Caramel Fudge Cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker or Oreo crumbs

1 stick butter, melted

Filling:

4 pkg (32oz. total) cream cheese at room temperature

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream at room temperature

6 tablespoons flour

6 eggs at room temperature

1 TBS vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

1 jar caramel (make sure it's a stiffer-set caramel, not the super soft/syrupy kind- or you can melt caramels with a little bit of milk)

1/2 jar hot fudge (NOT chocolate syrup)

Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine cracker/cookie crumbs with butter, press into bottom and up sides of 10 inch springform pan.

Preheat oven to 325* and place a casserole dish full of hot water on the bottom rack.

Beat cream cheese & sugar until very smooth and fluffy. On LOW speed, add sour cream, flour, eggs, vanilla, and heavy cream- mix just until well combined but DO NOT beat it or over mix (cheesecake will crack)

Pour 2/3 of batter into crust. Mix caramel with remaining batter and pour on top of plain batter- save a little bit of caramel to drizzle on top of finished cake. Warm hot fudge until soft but not hot, drop spoonfuls on top of batter and swirl gently (don't mix it in). Save a little bit of hot fudge to drizzle on top also. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours- center should still be wiggly) and turn off oven, leave cake inside and open oven door slightly. Let cool in oven for 2 hours, remove from oven and cool COMPLETELY. Wrap with plastic wrap (keep cake in the pan) and chill in refrigerator for 24 hours (it MUST chill for a day to set up properly- otherwise the cake will be slimy and weird, and nobody likes that.)

Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread over cake just before serving and drizzle with caramel & hot fudge sauce if desired.

Slice cake with a very sharp HOT & WET knife, cleaning knife between slices. Cut into 16-20 slices (a little goes a LONG way!)

French Silk Pie

French Silk Pie

Ingredients

• 4 ounces, weight Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
• 1 cup Salted Butter, Softened
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1 package Baked Pie Shell

Preparation Instructions

In small microwave safe bowl melt 4 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate until stirrable (about 45 seconds on high). Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of regular (salted) butter and 1 ½ cups of white sugar until fluffy (about 1 to 2 minutes). When melted chocolate is cooled, drizzle it over the butter/sugar mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the mixture thoroughly until combined (on a Kitchen Aid mixer, you will be using the whisk attachment).

Turn your mixer to a medium speed and over a period of 15 to 20 minutes add in the four eggs, one at a time, leaving about 5 minutes between each egg addition. Once the pie filling is well mixed, pour it into the baked pie shell, scraping every last speck of it out of the bowl. Smooth out the pie filling and place pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (preferably longer).

Plop a heap of whipped cream and garnish with a few chocolate curls if you’re feeling sassy.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman, lots of tips when you visit the link!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/09/french-silk-pie-step-by-step/

Fresh Fruit Tart

Sweet Tart Crust:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the salt. Place the butter in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball. Line the bottom of a 9-10 inch tart pan or torte pan with parchment paper. . Evenly pat the chilled pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Lightly prick bottom of pastry crust with the tines of a fork (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Place tart pan on a larger baking pan and bake crust for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until dry and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before filling. Can be covered and stored for a few days or frozen.

*you can brush the cooled tart with apricot jelly and let it dry, which will seal the crust and prevent it from getting soggy. Its a useful thing to do if you know the tart will not be eaten right away. I don't always do this, and it doesn't get really soggy if you eat the tart the same day you make it.

Cream Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 TBS sour cream
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract

In an electric stand mixer, beat cream cheese & powdered sugar until smooth, add remaining ingredients and whip on highest setting for 3-5 min. Spread evenly over crust.

Top tart with sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, kiwi, and/or any other favorite fruits.

**if you don't like the cream cheese filling, you can use a
traditional pastry cream, but it requires a little more work and must be cooked & cooled before you can use it.

Snickers Cake

This is Snickers heaven on a plate...

CAKE:

1 package chocolate fudge cake mix
1 sm package instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
Beat together on medium for 2 minutes. Transfer to two 8-in. round baking pans lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
*Cake is best if you cool completely, wrap in foil, and freeze overnight before frosting. It's easier to frost while frozen, and turns out extra moist :)


FROSTING:
1 1/2 cups soft butter
2 cups creamy peanut butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
Beat together on high speed 5 minutes, until very fluffy, SLOWLY adding powdered sugar and drizzling in cream last .


