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Archive for the ‘Desserts’ Category

Fudgie Wudgie Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Posted in Cookies, Easy Recipes, Recipes, tagged , , , , on March 2, 2012| 3 Comments »

When I was in the sixth grade we had a few cooking lessons at school. This involved a hotplate and some wonderful mothers who came and helped a bunch of unruly youth make some tasty treats.

One of the things we made were no-bake cookies called Fudgie Wudgies. I remember many details about the day we made them like the smell of the chocolate, the taste of the delicious, rich treat. It may have been the last chocolate thing I ate before my mother decided to bring my world crashing down around my ears and declare that I was allergic to chocolate. I spent the next  12 years in a sad, chocolate-deprived state (thanks, Mom!) which is one of the reasons I am a complete chocolate addict now.

If you need a quick but tasty chocolate fix, these cookies are perfect. There are many variations on the basic ingredients, but these cookies are so yummy and take just a few minutes to make. Literally, you make them, clean up the mess and be sitting with your feet up in about 15 minutes time-frame.

Simple Ingredients

 

Combine sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk in heavy saucepan.

 

Stir to blend ingredients over medium heat.

 

Bring to a full boil and boil hard for a minute, stirring constantly. If you don't stir, it could stick and scorch which would be tragic.

 

Remove from heat and add oatmeal, coconut and vanilla.

 

Drop by spoonful onto waxed or parchment paper. If you want them to be uniform and pretty, use the back of your spoon to smooth them out. I'd rather eat them than make them perfect, though. But that's just me - the chocoholic.

 

Ta-Da! Enjoy!

Fudgie Wudgies (No-Bake Cookies)

2 cups sugar
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup coconut
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, cocoa, milk and butter in heavy saucepan. Over medium heat, stir until blended. Continue stirring and  bring to a hard boil. Let boil for a minute. Remove from heat, add oatmeal, coconut, vanilla, mixing well.
Drop by spoon-full on waxed paper or parchment paper. Try to wait for them to cool before devouring.

She Who Should Not Make These Because She Eats Too Many!

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Lemon Bundt Cake

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Entertaining at Home, Recipes, tagged , , , on February 17, 2012| 1 Comment »

I was working on the cover for my Savvy Spring Entertaining book (coming soon!) and I wanted something to feature on the front that was… well… springy!

It needed to shout “Spring” and be colorful and fun.

I found just what I was looking for with this Lemon Bundt Cake.

Bundt Cakes are so easy to make and so, so good with their moist, flavorful texture.

Garnished with lemon slices and a berry, I thought this did a great job of saying “Ah, Spring.”

Our cast of characters.

Mix up your batter. It is going to be really thick, so don't panic.

Pour into a bundt or angel food cake pan that has been properly greased. (Properly vs. improperly, which is what I usually manage)

Bang the pan a bit to get the air bubbles out and even off the top of the batter. Pop into a preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until the top if lightly brown and the edges start to pull away from the pan.

While the cake is cooling prepare to have a divine experience.

Zest a fresh lemon. As the scent fills your kitchen with a divine fragrance that makes your knees week, try not to pass out on the floor. Spouses, children and pets may find that disturbing.

Microwave cream cheese frosting for about 10 seconds or until melted then pour over the top of the cake.

Pour on plenty of frosting. You wouldn't want anyone to get short-changed in the sticky-sweet department.

Sprinkle a little lemon zest on top and enjoy!

Lemon Bundt Cake

1 box Lemon Cake Mix

1 small package instant cheesecake pudding

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup oil

3 eggs

1 tsp. lemon juice

2/3 cup  cream cheese frosting

1 fresh lemon

Strawberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend cake mix, oil, eggs, sour cream, water and lemon juice on medium speed until combined. The batter is supposed to be super thick, so don’t worry if it seems heavy.

Spoon it into a greased bundt pan, evening it up as best you can (I tap the pan on the counter to get out air bubbles and even up the batter). Bake for one hour or until it starts to pull away from the edges of the pan.

