Luscious Layered Dessert

I love this stuff ... and could seriously eat the entire pan myself if given the time.

LUSCIOUS LAYERED DESSERT

What you need:
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup nuts, chopped
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup whipped topping
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 cup milk
whipped topping

How you do it:
Mix together flour, butter, and nuts.  Press into 9x13 dish; bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes, until slightly browned.  Let cool.  Blend together sugar, cream cheese, and 1 cup whipped topping until smooth.  Pour atop crust.  Mix together vanilla pudding and 1 1/2 cups milk until slightly thickened.  Pour atop cream cheese layer.  Let rest 3-5 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix together chocolate pudding and 1 1/2 cup milk until slightly thickened.  Pour atop vanilla layer; let rest 3-5 minutes.  Top with whipped topping.  Refrigerate.  Garnish with chopped nuts, cherries, or shaved chocolate.

Variations:
Use lemon pudding in place of chocolate and vanilla.

Rocky Road Brownies

I remember my mom making these brownies for family functions and church activities. They still go fast wherever I take them also. In fact, I took these to the church for refreshments after a baptism and meant to get a picture of one brownie so you would be able to see the different layers, but by the time I got back to the dish they were gone! One lady said that they were so good she took one bite and decided she had to save the rest until she could have milk with it. (I guess she only eats the "good" desserts with milk.) And, that's something I would highly suggest with these babies ... mmmm, milk.

ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES

What you need for the bar layer:

1/2 cup margarine, or butter
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional; I omit)

How you do the bar layer:

Melt margarine and chocolate over low heat. In bowl combine remaining ingredients. Add chocolate mixture and mix well. Spread into a greased 9x13-inch casserole dish. Set aside.

What you need for the filling layer:

1/2 cup sugar
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margaine, or butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. flour
1 egg
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional; I used almonds)

How you do the filling layer:

Beat cream cheese; add remaning ingredients and beat for 1 minutes. Spread over bar layer. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes; do not under bake. Begin mixing frosting.

What you need for the frosting layer:

2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup margarine, or butter
1 square unsweetened baking chocolate
1/4 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
2 oz. cream cheese

How you do the frosting layer:

Take brownies out of oven and psrinkle marshmallows on top. Put back into oven for about 2-5 minutes (or until marshmallows begin to be golden brown; see picture above). Melt margaine, chocolate, cream cheese, and milk over low heat. Removed from heat, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Pour immediately over marshmallows and swirl together (be careful not to get into the filling layer when swirling). Cool completely before cutting. Store in fridge.

Creamy Chocolate Chip Drops

These will hit the spot when you are craving chocolate chip cookies on a day when you realize you don't have any eggs, and you don't want to go to the store. I like them rolled in powdered sugar, my husband likes them without the powdered sugar. Either way, they are yummy!

CREAMY CHOCOLATE CHIP DROPS

What you need:

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour*
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar

*If you don't have cake flour, subsitute all-purpose flour and take out 2 tablespoons of flour from the 2 cups measured.

How you do it:

Preheat oven to 300°. IN a medium bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light nd fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add cake flour and salt and beat until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonsfuls 2-inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets (I use parchment paper). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until set but not browned. Let cookies cool on sheets 2 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar, transfer to a rack, and let cool completely.

Sugar Doughnut Muffins

I found this recipe here a while ago and just made them. These muffins are YUMMY! Next time I'll try rolling them in cinnamon-sugar or glazing them. They would be great with a little jelly in the middle too. Really, the possibilities are endless! My little boy was the first to try them and they were a winner!

SUGAR DOUGHNUT MUFFINS

What you need:

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

How you do it:

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease muffin tin with cooking spray (I used my mini muffin tin). In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup sugar and egg until light in color. In a small bowl blend together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a measuring cup mix together oil, milk, and vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and stir together to combine. Make a well in the mixture and pour in milk/oil mixture. Stir until wet and blended thoroughly (may be a little lumpy). Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. (Again, I used 24 mini muffin cups and loved this size.) Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. While muffins are baking, melt butter. When muffins are finished baking, lightly brush the top of each with some melted butter and remove from pan to roll in 1/3 cup sugar. Cool on a wire rack. (Or eat them right away like we did!)

Eclair Cake

I love this stuff so much, I've made it three times in the last month! It is that yummy! My husband took some to work and came home requesting I make more for him to take again. So, out of the goodness of my heart (and the prospect of goodness in my mouth) I complied.

ECLAIR CAKE

What you need:

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 large pkg. vanilla pudding, instant or cook-n-serve

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 tub whipped topping

chocolate syrup

How you do it:

Bring water and butter to a rolling boil; whisk in flour until it forms a ball. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Beat in eggs one at a time. Press into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile prepare pudding as directed on the package. Add cream cheese to pudding and mix well. Pour pudding into cake crust. When pudding is set, top with whipped topping. Drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Step-by-Step:

Okay, so before you get to this point you've brought the water and butter to a boil, whisked in the flour, and then beat in the eggs until it's smooth. Now you can just press the "dough" into the lightly greased dish.