GARNISHES:
Mini Snickers; 7 whole, 10 chopped
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Soft Caramel sauce*
Chocolate Ganache**


ASSEMBLY:
Frost bottom layer and bottom of top layer but keep them separate. (Put the bottom layer on the cake plate you're using and flip top layer upside down on a separate plate and frost ONLY the bottom of it.)
Drizzle some of the carmel & ganache, and sprinkle 1/2 of the peanuts, and 1/2 of the chopped Snickers on the top of the bottom layer, but don't get any on the sides. Turn top layer right-side-up and place on top of bottom layer so that the filling is between two layers of frosting. Frost cake generously and smooth the top and sides as much as possible. Drizzle more caramel & ganache over the top and off the sides of the frosted cake. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts & chopped Snickers. Pipe 6 tufts of frosting around the edges and one more in the middle. Top each with a whole mini Snickers bar.


*Caramel Sauce:
6 oz caramels, unwrapped
1/3 c heavy cream
Heat on low just until melty, whisk until smooth


**Ganache:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Heat on low just until melty, whisk until smooth



Key Lime Pie

I like to make this and put it in ramekins for fun little mini pies. It's a very elegant dessert when topped with whipped cream and twisted lime slices. Enjoy!

1 Pre-baked Pie Shell or Graham Cracker pie crust

2 cans Sweetened Condensed Milk

3/4 cup Sour Cream

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Vanilla

3/4 cup {Key} Lime Juice

1 TBS Grated Lime Zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine condensed milk, sour cream, salt, vanilla, lime juice, and lime zest. Beat well. Pour into pie shell or 4 ramekins with pie crust or graham cracker crust pressed into the bottom. Bake for 11-12 minutes, do NOT brown on top. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are really yummy! They have that delightful flavor of your momma's banana cookies, but the oatmeal gives them some texture and keeps them from falling apart.

 

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 sticks butter, softened (1 1/2 c)

2 eggs

4 bananas

3 1/2 cups oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Beat in softened butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Add eggs, bananas, and quick oats to bowl and beat until fluffy.

Add chocolate chips and walnuts.

Spoon onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, then place on a rack to cool.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups pumpkin
2 eggs
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
12 oz chocolate chips

Cream butter & sugar, beat in eggs, vanilla & pumpkin. Sift together dry ingredients and mix in. Dough will be thick & very sticky. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto greased cookie sheets and bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.

*If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, substitute:

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pumpkin Cake Roll

Cake:

3/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*

6 eggs, separated

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

Fillng:

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a greased 10x15 baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper, grease the paper. Beat egg yolks, white sugar, and brown sugar until very thick, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin and mix on low speed until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour and pumpkin pie spice. Add to egg mixture, mixing on low until combined, set aside. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff, but not dry. Fold into the cake batter, mixing gently with a rubber spatula until most of the white streaks are gone.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until cake springs back when touched or toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 3-5 minutes. Dust generously with powdered sugar. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel. Fold the towel over a short edge and roll up. Cool completely, seam side down.

For filling, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream. Unroll cake, spread filling evenly over cake. Roll up, place seam side down on aluminum foil, wrap tightly. Chill in freezer 2-4 hours. Remove from freezer 20-30 minutes before serving. Place seam side down on a platter and dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.

*If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, substitute:

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Luscious Lemon Cake Roll

Cake:

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2/3 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon curd
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Dash salt
Yellow food coloring (optional)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Line a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed or parchment paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in oil and lemon extract; set aside.
In another large bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved, this will take several minutes. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; fold into egg mixture.
Pour into to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Gently peel off paper. Roll up cake in towel, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For filling, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon curd, salt, lemon extract, lemon juice, lemon peel and food coloring. Fold in whipped cream. Unroll cake; spread filling over cake. Roll up again. Place seam side down on aluminum foil and wrap tightly. Chill in freezer 2-4 hours.  Remove from freezer 20-30 minutes before serving. Place seam side down on a platter and dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, lemon juice and extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini and lemon peel. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves.

Glaze:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons lime juice (to taste)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
3/4 cup sugar

Combine and brush over slightly cooled loaves, repeat until glaze is gone.

Chocolate-Strawberry Celebration Cake

CAKE:
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

FROSTING:
2 cups butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4-1/2 cup 2% milk

GARNISHES:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled

GANACHE:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Combine the first seven ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.

Bake at 350° for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Beat the butter, confectioner's sugar and cocoa until blended; add milk until desired consistency and beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Pipe or spoon melted chocolate onto waxed paper in decorative designs; let stand until set. Arrange strawberries on top of cake. For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. Heat cream just to a boil; pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over top of cake, allowing ganache to drape down the sides. Top with chocolate garnishes. Yield: 12 servings.

