Eastertide Gluten Free Chocolate Bliss

Today I had such high hopes for a delectable dinner and dessert. I had it pictured in my head that my braised lamb and Greek meal would rival that of our favorite Greek restaurant. Well, it didn't quite meet my expectations, though my husband thought it was delicious. But I still think the gluten free pita bread recipe I used must have had fake comments, because there is no way my results looked anything like the original. It was more like naan, decidedly chewy, and a really sad waste of a really expensive flour blend. Most of our meals cost less than $8 total, which is saying something since we have to deal with Canadian prices. But this meal cost as much as a restaurant meal would cost, so the results weren't making my heart leap for joy by any stretch of the imagination. Still, my hubby was happy. So I guess that means something. Right?

Thankfully, dessert was delectable. It was easy to make, and it was a delicious combination of flour-free cake and chocolate mousse. Even better was the fact that the recipe actually said it would essentially look messy. I can do imperfect. And this? This dessert is perfect imperfection. Or would that be imperfect perfection? Who knows? All I can say is that it is the perfect Easter dessert, especially when children are involved. And it's yummy enough for even the most grown-up of adults.

Thank you, Nigella Lawson. You are my hero.

This recipe is from Nigella's Feast cookbook, American edition, page 169. She says it serves 8-10. I'd say it serves about 6-8 if you have a chocolate lover in there. ;)

EASTER EGG NEST CAKE
Ingredients for the cake:
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
6 eggs; 2 whole, 4 separated (keep both parts!!!!)
1/3 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup sugar (1/3 cup for yolks, 1/2 cup for whites)

Ingredients for topping:
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
several Cadbury mini Robin's eggs

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. LIne the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan.

2. Melt the 8 oz. chocolate with the butter in the microwave and stir until smooth. Allow to cool a bit.

3. In a stand mixer, whisk the four egg whites until firm, and then gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape and the peaks are shiny but not stiff.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk two whole eggs and four egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla. Gently fold in cooled chocolate mixture. Put a dollop of the egg white mixture into the bowl and stir to combine. Then gently fold in the rest of the whisked egg whites. Nigella says it should take about three stirs, but it took me a few more.

5. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked but not wobbly on the surface. Cool in pan on wire rack. The middle will sink as it cools and the sides will crack. Do not freak out. This is supposed to happen. Ah, the beauty of purposeful imperfection.

6. Remove the cooled cake from the pan, and gently separate from the parchment paper with a large spatula. Carefully slide onto a cake platter. Nigella says not to worry if bits fall off and to put them back in a loose fashion. Remember, you're trying to make a bird's nest here. Smooth perfection is NOT what you want.

7. Melt the 4 oz. chocolate and set aside to cool. Whip the cream until you basically have a whipped cream consistency. Gently fold in the vanilla, and then fold in the melted chocolate.

8. Spread the chocolate whipped cream on the top of the chocolate cake, smoothing all the way to the edge with a spatula, taking care not to squash out all the air in the mousse mixture. Decorate with candy eggs.

9. Store in refrigerator until ready to eat. Leftovers will keep for a day or two.

Thank you, Nigella. You are helping me forget the rest of my kitchen experience today. Well, you, and the lovely Pinot Grigio I picked out from Trader Joe's. Beautiful combination.

Gluten Free Salted Fudge Bliss in a Brownie

I almost hesitate to post this here. I mean, my salted fudge brownies are to-die-for, and now that I've triumphed in making them gluten free, well, it seems like it should be a top secret thing. But no, my friends, if you have to be gluten free and you happen to adore chocolate baking, this is a sweet surprise. I still hope to experiment with switching out some of the butter for squash and a few other tweaks to make it super healthy but still blissfully delicious, but it is perfect for sharing right now in its gluten free state.

Without further ado, here is my one pot wonder for your tasting pleasure.......