(If you want to see what the batter looks like before you put it in the pan, check out my post on Eclairs.)

Make the pudding while the cake shell bakes. I prefer to use cook-n-serve pudding because I think it tastes better and the texture is by far superb to the instant stuff (it's also easier to add the cream cheese because I just put it in the microwave until it's soft and the heat of pudding helps to blend it all together really well). But, use what you like!

When it's time, take out the cake shell. If you've used instant pudding, you'll need to let the shell cool a bit before added the pudding. If you used cook-n-serve pudding, just pour it right into the shell.

Now, that you've filled the cake shell, let it cool completely before adding the whipped topping.

I like to drizzle the chocolate syrup atop individual slices, but again do what you like best!

Sweet Mingle Mix

I feel very blessed to be in a school district that fits snack time into the school schedule. The catch is that we have to send our children with their snacks. I always try to have something salty with protein of some form for Una's snack because that combo seems to help her with her hypoglycemia. I would LOVE to send just plain regular chex mix because of the salty nuts and lack of sugar, but she HATES that stuff. In fact, this is the only snack mix I've been able to make (find) that Una will eat and thoroughly enjoy. And, although it is rather sweet, it's not something she'll get everyday. (Thanks, Jessica, for sharing this with me!)

SWEET MINGLE MIX
1 1/2 cups pretzel sticks (broken in half)
2 cups Chex
2 cups Cheerios (not honey-nut)
1 cup peanuts
1 cup M&Ms
10 oz. vanilla candy coating

Line driper pan with wax paper. Combine all ingredients, except candy coating in a large bowl. Melt candy coating in microwave. Pour over dry ingredients. Pour mixture into dripper pan to cool. When cool, break apart. Store in covered container.

So, let's make this together!

I don't use the same ingredients; but, I'm sure you can mix it up according to what your family likes best.

Start off with the pretzels.

Then add the Kix and Crispix.

Now add the Kissables and peanuts (which are not shown).

Don't forget to let the little ones taste it first!

Pour Vanilla Candy Coating over everything. (My microwave died on me, so I had to use my double boiler.

Stir everything until it is well coated. Una and Dos were my helpers.

Maybe they'll grow up to be hand models?

Dump it all out onto wax paper to cool. Then break it apart and store in ziploc baggies. And, if you're like me, you'll place those baggies in the freezer. That way, when you pull them out they can go into lunch boxes and not get all melted and messy (and neither will the hands that dig into the baggies).

Eclairs

This week's Table Time Tuesday is dedicated to the treats that I make as an annual tradition for the Fourth of July. Each year we are invited to our friend's family lake house for Independence Day ... if we bring the éclairs. The first year we were told to bring whatever we wanted. At the time I was experimenting and thought it would be fun to take homemade éclairs. From that day on, I was told we could only come if we brought them. So, for the last four years my preparations for the Fourth have begun on the Third.

Don't get intimidated .... These are super easy! Just really time consuming, if you make as many as I do. I make a quadruple batch every year, which gives me around 120 éclairs. But, I grew up eating these. My mom used to make these all the time ... only, they were cream puffs. That's the super-duper easy way to make them. I'll explain the difference as we continue through the recipe.

And, now, here's the recipe:

HOMEMADE ECLAIRS

1 cup water
½ cup butter
1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding,
made according to pie filling directions & chilled
Chocolate Frosting
1 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tsp. butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk

Heat oven to 400°. Heat water and butter to a rolling boil in a 2½-quart saucepan. Stir in flour; reduce heat to low. Stir vigorously over low heat about one minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth. Shape ¼ cupful of dough into finger that is 4½-inches long and 1½-inches wide, using a spatula onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Fill the éclairs with the premade pudding. Frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
Melt 1 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate and 1 tsp. butter in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar & milk. Beat until smooth and spreadable. Frost éclairs.

This is what the batter should look like when the eggs are all beaten in. It should kind of sticky. And, it gets harder and harder to stir together. When my Kitchen Aid mixer was working, I used to pour it all into the bowl and let my mixer do the work ... or I'd ask my strong husband to do the stirring when I'd do all four batches at once. This time I split it up into two, and I was still able to stir it okay.

Here's the shaping. Okay, here's where my inventive mind kicked in. The first time I made these, they kind of stuck to the pan. So, I always use parchment paper. There isn't any paper on this pan because I didn't have any ... and it was the only pan that I did this way. Right after I realized I didn't have any parchment paper, I went to the store to get some. That's how important that stuff is. Seriously, go get some, it's heavenly!

The other thing I did differently is scoop the batter into a disposable pastry bag. Then, I twist the top and cut off the point about 1½-inches from the end of the point, then squeeze the batter out in the "finger" formation. Super easy this way, and saves you a ton of time.

