Chocolate Castles

If you have a copy of Princess On The Porch, this recipe is on page 29! If not I am posting this easily made dish that is perfect for freezing for when you might need a night of not having to think about what to have and tired of eating out! This casserole use to sell like “hot cakes” at the NorthWoods Womens bake sale! Also sold a few hundred of them when friends and I hosted Mistletoe Market from our home! I got home around 3:30 today and needed a quick meal to make for tonight. Since I had bought a chicken at Costco Sat and had divided it into bags before freezing it, I had taken one bag out to thaw this morning before leaving. This one is a keeper! And now I have time and energy left to make a buttermilk pie for dessert! An added hint….I usually boil my spaghetti in water that I have either added some chicken boullion to the water or added 1 (14.5oz) can of chicken broth to the water you cook the pasta in, giving pasta some added flavor. But remember then to not add salt to your pasta water!

Only 10 days until Easter, the holiday Christians celebrate Christ Is Risen!! Giving us new life and life eternal! And as so many of us will be gathered around the table with family and friends, it will be glorious to share not only this most special event, but time with people we love so much! So these days leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday I thought it would great to post some favorite Easter dishes! Tomorrow I have a sweet lady coming over for us to make one of my favorite desserts, Pistachio Cake! We will put it on video to show how easy and pretty this cake is and could easily be made into cupcakes instead of layers! But today a friend is stopping by and because I know one of her favorite flavors of cake is wedding cake (and mine as well) and because I got a new tip to decorate with, I mixed up some cupcakes for us to snack on while we talk! Makes visits so much more fun! Visits & Cupcakes!!! My kind of day!!! So here is the recipe and don’t forget to use some spring colors in the batter to make it a colorful yummy cupcake! Top it with frosting and top with colored coconut or sprinkles of your choice! These cupcakes are light pink with white frosting!

Almond Flavored Wedding Cake

1 box of Duncan Hines Classic White cake mix

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

2 tables oil

1/2 teas salt

8 oz sour cream

1 1/3 cup water

4 egg whites

2 teas almond extract (most people use 1 teas but I love to use two, adjust to your liking and strength of the extract you use!)

Mix all ingredients together and beat for 2 min! Pour I to prepared greased cake pans (3 9”) or makes 24 cupcakes! Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 15-18 min or until top still has a little shine on it but center is softly firm to the touch! Cool and frost

Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup undated butter, room temperature

4 tables Crisco

Milk to thin so spreads easily

1-2 teas almond extract

After cupcakes are completely cool, frost tops or layers of cake. Store, covered in fridge to keep fresh and moist.

Sprinkles, coconut to decorate

Had been reading I Corinthians 12 a few days ago and again last night our ladies Bible study leader, Cricket, Mentioned how we are all of the same spirit when we are in Christ but have different abilities! I couldn’t help but think about that and thought about so many ladies who have influenced my life! Each of them in different ways. But each one has taught me and encouraged me to live life as one who wants to bring glory to Him! Am I there yet? Absolutely not! But my goals have certainly changed! When I think about how my life has been enriched by so many women who have answered the call to spread Gods Truth to others, each of these sweet ladies have not only taught by words, but by their lives! All have done this with the different abilities and talents He gave them, but each one is shining His light for His Glory! Easter is a time to celebrate New Life in Christ and His love for us! Not only did he die for us, but He overcame death so that we may live! This is in no means a complete list of people who have touched my life thru the teaching of Gods’ Word, but it is a start! Thank you Debbie, Susie, Chrissie, Lisa, Tasha, Cricket, for your love of Christ and for working together to accomplish His Command! Each so different, but with the same Spirit!

To save time I cut up the croissants the night before keeping them covered until the next morning! Also mixed up the milk mixture and stored it, covered, in fridge! Then just mixed together and baked in the morning. This is so moist and delicious!

You are probably wondering what a Fruitcake Friendship might be! Last night before I fell asleep I kept thinking how fortunate people are who have those friendships that, like the “fruitcake that goes back and forth between families every year” seem to keep on keeping on!

This past week I received an envelope that had 3 cards enclosed! The first card was sent several years ago from a dear friend who has been nothing but a blessing to me through the years! She has loved me, encouraged me, accepted me even though she knew “the real me” and has been the one who has continually told me to “put your big girl panties on and deal with it”, when necessary! Isn’t it so weird how we can hear peoples voices when we hear certain phrases spoken? Years ago when we had moved to California and we were trying to find a Sunday school class at the church we were visiting, I got discouraged after trying several classes only to find myself running to the bathroom one Sunday with tears in my eyes thinking that we would never find a good one. As I dried my face off I kept hearing her voice telling me just that …”put your big girl panties on and get back in there”. Well guess what.. I did and that was the class that became our greatest gift to us both while living there! That class gave us friends that are still like family to us and continue to bless our lives even now, no matter the distance between us! And another voice I always hear is Debbie Stuart’s voice when I hear “for I am Your handmaiden, let it be as You desire.” Or Dr Criswell voice when “the grass withers, the flowers fade but the Word of God will never pass away!” ,

