins. So bake some up for your sweetie and top them with cinnamon ice cream or BlueBell Homemade vanilla…..what a dessert!

4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1 table red wine (opt)

1 teas vanilla (I add two when I don’t use the wine)

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

6 tables flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

powdered sugar for top

Grease 4  custard cups or ramekins. Microwave chocolate and butter. Stir in wine and vanilla (or just vanilla) and sugar. Whisk in eggs and yold. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon evenly into cups. Bake at 425 for 15 min or until sides are firm but centers are soft.

Loosen edges and invert onto serving plate. Top with a chocolate dipped strawberry to make it really pretty.

Desserts

Blueberry Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups graham-cracker crumbs

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tables sugar, divided

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 1/2 cups blueberries, divided

3 (8 0z) packages cream cheese, softened

4 eggs

1/4 teas salt

2 (8 oz) cartons sour cream

1/2 teas vanilla

 1/2 cup water

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom and 1/2 in up sides of a 9 in springform pan (a cheese cake pan)

Bake in a preheated 325 oven for 9 mins. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Process 2 1/2 cups blueberries and 1 tables cornstarch in blender until smooth, stopping once to scrape sides. pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 15 min or until slightly thickened. Stir constantly. Set aside to cool. Cover and chill 1/2 cup of mixture for glaze.

Beat cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in remaining 2 tables cornstarch and salt. Pour batter into crust. Pour blueberry mixture over batter and swirl gently with a knife. Bake in a preheated 325 oven for 45 min or until set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rach for 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, 2 tables sugar and vanilla; stir.Spread over cheesecake and return to oven and bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

In a small saucepan, combine reserved 1/2 cup blueberry mixture, water and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Add remaining 1 cup blueberries and gently fold into glaze. Set aside to cool.

Remove sides of springform pan. Top cheesecake withglaze. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Everyone said that they liked this cheesecake because it wasn’t so sweet. It is a great and easy recipe even if you have never made a cheesecake before. It is so pretty with the blueberry swirl running through it.