Chocolate Cake with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

  Ok, I know I already have several chocolate cake recipes, but can you really have too many?? I think not! So here we go.
 I recently made this for a dinner at the request of my niece, Terri. Actually, when she first showed me this recipe (that she found on a blog called Ready Set Eat) she said "you can use whatever cake recipe you want. I really just want the whipped peanut butter frosting." Ha! Normally, my go to chocolate cake recipe is Hershey's Black Magic Cake, but I compared the two, and they're very similar, so I figured I'd go with it.
  And guess what?!? It's just as good! It's rich and moist and very deep with chocolate flavor. I think the secret is the cup of coffee. It makes any chocolate cake SO much more rich! (It doesn't actually make the cake taste like coffee, it just makes it taste like a deeper chocolate!) Clever, huh?
 For this cake, I did most of the decorating myself, but then I got an assist from Terri's youngest, Grace. I must say I'm kinda sorta proud of the drip design. It can be a little tricky to get just right! And yes, yes, I know it's piled with A LOT of candy, but when you have a 4 year old helping you, you just keep going. I think it makes it all the more fun and everyone loved it!
 Definitely make this the next time you want a showstopper for a special occasion, or you can just make it because your niece wanted an excuse to have whipped peanut butter frosting.

Cake:
Baking Spray
1 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened, divided
2 cups granulated sugar

 Frosting:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbs heavy cream
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

 Ganache:
1/4 cup milk chocolate morsels
2 tbs heavy cream

Reese's cups, Hershey's Kisses, and/or Reese's Pieces for decorating, if desired



Preheat oven to 350°F.
  Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray. Stir together coffee and cocoa powder in medium bowl; set aside to cool. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl; set aside. Whisk milk, eggs and vanilla into cooled cocoa mixture until well blended.
   Beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.
   Meanwhile, place remaining 1 cup butter, peanut butter and 4 tablespoons heavy cream in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and very fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium and beat in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until well blended.
   Invert one cake layer out onto serving plate and press lightly to secure it in place. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top of first layer. Invert second layer onto frosting, make sure the layers line up evenly and then lightly press down to secure top layer in place. Frost entire cake with a light layer of frosting; refrigerate 15 minutes.
  Meanwhile, microwave 2 tablespoons heavy cream in small microwave safe bowl 30 seconds, until hot. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Frost cake with a thick layer of frosting. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and decorate with peanut butter cups or other candy.


Tips:
The key to making the perfect drip design is to make sure the cake is very cold. You should also make sure the ganache is not too hot, but still warm enough to pour. Then when you drizzle it around the perimeter of the cake, the cold cake will chill the ganache and stop it in its tracks, and that's what keeps it from dripping all the way down.

Sweet and Saltines

 Here's an easy sweet treat for those of you who have an insatiable sweet tooth. It only takes a few minutes to make and the payoff is positively amazing! Plus, it has that sweet and salty thing that I absolutely love. They're delicious enough to make for a holiday treat, but simple enough to make anytime. I know there are probably several versions, but this recipe is from Trisha Yearwood. I think she and I would get along quite well in the kitchen! LOL
  You should definitely try this one! Enjoy!

Cooking spray
35 to 40 saltine crackers
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 cup light brown sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/3 cups)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line 1 large or 2 small jelly-roll pans with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray and arrange the saltines salt-side down in a single layer. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and boil until it turns a caramel color, a few minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly. 

Put the jelly-roll pan into the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just bubbly, watching carefully. Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers. When the chips melt a bit, spread them over the crackers with a knife. 

Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. They will form one big sheet. Break up into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Tips:

Instead of using foil and cooking spray, I just lined my sheet pan with parchment paper. It worked perfectly!

Full disclosure, I didn't even measure my chocolate chips. I just sprinkled them evenly across the whole sheet. I also placed the pan back int he oven for about 30 seconds just to help the chips melt a little more evenly.

I think the next time I make this I'll use milk chocolate chips (since that's my favorite). Perhaps I'll use a combination of milk chocolate and semisweet chips.

