Cold Winter Nights and Hot Pudding Cake

The day began with a gray coating of thin clouds and barely a slice of sunshine. Children donned their winter jackets and heavy boots. The temperature outside froze at 11 degrees. The streets were barren because no one wanted to leave the warmth of their homes for a silly trip to the grocery store. It was a day like no other. 

In the depth of each kitchen, hot steamy bowls of soup were shared by the family. The aroma of freshly baked bread enticed even the pickiest of eaters to come to the table for dinner. Little hands reached out for the golden goodness of a toasted cheese sandwich, melted to just the right amount of gooeyness. Bellies were filled, and hearts were warmed as the meal ended and dessert was served. 

As the crock pot was brought to the table, the children murmured in disbelief. What was this? No one wanted more soup or vegetables. They were ready for something sweet, something to make their tummies happy, and their mouths shout hooray. Each of them stood up to rebel against this travesty. 

They sat back down when the lid came off the slow cooker. A hot beacon of steam escaped from the round container. The deep, rich smell of chocolate enveloped the room. As mom reached her giant spoon into the dark cake, she brought forth a wondrous surprise. Ladled into the first dish came a moist cocoa brownie swimming in a puddle of warm chocolate pudding. Over and over, she served her dessert until the bottom of the pan was empty except for a few crumbs sprinkled in the dark liquid. Mom didn’t stop there. For each guilty pleasure, she delicately sprayed a mountain of whipped cream and topped the dollop off with  a maraschino cherry.  Her masterpiece was completed and the family was overwhelmed. The only sounds left for the evening were the humming noises of content children as they devoured their treats at the end of a winter’s day. 

Everyone loves dessert. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a cold winter’s night, or a hot summer evening, the thought of something sweet after a good meal completes the picture. (It can also be the redeeming factor if the food wasn’t that delicious.) One of the best desserts that I have found is this  Chocolate Pudding Cake which bakes inside my slow cooker. I like it because it’s easy, the ingredients are simple, and it cooks without my constant attention. I can prepare this cake and then leave it alone while I do something else. It’s also nice because I don’t have to turn on the oven, which is helpful when the weather outside is broiling my tootsies off. 

This gooey treat bakes a firm brownie like cake that rises to the top, while a molten load of chocolate pudding lava bubbles underneath. For anyone who enjoys warm chocolate oozing over a delicious brownie, this is perfect for you. I especially love it with whipped cream and cherries, but my son enjoyed it with a scoop of black cherry ice cream on top. Both were fantastic. Its your choice. Try it this evening and be prepared to forget about the weather. It won’t matter anymore. 

Crock Pot Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
2 ¼ TBL unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
2 TBL oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ cups very hot water

Directions:

Spray inside of a 2-3 ½ quart crock pot/slow cooker with cooking spray. (If your crock pot is larger, double all ingredients.)

In large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, 2 ¼ TBL cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil and vanilla and stir until smooth.**  Batter will be very thick. Spread in crock pot evenly.

In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar and ¼ cup cocoa. Add hot water and stir until smooth.  Pour evenly over batter in crock pot. Let sit – do not stir!

Cover crock pot and cook on high for 2 hours or until center comes out clean.
Turn pot off. Let stand for 30 minutes so sauce underneath is a nice consistency.

Spoon into dishes, and serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream on top. I like to add a cherry too!

** If desired, add ¾ cup of chopped nuts or cherries here. **

Little Bitty Bites of Goodness

A few years ago, the big trend in baking was cake pops. Recipes were plastered all over the internet about how to make them, bake them, roll them, and decorate them. It was a simple product made from three ingredients - cake, frosting, and melted chocolate. People were obsessed with decorating them into animals, faces, sports equipment, and beautiful masterpieces. Books described in detail the different flavors that could be used, and the variety of colors available for your eating pleasure. I will admit, I was one of those crazy bakers who had to try this new phenomena. 

I found the basic recipe and bought all the ingredients to create my own cake pop. My kitchen was buried in cake mix, eggs, and oil. The first step was to make a 9x13inch cake according to the box mix. I chose a simple vanilla cake. I baked my cake and then let it cool until it was easy to touch. The next direction said to crumble my cake into tiny pieces, much like sand or small peas. I did that. There was a lot of cake! Now to add the frosting - a whole 16 oz container of vanilla frosting, and mix thoroughly. Once combined, it was time to roll the mixture into little balls. They were then chilled, and dunked into melted chocolate. The whole process took a long time, and honestly, I wasn’t thrilled with the outcome. The balls were so sweet that it hurt my teeth to eat just one. Plus I had all these vanilla balls with vanilla frosting. There was no variety whatsoever. I could have divided out the crumbled cake with different frostings, but that would have left lots of wasted leftover frosting. I didn’t need or want the aggravation. Needless to say, I never made this recipe again. 

