Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This recipe comes from Ryan's mom.  It has been HIS birthday cake for many years.  His Mom loves making it for him...and I finally remembered to get the recipe.  It is soooo yummy and surprisingly simple as well.  If you like chocolate and peanut butter you'll love this cake.

Cake Ingredients:

1       1 package devil’s food (or other chocolate) Cake Mix

8-oz. sour cream

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup water

       3  eggs (or just under 3/4 cup applesauce)

*HIGH ALTITUDE (above 3,500 ft.): add 1/3 cup flour to dry cake mix and increase water to 1/3 cup.  Bake as directed.

In my example pictures I used applesauce instead of eggs.  The substitution makes the cake a little flat, but using applesauce adds a lot of moisture (plus it's healthier).  My son's egg allergy keeps me motivated to use eggs as little as possible.

Directions:

-          Preheat oven to 350;  grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans of 9X13 inch pan

-          In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients listed above

 

Mix at low speed with mixer until moistened.  Beat 2 minutes at high speed.  

So...I'll be honest, I didn't mike my batter with hand mixers, not that I didn't want to, but my baby was napping and the whole making a cake idea would've been ruined had I used my mixers.  I was kind of surprised but how thick this batter was...almost like a muffin batter, but it still turned out just right.

 

Pour batter into pans (if using two round pans then divide equally between the two)

    

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. If using round pans: cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans. 

Frosting Ingredients:

     1/3 cup shortening (I used margarine instead and it worked as well)

      ½ cup peanut butter

      ¼ cup cocoa

      About 2 cups of powdered sugar

      1 tsp. vanilla

      dash of salt

      Enough milk to moisten

Directions:
Cream together shortening and peanut butter

-      I don't know about you, but this next picture makes me want to eat the entire bowl of frosting.  I didn't though...luckily.

     Mix in cocoa, vanilla and salt

-    Alternate between adding powdered sugar and enough milk to moisten mixture

- Add additional powdered sugar, or milk ( in small amounts) until your reach desired consistency.

So...here's my finished cake.  The taste is incredible, so it makes up for my lack of decorating skills.

 

This is the double layered round cake version (made by Jan Whittier).

French Toast Sandwiches

I totally forgot about these until Ryan suggested I make them for a play group lunch.  They are simple and so delicious. They can pretty much be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  The directions include egg-free, and milk-free alternatives. 

Ingredients:
1/2 milk (or milk alternative)
1 egg ( or 1 TBS cornstarch or flour)
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 slices of bread
putter butter
jam

Directions:
Preheat griddle or pan to 350 degrees (or medium heat). Mix milk, egg (or cornstarch or flour), sugar, and vanilla into a batter.  With each slice of bread dip into batter covering both sides.  Place slice of bread onto griddle and cook until browning and toasted.  Flip and cook the other side.

As the french toast comes off the griddle take one piece and spread peanut butter and jam on it.  Cover with another piece to make a french toast sandwich.  Makes 2 sandwiches.

Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw

1 head of cabbage, shredded
1 red onion, diced
1 c of carrots, grated
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c white vinegar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp mustard
black pepper to taste

Combine the vegetables in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and mix well. In a sauce pan combine the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour the hot dressing over the vegetables and mix well. If you like creamy mayo-based dressings you can replace the vegetable oil w/mayonnaise. I used half mayo, half oil for mine.

Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Pie

So...I'm in love with this pie.  This is the 3rd version of it I've posted.  After finding the original version I had to find a cheaper way to make it, because well, I'm cheap :)  After finding out about Madsen's allergies I was determined to have this pie again!  For a while it was only a dream because we thought he might be allergic to peanuts (and tree-nuts too), but allergy testing showed that he was not allergic to peanuts so this recipe what back on the experiment table.  My first attempt to recreate this pie was a total disappointment, but this one turned out great!  I was even bold enough to share it with the dairy-free community.

Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk (stored at 70°F or cooler), unshaken

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 package –(12 oz) firm silken tofu, drained

1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 dairy-free graham cracker

Directions:
1. Open can of coconut milk and scoop out all the cream and into a small mixing bowl.  You will not need to watery liquid in the bottom for this recipe.  Using hand mixers beat the coconut cream until thick and stiff, resembling whipped cream (will take several minutes).  Add the powdered sugar and beat into the cream.  Cover bowl and put in refrigerator.

2. Blend the tofu, white sugar, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.  Add the peanut butter and whipped coconut mixture.  Spoon into pie crust.

3.  Chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight (until firm).  Serve and enjoy!

Kara's Bread

I'm not sure where this recipe originated, but I got it in a round about way from my friend Kara.  It's super simple, quick, and makes really good bread.  My favorite part about it is how diverse it can be...throw in a little bit of this one time, a little bit of that another.  My husband says that since I got into cooking everything is always "an experiment".  Maybe that's why I like this recipe.  It gives me permission to play around a bit.  I like that!

Ingredients:

10 1/2 cups white bread flour (or wheat flour*-- use at least 1 cup bread flour)

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp salt

3 rounded Tbsp yeast

3 Tbsp cooking oil

4 cups hot (125-130 degrees) tap water

*if using wheat flour, substitute one cup applesauce (warm) for one cup hot water

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients.  Add oil and water.  Mix 5 minutes in electric mixer OR knead 10 minutes by hand.  Dough is VERY sticky.

Preheat oven to 350.  Shape dough into 4 loaves and place in greased loaf pans (8"x4").  Cover loaves with towel and let rise in warm place for 25 minutes.  Bake 25 minutes at 350.

OPTIONS:

1. substitute up to 2 cups flour with 2 cups whole grains, oats, 10-grain cereal, malt-o-meal, cracked wheat, flaxseed, or any whole grain you prefer.

2. bake only 3 loaves of bread and use remaining dough to make scones.

Easy P.B. Cheesecake

This is an easier version of a peanut butter cheesecake that I posted a year ago.  It is excellent!  It also it a less expensive.  The other recipe is only slightly better so if you have the time and money use that one.  Here's the recipe.  I found it online somewhere...I don't remember where.

Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1(8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 graham cracker or Oreo pie crust

Directions:
1. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together.  Add the peanut butter and mix well.  Fold in the whipped topping until completly blended.
2. Fill the pie crust with the peanut butter mixture and chill in the freezer until ready to serve.

Sweet potato and black bean enchiladas

This one is especially for Cystal because it's dairy free.

INGREDIENTS
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 small chile, seeded and minced
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (I usually use more beans)
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (I usually keep some of the liquid so things aren't dry, and use more tomatoes)
1 tablespoon chili powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups salsa
8 large flour tortillas
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
Optional: pears (I like putting them in just before baking. They bring out the sweet potato.)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Put the sweet potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, turning once, until they’re tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Turn oven down to 350F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chile and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked sweet potatoes and simmer mixture 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Spread a thin layer of salsa on the bottom of a lightly oiled 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside. 4. Place a tortilla on a flat work surface, spoon a portion of the sweet potato mixture down the center of it and roll it up. Place the filled enchilada in the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sweet potato mixture. If there’s any filling left over, spoon it on top of the enchiladas, then top with remaining salsa and sprinkle with red onion.
5. Cover and bake until casserole is hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately, with sour cream if desired.
Serves 8.

Que Pasa Style Quesadillas

In high school I worked at a restaurant called Que Pasa, one of the first Fresh Mexican grill style restaurants around. Regardless of how many times I ate their food I was in heaven each time. I've tried to replicate their food at best as possible in my own kitchen. These quesadillas are very close to the original and I'm totally in love with them. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
Cheese (Cheddar and/or Monterrey Jack)
Sour Cream
Guacamole (my recipe)
Soft Flour Tortillas
Meat (optional, but highly recommended) - shredded chicken, shredded beef, shredded pork, or chopped steak.

