My Fav Brownies...Ooey, Gooey Goodness!

I've taken this recipe to a few diff places and have gotten great reviews, so now I'm sharing w/ all of my blogging friends. :)  You can easily double this recipe and bake in a 13x9.

Ingredients:
~  1/2 cup butter

~  1 cup white sugar

~   2 eggs

~   1 teaspoon vanilla extract

~   1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

~   1/2 cup all-purpose flour

~   1/4 teaspoon salt

~   1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into greased pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. DO NOT overcook. Toothpick may still come out a little gooey...they're done!  They'll set up a little more after you take them out of the oven.

Cream Cheese Cake with Sweet Berry Glaze - Crowd Pleaser...every time!

This is a wonderfully moist cake topped with a cream cheese frosting and fresh berries in a sweet glaze. It's a cake but, it doesn't serve like "just a cake!" It's elegant and fancy and relatively simple to make. The great thing about it is that it's not only delicious and beautiful but it also feeds a crowd. My mom has been serving this for years at large functions and I first served it to a group of teenagers and adults (YW in excellence night) and it was a huge hit, as it has been since. We had this for our Easter party here this year too. It's a must try.


Ingredients:
~ 1 box white cake mix
~ 2 pks cream cheese (I use low-fat)
~ 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
~ 1/4 cup milk
~ 1 box raspberry danish dessert (found with pudding and jello in the supermarket)
~ 1 1/2 cups water
~ 1 to 2 bags frozen mixed berries (whatever are your favorites)
~ 1 8 oz container of whipped cream

Description:
Make cake mix according to package directions. Pour into a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool completely.

Mix cream cheese, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup milk until creamy. Spread on cooled cake.

Mix danish dessert with water. Boil and cook about 1 minute. Cool and add berries.

Cut cake into large slices. Place onto dessert plates, top with berry mixture and a dollop of whipped cream. Beautiful!

Recipe from: MOM

Strawberry Mousse Pound Cake Trifle

Ingredients:
~ 3 loaves pound cake (regular bread pan size, I buy @ Walmart)
~ 8 oz pkg gelatin
~ 1 1/2 cups boiling water
~ cold water & ice
~ 2 (12 oz) containers cool whip, separated
~ fresh strawberries (I use 2 large containers), halved

Directions:
~ Mix gelatin w/ boiling water until completely dissolved.  Measure 1 cup cold water and add enough ice to make 2 cups.  Add to gelatin and stir until ice is melted.  Mix in all of cool whip except a little you'll set aside for the very top.  Refrigerate just until thickens enough to mound (20+ minutes).  Cube pound cake and layer 1/2 on bottom of trifle dish.  Top with 1/2 cool whip mixture & a generous layer of strawberries.  Repeat layers, BUT before adding the last layer of strawberries, top with plain cool whip.  Finish off with your beautiful layer of strawberries and Wa Lah! 

* Tip:  When I make this, I make it the night before and it's fine in the fridge until I serve it the next day.  It's even great as leftovers for a couple of days :)

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

Ingredients
~ 2 boxes fudge brownie mix
~ 2 pkgs (13 oz each) mini peanut butter cups
~ 4 cups cold 2% milk
~ 2 pkgs instant vanilla pudding
~ 1 cup creamy peanut butter
~ 4 tsp vanilla extract
~ 3 cartons (8 oz each) cool whip

Directions

• Prepare brownie batter according to package directions.  Bake in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack; cut into 3/4-in. pieces.
• Cut peanut butter cups in half; set aside 1/3 cup for garnish. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Fold in 1-1/2 cartons whipped topping.
• Place a third of the brownies in a 5-qt. glass bowl; top with a third of the remaining peanut butter cups. Spoon a third of the pudding mixture over the top. Repeat layers twice. Cover with remaining whipped topping; garnish with reserved peanut butter cups. Refrigerate until chilled. Yield: 20 servings (1 cup each).

*Tip:  I usually make the the night before.  It's even good as leftovers for a few days :)
*Tip:  The original recipe called for 1 pkg peanutbutter chips added to brownie mix b4 baking.  You are welcome to add this, however, I really like the soft brownie texture as opposed to an all crunchy trifle.

Recipe From:  Cassie House

Lime Rickeys

Lime Rickeys and Summertime!  This is a recipe from my years of waiting tables @ Sizzler...just like they make it!!  Only not $3 a glass :)


Ingredients:
~ 7-up
~ Grape flavored syrup (the kind you use on snow cones...NOT waffles!!)
~ Limes
~ Ice

That's it!! You fill your glass w/ ice n' pop, drizzle w/ as much syrup as you'd like (I like a shot or 2) and then squeeze about a half a lime into the glass. Cut a quarter slice of lime down the middle and place on the side of the glass for a fancy serving. Fun party drink!

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

Ingredients:
~ 2 (8 oz) cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
~ 1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream o' chicken soup, undiluted
~ 3/4 cups grated cheese
~ 1/2 cup whipping cream
 FILLING:
~ 4 oz cream cheese (room temp)
~ 4 T butter (room temp)
~ 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
~ 1/3 c. diced onion (optional, can use green onions)
~ 2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped
~ 1/2 to 3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
~ 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
~ 1/2 tsp pepper
~ 2-4 Tbsp mayo or whipping cream
Topping:
~ 1 to 2 cups grated cheddar (for topping)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Butter casserole dish.  In a saucepan, mix cream, 3/4 cup cheese (or more :) and chicken soup.  Heat until cheese melts (don't boil).  

