Tasteful Tuesday

It has been a while since I shared a dessert here so here is my favorite brownies. Even if you aren't interested in the brownies, read the next post. I posted it late last night so I don't want you to miss it. I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving and didn't have any food mishaps.

Best Brownies, EVER!

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup oil

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

4 eggs

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup chocolate chips (approximate)

In microwave safe bowl, melt butter. Add oil, sugar, cocoa, eggs, salt and vanilla. Mix really well. Add flour, mix well. Pour into greased 9x13. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. I ALWAYS take them out at 25 min. They will still be a little gooey, but when they firm up, they are perfect. Just don't over bake them-NOT good.

Recipe Source:

Sister's cafe

My Notes:

These really are best with the chocolate chips. I have left them off a few times and something was missing.

Tasteful Tuesday

Drew's birthday was Sunday and he really wanted a Percy Jackson birthday cake. Percy Jackson is a book series that has a lot of Greek mythology in it and it is huge among the kids Drew's age. I searched all over online looking for a cute cake and couldn't find anything that I liked so I had to come up with something on my own. There is a recipe at the end of this post but it is mostly about this cute birthday cake idea. I know it doesn't really go along with my new low calorie recipes but I have to say, I wasn't even tempted to eat any cake. The rice krispies, on the other hand.... (they are what I used under the fondant). Here is Drew with his cake. We took it to the park for a get together so I didn't get a picture with the candles in.

Here is the Medusa head the girls and I made. Didn't it turn out cute? Ainslee and Kaitlyn did most of it.

In the top picture with Drew in it, I had added the "minitaur horn"...not sure if I liked it on there or not, but he wanted it so I threw it on.

To go with the cake I wanted to make some wave cupcakes but I ended up running out of time and decided to just top the cupcakes with whipped cream. For the cake, I made a jello poke cake, which is one of my favorite cakes to make that takes minimal prep. and tastes really good...not to mention the yummy surprise inside. I also made the cupcakes that way. The recipe is down below. Read through my notes to find out the new buttercream recipe I used.

Jello Poke Cake

1 box cake mix*

1 (4oz) package jello

Cool Whip

Bake cake according to directions. While hot, poke holes in cake and prepare jello according to directions. Spoon jello over cake and then refrigerate until jello is set. Top with cool whip and enjoy!

My Notes:

*any flavor of cake mix is good but you can try these combos: spice cake with orange jello, white cake with any flavor, chocolate cake with cherry or black cherry jello, lemon cake and lemon jello. Whipped cream is the best topping but if you are like me and want to actually decorate the cake, whipped cream doesn't work really well. I found a fun twist on a buttercream frosting that tasted good with the cake but still allowed me to use a cake decorating tip. Use 1/2 cup butter, softened; 4-6 cups powdered sugar; 4-6 tablespoons prepared jello (before it has set up...I poured most of the jello over my cake and cupcakes and then used the small amount that was left to put into the frosting). Beat the butter until fluffy and slowly add in the powdered sugar, alternating with the jello. Continue adding sugar and jello until you reach desired consistency.

Recipe source: Kraft foods

Tasteful Tuesday

Raspberry Mousse and Chocolate Cake

Some of you might remember me posting a picture of this cake a while back. I said I would get the recipe posted but I have had a lot of others to get on here. So, finally, here are the recipes I used to make this yummy cake. I am kind of crazy in that I am really trying to rid our diets of processed foods...mind you processed, not unhealthy. It is apparent that we still eat a lot of junk! Anyway, I have been trying to find recipes to replace boxed meals, etc. Here is my favorite chocolate cake recipe with a raspberry mousse filling to go with it. In a few weeks, I'll get around to sharing the recipe I just found for a homemade cake mix that you can pop in the freezer to pull out when you need to make a cake. It turned out great! On to the chocolate!

Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Add boiling water, slowly. Batter will be very thin. Pour into greased pans and bake at 350 for 35-40 min. for a 9x13 or 30-35 for 9 in rounds.

Raspberry Mousse

1 (10 oz) package frozen raspberries, thawed

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1 tablespoon cold water

2 tablespoons boiling water

1 cup cold whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Drain raspberries and push through seive to remove seeds. Discard the seeds. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand 1 minute. Then add the boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved and mixture is clear. In mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form. Pour in the gelatin and beat until stiff. Stir in the raspberries and refrigerate 20 minutes. Pour into chocolate cups, eat on graham crackers or use to fill the center of a layer cake.

Tasteful Tuesday

We just got back from our first camping trip of the year (okay, first one in a few years). We had so much fun! Camping is always a lot of work but is so worth it. I thought I would share some of the different food we had. Of course we had the normal roasted hot dogs, s'mores, and pancakes but we also tried some more interesting things and ways to cook. All of these ideas I had done before (camping as a kid) but my mom reminded me of them while she was here and my husband was very impressed. He especially liked the banana boats and asked why I had been keeping that one secret for so long. I wasn't able to get a picture of them but we will be making them again and I will definately get some pictures. Hope you are able to try some of these out!