A year or so later, a very smart engineer created a machine that baked your favorite cake mix into 12 individual small balls. The baking process only took 5 minutes. Being the small appliance queen that I am (I have at least 10 the last time I counted) I had to own this new little machine. Of course, once I decided I wanted one, there were none to find. My son, however, saved the day once more. He actually found one and bought it for me as a surprise. I couldn’t wait to try it out. 

JayRex and I bought our vanilla cake mix, but this time we tried something different. Instead of eggs, and oil and all the calories that went with it, we added diet soda to the mix. We then sorted the batter into 4 little bowls and added assorted flavorings and coordinating colors for each portion. With a tablespoon of batter into the little round compartments, the BabyCake Machine worked its miracle. The cake was perfectly formed and easy to remove. I then melted some white chocolate chips and dunked each ball into its sweet covering. Jay sprinkled each flavored ball with a particular color sugar so we would know the flavor inside. The whole process of baking and decorating more than 48 balls took us less than an hour.  So much easier than the first time I made cake pops, and these new treats were soft, moist, and extremely better tasting. 

I did poke lollipop sticks into a few of my new goodies to make a cute display. The rest never made it past the ball stage. I have to say  that all of them disappeared within 2 days. I proceeded to buy more cake mix again, only this time I melted dark chocolate for the topping. (Cherry cake with dark chocolate coating is like eating a chocolate covered cherry without dripping cordial on your shirt. I don’t know how many I have eaten so far.)

My recipe for these little bitty bites of goodness is as follows. If you can, find yourself a "BabyCakes" machine and get ready to fall in love with  cake again. I know I did! 

**You can find "BabyCakes" Cake Pop Machine at Amazon.com**

April and Jay’s Recipe for Cake Balls

Ingredients:

1 box of vanilla cake mix (or any other preferred flavor)
12 ounces of Diet Crème Soda (or any other preferred flavor that matches your cake.)
Assorted flavors such as almond, orange, raspberry, cherry, and coconut.
Food coloring to match your flavors
Assorted colored sugars for decoration

1 bag of white chocolate chips. (Can also use Wilton Candy Melts)
Lollipop sticks (Optional)

Directions:

Preheat machine.

Mix cake mix and soda in medium size bowl. Divide batter into 4 small bowls. Add favorite flavor and coordinating color to each portion. I used blue for almond, pink for raspberry, white for coconut, and orange for orange obviously.

With non stick spray, grease the machine’s top and bottom trays. Using a tablespoon, fill the cavities of the machine. Do not overfill because they will ooze out and have too much flash on the sides. Close lid and cook for 5 minutes. When finished, remove cake balls with toothpick. Careful - the machine is HOT!

Let the balls cool. When ready, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 second intervals. Stir completely after each interval. After 1 minute, it should be done.

Dunk each ball into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with colored sugars while wet. Let dry on wax paper. If you are interested, you can poke each ball with a lollipop stick to make a treat on the go.

Store these goodies in an airtight container for best results. I guarantee they won’t last long once everyone has tried one. Enjoy with a glass of milk, a cup of tea, a mug of coffee or just by themselves. They are that good!

Cravings of April

I love cookbooks! I love browsing through the pages, collecting recipes, and drooling at the pictures. A good cookbook should always have pictures. Otherwise, how do you know if you’re following the recipe correctly? Pictures are a must. 

I don’t know how many cookbooks I actually own. There is a giant box filled with my secret pleasures sitting on the floor of my dining room. Like any dedicated reader, I can’t bear to throw any books away. I didn’t even discard any cookbooks when I moved across country to California. I stored the majority of them at my sister’s house, in her basement. I did bring along my own cookbook which was filled with those recipes I use all the time. That cookbook is my kitchen bible. (A sequel of this book is available at Amazon.com for your dining pleasure.)     April's Cookbook

Recently, I encountered another cookbook that I absolutely love. Originally, I discovered it on the shelf at Target. I couldn’t afford it at first; I was barely 

working enough hours to buy food, let alone buy a cookbook. So every time I shopped, I browsed through the book‘s pages. I even took a picture of one of the recipes to try it out at home sometime. I know it would have been easier to look up the recipes on the internet, but like I said, I love the cookbooks themselves. I enjoy flipping through the actual paper pages and being able to write on the recipe any changes I made or whether or not its worth making again. 

