Thursday, February 16, 2006

Brownie Delight

submitted by Pamela Smith

1 – 9 x 13 pan of brownies (made from a mix is fine)
2 small packages of instant Chocolate Pudding
2 c. cold milk
1 – 8 oz. Container of Cool Whip thawed

Cut the brownies into 1” squares. In a medium sized bowl mix the pudding and milk together until powder is completely dissolved (2 min). Place bowl into refrigerator until pudding is set.
In a large glass bowl, layer the brownies, pudding and cool whip until all brownies and pudding are in the glass bowl. Top with leftover cool whip.

Better Than Anything Cake

submitted by Pamela Smith

1 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts
1 stick butter, soft
2 (3 1/2 oz.) pkgs. instant chocolate pudding
1 c. confectioners' sugar
2 (8 oz.) cartons whipped topping
3 c. milk
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

In medium bowl, combine flour, nuts and butter; mix thoroughly.
Press into bottom of a greased 9"x13" pan. Bake 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

In medium bowl with electric mixer, cream the cream cheese, sugar and one carton whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust. Refrigerate.

In large bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Beat 3 minutes at low speed until thick and glossy. Spread evenly over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until pudding is set. Spread remaining whipped topping on top. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until everything is set.

*Revisions: This recipe is very versatile. You can replace the chocolate pudding with another flavor or add ½ cup of peanut butter to the chocolate pudding. I usually replace the crust with a graham cracker crust, which is also delicious with these flavors. Sprinkle chocolate shavings, sprinkles, chocolate syrup, or nuts on top for a nice garnish.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

submitted by Mrs. T

2 packages cook-and-serve type chocolate pudding
4 cups milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 9-inch baked pie crust, cooled
1 to 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped with 2 Tablespoons confectioners sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large saucepan, combine the pudding mixes and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, cut the peanut butter into the confectioners sugar until small crumbs form. Set aside about 2 Tablespoons of the crumbs -- put them in a custard cup or something. (It will be awhile before you use them.) Sprinkle all the rest of the crumbs into the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the pudding over the crumbs. Refrigerate the pie until the pudding is set. It will be cold. Spread the whipped cream over the top and sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

In our family, we call this "Reese's Pie" because it reminds us of a pie by that name which we used to eat at a Vermont truck stop. I'm not sure, but I think the whipped cream on their pie had some cocoa added. It was chocolate, anyway. If you want to try that, whip in 3 or 4 Tablespoons of baking cocoa along with the sugar and vanilla; add 2 more Tablespoons confectioners sugar too since the cocoa is not sweetened.

Aunt Rosie's Cake

submitted by Mrs. T

1 cake mix (either yellow [my preference] or chocolate) plus the eggs, oil and water it calls for
Custard Filling (recipe follows)
Chocolate Icing (recipe follows)

Prepare and bake the cake mix as directed, using 2 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. When baked, cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. When cooled, split each layer in half horizontally so that you end up with 4 layers. (Dental floss works well for this procedure. Just wrap a length of it around the layer so it's at the midway point of the cake's height. Then take one end of the floss in each hand and gently pull until the ends cross. You will have neatly sliced your cake layer in half!) Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with a third of the custard filling. Repeat twice. Top with the final cake layer (right side up) and ice with Chocolate Icing. It will run down over the sides. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Custard Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup warm milk
1 cup butter or margarine
3 Tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a small saucepan, mix the sugar and flour together. Add the beaten egg and mix well. Pour the milk over all and mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until thick. Cool. Whip together the butter and confectioners sugar. Add the cooled custard and continue beating until light and fluffy. Use to fill cake layers.

Chocolate Icing:
1 stick margarine
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 egg, beaten

Melt butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Beat well. Icing will be too thin to spread right away. Either let it set for awhile before using, or add enough more confectioners sugar to make it thick enough to spread. When ready, spread it gently over the top cake layer. It will run down over the sides and -- if desired -- you can spread it to cover the sides of the cake as well as the top. It will firm up nicely after some time in the refrigerator.

Yield: 12-15 servings. This recipe, from my pastor's wife (whose Aunt Rosie really did invent it) is extremely rich and delicious. My son claims you can feel this cake going directly to your arteries
.

