Monday, March 28, 2011

Gooey Chocolate Cookies

I was looking for an easy cookie recipe and found this one in my 2010 Taste of Home Annual Recipes book.  Not only was it easy, but the cookies were delicious. 

I always try to make my cookies and other sweets on the weekend so my daughter can take them to her Young Women.  That way I'm not tempted to eat all of them.  You know, I'm on a diet :-)  Well, the Young Women loved them.  Of course, they're just happy to have treats.  But I know they really liked these because they wanted the recipe.  So, here it is girls.

Gooey Chocolate Cookies

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (18 1/4 oz.) chocolate cake mix

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Add the cake mix and mix well (dough will be sticky).  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9 - 11 minutes or until tops are cracked.  Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

**You can replace the chocolate cake mix with a different flavor.  I have a Lemon Supreme cake mix.  I bet that would be delicious.  I'm definitely going to try it.  My 98 year old mother-in-law loves lemon anything.  I think she will really enjoy these.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Moma Toby's Chopped Liver

I know what you're thinking--GROSS!  But have you ever tried Chopped Liver?  Whenever the whole family gets together, my mom always makes chopped liver.  It is so delicious.  Honest!  Even family members who hate liver, love my mom's chopped liver.  I decided to try to make it this past Thanksgiving.  Mom didn't really have a recipe, but she told me how to make it.  I must admit it turned out scrumptious.  Of course mom doctored it up a little when she arrived at my home for Thanksgiving dinner.  She added a little more salt, a little more onion, sugar, etc.  Whatever she did, it was the best chopped liver we have ever had.  (Hope I've inherited "Mom's touch".)

Moma Toby's Chopped Liver

2-3 pounds chicken livers, rinsed well
2- 3 large onions, chopped
vegetable oil
8-10 hard boiled eggs
3 teaspoons sugar
3 or more teaspoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil rinsed livers in water.  Add a little salt to the water and boil until livers get tender/soft and well done (about 45 minutes).  Drain livers and rinse again.  Clean grit from the middle (where it connects--Mom says you'll know when you see it).

Saute onions (Mom says lots of onions) in oil (about 1/4 cup) until onions are soft and clear.  Add livers and saute some more.  Mash livers with a fork when done. 
(Poor mom, she never had food processors.  But I mashed them with a fork, because I always do what "mom says"--usually.)

Add hard boiled eggs. (Mom says about 3 - 4 per pound of liver.)  Mash together and add to liver mixture.

Add sugar. (Mom says about 1 teaspoon per pound of liver)
Add Mayo.  (Mom says about 1 teaspoon or more per pound of liver.)
Add salt to taste.
Add more raw onion and mix well.

Mom says to go by taste and add more salt, onion, mayo, sugar, etc.

Serve with crackers--Mom says!

**Best if made a day or two before you serve--Mom says and she's right!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Well, I'm on a diet--AGAIN!  So now is the time to try those Mexican recipes that I usually don't eat because I won't be eating any.  I'm on a diet, REMEMBER!  

My family LOVED this chicken enchilada casserole!  So I had to have a little taste.  BIG MISTAKE!  You know how everything that you're not suppose to eat tastes so good when you're on a diet.  Did I say I was on a diet?  Oh well, I'll start my diet tomorrow--AGAIN!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

6-8 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into cubes
2 cans (10 oz.) Mild Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
1 - 1 1/4 cups light sour cream
8 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam.  Layer half of the chicken, enchilada sauce, sour cream, tortillas and cheese.  Repeat layers.  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer, until bubbly.  Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

**If you have a small family and don't want to make a big casserole, this is an easy recipe to half.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Susan's Charleston Chocolate Cake

Here is a recipe my friend, Susan, gave me after I raved about how delicious it was.  I told her I wanted to put it on my blog, so here it is. 

Susan's Charleston Chocolate Cake

Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Frosting:
1 stick butter
6 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, salt and soda together and set aside.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan;then add cocoa and water
  • Remove from heat and pour over dry ingredients.  Mix thoroughly.
  • Add sour cream and eggs.
  • Transfer to lightly greased and floured pan (15 x 10 x 2).
  • Bake 25 minutes.  Frost while warm, still in pan.
  • For frosting, melt butter in saucepan and add milk and cocoa.
  • Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.  Remove.
  • Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and nuts. ( i left nuts out and sprinkled them on top.) Beat with mixer.
**Susan made the cake in a 9 x 13 pan and baked it a little longer.  This made it thicker and more fudgy (is that how you spell it?).