Ok back to my story. When I had first received that first card a few years back, there was a sweet note she had written to me that was needed at the time as a source of encouragement! It was then that I decided to just add a note to her and mail the same card back telling her how much her words meant to me! Well that began a Fruitcake Friendship! Both of us seemed to know just when the card needed to appear in the others mailbox and on it went. When we would run out of room on a card, a new one would be added and included along with the original card! This past week the envelope appeared and I was just so blessed to read precious words from her that put a smile in my heart! I began to think about this and what it has meant to both of us through the years of knowing that some days we all need just a little lift in our spirits! Yes, texts are nice and so are phone calls, but going to the mailbox and opening up an envelope and reading words that somehow tend to be just what we are needing that day, are better than any fruitcake!

We all have different types of friends throughout our lives. Some are just there for a season, some are there to teach us and guide us during a difficult time! Some that keep us on our toes because they expect accountability, others seem to be gifted as giving us joy and encouragement! But other friends are like the Christmas fruitcake! They are filled with (spiritual)fruit for teaching us how to grow in our faith, making us learn how to laugh at ourselves, allowing us to vent when needed or just going back and forth with a desire to give back to each other what was given to us from the other, no matter the season! How sweet it is to go back and read all the encouraging notes in each card! Friendships are a blessing from God….much better than any fruitcake, no matter what recipe is used!

Proverbs 18:24 “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”

You know those nights when you are sitting in front of the TV and there is something that you begin to think about but you don’t know exactly what it is you want! You just know that it needs to something sweet and chocolatey (is that a word?) These little gems are made for those nights! Quick, easy and oh so chocolatey!!!! If you don’t have Rodelle baking chocolate on hand, use whatever is in your pantry but do yourself a favor and order some from Amazon! It will change the way you bake!!! I still use my clear Mexico vanilla because simply said ….it is the best vanilla in the world! Well I can’t say in the world because I have no idea what else is out there but on this side of the ocean, I think it is tops!!!! So put your computer down and go to the kitchen and make these. Recipe makes 6, just enough for you to have to get you through all 3 FBI shows tonight! Unless there are two of you then maybe you need to double the recipe!

Recipe copied from Rodelle Recipes

For Cupcakes

• ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 3 tablespoons Rodelle Gourmet Dutch Process Baking Cocoa, sifted
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable (canola) oil
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon Rodelle Gourmet Vanilla
• ⅓ cup buttermilk, room temperature

For Dark Chocolate Frosting

• 6 ounces (168 g) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups (240 g) confectioners sugar, sifted
• ⅓ cup Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa, Dutch Process, sifted
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• Cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 6 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil and sugars together until well combined. Add the egg and mix well. Add the vanilla.
  4. Stir in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Stir only until combined. Do not over mix.
  5. Scoop or pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling ⅔ full.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs remaining.
  7. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.For Dark Chocolate Frosting
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese on medium high speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  2. Add the butter and mix until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  3. Sift in the confectioners sugar and Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Add the heavy cream and mix until combined well.
  4. Increase the speed to medium and beat the frosting for 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  5. Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe swirls of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. If frosting is too warm and begins to soften, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up.
  6. Store cupcakes tightly covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

This is the filling I used for the Gob Cake that I posted on FB and YouTube yesterday. I used a French Vanilla cake mix and used green food coloring for St Patrick’s Day. Feel free to use any flavor of cake mix following the directions on back of the box! Bake in jelly roll pan and cut in half or 4ths (vertically) depending on how many layers you want, spreading filling in between each layer
FILLING:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups sugar( granulated not powdered)
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix flour with milk whisking to combine and cook in small saucepan until mixture thickens! About 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cook to room temperature! While mixture is cooling, mix butter, shortening with sugar and beat for about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and cooled flour mixture and beat for about 10-15 minutes until it is very light and fluffy and sugar is completely dissolved assured that no gritty sugar remains! place filling between cake layers. Keep covered in fridge!

This frosting/filling is less sweet than typical buttercream frosting. Is excellent on red velvet cakes or carrot cake as well!