Christine's Ice Cream Cake

submitted by Mrs. T

3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
Hot fudge sauce (recipe follows) at room temperature
1/2 gallon ice cream, softened
8 ounces whipped topping

Press half of the cookie crumbs in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Drizzle with a third of the fudge sauce. Top with half of the ice cream. Layer on the remaining cookie crumbs, then another third of the fudge sauce. Top with the remaining ice cream, and drizzle on the remaining fudge sauce. Freeze solid.

Top with whipped topping (and I like to add some chocolate sprinkles at this point). Freeze until ready to serve.
Yield: 12 to 15 servings.

BEST HOT FUDGE SAUCE:
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup baking cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cream, evaporated milk or milk
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe dish -- I use a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Cook for 2 minutes at High. Stir in baking cocoa, sugar, cream, and salt; heat 2 minutes more at High. Stir in vanilla. If necessary, heat another 30 to 60 seconds until no longer sugary.

This is the best hot fudge sauce I've ever tasted. It makes exactly the right amount for the ice cream cake recipe, but is great in sundaes or for other uses as well. I found this recipe in my
favorite cooking newsletter, Cook & Tell

Chocolate Eclair Cake

submitted by Mrs. T

1 cup water
1 stick margarine
1 cup flour
4 eggs
2 3.25 ounce packages instant vanilla pudding
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups milk
8 ounces whipped topping
1 bottle fudge sauce

Bring water and margarine to a boil. Remove from heat. Add flour and beat vigorously. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour the dough into an ungreased jelly roll pan (10x15 inches) and bake at 400º for 30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

Combine pudding mix, cream cheese and milk. Mix until smooth and creamy; spread this filling over the cooled cake. Spread whipped topping over the filling. Drizzle with fudge sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: At least 12 servings

This very delicious dessert is a recipe I heard many years ago on a radio cooking show. It may be made well ahead and serves a bunch of people.

Double Chocolate Torte

submitted by Mrs. T

1 package fudge brownie mix (13x9-inch size) plus the eggs, oil and water it calls for
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups whipped topping
Chocolate or heart-shaped sprinkles

Prepare brownie mix as package directs for fudge-like brownies. Spread batter in a greased & floured 9-inch round cake pan. (Or do as I do and don't bother with greasing & flouring -- just place a 9-inch round of wax paper in the bottom of the cake pan.) Bake at 350º for 38-42 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes.

Invert onto a serving plate and cool completely. In a bowl, stir together the chocolate and butter until smooth. Spread over brownie layer; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Just before serving, top with the whipped topping. Decorate with sprinkles. Yield: 9-12 servings.

This recipe is so easy and takes such ordinary ingredients, yet produces something really special! You might already have all of the ingredients on hand. It is decadent, for sure. I found this recipe in an early Quick Cooking magazine.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Rhubarb Cheesecake

submitted by Cheryl Mendez

1 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup chopped nuts and 1/2 cup butter. Mix until crumbly and pat into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the chopped rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons flour. Pour onto crust. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and the 1/2 cup sugar until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Pour over hot rhubarb in the pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until filling is set. Cover with sour cream topping while still hot.
5. To make the sour cream topping: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well and spread on top of cake.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Lemon Ambrosia Cake

submitted by Mrs. T

1 (18.25 oz) lemon cake mix, plus the eggs and oil it calls for
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup sugar
2 (3.5 oz.) packages cook-and-serve lemon pudding and pie filling
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup flaked coconut


Bake the cake as directed in a 13x9x2" pan. Combine the pineapple and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and boil 5 minutes. Pour pineapple mixture over the hot cake. Cool pineapple-topped cake in pan on rack.
Cook the lemon pudding mixes as directed, with the egg yolks and water called for. Pour the cooked pudding over the cake and chill until firm.
Whip the cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the pudding. Sprinkle the coconut over the whipped cream and refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

Yield: 12 servings.

This cake has been a family favorite for years. It has a yummy lemon filling and a real whipped cream topping. (Real whipped cream tastes much better than cool whip on this dessert!) Although this recipe is easy to make, it is somewhat time-consuming because the cake needs to cool and then chill in between the different steps of the recipe. It can be made (or partly made) a day ahead if you like.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Better Than _____ Cake (You fill it in.)


Submitted by: Janelle Johnson

This cake is, by definition, decadent. And it's amazingly easy! You've got to give it a try.