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 c. butter
2 oz. chocolate, chopped
6 T. cocoa
1 c. white sugar (I've actually used sucanat with success in its place)
1/2 c. brown sugar (yellow sugar in Canada)
3 eggs, beaten with fork
1.5 tsp. vanilla
1/6 c. sorghum flour
1/6 c. GF millet flour
1/6 c. tapioca flour (also sometimes labeled tapioca starch - same thing)
1/2 c. brown rice flour
scant 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease foil lined 8" dish.

2. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat in medium sauce pan, stirring to combine well.

3. Remove butter and chocolate mixture from heat, and stir in cocoa and sugar until well blended.

4. Stir in lightly beaten eggs and vanilla until evenly incorporated.

5. Combine flours and xanthan gum in a small bowl, and then pour into sauce pan mixture. Stir gently to fully combine.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle half of the salt evenly over top of batter, and swirl through the batter with a knife. Then sprinkle remaining salt on top. (I confess to using more than 1/2 tsp. at times.)

7. Bake for 28-30 minutes. You want the edges to be set, but the center to be soft. (Soft does not mean soupy. I keep a thermometer in my oven at all times, so 28 minutes at exactly 350 worked well for me.) Don't bother testing with a toothpick because it will come out coated.

8. Cool in pan for a couple of hours. Gently ease foil out of pan and place on plate in refrigerator for a couple more hours. (It's okay to leave the foil on the cooling rack covered by a tea towel overnight instead.) Resist the urge to cut into them too soon, and give them time to completely set up. (And yes, I totally broke that rule in order to take a picture for you.) Cut into one inch pieces of bliss and enjoy.

You're welcome. =)

Not-Too-Sweet No-Bake Cookies

So I wanted a chocolate fix, and I had a kid over at my house who wanted to bake something while her mother was at a meeting. But there are no eggs in my refrigerator currently, which kind of puts a cramp in my baking style. (We really need to put chickens in our landlord's backyard. I'm sure he'd love it.)

No-Bake cookies can be a decent idea when these two factors come into play, but most often the ones I have had taste more of sickeningly sweet white sugar and cheap chocolate. After reading up on a bunch of different versions, I decided to come up with my own. I have to say it turned out pretty yummy, so it seemed like a good idea to share it here. It's easy and quick, and you'll have your chocolate fix in minutes. Plus you can feel all giddy inside because most recipes called for another 1/2 cup of sugar and double the butter. You can almost feel yourself getting skinnier just reading the recipe. =)

*****When I say "loosely packed" it means that you just take your 1/2 cup measuring cup and scoop it into your ingredient without packing it down or leveling it perfectly.

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 c. Brown Sugar (or Yellow Sugar if you are in Canada) loosely packed
1/2 c. loosely packed Cocoa
1/2 c. 1% Milk
1/4 c. Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt
2/3 c. (heaping) Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter
2.75 c. Quick Oats
1 c. Shredded Unsweetened Coconut

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In medium sauce pan, melt butter and peanut butter together over medium low heat.

2. Add in sugar, vanilla, salt, milk, and cocoa and stir to combine. Bring to a light boil for just a minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Add in oats and coconut, stirring to combine completely.

4. Using a small cookie scoop (about a tablespoon size), drop mixture on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Let set until solidified. If you are like me, eat two while the rest are setting up. Sigh contentedly that you have just eaten what could be argued as oatmeal with chocolate and peanut butter. Wonder if it could count as a healthy breakfast. I feel almost like saying "rinse, repeat" at this point. But I'll just say "the end".

Makes about 38 small cookies.

Poor Man's Toffee

I admit, I haven't been here in quite a while & I've felt a bit guilty about it.  I'm so glad to see the renewed interest in the site & I hope things keep clicking along they way they have of late.

While scrolling through I've loved seeing the healthy recipes & adaptations you all have posted...and now I'm going to ruin all our resolutions to eat better in this new year.  This recipe is floating about the ether in a few forms but this is my favorite thus far.

You will need:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 sleeves saltine crackers
1 to 1 1/2 cup good chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate chips because they melt beautifully)


Heat oven to 350 degrees.


In a heavy sauce pan, melt butter and brown sugar together & bring to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes stirring often.


