No Bake Cheesecake

The best you will ever have:

1 package cream cheese
1 container cool whip
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix and put in graham cracker crust, chill a little while before serving

Banana Chocolate Cake

I posted this on my own blog, but thought I would share here too.  It is sooo good!

Banana Chocolate Cake

2 Cups White Sugar
1-3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Dark Cocoa Powder
1-1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1-1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Mashed Ripe Banana
1 Cup Warm Coffee (can substitute with water if you wish)
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1-1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In a medium bowl incorporate dry ingredients well.

In separate large bowl beat eggs, then add bananas, coffee, milk, oil, and vanilla....mix well.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet until well combined. Batter will be rather thin.

Pour batter into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. When completely cooled frost with favourite icing.

Enjoy!

Corrupt Martha

Rhubarb Cake

"Tis the season"!
I seen my first sighting of fresh, locally grown rhubarb at the farmers market this weekend and couldn't wait to whip up some sweet yummy rhubarb dessert!

1/2 cup butter (softened)
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (1 tbsp white vinegar with milk equally 1 cup)
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup cold butter
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt - set aside.
In a large bowl cream soft butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add buttermilk/sour milk. Slowly add dry ingredients, mix well.
Toss chopped rhubarb with the 1 tbsp of flour and fold into batter.
Pour mixture into greased and floured 9 x 13 baking pan.
Cut cold butter into brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Serve with ice cream..........delicious!

Cappuccino Torte ~ DELISH!!

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

GANACHE:
2-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 tablespoons corn syrup

CAPPUCCINO BUTTERCREAM:
6 egg yolks
2-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups cold butter
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon hot water
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

COFFEE WHIPPED CREAM:
1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate curls, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar and butter; press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Chill.

For ganache, place chocolate chips in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Add butter and corn syrup; stir until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Pour over crust. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.

For buttercream, place egg yolks in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer; let stand for 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar and water; cook and stir over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Beat egg yolks on high speed until thickened and lemon-colored. Reduce to low; with motor running, carefully and gradually add boiling brown sugar syrup. Gradually increase mixer speed to medium; beat until thickened, about 15 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until well mixed. Dissolve coffee granules in hot water; add to yolk mixture. Beat in cooled chocolate. Spread over ganache layer. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Several hours before serving, prepare coffee whipped cream. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cream and coffee; stir until coffee is dissolved. Beat in remaining cream until it begins to thicken. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form.

Carefully run a knife around edge of springform pan to loosen; remove sides. Frost top of torte with whipped cream; garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 14 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 876 calories, 67 g fat (40 g saturated fat), 249 mg cholesterol, 401 mg sodium, 74 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Cappuccino Torte published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2005, p89

Nutella Cinnamon Brownies

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp dark cocoa
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet choc. chips
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Nutella
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp hazelnut extract (optional - add 1/2 tsp more of vanilla if omitted)
• 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
• chocolate chips for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt - incorporate well. Melt butter in saucepan, add choc. chips, stirring until melted. Beat together melted chocolate mixture and sugar for 2 mins. Beat Nutella, eggs, vanilla and hazelnut extract into batter until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until combined. Pour into greased tinfoil lined baking pan. Sprinkle top with additional chocolate chips and hazelnuts. Bake at 375 for 23-25 mins. (NOTE: These do not have the texture of a normal brownie due to the Nutella.....don't be fooled and don't overbake)

Enjoy! Tracy (aka electracity)

S'more Bars

These are SO good! I've made them for several occasions recently and they've been a big hit - Taken from September 2009 Family Circle magazine

Crust:
14 whole graham cracker boards, crushed (2 1/4 cup crumbs) I put them in a gallon ziploc bag and go over them with a rolling pin to crush
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Brownie:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:
1 jar (7.5 ounces) marshmallow cream (about 1 1/2 cups) I've only found a 7 oz jar and it's worked fine
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup Hershey's mini chocolate Kisses
3 whole graham cracker boards, broken up

1. Crust: Combine cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Transfer to a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; press evenly into bottom. Refrigerate 1 hour until set.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Brownie: Combine chocolate and butter in a glass bowl. Heat in microwave on HIGH until chocolate and butter are melted, about 1 minute. Stir mixture until smooth.

4. Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until blended. While beating, gradually add chocolate mixture to egg mixture; beat until smooth.

5. Stir in flour and salt. Add vanilla. Pour evenly over crust.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until center is set.

7. Topping: While brownie layer is baking, whisk marshmallow cream a;nd milk in a small bowl until well blended and smooth. Remove brownie from oven; cover with marshmallow topping. Spread or tilt pan to level topping and completely cover brownie layer.

8. Sprinkle mini Kisses evenly over marshmallow. Scatter crumbled graham crackers over the top.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 more minutes or until chocolate Kisses are glossy and marshmallow topping is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars; remove from pan.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

Ingredients
· 2 1/2 cups regular all-purpose flour, unsifted
· 1/2 cup cocoa
· 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoons cinnamon
· 3/4 cup soft butter
· 2 cups sugar
· 3 eggs
· 2 teaspoons vanilla
· 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
· 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
· 1/2 cup milk
· 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
· 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

· Glaze (directions below)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
1. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
2. With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini.
3. Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition.
4. Pour the batter into a greased and flour-dusted 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan. Bake in the oven for about 50-60 minutes (test at 45 minutes!) or until a wooden pick/knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes; turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly.
5. Drizzle glaze over cake.

Glaze: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Cut in thin slices to serve. Makes 10-12 servings.

This is an absolute "must make" recipe if you love zucchini and/or chocolate. Hubby loves it...so much so he's asked me to make another this weekend!

Enjoy!

Tracy (electracity)

8 minute Cheesecake

I love this, its so simple and tastes great. DH loves it too!! I like to pour some caramel syrup over mine!

1pkg. 8-oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 8-oz container cool whip
1 graham cracker crust
fresh strawberries to garnish if you want

Beat cream cheese until smooth,gradually beat in sugar, Blend in sour cream and vanillaFold in cool whip. Blend well. Spoon into crust. Chill 4 hours or overnight. Top with strawberries if you want.

Lemon Supreme Pie

My MIL made this for dessert one day and I had to have the recipe, it was so delicious! It is a little time consuming and requires that you chill it overnight before serving, so it's not a last minute dessert you can whip up.

Ingredients:
1 unbaked deep-dish pastry shell (9 inches) (My MIL recommended Marie Calendar, it's in the frozen section)

Lemon Filling:
1-1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
4 to 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
2/3 cup lemon juice

Cream Cheese Filling:
2 packages (one 8 ounce, one 3 ounce) cream cheese softened
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1-1/2 cups whipped topping
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Line un-pricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat; stir in butter, lemon peel, and food coloring if desired. Gently stir in lemon juice (do not overmix). Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and lemon juice. Refridgerate 1/2 cup for garnish. Spread remaining cream cheese mixture into shell; top with lemon filling. Chill overnight. Place reserved cream cheese mixture in a pastry bag with a #21 star tip; pipe stars onto pie. Store in the fridge.

Makes 6-8 servings

Smores Cookies

This recipe is from the Rookie Chef. Instead of making them from scratch, I made them with a Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. They were delicious!
1 pkg. dry chocolate chip cookie mix(I used Betty Crocker)
1 egg
1 stick of softened butter
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 Hershey bars (break them into pieces) ( I brought 1 pack of the miniature bars in the snack pack)
1 cup of miniature marshmallows

I followed the directions on the package of the cookie mix. I added in the graham cracker crumbs. After I mixed it, it was a little dry so I added about 2 tablespoons of water and it was much better.

I scooped out the dough by teaspoons on a ungreased cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 350. I baked the cookies for 8 minutes then pulled them out and put marshmallows and pieces of the hersey bars into each cookies. I put them back in the oven for about 3 minutes.

Allow them to completely cool on a wire rack.

Emergency Chocolate Cake

This is a really easy recipe. And it satisfies any sweet craving you may have!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. cake flour (you can use all purpose flour too)
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cocoa powder
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. oil

Directions:
Spray the inside of your mug with non-stick cooking spray
Dump in all of the ingredients
Stir together with a fork until well blended
Microwave for 60 seconds
Turn out onto a plate (or eat in the mug) and satisfy that cupcake craving!