Let cool completely then invert on a cake plate. Zest a lemon and enjoy that mos fragrant experience. You may also want to cut a few thin slices of the lemon for garnish.

Put frosting into a microwaveable pitcher or bowl and nuke it for about 10 seconds. For this recipe I used  Cream Cheese Frosting. That was a very good decision. Pour liberally over the cake, letting it drizzle down the sides. Sprinkle on a little lemon zest.

Serve with a strawberry or two and enjoy this luscious, moist dessert!

She Who Loves Lemon Desserts Way Too Much!

 

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Valentine Heart Cakes

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Entertaining Ideas, Recipes, tagged , , , , on February 14, 2012| 1 Comment »

In honor of today, here is a fun little cake recipe sure to make your sweetie smile.

Ingredients

 

Bake cake according to package directions. I baked mine in little heart-shape pans that are as old as the hills. You could make cupcake or even a layered cake if you choose. You could also bake a sheet cake and use a cookie cutter to cut out heart-shapes.

 

Mix together whipped cream cheese, raspberry jam and cream cheese frosting for the filling.

 

Split the cakes in half and add the filling.

 

Frost with cream cheese frosting, add some festive sprinkles and enjoy!

 

Valentine Heart Cakes

1 cake mix

1 container of whipped cream cheese

1 container of cream cheese frosting

1/2 cup raspberry jam

Sprinkles

Bake cake according to package directions and let cool completely.

While it is cooling, mix together 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, the raspberry jam and 1/3 cup of the frosting until well-blended.

Split cake(s) in half  and add a layer of filling before reassembling. Frost and decorate then watch your sweetie be surprised at this delicious little treat.

She Who Wishes Everyone a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Cream Pie Filling

Posted in Desserts, Pie, Recipes, tagged , , , on January 27, 2012| 3 Comments »

I found the recipe for this delicious pudding pie back when I was in high school.

I wonder what the landscape of my life would be like now if I’d spent half as much time studying boys as I did cookbooks and wallpaper designs.

I digress.

Anyway, this recipe was in an ancient cookbook I found in the public library. A notation in it said the recipe was “over 100 years old” so goodness only knows how old it really is.

I mean, like, my high school days were a while ago, dude.

I digress again.

This pie filling is really simple to make and always delicious, so I’ll try to stick to the important facts from here on out. You can serve it plain, top it with fruit and whipped cream, give it a fluffy meringue topping, fill cream puffs or even alter the basic recipe by withholding the lemon and adding a little cocoa powder for a chocolate filling.

The recipe was titled “Ruby Feaster’s Prize Cream Pie.” I have no idea who Ruby Feaster was, but she did make a delicious pie filling.

Ingredients for the filling. I tweaked the recipe a little over the years and this is what I’ve found works best.

Beat the eggs slightly, just to break them up, add all the ingrients except for the lemon juice then cook over medium heat in a heavy saucepan (double-boiler if you don’t have a heavy pan) until thick.

Make sure you stir the filling constantly so it doesn’t stick. Scorched pudding is not so tasty, not that I’ve ever done that sort of thing. Add the lemon juice when it is cooked and stir it in.

Pour filling into a pre-cooked pie shell. Let cool completely.

Top with whatever fun accents tickle your taste buds and enjoy!

Ruby Feaster’s Prize Cream Pie
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon
2 tbsp. corn starch
pinch of salt

Prepared Pie Shell

In a heavy saucepan, beat eggs, just until broken up, then add milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick. (If you don’t have a heavy saucepan, use a double boiler).

When it starts to thicken you need to stir constantly. This is not the time to start daydreaming about the hunky hero in the novel you’re writing or the hunky hero who will soon be home, ready to eat the pie. (Not that this ever happens to me.) Pay close attention so you don’t scorch the pudding. When it starts to get a glossy sheen and is nice and thick, remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and pour into prepared pie shell.

Cool completely. Top with whipped topping and a fruit garnish and enjoy!

She Who Likes Pie Way Too Much

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