Line a jelly roll pan (or any sheet pan with sides) with aluminum foil and lay out saltines to cover the entire bottom of the pan. 


Pour butter & brown sugar mixture over the crackers & bake for 7 minutes.


After baking, remove from oven for 1-2 minutes then sprinkle with chocolate chips and return to oven for 1 minute.  Once chocolate chips have melted, spread chocolate over crackers with a spatula.  Let cool, then break apart or cut between crackers to eat.


Now, I will warn you, this stuff is rich and addictive.  I love it but can easily eat myself sick on it.  It's best made when you're going to have company to share it with.


Enjoy!

Mama F's Strawberry Cake

As with everything in my life, this recipe has a back story. Did was my best friend from the time we were in eighth grade on. Every year she had a slumber birthday party. Every year her mother, Mama F, made this fabulous cake. When BabyGirl asked for a "pink strawberry cake" for her fourth birthday, I could think of nothing better than this cake. I emailed Mama F & begged for her recipe. She gladly sent it to me. Last year, I discovered Did did not even have her mother's recipe. I told her it's because her mother likes me more...but in reality, it's because Did never asked.

You should also know that Mama F was an English teacher & is a published author. If you read this recipe through, you'll see those facts clearly. So with no more ado and without further gilding the lily, I give you Mama F's Strawberry Cake exactly as it was sent to me.

This is out of the section of The James K. Polk Cookbook [the first one] from the recipes sent in by 1st ladies. I'll try to remember and italicize my editorial comments.

Strawberry Cake

1 package yellow or white cake mix

1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin (Jello)

3/4 cup cooking oil (I use 1/2 c oil and 1/4 c water)

1 cup chopped nuts (I don't put these in because I don't want to)

4 eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1 package (10 ounces) frozen strawberries or 1 pint fresh strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar*

Mix all ingredients and beat well; pour into a greased angel food cake pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done. (Mama F always baked the cake in two 9 inch round pans for a layer cake instead.)

Serve plain or with whipped cream.** Rosalynn Carter

OK, FarmWife, here's how the cake you ate deviates:

*In strawberry season, I freeze strawberries. Specifically, I slice them, mildly fill quart freezer bags with the slices, add 1/4 cup sugar, seal, and let them languish on the counter until they form a little juice- probably no more than 30 minutes. FOR THE CAKE, I thaw a quart of the berries and, with a slotted spoon, scoop out about 10 ounces of them to put in the batter. There will be juice and several slices left. Onward...

**After the two layers are cool, I "ice" the cake with a really big bowl of Cool Whip (or store brand sub) with the remaining strawberry juice and pulp stirred in. The two ingredients will at first vigorously resist being combined, but persevere; it will happen.

Of course, with this icing, the cake will have to be covered and refrigerated and, if your cake holder is like mine, will take up a huge space. I stick toothpicks in the tip and sides so the Saran Wrap doesn't stick to the icing. It's better/moister if it sits a day.

Sugar Cookies (For LT)

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

Before you ask, no, there is no one named Ethel in my family. This recipe comes to us courtesy of Betty Crocker's CookyBook, of which, my copy is my Grandmother's from 1973. Not that old, I know, but the recipe itself goes back at least another 30 years prior to this edition...and the book has Grandma's hand-written notes about additions and changes she made...

These cookies are crispy, not soft, but are FABULOUS for decorating and sharing with neighbors, classrooms, teachers, small groups etc. It is a MESS to make them what with the floured rolling surface, and it makes right around 4 dozen, unless you use a really little cookie cutter. I try to use nothing smaller than 3 inches...but still...it takes a looooong time to get all that flour actually cleaned up when we're done.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 C shortening (I use all butter in mine, but a combo, or just Crisco works too)

1 C sugar

2 eggs (at room temp works best)

1/2 tsp flavoring (we use good old vanilla, but lemon, or almond are yummy too!)

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour **

1 tsp baking POWDER

1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
Cream the sugar, butter, eggs, and flavoring. Measure flour using dipping method (just dip your cup and sort of tap it against the side of your container lightly), and stir with baking powder and salt. Add gradually. Chill at least 1 hour (if you can't bake right away, it can sit covered tightly overnight, and then just let it come a bit warm before rolling, so you can work it).

