Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Andrew this year while picking out his cupcakes for his school birthday treat, found a chocolate chip cookie cake that he wanted for his birthday.  Of course, I knew I could make one, and the nice Bakery worker at Walmart gave Andrew the Emoji rings that he really wanted off of the cake!

I found an amazing recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction that was one of the best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes I have ever had.  I will definitely make this again, but will use a different pan to cook it in, as my 9-inch pie dish was really thick and I would have preferred a  thinner cookie.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup  unsalted butter, softened to room temperature


• 1 cup  packed light or dark brown sugar I used light

• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk


• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Of course my favorite Mexican Vanilla

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 


• 2 teaspoons cornstarch 


• 1 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 and 1/2 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Frosting of choice I used a classic buttercream frosting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish or cake pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. I would use a differnt cooking dish next time.  Either a 9 x 13 or a larger round pan (I prefere a thinner cookie)
2. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fittedwith paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.


3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add 1 and 1/4 cups chocolate chips and mix for about 5 seconds until evenly disbursed. I added all the chocolate chips as I knew I would be adding frosting at the end.
4. Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden brown (could be up to 30 minutes, depending on your oven Mine took 45 minutes and could have used about 5 more). Use a toothpick to test for doneness. You may want to cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to avoid heavy browning around the edges. I covered after 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, use a sharp knife or metal spatula to loosen the sides of the cookie cake from the pan and transfer to a serving dish. (Or use can serve directly from the pan.) I served from the pan.

I then decorated with red frosting (per Andrew's request) and did a nice outerborder and then a Birthday message!

Quiche

This it's also for my mom 2 mom girls.  This one is pretty simple and can be adapted easily to fit with what you have on hand.

Ingredients

Base:
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cheese (whatever you like, chedder, mozzerella, gouda,etc.)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Fillings, add whatever you like!

For the shower i did the following:

Bacon--cooked in the oven, crumbled and added to the base.

The spinach mushroom used a container of mushrooms, garlic, and onions sauteed in a little bigger that I then added to a package of frozen spinach cooked and squeezed dried.

The best park is you can assemble the night before!

This can be cooked in a lie down or an 8x8 pan sprayed with a non stick spray.  You can also use a crust of your choosing before putting the mixture in!  I didn't to keep it gluten free!

Cook at 350 for 45 minutes or until it is no longer jiggly in the center!

Chocolate chocolate chip bundt cake

This recipe it's for my wonderful mom 2 mom girls!    This ours a recipe I found online and have loved.  Credit to the amazing author as noted from taste better from scratch!

Author: Lauren Allen

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. devils food cake mix (or homemade)
• 1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz. cream cheese , softened
• 1/4 cup butter , softened i use a full stick!
• 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar i use a full .One pound bag
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease and flour your bundt cake pan.
2. Mix the first six cake ingredients together. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
3. Pour batter into your greased bunt cake pan. Bake at 350 for 45-50 min. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 min., the remove from pan and place on wire cooling rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Mix in the vanilla. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar until smooth.

Frosting the cake

1. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag with no tip attached. Starting in the hole of the bundt cake, squeeze and drag frosting up and over the cake.   There will be extra frosting, which goes great with my refrigerator roll recipe!

Chocolate Zuchinni Bread

Where has the past year gone?  Can't believe it has been that long since posting a recipe on the blog.

This one though is a winner!  We are facilitating Financial Peace University at your church, and I have decided to bring snacks each week for our two hour meeting form 6:30-8:30. 

One of our participants, said this one tasted just like chocolate cake, and that wasn't the only person that said this. 

Recipe is from Taste of Home, with my changes in red!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups shredded peeled zucchini  I did not peel                           

Directions

• 1. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in zucchini. Transfer to two 8x4-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray. I buttered the dish. 
• 2. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).
• I baked in a 9x13 (completely full) and baked for about 30-40 minutes. 

Red Enchilada Sauce

I love Mexican/Southwest cuisine.  Give me chips and a really good salsa and I wouldn't need any other food!  Well maybe some sour cream if the salsa is a little hot, but oh, how we love this cuisine!  While working on making some cheese and onion enchiladas, I realized that my go to recipe for enchilada sauce was not on the blog.  So here it is!

This is from gimmesomeoven.  Feel free to go over and share the love on her website as well!  I will put my changes in red.

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (depending on how much you reduce down your sauce)

Red Enchilada Sauce

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil Or use anything to make a roux.
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose or gluten-free flour
• 4 Tbsp. chili powder (*not cayenne, see recommendations for brands and tips on reducing the heat level if you don't like spicy sauces below*)  I use the Aldi brand and at times subtract 1 Tbsp. if we are having a crowd over to not make it too spicy.
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cumin If I am feeling it I bump this to 1/2 tsp as well
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock normally homemade

Directions:

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.

Chicken and Dumplings

This is a great recipe for when the weather turns a little colder.  The family loves it and it is quick and easy to make.

The recipe was found here.

Ingredients

• 4 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cup milk
• 2 cup frozen peas and carrots

Dumplings:

• 2 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp butter (softened)
• 1 cup milk

Directions

1. In heavy bottomed Dutch oven or large wide pot, over medium heat, add chicken broth, water, butter and all seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, cut chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Add to soup mixture. Stir to combine and cover.
3. In a sealable container combine flour and milk. Seal tightly and shake vigorously to combine well. You will create a smooth flour mixture for thickening your sauce called a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into broth, stirring constantly. Add frozen vegetables. Cover.
4. Combine dumpling ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well with a fork. Remove cover from stew and stir well. Drop dumplings into stew one tablespoon at a time, use a 1 tablespoon scoop to make it even easier. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Makes 8 cups.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

As the Olympics begin tonight, we had to have a party with ice cream.  The kids like it when we make our own in our ice cream machine, so instead of our frosty knock-off I thought I would try a vanilla. 

This is a good recipe, but I am not sure that it is copycat of our beloved Texas Blue Bell!

The kids enjoyed it and the topping bar that came with it!

COPYCAT Bluebell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Recipe created by Autumn Reo of MamaChallenge.com.

Ingredients

• 6 eggs yolks
• 2 cups white sugar
• 24 oz. heavy cream
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• Whole Milk (about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. Cream eggs and sugar. (I did not cook the custard and it turned out fine) 
2. Then add cream and condensed milk and vanilla.
3. Beat until well blended.
4. Pour into ice cream churn.
5. Add milk until to fill line.
6. Insert dasher.
7. Pack cooler with layer of ice, then rock salt, and continue to repeat until full.
8. It's done when it won't churn anymore.