The Most Fabulous Fudge Frosting

Picture courtesy of  Sweetapolita

     This delicious chocolate cake has become a birthday staple at our house. The first time I made it, my family wholeheartedly agreed it was pretty much the best chocolate cake ever. The magical frosting is amazing too, but after a birthday request for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, the chocolate/chocolate combo has become my most requested cake.

     I was first drawn to this recipe because of  minimal ingredients,  the use of a food processor, and mostly because you don't need to sift the powdered sugar. Powered sugar and me have a love-hate relationship. Why does it have to be so messy? (Maybe because I'm using a 20 year old sifter that shoots powdered sugar out the sides.)
     
     It's really simple to make and dare I say fool proof? All the ingredients are added to the food processor and after a few pulses you're done! The most important step is to make sure you let your melted chocolate cool, or else you'll end up with really runny frosting.

     The result is a rich, silky smooth, chocolate frosting. After serving it to my teenage son's friends, they were all begging me to send their Mom's the recipe. Really? Teenage boys asking for recipes? Yeah, it's that good.
      **I like to frost the entire cake and then stick it in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes before putting on the remaining frosting. It goes on smoother and looks much prettier.**

Instant Fudge Frosting

• 6 oz. (180 g) quality unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 4-1/2 cups (563 g) confectioners' sugar (no need to sift)
• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks)(340 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) half-and-half   (I've used milk in a pinch with good results)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Then process until the frosting is smooth.

Recipe Source: SkyHigh: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

Posted by: Sallie

Southwestern Ranch Chicken Club Wraps

Wow! It's been so long, I've almost forgotten  how to post. This last year has thrown my family for a real loop. With my youngest starting first grade, I decided to take a part-time job at a local elementary school. As if that wasn't enough, a few weeks later I decided that I would go back to school myself.  After 13 years of staying at home with my kids, this was no easy task. I'm not in any way, shape, or form implying that staying at home with children is easy! (You stay-at-home Mom's know exactly what I'm talking about). It has been really hard, and I still question if I'm doing the right thing, but despite the struggles, I am enjoying being a student again. We've survived one year, only three more to go! On top of both of these developments, we are also building a new house. (I think I must be insane!) My sister Julia has added another adorable little daughter to her family, so this explains our lack of posting.

Although I still enjoy cooking, sadly I don't have the time to prepare (or post about) the kind of meals I used to prepare on a daily basis. We save our "fancy meals" for Sunday dinner, and the rest of the week is reserved for quick, whatever my husband and I can throw together meals. I've got 3 more years of school ahead of me, but I can't wait until I graduate and can get back in my kitchen.

These wraps are a great meal for summer I had photographed and forgotten all about. Originally a sandwich, I decided the ingredients would be delicious as a wrap. Boy was I right!

The base for these delicious wraps is a wonderfully flavored, Mexican seasoned chicken which is then layered with crisp bacon, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado. What really adds to these wraps is the sauce. If you ask me, everything's better with sauce, and these wraps are no exception.  The sauce consists of a few simple ingredients: ranch dressing, sour cream, some chopped cilantro, and a few squeezes of lime. My whole family loved these  wraps which means they'll be making another appearance on the menu soon.

Southwestern Ranch Chicken Club Wraps

heavily adapted from here

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

8 strips bacon, cooked to desired crispness and cut into bite sized pieces

approx. 1-2 cups shredded colby-jack cheese, to taste

1 tomato diced

1 avocado, pitted and sliced

1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime, divided

lettuce, torn into  pieces (like you would put on a sandwich)

Flour tortillas (burrito or large taco size work best)

1. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Combine ranch mix, chili powder and cumin and sprinkle evenly over the chicken.

2. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil while you prepare the other  components. (Note: Something in the ranch dressing mix makes the chicken get pretty brown, so if that bothers you, you can easily bake the chicken instead. I'd do 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cutlets.) Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes and then cut or shred into chunks with a fork.

3. To make the sauce, mix together the ranch dressing, sour cream, cilantro, and juice of half a lime. Use the remaining lime juice to dress the avocado to prevent browning.

4. To make a wrap, layer shredded chicken, grated cheese, chopped bacon, chopped tomato, and a few slices of avocado on a tortilla Top with lettuce. Drizzle with sauce and roll tortilla up tightly.

Posted by: Sallie
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Cheesy Sausage Penne

A quick, delicious dinner for those busy weeknights everybody has. It takes the  classic combo of pasta, red sauce, and sausage to a whole new level. I loved the tasty little pockets of cream cheese and sour cream, and the melted cheese  made it even better. Homemade marinara sauce would be a great addition, if you have time,but even without, my family gobbled it up and the leftovers were great. Pair with a big green salad and garlic bread for a great family dinner.

Cheesy Sausage Penne

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 26-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 16-ounce package uncooked penne pasta
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened * (Next time I'll use 4 oz. cream cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and spices to taste.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream.

4. In a greased shallow 3-quart baking dish, layer half of the pasta and sausage mixture. Dollop with half the cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with half the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly. 

 *Cooks Note: Although I loved the cream cheese/sour cream combo, my kids weren't huge fans and it seemed like there was a lot of it. Next time I"ll half the cream cheese and sour cream to better suit our tastes.

