Lemon Lemonies

FOR THE BARS

 ¾ cup white chocolate chips

 ½ cup butter

 2 large eggs

 ¾ cup granulated sugar

 ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

 pinch salt

FOR THE GLAZE

 2 cups powdered sugar

 1/3 cup lemon juice, or as necessary for consistency

 1 Tbsp. lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8-X-8-inch pan with foil, spray and set aside.

FOR THE BARS:

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter.  Immediately add the white chocolate and stir until smooth.  Let sit for a minute. Add the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and whisk until combined.  Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined.

Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.

Bake 27 - 28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Set aside and make the glaze.

FOR THE GLAZE:

In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and whisk until smooth. Glaze should be fairly thin and easily pourable. Add sugar or lemon juice as needed.  Evenly pour glaze over bars, smoothing it lightly with a spatula if necessary, but glaze will likely just slide into place. Evenly sprinkle with lemon zest.

Allow bars to cool in pan uncovered for at least 2 to 3 hours, (or overnight and cover with a sheet of foil) before slicing and serving so glaze can set up.

NOTES

Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

This recipe can be found here.

Turtle Cookie Balls

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened

70 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2-1/3 cups)

3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

¼ cup chopped pecans

Mix first 3 ingredients until blended.

Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Dip balls in melted chocolate and place in a single layer in a shallow waxed paper-lined pan.

Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

This recipe can be found here.

Pecan Pie Bites

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp. butter softened

1 egg yolk

½ tsp. vanilla

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

FILLING

1 cup finely chopped pecans

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray 36 mini muffin pan cups with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine ½ cup brown sugar, butter, egg yolk and ½ tsp. vanilla in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls; place each into prepared mini muffin pan cup, pressing dough onto bottom and up one-third sides of each cup, creating a shallow cup.

Combine all filling ingredients in bowl; spoon 1 tsp. filling into each cookie.

Bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 10 minutes in pan on cooling rack.

Remove cookies from pans by running small knife around edge of cookie. Place onto cooling rack; cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Molten Lava Cakes

Baking spray, for spraying custard cups

1 stick butter

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 oz. semisweet chocolate

1¼ cups powdered sugar

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup all-purpose flour

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°. Spray four custard cups with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

Microwave the butter, bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate in a large bowl on high until the butter is melted, about 1 minute.

Whisk until the chocolate is also melted. Stir in the sugar until well blended.

Whisk in the eggs and egg yolks, then add the vanilla.

Stir in the flour. Divide the mixture among the custard cups.

Bake until the sides are firm and the centers are soft, about 15 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Invert on individual plates while warm and serve with vanilla ice cream.

This recipe can be found here.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup half-and-half

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. vanilla

Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, while whisking gently, until thicker, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Pour the sauce into a jar and refrigerate until cold.

This recipe can be found here.

Can't Leave Alone Bars

1 white cake mix

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 Tbsp. margarine

Preheat oven to 350°

Mix cake mix, eggs and oil. Spread 2/3 of batter in greased 9X13 pan with floured hands. Set other 1/3 aside.

In microwave safe bowl pour milk, chocolate chips and cut up margarine. Microwave 45 sec., stir until smooth. Heat mixture more if needs to be more melted.

Pour into pan over cake. Take remaining batter and drop by teaspoonfuls over chocolate mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until it is golden on top.

Let cool completely before cutting. 


This recipe can be found here.

Cake Balls

1 box of cake mix, any flavor

1 can of frosting (any flavor you think would go with the cake mix flavor  two big spoonfuls)

Almond bark (or dipping chocolate)

Instructions

Bake cake following instructions in 13 x 9 pan.  Let cool completely.

Crumble until it resembles fine crumbs in a large bowl.

Using your hands, add in frosting a little bit at a time until cake is moist and can hold a ball shape, yet still slightly crumbly.  Incorporate the frosting into the cake crumbs.

Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop out balls of cake mixture.  Roll each ball into a tight ball and place on a cookie sheet.  Repeat until all the cake mixture has been rolled into balls.

Place the cake balls into the fridge for a couple of hours OR into the freezer for a little while. You want them to be nice and firm. Not frozen solid, but not mushy.

