Tag: Desserts

Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Butterfinger Lush

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Last night we were invited to some friends who live across the street from us to play cards. Patti had just returned from Texas and while there she ate this amazing dessert at their kids house. She made it for us last night and oh my gosh, it was some of the best dessert I have ever had. You need to believe me when I say that this layered dessert is a winner. Thanks Patti for sharing it with us last night and then sharing the recipe today. Wasn’t even mad that you beat me at cards after having some of this great dish.

Ingredients:
32 Oreo cookies (finely crushed)
5 tables butter, melted
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 bag mini Butterfingers
1 (16 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed and divided
1 (5.9 oz) box instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cold milk

1. In a medium bowl, stir together crushed Oreo cookies and butter. Press firmly all along the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place in fridge.
2. Using electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat in peanut butter. Fold in 1 cup of the Cool Whip. Crush 6 Mini Butterfingers and fold them into the peanut butter mixture.
3. Spread peanut butter mixture evenly over the Oreo crust.
4. In medium bowl, whisk the pudding mix and cold milk together until thickened. Let sit to thicken for a minute or two and then pour over peanut butter mixture.
5.Spread remaining Cool Whip on top. Crusty remaining Butterfingers and sprinkle over top. Place in fridge until ready to serve.

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

German Chocolate Sheet Cake

Chocolate Castles3 Comments

We are so excited to have friends coming in from California who have become like family. When we began to plan when they could come, I immediately knew what we would be having for dinner their first night here….chicken fried steak! So after deciding on the main course, and knowing the only things you MUST have with the steak is mashed potatoes, black eyed peas/green beans, we didn’t spend too much time on the side dishes. Looking through different recipes, I remembered that not only is German Chocolate cake is Randy’s favorite cake, it is also one of theirs. So I decided to make one. This one is a little different from the original. Because the homemade cake is so light, it doesn’t hold up well to what I wanted to do, so I used the Betty Crocker, pudding included German Chocolate cake mix and made it in a glass pyrex 9×13. When it was baked and still warm, I poked holes with the handle of a large wooden spoon so the homemade German Chocolate frosting could seep into the cake. This gives the cake such a gooey-gooey texture and allows for the coconut-pecan mixture to ooze through out the entire cake. Then, of course to cover up the holes, what does one do? Well, one makes homemake chocolate frosting to drizzle over the top of that. And to top it off, we will have a side dish of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla, sitting ever so lovely beside it.

Directions:

Bake a Betty Crocker German Chocolate Cake according to instructions on box. While cake is still warm, poke homes and pour the homemade frosting over the top. Then drizzle the chocolate over entire cake.

Frosting:

3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 cup evaporated milk (not Eagle Brand)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/3 cup coconut flakes
1 teas vanilla
1 cup crushed pecans

In a medium size saucepan, combine the butter, egg yolks, milk and brown sugar. Stir continually until mixture is beginning to thicken. (about 7-9 minutes).
Remove from heat and add the vanilla, coconut and pecans. Stir until mixture has thickened a little more and then pour over the baked cake.

Chocolate drizzle:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tables white Karo syrup
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk or half & half
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teas vanilla

Melt butter, cocoa, syrup together in microwave bowl. When butter is melted, stir until cocoa is dissolved in the butter. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, stirring until lumps are gone and it is well combined. Add the vanilla.
Drizzle over the cake. If chocolate mixture is a little thick, you can thin with a little extra milk and/or place in microwave for about 15 seconds to get it easy to drizzle over the cake.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Kentucky Blessings Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Happy Fall Y’all! Temperatures are falling, as they know they should since it is officially Fall and the oven is on. The new owners who bought our home are coming for coffee/dessert this afternoon. When I was trying to decide what to bake for them, this cake came to mind. It was posted last year on the blog and the real name is Kentucky Butter Cake (so that is what you would put in the search bar) but seeing how God has answered so many of our prayers regarding this move and His provision, today it is being called Kentucky Blessing Cake as we celebrate the blessings of this season which have come to us by our Loving Heavenly Father. Of course, we all know that our lives have seasons when we don’t feel like our prayers are going beyond the walls of our homes. There are days, sometimes, months, maybe even years when we feel like God has turned His back on us. It is during those times when we have to trust His heart when we are not seeing His Hand. We just have seasons when He is trying to grow us spiritually and show us that He is always there, no matter if we feel His presence or not. But when it is a season of blessing and seeing prayers answered, should we not give Him the glory and thanks? His Word tells us in Psalm 103:1-5 “Praise the Lord, I tell myself; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name.
Praise the Lord, I tell myself; and never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”

