Honey Strawberry Shortcake Yogurt Parfait

*I found this on the blog picky-palate.com.

Honeyed Strawberry Shortcake Yogurt Parfait

4.5 oz package shortcakes, 4 count, cut into cubes
16 oz reduced fat vanilla yogurt
1 Cup chopped fresh stawberries
8 teaspoons honey
1 package Nature Valley Oats n’ Honey Crunchy Granola Bars (2 in package), crushed

Place an even layer of shortcake into 4 little parfait glasses. Top evenly with a couple spoonfuls of yogurt, then about ¼ Cup strawberries. Drizzle each cup with 1 teaspoon honey then top with a Tablespoon of crushed granola bar. Repeat this layering one more time and serve.
4 servings

German Chocolate Cake

This cake is a Stratton family classic. Here it is Bethany!

1 pkg. white cake mix
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
2 c. milk
1/4 c. flour
3 egg whites

Separate the egg whites and yolks. Save the yolks for later. Beat the egg whites until fluffy (have stiff peaks). Mix the other ingredients together then gently fold the egg whites into the mixture. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 min.

Frosting:

3 egg yolks
1 c. canned milk
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. coconut
nuts (optional)

Beat ingredients well. Cook for 12 min. or until thick. Add coconuts and nuts (we like pecans or walnuts). Spread frosting on the cake after it has cooled.

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Simple. Fast. Good.

Pie Filling
I got this recipe here

• 1-1/4 cups cold milk
• 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
• 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
• 1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)
• 2 Tbsp. multi-colored sprinkles

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mixes and half of the whipped topping. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. (Mixture will be thick.)
SPREAD into crust; cover with remaining whipped topping.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Add sprinkles just before serving. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Amendment al a Annie:
* Skip the sprinkles and use crushed Symphony bar chunks
* I used the whole tub of Cool Whip (small size)--it lightened it up, then used another tub (I said GOOD, not HEALTHY, ok?) to frost the top.

Graham Cracker Crust
I got this recipe here

• 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter or margarine, and cinnamon until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7 minutes. Cool. If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for about 1 hour.

Annie says: Keep the cinnamon. Yum.

I made this complete recipe in half an hour and everyone loved. It was awesome.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

OK, here's my first post on this blog. This is the recipe I always share because I really like it...but most of all, it's easier than any other recipe I've ever heard of.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Peanut Butter (I like a good brand over a generic brand)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg

Mix ingredients together. Cook for 8-10 minutes at 350. Let cool before eating or else they will crumble a lot. ENJOY!

Homemade Marshmallows

.75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Line 9 x 9-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and boil hard for 1 minute.
Pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add in the vanilla extract beat to incorporate.
Scrape marshmallow into the prepared pan and spread evenly (Lightly greasing your hands and the spatula helps a lot here). Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.
In a shallow dish, combine equal parts cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar. Remove marshmallow from pan and cut into equal pieces with scissors (the best tool for the job) or a chef’s knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar mixture.
Store in an airtight container.

Doubletree Hotel Cookies

When I was 14, my dad took me to New York. It was a business trip for him, and for me ... a magical weekend. Of all the wonderful things we did - Broadway shows, shopping, visiting Central Park and the MET - one of my favorite things were the cookies. We stayed at the Doubletree Hotel and they have the yummiest cookies. To this day, they are my favorite cookies ever. So last night I decided to make them. I did a little Google search, and found this recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats 
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda 
1 tsp. salt 
1/4 tsp. cinnamon 
1 cup butter, softened 
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla 
1/2 tsp. lemon juice 
2 eggs 
3 cups semi-sweet, chocolate chips 
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts 

Directions:

rind oats in a food processor or blender until fine. Combine the ground oats with the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and lemon juice in another medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture and blend well. Add the chocolate chips and nuts to the dough and mix by hand until ingredients are well blended.

For the best results, chill the dough overnight in the refrigerator before baking the cookies. 

Spoon rounded 1/4 cup portions onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the scoops about 2 inches apart. Bake in a 350°F oven for 16-18 minutes or until cookies are light brown and soft in the middle. Store in a sealed container when cool to keep soft.

I didn't have walnuts, but I did have Craisins ... so I did a little substituting and they were so good!!

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

This is so pretty and so festive. And really really good if you're a cranberry orange addict like me.

(From Sara's Secrets, Food Network.com)

3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, plus 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick)

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup

1 pound cranberries, rinsed, picked over, and patted dry

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon minced orange rind

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons double acting baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup red currant jelly

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with 3 tablespoons butter, sprinkle 1/2 cup of the sugar evenly over the bottom, and arrange the cranberries in the pan. (I use a springform pan. Much easier!)

In a bowl with the mixer cream together the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange rind and beat the mixture until well combined. Into another bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, alternately with the milk until it is combined. Pour the batter over the cranberries and smooth the top.

Bake the cake on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the inside of the pan and invert the cake stand.

In a small saucepan melt the currant jelly over low heat, stirring, and brush it over the cake. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream, if desired.

Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup butter
2 heaping tbsp. cocoa
2 cups flour
4 eggs
nuts (optional)

Mix together but add eggs one at a time. Pour into pan. Bake at 350 for 15-30 min. (depending on oven, just watch it). While hot, add enough miniature marshmallows to cover the surface. Put back in oven until bubbly.

Frosting:

6 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. milk
1 cup sugar
8 big marshallows (about a 3/4 to a cup of miniature ones)
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and marshmallows. Melt together. Drizzle over top of brownies and marshmallows. Top with nuts if desired.

Summer Dessert, Italian Style

Don't be turned off by the strangeness of it; this is what Italians eat in the summer for dessert (because you wouldn't want tiramisu if it was that hot and humid, either).

