Cream Puff Cake

This one?  This one almost did me in!  I'd seen the recipe a while ago, and knew we'd have company staying with us this weekend...so I made it.  It's INCREDIBLE, and is more like eating a donut than a cake. Yum!

1/2 c (1 stick) butter
1 c water
1 c flour
4 eggs

4 c milk
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
1 small container whipped topping
chocolate syrup

Crust:

Preheat oven to 400°.

In large saucepan, heat butter and water to boiling over medium-high heat.  Add flour and reduce heat to low.  Cook and stir until it balls up and pulls away from the edges of the pan.

Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.  Beat in eggs, one at a time...beating well after each egg.

Spread into bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9x13 pan.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Cool completely.

Filling:

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese (alone) until smooth and fluffy.  Slowly add the milk, and beat until combined.  Add pudding mix and beat until thickened.  Spread over cooled shell.

Top with whipped topping.  Keep refrigerated until serving.  Drizzle with chocolate syrup right before serving.

Comments from the cook:  I'd never made this kind of "crust" before, and the end result reminded me of a German Pancake.  It puffs up a WHOLE BUNCH and looks a little bit like a science experiment instead of a dessert :) 


My cream cheese was a bit lumpy when beaten (I use the 1/3 less fat kind), so I had to whip my filling for a little longer than I thought it would need had it been the full-fat version.  


And it's up to you to choose...but two of my three puddings were sugar-free/fat-free (made with skim milk), and I used light whipped topping.  The result was fantastic...and I can only imagine how much better the full calorie versions of everything would make this taste!

Originally found here, which linked it back to here (most text taken from her site).

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Hypothetically speaking, what if I told you this recipe came from Pinterest?  Would you be surprised, or are you just used to it by now?  Either way, I'm finding lots of great things to make on Pinterest, so we're satisfied!  These turned out just a little differently than I expected, but the gooey-fudgyness was just the fix we needed :)

1 milk chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 c canola oil

Combine 3 ingredients, and roll dough into balls.  Bake in 350° oven for 6 minutes (no more!).  Place 5-6 mini marshmallows into each cookie, then put back in the over for 2-3 more minutes.

Allow to cool completely, then frost with frosting made from the following ingredients:

1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened

3 tsp cocoa powder

1-2 tsp vanilla, to your liking

2-3 c powdered sugar

1/4 c milk 

Comments from the cook:  My cookie "dough" was more like thick, sticky batter.  I still went ahead with it, despite my hesitation, and they turned out fine.  I undercooked the first ones a little, and the second sheet of them turned out better.  I also forgot to mention that I've become a DIE-HARD fan of parchment paper, and never bake cookies without it now.  In this case, there's no way the first round of cookies would've ever come off the sheet if it hadn't been for that paper...

I made a half batch of the dough and frosting, and we had plenty of these to eat for a few days.  Now I have all of the ingredients in my cupboard for another half batch next time we need to take a treat to a get-together!

Originally found on Pinterest, linked back to this awesome site.

Butterfinger Pie

I found this recipe on Pinterest recently.  As I've mentioned before, I am powerless to resist a Butterfinger recipe.  And, as it turns out, I'm basically powerless to resist the finished product too!

8 fun-size Butterfinger bars, chopped
1 (8oz) bar cream cheese, softened
12 oz whipped topping (3/4 of a large container)
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 graham cracker crust

Whip cream cheese with mixer until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth.  Mix in whipped topping.

Add all but about 1/4 c Butterfingers and whip just until combined.

Pour into graham cracker crust.  Top with remaining Butterfinger pieces, and allow to chill for 3-4 hours before serving.


Comments from the cook:  It may be more appropriate to call this Butterfinger no-bake cheesecake.  This quick and easy recipe is delicious, and would be great to take to a party or get-together.  It's best when served very cold, and I'm excited to make it for my Butterfinger-lovin' younger brother when I see him later this month!    


As you can tell from the pictures, I made my own graham cracker crust instead of using a pre-made one.  I used about 1 1/2 pkgs of graham crackers (crushed in a freezer bag with my rolling pin), about 3 1/2 TBSP of melted butter, and a couple of teaspoons of sugar and mixed them together.  I pressed the mixture into my pie dish, then allowed it to chill and set up in the fridge while I made the filling.  It turned out a little bit crumbly, and was even a little thicker than it needed to be (no complaints here, of course), but worked perfectly for what we needed.  A store-bought crust is easier, but nothing beats a homemade crust, in my opinion :)

Originally found on Pinterest, which linked back to this blog (note to self: visit again for more recipes!).

