Texas Sheet Cake

This is a longstanding family favorite! For a while there, we would have it at every family gathering! This is a very moist chocolate cake. You frost it while it's warm and then some of the frosting melts into the cake and makes it sooooo yummy! The original recipe calls for 2 C of regular sugar, but I find using half brown sugar gives the cake some extra depth of flavor (my secret trick!).

Mix in Bowl:

1 C Sugar

2 C flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

In separate bowl, Mix:

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 C Buttermilk

2 Eggs

1 C Brown Sugar

Melt together in pan:

2 sticks butter

4 Tbls Cocoa

1 Cup Water

Combine the first two mixtures then slowly mix in the pan mixture and pour into a greased (I like using coconut oil, but you can also spray it.) cookie sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25? minutes until done.

Frost cake while still warm (I frost it right out of the oven.)

Frosting:

1 Stick of Butter

2 Tbls. Coco

6 Tbls. Milk

16 oz. Powdered Sugar 

Beat and Frost while cake is hot! It makes it ooey gooey!

Hot Fudge Sauce

Holy Hannah! Have you ever been to Ghirardelli's Ice Cream Shop? Oh my sinful heaven! It is incredibly decadent and every bite is all of your fondest memories in your mouth! Their chocolate sauce that they use on their ice cream and in their shakes is most exquisitely impressive! Ladies and Gentlemen! The only difference between their sauce and the one that I'm about to give you is that I think theirs is just a little bit darker. I use milk chocolate chips. Oh sweet milk chocolate! But if you want a darker chocolate flavor that can be easily remedied by simply adding a darker chocolate. If you want high quality I suggest using high quality chocolate. Maybe something like, oh, say, Ghirardelli's? You will never buy chocolate sauce again, unless maybe you're crying out for vengeance upon someone who has crossed you, and then maybe you'll give them that store bought swill and maniacally laugh as you strut off vindicated.

1 C Butter

3/4 bag Chocolate Chips

1 Can Evaporated Milk

2 C Powdered Sugar

1 Tbl. Vanilla

Put all ingredients into a pot and bring to a low simmer. Let simmer for 5-8 min. Don't burn! You will cry yourself to sleep! If you want it thinner add more evap. milk. If you want it thicker reduce it by keeping it over low heat for longer. Serve over anything, and drink the rest!

 

Chocolate Brownie Pudding Cake

(Not actual picture, but this is what you can expect)

If there is a sinful dish of wickedness that can drag you straight down to... well... This dish is IT! Or at least one of them! Oh my goodness! It's everything you would dream of in a brownie/warm melting cake/decadent chocolate custard all in one and a little bit more! And it's incredibly easy! :) Let me just warn you, though- you will eat all of this! That or eat yourself sick. But one of those will happen. It is incredibly rich, and so you will be wanting vanilla ice cream (might I suggest Breyer's Vanilla Bean?) , or at the very least, fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!

Bring to a boil in a sauce pan:

1/2 C Brown Sugar

3/4 C Water

2 Tbl. Cocoa

Combine in bowl:

2 1/2 C Brownie mix (half of a 21.5 oz pkg.)

1 Egg

1/4 C Peanut Butter

1 Tbl. Butter

1/4 C Water

1/4-1/2 C Chocolate Chips

Spread brownie mixture evenly in the bottom of a buttered crockpot. Pour boiling mixture over top of brownie batter. Cover and cook on high for 1 & 1/2 hours. Spoon over dessert dishes while warm. Serve with whipped or ice cream!

You can find this recipe here:
http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotdessertrecipes/r/bl82c1.htm

Rockyroad Peanut Butter Candy Cups!

The name speaks for itself!! I'm actually a little reluctant to post this on here because they're so dazzling and exceedingly wonderful, that I feel a little... selfish. However!.. I am not one to keep "Secret Recipes" in "The Family".  There are a few recipes that you have to REALLY want before I'll divulge, (this would be one of them) but overall I think sharing a recipe is a simple delight that you have, and give of yourself to another person when you share! :) And if you're looking through my blog, then you seek it out and so I am satisfied. :) (Not that I even OWN the recipe! See how ridiculous it would be for me not to share! :)  The other reason I have second thoughts about posting it is that it is SO FLIPPIN EASY!!! You'll see that I'm really just a fraud TRYING to look like a Chocolatier!  But now you can be too! ;)

• 11-oz. package peanut butter and milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 
• 1 cup crispy rice cereal
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 3/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
• 
  
• 1. Microwave peanut butter and milk chocolate chips in a large glass bowl on high for one to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in peanut butter until well blended.
  2. Stir in rice cereal, miniature marshmallows and chopped peanuts. Spoon mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls evenly into miniature paper candy cups. Chill one hour or until firm.