Easy Omlettes

Eggs

Cheese

Salsa

Salt and Pepper

(or whatever you like in your omlette)

Ziplock bag for each person

Start a pan of boiling water. Crack your eggs into the ziplock bag (I did 2 per person). Put in salt and pepper in, along with whatever omlette items you like, we did cheese and salsa. Make sure to get all the air out and to zip your bag closed all the way! When water is boiling,put bags in water and let them cook. This did take longer than I was expecting. I flipped my bags over after 5 min or so. When cooked, pour out of bag and enjoy.

Roasted Starbursts

Place a starburst on the end of your roasting stick.

Put over hot coals until bubbly on top.

Let cool for a little bit. Pull off and eat. (Or you can place a marshmallow on your roasting stick, then put a startburst on top of that. Roast together over coals. Put between your graham cracker and chocolate like a S'more...we used the chocolate covered grahams for convenience)

Banana Boats

1 banana per person

Chocolate chips

Mini marshmallows

With a knife, slice through the banana skin length wise without cutting all the way through.

Within the skin, carefully cut the banana into three sections, removing a little chunk between each section. This will leave room for you to put the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Squeeze in as many chocolate chips and marshmallows as you can while still being able to mostly able to close the skin. Then place the banana in the hot coals for 10 minutes or so, until the chocolate chips and marshmallows are melted. Open up and enjoy.

Tasteful Tuesday

These cheesecake cookies are just what they sound like: cheesecake in cookie form. Which means you don't have to worry about all the things you do when you make a real cheesecake. I have only attempted a real cheesecake once and didn't feel it was worth all the stress and heartache....I like the cool-whip ones just as well! Try out these cookies, though, they were good!

Cheesecake Cookies

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 cans cherry pie filling

In bowl, combine flour baking powder and salt. In mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 min.

Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll in graham cracker crumbs and place on parchment lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Using a tablespoon, make an indentation in ball. Place 3 cherries in the dimple. (I found it better to just get the cherries and not much of the filling stuff) Bake in oven heated to 350 for 12-14 min. Cool on the sheet for 5 min, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Recipe source: Mels Kitchen Cafe

My Notes:

This makes a ton of cookies! I cut the recipe in half, just to try them out and had plenty to share with my institute class (after I had eaten about 20). These can be used with any kind of pie filling or whatever you would put on a real cheesecake.

Tasetful Tuesday

Just have to share the good news I got last week: I won the holiday challenge I was participating in over on my sister's health blog! I was able to really keep my junk food intake under control over the holidays because of her challenge. I really tried to just stop making the junk. However, since the challenge is over, I made these really yummy, chocolate filled brownies the other day. They really took care of the chocolate craving I ws having. If I were you, I would make these when you are needing a treat to share with someone so that you don't have the urge to eat them all! Hope you enjoy! I also wanted to share 2 new sites I discovered that might help you with your creativity in the kitchen. They are $5 Dollar Dinners and Eat at Home. Eat at Home has weekly menus that she has written up and included a grocery shopping list with. Most of the recipes I have tried are great. $5 dollar dinners and great if you are looking to spend a little less on your main meal of the day. If you check them out, let me know what you think.

Ultimate Quadruple Chocolate Brownies

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

3/4 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9X13 pan. Combine butter, and unsweetened chocolate in microwave safe bowl. Microwave until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Add in sugar, eggs, and vanilla and stir until combined. Add in flour and salt and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 min. Cool. **These were really great when they were still a little warm and the chocolate was still melted....yum!

Recipe source: Wilton's Brownie Fun magazine

Tasteful Tuesday

Today I have three great things for you. I am sharing a great fall recipe that comes from my mom. It is another dessert and will probably be the last one for a while since my great sister has another great challenge going on at her fitness blog. I am also announcing the winner of the Truffle contest. So....on to the winner. The winning flavors are Raspberry and Oreo. And the winner, drawn from a hat by my son Bronson, is Alesha Walker! Congratulations!! Be expecting a package from me in the next couple weeks. I am also opening up my recipe blog which for now only has yummy desserts (sorry, the pictures are coming!) but will eventually house all my recipes that have been tested and eaten up by my hubby and 5 kiddos. I will still do tasteful tuesday here and the recipes will be featured at both places. Hope you can enjoy some of our favorite recipes!
So, on to today's recipe: Pumpkin Cake....sorry there is no picture, we are in the middle of switching to a new computer and not everything is hooked up and working to get the pictures on). I am not much of a pumpkin pie fan but could eat the entire pan of pumpkin cake without even thinking about it. Serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and it is fantabulous!