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

I made a batch of these muffins for a Christmas party, and they were snatched up in no time!  While we usually associate pumpkin with the holidays, I love it all winter long...  These babies are fantastic, and are a crowd-pleaser to boot.

Filling:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Muffins:
3 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 TBSP plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
2 c sugar
2 c pumpkin puree
1 1/4 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1/2 c sugar
5 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350° and fill 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

Whip together ingredients for filling until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate while you work on muffin batter.

For muffins, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.  In another bowl, combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and oil.  Mix with electric mixer on low until blended.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix slowly until combined.

For topping, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Add in butter pieces and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or fork until coarse and crumbly.  Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble muffins, fill each muffin liner with about 2 TBSP of batter.  Spoon 1 TBSP of cream cheese filling into the center of each liner (on top of the batter).  Cover the filling with additional batter, covering cream cheese completely.  Sprinkle with 1 TBSP of streusel mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before eating (filling will be VERY hot) and store in an airtight container.

Comments from the cook:  I didn't need to change anything from the original recipe...and they turned out perfectly!  I did have to make a make-shift version of pumpkin pie spice at the last minute (thank you, all-knowing internet for helping me make a quick substitution!).  I'm looking forward to needing a reason to make these again...

Original recipe found here (helpful step-by-step pictures available there!).  Ingredient list and most of directions taken from her site.

Baked (not fried) Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan is a hands-down favorite around here (only behind pizza, I would submit).  We'd been wanting to try a baked Chicken Parmesan for a while... and found this one to make after church today.  It's a winner!

3 chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and sliced into cutlets
2 c marinara sauce, warmed
3/4 c mozzarella cheese, grated
---
1 1/2 c Panko crumbs (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
---
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP salt
1/2 tsp pepper
---
3 egg whites
1 TBSP water

Combine bread crumbs and olive oil in saucepan, and cook over medium heat until golden brown.  Allow to cool for a few moments, then add Parmesan cheese.

Combine flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.  Set aside.

Whisk egg whites and water together in a shallow dish and set aside.

Dry chicken cutlets with paper towel and season with a bit of (additonal) salt and pepper.  Dip in flour mixture, and shake off excess.

Next dip in egg mixture, until all flour has been thoroughly moistened.

Next dip in bread crumb coating.  (You may need to press down on the cutlets to make sure that crumbs stick to them.)

Place foil over a baking sheet, then place a wire baking/cooling rack over the foil-covered sheet.  Spray rack with non-stick spray, and place coated chicken on rack.  Spray tops of coated chicken with non-stick spray.  Bake at 475° for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Add 2 TBSP marinara sauce to tops of each cooked cutlet, then top with cheese.  Bake for 5 more minutes.

Serve over spaghetti or pasta of your choice.

Comments from the cook:  We hardly changed anything from the original recipe, except for using a Parmesan-Romano cheese blend...which turned out to be amazing.  We served our chicken over spaghetti, and used extra marinara sauce to add more flavor.


Hope you love this as much as we did!

Recipe found at BrownEyedBaker.com, here.

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe comes from a cookbook that my mom got me for Christmas a few years ago.  They're called Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls because the main ingredient is a boxed cake mix...and when I read it, I was sold!  The finished product is moist and delicious, and even a cake-lover like me couldn't tell a cake mix was involved.  Cheating the system without consequences!?  Yay!

1 white or yellow cake mix (I used white)
2 pkgs yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp salt
2 c flour
--
3+ c flour
4-5 TBSP butter
cinnamon sugar, to taste
frosting of your choice

Combine first four ingredients (cake mix, yeast, salt, and 2 c flour).  Add 2 1/4 cups hot water.  Mix.  Add 3 c flour and knead until well mixed (it took about 4-5 minutes in my KitchenAid, but by-hand is fine for a similar amount of time), adding more flour as needed to avoid a sticky dough (mine took almost 4 1/2 cups).

Let rise until doubled (somewhere between 1-1.5 hrs).

Push down and roll onto flour surface into giant rectangle.

Soften butter and brush over rectangle.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Roll up and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices.

