Good pictures

Someday I plan on taking good quality pictures of all these recipes to make the in the distant future cookbook look awesome but today's not that day. 

Sunday Chocolate cake

This is practically identical to Texas sheet cake except you bake it in a 9x13 dish. Kendall made is for dessert tonight and it was crazy delicious. She was very proud.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup boiling water
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups sugar
½ cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the fudge-pecan icing
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400˚F. Brush a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with melted butter or spray with a nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl and set aside.


3. Combine the butter, boiling water, and chocolate in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat, and whisk gently until the butter and chocolate are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the sugar. Quickly whisk in the buttermilk and then the eggs and vanilla. Using an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined and a smooth batter forms, about 1 minute.


4. Pour the batter immediately into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.


5. Meanwhile, make the icing: combine the chocolate, butter, buttermilk in a saucepan and cook, stirring over medium heat, until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, salt and 3 cups of the sifted confectioners sugar. If you would like the icing sweeter and thicker, whisk in the remaining confectioners sugar to taste. 


6. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and pour the warm icing over the cake while it, too, is still warm in the pan. Let cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.

Best Toffee Ever

Easy, classic, and delicious. Christmas season wouldn't be the same without it. It's also amazing poured over popcorn or granola.

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups chocolate chips

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes the color of a brown paper bag (285 degrees F). Stir occasionally.

While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and let it melt for a couple minutes. Spread the chocolate into a thin layer.

Let it chill and then break into pieces.

Next Best Thing to Robert Redford

This dessert is from a ward cookbook my mom got YEARS ago and I have very fond memories of eating it throughout my childhood. I don't really like pudding or cool whip but they are absolutely delicious in this. We'd have this dessert regularly after a sunday dinner or bbq. Now that I'm grown and make it myself I make the crust extra thick.

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup melted butter
Mix together melted butter, flour, and sugar. Pat into bottom of 9x13 pan and prick with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until light brown. Let cool.

1st layer
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 large container cool whip, thawed
Beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and half container cool whip together. Spread over cooled crust.

2nd layer
1 small package instant chocolate pudding
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
Beat milk and puddings on low speed for 2 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer.

3rd layer
Remaining cool whip
2 hershey bars, grated
Spread remaining cool whip over pudding layer. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Refrigerate at least 2-3 hours before serving.

Texas Sheet Cake

This is my entire family's GO TO cake. It's what my mom made for our birthdays, what she made to take to parties, and it's what I'm now known for with all of my in laws.

Cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
pinch salt
1/4 cup butter
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour jelly roll pan. Mix together sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl. Bring to a boil butter, oil, water, and cocoa. Add sugar and flour mixture. Stir together buttermilk, eggs, soda, and vanilla. Add to above mixture and mix well. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Make frosting while cake bakes. Bring to a boil butter, cocoa, and milk. Take of stove and add vanilla and powdered sugar- beating well with a whisk. Pour over cake while still hot.

Breakfast Casserole

I like this dish more than my husband or kids. It's CRAZY delicious- which isn't really surprising since it's loaded with cheese and butter. It's great for showers or family get togethers because it's good warm or room temperature. It's really great to make this for Christmas breakfast. You can prepare it all the night before and then bake it off in the morning while everyone is opening presents.

10 eggs

1 lb grated cheddar cheese

1 stick of butter, softened or melted

1 pint cottage cheese

2 cups ham or bacon

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 7oz can of diced green chiles

Mix all ingredients and bake, in a 9x13 pan, for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown. 

Chocolate Cheesecake

I think pie is gross. I've never liked it and was always bummed come holiday celebrations that there weren't any desserts I liked. So now that I'm the adult in charge of menu planning I decided to make cheesecake instead of pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. We made this for Thanksgiving and it was rich and delicious and definitely a tradition in the making.

• Crust:
• 2 9-ounce package of chocolate cookies (such as chocolate wafers, graham crackers or teddy grahams)
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 
  
Filling:
• 10 ounces good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped 
• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs- room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Chocolate curls for garnish
• 
  

        Directions

1. For crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Process the chocolate cookies in a food processor until they are finely ground. Transfer them to a small bowl and mix in the sugar. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom only of the prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Keep the oven heated at 350 degrees.
2. For filling: Melt the 10 ounces of chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Cool the chocolate until lukewarm but ensure that it is still warm enough to be pourable. In a large bowl (or with a stand mixer), blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Mix in lukewarm chocolate. Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust; smooth the top. Bake until the center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
3. For topping: One hour before serving (or up to 3 days ahead of time), stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks. Chill until the topping is set, about 1 hour.
4. When ready to serve, release the springform pan sides. Transfer the cheesecake to a platter. Top with chocolate curls. It is preferable to let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.

