renee's easy christmas mint fudge

The perfect sweet for Christmas!

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (divided)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (6 oz) white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon pure peppermint extract
1 tsp gel green food coloring

Line an 8 or 9 inch pan with wax paper. Melt chips with 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk in a sauce pan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spread half of the mixture into prepared pan and chill for about 10 minutes.(Hold remaining mixture at room temperature)Melt white candy with remaining sweetened condensed milk in sauce pan over low heat. Add peppermint extract and food coloring. Spread on chilled chocolate layer and then chill for 10 minutes longer or until firm. Spread reserved chocolate mixture on mint layer and then chill for about 2 hours. Peel off waxed paper and cut into squares. Enjoy!

candy cane christmas fudge

a yummy and easy festive Christmas treat!

1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup butter, softened, divided
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
12 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil. Grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, sour cream and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil; cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage), about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in white chocolate and marshmallow creme until melted. Fold in peppermint candy and extract. Pour into prepared pan. Chill until firm. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!

candy bar cake

If your like me you have tonz of Halloween candy and this is so fun to make! It's great to take to potluck parties too. I change it up depending on my mood and use all kinds of different candy bars...it is so yummy and so easy!!

1 box yellow or chocolate cake mix (baked as directed)
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk
1 jar caramel topping
1 container Cool Whip
3 candy bars (Skor and Heath are my favorite) crushed

Bake cake in 13 x 9 baking pan as directed. Take completely cooled cake and poke holes with end of wooden spoon. Pour can of Eagle brand milk and jar of caramel into holes. Top cake with Cool Whip and crushed candy bars. Drizzle caramel over top enjoy!!

chocolate sour cream sheet cake

One of my favorite chocolatey quick and easy desserts. Perfect for potluck parties or a dessert to go :)

1 c salted sweet cream butter
1 c water
1/4 c dark cocoa
2 c sugar. sifted
2 c flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 large eggs, whisked
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c real sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine butter, water, and cocoa in saucepan over medium heat; heat until butter melts. Add sugar, flour, salt, eggs, soda, sour cream, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into a 15x10x1-inch sheet pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE!!

Frosting:
1/2 c salted sweet cram butter
1/4 c dark cocoa
1/4 cup and 2 T milk
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and mix well with electric mixer. Spread over the hot sheet cake. Enjoy!!

chocolate zucchini cake

I got this yummy recipe from my friend Liz. Talk about a great way to hide veggies.... it is so yummy and moist that your kiddos (or anyone else for that matter) won't even notice the zucchini!!

1 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups flour
3 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 c cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in zucchini. Pour into a jelly roll pan or a 9 x 13 pan for thicker slices. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Frost with your favorite homemade chocolate frosting. Enjoy!!!

christopher's double chocolate chunk brownies

My little brother is serving an LDS mission in Chile and every letter I get he is asking me for "American" chocolate. So this week I played with a couple of brownie recipes and this one was so yummy....I packed them up and shipped them to Chile, I hope they arrive in one piece! If your a chocolate lover, you'll love these :)

3/4 cup salted butter, cut into cubes
2/3 cup unsweetened Hershey's cocoa powder
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup very coarsely chopped Hershey's milk chocolate bar

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Take the pan off the heat, then stir in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add in the sugar and salt. Stir in the eggs and vanilla until just blended. Sprinkle in the flour and gently combine using a rubber spatula, then fold in the chopped chocolate. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Place the pan into the oven and bake it for 33-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in comes out clean. Make sure not to overbake so the brownies can stay a fudgy consistency. Let cool and slice. Enjoy with ice cold milk :p

chocolate cinnamon devils

yummy little devils!!

1 bag cinnamon devils
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 stick butter
1/4 bar paraffin

Melt in double boiler over low heat. Dip candy with toothpick. Place on waxed paper. Enjoy!!

chocolate-orange layer cake

This is heavenly and fun to make in the fall!

1 1/2 pkg. (8oz each) cream cheese softened

6 Tbsp. butter softened

6 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. orange zest

12 drops orange food coloring

2 baked chocolate layers (8 inch) cooled

3 squares BAKERS semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/2 of 80z tub of cool whip whipping topping (do not thaw)

Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer until will blended. Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Stack on plate, spreading 3/4 cup of frosting between each layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Microwave chocolate and cool whip on high for 2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Cool 15 minutes and then spread over the top of cake, allowing the excess to drizzle down the sides. keep refrigerated.

olson's old fashioned chocolate sauce

1 c. butter

12 oz. package of semisweet chips (2 cups)

4 c. powdered sugar

2 cans evaporated milk

2 tbsp. vanilla

Melt butter and chips in large saucepan. Add sugar and milk. Stir and bring to a boil. Boil 8 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

easy trifle bowl dessert

I made this on Saturday for a barbecue and it was a big hit!

trifle bowl -If you don't have one use a meduim sized glass bowl or a small punch bowl.