As we should always be so grateful for the seasons of blessings, may we never forget to thank Him for all He has done and continues to do to bring us closer to Him as He gives us good things to show His love toward us.

Sometime this Fall, look up Kentucky Butter Cake (it is a one bowl easy and quick recipe), bake it, and as you serve it, use it to tell your family/friends that you are serving them a Kentucky Blessing Cake and be ready to share God’s Love with them! Bake and use it for His glory.

Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Chocolate Almond Pie

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Several years ago, I posted this pie after making it and realizing that it would become a favorite of our family. My oldest son, Jason, isn’t much of a dessert person. He likes two things, Texas sheet cake and this almond pie. It is a great pie to make and keep in the freezer for when friends or family drop by. It is very simple but very rich. I made it last night for dinner with friends this evening. They have never tasted its before so will be fun to see their reaction.

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cookie pie shell
15 regular sized marshmallows
6 regular sized Hershey Bars with almond extract

1/2 whole milk or Half & half
1 teas almond extract
2 & 1/2 cups whipping cream (divided)

In heavy saucepan, melt the candy bars with the 1/2 cup milk or 1/2&1/2 and marshmallows until all are melted and combined. Add the almond extract and stir until mixed in. Set aside to cool for about an hour.

After mixture is cool, whip one cup of the whipping cream until stiff peaks form and hold well and then add the cooled chocolate mixture and stir in altogether. Pour into the chocolate crust. Let sit at least 4 hours or you can cover the pie with Press & Seal and freeze until ready to serve.

Before serving, allow pie to sit in fridge for at least 4-6 hours. (If pie has been frozen, this will allow it to thaw enough to serve)

Whip the remaining 1 cup of whipping cream with 1/3 cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Top the chocolate pie with whipping cream and serve.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Pies · Uncategorized

Old Fashioned Banana Pudding with a Twist (actually several twists)

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This weekend we were invited to a dinner party, where I had volunteered to bring the dessert. It has come to my attention that we aren’t that well liked, they just invite us so I will bring the dessert, as folks know that I love to bake and use any opportunity for a reason to do so. Also, Jodi had invited some of their friends over on Saturday night and of course, and I had volunteered to make her dessert for her gathering as well. When given her choice of what she wanted me to make she choose banana pudding. Being that that is not one of my favorite desserts with the vanilla wafers, I quickly remembered Paula Deens banana pudding which steps up traditional banana pudding about 10 notches. That was my deciding factor, remembering standing in our kitchen, licking the bowl of Paula Deens banana pudding several years back. She uses Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies instead of vanilla wafers and adds several ingredients making this a most richly flavored dessert. By the time I got to the store, I decided to just make a double batch, one for the Duprees and one to take to our dinner party. Walking through the grocery store I started thinking about the chessman cookies and decided that I would use a crust that is so easy and yet so delicious instead of the Chessman cookies! It is the crust which is used for Texas Panhandler Yum Yum’s. Now, it was all coming together. That would be the crust, and Paula Deens filling for the pudding. All that to say…….here is the version that was made and devoured Saturday night.
When Jodi called this morning she told me that her company ask what the crust was because it was just delicious. Trust me on this, you will love the combination of the flavors and the ease of which it is made.

Thank you Paula for sharing more of the Southern dishes that make our lives a little more heavenly with each bite.