**If you want to just make cream puffs, drop the batter onto the cookie sheet, like you would chocolate chip cookies. And, instead of piping in the filling, just slice them in half and plop some pudding on there. Then, put the top back on. They are super messy and yummy this way: exactly the way children like them! I like mixing up the flavors of the pudding too, so that I use chocolate pudding with whipped cream inside.**

After I bake them, I place them on a cooling rack to cool, unless I want to fill them and serve them warm.

Pull out that chilled pudding, and fill the éclairs with it. Again, I use a pastry bag with a medium-size star tip. I also poke the tip into the top of the éclair because it will get covered with the chocolate frosting. Okay, look how I'm holding the bag. That's exactly how you want to hold the bag. Squeeze your big digit of your thumb against the side of your hand to hold the twisted part of the bad securely. Then, when you squeeze the bag to get the filling out, you'll squeeze your entire fist. This ensures that your hand doesn't get as tired, and all the pudding stays in the bag going the right direction, instead of coming out the open end.

*Tip: Place the filled éclairs in the fridge overnight. That way they are easier to hold on to when you frost them. And, the pudding is thicker so it doesn't spill out.

When I make these I always add a little more milk so the frosting is a little thinner and then I can dip the top of the éclairs into the frosting to save time. If you do it this way, just be sure to hold on pretty tight. I think three of mine were sacrificed because I accidentally dropped them in the frosting. (But, my tongue had no complaints about that one!) Here's what they look like finished.

Now, here's another tip. Before you frost those things, scrape off any excess pudding that came out when you filled them the night before. Otherwise, they will look like these little babies; not very aesthetically pleasing.

And, here's a picture of one child being subjected into eating one of these great éclairs to show you how yummy they are. Isn't he cute?

Again, these things are very yummy and make everyone happy. At the lake, I'm known as the "éclair lady;" and everyone asks my friend's mom if I am coming. (Long story, it's coming later.)

Ah, there's a happy éclair-eating-face!

Checkerboard Cake

CHECKERBOARD CAKE

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar, divided
1/3 cup water
3 cups cake flour (or measure one cup of all-purpose flour, minus 2 tablespoons for each cup of cake flour)
1¼ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ cup butter, softened
2 egg whites
1 large egg
1½ cups plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans. Whisk cocoa, ½ cup sugar and water; set aside. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat remaining sugar and butter until fluffy; add egg whites and egg. Beat in yogurt and flour mixture. Divide batter in half. Fold cocoa mixture into half of the batter. Spoon chocolate batter into a heavy plastic bag; cut hole at bottom corner. Pipe some chocolate batter in a ring around edges of two of the prepared pans. Fill another plastic bag with white batter. Pipe batter next to chocolate; finish with chocolate in the center; like so:

Pipe white batter around edge of remaining pan. Alternate piping the chocolate batter with the white until reaching center of pan; like so:

Bake about 25 minutes (I think I baked mine too long). Transfer pans to wire racks and cool slightly. Turn cakes onto racks; cool completely.

*Here's where I change it. I did what I do every time I bake a cake. I let the cakes stand in their pans and cool slightly on the rack, then when I turn it out I turn it out onto some prepared plastic wrap and wrap up the cakes. Then, they go directly in the freezer to freeze. This makes for nicely moistened cakes, and very few crumbs when frosting.*

Place a chocolate-edge layer on a serving plate; spread with vanilla frosting. Top with the white-edged cake layer. Spread with vanilla frosting; top with third cake layer. Spread top and sides of cake with vanilla frosting.

Sour Cream Spice Cake

SOUR CREAM SPICE CAKE

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup shortening
½ cup water
2 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Beat all ingredients with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Pour into lightly greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes (round pans for 30-35 minutes), or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely (or immediate freeze to retain moisture). Frost with cream cheese frosting (below).

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Meringue powder, optional

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add remaining ingredients until smooth and spreadable. (Add meringue powder to give it a stiffer consistency for decorating.)

Butterscotch Brownies

BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/3 cups flaked or shredded coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup tiny marshmallows
caramel-flavored ice cream topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. In a small saucepan melt 1/3 cup butter; stir in 2/3 cup brown sugar, the coconut, and 3/4 cup pecans. Pat evenly in prepared pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup brown sugar, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add flour and beat until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans and marshmallows. Spoon small mounds of mixture over coconut mixture in pan. Carefully spread to cover. Bake about 20 minutes* (mixture should be evenly browned; center may jiggle slightly when shaken). Cool in pan on a wire rack. To serve, cut into bars and drizzle with caramel topping.

*I baked mine for around 23 minutes or so and the middle still didn't seem done. So, next time I think I'll let it bake for 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Clouds

CREAM CHEESE CLOUDS

1 can (12 count) refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon, ground
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cut into 12 cubes
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate dough into 12 biscuits; press or roll each to 1/4-inch thickness. Mix sugar & cinnamon in shallow dish. Dip cream cheese in butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Place 1 cream cheese cube in center of each dough circle; gather up sides of dough to enclose filling. Press edges of dough together to seal. Place seam side up in lightly greased muffin pan; drizzle with any remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.