Roll dough on floured surface (even using my good ol' Tupperware mat, I still have to flour) to 1/8 inch thick. Cut using desired cutters. Bake at 400F for 6 - 8 minutes (I only do about 5 at my altitude) or until delicate golden. Let cool completely and decorate as desired.

** If you use "self-rising" flour, don't add the baking powder or salt. I always use "Hungarian Flour", unbleached and they turn out ok.

Chocolate Cheesecake & Strawberry Sauce

So I combined two cheesecake recipes in order to use the ingredients I had on hand. Every other recipe I found required something I didn't have, and as this baking adventure began after 10 p.m., I needed to get creative. It worked. Here are the tasty results below.

INGREDIENTS:
Crust
2.25 c. Oreo crumbs
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
Filling
2 pkgs. (8oz/250g each) Light Cream Cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk (light if they have it)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 pkg. (8 squares) 70% Baker's Chocolate
Sauce
2 c. Strawberries (frozen works great)
scant 1/3 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS for Crust and Filling:
1. Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10" springform pan. (I press the crust about 1 inch up the sides as well, but that is a matter of personal preference, if you like crust on the side or not)

2. In a double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. Be very careful not to scorch, and remove from bottom of boiler when the chocolate is melted. Set aside. (I don't have a double boiler, but use a small metal bowl over a small sauce pan of hot water on the stove.)

3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate, and vanilla until really smooth.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until each is combined. (If you beat too hard, your cheesecake will crack because the eggs hold air that collects during the beating process.)

5. Pour over crust. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Then turn off oven, crack door open and bake another 10 minutes. This will help set the cheesecake and help prevent cracks in the top of your cheesecake. (You'll still have one or two, but they shouldn't be major. I actually had a few that corrected themselves during the 10 minutes that the door was open.)

6. Remove and cool on wire rack for 30 minutes to an hour. Gently run a knife along the edge of the pan, and then place in refrigerator. Do not disassemble the pan yet! Cool overnight.

7. Carefully disassemble the edge of the springform pan. Cut into 12 pieces. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. (I set aside a few pieces, and then individually wrap and freeze the rest for other occasions. It freezes well for a few months in a deep freeze.)

DIRECTIONS for Sauce:
1. Cut strawberries in pieces and place in small sauce pan. (If frozen, thaw a bit first.) Add sugar and vanilla.

2. Heat on medium low heat and stir until bubbly and thickened, about five minutes. Remove from heat and mash with a potato ricer. Cool in refrigerator.

3. Pour a few tablespoonfuls over individual pieces of cake and enjoy.

Sarah's Gingerbread Cheesecake

To be honest, y'all, I just tweaked a "regular" cheesecake recipe to suit my craving for gingerbread. So, instead of a graham cracker crust, I subbed out gingerbread cookie crumbs (I suppose you can be extremely Martha Stewart-y and make your gingerbread cookies from scratch - I used Keebler gingerbread cookies that I bought in the store. Pepperidge farm makes some too). I added a bit of extra seasoning to the filling in addition to just vanilla.

Crust:
2 cups gingerbread cookie crumbs (I used slightly more than 2 cups because I squashed too many)
1/3 cup melted butter

Filling:
3 pkgs cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c sugar
Nutmeg and ginger (to taste - I sprinkled some in until I found a nice flavor I liked but wasn't overwhelming -- you could probably use Pumpkin pie spice instead - as it has ginger and nutmeg in it)
3 eggs

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix crumbs and butter and press firmly into bottom of 9x13 pan (You could also use a 9" springform pan - and just up the cooking time by about 25 minutes. I have horrible luck with Springform though - I always crack my cheesecake that way).

Beat Cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and ginger with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Then taste it. That's the fun part. If you need more spices - add more, if not, then....

Add eggs and mix just until blended (over blending puts too much air in your cheesecake. Not good).

Pour over crust.