Slow Cooker Chocolate Candy

  Here's an easy and yummy do-ahead recipe that falls squarely into a category that I like to call "stupid simple." I'm not even kidding. If you're not usually one to cook, then this is the recipe for you. It's about as easy as it gets! You just throw everything into a crock pot and then in about 3 hours you give it a stir. That's all there is to it! See what I mean? Simple!! When I saw Trisha Yearwood making this on her show, I knew this would be a perfect recipe to share around the holidays, just because everyone is in such a rush with shopping and cooking and decorating and baking. But with this recipe, you can start your crock pot on a Sunday morning, put on a load of laundry, go finish running your errands, then by the afternoon, you're ready to stir everything together and fill your candy cups. You'll be finished in no time at all! You could even put the cups in decorative tins and give them as gifts. And everyone will be SO impressed that you made your own candy! It's so much more personal than just buying a box of candy, dontcha think? So give it a try! And just think, maybe this will be the recipe that you become famous for making every year! It could happen!!

2 pounds salted dry-roasted peanuts
4 ounces German's sweet chocolate (about 4 squares)

1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 pounds white almond bark

Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the chocolate chips and then the almond bark. Set the temperature on low and cook for 3 hours. Do not stir the mixture. After 3 hours, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into cupcake pan liners using about 2 tablespoons per liner.* Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners.

Tips:
 *I decided to use mini cupcake tins instead of the regular ones. I wanted smaller bites, and I also like how they dress up a plate of cookies. No mini cupcake tins? No problem!!  Just place the mini cupcake paper liners in empty egg cartons to help them hold their shape while they set! Easy!
Btw, be sure to use salted nuts. The salt is key! Just sayin!

Not a fan of peanuts? Use any kind that you like! Cashews, pecans, and macadamia nuts would be high on my list. I think I'll try them next time!
This recipe makes quite a few mini candy cups, probably 100-110 depending on how full you make them. I'm not seeing this as a problem, but if you don't want that many, it seems to me that cutting the recipe in half would work just as well.

I also decided to use a small ice cream scoop to portion each one, just to make it easier. Turns out this was a really good idea!

Dirt Squares

 

  I asked my niece, Annie, what she'd like for her high school graduation party. She texted me back: "I do enjoy Dirt. You know, that chocolate pudding thing with crushed Oreos and gummy worms."
 I said "So.. out of ANYTHING in the world you could possibly have from renowned internet cooking sensation, Joey Quaile, you choose crushed Oreos, chocolate pudding, and gummy worms? LOL"  She said "Surprise me!"
 So, of course, you know I couldn't just make pudding and crushed Oreos! Well, for one thing, I knew it would be a big party, and regular Dirt requires spoons and cups or plates. Whenever I'm bringing something to a party, I always like it to be a "picky uppy" something that guests can just grab and nosh. (btw, picky uppy is a technical term, in case you didn't know). Then I thought, I wonder if there's a dirt recipe that you can cut into squares! So I did some searching, and I found this recipe from Women's Day. Perfect! No spoons or cups required, and T-Swizzle can have her Dirt. (yes, that's what we call each other. LOL)
 So there you go. Make this for your next big party when you want something different and easy and fun and yummy and picky uppy. I promise it'll be a big hit! Congrats T-Swizzle!

1 stick butter
1/2 c. packed light-brown sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 c. Kit Kat Bites (from a 10-oz bag)
1 c. Heath Almond Toffee Bits (from a 10-oz bag)
1/2 c. white-chocolate chips
25 OREO Cookies
gummy worms


 Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-in. baking pan with parchment paper or nonstick foil,  extending above the ends of pan. Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Beat in yolks and vanilla until combined. On low speed gradually beat in flour just until blended and slightly crumbly. Press evenly on bottom of pan. Bake 8 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges. Remove from oven. Pour condensed milk over crust; spread evenly. Layer with Kit Kat Bites, toffee Bits and white-chocolate chips. Sprinkle evenly with 2 cups cookie crumbs; pat down gently. Bake 25 minutes, or until bubbles form around edges. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes, then spread some remaining crumbs over bubbles to cover and spread the rest of the crumbs over the top. Cool completely or chill. Lift foil by ends onto cutting board. Cut into 48 squares. Serve with gummy worms.