Directions
Cook meat using seasoning of your choice. If I come up with the meat recipes that taste like Que Pasa's I'll let you know. Use large frying pan and heat to medium/medium high. Spray pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

For each quesadilla: Spread sour cream on half a tortilla. Spread guacamole on the other half (if using small tortillas use 2 and spread sour cream on one and guacamole on the other).

Sprinkle cheese on one half, but don't over do it. If you put too much cheese you drowned out the other flavors and end up with a greasy mess (in my opinion). Top cheese with cooked meat of your choice.

 Fold tortilla in half and move to pan.

  Cook until tortilla is golden brown then flip and repeat for the other side.

Serve as soon as possible. They are best fresh!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

I got this recipe from an old neighbor Thad Call that lived below me when Ryan and I were dating. He was a pretty good cook, but this cheesecake I can't stop craving right now. I haven't made it yet, so hopefully it'll turn out as good as his did. Let me know if you try it and how it goes.

Crust:
1 1/4 c. vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 c. cocoa
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter flavored Crisco
1/3 c. peanut butter chips, chopped

Filling:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. peanut butter chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. real whipping cream

Prepare Crust: Combine crumbs, cocoa, powdered sugar and Crisco. Stir in chopped peanut butter chips. Press into 9-inch spring-form pan. (Or go the easy way and just buy a pre-made graham cracker crust from the store instead.)

Filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and lemon juice until light and fluffy. In a saucepan mix peanut butter chips and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Add to cream cheese mixture. Whip the whipping cream until stiff. Fold into peanut butter mixture. Pour in crust. Chill several hours.

Mandarine Toss Salad

I got this recipe from my friend Dinae. She used to make it all the time when we lived next door to them in Logan and we loved it. I tried it tonight and it's really refreshing. It does take some time though, so plan ahead.

1 small head lettuce
Spinach
3/4 lb. grated Swiss Cheese (or other cheese)
1 C. cottage cheese, rinsed
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 C. slivered almonds
1/4 lb. cooked bacon, crumbled

1/4 T poppy seeds
3/8 C. white vinegar
3/4 C. veg oil
3/8 C white sugar
3/4 t salt
3/8 t prepared mustard
3/8 lb sliced muchrooms
1/2 small purple onion

Toss the salad ingredients except the cottage cheese (add this when you are ready to serve) and chill. Mix and marinate the dressing for 6 hours. Then pour over the salad whey you are ready to serve.

Note: When I made it there was a lot of dressing. Just put as much as looks good and then you can save the rest for a dressing later. I used some of the dressing as a marinade for some chicken and that turned out really good as well.

Lion House Cinnamon Rolls

This is a slight variation on a recipe I got from a friend a couple years ago.  I have no idea if this recipe it's actually the recipe they use at the Lion House restaurant in Salt Lake City.  Anyway about it, these cinnamon rolls have become one of my absolute favorites, to make and to eat.  There is something so much fun about making bread to me.  I love kneading dough and then having it come together at the perfect consistency.  And then rolling up that dough with butter, cinnamon,  and brown sugar... baking... and topping it all with cream cheese frosting.  I mean really, does life yet better than that?

I especially like this recipe because it takes less time than others I've tried and the taste is amazing.  I really enjoy making these for my husband to take to work.  I get rave reviews every time and I have a few for my family and can send the rest away where I won't consumer them.  The last batch I made egg-free and wasn't let down a bit.


Ingredients:
 
2 Tablespoons dry yeast
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F.)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup dry milk
2 ½ tsp salt
1 egg (or 1/4 cup mashed banana)
5 to 6 cups flour

Additional ingredients:
brown sugar
butter
cinnamon

Directions:
In the large bowl combine yeast and warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, dry milk, salt, egg (or mashed banana) and 2 cups of the flour. Beat together until very smooth. Add 2 more cups flour, one at a time, and beat until smooth.

Add about one more cup of flour, ½ cup at a time until it is well mixed in. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth and satiny.