 

Biscuits

Gage LOVES biscuits. Every time we go to Cracker Barrel for breakfast he orders them- and he's very particular about how he eats them. He eats one with butter and one with jam- but he puts the butter or jam on top, not in the middle. He's always happy when I make biscuits at home. These are quick and tender and yummy.

2 1/2 Cups Self Rising Flour - Make certain that it is Self Rising Flour! 
2 teaspoons of Sugar
1/2 cup of Butter - Cold, cut into pieces
3/4 to 1 cup (or more) of milk


Preheat your oven to 450F

Stir together your dry ingredients in a mixing bowl:
2 1/2 cups Self Rising Flour
2 Teaspoons of Sugar

Using pastry blender or fork, cut in  1/2 cup butter until mixture is crumbly

Stir in 3/4 to 1 cup of Buttermilk until dough leaves side of bowl.   If dough is dry, add buttermilk a teaspoon at a time until it looks right.  

Gently roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut biscuits into 1.5 inch (or whatever size you want) circles and place them on a cookie sheet.

When the oven is at temperature, put the cookie sheet with the approximately 10 to 12 biscuits into the oven at 450. Bake 10 minutes of until golden brown. 

Freeze leftover biscuits. 

Fancy Frozen Drinks

Equal parts raspberry (or whatever flavor you like) and sparkling apple cider. We make this for New Year's Eve and it's festive and delicious.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake

I made these cupcakes for a relief society dinner where the dessert was a table full of cupcakes. These were such a hit, I've never had so many people ask me for a recipe before. Pretty looking and so so delicious.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Cupcake:

    1 cup all-purpose flour

    ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    1 tsp baking soda

    ¼ tsp salt

    ½ cup granulated sugar

    ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

    4 tbsp room temperature butter

    1 room temperature large egg

    1 tsp vanilla

    ½ cup lukewarm water

    ¼ cup buttermilk

    Mini reese’s peanut butter cups

Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, beat the sugars and butter until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the water and buttermilk. Add the flour mixture beating on low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on medium-high speed just until no traces of flour remain, about 30 seconds; do not overeat.

Fill each muffin cup about half full.  Add a reese’s cup to each cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting: 

    4 tbsp room temperature butter

    2 tbsp milk

    Pinch salt

    2 tbsp cocoa

    1 ¾ cups powdered sugar

Mix with beaters until fluffy and smooth and spoon into one side of a pastry bag.

Peanut Butter Frosting:

    4 tbsp room temperature butter

    2 tbsp milk

    Pinch salt

    ¼ cup peanut butter

    1 ¾ cups powdered sugar

Mix with beaters until fluffy and smooth and spoon into other side of a pastry bag. Frost cupcakes and top each with reese’s cup pieces.

Salt Dough Ornaments

We made these several years ago and we still hang them on the tree every year. They hold up really well and are super cute.

Recipe:
2 cups flour, plus more for surface
1 cup salt
1 cup warm water

1. Combine flour and salt. Slowly mix in water. Knead for 7-10 minutes on a floured surface. Roll out to 3/8-inch thickness. Freeze for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Use cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Insert screw eyes at top of shapes (I just poked holes to tie a string through.) Freeze for 30 minutes. Bake for 4-6 hours. Let cool.

3. Mix craft glue and craft paint to desired color. Outline shape with colored glue and then "flood," or fill in, the surface with colored glue. (For most of mine I just used a paint brush and painted a thick coat on.) For a solid glitter effect, coat paint/glue immediately with glitter. For a layered look, let first coat of glue dry overnight, then apply a second color for details, adding tinsel or glitter as desired. Use wire or hooks to hang.

Sparkly salt dough ornaments.

Kirsten's Cookies

I wanted a really easy to remember cookie recipe and came up with these. They are my favorite chocolate chip cookie and they're the base for almost every kind of cookie I make. They are soft, brown sugary, and perfect. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter at room temperature 
1 cup brown sugar 
1 tablespoon vanilla 
1 egg 
2 cups flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 bag of Hershey's Mini Kisses 

Mix the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg until smooth. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix in the chocolate chips. Bake rounded tablespoons of dough for 10-13 minutes (depending on preferred doneness) at 350 degrees. Cool for a few minutes before removing from pan- they're kind of fragile. Makes 2 dozen. 

*** Add 2/3 cup peanut butter with the wet ingredients for some crazy good, and rich, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. 

Broccoli Chicken Cheese Soup

Years ago, before the kids were born, I went to a relief society dinner with my mom. They served soup and salad and included the recipes for this soup and some really yummy salad dressing on the program. This soup is so good. It's pretty and satisfying and delicious. 