Tips:
-The recipe calls for 25 Oreos. I think you could probably go with much less. I used about 20, and it was still a bit too much. They didn't really adhere to to the top of the squares and there were cookie crumbs everywhere. Just do enough to cover the top and I'm sure it'll be fine. Btw, to make the crumbs, I just threw the cookies into the food processor and pulsed them until I had crumbs. You can also put them in a ziploc bag and bash them with a rolling pin or something heavy until you have crumbs.
- I didn't use Kit Kat Bites. I used chopped mini Milky Way bars. Use whatever candy bar you like! -One other thing... be sure to bring extra gummy worms. As you can see from my photo, I covered the whole tray with gummy worms. They were just as big of a hit as the squares! Who knew people liked gummy worms so much? Seriously, everyone who walked by, grabbed a gummy worm and they were gone in no time. I kept wishing I had brought the extras from home, just to keep the whole dirt thing going. Live and learn!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

 I first saw this recipe on Trisha Yearwood's cooking show. Frankly, I don't know anyone who doesn't like cookie dough, so I knew I would have to try it. Then when I went to look up the recipe, I found several different cookie dough truffle variations from several different websites. Hmm... do I stick with TY's recipe or try one of the others??? They all look pretty similar. I wonder what the difference is. I noticed that all the recipes had all the basic cookie ingredients but they all had something else instead of adding a raw egg (which is the reason everyone says not to eat regular cookie dough). So I decided to try a recipe that adds sweetened condensed milk instead of the egg. It was good, but you could definitely taste the creamy flavor of the milk. As much as I love sweetened condensed milk, it was not what I was hoping for in a cookie dough. So I went back to TY's recipe, which uses applesauce instead of the egg. THIS was the one. See? I should have just stayed with my original plan and made this one in the first place! The applesauce gives you the moisture and texture of regular cookie dough, but it doesn't change the flavor. Delicious!! I loved them so much, I had to make another batch! They're the perfect treat for gift giving or entertaining around the holidays. I'm sure your family and friends will love them too! 

2/3 cup (1 1/3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Semisweet dipping chocolate wafers

In an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla together until smooth. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together, and with the mixer running, slowly add to the butter mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Scoop out the batter using a teaspoon or mini ice cream scoop and roll it into balls. Place the dough balls about an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and transfer them to the freezer for 30 minutes to let the dough set up.
While the dough is chilling, melt the chocolate wafers in a double boiler or a metal bowl over a pan of simmering but not boiling water. Remove the chilled dough balls from the freezer. Using two spoons, dip the balls one at a time in the melted chocolate, rolling them to coat fully. Returned the dough balls to the paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Tips:

As you're making these, keep in mind that you really want to make them very small. Basically you want to make them small enough to be able to just pop one in your mouth. I've found that most times, especially at a holiday party, people just want a taste, not a big honkin' CHUNK of cookie dough that requires several bites. If they want more, they can just have another one! Or three!

TY's recipe uses dipping chocolate mixed with almond bark for the dipping, but I just used the dipping chocolate, as I've listed above.

For a little variation, try dipping the truffles in white chocolate or milk chocolate instead of the semisweet. 

For a little extra touch, drizzle each dipped truffle with another kind of chocolate in a contrasting color. Drizzle a semisweet dipped truffle with a little white chocolate over the top. Or vice versa!

Peanut Brittle

I recently saw Trisha Yearwood making this and it looked so yummy and caramelly that I thought "Hmm..I'm gonna have to try this.." (caramelly?) Then I saw on FB that my friend Abbe was about to make peanut brittle so I texted her that Trisha Yearwood has a good recipe, and she responded "That's the one I'm making!" Great minds, huh? So of course, I asked her to take a picture of her final product, and here we are!
 Just like I said, it's yummy and caramelly and so festive! But you don't have to wait until the holidays to make it. Make it any time!
Thanx Abbe!

1 tbs vanilla extract
1 tbs baking soda
1 tbs salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
3 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups shelled raw peanuts

 Measure the vanilla into a small bowl and set aside. Combine the baking soda and salt in another small bowl and set aside. Butter 2 cookie sheets with sides or jelly roll pan liberally with 1/2 stick of the butter. Set aside.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, attach a candy thermometer and cook over medium-high heat until the syrup spins a thread when poured from a spoon or reaches 240 degrees F on the thermometer. Stir in the peanuts and continue cooking and stirring until the candy becomes golden brown or reaches 300 degrees F.
Remove from the heat immediately and quickly add the remaining 1 stick butter and the vanilla, baking soda and salt. Stir only until the butter melts, and then quickly pour the brittle onto the cookie sheets, spreading the mixture thinly. When the brittle has completely cooled, break the candy into pieces and store in a tightly covered container.