Preheat oven to 350.
Crust

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup butter

Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. When completely melted, add the flour and the nuts. Stir to combine and place in either a 9×13 or a 11×7″ pan. If using the 11×7, the crust of course will be a little thicker. I was making it for 6, so I used that size. I made Jodi’s in 9×13 because she was serving 9. Either works fine.
Spread crust ingredients in pan using your fingers until dough is spread evenly in pan and bake in preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. IF using the 9×13 it won’t take as long to bake. Cool crust completely. Set aside.

Filling
2-3 bananas
1 (3 oz) package of french vanilla instant pudding *see below
1 (3 oz) package of white chocolate instant pudding
1 (8 oz) softened cream cheese)
1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk (Eagle Brand)
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed

Topping * See Below
1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Whip softened cream cheese with the Eagle Brand milk until well combined. Add the Cool Whip and beat just until well mixed. Set aside in fridge while making pudding.

Beat both packages with 3 cups of cold milk until thick. (recipe on box will say use 2 cups for each box, but do not do this, just use the 3 cups for the 2 boxes combined) When thickened, add to the cream cheese mixture and mix thoroughly. Slice 2-3 banana over cooled crust. Spoon pudding mixture over the sliced bananas. Place in fridge, covered with plastic wrap.

Whipped topping

It is very important to use a very clean, grease free bowl to whip cream. any grease will cause the whipping cream not to thicken. Using 1 1/2 cups very cold heavy whipping cream, add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and whip until whipping cream is thick and holds its shape, about 3-4 minutes. Spoon over chilled pudding mixture and keep covered in fridge until ready to serve.
Cut into squares and serve with more sliced bananas on top if desired.

*I use French vanilla instead of the banana instant pudding, just because I don’t like so much banana flavor. But you can use banana instant pudding if you like a more banana flavor.
*if you don’t like or want to use whipped cream for topping buy an extra Cool Whip and use instead.

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Lemons & Lattes

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

I just had to post about the lemon meringue pie that I just had to have last night at 7:30 p.m. We were watching AGT and I looked over at Randy as the first commercial hit and said, “oh my gosh, we don’t have any dessert in the house except a frozen package of little cheesecakes and that is not what I am craving.” His response to me was, “well, what do you feel like making?” After a few minutes of different images of desserts swirling thought my mind, the only thing that sounded good to me was a lemon meringue pie. So at 7:40 p.m. I pulled myself up and headed for the kitchen. First thought, did I even have a package of cook and serve Lemon pudding? Second thought, did I really want to start this at 7:40? But when I crave a certain dessert, what am I suppose to do? Was dancing a jig that I had one box of the cook and serve pudding. This is FYI…about a year ago when we were in California visiting friends, we had a lemon meringue pie served as dessert. When I ask our hostess about her recipe she told me that for years, every time she makes a LM pie, people comment about her pie and ask her for the recipe. She always just said it was a family secret. In truth, she uses the Jello Brand recipe on the side of the box of Cook & Serve Lemon Pudding. The next grocery store visit I stocked up on said product. That was about a year ago and still to this day, that is the recipe I use except that on the side of the box the recipe for the meringue calls for 3 egg whites. So instead of using just two egg yolks that the box recipe calls for, I just add that 3rd egg yolk into the saucepan. After all, that just adds a little extra richness.
By 9:00 p.m., we were turning on Netflix to Call the Midwife (which we both hight recommend) and having a wonderful slice of lemon meringue pie.

It us unusual for me to not bake something pumpkin or apple when the tempts drop below 110, but all that would do last night was this wonderful pie, which made me crave a pumpkin spice latte. So today, we will stop at Starbucks for our first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season…..and come home for another slice of pie!

