Brownies

I got this lovely recipe from my mother so that I could make it for my little sister's baptism back in February.  It is an amazingly good made from scratch brownie recipe!  It makes a lot though so be careful:)

What you need:
1 1/4 cup Butter
4 cups sugar
8 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Whip butter in a large mixing bowl and then add the other ingredients making sure to mix everything well.  Place in a greased cookie sheet pan, bake for 40 minutes.

Frosting:
Melt:
1 1/2 oz. (squares) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
add to butter mixture:
5 Tbs. Milk
1 tsp. vanilla
 Mix in 3 cups powdered sugar

Frost about 5 minutes after the brownies are done!

P.B. Chocolate Cake

I was in the mood recently to try something new and came across this amazing dessert. This dessert was posted on the wood connections blog. Some amazing cookbook that they have called Lemon Poppy had this and let the wood connection post it! The real title of this cake is "Out of this World" P.B. Chocolate Cake. And let me tell you that I'm not a huge peanut butter fan, but this cake was amazing and so I'm sharing it with you!

What you need:

1 cup water

1 cup butter

6 tbs. Cocoa

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Boil water, butter, and cocoa in a small saucepan. In a large bowl layer the flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour the sugar on top of the flour mixture. Pourthe boiling mixture on top of the sugar (this creates a fudge like reaction as the two combine). Add eggs and sour cream and mix until all ingredients are combined.

Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan or two 9 inch round pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes in the 9x13 inch pan or for 25-30 minutes in the 9 inch round pans. This cake is very dense and delicious, but is not as good if you overcook it. Start with a lower time and add minutes as needed. It is best to do the finger test before taking it out of the oven. When it looks almost done tap with two fingers on the top of the cake. It should slightly dent in and barely spring back. If not bake a few more minutes. You can also test the cake with a toothpick by sticking the toothpick in the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean then it's done.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup peanut butter

4 tbs. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream together butter, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar and cream until light and fluffy. After the cake has cooled off and is no longer hot (about 10-15 minutes) frost the cake and then top it with crushed peanut butter cups!

Lime Bars

I thought since it's St. Patrick's Day this would be quite the tasty and fun treat to make! I actually got the idea off of Pinterest, but I used my lemon bars recipe that I posted about a year ago. It's a super easy treat to make!

What you need:

Crust

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 sticks or 1 cup butter (softened)

Whip softened butter and then add powdered sugar and flour. Mix thoroughly, like pie dough. Pat into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges.

Filling (meanwhile mix)

2 cups sugar

4 beaten eggs

Juice of 6-7 limes or 6-8 tablespoons lime juice, depending on how citrisy you like

4 tbs. flour

Pinch of salt

Green food coloring (add until you hit the green color you prefer)

After crust is baked, pour filling mixture over the crust and bake for 20 minutes more, at 350 degrees. Let cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar!

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet. This has been a family favorite for years! It's so delicious! I hope you enjoy it!

What you need:

1 box of Yellow cake mix

3/4 of a package of the large Instant Vanilla Pudding

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. rum flavoring

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup poppyseeds

Grease a bundt pan. Mix cake mix and pudding together first and then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix until well blended. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Glaze:

1/2 tsp. milk

1 tbs. melted butter

Juice of 1/2 a lemon (you can use lemon juice, just follow instructions on how much you need for half a lemon)

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together. Drizzle over cake after it's cooled for about 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Crumble Cake

I'm not a huge pumpkin pie fan, but this is not pumpkin pie! It's way more delicious! I found this recipe on all recipes when I was in a baking mood. This recipe did not disapoint! My husband loved it so much that he had two pieces every night until it was gone!

What you need:

1, 18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup butter melted

1, 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon)

1/2 cup white sugar

4 tbs. butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans) optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease a 9x13 inch pan.

Reserve 1 cup cake mix. In a large bowl, combine the remaining dry cake mix with 1 egg and 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix well and then pat into prepared pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin spice. Pour over crust.

In a small bowl, combine reserved cup of cake mix, 1/2 cup sugar, and 4 tbs. softened butter. Crumble over pumpkin filling. Sprinkle nuts evenly over the top, if desired.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Also If you want a thicker crust use a spring form pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream or whip cream!

Fruit Tart

Market Street Grill has this really yummy fruit tart as one of their desserts and I found the recipe online! So I thought I would share it with all of you. They also have other recipes on their website that are probably equally delicious if you want to try them as well.