1 brownie mix, baked and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 lg. chocolate pudding mix, made

1-2 c. whipping cream

fruit -I like to use a mix of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Kiwi also works great! You really can't go wrong with this recipe, you can use just about any fruit.

Add a layer of your baked and cooled brownies, use about half or a third depending on how many layers you want. Carefully, smother the tops of the brownies with your already made chocolate pudding (make sure to smother the layers as evenly as possible). Add your first layer of fruit. Now add the whipping cream, and repeat. You can mix up the order of the layers if you want. Most of the time, I just use a small amount of whipping cream on the top.

Serves 8-10

For my small family of three I only fill it up half way. I use a small pudding package and half the brownies from the batch.

Enjoy!!!!

football bites

In honor of football season. This is a fun and easy dessert...the kids can help too!!

4 cups cocoa Rice Crispy's cereal
6 squares baker's semisweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
White decorating gel

Place cereal in large bowl. Microwave chocolate, corn syrup and butter in large microwavable bowl on high 2-1/2 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal; mix well. Shape into 3-inch long football shapes, using slightly moistened hands. Place on waxed paper; cool completely. Use decorating gel to add lacings to footballs.

michelle's zebra cake

This is a really fun and simple cake to take to parties!

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk (low fat is fine)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extrac
t2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with a circle of parchment paper and lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan. In a large bowl, mix together eggs and sugar until mixture is light and creamy and the sugar has mostly been dissolved. Stir in milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and almond extracts. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Measure out just over two cups of vanilla batter and place it back in the medium bowl. Sift cocoa powder over the bowl and whisk until fully incorporated. Put 3 tbsp of vanilla batter into the center of the pan and let it spread slightly on its own. Put 3 tbsp of chocolate batter in the center of the vanilla. It will push out the other batter and, as it sits for a moment, will also spread itself. Alternating spoonfuls of the two batters, repeat the technique until all the batter has been used up. Bake for 38-42 minutes, until the cake is light gold and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out the cake and remove the parchment paper. Re invert on to a wire rack and let cool before slicing.

Serves 10.

We add frosting on ours to make it more sweet.

chocolate tuxedo cake

This is a hit whenever I make it, it is a favorite to take to parties!!

White Cheesecake Layer
1 1/2 lb cream cheese - softened
2 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 oz white baking chocolate - melted and cooled
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water

Chocolate Layers
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter - softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 lg eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
1 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cup confectioner's sugar

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE LAYER:
Beat cream cheese with confectioners sugar until smooth. Blend in sour cream, vanilla extract and white chocolate. Stir the gelatin into the cold water in a small saucepan and allow mixture to stand several minutes to soften. Then heat mixture gently over a low setting until thoroughly dissolved. Cool briefly, then blend into the cream cheese mixture. Line bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with foil, then coat pan and foil well with a nonstick spray. Pour mixture into prepared pan, cover top of pan and chill until firm.
This cheesecake layer can be prepared up to two days in advance, and held in the refrigerator.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE LAYERS:
Melt chocolate chips in a small heavy gauge saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Preheat oven to 350F and arrange rack to the center position. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Cream the butter with the sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and the cooled, melted chocolate. Whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt and gradually stir into the batter. Blend in the sour cream and divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake at 350F about 25 minutes or until layers spring back when lightly pressed in their centers. Cool layers in pans 10 minutes, then loosen and turn out onto a rack to complete cooling.

Makes Two 9-inch layers

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING:
Melt chocolate chips and butter in a small, heavy gauge saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and cool 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and vanilla extract. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating until frosting is smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Arrange one of the cooled chocolate cake layers in center of a cake plate, top side down. Placing top side (because of its moist surface) down will help to secure cake to plate, preventing layers from slipping after cake is assembled. Release rim of the spring form pan. Holding cheesecake in one hand and chocolate cake layer (on plate) in other hand, quickly invert chocolate layer (plate and all) on top of the cheesecake. Quickly flip the two, now attached layers back over, so chocolate layer is again on bottom. Now, you can easily remove spring form pan bottom from (now top) of cheesecake layer. Arrange the remaining chocolate cake layer (top side down) on top of cheesecake layer. Using a long sharp knife and a slight sawing motion, carefully cut around rim of cheesecake layer to make it even with chocolate layers. Frost sides and top of cake and serve. The cheesecake layer will hold at room temperature several hours.