You can imagine how overjoyed I was when my son gave me this cookbook for a Christmas present this year.  I couldn’t wait to dive in and try out more dishes. The best part was that I already had many of the ingredients in my pantry or refrigerator! I only had to go to the store for a few essential items. I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen and cook! 

By now, you’re probably wondering what the name of the cookbook is. I’ll be glad to tell you so you can enjoy these scrumptious and easy recipes too. The book is called Cravings, and it was created by one of America’s top models, Chrissy Teigen. At first, I wasn’t very familiar with her, but I grew to love this woman while watching her as the co- host of the show, Lip Sync Battles with L.L. Cool J.  Chrissy is also the wife of John Legend and recently gave birth to an adorable little boy. Let me just say, this woman can cook too. 

The recipe I tried first was Chrissy’s Spicy Italian Sausage Meatloaf. I had been craving meatloaf for some time, so now was my chance to dive in. I was a bit reluctant, however, because meatloaf has never been one of my best dishes.  My mom could make meatloaf and everyone raved about it. I made meatloaf and everyone ran away screaming. That’s why when I mentioned to my family that I wanted to try this entrée, there was a general moaning and groaning and negative consensus. But I was persistent and was finally granted permission to attempt my hand at meatloaf again, provided I followed the particular recipe. To some degree, I did; but there were some substitutions made due to  dietary restrictions. Our family does not eat pork,  nor does my son believe in combining two different kinds of meat in one serving. It freaks him out. So to make this recipe edible for him, I used ground turkey for the ground beef, and Italian turkey sausage for the sausage.  I also do not have a food processor, so instead of grinding up any day old bread, I used the Italian Panko bread crumbs I already had in the cupboard. The last substitution I made was because of sheer absentmindedness. I forgot to buy ketchup. I went down the aisle at the grocery store specifically to buy it, but I ran into a friend and we started talking. By the time we finished, I needed to get home to start dinner and I left the ketchup back on its shelf. I realized what I did when I arrived home; so I topped my meatloaf with the BBQ sauce I had already, and I skipped the ketchup/brown sugar mixture. The original recipe belongs to Ms. Teigen, but I have to admit that my substitutions were successful too. 

With baited breath, I waited for my family’s reaction. It was a total success! The blend of two kinds of meat, along with the red hot pepper flakes and other seasonings surprised our taste buds beyond compare. Meatloaf could now be put on the menu again! 

The recipe I enclose is my adaptation of Ms Teigen’s. If you would like to try the original recipe, please purchase her book, Cravings. Its well worth it! (You have to try her sweet and salty Coconut Rice too! Its amazing!!)

Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage Meat loaf

Ingredients: 

1 cup of Italian Panko Bread Crumbs

1/3 cup whole milk

1 lb of ground Italian turkey sausage

1 lb of ground turkey

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely grated carrots

1 large egg

1 TBL Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp red  pepper flakes 

2 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp ground pepper

¼ cup of Barbecue sauce

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a small bowl, pour the milk into the bread crumbs. Stir thoroughly and let sit. In a much larger bowl, combine the two meats until completely incorporated. Add egg and mix again. Get your hands into this; it’s the only way to insure your ingredients are combined well. Add breadcrumbs, onions, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. 

Form your meat into a mound and place in a lightly greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. Top with the barbecue sauce. Cook for approximately 50 - 60 minutes, depending on your oven.  Juices may form in bottom of pan, let meatloaf sit for 5 minutes to absorb them. This recipe makes a hearty dish to feed a family.  Enjoy your meatloaf with your favorite side dishes and/or  possibly in a sandwich the next day. 

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen

Oatmeal Crazies

What do you do when you want to make cookies, but you’re missing certain ingredients? If you’re really desperate for a chewy, yummy treat, the answer is clear. You improvise! The secret is to search the cupboards and refrigerator for any kind of substitution that will tickle your taste buds and make your face smile. Its like playing your own version of Chopped, for desserts only.

There are some substitutions that are easy to manipulate. For instance, its simple to swap white chocolate chunks for chocolate chips, or perhaps your favorite candy coated chocolate pieces, or peanut butter flavored ones. Sometimes its even okay to substitute oil for soft shortening, or butter. The options are endless, depending on what you have on hand. What happens, however, when you don’t have enough butter to make your ultimate oatmeal raisin cookie? Or perhaps, you don’t even have raisins! Are there other options to use and still have a decent treat to enjoy with your evening tea? After researching my dilemma, I found a perfectly great substitution that was actually a better health choice.