Bake 30 minutes or until center is almost set. (Again, if you go the springform route, bake time is about 55 minutes usually).

Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Pumpkin Turtle Pie

Found this recipe in a coupon flyer and have adapted it to a low-cal version. Gave it to the family and it's been voted in for Thanksgiving this year. It is rich, but very good.

1-8 0z container of fat free cool whip-divided
1/4 c + 2 TBS of sugar free caramel topping
1/2 c + 2 TBS of halved pecans
1 premade graham cracker pie crust
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding
1 c fat free milk

In pie crust, pour 1/4 c of caramel topping onto crust. Spread across the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle 1/2 c of pecans on top of caramel topping.

In a bowl combine 1 c pumpkin, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding, and 1 c fat free milk with wire whisk. Slowly fold in 1/2 of the fat free cool whip.

Place in pie crust, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

After chilling for 1 hour remove from fridge, spread remainder of fat free cool whip on top of pumpkin mixture. Drizzle remaining 2 Tbs of sugar free caramel topping across the top. Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbs of pecan halves across the top.

Serve.

1 pie = 10 servings

Fresh Apple Crisp

In a pinch for a dessert that is yummy but not requiring crazy ingredients like cream cheese and whipped cream? This is it!

Ingredients:

4 C peeled and sliced tart apples. I prefer Granny Smith, but Gala work well also.
1 1/4 C brown sugar
1 C flour
1 C oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2/3 C margarine

Directions:

Heat overn to 375. Grease a square pan (8x8 or 9x9).* Place apple slices in pan. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl, cutting in margarine or butter, and sprinkle over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the apples are fork-tender.

Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or just plain. You can substitute peaches, or cherries, but may have to adjust the baking time accordingly.

* I did NOT grease my pan, and used a disposable aluminum pan. It worked just fine.

Nutty Apple

I made this today thought it was pretty good. Hubby liked it.

1 granny smith apple peeled, cored and cubed
2 TBS of raisins
2 TBS of chopped walnuts
1 container of yoplait lite (choose your flavor)

Mix above ingredients together in a bowl and serve.

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 fruit, 1 fat, 1 protein

Fluffy Fruit Pie

Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes 12 Servings

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, divided
1 Graham pie crust (6 oz) I prefer a larger crust because this pie has LOTS of filling.
1 pkg (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 C. cold milk
1 pkg. Lemon or Vanilla Instant pudding
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed & divided

Spread half of the cherry pie filling in the bottom of crust.

Beat cream cheese in large bow with hand mixer until creamy. Gradually add milk, mixing well. Add pudding mix & beat until well blended & fluffy. Gently stir in half of the Cool Whip; spread over cherry layer in crust. Cover with layers of remaining Cool Whip & cherry pie filling.

Refrigerate 3 hours or until set.

I picked up this recipe from the Cool Whip tub for the first time 2 weeks ago because I wanted something cool & fruity for desert. I made it and by the next day, FarmBoy finished it all off. So I picked up the ingredients again last week and made it on Saturday. FarmBoy walked into the kitchen and said, "You're making that again? You don't expect me to eat that pie too, do you?"

I laughed at him & went back to work. That's when he noticed the cream cheese. FarmBoy hates cream cheese! "That has cream cheese in it?! Are you trying to poison me?!" Yes, that is my grand plan. Death by confection. Gonna' collect that insurance all because of a dairy product I sneaked into your desert.

Just goes to show, you never know what you'll get him to eat as long as he's in the dark about it!

Black Forest Cake

This is NOT a fast cake, so DO NOT WAIT until right before you need it. It tastes better if it can sit more than one night before serving it. It it time consuming, but totally worth it in my estimation. Besides, what better reason to have Port and Kirsch on hand?