Let rise until doubled on cookie sheet.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Frost while still warm with frosting of your choice.

Makes about 18 rolls.

Comments from the cook:  The original recipe called for 3 cups of flour in the 2nd set of ingredients, but I found that it needed closer to 4 1/2 cups.  Other than that, this recipe is just as easy as it sounds, and the result is awesome.

My favorite made-from-scratch frosting consists of whipping together about a TBSP of Crisco, a splash of milk, a dash of salt, a bit of vanilla, and as much powdered sugar as it takes to get the consistency you're going for.  (Vague enough for ya?!)  

Originally found in the "Worldwide Ward Cookbook" by Deanna Buxton.  Recipe attributed to Noryne Moss, and adjusted slightly by yours truly.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe has been in my "to make" folder for years now.  I got it from a former co-worker, who brought it for lunch one day.  I didn't need to taste it to know that I needed a copy of the recipe. Fast forward about five years, and it turns out I was right.  I'm only kicking myself about not having made it sooner.

While this soup doesn't make for a very beautiful photograph, the taste is enough to put vanity aside! :)

Original recipe calls for DOUBLE these quantities...which would be enough for you to eat for at least a week.  Also, don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients.  The final product is worth it!

1 TBSP canola oil

1/2 c chopped onion

1 tsp minced garlic (or 2 cloves)

1 (4oz) can diced green chiles

4 1/2 c water

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp beef bullion (I used 2 cubes)

2 tsp chicken bullion (same)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 TBSP A-1 sauce

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

12 corn tortillas

3 c cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 tsp paprika

Saute onion and garlic in oil.  Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas, cheese, and paprika).  Bring to a light boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 min.

Cut tortillas into 1/2 inch pieces, and grate cheese.

After the 20 min of simmering, add tortillas, cheese, and paprika.

Simmer uncovered 10 minutes.

Comments from the cook:  I had a 7oz can of green chiles, and used the entire can.  Next time I'll probably opt for a few less, but it's certainly a way to amp up the flavor.  I also just used 2 cups of grated cheese instead of 3.  The flavor of the soup is so good that the cheese isn't the main attraction, and I think I'll add even less next time.

Reheats really well the next day (with a bit of extra water added).

Originally shared by John Wadley, former co-worker at Provo Craft.

Minestrone Soup

My mom has been making minestrone soup for years, and somehow I hadn't tried it until a few months ago.  I LOVED IT.  Minestrone is a bit like "Ghoulash", in that it seems to mean something different in each household.  This is my version, and the ingredient list is as complete as possible for a "maybe a little bit more of this, little bit more of that" recipe.

1/3 lb ground beef *
1/4 of a white onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp oregano
5-6 c water
3 cubes beef bullion
4-5 carrots, chopped
28 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp onion salt
1 tsp garlic
15 oz can kidney beans
15 oz can green beans
1/2 of 15 oz can yellow corn
4 servings pasta, mini-shells shown above
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef and onion in stock pot until thoroughly cooked.  Add remaining ingredients (except kidney beans, green beans, corn, and pasta), cover, and cook at a low boil until carrots are thoroughly cooked.

Prepare pasta separately (my preference is to make it a bit al dente, so that it doesn't get too soft later) and add to soup after carrots have cooked.

Add green beans and corn and simmer over low heat until ready to serve.

Comments from the cook:  This was my first time making minestrone soup, and I was thrilled with how it turned out.  Brian had to work late that night, and I knew it was my chance to make a big batch of "girl soup".


I experimented quite a bit with flavors, and you'll want to do the same.  In the end, mine was a bit thick, and I should've added a bit more water.  But, thankfully, this soup freezes amazingly...and you can always add more water when you thaw it out and re-heat it.


My mom serves this with fresh Parmesan cheese and warm bread.  


This makes a gigantic batch, but we (Claire and I) loved it so much that it seemed impossible to have too much around!  I realized the other day that we no longer have any in the freezer, so it must be time to make some more...


* We usually divide our ground beef into 1/3 lb increments, but you're welcome to use whatever amount you prefer.  My mom says that Italian sausage also tastes really good in this recipe!

Originally shared by my mom, Alane, who got her version from a dear friend, Donna Harris.

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

When I found this recipe online, I KNEW we would need to try it.  I don't know anyone who loves pizza as much as Brian and I do, so it was worth a shot.  I made them one Friday night, and they were excellent.  Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  Yum!  These would be perfect for a party or get-together with friends...

