Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Quick, easy cake mix cookies!

I was craving chocolate the other day and couldn't find even the smallest piece of candy or cookie in the house. But, I did find a chocolate cake mix! Yep, I decided to make cake mix cookies...this way I'd have plenty of chocolate "something" in the house in case of another craving, and there's always "another" craving. LOL!

Anyway, I used the same basic ingredients as for the Spice Cookies from a few days ago. Except, of course, I had to add more chocolate! 

Ingredients:
1 Devil's Food cake mix (I like Betty Crocker)
1/2 cup butter, softened or 1/3 cup vegetable
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2-1 cup chocolate morsels (I used semi-sweet)
Confectioners' Sugar

Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick cookie sheets). In large bowl, stir dry cake mix, oil, eggs, vanilla and chocolate morsels with spoon until dough forms.

Refrigerate dough 15 to 30 minutes, or as needed for easier handling. Shape dough into 1.5-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store tightly covered.

Be encouraged!
Jesus said, "...in the world you will have trouble. But, take heart!  I have overcome the world." -John 16:33

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Spice Cake Cookies

Soft, Chewy and Delicious...made from a cake mix!

I don't know about you, but sometimes I can get a little lazy in the kitchen...like, I want to bake something, but don't want to fuss over it.  Well, I found the perfect way to get "hot out of the oven" cookies without spending a lot of time prepping, baking or cleaning the kitchen. Oh yeah, my kind of cookie!  

They take only 20 minutes to make, from start to finish. Now, don't get me wrong, when I'm in the mood I really enjoy recreating my mom's recipes from scratch, but sometimes....well, you know.  

So, my granddaughter, Sarah, and I love finding new recipes to try.  One day, she felt like baking (I didn't) so we compromised. Seems like good things can happen from "compromise".  Oh, and I watched my daughter (picture below) eat a half dozen all by herself! Look at that happy face!  

INGREDIENTS:
18.25 ounce box spice cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar (add cinnamon and you have a Spicy Snickerdoodle)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until there are no large lumps left.  If the dough is too soft to roll, refrigerate it for about 10 minutes.

Roll 1 heaping tablespoon of dough into balls and coat in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches for spreading.

Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops have cracked and the tops look set (check the bottoms for a light golden brown color). Let sit for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Serve warm or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Be encouraged!
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." -Ezekial 36:26

Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake

A perfect summer dessert!

Oh my word!  I figured this cake would be a refreshing summer dessert, but I had no idea how delicious it was going to taste!  This was the best poke cake yet...and you know how much I like poke cakes.

The frosting, oh yes, the frosting!  Well, I could just devour the frosting all by itself!

It tastes just like those Orange Creamsicle ice cream bars we used to get on the beach in New Jersey, when I was a little girl.  We spent a week each summer in Wildwood with all the family, and they were some of the best times ever.  The only "not so happy" memory I have of those ice cream bars is the time my tongue got stuck to one.  Ever see "A Christmas Story"?  It looked a lot like that famous scene when they triple-dared that poor boy (minus the flag pole).  I was slightly hysterical...crying, screaming and running around trying to "unstick" my tongue.  Good times, yeah!  Haha!

At least no one will get their tongue stuck to a piece of this cake...I hope!

Ingredients:
Make cake mix as directed on package:
1 (18 ounce) box orange cake mix (Walmart carries Duncan Hines Orange Cake)
  *If you can't find the orange, a yellow cake is perfectly fine to use.
3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
1⁄3 cup oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
1 cup water (or as called for by your cake mix)

Mix together:
1 (6 ounce) box orange Jell-O
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup cold water

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box orange Jell-O
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed

Set out Cool Whip to thaw.

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, 1 cup water and the oil with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.

Poke cake all over with fork or wooden skewer. In medium bowl, pour boiling water on 1 box orange gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour gelatin over cake. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate 2 hours.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth with electric hand mixer (or other); add orange jello, instant vanilla pudding, 1 cup milk, orange and vanilla extract.  

Immediately beat until smooth and well blended.  (Don't let the jello and vanilla pudding sit or they'll get lumpy).   Fold in Cool whip.   

Spread over the cake and keep refrigerated until serving.   Garnish with additional whipped topping and orange peel, if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.


Be encouraged!

"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."  -Ephesians 1:22-23

Pecan Crusted Tilapia

Transforms bland tilapia into something special!

We've always loved a great fish recipe, and this one did not disappoint!  It's quick and easy to prepare...my favorite kind of cooking!

The original recipe called for the seasonings to be blended into the bread crumbs and pecans, but I found that, like most coatings, it doesn't all stick to the fish, so I added them to the flour mixture instead...yay, me, it turned out great! LOL!