Ingredients:

FILLING -
1 lb 4 oz can of TART RED Cherries
1/2 C Port
1 Tbsp Kirsch
3 drops almond extract
Combine and chill for 4 hours

MOUSSE -

3 oz semisweet chocolate (I use the Bakers' Friend brand of squares)
3 Tbsp Kirsch
1 beaten egg
1 C whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar

Melt the chocolate and Kirsch together over low heat (using a double boiler is best) until smooth. Add the beaten egg to the chocolate. Whip the cream and sugar together and FOLD into the chocolate mixture. Chill 2 hours

CAKE -
2 egg whites
1/2 C sugar
1/3 oil
1 C milk (set aside 1/2 C to mix with chocolate)
2 egg yolks
2 oz semisweet chocolate
SIFT together :
1 3/4 C flour
1 C sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Melt chocolate, egg yolks, and 1/2 C of milk together and cool slightly.
Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and beat until mixture forms peaks. Mix together the dry ingredients, oil, 1/2 C of milk and chocolate mixture until smooth. FOLD in egg whites.

Bake cake in round pans, greased and lightly floured at 350 for 30 min. Cool in pans for 10 min and remove. Allow to cool thoroughly. Split each cake into 2 layers after completely cooled.

FROSTING -
6 Tbsp butter
1 lb Confectioners' sugar (powdered)
1/4 C CREAM
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 ounces UNSWEETENED chocolate melted

Cream butter, add sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Fold in chocolate.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE -
Spread 1/2 C of frosting over the bottom layer, and use the other 1/2 C to form a ridge, or wall about 1/2 inch wide and 3/4 inch high, AND a 2nd ridge about 2 inches in from the side of the cake. CHILL FOR 30 MINUTES.
Fill the spaces with the cherry mixture.
Place 2nd layer, and spread the mousse evenly. CHILL FOR 30 MINUTES
Whip an additional 2 C of cream with 2 Tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of Vanilla.
Place 3rd layer on top. Spread 1 1/2 C of cream over 3rd layer, leaving about 1/4 C to "frost" the remainder.
Place 4th layer and frost with about 1/4 C of whipped cream.
Sift some confectioners' sugar over the top, make whipped cream "dollops" around edge, and in center of cake. Add some fresh cherries to dollops, and make chocolate curls or shavings.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 large package instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 C sour cream

Directions:
Beat together for 7 minutes.

Mix 1 C nuts
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cocoa

Grease a bundt pan, sprinkle 1/4 of the nut mixture in the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the batter and nut mixture

Bake 1 - 1 1/2 hours at 350

Peach Cake

Ingredients:
CAKE -
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can peach pie filling
3 eggs
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 C chopped nuts

TOPPING-
1/2 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C butter

Directions:
Combine at slow speed on your mixer. Beat 2 min. Spread in a 13 x 9 greased and floured pan. Sprinkle topping over cake batter.
Bake 40 - 45 minutes at 350

White Fruit Cake

I normally do this at the holidays, but I suppose you could do it anytime you can find the candied fruit.

Beware - this fruitcake is actually the yummiest I've ever tasted and is NOT your typical fruitcake.

Ingredients:

1 pound butter
2 C sugar
6 eggs
4 C flour (Set aside 1 C for dredging the fruit)
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz package of white/golden raisins (not the usual Sun-Maid brand of brown raisins!)
1 C candied cherries (NOT the kind you put on your ice cream sundae, these are DRY in the package)
1 C candied pineapple (same as above)
2 C chopped pecans
2 tsp lemon extract

Directions:

Cream butter, add sugar, and eggs (one at a time, beating until smooth in between)
Add dry ingredients and lemon extract. Dredge the fruit, and add it and nuts.

Use a 10-inch tube pan (like a bundt pan, only smooth) or 2 loaf pans greased and lined with parchment paper.

Bake tube pan for 1hr 45 min at 300
OR
Bake loaf pans 1hr 45 min at 275.

I tried once to use a paper bag to line the pans because I didn't have parchment...it didn't work. Next time we tried not lining the pans at all...it didn't work...so use parchment paper...

Feathery Fudge Cake

This recipe is my aunt's, and it is awesome!!!!! I'm not sure where she originally got it from, so forgive me if it's actually from some cookbook that y'all have on your shelf! :D

Ingredients:

2/3 C Butter
1 3/4 C Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate (melted and cooled slightly)
2 1/2 C Cake Flour (I love Swan's Down brand!)
1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 C Ice Water


Directions:

Lightly grease 2 9-inch round pans, and flour. Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, and add sugar gradually. Add vanilla and eggs. Blend in chocolate.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternating with the ice water.