1 chocolate cake mix (whatever variation you want)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar butterscotch topping, divided
1 tub Cool Whip
Heath candy bars, crushed

Bake cake mix in 9x13 in. pan, according to box. While still hot, poke multiple holes in the cake, using a fork or other utensil. Pour entire can of sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 of the butterscotch topping over cake. Let cool in refridgerator. Spread Cool Whip over top. Sprinkle crushed candy bar over Cool Whip. Drizzle remaining butterscotch topping over cake. Serve chilled. Enjoy!

Friday, February 10, 2006

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

1 3/4 c. butter, softened
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
6 eggs
2 c. powdered sugar
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa
2 c. chopped walnuts

Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add powdered sugar, blending well. By hand, stir in flour, cocoa and walnuts until well blended.

Spoon batter into greased and floured Bundt pan or 10 inch angel food tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 58-62 minutes. Cool upright in pan 1 hour. Invert onto serving plate (I couldn't bring myself to turn it over as I was afraid the fudgy middle would spill out. It looks fine without inverting it). Cool completely. Spoon glaze over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Top with sprinkled powdered sugar. Yields 16 servings.

Tip: It's difficult to tell exactly when this cake is done. The outside should be dark brownish and dry; it should pull away from the side of the pan a bit the way brownies do. When you insert a toothpick it should come out with some "wetness" from the fudgy inside but not from the cake itself.

Glaze:
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2-2 tbsp. milk
Combine sugar, cocoa and milk in small bowl until well blended.

This cake is delicious and a fun treat for company. It is also the very definition of decadent - check out all this butter!?! I made this for lunch at a friend's house today so you get to see a picture of this yummy cake. The lunch group raved over its moist fudginess. :)

Special Occasion Ice Cream Cake

A few years ago, I was on a search for a good ice cream cake recipe for Chris' birthday. The tradition was to go to DQ and get a cake for the special day, but my husband is so much more special than a simple cake from DQ! I found this recipe and have made is several times since. It is a little extra work but is so worth the effort! You can make life much easier by preparing the individual componants ahead of time; then you will only have to assemble the cake. Give this recipe a try. You won't regret it! (Unless you're a crazy person and don't like chocolate or ice cream!)

Cookies:
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake for 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool completely; chop into small pieces.

Walnut Mixture:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

Greast 8-inch pan. Combine walnuts, butter and brown sugar. Pour into pan. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. Stir well. Cool completely.

Chocolate Sauce:
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup powdered sugar
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Combine evaporated milk, 1 cup chocolate chps, powdered sugar, baking bar and butter in medium pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until chocolate is melted. Reduce heat to low; continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cool completely.

**Don't forget the final and all-important ingredient - VANILLA ICE CREAM! - approximately 1/2 gallon, or more depending on how much you want to use.

ASSEMBLY:

Wrap outside of 9-10 inch springform pan with foil. Spread 1/3 of cookie crumbles on bottom of pan. Top with 1/2 of the icecream and 1/2 of the chocolate sauce. Combine remaining cookies and walnut mixture. Spread half of cookie/walnut mixture over chocolate sauce. Top with remaining ice cream, chocolate sauce (reserving 2 Tbsp.) and cookie/walnut mixture. Place remaining chocolate sauce in a plastic bag. Cut a hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle over top of the dessert. Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.

To save time, you could buy pre-made cookie dough and chocolate sauce. Results are not guaranteed though! You could also be creative and substitute your favorite cookie and flavor of ice cream. Oreo cookies and mint ice cream have been begging me to use them in this recipe!

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Decadent Desserts

Welcome to our recipe swappers blog! This is how it works - each month we'll have a theme for recipes and we'll post your recipes to share with our blogging community. If you have a recipe you'd like to contribute, please email me (aliciahorn@hotmail.com) or Katie (kbruno01@yahoo.com) with your recipe. If you can, send a photo too! We'll post the recipes and then we invite you to try them out and comment. Be sure to tell your pals about our recipe swapper site. The more folks we get to contribute the greater variety of recipes we'll have.

In honor of romance, February's theme will be decadent desserts. Let us know if there's a theme you'd like for the coming months. Here's to romance and gooey chocolate!

Happy cooking and eating!