Filling:  In a bowl, mix cream cheese & butter until very smooth.  Add garlic powder, chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese.  Mix well.  Add 2 Tbsp cream or mayo; mix to combine.  Add a little more if too dry.  Season w/ seasoned salt & pepper. 

Unroll crescent rolls.  Place 1 heaping Tbsp mixture on top of each triangle and roll from thick end.  Drizzle a small amt of soup miuxture on bottom of dish.  Place crescent rolls seam-side down in dish.  Fill dish w/ stuffed crescent rolls and drizzle remaining sauce on toop. Sprinkle w/ 1 cup (or more :) grated cheese.  Bake for 30 min. 

Better than Sex Cake

Ingredients:
~ Devils Food Cake or German Choc Cake
~ 1 small can sweetened condensed milk
~ 1 jar caramel icecream topping
~ 1 4-6 oz butterscotch topping (optional)
~ 1 8 oz container whipped cream
~ 4-5 Heath or Skor bars, chopped

Directions:
Bake cake according to package directions.  Remove from oven and immediately poke holes all over the cake w/ a knife.  Drizzle sweetened condensed milk, caramel, and butterscotsh over the cake.  Allow to cool completely.  Top with whipped cream and crushed candy bars.  Drizzle caramel/butterscotch over the top and refrigerate until serving. 

Recipe from:  Wendy Mooney

Angel Food Cake Skewers

A yummy Pinterest recipe that's fast and easy and Y-U-M-M-Y :)


Ingredients:
~ Angel Food Cake
~ Strawberries
~ White Chocolate
~ Milk Chocolate (chocolate bark works great for both)
~ Long Skewers

Directions:
Cut cake and strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Slide onto skewers, alternating between cake and strawberries. Heat chocolate in two separate bowls in the microwave until melted. With a spoon, drizzle chocolate, one at a time, over skewers. You can layer these as long as you give them a few minutes to harden before lying the next layer of skewers on top.

Sweet Potato Krisps

This is a recipe I found in one of my running magazines...cuz heaven knows we need our sweet potatoes! It's a little diff from the ordinary sweet potato fries (which I make with pumpkin pie spice, yum!) or a baked sweet potato with brown sugar.

Ingredients:
~ 2 med sweet potatoes, sliced in 1/8" rounds
~ 2 Tbsp olive oil
~ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
~ salt and pepper
~ 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
~ 2 Tbsp parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes in olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake, turning every 10 minutes, until they're just the way you like 'em. Sprinkle w/ sesame seeds and parsley.

Incredible Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This dessert is SUPER easy to make and always a hit. It has a ton of variations which make it fun. It is SOOOOO YUM and a very showy dessert too. You'll get a lot of "oohs" and "awws!" It serves a TON of people and you can make it in about 5 minutes!! You can make this a day or two ahead of time, which is great too! You really can't beat a dessert this easy, this fancy and spectacular, and this DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients:
~ Ice cream sandwiches, any flavor you like (I like vanilla or cookies & cream). You will need enough for your first layer x3 or 4 depending on how many layers you want to do...if your bottom layer has four, you will need 12 or 16 total, etc. Sorry I can't tell you exactly how many because you can make this on ANY size dish, but that's actually what makes this recipe so cool! I just buy the 36 pack from Walmart for $7.99 because I make a huge long one with 9 on the first layer. It serves over 40 people! You can't go wrong!!!
~ 1 large container Cool Whip (don't substitute for the cheap stuff!, but you can use "light.")
~ Any toppings you choose. Our fav is crushed mint Oreos, chopped Snickers, Peanut M&Ms, and caramel and Hershey's chocolate drizzled over the top.

Directions:

(You can do as few or as many layers as you'd like, but here's how I make it...)
Place 1 layer of ice cream sandwiches (I've found anything skinnier than 3 wide is difficult to serve) on a pretty serving platter. Spread whipped cream on top. Sprinkle toppings of your choice over whipped cream (not the choc syrup or caramel, save that just for the top layer). Top with another layer of ice cream sandwiches and repeat until you have 3 or 4 layers of everything. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and caramel, if you choose. Freeze for at least a few hours so it serves easily without falling apart. Remove from freezer and serve immediately.

Other topping ideas we like: crushed mints/candy canes, etc. and any candy bar

Recipe from: Wendy Bodily-Mooney

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies (never flat!)

These cookies turn out perfect every time. They're incredibly delicious and never go flat!


Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans and they were delicious!)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3.Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Spring Vegetable Soup

This is a soup I got from Runner's World magazine. I've changed it a little so I could get more of a variety of veggies in my diet, but it's basically the same idea, and just as yummy! It's a nice change up from the traditional "veggie" soups.

Ingredients:
~ 2 quarts chicken broth (or water and chick base or bullion)
~ 14.5 oz canned petite diced tomatoes
~ 2 Tbsp EVOO
~ 1 large onion, diced
~ 1 leek, diced (optional) -throw away the greens and just use the white part)
~ 3 celery stalks (or as much as you like)
~ 3-4 peeled carrots (or as much as you like)
~ 2 tsp Italian seasoning
~ 1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
~ 2 cans (15-16oz each) small white beans, undrained
~ 8 oz frozen green peas
~ 8 oz coarsely chopped escarole or Bok Choy (don't worry about the ounces, just add as much as you like)
~ you can add ditalini or any bite-size pasta if you'd like for a Minestrone
~ salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot, add broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, dice all veggies and sautee in EVOO until tender, about 5 min. Add italian seasonings and red pepper; sautee until fragrant (one minute). Add veggies and remaining ingredients to broth mixture; cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to med-low; continue to simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft (15 min.) Serves 8