Friday, July 29, 2011

Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever!


I love making and eating desserts--especially chocolate desserts.  When I saw the name of this recipe, it was almost like it was daring me to make it to see if it truly was the "Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever".  I must admit, it is a Chocolate Lover's dream.  Happy eating!


Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Ever!

1 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/3 cup water
4 eggs (or 1 egg and 3 egg whites)
1 package chocolate cake mix
1 (3 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour into bundt pan sprayed with Baker's Joy or grease and flour.  Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick comes our clean.  Let cool about 15 minutes and then remove from pan.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar (or more to consistency)

Combine first 3 ingredients in saucepan.  Heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and pour in powdered sugar.  Pour over top of cake.

**I serve at the Columbia South Carolina Temple once a week and took this cake for the workers to eat.   I over-heard one worker tell another, "This is the best chocolate cake ever!"   Enough said! 

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Susan's Berry Peach Fruit Cobbler

Here is a delicious recipe from my friend Susan.  It is very similar to my Peach Cobbler recipe.  Susan mixed peaches with blackberries and served it with vanilla ice cream on top.  Mmmm!  It was sooooo good! 

Susan's Berry Peach Fruit Cobbler

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix above ingredients and crumble over sliced fruit (peaches, blueberries, blackberries, or mix them up!).

Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter and pour over batter.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Friday, July 15, 2011

Another Mexican Casserole

So here is another Mexican casserole that I tried.  No, it's not Brandi's recipe, but it is similar. This one doesn't have the beans in it.  My family really liked it and I think you will too.

Another Mexican Casserole

4 -6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, chopped and divided
1 small piece of celery
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I used the Mexican blend)
1 small can/jar taco sauce
1 cup broth, divided
1 package nacho cheese flavored Doritoes (I used the baked Doritoes)

In a pot, boil chicken in salted water with a small slice of the onion and a small piece of celery for about 30 - 45 minutes).  Remove from pot and cut chicken into pieces.  Save 1 cup broth and set aside.

Mix taco sauce, soup, 1/2 cup broth, and onions with the chicken.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam and line bottom with Doritoes and alternate layers of Doritoes, chicken mixture and cheese.  Top with the grated cheese and pour the remaining 1/2 cup broth over dish.  Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 25 - 30 minutes.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Talk about an easy dessert.  You can't get any easier than this recipe!  But it is ooey gooey like mud.  Maybe that's why they call it Mississippi Mud!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

1 brownie mix
1 jar of marshmallow cream
1 can of chocolate frosting

Make brownies according to package directions.  Remove from oven and while hot spread marshmallow cream on brownies.  Then spread on the chocolate frosting.  (Chocolate frosting was hard to spread so I just took a knife and swirled it.)

Monday, June 27, 2011

Swiss Chicken Parmesan

Here's a delicious, easy chicken main dish that you and your family will enjoy.  I added Parmesan cheese to the stuffing mix so I call it Swiss Chicken Parmesan. Really good.  Really good!  It does take 2 hours to bake, so plan ahead.

Swiss Chicken Parmesan 

6 - 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste
6 - 8 slices Swiss cheese
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) water
1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing mix
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons butter

Place chicken breasts in a greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Top each piece of chicken with a slice of Swiss cheese. Mix soup and water together.  Be sure to mix well.  Pour over chicken.  Combine stuffing mix and Parmesan cheese and toss with the butter.  Sprinkle over the chicken.  Bake for 2 hours at 300 degrees.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Rocky Road Squares

When I came across this recipe I thought it not only sounded delicious, but it looked easy to make.  Right on both counts--delicious and easy!

Rocky Road Squares

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Mix flour and graham cracker crumbs together and add to creamed mixture.  Pat into greased 9 x 9 or 11 x 7 x 1.5 inch pan.  Sprinkle marshmallows, chocolate chips, and nuts on top of crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Lemon Lush

As I have mentioned in past "lemon" posts, my mother-in -law loves lemon.  When I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it for her.  If you're a lemon person too, you'll love this delicious dessert.

Lemon Lush

1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts
1 cup powdered sugar
1 small carton Cool Whip, divided
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
2 packages instant lemon pudding mix
3 cups milk

Mix butter, flour and nuts and press in bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees then let cool.  Mix powdered sugar, 1 cup Cool Whip and cream cheese.  Spread on baked crust.

Mix lemon pudding and milk until set.  Spread on cream cheese mixture.  Put the remaining Cool Whip on top and keep refrigerated.

**Can be made with chocolate puddding.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Eggplant?  Yuck!  No, you won't think that after you try this Eggplant Parmesan Casserole. Personally, I don't like eggplant, but I loved this dish and my family loved it too.  You'll become an eggplant lover with this casserole as well.

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
2 (15 oz.) cans of tomato sauce
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Vegetable oil

In a bowl mix together the flour, salt and pepper.  In another bowl mix the egg and milk.  Then dip the peeled and sliced eggplant in egg and milk and dredge in the flour mixture. In a large skillet, heat oil and brown eggplant slices on both sides.  Drain on a brown paper bag. (I'm sure you can use paper towels instead.)  Rinse skillet and saute ground beef or turkey and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste.  Add onion and green pepper  and cook until meat is done and onion and peppers are tender.  Drain.  Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and Italian seasoning.  (I also added a packet of Stevia.)  In a greased 9 x 11 baking dish place alternating layers of meat mixture, eggplant and Mozzarella cheese.  Top with Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Hamburger Noodle Delight

Here's a hamburger noodle casserole that is different and delicious.  It will definitely delight your taste buds.

Hamburger Noodle Delight

1 (8 oz.) package medium egg noodles
1 1/2 pounds ground round
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 small (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (8 oz. ) package cream cheese
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

Cook noodles and set aside.  Combine tomato sauce, sour cream and softened cream cheese.  Mix until creamy and set aside.   Brown meat (I sprinkled salt, pepper and garlic powder on the meat) and onion together and drain the juices.

Spray a 2-quart baking dish with Pam.  Layer half the noodles in the bottom of the dish.  Then put the creamed mixture on top of the noodles (do not stir) and the rest of the noodles on top of the creamed mixture.  Finally place the meat mixture on top of the noodles and sprinkle with the grated cheese (remember, don't stir).  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted and browned.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Pecan Pie Squares

Pecan Pie Squares, Pecan Pie, Pecan

Have a taste for pecan pie?  Try these Pecan Pie Squares.  They are more like a cookie than a pie.  Cookie?  Pie?  It doesn't matter because they are absolutely delicious!

Pecan Pie Squares

Crust:
3 cups flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon salt

Grease 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.  Beat on medium speed until crumbly.  Press firmly in pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Karo light or dark syrup (I used light)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Mix all ingredients, except nuts, until well blended.  Add nuts and pour over baked layer.  Bake until set, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Cut into squares. 

HINT:  Cut into squares while still warm with a plastic knife.  After they cool, cut again.  I found that doing it this way the squares don't crumble and are easier to remove from pan.  I also took the knife around the edges while the squares were still warm.  The end pieces didn't seem to stick as bad to the pan since I did this.