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Cookies · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Apple Pie Oatmeal Cups

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A few weeks ago I saw these wonderful looking apple pie cups on Facebook and knew right then that I had to have one. As I didn’t have fresh apples in the house and it was still so hot outside that the thought of going outside at 3 p.m. was not enticing. But I did have a can of apple pie filling and a Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie packet. So I marched to the kitchen and began to build this great little cup of deliciousness. Having to admit that I did not make the oatmeal cookies from scratch (like I saw on FB), nor using fresh apples, (like I saw on FB), this became a challenge to get a finished product that would certainly be something that I would not apologize for serving, since I was using shortcuts. I have made them twice since Friday. They are that good. A couple that we share baked goods quite frequently, was the first recipeants of these little gems. The wife never got to even taste them as her hubby ate them. So am taking her one today. They will be our dessert tonight at our kids house. Along with ice cream and caramel topping them off.

Im posting the quick & easy version as they are so good, I probably will just always make these instead of peeling apples (which I save that exercise for fresh apple cake, after all, I don’t want to get worn out before it actually turns to fall when apple cakes become the dessert of choice).

1 packet of Betty Crocker Oatmeal Cookie Mix
24 cupcake liners

Apple Pie Filling
1 can of your favorite apple pie filling.
Cut each apple slices in small pieces before placing the entire can of filling into a small saucepan. Add the follow to the apple pie filling:
3 tables unsalted butter
2 teas ground cinnamon
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Heat over low heat until sugar and butter are well melted and combined with apples.

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pan with liners.
Mix oatmeal cookies according to directions (the directions on back are very simple, mix the cookie mix with 1 stick of unsalted softened butter, 1 eggs and 1 tables water. Stir until well combined.) on back of package. Using a medium cookie scoop (it would be about a tablespoon), fill each cupcake liner which has been placed in cupcake pan, with the raw cookie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until “cookies” feel done to the touch. Remove from oven and punch down the center of each “cookie” with the bottom of a very small glass or jigger. Place about 1 teas of the chopped apple filling into the center of the “cookie”. Serve warm if desired with vanilla ice cream and caramel.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Friday Blue Plate Special

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I love Fridays. It makes me think of what all I want to bake for the weekend and who can I invite to have dinner with us. It is fun to immediately think, “wow, we can watch Netflix until midnight if we want and still sleep in on Saturday and so what do I want to bake for a Republic of Doyle, or Call the Midwife or our new favorite, I’ll Have What Phils Having” marathon?”
Last night, since we had Mexican food that we had not eaten at a favorite Mexican restaurant at lunch, instead of me having to make dinner, I choose to go ahead and make our dessert for tonight. Tonight is a great night. Friends are coming over for dinner for spaghetti and meatballs and ta da…..Tuxedo Cake, before taking off for game night at the clubhouse.
That is probably my favorite cake outside of wedding cake. Of course Randy and I had to go ahead and have a slice. We couldn’t go from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. last night without dessert, so a slice we had.

Tuxedo cake is very simply a chocolate cake with almond flavored buttercream frosting with chocolate ganache poured over the top. Not only is it beautiful but gives me that almond flavor that I love. This year a very special lady and friend gave me one a most favored gift. A cake server/keeper. Not only is it the color of my kitchen, but it has what has become my motto written on the front:
“Made With Love & Butter” How could I not love it? So tonight, The recipe for this wonderful cake is on the blog already, so I’m not going to post it again, but simply put Tuxedo cake in the search bar and it will pop up. Will post the recipe for my spaghetti & meatballs tomorrow.
Have a great and blessed weekend, but remember no matter what you make, make it with Love & Butter!

appetizers · Breads · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Cooking With Ginger

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We have a young chef who comes into our community once a month who is absolutely wonderful. Not only does she bring us amazing recipes, but she is funny and just livens up the people who show up. You come away laughing and in such great moods, it is just a great class to attend. Last week she made 4 really good recipes of which I have already made one. It will be one of our staples from now on. Open Faced Caprese Sandwiches. She also gave us the recipe for Butterscotch Peanut bars, Watermelon-Feta-Basil Salad and a summer mixed drink which I will post tomorrow. But today I am posting the Caprese Sandwiches and Butterscotch Bars.
I bet when you read the title you thought this post would be all about recipes which included ginger. Fooled YA!