I called my new cookie, Oatmeal Crazies. They are very similar to my original oatmeal raisin cookie, but with a few recipe changes, which proved to be quite delicious. My story began with the problem that I did not have enough butter for my recipe. I also realized that I didn’t have enough raisins for my recipe either. I did, however, promise my son to make cookies for his daily snack at work. The obvious solution would have been to go to the store and buy the ingredients that I was missing. The problem was that I didn’t have the means to get to my nearby grocery establishment. I decided to look up an alternative solution on the internet. It turns out that applesauce is a fair substitution for shortening. Most chefs will tell you that it doesn’t work for cookies, because they won’t turn out chewy or crispy. That was not a problem for me, because I like my oatmeal raisin cookies soft and fluffy anyway. Oatmeal, itself, provides a chewy texture, so I decided to experiment with the applesauce anyway. I also needed to think creatively with my raisins. Any other time, I would have given up, or used chocolate chips.  This time, my choices were few. I did, however, have a giant bag of dried cranberries that someone had given me. The idea seemed like a perfect match.

With any substitution, there are a few things that need to be accommodated. When using applesauce, there is no real “creaming” together with the sugar. It turns out to be a sloppy mess of liquid. Adding a touch more flour helps the situation tremendously. I also learned that cookie sheets don’t necessarily need to be greased, but it did help. Unsweetened applesauce also elevates the cinnamon and nutmeg flavor, so the combined flavor was truly incredible. All in all, once the cookies baked and cooled, the recipe was a success. It’s also nice to know that these cookies contain less fat and more fruit, and are actually better for me and my family.

Oatmeal Crazies 

Ingredients:

2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger  or pumpkin spice
½ teaspoon salt

3 cups quick or old fashioned, uncooked oatmeal

Directions: 

Heat oven to 350°F.
Combine eggs, cranberries, & vanilla in separate bowl. Stir and let stand. This hydrates the berries.

In large bowl, beat applesauce and sugars until thoroughly incorporated.  Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt; mix well.

Add the egg, cranberries, and vanilla combination. Beat well.  Add oats. Dough will be  stiff and sticky. It  may be necessary to finish stirring by hand.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto  lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Servings: ABOUT 6 DOZEN

Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of  lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered, 24 BARS

Helpful Substitutions for your baking pleasure:

Baking Powder (1 tsp) = 1/3 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Baking Soda(1 tsp) = 2 tsp Baking powder and omit salt in recipe

Cream of tartar (1 tsp) = 1 teaspoon white vinegar or 1 tsp lemon juice

Buttermilk (1 cup) = 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup (let stand 5-10 minutes), or 1 cup plain yogurt or 1 cup sour cream

Butter (1 cup) = 3/4 cups of vegetable oil or 1 cup of applesauce

Unsweetened baking chocolate (1 oz ) = 3 Tbsp baking cocoa plus 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Light Brown Sugar = 2 tablespoons molasses plus 1 cup of white sugar

Confectioner's/Powdered Sugar = Finely ground 1 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For more baking substitutions, check out this site. http://chefinyou.com/articles/substitutes-in-baking-101/

Summer Loving Cookies

The summer sun swelters high in the sky. The afternoon is filled with hot, humid air. Children’s music is heard down the block from the ice cream truck making its rounds. Ice cold bottles drip with condensation. No one is hungry, but something sweet to eat would hit the spot. It needs to be light, puffy, and yet full of flavor. A delicate hint of lemon would take the edge off of such a sizzling day.  Pink lemonade would be the perfect drink, but you’re in the mood for a cookie. 

Although the weather may be daunting with heat and no one wants to turn the oven on, it is possible to bake an afternoon treat in the cooler hours of the evening. A clever baker will also turn the air conditioner up while turning the oven on. Thereby creating the illusion of a cooler atmosphere and perfect for baking! Either way, these lemonade cookies are worth the 15 minutes of a hot oven. The recipe is fast and easy, and the results are the equivalent of chilled glass of lemonade, complete with the sweetness of sugar and the tart pucker of lemon together in one bite. Everyone will enjoy these plump cookies bathed in their favorite summer beverage.  Try them for yourself first, then invite your friends over for some summer fun and cool treats. You won’t regret it!

(This is another recipe from the Cake-Mix Cookie collection selection.)

Lemonade Cookies

Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Ingredients:

1 box lemon cake mix
2 large eggs
4 oz of frozen whipped topping. (1/2 of an 8-ounce container) thawed
1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup confectionery sugar
½ cup pink lemonade drink mix

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix confectionery sugar and lemonade mix in separate bowl. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, lemon juice, and whipped topping. Stir through completely. (Dough will be thick and sticky.)