Tips:
Instead of buttering the baking sheets, you can also use silicone baking mats. Nothing sticks to 'em!
Be sure to take the time to measure out the ingredients and put them in small bowls before you start, just as the recipe directs. Once you reach 240 degrees, things go very quickly and you don't want to spend the time measuring things.
 And one other thing... I know I don't have to say it, but I'll say it anyway. This gets VERY hot so PLEASE be careful and make sure your little ones aren't around when you make this! There. I feel better now.

Eggnog Fudge

Here's a fun and festive recipe that screams holiday yumminess. I got the recipe from my friend, Helen, who posted it on Facebook because she had seen it on Pinterest from someone who found it on Recipegirl.com, who adapted it from recipezaar.com. So basically I have no clue who came up with the idea in the first place, but I'm certainly glad they did!!
  Frankly, I've never met anything eggnog that I didn't like and this recipe is simple and delicious. It's the perfect thing to make if you want to give a little gift without breaking the bank. And everyone always appreciates a home made gift, right? Just wrap up little squares of fudge in parchment, place them in small boxes tied with ribbon, and everyone will think you're Martha Stewart. Of course, you could always keep the whole batch for yourself..... decisions ....decisions!!!

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup dairy eggnog
10.5 oz white chocolate bars, chopped into small pieces
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus a little more for the top of the fudge
1 7oz jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp rum extract

1. Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with foil and let it hang over the sides. Butter the foil.
2. In a heavy, 3-quart saucepan combine sugar, butter and eggnog. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat or until a candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.
3. Using a wooden spoon, work quickly to stir in chopped white chocolate and nutmeg until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallow creme and rum extract. Beat until well blended and then pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle a little freshly ground nutmeg on top. Let stand at room temperature until cooled. Refrigerate if you’d like to speed up the process.
4. When completely cool, cut into squares. Store in a covered container. Keeps for several weeks in the freezer.

Tip:
You can use brandy extract instead of rum extract. That's what I did (only because that's what I had on hand) and it was delicious!
I chose to use a 9" square pan because I didn't want the pieces of fudge to be so thick, but use whichever pan works for you.
If you don't have foil, you can use parchment paper to line the pan.

M&M Brownies

About a million years ago, I remember my sister, Patty, making home made brownies from scratch. I specifically remember that she didn't need to use a mixer because all the ingredients were easily just stirred together with a big wooden spoon. Years later, I asked her for that recipe, but I SWEAR that the one she gave me is not the one she made so long ago. Since then, I've been trying to find one that is similar. It was just a basic brownie, rich and fudgy, not too cakey, cut into squares that were not too thick.  Well, I think I've FINALLY found it! I saw someone post it on Pinterest from a website called Yumly.com and frankly I have no idea whose recipe this is. Anyway, yes, I know this one has M&Ms in it, but the basic brownie recipe is EXACTLY what I wanted!! Lots of melted butter and cocoa to make it as rich and fudgy as I remember! And the M&Ms just push it over the top. If you need to satisfy a chocolate craving THIS is the answer. They're simple and delicious and ready in no time.   Try 'em!  1 1/3 cups flour   1 tsp baking powder  1/2 tsp salt  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted  1 cup cocoa  2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 tbs pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups M&Ms candies plus more

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, stir cocoa into melted butter. Blend in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to chocolate mixture. Stir in M&Ms. Pour batter into greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with more M&Ms. Then bake for another 15 minutes. Tips: If you use M&Ms Minis, they won't sink to the bottom of the brownies. If you only have regular M&Ms, you can still use them. Just toss them in a small bowl with a little bit of flour. Shake off the excess, then stir them into the brownie batter as directed. Don't have any M&Ms? Stir in your favorite chips or just omit them altogether!

