Hershery's Mint Dessert

I saw this on a bag of Hershey's chips and it made me think of my sister-in-law Kirsten who loves mint and chocolate combos and thought I would try this recipe to see if it was worthy to pass on to her. It is. Stew and I really liked it. My kids weren't big fans...they are not mint lovers even though the mint in these is not over powering. I think it won me over with all the creamy accents the butter added. Some chocolate and mint treats are so harsh with super dark chocolate and really intense mint but these were creamy, refreshing, and super satisfying. I think these would be great to bring to a Christmas party because they are pretty, yummy, can feed a lot of people with one pan, and do well being cooked ahead of time. I hope you enjoy!

* they actually taste better a day in the fridge. We loved it served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream...tasted like the best mint chip ice cream you've ever had.

Brownie Base:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup Hershey Syrup

Mix all together and bake in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 25- 30 minutes. set aside.

Mint Cream Center:
2 cups powder sugar
1/2 cup butter softened
2 TB green creme de menthe (or 1 TB water plus 1/2 - 3/4 tsp mint extract and 4 drops green food coloring)

Mix together with a mixer until smooth and spread over completely cooled brownie base

Chocolate Glaze:
6 TB butter
1 cup Hershey semi sweet chocolate chips

melt butter and chocolate in a small pan over very low heat. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Let it cool slightly and then pour on top of the mint layer. Cover dessert and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Tomato and Almond Pesto

In Italy pesto can be more then basil, Parmesan, olive oil and pine nuts. This recipe from America's Test Kitchen was inspired by the various types of "red" pesto that must be discovered and loved by people on this side of the Atlantic. I LOVED this and Stew said he might even like it better then classic pesto. That's big. Try. Its so good!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup slivered almonds
12 oz cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup packed fresh basil
1 medium garlic clove minced
1 small pepperoncini minced (can sub with 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes and some vinegar)
table salt
pinch red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound pasta, preferably linguine or spaghetti
1 oz Parmesan cheese grated (about 1/2 cup)
plus extra for serving

Toast almonds in small skillet over med heat, stirring frequently until pale golden and fragrant (2 to 4 min). cool almonds to room temp. Add to blender (or processor): almonds, tomatoes, basil, garlic, pepperoncini, 1 tsp salt, and red pepper flakes and blend until smooth. With machine on low slowly drizzle in oil.
Meanwhile bring 4 quart water to a boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 TB salt and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.
Add pesto and 1/2 cup Parmesan to cooked pasta and adjust consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that pesto coasts pasta. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.

Grandma Iny's Prune Cake

I found this on The Pioneer Women site and she talked about how it was in her top five favorite recipes and it seemed like one of those funky grandma cakes you are scared to try but once you do you are in HEAVEN! I realized I had to try it this Fall. Maybe as soon as I have a chilly day I will have to celebrate with this beauty. PRUNE CAKE! AHHHH! I love it!

*review it was good but I think once in my life will do. You see that icign is my family's favorite buttermilk syrup so I have had it a million times. I think I like it better on a pancake then on a spice cake. Whatever! it was really fun for me to try. ;)

Cake
1 cup prunes
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 ½ cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cover prunes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and mashable, about eight minutes.
Remove from heat, drain water, and mash on a plate. Set aside.
Sift together dry ingredients.
Mix together oil, sugar, and eggs.
Combine wet and dry ingredients, add buttermilk, and stir gently until just combined.
Throw in the mashed pruned and stir gently to combine.
DO NOT OVERMIX.

Pour batter into buttered baking dish (9 x 13 or so) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.

While cake has five minutes remaining, make the icing:

Icing
1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
¼ cup butter
½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.* almost the same as my favorite buttermilk syrup recipe. :)

Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately.

Allow to rest on the counter. Serve warm.

NOTE: She said there isn't a “prune effect” associated with this cake.

Homemade Brownies that actually ROCK

These were a recipe that I adapted from a cookie brownie bar I found on this food blog. But the cookie did nothing for me and was a ton of extra work so I dropped the cookie layer and made these on the next round and found the best homemade brownies I have ever had. Really very yummy. Fudge chocolate to the max. So dang good with a tall glass of milk!

Ingredients

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chips (whatever kind you like: milk chocolate, butterscotch, white...)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and center rack. Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan, line it with parchment paper and butter the paper too.

Melt the butter and both chocolate either with a double broiler or carefully in the microwave. melt until shiny and smooth. DO NOT LET IT GET TOO HOT! then in a large bowl beat the sugar and eggs on med-high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale thick and creamy. Beat in the salt and vanilla extract. Reduced speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate and butter mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides then add flour mixing only until it just barely mixed. With spatula mix in walnuts and chips. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out basically clean. Check at 20 minutes. Cool. Cut. Gorge!