Gather dough into a ball. Scrap bowl clean and grease. Return dough ball to bowl. Cover. Let rise in a warm place until about triple in bulk (approx 1-1 ½ hrs).


Dump dough ball onto a clean, floured counter and punch down. Take all the dough at once for very large rolls (or half at a time for medium sized rolls) and use rolling pin to shape dough into a long rectangle. Brush melted butter over the dough rectangle. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the buttered area.

Roll the rectangle from the top of the long edge to the bottom. Use floss, thread, or a serrated knife to cut individual cinnamon rolls from your dough roll. 

Place rolls on cookie sheet, let rise another 15 minutes,

and then bake at 400 degrees for 10-13 minutes.

Slather with cream cheese icing and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 package cream cheese (4oz), softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar - depending on how sweet you want it.  I usually use 1 1/2 cups to allow the cream cheese flavor to stand out.

Icing Directions:
Mix together icing ingredients until smooth and creamy. For best results, frost cinnamon rolls while warm.

No-bake Cookies

This is Ryan's Mom's recipe. For some reason the recipe my family used growing up never really setup quite right. This one works every time for us. Very yummy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 milk
2 cups sugar
3 TBS cocoa
pinch of salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 TBS vanilla
4 cups oats

Directions
Combine margarine, milk, sugar, and cocoa in medium pan on medium (to medium high) heat.


Stir often to prevent scorching.


Heat to a rapid boil, then boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.


Add peanut butter, salt, and vanilla. Mix until peanut butter is completely melted.


Add oats.


Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper to make cookies. Let cool, cookies should hardened as cooled. Once cooled store in an air tight container to prevent drying out.

7 Layer Bean Dip

A must have for parties, especially New Year's

Layer 1: 1 can re-fried beans
Layer 2: 1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup taco seasoning (1/2 pkg)
(If desired you may substitute some sour cream for mayonnaise)
Layer 3: Guacamole, I use this recipe, doubled
Layer 4: 4-8 ounces shredded cheese
Layer 5: 1 can olives, sliced
Layer 6: 1 cup tomatoes, diced
Layer 7: 1/2 bunch onions (use white and green part of onion), chopped

Assemble layers in order, starting with the beans and building up to the green onions. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to mix. Serve with tortilla chips.

Chocolate Fluffy Bits

These are my absolute favorite!

16 oz milk chocolate chips (or 2 8 oz chocolate bars)
1 12 oz container cool whip, softened
crushed graham crackers

Melt chocolate in microwave and cool slightly. Mix cool whip with chocolate. Drop mixture by teaspoon into graham crack crumbs and roll until ball is form. Put fluffy bits on baking sheet covered with waxed paper. Cool in fridge. Enjoy!

Chicken Puffs

This is my variation of a recipe I got from a co-worker a couple years back. We have these all the time and Ryan and I love them.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken (usually I use just one chicken breast)
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can Crescent Rolls
Seasoned Salt (about 1 1/2 tsp)

Directions:
Filling
Boil chicken until cooked (about 20 minutes). Shred chicken. Combine chicken, green onions, and cream cheese. Add seasoned salt to taste.

Rolls
Open can of rolls and spread out on greased baking sheet. Divide chicken mixture onto the rolls.


Fold dough of each roll around the chicken mixture.
Cook for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Makes 2-3 servings.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about10 minutes.

Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into around. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Bread & Milk

2 pieces of white bread
1 cup of milk

Break bread into small pieces and place in bowl. Add milk. Top with jam, sugar, honey, or brown sugar, if desired.

Guacamole

I've been trying for years to make guacamole from scratch and it never turns out quite right. Last week I finally put together something that tasted just right.

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
1/8 - 1/4 cup salsa
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 clove garlic*
pinch of salt

Directions:
Cut avocado in half. Remove pit and scoop out fruit from both halves and place in small bowl. Mash with fork until desired texture. Add salsa, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until mixed together. Serve as a side with chips or use in another recipe.

*1/4 tsp garlic powder = 1 clove garlic