Caprese Sandwiches
1 Roma Tomato, sliced into four slices
2 tables chopped fresh basil (or more depending on how many slices of bread you are using)
Fresh Mozzarella log, sliced thinly
4 slices of Italian Bread or baguette
Balsamic Reduction *Found it at some Walmarts and also Trader Joes
Butter and Olive Oil

Preheat oven broiler or toaster oven
Gently spread olive oil or softened butter on one side of the bread. Place in oven to lightly toast.
On opposite side of buttered or oiled bread, with a pastry brush, place olive oil on the dry side of the bread that has not been toasted. Place tomato slices on top of bread. (If you are making more than 4 slices of bread, use another tomato)
Top with slices of mozzarella. Again, use enough slices to make however many slices you need.
Place bread onto baking sheet and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and starting to bubble.
Top with chopped basil and sprinkle with the balsamic reduction. You may want to sprinkle each slice with sea salt.

Butterscotch Peanut Bars
This quick and easy bar to make taste similar to a Pay Day candy bar.

Bar
1/2 cup butterscotch flavored baking chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup salted Spanish peanuts or salted peanuts
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Glaze
1/4 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teas shortening

Melt butterscotch chips, peanut butter and butter oven low heat in small saucepan, stirring constantly 3-5 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
Stir in peanuts and marshmallows. Pour into a buttered 8″ square pan. Cover and place in fridge 30 min or until set.
Melt chocolate chips with shortening in a small saucepan or microwave until chips are melted. In 15 second intervals. Sir after each interval. Drizzle over the cooled bars and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
Cut into bars and keep covered in fridge.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

I have made this cake twice in one week. The first time I made it was for a friends birthday and used some of the batter to make about 6 cupcakes so Randy and I could have some. Having a new neighbor next to us, 3 of the cupcakes went to her and so I got one and Randy had two. Well, I can tell you that just having one simply was enough to leave me with a craving for more carrot cake. This recipe was handed to me back in 2002 when, at a company picnic, Randy was talked into being in a dunking booth and all the employees bought tickets trying to dunk him. If you know Randy, you will know that the Penny loafer-Polo shirt wearing, brief case carrying man was not in “hog heaven” that day. But I walked away with this great recipe of a cake that one of the ladies from the office brought to the all day picnic.
Today there were 8 ladies at the house for a salad luncheon and since I had not yet satisfied the carrot cake craving, I decided to make it again. All I can tell you is that it always gets rave reviews and as several of the ladies and a couple of the husbands who were taken a piece said, “this is the best carrot cake” It is simple and wonderful.

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
2 teas cinnamon (I added an extra one to make 3 teas total)
3 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
2 teas vanilla
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups grated carrots
1 (3 1/2 oz) can flaked coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1/3 cup orange juice

Combine flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Combine eggs, oil, buttermilk,sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Stir in flour mixture, pineapple, carrots, coconut and nuts.
Pour into well greased and floured 3 (9″) pans.
Bake at 350 for about 23-28 minutes or until cake tests done. If you use one 9×13 pan, remove enough batter to make about 4 cupcakes and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until cake tests done. Cupcakes will only need about 15 minutes to bake.

When cake is done, remove from oven and using a pastry brush, brush each layer with the orange juice allowing it to spread over each layer. Let cool for about 10 min and remove layers onto sheets of waxed paper or cooling rack.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (1 lb) box of powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz) softened cream cheese
1-2 tables orange juice concentrate (I bought orange juice concentrate and allowed to thaw so that it gave the frosting a stronger “orange” taste.

Combine the powdered sugar, butter and cream cheese and mix until well blended. Add the orange juice concentrate to make frosting a spreading consistency.

Divide the frosting between the 3 layers, saving enough to frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle more very finely chopped pecans or walnuts over top of cake.