Last night I couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was the Dr Pepper I drank around 9 p.m. along with a brownie. Maybe it is all the agenda that was on my mind as I laid there and tried so hard to turn off the things that filled my “to do list” for today. As I laid there and tossed and turned, I found myself thinking of the words to the song, we often sing in church, “oh God, the battle belongs to You. Every fear I lay at Your feet, I’ll sing through the night, the battle belongs to you. I’ll get on my knees with my hands lifted high, O God, the battle belongs to You.” That song just kept repeating over and over in my mind. So I prayed and gave the desires of my heart to Him, as He tells us to do. It was then that I remembered that just yesterday, Randy and I stood in the living room and looked out the window at the tree we planted last spring. Among the dead looking branches were small, yet ever so green little sprouts of new life were beginning to sprout. We had wondered if the roots had gone down deep enough to allow this tree to survive the ice storms we have had this winter. It was then that I realized that the same was true of me this year. Has my roots in God’s Word gone down deep so that despite the storms that have come, my faith has little shoots of new growth? I can just imagine hearing the Lord say, “Trudy, delight yourself in me because, ” Psa 18:19 ” HE brought me out into a broad place, He rescued me, because He delighted in me.”

When I think back over the last few years, there were days when it was sometimes hard to see the sunshine of hope and light. But, through it all, God’s promise of always walking through difficult days, with us was so evident. In light of the circumstances all around us, some days it is hard to remember that God is in control, but it is on those days, that we have to stand on His promises and keep our eyes on Him. That grows our dependence on Him , our love for Him, and to lean into His mercy and grace. But it also allows us to see the new growth in us, spiritually. It is not only exciting to see that on those hard days now, my first reaction is different from what it use to be. That God has taught me that He is always there for me. No matter what. Instead of the worry that use to fill my soul, I give it to Him. Instead of anger and bitterness that use to come as my first response to an harsh word directed to me, it is easier now to just pray for that person and ask the Lord to help me reflect His love to them. Am I saying that I always do the right thing, of course not, but I can see that my reactions to things are slowly changing. Are those closest to me seeing new growth in my spirit and has New growth taken place among the hard ground of my heart? If so, it is all because of Christ and the new life that He promises to us. This Spring, may we all be reminded to look for the new growth that can be ours and allow the Son to shine through us to draw others to Him.

Ephesians 1:18 ” Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

Last Wednesday before having to stay in the house for a couple of days due to some icy weather, a friend of mine gave me some almond cookies while we were up at church that morning! Patsy had bought them from a bakery over off 75 and was sharing them with us. I put them in my purse (yes that is why I carry a large purse so I can carry cookies or chocolates if needed) to take them home to have that night! While Randy and I were about to decide on what we wanted for a snack around 8 O Clock, I remembered the cookies! I ran to get them and opened the bag. Patsy had told me about how amazing they were and that I would love them! But I figured, “ how good can a bought cookie really be” but….after one bite I was so sorry I had already told Randy about them instead of making up an excuse to go sit in the car so I could have them both! They were delicious! The almond flavor the white chocolate chips, the soft cake like texture. They tasters like wedding cake which is my favorite cake in the world (if it is almond flavored). Because of the weather I had to wait until Saturday to get to the store and buy white chocolate chips! I had a package of sugar cookie mix and almond flavoring already. And because we were having company for dinner last night I made pies first. After all I had learned my lesson and I wasn’t going to share these little gems with anyone! I just took them out of the oven. They will go beautifully with my Blue Bell Brides Cake flavored ice cream tonight! They aren’t quite the same texture as the ones from the bakery but the flavors is exactly the same. Because I used a cookie mix I followed the directions on the back of the package plus added 2 teas of almond extract and half of the 12 oz package of chips. Next time I will add an extra egg and I think that will be more like the bakery cookie texture. But these are great and so easy! Had to add some bling to them!

A coupe of weeks ago Rita Heisey brought this salad to a ladies dinner/bible study and everyone went crazy over it. In fact, we had several people for SuperBowl game last week and a couple of the ladies decided that we needed Rita to just bring this as her “appetizer”. So bring she did. After everyone left (after Randy switched off the lights around 9 p,m,) Randy even said, “that salad was amazing” if you know Randy very well, he just doesn’t use that word very much. This morning after church we went to have lunch before coming home and as we left the restaurant, we ran into friends from church just going in. One of them ask me who had brought the salad to the ladies dinner a couple weeks ago. Because of so many folks requesting the recipe I thought it best if I just post it. Thanks Rita for showing us just how good a salad can be, with just a few ingredients. The dressing is delicious and you will fall in love with this salad, I promise! If you don’t like cashews, substitute almonds or pecans. I’m not a cashew fan, but in this salad, I ate them all.

10 cups romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped

1 cup (4 oz) shredded swiss cheese

1 medium gala apple, chopped to bite size

1 medium pear, chopped to bite size

3/4 cup dried cranberries (Crazins)

1/2 to 1 cup cashews

Dressing

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tables lemon juice

2 Tables chopped red onion

1/2 teas salt

2/3 cup salad oil

1 1/2 teas poppy seeds

Easy to fix salad ahead of time and just have ready to toss with dressing which you have blended well right before serving.

Squeeze a little lemon juice on the chopped pear and apple to prevent from turning brown. Leave skin on apples for color

Serves 8 to 10.

Thanks Rita for sharing this recipe. IT is a WINNER!