I also didn't have the buttermilk and substituted that with half and half mixed with a little lemon juice.  Another great hack.  

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bread crumbs or Panko crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat is fine)
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
4 (6 oz.) tilapia fillets or your favorite fish  (I used founder)
1 Tbsp. oil, divided (add a little butter for a richer flavor)

Combine bread crumbs and pecans in a shallow dish. 

Combine buttermilk and hot sauce (such as Pete's or Tabasco) in a medium bowl.

Place flour in a third shallow dish, add salt, garlic powder and black pepper.

Dredge 1 fillet in flour, dip into buttermilk mixture, then into breadcrumb and pecan mixture. Repeat with remaining fillets.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a large skillet (non-stick works best) over medium-high heat.
Cook 2 fillets for 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. (If you would rather bake it,  400 degrees for 15-20 minutes is fine.)

Add remaining oil and cook additional 2 fillets. Serve with lemon wedges!


Be encouraged!
"God's word is not just for our information, it's for our transformation."

Chocolate Fudge Pie

A must for chocolate lovers everywhere!

We have a different kind of birthday tradition in our house...it's "Birthday PIE!"  Once my kids started asking for their favorite desserts for their big day, it seemed it was usually some kind of pie...apple, banana cream, pecan, peach and now we've discovered this wonderful, rich, chocolate fudge pie!

My daughter and her husband have birthdays within days of each other and she always asks for her Banana Cream Pie, and Mike's a chocolate lover (like me) so I make him some kind of chocolate dessert every year.  That's how I found this pie and, oh wow, this was delicious!

 

You may want to cut smaller slices, because this is a rich pie, but Your chocoholic friends will think they died and went to chocolate heaven! 

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 unbaked pie shell

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients well and pour into the unbaked pie shell. (Yes, it's that easy!)

Bake until set, about 30 minutes. If not set in that length of time, bake 5 minutes longer and remove from oven, but be careful not to over-bake. Cool before cutting.

Be Encouraged!

"Gentle words are a tree of life."  -Proverbs 15:4

Lemon Meringue Pie

That classic sweet-tart dessert!

This pie is just a wonderful treat for all lemon lovers! 

Full disclosure here!  I haven't made this pie in almost 10 years and had totally forgotten about it! So, because I didn't have a photo of the one I made, I had to use a stock photo from Google...it's from the Betty Crocker website. I figured this one would do because this recipe is from my Betty Crocker cookbook! 

I do remember the pie was so easy to put together and really did look just like this picture.  I was careful to follow all directions and tips (located at the bottom of the page). Hope you'll give it a try, I really think you're going to love it!

Ingredients:
9" Baked Pie Shell (use bought or homemade)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten (reserve egg whites at room temperature for meringue)
1 1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 drops yellow food coloring (if desired)

Bake your favorite pie shell. Set aside.

Heat oven to 400' F. 

Prepare Filling:
Stir together sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Blend egg yolks and water; gradually stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and food color. Immediately pour into baked pie shell.

Meringue Recipe:
3 egg whites (make sure there isn't any yolk in them...not even a little bit)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
6 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. (Do not under-beat) Beat in vanilla.

Heap meringue onto hot pie filling; spread over filling carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust to prevent shrinking or weeping.

Place the pie in the oven and toast until the meringue is lightly golden-brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Err on the side of lightly toasted to prevent overcooking the meringue and having a weepy pie. For best results, cool pie away from draft for about an hour, then refrigerate about 4 hours or until filling if set.

Tips from Grammy:
-Egg whites beat up best if room temperature. Be sure to cleanly separate the whites from the yolks, because even a smidge of yolk will prevent the whites from beating up properly. 
-Be ready to quickly beat up the egg whites so they can be spread directly on the hot filling—the heat helps seal the meringue to the pie.
-Use a frozen or bought pie crust in this recipe to save time and elbow grease.
-Get your creative groove on when you spread the meringue on top—use the back of a spoon to make swirls and peaks, or pipe it on with a large swirl tip, that will look amazing once they brown in a hot oven or under the broiler.


Be encouraged!
"As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him." Psalm 103:13

Banana Cream Pie

There's nothing like my mom's Banana Cream Pie!

My mom was the best pie maker I ever knew, and I'm not just saying that because she was my mom!  Her crust was tender and flaky, melted in your mouth good, and her Banana Cream Pie was one of my favorites. I'm so thankful that she taught me how to make those wonderful pies of her, and so is my family.

I have been so blessed to be able to hand down her recipes and share them with my kids and grandkids...and now with you!  My daughter is obsessed with this pie and will have no other for her "birthday pie".  She didn't even want me to put this on the blog...thinks it should be copyrighted. 

