Chocolate Lasagna

Ingredients:

Crust:
36 regular OREO's
6 Tablespoons butter, melted

Cream cheese Layer (double for optional 2nd layer)
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened 

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cold milk
1 cup Cool Whip

Pudding Layer

2 (3.9 oz) pkg's. chocolate instant pudding
3 1/4 cups cold milk

Topping
1 (12 oz) container Cool Whip (remainder)
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Butter a 9x13 dish and set aside.

Crust:

Crush OREO's in a zip top bag with a rolling pin. Add melted butter into the bag and mix until combined. Press OREO mixture into the bottom of the dish and place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Cream Cheese:

In a medium sized bowl whip the cream cheese until fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of milk and sugar. Mix until combined. Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip, then spread the mixture lightly over the crust. Place in the fridge for another 5 minutes.

Pudding:

In a separate bowl combine the chocolate pudding and cold milk. Whisk together until thick. Then spread over the top of the cream cheese layer. Place back in the fridge for another 5-10 minutes to allow pudding to set.

Optional 2nd Cream Cheese:

Spread half the Pudding over the top of the cream cheese layer. Place in fridge for 5-10 minutes to allow pudding to set. 

Once pudding has set spread Cream Cheese Layer lightly over the pudding. Place in fridge for another 5 minutes.

Spread the rest of the Pudding over the top of the cream cheese. Place back in fridge for another 5-10 minutes to allow pudding to set.

Topping:

Once pudding has set spread remaining Cool Whip on the chocolate layer and then top with chocolate chips. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours before serving.

Original recipe from:

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/chocolate-lasagna/ 

Ultimate Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 cup (24 oz) chocolate chips                   1 cup margarine, softened

2 2/3 cup flour (2 3/4 cup)                           1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda                            ½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt                                           1 t vanilla

                                                    3 eggs

Melt 2 cups chocolate chips. Combine flour, soda, salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla in large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in melted chocolate. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-9 minutes at 375 ̊

Coconut Marshmallow Krispies

For Sunday dessert with the Turners and Brent, we had Coconut Marshmallow Krispies. They were quite tasty. We preferred them plain rather than dipped in chocolate.

Ingredients

(Nutrition Information)

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon imitation coconut extract
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal

Microwave Directions:

1. In microwave-safe bowl heat butter, coconut extract and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. (Microwave cooking times may vary.)
   
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
   
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.
   

Andes Layered Frozen Mousse Pie

This was such a hit for dinner today, Dad suggested I be sure to add it to the recipe blog. It's perfect for a hot summer day!

Andes Layered Frozen Mousse Pie
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cups Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips
1 ready to use chocolate wafer crumb crust
1 ½ cups whipping cream, divided
2 eggs yolks
Stir ½ cup of Andes Baking Chips into ice cream. Spread onto bottom of crust, freeze. Melt remaining Andes Baking Chips with ½ cup whipping cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in egg yolks. Continue heating over medium low heat 3-5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring every 30 seconds. Do not allow it to boil. Cool to room temperature. Whip remaining 1 cup of whipping cream until stiff peaks form, fold into baking chips mixture. Spread over ice cream in crust. Freeze 4 hours or overnight. Allow pie to sit at room temp for 10-15 mins before cutting.

Cherry Dessert

Empty 2 cans of prepared cherry pie filling into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle 1 pkg white cake mix (dry) over cherries. Sprinkle 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans over cake mix. Evenly pour 1/2 lb (2 cubes) melted butter (be careful to evenly distribute). Bake at 35o for 40-45 mins.

Pumpkin Pudding Treat

This is a recipe from Jenny Berry Krull

1 1.5 oz pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 12 oz can fat free evaporated milk
1 15 oz can pumpkin (plain canned pumpkin)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Beat together pudding and milk. Refrigerate for 5 mins. Mix in pumpkin and spice. Spoon into individual bowls and refrigerate for 10 mins (or more).

Fresh Blueberry Sauce

My roommate introduced me to this delicious sauce. I found that it makes the perfect topping to a cheesecake.

Fresh Blueberry Sauce:

• 1 pound fresh or frozen blueberries
• 4 (1/2-inch-wide) strips lemon peel
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Combine blueberries, lemon peel, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring berry mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible. Discard solids and return sauce to a clean saucepan. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, stirring until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the blueberry sauce, stirring until the sauce comes to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool sauce to room temperature.

Yield: 1 1/4 cups

Melissa’s Chocolate-Mouse Dessert Cake

Ingredients: 1 package angel food cake mix, sifted
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions: 1. Preheat oven and prepare cake mix as package label directs, adding grated chocolate to flour mixture. 2. Turn batter into ungreased 10" tube pan; bake 30 - 40 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed. 3. Invert pan over neck of bottle. Let cake hang to cool completely. 4. Meanwhile, make cocoa cream filling and frosting. Refrigerate cream, confectioners sugar, and cocoa ( in large bowl) until very cold. 5. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Heat, stirring, over hot water until dissolved. Let cool. 6. Add vanilla and salt to chilled cream. Beat with portable electric mixer until stiff enough to hold its shape. 7. Remove 3 cups cocoa cream; into this, stir the cooled gelatin. Use for filling cake. 8. To prepare cake for filling; remove cake from pan, place upside down on cake plate. Cut 1 inch slice crosswise from the top of the cake, set aside. With knife outline a cavity in cake, leaving 1 inch thick walls. Carefully remove cake from center area leaving a 1 inch base. Reserve the removed cake pieces. 9. Fill cavity of cake with cocoa cream with gelatin. Replace the top portion . Toss cake pieces with a bit of frosting and fill the center hole with them. Frost with remaining cocoa cream. Chill several hours or overnight.

