Faux Henry Bars

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter (or soy-based substitute)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups rice krispies
1 cup peanuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips


Directions

In a pot over low to medium heat and stirring constantly, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, peanut butter, vanilla and salt until smooth.

In a large bowl, pour in rice krispies (and nuts if you're using them). Add sugar mixture and mix well.

Put into a greased 9x13 pan. Use your hands to press it down.

Melt chocolate chips and spread over the rice krispies.

Allow chocolate to harden before cutting and serving.

NOTE: I usually make this on the same day I'm baking, so I'll put the cold chocolate chips on the rice krispies and put it in the oven when I turn it off at the end of the day. By the time I've cleaned up part of the kitchen, the chips are melted and I can spread them around.

NOTE: This recipe goes back a long time - we used it in Pioneer Girls for one of our badges when I was a girl.


This recipe is also linked to...

Food on Friday: Snacks and Treats
This Week's Cravings: After-School Snacks

Miracle Whip Chocolate Cake

This cake is so moist... your guests won't believe it's not a cake mix.









Ingredients

1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup water, cold


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 - 8-inch layer pans, or a 9x13 cake pan.

Cream Miracle Whip and sugar together. Add the egg and the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to salad dressing mixture alternately with water, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition until smooth.

Pour into prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Frost as desired.

NOTE: the original recipe does not call for an egg, however Tante Mary always puts one in because she says "how can you make a cake without any eggs?"



ICING

2 tbsp melted butter
6 tbsp cocoa
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp hot hot hot water

Mix the melted butter, the vanilla and the cocoa. Sift the icing sugar and add it in. Mix and add the hot water little by little till you get the desired spreading consistency. Spread on cake and allow to set.

Oreo Cupcakes

Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large egg whites
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
36 Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Separate 24 Oreos, leaving cream filling on one half. Place cream side up in the bottom of each liner. Add the other halves and remaining cookies to food processor and pulse a couple times to create large chunks. Set aside Oreo chunks.

Combine butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add milk and vanilla to a large measuring cup and stir together. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Follow with 1/2 the milk mixture, mix on low and continue alternating additions, ending with flour mixture. Stir in Oreo chunks.

Scoop batter into prepared liners, filling 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan about five minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 T vanilla extract
2 T heavy cream
1 lb powdered sugar


Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and cream and beat until incorporated. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until incorporated. Increase speed to medium high and whip for 30 seconds to a minute. Fill a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes as desired.

Garnish with an additional Oreos or Oreo minis.


This recipe is also linked on...

Everyday Sisters' Sharing Sundays: Cupcakes

Quick Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients

1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked white rice, cold
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken meat


Directions

In a small bowl, beat egg with water. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add egg and leave flat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and cut into shreds.

Heat oil in same skillet; add onion and saute until soft. Then add rice, soy sauce, pepper and chicken. Stir fry together for about 5 minutes, then stir in egg. Serve hot.


NOTE: If I don't have any pre-cooked chicken, i just take 1 or 2 chicken breasts, cut them up into strips, and quickly stir fried them in a little olive oil and just a pinch of salt. Once they were almost cooked through, I splashed on a little bit of soy sauce and set them aside.

If you are using freshly cooked rice, rinse it under cold water until it is cool.

You could also add some green onion to this dish, red pepper, and red pepper flakes.

The Best Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients

1 can coconut milk plus enough half-and-half to make 3 cups
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
recipe for a 9-inch single crust pie
Whipped cream to top
1/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted to top


Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the vanilla extract. Pour into pie shell and chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.

Top with whipped cream toasted coconut.

Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.


This recipes has also been shared at...

Food on Friday: Pies and Tarts

Marbled Cinnamon Loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan.

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with milk just until mixed.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon

Pour a third of the batter into a greased loaf pan; sprinkle with a third of the cinnamon-sugar. Repeat layers twice

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.


This recipe is also linked to...

Sweet Indulgences Sunday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweets for a Saturday

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients

2 8-inch or 9-inch chocolate cakes, baked and cooled
(use German Chocolate Cake)
2 cans of cherry pie filling
3 cups cold whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar


Directions

Split each cake in half horizontally to create a total of 4 layers. Crumble one of the layers into a bowl and set aside.

Beat the cold whipping cream and the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer set at high speed until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream for decorative piping.

Place one cake layer on the serving plate. Spread with 1 cup of whipped cream and top with 3/4 cup cherry filling. Place second cake layer on top. Spread with 1 cup of whipped cream and top with 3/4 cup cherry filing. Top with third cake layer.

Frost sides of cake with remaining whipped cream and pat gently with cake crumbs that were made earlier.

Spoon reserved 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe around the top and bottom edges of the cake. Spoon remaining cherry filling over the top of the cake.

German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature


Directions

Grease two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a small bowl, pour boiling water on chocolate and stir until smooth, then set aside until it reaches room temperature.

In the bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, melted chocolate, then the egg yolks, one at a time.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix in half of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then the rest of the dry ingredients.

In a separate metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.

Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there's no trace of egg white visible.

Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool cake layers completely. Then proceed to fill as desired.

Minestrone

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
7 cups chopped vegetables (celery, carrot, pepper, onion, corn, cabbage, etc.)
5 cups beef broth
1 cup tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can white beans
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta of your choice
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping


Directions

In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped vegetables and continue to saute for approximately 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Add broth and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add beans, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for at 15 minutes.

Add pasta to the soup and continue to simmer until pasta is tender (at least 15 more minutes).

Once pasta is tender, the soup is ready to be served. Ladle into individual serving bowls and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.


This recipe is also linked to...

Sunday Night = Soup Night
Seasonal Inspiration Saturday

Ham & Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup diced cooked ham (I like more ham, so I double or even triple it)
water, enough to cover
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (goat's milk or rice milk also work)

DIRECTIONS

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion and ham in a stockpot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, corn, salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.


NOTE: I don't do the butter, milk and flour in a separate pot. Once the potatoes are tender, I add the butter to the pot. In a small bowl I whisk together the milk and flour and then add it to the pot and stir it over medium-low heat until the soup is thickened.

NOTE: Some people add peas or corn when making the soup and cheese when serving the soup. Also have used the recipe but changed out the veg and meat for different ones. If you have more time you can use ham on the bone and then de-bone it when you want to serve it.


This recipe is also linked to...

Seasonal Inspiration Saturday