Double Chocolate Brownies with Carmel Frosting

Need I say more?!?! These are wonderful and very rich! The brownie recipe is quality and the frosting is even better!! When you cook the brownies take them out when the middle is still a little under cooked (be careful! not too under cooked) so that your edges don't burn. If you do, when they set they will be lusciously creamy and delicious not crunchy rocks! (I unabashedly stole this from http://portland.todaysmama.com) These are LUSCIOUS! Do it! The only regret you will have will be that you won't be able to stop eating them!! ;)

Double Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Frosting

2 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares

2 (1-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking squares

1 C butter, softened

2 C sugar

4 large eggs

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 C chopped, toasted pecans, divided (I didn’t use)

3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Caramel Frosting

Microwave chocolate squares in a small bowl at medium heat until melted. Stir chocolate until smooth.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Add flour and salt, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla, 1/2 C pecans, and 1/2 C chocolate chips. Spread batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C pecans and 1/4 C chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Frost evenly with Caramel Frosting.

Caramel Frosting

3/4 C butter

2 C sugar

1/2 C buttermilk

12 large marshmallows

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

1/2 tsp baking soda

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar and remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 25-30 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 234 degrees (soft boil stage) Remove from heat. Beat at high speed for 5-7 minutes or until frosting thickens and begins to lose its gloss.

Best Brownies

Compliments of Hershey's Kitchen

Now while these are called "Best Brownies" I didn't name them, but Dang! These ARE good! I didn't think I would find a recipe that would be worth making more than the good fudgy box one, but now that I've been making these, those box ones really aren't that tempting any more (no really! I tried them twice today! ;). These are fudgy with a MUCH better texture and the flavor is wonderful! When I want to make homemade brownies, this is the recipe I use. (I have another fantastic one that I will also post on here :) As a side note, I think the key to having things turn out the way you want them to taste, is to taste them! Taste the batter! If it's not chocolaty enough for ya, then add more chocolate dang it! Until it can curb all those ravenous chocolate cravings in your soul! Not sweet enough? More sugar! Common sense, but KEY! Don't over mix, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions:

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
• 2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• 3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.
• CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
• Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk;
• beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

Mocha... No! CHOCOLATE Punch

This picture DOES NOT do it justice!!! Taste of Home mag.

Oh my lusciousness!!! My precious!!! This is drinkably delicious!!!! It's like chocolate milk and a chocolate milkshake combined!! The perfect temperature of cold! I made it for the first time tonight and everyone said, "Oh! Wow! That IS good!" SOOOO EASY! SOOOOO GOOD!! I made it for 9 of us girls, and with a few second helpings, there was just enough ( I wanted to drink the last of it straight out of the punch bowl, but then, that might have been embarrassing). Enjoy! :)

1 1/2 Quarts Water (warm enough to dissolve sugar and hot chocolate mix)
1/2 Cup Instant Cocoa Mix
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Cocoa (I add more to make it extra chocolaty! :)
1/2 Gallon Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream

Optional:
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Shavings

Mix sugar, cocoa, and hot chocolate mix in a picture. Pour water in and mix until everything is dissolved. I always do things to taste,(key to making things TASTE good!) Taste it! Make sure it's chocolatey enough. Keep in mind you will be diluting it with ice cream. Refrigerate at least until cold enough to serve (I put it in my freezer for 2 hours, or 4 hours in the fridge) You can even make it ahead of time and leave it in the fridge overnight . Before serving a few minutes before you are ready to serve, pour into a punch bowl and add ice cream by the scoopfuls ( I actually ended up using Breyers triple chocolate ice cream). Stir until partially melted and slushy (make sure and leave a few delicious clumps of ice cream!). Garnish with dollops of whipped cream and chocolate shavings/curls. Get ready to meet your density! I MEAN destiny! ;)

Chocolate Fantasy Bars

I first encountered these when we went on a picnic with some friends of ours (the Stephensons) and she made this for dessert. I saw them and I thought, Oh. Brownies. I guess I'll have one. After my first of twenty servings, I began to wonder, what are these wonderful little morsels?!?! She's shown me up AGAIN!!! I had to get the recipe, and low and behold they are SOOOO easy!!! You can switch the cake mix up with different flavors too! Thanks Mel! For being an ever present reminder that I'm not the Greatest cook in the world!! ;)

Ingredients
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix (2 layer)
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1egg
1 C. chopped nuts
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash salt
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With mixer on medium speed, beat cake mix, oil and egg in large bowl until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Set aside 1 c. of crumb mixture. Firmly press remaining mixture on bottom of a greased 9x13 baking pan. In small sauce pan, melt chips with condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Pour evenly over prepared crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture evenly over top. Bake at 25-30 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool; cut into bars. Drizzle with tube decorating icing if desired. Store loosely covered at room temperature.