Serves: 12

Joanne’s Famous Chocolate Orange Cake

Cake

Substitute orange juice for the water in a boxed chocolate cake (like Devil’s Food cake) and add half a bag of chocolate chips.

Frosting

1/4 c orange juice (less if using concentrate)
1/2 bag chocolate chips
2 T milk

Melt in chocolate chips with milk and juice in the  microwave, on low heat. Stir every minute. Be careful not to over-cook the chocolate in the microwave.  When it’s melted, add more juice to taste if needed. Beat with fork till shiny and drizzle over cake.

Tamara zests an orange over the top for an added touch of fanciness.

Black Rice Dessert

1 cup black rice
1.5 cups water
1 can coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar

Open coconut milk from bottom of can. Pour coconut milk into a glass and scoop out the cream into a small bowl. Put cream into the fridge. Mix sugar salt and water until all dissolve. Put in rice cooker with black rice and coconut milk. Press button. Wait with bated breath until rice is done. Allow to cool a bit. With wet hands form into balls, place on dessert plates. Dab some coconut cream on each ball.

Garnish with mango or mint leaves or something if you feel extra fancy tonight. This might take advance planning, so you should have decided how fancy you were going to feel ahead of time.

This is the recipe I should have followed, not the recipe I did follow.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

This is the recipe from Janet Lawrence that she made for Suzanne's birthday! It is fantastic, but does take time.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes
Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (Deb note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easier to work with after firming them up in the freezer for 30 minutes. They’ll defrost quickly once assembled. You’ll be glad you did this, trust me.)
4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. (Deb note 1: Making a crumb coat of frosting–a thin layer that binds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up in the final outer frosting layer–is a great idea for this cake, or any with a dark cake and lighter-colored frosting. Once you “mask” your cake, let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm, then use the remainder of the frosting to create a smooth final coating. Deb note 2: Once the cake is fully frosted, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.)
5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup cream
1. In the top of double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Favorite Pumpkin Dessert

1 ½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves
4 large eggs
4 cups pumpkin puree (~32 oz can)
2 cans evaporated milk
1 yellow cake mix
1 cube of butter or margarine softened

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into 9x13 baking glass.
Cut butter into cake mix (like when making pie dough. Use a fork or pastry blender.)
Top batter with cake and butter mixture.
Bake in preheated 425⁰F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350⁰ F; bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Serve warm or cold. Goes great with vanilla ice cream.

Apple Crisp

We are going to enjoy an apple crisp for our October General Conference Sunday dinner! I love this great autumn recipe! (I generally double the topping)

Apple Crisp

6 Sliced green or gala apples
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 heaping Tbs Flour
Mix together. Put in 9x9 pan.
Topping
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¾ cup flour
¾ cup brown sugar
3/4 cup oatmeal (Old Fashioned oats)
1/3 cup melted butter
Mix together, place on top of fruit.
Bake at 350º for 30 min, until browned.

Cheesecake

This is Dad's favorite kind of cheesecake. I got this recipe from Nancy Morelock when I was in Young Women.

4 egg whites - beat until stiff

Beat the following together then fold into egg whites

• 3 - 8oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
• 1 c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla (I usually double the vanilla)

Pour cream cheese mixture into graham cracker crust. Bake 30 min at 350 degrees. Always make the day before and refrigerate when cool.

Sparkling Dessert

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 large package Lemon Jell-o
2 1/2 cups cold club soda or seltzer
2 cups sliced strawberries

Divide strawberries into individual glasses.
Stir boiling water into Jell-o until dissolved.
Stir in Soda.
Poor Jell-o over strwaberries in glasses.
Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.
Top with whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a no fail recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies ever.

Mix well:
1 cup soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 pkg pudding (vanilla, instant -I use the smaller size)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Enjoy!

Milk Chocolate Cheesecake

My friends, Taylor and Dustin, gave me Mary Crownover's I Love Cheesecake recipe book for my birthday. This is the first recipe that I've tried from the collection of decadent and creative cheesecakes. I'm thinking of trying Lime Yogurt Cheesecake or Peachy Orange Cheesecake next.

I hesitate to add this recipe to our collection as I have found the resulting cheesecake to have a mind of its own. Be sure to make this for a large crowd and to send the leftovers home with others, or you may find that you've managed to eat half a cheesecake all by yourself in less than 5 days: not recommended for anyone's waistline.

Chocolate cookie crust
18 Oreos
5 Tb butter or margarine, melted

Crush cookies to make crumbs. Place crumbs in a mixing bowl and add butter, mix well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of greased 9-inch cheesecake pan. Set aside.

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Milk chocolate filling
32 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 Tb cornstarch
3/4 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz milk chocolate chips, melted

Ina large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and sour cream with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and melted chocolate, mix well. Pour filling onto crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

REDUCE HEAT TO 200 DEGREES and bake for 2 hours, or until center is firm and no longer looks wet or shiny. Remove cake from oven and carefully run a knife around inside edge of pan. Turn oven off and return cake to it for an additional 2 hours. Chill overnight.

Chocolate glaze
5 oz milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tb chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts

In a small heavy saucepan, combine chocolate and sour cream. Stir constantly while melting chocolate over low heat. Spread warm topping on the cake. Sprinkle nuts over top. Keep chilled.