Tart Dough Ingredients:

1/4 cup almond paste (will be found next to the pie making ingredients in the store)

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

pinch of salt

3 egg yolks

1 ounce whipping cream (which is about half of a 1/4 cup)

2 cups cake flour

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, blend all of the above ingredients until combined, but don't over-mix! Chill dough for 10 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured board to 1/4" thickness and place in a 10" fluted pie tin with a removable bottom (also a spring form pan will work). Bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees, remove from oven and store in a cool, dry place.

Mock Pastry Cream Filling Ingredients:

(1) 5.1 ounce box of vanilla jell-o pudding (disregard package directions)

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp. pure almond extract

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla

If using a spring form pan, I would double the pastry filling.

Combine by hand all of the above ingredients until mixed. Chill for half an hour.

Remove tart shell from pie tin. Fill tart shell with pastry cream and level the amount. Arrange with your choice of fruit (strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, pears, apples, ect.)

Apricot Glaze Ingredients:

1/4 cup apricot jelly

1/4 cup hot water

Combine apricot jelly and hot water to make a glaze. Using a pastry brush, apply the glaze over the finished tart.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

This recipe is a little different from your normal banana bread, but it was super tasty! I got it from the epicurious recipe application on my phone. I just wanted to try something a little different and this did not disapoint!

What you need:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

2 tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x5x2 1/2 inch pan. Whisk first four ingreadients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in a small bowl; add 1 tbs. flour mixture and toss to coat.

Beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in a zigzag pattern.

Bake bread until tester inserted in center comes out clean. About 1 hour and 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool.

Strawberry Delight

This has been one of my favorite cakes that my mom makes since I was a little kid! I would always ask for my mom to make this for my birthday every September (when strawberries are not in season)! Since it is still February I thought this would be a good dessert to add for the end of the month.

What you need:

1 box vanilla or lemon cake from any cake mix brand

1 pint Whipping Cream

Powder Sugar

1/2 - 3/4 cup Cream Cheese

1 package Raspberry or Strawberry pie glaze

Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries

Bake vanilla or lemon cake following instructions on box. Whip 2 cups whip cream, adding powder sugar and the 1/2 - 3/4 cup cream cheese as the cream begins to firm up.

Mix raspberry or stawberry pie glaze according to pre-package directions. Adding fresh raspberries or strawberries. Layer in alternating order, whipped cream and then pie glaze with berries.

Bavarian Apple Torte

This is another winner that I got off of my friends blog www.nummiesforyou.blogspot.com. I have made this a couple of times for family dinners and everyone has loved it!

What you need:

Crust

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

Filling

1 egg

1/4 cup sour cream

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping

3 apples (peeled, cored, sliced thin) (either Gala or Granny Smith apples)

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of cloves

pinch of nutmeg

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Crust:

Whip butter until creamy and then add sugar and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and flour until it forms a ball. Butter bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Press crust mixture onto the bottom and up 1 inch on the sides.

Filling:

Beat the cream cheese until light. Add sugar and beat until blended. Add the vanilla, egg, and sour cream. Beat until smooth. Pour into crust and spread evenly.

Topping:

Mix apples, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl until all the apples are covered. Lay apples flat on top of the filling in a fan shape or flower shape or any design you like. Sprinkle almonds in a ring around the outer edge of the apples. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes and then 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve warm or chilled with ice cream.

Lemon Bars

This is a family favorite!

What you need:

Crust

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 sticks or 1 cup butter (softened)

Whip softened butter and then add powdered sugar and flour. Mix thoroughly, like a pie dough. Pat into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges.

Filling (meanwhile mix)

2 cups sugar

4 beaten eggs

juice of two lemons or 4-6 tablespoons lemon juice, depending on how lemony you like

4 tablespoons flour

Pinch of salt

After crust is baked, pour filling mixture over the crust and bake for 20 minutes more, at 350 degrees. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar!

Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

What you need:

1 Cup Butter

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

2 1/2 Cups Flour

Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Greese mini muffin tins so that cookies will not stick. Soften butter in microwave for about 10 seconds. In a mixing bowl whip butter. Add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place .25 cent quarter size balls of cookie dough into mini muffin tins. Cook for 8 minutes only! Take out of oven and immediately place unwrapped reeses peanut butter cups in the middle and press down in cookie. Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing cookies from the pans. Then cool again on cooling rack or place them in the fridge to cool.