Alice's Irish Potatoes

Have you ever had an Irish Potato? For those of us who live in the Philadelphia tri-state area, Irish Potatoes are a yearly St. Patrick's Day tradition. They're as Irish as shamrocks and leprechauns! Well, actually, that's a complete lie. They're not Irish at all. Not only that, they're not even potatoes! They're these little decadent confections that only look like little potatoes. What do they have to do with Ireland? Well, many people believe the Irish Potato was created to commemorate the Irish Potato Famine of the mid 16th century. So there's your bit of trivia for the day.
  Whenever I decide to post a recipe, I always go on a search to find the RIGHT recipe. It always seems that everyone has a version of every classic recipe, so I read recipe after recipe until I find the RIGHT one. This time, however, I didn't have to search very far. I immediately thought of my dear friend Linda. She and I met a few years ago and we always have a lot of laughs together. Last year (or maybe it was the year before, I can't really remember), we were working together as we do every spring, and she brought a delightful sampling of the Irish Potatoes she had made. SO good! I could have eaten ALL of them. When I asked her about the recipe, she told me that it belonged to her very Irish Mother, Alice, who was commonly known as "The Irish Princess". Clearly, I had found the right recipe!
Well, Miss Alice, I humbly thank you! You must have been smiling down on us when Linda decided to share your recipe. And big huge thanx to Linda too!!
 

2 lbs powdered sugar
1/4 lb butter
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 lb sweetened shredded coconut
Cinnamon

Simply combine all ingredients except the cinnamon.
Form into small balls.
Roll in cinnamon.
Enjoy!

Note from Joey: This is the recipe just as Linda gave it to me, but I found it was easiest to add the sugar last. This helps to insure that all the other ingredients will be well incorporated before the mixture becomes too thick to really mix well.

Joey's tips:
After you've finished making them, you can easily store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Oh, and here's a helpful hint: It's easier to roll the mixture into balls if you chill it for a little while. Just put the whole batch in the fridge until it firms up a little. Also, I think it helps them to look a little more like potatoes if they're not perfectly round. I like to roll them into round balls (or even little oval shapes), and then use my fingers to put a few dents in them here and there. Then roll them in cinnamon as usual. The dents wind up looking kind of like the eyes of the potato. Get it? And No, I'm not about to break into a chorus of "When Irish Eyes are Smiling"......

Oatmeal Toffee Chip Cookies

 My niece, Kristin, recently had a jewelry party and she invited me to stop by for a drink and a nosh. Frankly, I had no plans of buying any jewelry, (which she knew when she invited me) but a party is a party, right? The more the merrier! So, I was happy to stop by. She had a tasteful variety of hors d'oeuvres, some sweet, some savory, and ALL so delicious, especially these cookies!
 They're so buttery and chewy! As soon as I took a bite, I knew I wanted the recipe. She told me she got the recipe from iVillage.com, only she made a slight change. When she made them, she used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour, which worked absolutely perfectly.  I'm sure yours will turn out perfectly as well, regardless of which type of flour you choose. Oh!  Here's an idea.... Make a double batch of dough, roll them into balls, and store them in the freezer for up to three months. Then whenever you want some home baked cookies, just bake up a tray or two!  Wait, actually, I think you should bake up a batch, like, right now!
Thanx Kristin!

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup oatmeal, uncooked (not quick oats)
1/2 cup (about 3 oz) toffee crunch candy, such as Heath Bar or Skor

1. Position 2 oven racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside. Put the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low speed until they are blended thoroughly, about 15 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl during this time. Decrease the speed to low and add the flour mixture and oatmeal. Stir in the crushed toffee. Using 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between the palms of your hands to form 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the cookie balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

3. Bake the cookies until golden brown, 12 to 13 minutes. After 7 minutes of baking, reverse the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom to ensure even browning. Watch the cookies carefully as they near the end of their baking time.

4. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to 2 wire racks to cool completely. Makes about sixteen 3-inch cookies.
 

 Notes: Lining the baking sheets with parchment paper will prevent the melted toffee from sticking to the baking sheet. The bottoms of these sweet cookies can burn easily, so watch the cookies carefully at the end of their baking time. To crush the toffee, leave it in its paper wrapper and crush it with the flat side of a meat pounder. Unwrap the toffee and break up any pieces larger than 1/2 inch.

To Freeze: Place the bottoms of 2 cookies together and wrap them in plastic wrap. Put the wrapped cookies in a metal or plastic freezer container and cover tightly. Label with date and contents. Freeze up to 3 months. To serve, remove as many cookies from the freezer as needed and defrost the wrapped cookies at room temperature. Serve within 3 days.