For best results, serve cake within 3 hours of assembling. Refrigeration will cause the frosting to loose its beautiful sheen.

rum chocolate cake

This is my hubby's FAVORITE cake and it is so yummy and easy that you will LOVE it too!!

1 Package chocolate cake mix (2 layer size)
1 Jell-o chocolate instant pudding mix (4 serving)
4 Eggs
1/2 c Bacardi dark rum
1/4 c Cold water
1/2 c Wesson oil
1/2 c Slivered almonds, optional

Filling
1 1/2 c Cold milk
1/4 c dark rum
1 Jell-o chocolate instant pudding mix (4 serving)
1 Dream whip topping mix

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 - 9 inch layer cake pans. Combine all cake ingredients together in a large bowl. Blend well, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Turn into prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Do not under bake. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, finish cooling on racks. Split layers horizontally. Spread one cup filling between each layer and over top of cake. Stack. Keep cake well chilled. Serve cold.

Filling: Combine milk, rum, pudding mix and topping mix in deep, narrow bowl. Blend well at high speed for 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Makes 4 cups.

chocolate chip banana bread

I got this recipe from my old boss Julie, she is the Women's Head Lacrosse Coach for the University of Virginia.

You will love making this recipe like we do -it's so easy!

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts (optional --we don't like nuts in anything at our house)

1-1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Cream butter, sugar and eggs in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture gradually, beating well after each addition. Add bananas; mix well. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 F. for 45-60 minutes or until loaf tests done.

mexican double chocolate chip pepper cookies

These are irresistible!

We add extra pepper and chocolate chips in our cookies.

1 c. flour

½ c. cocoa powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 pound coarsely chopped dark chocolate

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 ½ c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, pepper, and set aside.

In a small bowl melt the chopped chocolate and the butter in a microwave or double boiler. Cool slightly. Mix together the melted chocolate with the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease pan. Drop scoops of cookie dough onto parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes, until they look flat and the surfaces crack, but they will still be soft in texture. Let the cookies cool on the parchment paper on wire cooling rack.

hot molten lava cake

You are in Heaven!

Yummy shortcut:

1 box chocolate cake mix (use Duncan Hines, shocked?)

¼ cup unsweetened chocolate chips

3-5 caramels

1 can of condensed milk

Chocolate Lava cake Secret: The Domes

Use a regular chocolate cake mix. You may gasp with astonishment about this simple strategy, but it really will give you the rich and moist cake you need for the structure of the cake. The best choice? Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate cake mix.

Chocolate Lava Cake Secret: The Filling

Some recipes call for chocolate pudding, hot fudge sauce, or even melted chocolate embedded in the middle, but none of these will give you that rich and oozing texture found at the restaurants. The real secret? Condensed milk mixed with melted unsweetened chocolate chips and a few caramels. Just mix together ¼ cup unsweetened chocolate chips, 3-5 caramels, and 1 can of condensed milk in a double boiler to make a smooth sauce.

Chocolate Lava Cake Secret: Assembly
When you're assembling the cake, you'll want to fill ramekin cups - not large muffin cups as some recipes suggests - 2/3 of the way full of cake batter, add 2 tablespoons of filling, and then top off the rest of the ramekin with more cake batter. Remember that you'll be inverting the cake when it's baked, so the filling needs to stay as near the bottom as possible.

Chocolate Lava Cake Secret: Serving the Cake
The secret to making sure the chocolate lava cake actually oozes when you serve it is to keep it warm right after baking. However, this doesn't mean you should leave it in a warm oven since this will overbake the cakes. All you need to do is leave the cakes in the ramekins and cover them with saran wrap or foil to trap in the moisture. This should keep them warm and soft for at least 3-4 hours after baking. After that, invert the cakes onto a platter and microwave for

45-60 seconds until warm throughout. And that's it!

The secret to the perfect chocolate lava cake is now yours; your chocolate cravings are no longer at the mercy of the local restaurant or bakery.