Triple Chocolate Peppermint Delights

I got this recipe from the Taste of Home website and it's REALLY good! It was really easy to make and definitely has the WOW factor in taste and presentation! Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking chips

Frosting:
1/2 cup white baking chips (I used white candy melts)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/8 tsp peppermint extract (not in the original recipe, but its GOOD)
1/3 to 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
Red food coloring (optional)

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, peppermint extract, and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in melted chips and food color. Frost cookies; sprinkle with peppermint candies. (I used a pastry bag with a large round tip to pipe the frosting on top- very pretty!)

Pucker Up!

Layered lemon Pies

* Pastry for 2 single-crust pies

* 1 1/2 cups sugar

* 6 TBS cornstarch

* 1/4 tsp. salt

* 2 cups cold water

* 3 egg yolks, beaten

* 1/3 cup lemon Juice

* 1/4 cup butter, cubed

* 1 tsp. grated lemon peal

* 1 tsp. lemon extract

* 3 drops yellow food coloring, optional

Second Layer

* 8oz cream cheese, softened

* 1 cup powdered sugar

* 1 1/2 cups cold milk

* 2 small pkg. instant lemon pudding

Top Layer

* 8oz cream cheese, softened

* 1 cup powdered sugar

* 1 carton cool whip (16 oz)

1. Cook pie crust according to directions on package.

2. In a large sauce pan, combine sugar, cornstarch & salt. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over med-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat, cook 2 min longer. Remove from heat.

3. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yokes; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 min longer.

4. Remove from heat, gently stir in lemon juice, butter, lemon peal, extract and food coloring. Cool to room temp without stirring. Spread lemon mixture into crusts. Refrigerate for 30 min or until firm.

5. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. gradually beat in milk. Add pudding mixes; beat 2 min longer. Let stand 2 min until soft set; spread onto pies. Refrigerate 30 min.

6. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and powered sugar until smooth, fold in cool whip. Spread over tops of pies. Refrigerate until set.

*Recipe from Taste of Home, Feb/March 2010

Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream

I made this recipe today, it was the best ice cream recipe ever. So enjoy it! 

Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream

A traditional cooked custard base is the key to this creamy ice cream with rich vanilla flavor. "It is a family favorite that has been handed down and enjoyed for generations," writes Mary Thompson of Minneapolis, Minnesota. "Whenever we serve it, we get lots of requests for the recipe."

12 ServingsPrep: 30 min. + chilling Process: 20 min./batch + freezing

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar (I used 1.5 Tbsp NuNaturals Stevia powder and just added it after I cooled the mixture)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

• In a heavy saucepan, combine the first five ingredients. Cook over
• medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick
• enough to coat a metal spoon and reaches at least 160°. Remove
• from the heat; cool quickly by setting pan in ice and stirring the
• mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight or freeze immediately. When ready to
• freeze, pour custard and vanilla into the cylinder of an ice cream
• freezer. Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Yield:
• about 1-1/2 quarts.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1/2 cup) equals 303 calories, 23 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 123 mg cholesterol, 99 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 3 g protein.

Creamy Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
3 cups whipping cream*
3 egg yolks, beaten
2-3 tsp white stevia powder** or 2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

In a saucepan, whisk together whipping cream, (sugar if you're using it), egg yolks, cocoa, and salt. Cook over meduim low heat until mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Cool completely, whisk in stevia powder. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into dessert cups & refrigerate overnight.

*If you want to make it lower fat and are not worried about carbs, use 1 cup whipping cream and 2 cups whole milk with 2 TBS flour.

**I use NuStevia brand white stevia powder. All brands are different, so always add it to taste. If you add too much, it can be really gross. Beware of brands that cost significantly less than others because they are often very bitter or really weak. I have also used Truvia brand and it has a good flavor but is a little weak so you may need to add more. Also, I have found that stevia does NOT like to be heated- it gets too strong and a little bitter, so be sure to add stevia to cooled mixtures.

Lemony No-Bake Cheesecake

This cheesecake is really light and creamy! I made mine sugar free and low carb (believe it or don't!), so I didn't make a crust, but there is a recipe for crust included. This makes a small cheesecake so I would recommend doubling the recipe and using a 9 or 10 inch pan for a larger group (no need to double crust or lemon topping). Ingredients:

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 pkg knox unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 TBS butter

2-3 tsp stevia powder* (to taste) or 2/3 cup sugar

16 oz (2 pkg) cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1 TBS stevia powder* (to taste) or 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

If you want to use a crust:

Combine 1 1/2 cups graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs, 2 TBS sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice, let stand 1 minute. Over meduim heat, bring to a boil and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved; measure out 1/4 cup and set aside to cool. Add water (and sugar if you're using it- do not add stevia yet!) to remaining lemon juice and bring just to a boil. Slowly whisk hot lemon mixture into beaten egg yolks, being careful not to cook them (you just want to temper them). Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium low heat until bubbly. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Cool completely and whisk in stevia powder.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and stevia (or sugar). Slowly beat in reserved 1/4 cup lemon juice & gelatin mixture. Beat in vanilla and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Gently spread into an 8 inch springform pan. Pour cooled lemon mixture over cheesecake. Cover and chill overnight.