Easy Oreo Truffles

I was recently talking to Mary Beth about the recipe for Cake Balls, and she said "Oh! They look just like Oreo Truffles!" Wait, what????? I had never heard of them, and when she told me how to make them, I thought "Why have I never heard of this????" This is another one of those "how can this not be good" recipes. I described them to Daniel and he said "There isn't enough milk in the world for that!" He cracks me up.
Well, yes, there IS enough milk in the world for this and you simply MUST try them. They're SO delicious. If I had to describe them, I'd say they taste like little pieces of Oreo fudge. Heavenly!


36 OREO chocolate sandwich cookies
1 8oz pkg PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
16 oz semisweet dipping chocolate

Crush cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.)
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Tips:
I found it easiest to just throw all the cookies into a food processor and then pulse them into fine crumbs. Once all the cookies were crushed, I added the cream cheese and processed the mixture again until it was thoroughly combined.

You only need about 3 cups of cookie crumbs, which is about 36 cookies. You'll have several cookies leftover from the 16oz package. You can either pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy the extra cookies while you're rolling truffles, or you can crush them separately and then sprinkle the finished truffles with Oreo crumbs just before the chocolate sets.

To easily dip truffles:
Place truffle ball in melted chocolate and turn to coat. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off) before placing on parchment paper.

Cake Balls

I recently read about this trendy little gem of a dessert. They're balls of cake mixed with frosting and dipped in a melted chocolate. It's like having a tiny little truffle made of cake. How can this not be good? And why has it taken so long for me to find out about this?!? Wouldn't they be ideal to serve at a brunch or a party? They're the perfect solution when someone would like to have a little sweet bite, but would prefer not to have a big honkin' piece of cake. These would also be the perfect thing to make if you have eager little ones at home who might like to help in the kitchen.
Have fun!

1 baked cake
1 batch of frosting
dipping chocolate

Now, before we start, here are a few thoughts:
You can use a scratch cake recipe, or a boxed cake mix. Just follow the recipe or the directions on the box to bake the cake.
The same goes for the frosting. You can use a scratch recipe or just buy a tin of ready made frosting. If you don't feel like baking at all, you could even just buy a fully frosted cake and then throw the whole thing into a mixing bowl. Of course, you know that I prefer to make everything from scratch. Like I always say, it's better when you make it!
Since this is pretty much a Southern thing, I turned to my favorite Southern cook, Paula Deen, to see her Cake Ball making technique. She advises chilling the cake mixture and then freezing the balls before dipping. Sounds like a good idea to me!

Here are her directions:

Prepare the cake according to the recipe or the directions on the box. When cake is finished baking allow to cool for 30 minutes. Crumble the cake into a large bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add the frosting and mix until well combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Line a baking tray with wax paper. Use a melon baller as a scooper to form balls with the cake mixture. Place on wax paper. Once you have used all of the cake mixture, place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl of the microwave, stirring every 5-10 seconds until smooth. At this point you can add a bit of food coloring if you are using white chocolate.
Remove the balls from the freezer. Using one toothpick, pick up the balls one at a time and dip in the chocolate. Use a second toothpick to slide the ball off the first toothpick onto the wax paper lined baking tray.

NOTE: We found that an old Easter egg dipper works as well. If the balls fall off the toothpick into the chocolate, they are not firm enough to work with and you'll need to place them back in the freezer for additional time.

Once you have covered all the balls in chocolate coating place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate coating is set. At this point you can drizzle other chocolate on the balls for decoration.


How simple and fun is that? Of course the cake/frosting/chocolate combinations are endless, so mix and match them as much as you want. I think carrot cake and cream cheese frosting dipped in white chocolate would be delish. A red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting dipped in milk chocolate would be heavenly. Of course, for the chocoholics of the world, you can do a dark chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting dipped in semisweet or dark chocolate. You could even mix in some chopped nuts and/or shredded coconut. That's sounds perfectly sinful to me! Feel free to browse through all of my posted CAKE and FROSTING recipes and choose your own combinations!