Just before you pull them, melt the almond bark for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each 30-second increment in a Microwave safe container.   Make sure you have enough chocolate to completely submerge the cake ball.  (tall, deep bowls are better then wide, shallow bowls.)

Remove cake balls from freezer.

Dip cake balls carefully into the chocolate until covered.

Tap spoon on the side of the bowl gently to remove excess chocolate.

Place into the freezer to speed up setting time.

Cover with a clear treat bag & ribbon for gift giving, if desired.

Store in a single layer, in an airtight container.

This recipe can be found here.

Nectarine Cobbler

Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Filling:
4 cups sliced nectarines
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup unpacked light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Garnish:
Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the topping: In a medium-size bowl, stir together the flour, the sugar, and the baking powder. Add the milk and the butter and beat until smooth.

To prepare the filling: In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly, about 5-10 minutes.

Pour into an ungreased 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Spoon the topping over the filling and spread carefully and evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until topping is lightly golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of topping comes out clean.

This recipe can be found here.

Triple Chocolate Cake

1 chocolate cake mix, any kind

1 (3.4-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 325°.

Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix for nine minutes. Pour into a very well-greased Bundt cake pan. Bake 1 hour.

Let cool in pan for 1 hour before removing. (It tastes much better once cooled.) Store in refrigerator.

Though this cake does not require frosting—it is very sweet and very rich—it can be dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with ganache for presentation purposes.

Note: This recipe adapts well to two standard loaf pans or sixteen mini-loaf pans. (Adjust baking time for mini loaves.)

This recipe can be found here.

Pudding Surprise

1½ sticks butter

1½ cup flour

1½ cup nuts, finely chopped

8 oz cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1 lg container of Cool Whip

1 pkg instant chocolate pudding

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding

3 cups milk

Nuts or chocolate shavings

Cut butter into flour.  Add nuts.  Press into 9X13 pan; bake @ 400° for 15 minutes.  Cool.

Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ½ container Cool Whip.  Spread over crust.

Mix together pudding mixes with milk.  Spread over previous layers.

Top with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with nuts or chocolate shavings.

Best when chilled several hours.

recipe from a friend

Perfect Chocolate Brownies

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. unsweetened Dutch Process cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature*
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1½ cups chopped walnuts

*Before you start the recipe, place eggs in a shallow bowl filled with warm tap water to bring to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350°.  Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and cocoa powder and gently whisk together.

Using a double boiler (place a glass mixing bowl on top of a pot of simmering water) melt chopped chocolate,  and butter.  Stir until melted and smooth.  

Remove glass bowl from the double boiler and add granulated and brown sugars.  Whisk until smooth.  As you whisk, the mixture should cool off, eventually coming close to room temperature.

Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.  Add the remaining 2 eggs and vanilla, and continue whisking until just until everything is incorporated.   Don’t over-mix at this stage.  Gently stir in walnuts.

Sprinkle flour mixture into chocolate mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold and stir flour mixture just until incorporated.  

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out evenly.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking time.  Remove from oven when a toothpick comes out of center with a few crumbs still attached.  Cool completely. 

This recipe can be found here.

2 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Whisk ¼ cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 Tbsps. cocoa powder, 1 egg, 3 Tbsps. milk, 3 Tbsps. vegetable oil and a dash of vanilla extract and salt in a large mug until smooth.

Microwave until puffed, about 2 minutes.

This recipe can be found here.

Turtle Bars

crust:

2 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup butter, softened

caramel:

1 cup butter

1½ cups brown sugar

3 Tbsp. corn syrup

plus:

2 cups of chopped pecans

2 cups of milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.  Butter a 9X13 inch pan. (These squares tend to stick so butter it up good.)

Combine ¾ cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 2 cups flour: mix well. Pour the mixture into 9X13 pan and press down evenly to form the crust.

Sprinkle 2 cups chopped pecans over the top of the crust and press them in a bit. Set aside.

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup butter, 1½ cups brown sugar and 3 Tbsp. corn syrup to a boil and boil for one minute.

Pour over crust in pan and bake at 350 ° for 20 minutes.

Take out of the oven and sprinkle 2 cups of milk chocolate chips over the top. Let sit about 5 minutes and then spread softened chips to cover.

Allow ample cooling time before you enjoy!

This recipe can be found here.