3/4 c flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
pinch of salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
3/4 c milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sliced pepperoni (quartered)
marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 375°.  Grease mini-muffin cup pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes.  Mix in the milk and egg.  Stir in mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and pepperoni.

Let stand 10 minutes.

Stir batter and pour into muffin cups.  Bake 20-25 minutes.

Serve with marinara sauce of your choice.

Comments from the cook:  I made these into full-size muffins (instead of minis) and the recipe made 12 muffins.  I baked them for about 25 minutes, and they were perfect.  


The original version of this recipe (by Rachael Ray, apparently) did not call for salt or red pepper flakes...but the version I used had them, and I thought they tasted great!

Recipe found here.  Ingredients and majority of instructions taken from her site.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

This recipe comes from one of my old roommates from BYU.  She and I lived together our junior year, and I recall that she was studying dietetics.  We always teased that because she studied dietetics, anything she made was "healthy", and thus safe for consumption!

1 pkg yellow cake mix (save out 1c mix)
1 lb. 13oz. can pumpkin
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 c milk
1/4 c white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP softened butter
1 egg
1/2 c melted and cooled butter

Combine cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/2 c melted butter or margarine and press in bottom of 9x13 pan.

Mix pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, eggs, milk, and pour over cake mix.

On top of this crumble the following mixture: 1 c reserved cake mix, 1/4 c white sugar, cinnamon, and 2 TBSP of butter.

Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes.  Top with whipped cream or ice cream.  Serve chilled or warm.

Comments from the cook:  Pumpkin pie always seems to be a obligatory part of Thanksgiving for us, but we've decided that this dessert is taking it's place. :)  The cakey crust on the bottom makes these a fantastic alternative to pumpkin pie.  We like to make these for holiday parties with large groups, where lots of people can help eat it!  


We prefer this chilled, with whipped cream on top.  Delish! 

Originally shared by Brenda Malone, roommate from The Park Place, 2002-2003.  Text taken from Brenda's original recipe.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

My sister-in-law made this recipe for us quite a while ago (2006, when did you become so long ago!?) and I found it in my recipe binder this last winter, and resurrected it. YUM!

24-30 jumbo pasta shells
2 eggs
1 (15oz) container cottage cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried parsley leaves
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups marinara sauce

Cook jumbo pasta shells as directed on packaging. Run cool water over them to halt further cooking.

Pour 1/2 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and garlic salt. Stir until combined.

Spoon a heaping spoonful of filling into each pasta shell. Place in pan, and cover with remaining marinara sauce. Cover with foil.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and cook for 5-10 more minutes, or until bubbly.

Comments from the cook: This is an excellent recipe that we love at our house. We think the leftovers might even be better than the fresh product!

I use canned marinara sauce for this recipe, but made it with Brian's homemade sauce a few times ago. It was excellent!

Originally shared by my SIL, Meredith, and adapted from a recipe found in one of her cookbooks (source unknown).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

My mom told me about these muffins quite some time ago... They're SO EASY - only 3 ingredients! And the taste? Fabulous. I even stockpiled on pumpkin this Fall (heaven forbid there be a shortage again), just so I could make these muffins anytime I wanted...

1 spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
1/2 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
water (optional)

Combine cake mix (powder only - no need to add the oil or eggs) and pumpkin with mixer until well blended.

Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into greased muffin tins.

Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the "clean toothpick" test.

Comments from the cook: I add about 1/2 cup water to the batter to make it a bit thinner. I suppose if you were going to make these into cookies instead of muffins, you'd probably want the batter to be the original consistency (no water added). But, while we're on the subject, I'll just go ahead and admit that I'll probably always make these into muffins rather than cookies. Muffins sound less guilt-inducing than cookies, no? :)

Also, spice cake mixes can be a little harder to find, but rumor has it that a yellow cake mix will also work and taste fantastic. My mom even used a carrot cake mix once in a pinch.These are a great treat with a cup of hot chocolate in the dead of winter...

Makes about 24 muffins.

Originally passed on from my mom, Alane. (As you can see, she did hers in mini-bundt pans, left out the choc chips, then added caramel frosting and a pastry-dough cinnamon-sugar leaf to hers. MAN, she's always taking things to the next level... I love it!)