Coconut Cream or Peanut Butter Eggs

This is one of those simple recipes that impresses EVERYONE. The usual response is "You made these yourself?" They're really not difficult to make, they just take a little time and patience, that's all. It just wouldn't be Easter without them! Cathy is the one who's famous for making them in my family. She makes them every year and this is possibly the most Martha-esque thing I've ever seen her do. Not only does she make PERFECTLY shaped eggs that are PERFECTLY coated, but she also gives them as gifts. She places several eggs neatly in small gift boxes with a sheet of waxed paper in between the layers and then ties it up with a ribbon. You'd swear it came from a high-end candy shoppe! How PERFECT is that?
Thanx Sis!


1/4 pound (1 stick) butter
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
2 boxes confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 large bag flaked coconut (I think it's a 12 oz. bag)

Dipping chocolate - You want dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. Depending on the brand, it's sold in different sized bags. Probably about 2 lbs. will be enough for one recipe of coconut cream eggs.

Instructions:
Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add confectioners sugar. Blend well. Add salt, vanilla and coconut and mix well.

Refrigerate filling about 1/2 hour to 1 hour or more. You can do this in steps. I usually make the filling one night (which takes no time at all), roll the eggs the next night (which takes a while), and dip all the eggs the 3rd night (which takes the most time). But that's just me.

Scoop about 1 heaping tsp filling per egg. If you have one of those cookie dough scoopers, that works well. Roll each ball of filling into an egg shape and place onto cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm.

Melt dipping chocolate in double boiler or in a glass or metal bowl over a pot with about an inch of water in it. Microwaving doesn't work as well b/c the temperature of the chocolate doesn't stay at dipping consistency.

Drop the "eggs" one at a time into dipping chocolate. Use a fork to lift the egg out of the chocolate and tap against the side of the double-boiler to let some of the excess chocolate drip off. Place egg back onto cookie sheet. (It's a good idea to line the cookie sheets w/ parchment or waxed paper.) Once all the eggs are dipped, place the cookie sheet back into fridge until chocolate hardens. Then you can move the eggs into an airtight container with waxed paper in between layers of eggs.

For Peanut Butter Cream Eggs:
Substitute 1 1/2 cups peanut butter instead of the coconut. Everything else remains the same.

For Butter Cream Eggs:
Simply omit the peanut butter or coconut.


Cathy's Tips:
Dipping chocolate is different because it dries quickly into a hard coating. (It doesn't actually say "dipping chocolate" on the bag, but it is used specifically for candy-making. You can get candy-making chocolate in places like A.C. Moore too, but the brand I use is called Mercken's, and it's delicious.) You can use Hershey's but it doesn't harden well enough and gets messy when you're eating the finished product. Back in the day, we used to melt chocolate chips and add paraffin wax, but we haven't done that in a long time, and I must admit I didn't like melting wax into chocolate - just didn't seem right. One box of confectioner's sugar would be the 1 lb. box, so of course you can use one 32 oz. bag instead or 2 boxes.

Note from Joey - Yes, the dark chocolate is definitely the way to go with the coconut eggs, but I used milk chocolate with the peanut butter eggs and they were INCREDIBLE!. Just ask CJ! And I quote "Cadbury WHO????"

Easy Homemade Fudge

The key to this recipe is the marshmallow creme. It creates the perfect creamy rich texture. Make a batch and then wrap up fudge squares for a thoughtful homemade gift.

3 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 (12 oz.) pkg. Baker's semi-sweet real chocolate chips
1 (7 oz.) jar Kraft marshmallow creme
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla


Stir together butter, sugar and milk in a heavy 3 quart saucepan. Bring to full boil, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chocolate until melted. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until well blended. Pour into greased 13"x9" pan. Cool to room temperature. Cut into squares. Makes about 3 pounds.

Tip:
For Peanut Butter Fudge: In place of chocolate chips, use 1 small jar smooth, crunchy or extra crunchy peanut butter.

Paula's Peppermint Bark

Here's a little holiday treat from the one and only Paula Deen.
It's very simple to make and it's a fun and different something to offer friends when they stop by. Great then!


Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup
2 pounds white chocolate
Peppermint flavorings, optional

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

Rolo Cookies

Mmmmm..... caramel and chocolate! Two of my most favorite things! Ok now put them in the center of a delicious chewy chocolatey cookie, and what do you get?
Serious Chocolatopia!
Better make a double batch and have lots of ice cold milk on hand. These are to die for!