Slow Cooker Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsps. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup whole milk

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup chocolate chips

1 cup boiling water

vanilla ice cream

Line slow cooker with heavy duty foil and spray with vegetable oil spray.

Whisk flour, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla.  Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined.  Fold in chocolate chips (batter will be stiff).  Scrape batter into prepared slow cooker and spread to edges.

Mix remaining ½ cup sugar with remaining ¼ cup cocoa, then sprinkle over top.  Slowly pour boiling water over top.  Do not stir. 

Cover and cook until top of cake looks cracked, sauce is bubbling and toothpick inserted into cake-y area comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 1 ½ hours on high.   Set sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Spoon over vanilla ice cream.

This recipe can be found here.

Lemon Soda Bundt Cake

2½ cups sugar

5 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup lemon-lime soda (like 7-Up, Sprite, or Sierra Mist)

2 Tbsps. grated lemon zest

4 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice

2½ sticks salted butter

3¼ cups (13 ounces) cake flour

GLAZE (CAN BE DOUBLED):

1 cup (4 ounces) powdered sugar

2 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Position the oven rack in the lower-middle position. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup tube or Bundt pan.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly.

Add the sugar, eggs, lemon-lime soda, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the jar of your blender. Run on lowest speed until combined. With the blender running, slowly add the butter in a steady stream and mix until fully incorporated. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add 1/3 of the flour and whisk until combined. Repeat twice until all the flour has been used.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1¼-1½ hours or until a pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (be sure not to over-bake it—it will take on an eggy flavor.)  

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely (about 2 hours.)

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Place the cake, craggy side up, on a serving plate and drizzle with glaze. Let the glaze set for at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Mae Dawson's Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, unsifted

1/2 pint (1 cup) whipping cream

3/4 cup milk

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Pinch nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine sugar, flour, cream, and milk in a mixing bowl. Pour into pie shell. Dot butter bits all around top of pie. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and cook for approximately 30 more minutes.

Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until chilled. Serve chilled.

Cook's Note: If using a glass baking dish, lower oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

Recipe can be found here.

Pecan Bars

Crust:

1½ sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more to butter dish

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

Pinch salt

1/3 cup light corn syrup

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with foil allowing an overhang about 2 inches off the sides. Butter the foil.

In a food processor, blend together flour, sugar, butter and salt until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and mix until the dough just holds together. Press dough into bottom of buttered baking dish and bake in oven until golden in color, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the corn syrup, flour and pecans and mix until just combined. Spread the filling over the baked crust and bake until golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan.

Remove from pan by pulling up the foil sides and putting it on a cutting board. Cut bars in desired size with a sharp knife. They can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Can be found here.

Bucket of Awesome (or Turtle-like Trifle)

Ingredients

• 2  cups  home made whipped cream (if you can’t, then do cool whip)
• 1  9×13 cake pan sized homemade brownies, cubed
• 1 jar  chocolate fudge topping
• 1 jar caramel topping
• 1/2  cup  chopped almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup toffee bits

Preparation

1. Make whipped cream by whipping 12 oz. of heavy whipping cream with 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large bowl at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, using the whisk attachment until smooth and firm peaks form. Don’t over whip, it will collapse and then you might as well forget it, you can’t get it back.

2. Place 1/3 of brownie cubes in bottom of a 4-qt. trifle dish or tall, clear 4-qt. glass bowl. Spread 1/3 of whipped cream mixture over pie cubes. Drizzle with half each of chocolate fudge topping and caramel topping. Sprinkle with half of chopped pecans and toffee bits. Repeat 2 more layers.

3. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Chocohotopots

serves 4

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus some for buttering the ramekins

4 oz semisweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao chips)

2 eggs

3/4 cup superfine sugar (you can just buzz regular, granulated sugar around in your food processor for this, just be careful it doesn’t turn to powdered sugar! Do it in 2-3 second pulses.)

3 tablespoons flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Butter four 2/3 cup ramekins.

In the microwave (in 30 second bursts) melt the chocolate and butter. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar and flour.

Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture.

Bake for about 20 minutes, the tops will be cooked and a bit crackly.

Remove the ramekins to a small dessert plate and watch yourself, the ramekins will be HOT!!!

as found on Tuffet