Hot Chocolate Volcano Cakes

This is a delicious ooey, gooey chocolate fudgy dessert that Shawn loves!! I only have three ramekins and that leaves a ton of extra batter so I put the remaining batter into a greased pie dish and bake until most of it is set and a toothpick comes out clean but, the center is soft and gooey. it's like delicious molten, fudgy brownies...YUM!



Ingredients:
3/4 cups flour
2/3 cups unsweetend cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unstalted butter, softened (I use salted butter and omit the salt)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup egg substitute (less fattening) or 4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate squares, finely chopped
2 T powdered sugar
Ice Cream, vanilla or oreo cookie

Directions:
Mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Place butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars, beating until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating until well blended. Fold in flour mixture in to sugar mixture; fold in chocolate. divide batter evenly among 10 (4 oz.) ramekins (will be thick); arrange ramekins on a jelly-roll pan. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.
(If making in a pie dish as I mentioned at the beginning, you can bake immediately)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Let ramekins stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 21 minutes or until cakes are puffy and slightly crusty on top. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar; serve immediately with ice cream on the side.

Mom's Crunchy Pudding Cake (Nevada's "better than sex cake")

We all know the deliciously moist, ooey, gooey chocolatey cake known as "better than sex cake" here in Idaho; but what we may not know is that Nevada has their very own dessert with this same label but, much, much different! I told my sister I was making Idaho's version of the cake and she said, "MMMM" and began describing it when I stopped her, wondering what the heck she was talking about. It turns out it's a recipe my mom has been making for years! Well, here it is - Nevada's Better Than Sex Dessert! And if you thought our cake was good, you've gotta try this one!! (I'll post Idaho's version soon)


Ingredients & Directions:

1. Mix 1 1/2 cups softened butter or margarine, 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 cup finely chopped walnuts until firm. Spread in the bottom of a 13x9 (smaller pan if you want a thicker dessert)bake 25 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Let cool COMPLETELY. This will take a couple of hours! When pretty cool, you can move to the fridge to speed up process.

2. With a handmixer, mix together 1 8oz package cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 9oz tub of coolwhip until smooth (will be thick). Spread over cooled crust.

3. Mix 1 small package of each vanilla and chocolate instant pudding with 2 1/2 cups milk. Beat 1 minute. Spread over coolwhip layer.

4. Spread the remaining cool whip on top and sprinkle with grated chocolate or walnuts. ENJOY!!

Recipe from: MOM

Grilled Breast of Chicken Marsala - CLEAN EATING

This is a Clean Eating mag recipe...HEALTHY! You serve this over a bed of delicious baby carrots opposed to the traditional bed of rice but, I LOVE this recipe. It doesn't even seem like you're missing something! We made rice on the side the first time just in case and we didn't even end up eatin it. If you're in the mood for wholesomely healthy...this is a winner!

INSTRUCTIONS:
• 2 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 16 small carrots, peeled
• 3½ cups marsala or low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 pieces dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 4 tbsp nonfat yogurt
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions:
Mix fennel seeds, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over chicken and set aside.
Boil carrots until desired tenderness and remove; dry on a paper towel and set aside.
Bring marsala to a low boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Season
with more salt and pepper. Simmer until sauce reduces, about 20 minutes. Discard garlic and set sauce aside.
Coat grill with cooking spray and grill chicken for 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Grill
carrots for about 5 minutes, rotating until charred.
Return sauce to stove; bring to a simmer, remove from heat and whisk in yogurt. Divide carrots among 4 plates
and top each with chicken, sauce and a sprig of rosemary.
Serves 4

Blackeyed Peas and Brown Rice - CLEAN EATING

his is a very healthy Clean Eating mag recipe. It is wholesomely healthy, packed full of veggies, nutrients and fiber, but also delicious. I love this, topped with my home-canned mandarin or sweet and sour sauce.

INGREDIENTS:
• 4 cups cooked, cold, long-grain brown rice
• 1¼ cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas
• 1 butternut squash, about 1lb, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• ½ tsp hot pepper sauce

Directions:
Put rice in a large bowl. Gently separate the grains and break apart any lumps. In a large frying pan, bring the
water, onion, celery, garlic and pepper to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the black-eyed peas and squash and
return to a boil, again stirring frequently. Reduce to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas
and squash are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Add the rice, bell pepper and
hot pepper sauce. Simmer, stirring and tossing frequently until heated through, about 5 minutes. To serve, transfer
to a bowl.
Serves 6

Broccoli, Ham, and Cheese Soup - CROCKPOT RECIPE

It's a cinch to get kids to eat their broccoli with this rich cheese soup. You should try this in my home-made bread bowls (recipe recently posted). This is a delicious comfort food that will have you sitting in front of the window on a cold winter day wishing winter would never end (imagine that)!


Ingredients:
5 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, pressed (I substitute with powdered instead)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
2 cups diced cooked ham
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
2 cups whipping cream or half and half
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Combine first 8 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until potatoes are tender. Process half of soup mixture in a food processor until smooth. Gradually stir potato puree, whipping cream, and 2 cups cheese into remaining soup mixture. Cover and cook on LOW 30 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with desired toppings. Makes 12 cups.

Recipe from: my sister, TRICIA

Bread Bowls

I love making all different types of soup in the wintertime. I've made soup for the past two days in a row and what better way to enjoy them than in soft, delicious home-made bread bowls?! You will LOVE, LOVE the soft, light texture of these and, if you're used to baking breads, these are very quick and simple. I consider this a MUST with my creamy soups and kids will eat ANYTHING if it comes in a cool bread bowl!




Just finished rising and ready to pop in the oven...

...just coming out of the oven, removed to a wire rack and swept with butter...MMMM - smells so good!



INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 T active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
Cornmeal

DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, sugar, eggs, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into eight pieces; shape each into a ball. Grease two baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place four balls 3 in. apart on each prepared pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
For bread bowls, cut a thin slice off the top of bread. Hollow out bottom half, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Fill with chili, chowder or stew. ENJOY!

"Baked" Potato Soup - CROCKPOT RECIPE!

This recipe is SOO delicious! It's a down-home comfort version of a loaded twice baked potato - warm and creamy, just the way potato soup should be! My sister found this recipe and it has spread through our family like wildfire. Very simple with ingredients you usually always have on hand (except maybe cream/half and half). I make home-made crescent rolls with this recipe to finish off the meal just perfectly. I'll post the delicious, flaky, perfect crescent roll recipe soon!


Ingredients:
6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut in to 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 3/4 lbs.)
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth with roasted garlic (I've used regular chick broth and added garlic)
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
1 cup (4 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 T chopped fresh chives
1 (8 oz) container sour cream (optional)
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
combine first 6 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or on LOW 8 hours or until potato is tender. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened; stir in cream, cheese and chives. Top with sour cream, if desired, and sprinkle with bacon and cheddar cheese before serving.

Recipe from: my sister, TRICIA