With a teaspoon, scoop out dough and shape into ¾ inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until set and cookie tops have cracked slightly. Remove cookies to wire racks.

While cookies are still warm,  roll each one in the confectionery lemonade mix until thoroughly coated.   (Its also possible to put sugar mix in large seal-able bag and shake cookies lightly until covered.)

Now you can have your cookie and lemonade too!

Cake Mix Cookies

My younger sister is a wonder to behold. She has four children ages 10 through 18; she works full time Monday through Friday , plus she holds down a second job on the weekend to help pay for her son’s tuition to private school.  She manages to keep house and still be a devoted wife. I’m exhausted just thinking about her life. Through it all, she also cooks amazing meals with a dessert thrown in for good measure. So when she asked me if I knew any recipes that were quick and easy to fix, I thought long and hard. Most of my treats are made from scratch, with flour, sugar, eggs, and all the other ingredients needed for a finished product. They may be simple, but can be time consuming. To help her out, I searched my collection of recipes and  came across this kitchen hack for making a chocolate mint crinkle cookie. It consists of only 4 major ingredients along with a few teaspoons of peppermint. The end product is soft, sweet, lightly minted, and loaded with chocolate. It’s also very quick to make and faster to eat. 

I originally made this cookie when I was looking for something that would be sweet, but not detract from my weight loss program. There is no oil or butter to be added. Only cake mix, eggs, and fat free whipped cream. The cookies are large and rich in flavor, so enjoying a couple with my cup of tea did not make me feel heavy or defeated. After experimenting with the chocolate fudge cake mix, I definitely will try other flavors such as orange, lemon, and maybe even carrot. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination and selection at the local grocery store. 

Chocolate Mint Crinkle Cookies 

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
2 large eggs
4 oz of frozen whipped topping. (1/2 of an 8-ounce container) thawed
1 TBL peppermint flavoring

1 cup confectionery sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, egg, and whipped topping, stir thoroughly. (Dough will be thick and sticky.)

Dust hands with confectioners' sugar. With a teaspoon, scoop out dough and shape into 3/4-inch balls. Roll the balls in the confectionery sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until set and cookie tops have cracked. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool.  Makes 48 cookies. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk or great cup of tea!

E Z Macaroons

I am an avid coconut fan. I love it in candy, on my ice cream, as my coffee flavoring, and topping my donuts. Some people don’t like the texture and some people are allergic to it, but I enjoy every mouthful of that tropical goodness, especially as a cookie. Coconut macaroons are a simple treat that doesn’t take long to make or bake. They are used for many occasions, such as Easter, Passover, Christmas, Baby Showers, and every other Tuesday. Just kidding, we all know its every other Thursday.  

In my cookie recipe, I prefer to add a small bit of almond flavoring to accentuate the sweetness of the coconut. I’m sure there are other flavors that could be used, such as orange, vanilla, or even chocolate. Please feel free to experiment. I’ll be honest, I only stick with the almond because once I start craving macaroons, I crave the exact taste of that almond too. (If my sister is reading this, just give up Tarcia. Don’t even make this recipe. Its not worth you or Taylor getting hives or becoming violently ill. My sister is allergic to almond, my niece is allergic to coconut. Bad situation for both of them.)

The only thing better than a chewy coconut treat alongside a large cup of orange pekoe tea, is to find a recipe for these delicacies that is easy and quick to make. This recipe is a keeper. There are not many steps and its easy to follow. It’s also a great way to teach your children some basic kitchen skills. No mixer is needed, just a handy spoon. Not only do the cookies come out firm and delicious out of the oven; they taste even better the next day - that’s if you have any leftovers. 

EZ Macaroons

Makes 20 small cookies

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups coconut (sweetened)
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Combine sugar, flour, and coconut in a mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly, making sure all dry ingredients are incorporated.  Add almond extract and stir again. Stir in egg whites, one at a time making sure mixture is completely combined.  Mix well. 

Roll into teaspoon size balls or drop from teaspoon onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Remove cookies from cookie sheet immediately after baking. Let cool and enjoy!!

***If you’re feeling very decadent, this is an excellent cookie for dunking in chocolate too. Melt your favorite chocolate in the microwave or through a double boiler, (Or for an extra easy way, buy the dipping chocolate at your local grocery store) and dip ½  of your baked macaroon into the chocolate pool. You can also drizzle the chocolate across the top. Allow to dry.***