Pour half of batter in one pan, and the rest in the other.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

TO TOP this cake...
Chocolate Glaze

1 1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/2C POWDERED sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter together over heat. Stir in sugar and Vanilla until crumbly. Add boiling water 1 - 2 tsp at a time until glaze consistency. Pour and spread over cake.

I also make an exception and use good old Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Frosting...mmmm...

Sun-Drop Cake

Allow me to start off the first ever wha'cha got cookin' Cake Off with an old favorite. It's from a cook book I was given as a wedding present. I take this cake to a lot of pot-lucks & rarely bring home left overs. The best part? It's a doctored mix, so it's super simple.

For those of you who've never been south of the Mason-Dixon line, Sun-Drop is hyper charged Mt. Dew. Any soda of that variety will work.

1 box lemon cake mix
1 small package instant lemon pudding
1 (12 oz) can Sun-Drop
3 eggs
3/4 C. oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine lemon cake mix, lemon pudding, Sun-Drop, eggs, and oil. Mix well. Pour into greased tube or Bundt pan. Bake 35 minutes or until cake tests done. Let set for 5 minute in pan, then invert onto serving plate. While still warm, prepare glaze.

Glaze
1 C. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. water (I use Sun-drop in place of the water)
1 tsp. vanilla or lemon flavoring

Mix all together until sugar is dissolved & mixture is smooth. Pour over cake.

While I'm at it, I should share a story about this cake. I took it to church once for a pot luck for our missionary & his wife. She had a slice of the cake & loved it, so she asked about it. When she was told it was a Mt.Dew cake (since we couldn't get Sun-Drop around here at the time) she nearly panicked. Apparently she was on some kind of medication that reacted badly if taken with caffeine. Since there's only one can in the entire cake, she was fine....but it made for an interesting church dinner.

Semi-Sweet Sugar Balls

Here are the chocolate balls I promised on my Traditions post several weeks ago now...sorry for the delay!

These were always made by my Nana, who lived in NY. We always loved it when she came out for the holidays, and it was made even more special by her incredible commitment to teaching my siblings and I all about our Italian heritage...making the best ever dishes that she grew up eating for special occasions and specific holidays...If I can weasel the recipe out of Daddy, I'll post the Meat Pie for Easter...mmmmmmm, that makes my mouth water thinking about it!!!

Prep to Serve: At least 24 hours ( read on to see why )
Serves: As Many as you decide you can part with...I don't share these so well...

Ingredients:
12 oz SEMI-SWEET chocolate chips
3 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1/2 C Orange Juice
2 1/2 C Crushed Vanilla Wafers
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 C finely chopped nuts (Optional We never add the nuts because we just don't like nuts in our food...unless it is baklava)

Directions:

Melt chocolate over low heat (I use my double boiler so it doesn't burn). Remover from heat, add corn syrup and orange juice. Combine Vanilla wafer crumbs, sugar and nuts. Add to chocolate mixture, and mix well. Chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Form mixture into 1 inch balls, and roll in more confectioner's sugar. Layer in a tin, or plastic container with wax or parchment paper between layers. Cover tightly and ripen in fridge for at least 24 hours. The longer they sit, the better they taste, but don't forget you made them!!!

Quick Fudge (should be called the BEST EVER!!!!)

Prep to Serve: 24 hours for best results
Serves: as many as you want to share it with!



Ingredients

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can Eagle Brand SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:
Melt chips in milk over low heat. (I use my double boiler for best, creamy results)
Remove from heat, add salt and vanilla. BLEND WELL.
Spread into a buttered 9 inch square pan (I buy the disposable foil ones each year). Cover with plastic wrap or foil, and chill until firm (about 3 - 4 hours, give or take). Cut into SMALL pieces. (We're talking no bigger than 1/2 inch squares people...)