2 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 c. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
48 Rolo caramel candies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. In small bowl combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; blend well. In large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Mix together the dry ingredients with the wet. Flour your hands. Shape dough around each Rolo, covering completely.
Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool for about 5 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to a flat surface to cool.


Tip:
I've seen versions of this recipe that include chopped pecans or other nuts. Not only do they include 1 cup of chopped pecans stirred into the cookie dough, but they also include pressing one side of each ball into a mixture of 1/2 cup pecans and 1 tbs of sugar. Then you place them pecan side up on your baking sheet and bake as usual.
As much as I like pecans, I like these cookies better without them and besides, my brother Denny doesn't like nuts, so I'll save the pecans for another recipe.
Ok Den? Happy now????????

Candy Apples

When we think of candy apples, we usually think of Halloween or state fairs, but did you ever wonder how or where they originated?

According to the Newark Sunday News....
William W. Kolb invented the red candy apple. Kolb, a veteran Newark candy-maker, produced his first batch of candied apples in 1908. While experimenting in his candy shop with red cinnamon candy for the Christmas trade, he dipped some apples into the mixture and put them in the windows for display. He sold the whole first batch for 5 cents each and later sold thousands yearly. Soon candied apples were being sold along the Jersey Shore, at the circus and in candy shops across the country in 1948.

And there you have it. It's pretty amazing that something as simple as dipping an apple into some candy syrup could become such a classic treat known around the world. I prefer the regular candy version instead of cinnamon or other flavored versions. If you want, you can add some nutmeg, allspice, liqueurs, cinnamon extract or other flavoring to the mixture. This is Martha Stewart's recipe and I know you and you're family will enjoy making it. Have fun!


2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp red food coloring (or other color of your choice)
6 apples (more or less, depending on their size)


Combine all ingredients except food coloring and apples. Stir to dissolve sugar. You want the sugar to be dissolved before you boil it so that the sugar doesn't crystallize. Cook the sugar syrup (without stirring) until you reach 290F. (Use a candy thermometer to be sure). Remove from heat. Add food coloring. Put a stick into each apple being sure that it's perfectly vertical. Using the Popsicle stick as a handle, dip apples into the candy syrup using a rotating motion. Be careful not to drip any of the candy coating onto your skin. This is seriously hot stuff!
After dipping, roll them in chopped nuts, if you like.
Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and allow to dry. Store in covered container, or wrap with parchment paper or greased wrap.

Tip:
Using small firm tart apples (such as Granny Smith) works well because the apple tartness balances with the candy sweetness. You can use large apples, but smaller apples are easier to eat, plus you get a better candy to apple ratio.
If you want to make caramel apples, just melt a bag of Kraft caramels over a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir until smooth and then dip your apples into the hot caramel.
This recipe can easily be doubled if you have lots and lots of apples to dip.

Milky Way Cake

Several years ago, I made this cake for a party. It was the hit of the night and it was GONE in a flash! After that, all it took was a mere mention of it, and people would suddenly say things like "mmmmmmm" and "ooooo" about it. For some reason, I sort of forgot about it for a while, but now it has made a HUGE comeback! Robert and Jenn (known to me as Robbie and Patsy) asked if I'd make it for their after Christmas Christmas Party, and the cake was literally gone in less than 30 minutes. I'm not even kidding! Jenn was SO mad that she didn't get any! So now, of course, whenever I make it, I make sure to set a piece aside for her. I'm glad that you like it, Patsy!

6 milky way bars (full size)
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk*
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan and set aside. Melt 1 stick of butter with the milky way bars in microwave or in double boiler. Whisk together until well combined and smooth. Set aside. In separate mixing bowl, cream together the other stick of butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. In small bowl, sift together the flour and the baking soda. Add flour mixture to the batter a little at a time alternately with the buttermilk. Now add the candy mixture and the vanilla. Mix well. Pour into prepared cake pan and place in oven. Bake for 70-80 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frost with Milky Way Icing

Tip:
To make buttermilk - measure 1 1/4 cups milk into a small microwave safe bowl. add 1 1/2 tablespoons of vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Microwave for 30-45 seconds. The milk will immediately curdle which is exactly what you want. If you don't have a microwave, just combine the milk and vinegar and let it sit for a while. As it comes to room temperature, it will eventually curdle. The microwave just speeds up that process.