*I use NuStevia brand white stevia powder. All brands are different, so add it to taste. If you add too much, it can be really gross. Beware of brands that cost significantly less than others because they are often very bitter or really weak. I have also used Truvia brand and it has a good flavor but is a little weak so you may need to add more. Also, I have found that stevia does NOT like to be heated- it gets too strong and a little bitter, so be sure to add stevia to cooled mixtures.

Cake Bites

Ingredients:

Cake mix (I used devils food)

Chocolate frosting

Dipping chocolate

Directions:-Start by baking the cake according to the directions on the box. Once the cake is baked, pull it out of the oven and let it cool for about 20-30 minutes. Dump the cake into a large mixing bowl and add 2 spoon fulls of frosting and begin mashing the frosting into the cake with your hands. Once all of the frosting is mixed into the cake and it is moist you can begin rolling the mixture into balls with the palms of your hands. Place the ball onto a baking sheet or plate lined with wax paper. (You'll be needing to put it into your freezer so whatever will fit is what you should place it on.) I flattend the bottom of the ball and shapeed it into more of a square. (as shown above ).

Once you have filled the baking sheet or plate with the cake bites place it in the freezer and let it sit for 30-40 minutes until the cake bites have hardened. You'll need to create a double broiler by placing a metal mixing bowl on top of a saucepan that has water in it. Set it on low-medium heat.

Then place your chocolate in the bowl and begin melting. Using the toothpicks, poke the toothpick into the bottom of the cake bite and up through it almost to the top. Then stir it around in the melted chocolate until it is completely coated. Remove the excess chocolate off by tapping the toothpick on the side of the bowl- gently. Then carefully scrape the cake bite off of the toothpick and onto a spoon, slide it off the spoon and back onto the wax paper. This will help reduce the amount of chocolate that will puddle around the bottom of the cake bite. Place the tray of coated cake bites in a cool area to harden. Wait about 2-3 hours after coating the cake bites before eating.
Here is the finished product.

Chocolate Scotcheroos

Ingredients:
1 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups crispy rice cereal
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag butterscotch chips

Directions:
1: Cook corn syrup and sugar together in a large pan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter; mix well. Add cereal; stir until evenly coated.
2: Pour into greased 13x9-inch pan and pat into place.
3: Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread over cereal.
4: Cool at least 45 minutes, or until firm. Cut into bars.

Yummy Gingerbread Cookies

I love these cookies! They are soft and chewey- unlike most gingerbread. I like to dress them up by pressing different small candies (such as candy corns and the like) into the center just after they come out of the oven. Happy Holidays!Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses*
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 TBS cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 3/4 cup flour

Cream together butter and 1 cup of sugar. Beat in egg, molasses, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Stir in flour until well combined. Roll dough into balls. Roll balls in remaining 3/4 cup sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet (I usually line my cookie sheets with parchment paper). Gently press down the middle of the balls to flatten the tops just a bit. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes (for small balls) or 12-15 minutes (for large balls). Cool on wire racks. They should be very soft in the middle when they first come out of the oven but they will set up when they cool.

*To make measuring molasses a little easier (and less messy) try warming your molasses in the microwave for 20-30 seconds; but be careful not to burn it- you just need it to be warm. Then it will pour out really easily into your measuring cup.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Donuts:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour, divided

Spiced Sugar:
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
dash of salt

Cream butter and sugar, add pumpkin & eggs and beat well. Add baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, & buttermilk (buttermilk substitute: 1/2 cup milk + 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar- let stand 5 minutes). Mix well. Gradually add 4 cups of flour until you have a soft dough- the consistency of sugar cookie dough. Roll out with remaining flour (only use enough so that they don't stick to the countertop) 1/4 inch thick. Cut into circles and cut smaller circles out of the center (if you have a "donut cutter" you can use that. I used a regular cup and a medicine cup from children's motrin). Keep center circles to make donut holes. Let the donuts rest for 15 minutes before frying. Fry in oil at 375 for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from oil and drain on cooling rack with paper towels underneath. Immediately toss HOT donuts in spiced sugar until coated. Enjoy!!