Pecan Pie Cookies

We had our ward party the other night and I was asked to bring desserts. So I made these to play off the slight hints of autumn in the air along with the peanut butter bars I knew would be hits (recipe below). I really liked these pretty cookies but I didn't get any rave reviews about them. But I think they are a great fall cookie. I couldn't figure out why people weren't that into them and then I realized that after you had eaten a super rich peanut butter bar these seemed lacking in sweetness. Plus at our little gathering they were mostly kids and you know kids...obvious nuts are scary. And women are so annoying...diets! I think next time I make them I will add a little butter to the filling mixture just to amp the butterscotch flavor. I'm a fan.

Pecan Pie Cookies

Adapted from Land O' Lakes Butter

Ingredients

Cookie Ingredients:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla *I did a TB
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla


Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all cookie ingredients except flour and baking powder in large bowl.Beat at medium speed until creamy.Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.Make indentation in each cookie with thumb; rotate thumb to hollow out slightly.Combine all filling ingredients n small bowl; fill each cookie with 1 rounded teaspoon filling.Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Recipe Tip
These cookies can be made ahead and stored in the freezer up to 3 months. Place cookies in containers with tight-fitting lids, separating layers with waxed paper.

Peanut Butter Bars

This is a crowd pleaser every time. One pan feeds a lot of people so it is a really good recipe to have on hand for parties and stuff. Really yum!

Peanut Butter Bars

2 cups chunky style peanut butter
2 cups powder sugar
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 stick + 1 Tablespoon melted butter
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

Melt butter and mix with the first three ingredients.
Spread mixture into 13×9 pan.
Melt chocolate chips and spread on top.
Refrigerate for exactly 1/2 hour and cut into small sized bars (they are rich).
Keep refrigerated until you are ready to enjoy!

Mom Ras' White Cocholate Cookies

These cookies are on my top fav cookie recipe list. Really so good. The texture, sweetness, and flavor are right on. You don't really taste the coconut so if you are shy of coconut make these anyways you wont even know that it is there. I have thought about adding macadamia nuts too...oh, the possibilities!

Cream:
2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar

Stir in:
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Add:
2 tsp salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3-4 cups flour

Fold In:
6 cups oats
2 cups coconut flake
2 cups white chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Yields about ten dozen cookies. Mom Ras always freezes the extras to have later. :)

Chicken Noodle Soup Rice

Most versital rice side dish ever! Childhood favorite served with Lawry's Mesquite Lime Chicken. YUM!

3 cups water
1 package Lipton dry chicken noodle soup mix
2/3 cup and 1/2 cup medium grain rice (calrose)
sprinkle with salt

Bring water to a boil. Stir in the soup mix. Add the rice and salt. Cover and steam over low heat for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork and ta da! side dish magic in record time.

Chicken A La Renne

Had this at my mom's house and really loved it. Enjoy!

12 chicken breasts sliced in half ...I would use less then that- like half
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 pepper
1/4 melted butter
8 ish slices of Swiss cheese enough to place slice on top of watch piece of chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup water
1 3/4 cup corn bread stuffing tossed with 1/4 cup butter

Directions
mix lemon juice, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and butter together. mix prepared chicken and seasoning together in a 9x13 pan making sure that each piece of chicken is coated nicely. Then place a slices of Swiss cheese over the chicken. mix cream of chicken soup and water together and pour over cheese. Then in a separate bowl mix dry stuffing mix and butter together. Sprinkle over the soup. cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour then turn up heat to 425 and bake for 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Enjoy!

Served great with rice, noodles, potatoes

Autumn Treasure: Banna Cake with Caramel Frosting

This cake killed me! I eat so much of it and loved every single bite a little too much. I think I gained three pounds in the days of cake gorging. But it was worth it. The super moist banana/cinnamon cake with the rich butterscotchy frosting was a match made in heaven!

Banana Cake/Bread

1 cup oil

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups mashed bananas or finely shredded zucchini

(bananas best when they are yellow and brown spotted on the peels)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. cinnamon (I always wimp out and just do 2 tsp.)

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups flour

Nuts (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients together. Blend well. Pour into greased and floured bread pans.

For Bread:

Large loaf pans: Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour

Mini loaves (Kirsten's fav): Bake at 300-305 degrees for 50 minutes or so.

For Cake:

* What I did when I made the cake was make a doesn't cupcakes and then poured the rest in a greased bunt pan and cooked at 315 degrees until knife came out clean

Caramel Frosting

1/4 cup Butter (salted)

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2TB Milk

3/4 cup Powdered Sugar

In a medium sauce pan melt butter. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to a full boil. cook 2 minutes stirring constantly. Pour in milk and stir until full boil is resumed. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. double recipe for a 9x13 pan.

*for my bunt cake I didn't cool sugar mixture at all and then I added enough milk to be just slightly runny and poured it over bunt letting it drip down nicely. Then I frosted the cupcakes with the rest.