Pumpkin Cake

1 large can pumpkin

1 large can evaporated milk

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 box yellow cake mix (butter recipe is best)

1 cube butter, melted

In mixing bowl, combine first six ingredients. Pour into lightly greased 9X13 pan. Combine yellow cake mix and melted butter. Crumble over the top of the pumpkin mixture and bake at 350 for 50-60 min. Remove from oven when it does not jiggle and is golden brown on top. Serve with Cool-whip or vanilla ice cream

**if you want to make it even quicker, you can purchase the large can of pumpkin pie filling and leave out the spices and sugar. Just add the milk and eggs. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Tasteful Tuesday

I usually have the hardest time deciding which recipes to share. My camera is now full of food pictures instead of cute kids! Anyway, today I decided to share two recipes. The first is another one from my mother in law which I have changed a little bit. It is my favorite chili recipe. Since the weather here is starting to cool off, it makes for a great, quick and easy dinner. I usually serve it in a bowl, more like soup (and I especially like the lettuce in it) while my mother in law usually serves it on a plate more like nachos or taco salad. Do whatever suits your fancy. The second recipe is one I would never have thought to put together. My husband and I were able to sneak away for a date on Sat. We tried a restaraunt new to us and while the entrees were just okay, the appetizers and dessert were fantastic. The chocolate pineapple upside down cake was what we tried. Very yum! I still need to work on the recipe that is here to make it just like the one at the restaraunt but this was still very tastey and would be great if you are looking for something different to serve to company. It looks really nice on a plate. Hope you enjoy!

Chiliquiles

1 onion, chopped

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 can chili beans

1 can black beans

1 can creamed corn

Brown beef with onion and drain. Add in rest of ingredients and heat through. Serve with corn chips, cheese, sour cream and shredded lettuce.

Chocolate Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices

1 package dark chocolate fudge cake mix**

1 box instant vanilla pudding**

1 cup pineapple juice, from canned pineapple with little bit of water added**

1/2 cup oil**

4 eggs**

Seedless Raspberry jam

Butterscotch Sauce (from ice cream topping section)

Preheat oven to 325. Melt butter in 9X13 pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter. Place pineapple slices in pan. Put a small spoonful of jam in center of pineapple slices. Combine cake mix, pudding, juice, oil and eggs in large mixing bowl. Blend on low 30 seconds and onmeduim for 2 minutes. Pour batter over pineapple and bake 40-50 min. Cool 5 min and turn onto serving platter, pineapple side up. To serve, warm butterscotch and small amount of jam (in seperate bowls) and drizzle over plate. Put a piece of cake in center and spoon more butterscotch on top. Top with dab of whipped cream.

**I have found that I like this recipe sooo much better with the following from scratch chocolate cake. If you want to make the cake from scratch replace the astricked items with the following recipe and follow the rest of the directions.

Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup boiling water (for this cake use the pineapple juice plus enough water to make 1 cup and bring to a boil)

Combine all dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add in eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Add in boiling water, slowly. Batter will be very thin. Pour over pineapple and sugar. Bake at 350 for 35-45 min.

Tasteful Tuesday

Considering my last post was all about how we are trying to eat more healthy, today's post obviously does not fit into the picture. But I guess every now and then we all need a really yummy treat. This recipe is for one of my favorite cookies. I started making these in high school and I got the recipe out of the Crazy About Chocolate cookbook. I don't usually put the chocolate frosting on top because they are just as yummy without it. Rolo Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beated

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 (9 oz) pakage Rolo candies

1 Tblsp sugar

1 cup vanilla or chocolate candy coating

Cream butter, 1 cup sugar, and brown sugar in mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Mix flour, cocoa, and baking soda together, stir into creamed mixture. Chill dough for 1 hour. Divide dough into 4 portions, then divide into 12 balls each. Press 1 unwrapped rolo into each ball, shaping to enclose completely (make sure the whole candy is covered because they will leak out when cooking if they are completely covered). Roll balls in remaining sugar and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 min. Cool. If wanted, melt the candy coating and drizzle over cookies. These are great still warm or cooled completely...the carmel inside just tastes gooey or chewy. Hope you enjoy them!

Tasteful Tuesday....a Day Late

Cookie Dough Brownies
These brownies were really yummy. I cheated and used a box mix, which I normally never do because I never buy them. I included the brownie recipe I usually make, but the box one was good too. I also made the frosting a little thinner than I would have liked because I had a screaming baby. I originally found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe . She always has yummy recipes.













Brownies:

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar, then add in eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture, mix well. Pour into greased 9X13. Bake at 375 for 20-25 min. Cool and then frost

Cookie Dough Frosting:

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
3 Tbls. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2-3/4 c. flour
pinch of salt
1 c. choc. chips

Beat butter and sugars. Add milk, vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt. Stir in choc chips. You can make it thinner using the 1/2 c. flour and it will be easier to spread or use the 3/4 c which will really be more like cookie dough and pat it on with your fingers carefully (to not tear the brownie)