Anyway, I know you can use a frozen crust, or buy one in a can...even make a Graham cracker crust. But, in all fairness to mom, it won't be the same. You can tell I'm hooked on my mom's way. I mean, why mess with perfection?  

Ingredients:

1 9" prebaked pie shell (recipe below)
Mom's Vanilla Cream (recipe below)
2-3 medium ripe bananas, sliced

Vanilla Cream                                                    

6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. butter

Combine flour, sugar, salt and eggs in saucepan and stir until smooth; gradually add milk and continue to stir constantly over medium heat, until  thickened. If it looks lumpy, use a wire whisk and it will smooth out nicely.  

Add vanilla and butter; stir until butter has melted. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. 

Mom's Flaky Pastry for 1 9" crust:
1 c. flour
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 Tbsp. cold water (I add ice to it before I use it to make it really cold)

Combine flour, shortening and salt; cut with a pastry cutter or fork until it looks like coarse meal. Then add cold water (start with 3 Tbsp.)  If it's still dry add more, 1 Tbsp. at a time. Roll out on floured surface, using enough flour so the dough won't stick.

Bake 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Assembly (layering bananas and cream)
Arrange banana slices from one or more bananas in cooled, baked shell, covering the bottom with them. Spoon half of the cream over bananas, then slice the other banana (sliced) onto cream. Cover that layer with the rest of the cream.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.  Before serving, top with whipped topping.

​​SMLXL

Store in refrigerator. 

Be encouraged!
"All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me."  -John 6:37-38

Funny Cake

Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake

Fun to make and even more fun to eat! 

They say this delicious breakfast cake gets its name "Funny Cake" because the chocolate is added last and was meant to stay on top of the cake filling. But during the cooking process the chocolate and cake filling flipped positions. I guess it made the baker laugh! 

My best friend, Sandy, grew up in PA and gave me this unique and delicious recipe after she served it to us one morning with breakfast.  Let me tell you, chocolate for breakfast is pretty awesome! Haha!

Ingredients:

Syrup:
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. hot water
1/4 c. unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Creamed Mixture:
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 (9") unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make chocolate syrup:
Mix 1/2 cup sugar, hot water, cocoa and 1/2 tsp. vanilla; set aside.

For Creamed Mixture:

Cream together 1 cup sugar, egg and oil.

Add milk, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, flour, salt and baking powder.  Beat well.

Pour creamed mixture into on 9 inch unbaked pie shell, then pour the chocolate syrup over the top.

Bake at 375' for 45-50 minutes until golden brown on top.

Serve with breakfast!

Be encouraged!

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace...gentleness, self-control.  -Galatians 5:22-23

Orange-Glazed Ham Steaks

Orange-Glazed Ham Steaks

I made these delicious ham steaks for Easter a couple of years ago. I didn't feel like making a whole ham, so  I started my search on "Taste of Home" website and found a recipe for the most delicious ham steak ever! 

These tasty ham steaks combine orange marmalade and maple syrup for a terrific taste that goes beyond dinner. The chili powder adds a slightly smoky flavor that everyone loved...and it was easy clean-up. Always a plus! 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
4 1/2 tsp. orange juice
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
*4 boneless fully cooked ham steaks (5 oz. each) 

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the marmalade, syrup, orange juice and chili powder.

Grill ham steaks, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until heated through, brushing occasionally with the marmalade glaze.


* I used three large, bone-in steaks for seven of us and had leftovers. 

Be encouraged!

"There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day."   -2 Timothy 4:8

Vanilla Butter Melt-away Cookies

They really do "melt in your mouth!"

These little gems showed up on my Facebook page, they're from The Taylor Houseblog.  Let's face it, anything that says "melts in your mouth" is begging to be baked, right?

They were a hit with everyone who tasted these wonderful, delicate and very yummy little cookies. 

My piano students gave them a "thumbs up" so I just had to share this recipe with you all.

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350' F.  Prepare baking sheets by lightly greasing with shortening or use cooking spray.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix until combined.

Add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix well.

Roll cookies into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet.

Using the bottom of a glass, flatten cookie balls (not too flat).
​​
Bake in 350' oven for 7-8 minutes depending on your oven. Take them out when they look almost cooked. They will continue baking after you take them out.

Yields: Approximately 2 dozen

Vanilla Butter Frosting
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 lb. confectioners' sugar (3 cups)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons milk

Cream together all ingredients until light and fluffy.  
​​
You're ready to frost these delicious cookies!

A Tip from Grammy: 
- Exchange the vanilla for other flavors, lemon, almond, peppermint.  They're all delicious!
-Add coloring to the frosting for different occasions 
-Add sprinkles onto the tops of the frosting.

Be encouraged!
"May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way." -2 Thessalonians 3:16