Serves 10-12 

3-4 cups water with chicken boul. or 3 cups chicken broth 
5 skinned chicken breasts 
3 large carrots, diced 
3 stalks celery, chopped fine 
1 medium onion, diced 
1/2 cup butter 
1/2 cup flour 
4 cups (1 quart) whole milk 
1 1/2 pounds precooked and drained broccoli 
15 oz. jar cheez whiz 

Boil chicken in 3 cups of broth with carrots, celery, and onion for 1 hour. Remove chicken and veggies. Save 2-3 cups of broth. Set the chicken aside to cool and cut or shred into pieces to be added later. In a large pot, melt butter and stir in flour. Slowly add milk and saved broth. Add veggies, chicken and broccoli. Heat all together and then add cheez whiz. Great in bread bowls. 

Enjoy!

No Knead Bread

I am so so glad I stumbled upon this recipe. It is easy and is one of the few recipes that has turned out every single time I've made it. And I've made it a lot. Also one of the few that the whole family loves.

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Cover with the bowl it was mixed in, let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Gently flop dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is fine. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another few minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

*Also really great with add ins. Just add extra ingredients when making the dough. My favorite is a couple tablespoons of chopped rosemary with a few cloves of garlic.

It's also good when you add things into the dough before it rises. I like to add minced garlic and rosemary.

Crock pot

Roast beef, onion soup mix, garlic, bay leaf

Chicken breasts, crushed pineapple, bbq sauce

Microwave Caramel

I looove caramel. But until I found this recipe my success at making it was kind of hit and miss. I've made these so many times and they always turn out.  They're delicious and make a really great gift. 


Microwave Caramel

1 cup Salted Butter- softened
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Light Karo Syrup
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Mix all ingredients well in a large microwave safe bowl. Place into the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. Take the bowl from the microwave (bowl will be hot) and stir well. Continue cooking on high for an additional 5 minutes, remove and stir. Cook for 3 more minutes- for a total of 13 mins. Remove from the microwave, stir and pour into a 9 x 13 pan to set. Once caramel has set cut and wrap in wax paper and store in an air tight container.

Cool aid popcorn

This is a kid pleaser for sure. And you can make it in any color to go with a theme for a party or holiday.


Candy popcorn flavored with Kool-Aid. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Light Corn Syrup
• ⅔ cups Butter Or Margarine
• 6 quarts Plain Popped Popcorn
• 2 packages Kool-Aid (Any Flavor You Want)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Preparation

Preheat oven to 225 F.
Boil sugar, syrup and butter/margarine together for 3 minutes.
On a large shallow ungreased baking dish, spread out popped popcorn.
In a separate bowl, combine the Kool-Aid with the baking soda.
Remove sugar syrup from the stove and carefully stir in the Kool-Aid mixture. (Note: This will make the sugar mixture puff up. Be careful to not get burned.)
Now take sugar mixture and pour it over the popped popcorn. Carefully mix all till combined.
Place it in the oven and stir every 10 minutes. Repeat this 3 more times.
Take popcorn out of the oven and when it starts to cool, break it apart into pieces.
Enjoy!

Cheesy Red Pepper Dip

This recipe is from Our Best Bites and it is super crazy delicious. My mom is now known for it and often brings it to functions. Major crowd pleaser, great left over, easy to make- winning recipe for sure. I always serve it with a loaf of no knead bread.


Cheesy Roasted Red Pepper Dip

7oz jar roasted red peppers (about 1C diced)
4 C grated pepper jack cheese (3/4 lb)
8oz cream cheese- room temperature
3/4 C mayonnaise
2 T minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. Remove peppers from jar and blot excess water with paper towels. You want to make sure they are dry so they don’t add moisture to the dip. Then dice ‘em up.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, onion, garlic, and dijon. Stir to combine and then mix in grated cheese and the diced peppers. Place in an 8×8-ish dish (pie plate works). At this point you can pop it in the fridge if you’re going to cook it later and you can even make it a couple of days ahead of time. Place in the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes. Baking time depends on the dish. It will start to bubble and brown on the outside edge, and you want it to be bubbly all the way through to the center. It will be nice and golden brown on top, especially around the edges. Serve immediately.

Mint Oreo truffles

These are really easy to make but a little time consuming. They're surprisingly delicious, though, and totally worth the effort. They can be customized to any holiday or occasion and are always a huge hit. You can use a package of regular Oreos instead but I like the mint  truffles best.

Mint Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. Double Stuf Oreos – Cool Mint Flavor – (1 lb. , 1 oz. pkg.)
• use 22 cookies with cream centers included
• use 10 cookies with cream centers discarded
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
chocolate bark or candy coating*

1. Finely crush the cookies in a food processor or a ziploc bag with a rolling pin.
2. Stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon(or hands) to help mash the two together completely.
3. Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
4. Place covered in freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes to help retain shape when dipping in melted chocolate.
5. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry.
6. Refrigerate and enjoy!