Recipe Source: Cassie Craves

Posted by: Sallie

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

These cookies have been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager. (We won't bring up how long ago that was.) I whipped up a batch the other day to see if they would be as good as I remembered. Some chocolate cookies can turn out dry or chalky tasting, but these turned out super moist and disappeared in a hurry.

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips

Directions:

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• 2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• 3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4-1/2 dozen cookies.
• PAN RECIPE: Spread batter in greased 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350°F 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars. About 4 dozen bars.
• ICE CREAM SANDWICHES: Prepare CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES as directed; cool. Press small scoop of vanilla ice cream between flat sides of cookies. Wrap and freeze.
• HIGH ALTITUDE DIRECTIONS:
• -- Increase flour to 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons.
• -- Decrease baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon.
• -- Decrease sugar to 1-2/3 cups.
• -- Add 2 teaspoons water with flour mixture.
• -- Bake at 350°F, 7 to 8 minutes. Yield increases to about 6 dozen.

Posted by: Sallie

My Two Favorite Granola Recipes-- Part 2

                         Pictures from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

   
     Originally made as a gift for my coconut loving brother in law, this granola was an instant hit with our family as well. The list of ingredients is fairly simple and besides baking time comes together in a snap. The recipe originates from Alton Brown on the Food Network. I haven't tried a recipe yet of his that isn't great.

Coconut Cashew Granola                                                                                                                     Alton Brown via Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.
Can be stored for several weeks in an airtight container.

Posted by: Sallie

My Two Favorite Granola Recipes Part 1

                                                  Pictures from A Bountiful Kitchen Blog

   I've loved granola for as long as I can remember. I mean really, what's not to like? Rolled oats sweetened with honey and brown sugar, mixed with lots of goodies-- cashews, coconut, slivered almonds, then baked to golden, crunchy perfection. It's easily adapted too. You can add dried fruit like raisins or cranberries and sometimes I switch up the nuts for variety.
   
     Not only delicious, it's really quite simple to make. Toss a few ingredients together, give it a good stir, spread it on some cookie sheets and bake. It does require 1/1/2-2 hours baking time depending on how crunchy you like it, but that will give you plenty of time to clean your toilets, take a nap (in my dreams), or pick up that great book you've been dying to finish.

     Granola is a great multi-tasker. Served for breakfast with some milk, sprinkled in a fruit and yogurt parfait, or snatched by the handful for a quick-on-the go snack. Stored in an airtight container, it can last for several weeks.

I have two recipes that I LOVE and alternate between (and just spotted this one that I'll be trying next.) The first is Seven Wives Inn Granola. It originates from a historic bed and breakfast here in St. George, Utah  that's been here since 1891 called, you guessed it, The Seven Wives Inn. Spotted here and here on two of my favorite blogs, this granola is almost identical to the granola my Mom made us growing up.  If you can buy your ingredients in bulk from a health food or warehouse store, you'll save yourself some money too.

*Plan ahead. This recipe takes 1 1/2-2 hours to bake.**



Seven Wives Inn Granola
Printable Version

8 cups old fashioned oats

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 ½ cups wheat germ

8 oz coconut

8 oz salted pecans or almonds (I like to use slivered)

8 oz cashews

8 oz sunflower seeds, shelled

1 cup raisins, optional (I left these out)

½ cup water

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup honey

½ cup peanut butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix together first 8 ingredients in a large bowl or other container.

Put the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and stir. Bring to a boil. Pour this over the dry ingredients and stir. Spread on 2 large cookie sheets, and bake for 1 ½ hours, stirring about every 20 minutes.

Cook until the granola is done to your desired (crunch) taste.

*I highly recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients.*
                                   
                              Stay tuned for another delicious granola recipe coming soon.

    Posted by: Sallie

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

With my in-laws as well as brother and sisters in laws close by, we frequently have get-to-gethers for birthdays, Mother's Day, etc. Of course I always volunteer to bring the dessert whenever possible (for selfish reasons.) Nine times out of ten it involves chocolate, but with the summer heat, lemon has been my go-to alternative. I love it's fresh, light, and tart taste.

I love cakes for feeding a crowd and not only was this lemon cake delicious, it was something a little different than your standard chocolate/vanilla frosted cake. I loved the look and taste of the glaze and lemon sugar topping. It was a major crowd pleaser and will be making frequent appearances from now on. 

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet CakeRecipe from America’s Test Kitchen Best Summer Desserts found via Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) cake flour (no substitutions)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup white sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

Glaze:

3 cups (12 ounces) powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Instructions:

Make sure the oven rack is in the middle position (unless you’ve found that another position works better in your oven for baking) and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13″ baking dish and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the white sugar and lemon zest on medium speed until moist and fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove 1/4 cup of the sugar mixture and place it in a small bowl. Cover and set aside.

Add the softened butter to the remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix until smooth (about 30 seconds)

Scrape the batter into the reserved baking pan and smooth out the top. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 25-35 minutes). Be careful not to over bake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, whisk the glaze ingredients together until smooth. Gently spread the glaze over the cake and sprinkle evenly with the reserved sugar mixture. Allow to cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Posted by : Sallie