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.

Brickel Heaven

Ok, these were fun to make and even more fun to eat. LOVED LOVED these and could not keep myself from eating like ten a day...so be warned these are dangerous! :O)


Why these are so delicious: First, they marry salty and sweet perfectly which is a favorite (if you are shy of salty and sweet then just use reduced salt saltines and they would still be right up any sweet lover's ally) . Second, they are super easy to make. Third, it is best kept and eaten frozen so it is awesome for summer time. Fourth, the texture is so great...chewy, crunchy, and melty. Fifth, they are pretty.

- 40 Saltine crackers (one sleeve about)
- 1 Cup salted butter (don’t substitute with margarine!)
- 1 Cup brown sugar
- 1 12 ounce package of good milk chocolate chips
- 2/3 bag of Heath bar toffee bites or 5-6 Heath bars, crunched up... for topping

*and I added about 1/2 or crushed pecans to the caramel before I poured it over the crackers, optional, I just wanted to use them up, I liked what they added

1.) Lay foil on top of a large cookie sheet. Then arranged the 40ish saltines on top of the foil.

2.) melt butter then add the brown sugar. Stirring constantly bring butter/sugar to a boil. Once it is boiling reduce the heat to medium and let it continue boiling with constant stirring for about three minutes. Remove from heat and add crushed pecans if you want to add them.

3.) Turn on the oven to 375. Evenly pour the caramel over the crackers and spread with a spatula to get the crackers covered as much as possible but don't worry about making these pretty.

4.) Then place the cookie sheet in the oven and let it bake for a couple minutes until the edges brown a little and all the caramel is bubbling...be careful to not let it burn.

5.) Remove from the oven and evenly spread the chocolate chips over the top. Let it rest until all the chips are melted then spread the chocolate over the top. Then while still warm sprinkle the top with the Health toffee bites.

6.)Put in the freezer until hard. Flip the cookies over and peel off the foil. Then break into pieces.

Store in the freezer and serve cold. Seriously the best thing to ever happen to saltines! I dream of having company over and having these served up with really great vanilla ice cream and my homemade butterscotch sauce. TO DIE FOR!!!

Chcolate Chip Cookies - I found my FAVORITE!

Ok, so my quest for the best chocolate chip cookies has ended in a glorious way...despite my thwarted weight loss :) I ended up just tweaking my old favorite and TaDa! Heaven was created in my very our kitchen. I just reduced the flour and they were what I always wanted them to be...less dense and full of rich butter sugar chocolate flavored goodness. So here is my adapted favorite recipe. I hope you try them and love them like I do!

Makes about: 20 large cookies

Prep time: 5 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes plus cooling time

You can do any type of chips and can add ½ cup chops nuts too if you want to

3 cups flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter melted and cooled

1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 (12 oz.) bag of milk chocolate chips (2 cups)

1.) adjust racks so they are in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Melt butter in microwave and set aside to cool until needed. Mix flour, baking soda, and slat together and set aside.

2.) beat butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, until combined, about 30 seconds. Make sure to scrap down the bowl and beaters as needed.

3.) Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add the flour mixture until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips until well incorporated.

4.) Measure out ¼ cup (or less if your like me and don't want monster cookies, adjust time accordingly) of dough and then roll it in your hand to form a ball. Place the balls about 2 ½ inches apart. Bake until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft and puffy, 17 to 20 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE, UNDER BAKE THEM!!! other wise they become cakelike and not chewy. To keep both sheets cooking at the same pace rotate and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.

5.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Note: These are crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. This is achieved in part because of the melted butter. This gives the center its chewiness. But to keep the cookie from being tough the yolks are needed - - extra fat. They keeps the cookies tender. The third secret step to these perfect cookies is that you remove the cookies from the oven before they are completely baked. Then you let then finish baking as they sit on the cookie sheet for ten minutes. These are the picture perfect cookie! Perfect every time! And pretty. Good enough for a bake sale for sure!

Pecan Bars

I stole this recipe from this really cute food blog who stole them from Martha Stewart. These are probably my favorite cookie EVER. Really, so good. I could not stop eating them. I will only make these when I know I have to give 99% of them away. I can not resist!



Ingredients

• 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 6 tablespoons honey - I did half honey and half corn syrup, I am not a huge honey fan and they worked out perfect!
  
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (8 ounces) pecan halves
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add salt, and mix to combine. Add flour 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.
2. Press dough about 1/4-inch thick into a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan. Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. To make the filling: Place butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
4. Pour filling onto the cooled crust. Bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a paring knife around edges of the pan, and invert onto cooling rack, leaving the pastry on the rack. Invert rack with pastry onto a cutting board, leaving the pastry on the board, filling side up. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1-by-3-inch bars. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Makes about 3 dozen

Best Chocolate Frosting Ever

I haven't tried this yet but it sounded fun to try...some day I will surely do it!

Frosting:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

To make the frosting: In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, salt and milk; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil 1 minute or until thickened; remove pan from heat and strain mixture into a small bowl. Cool completely in the refrigerator or freezer.

Beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute, in a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed. Beat in "chocolate pudding" mixture until well combined, about 1 minute. Beat in melted chocolate until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

*stole from this blog and this blog

Best Paper-Mache Recipe

To make it, combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 2 cups cold water in a bowl. Add this mixture to a saucepan of 2 cups boiling water and bring it to a boil again. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar. Let it cool; it will thicken as it cools. Once it does, it's ready to use.