Sliced, chilled fresh fruit (my favorites are melons, berries or stone fruits like peaches, nectarines and plums)
Balsamic vinegar

Make sure the fruit is really cold before you start. Drizzle with a teensy bit of balsamic vinegar. Let it marinate for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Churchmouse Cake

I have no idea where this cake gets its name, but sure is delicious.

1 box chocolate cake
1 large box chocolate pudding
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
approx. 1/2 container sour cream.
6 oz. chocolate chips

Mix ingredients. Pour into a floured bunt pan. Bake for 60 min. at 350 degrees.

Hint: When baking this cake (or really, any other baked goods) use room-temperature eggs for a lighter, fluffier result. Also, this can be made with a yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding.

Bliss...I mean, Pumkpin Cake

I am addicted to pumpkin. Why limit it to Thanksgiving when you can have it year round? And, here's a bonus: at work today I learned that pumpkin extract and cinnamon have both been clinically shown to lower blood glucose levels. This cake is a cure for diabetes!!!! (Not true. I just tell myself this so I feel better after I down half the pan.)

Pumpkin Cake

Combine:
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup oil

Blend until smooth.
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, blending in between.

Sift together:
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Blend until smooth.

Bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 350 for 30 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting

Combine:
1 stick butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 8 oz package cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar

Spread over cooled cake. Try not to eat it all at once. It really is hard not to.

Gooey Butter Cakes

In case the title didn't tip you off, you should know this is a Paula Dean recipe. That means this isn't exactly light on the calories. But it's so rich you'll only eat a little bit, so it's not so bad, right? It's pretty easy and a good thing to bring to a potluck.

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter
1 egg

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Beat all ingredients for cake together until just combined. Press into bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add butter, beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until creamy, like frosting. Pour over cake layer. Bake 40-50 minutes (make sure it's still gooey and do not burn!)

For variety, add berries, pineapple or mandarin oranges on top. Or try it with a chocolate cake and use peanut butter in place of butter, and top with chocolate chips.

Chocolate Cake - no dairy!

First of all, I love Rissa's kitchen tag. I'll get right on that, so fun! Second of all, we've received a reader request for a dairy-free chocolate cake recipe ... and since I aim to please, here it is!

(Brittany, if you read this blog, do you remember the chocolate cake Mark Sandersen used to make for us? Well he caved and finally gave me the recipe! I'm stoked.)

2 cups Sugar
3 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
3 heaping Tablespoons of cocoa (I prefer dark chocolate cocoa)
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
3+ Tablespoons Vanilla (the more the merrier!)
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cups Water

Mix together
Bake at 350 degrees
(9x13 pan bake for 30-40 minutes)
(bundt pan bake for 60 minutes)
you can tell it's done baking when you can insert a knife in the center and it comes out clean.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup real butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together

Add:
3 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I usually just add the whole bag)
1 1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1 cup coconut (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes

Chocolate Cupcakes

I've been searching for the perfect basic chocolate cupcake recipe, and I think I found it! Here's the recipe thanks to Chockylit:

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes
14 regular cupcakes / 375 degree oven
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
4. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine
6. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
7. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 2/3’s full. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Peach Pie

Crusts
2 frozen pie crusts (9 in. pie tins, minimum)
If you feel ambitious, feel free to use a pie crust of your own making here.

Filling
1 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbs margarine (melted)
8 c peaches (2 cans)

Crumbly Topping
1/2 c margarine (solid)
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c flour

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix pie filling ingredients together in a large bowl, adding the peaches last. As soon as the ingredients are evenly blended, pour filling mixture over the pie crusts; there will be enough to fill both pie tins. Mix crumbly topping ingredients together in a large bowl. A pastry cutter works well for this procedure. Once the mixture is well blended and equally moist throughout, sprinkle it on top of the pies. Bake the pies at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until the top begins to brown lightly. Enjoy!


This recipe has never, ever failed me. I love it.

Mini Cherry Cheescakes

I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds amazing and I'm definitly making it for my next party! I'm all about canapes.

2 8 oz. packages softened cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
24 vanilla wafer cookies
24 cupcake liners
1 21 oz. can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350.

Chill unopened can of pie filling in fridge while ou make the cheesecakes.

Line two muffin pans with paper cupcake liners. Put one vanilla wafer cookie in the bottom of each cupcake paper, flat side down.

Mix the softened cream cheese with the white sugar on slow to medium speed until thoroughly blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla, then beat until light and fluffy.

Spoon the cheesecake batter into the muffin tins, dividing it as equally as you can. When you're through, each cupcake paper should be between half and two-thirds full. They'll look skimpy, but don't over-fill them! They still need the cherries.

Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top has set and has a satin finish. Cool in the pans on wire racks.

When the cheesecakes are cool, open the can of cherry pie filling and place three cherries on every mini cheesecakes. Divide the cherry juice equally among the 23 cakes.

Refrigerate in the muffin tins for at least 4 hours before serving; overnight is better. Then take them out of the tins, carefully remove the cupcake papers and serve!

Good Morning Pie

This is one of mine and Britt's favorite dishes. We used to make it all the time in the yellow house.

1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
1 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C skim milk
1 quart canned fruit packed in juice (your choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Sift together the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk and stir until well blended. Pour over melted butter in baking pan (do not stir into butter). Pour fruit and juice over flour mixture (again, do not stir). Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm.

Yummy Peanut Treat

My sister-in-law made these at Christmas-time this year, and they are amazing! I couldn't stop eating them. They're really good after they come out the freezer.

Salted Peanut Chews (I know, totally lame name)

Base: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping: 2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 (10 oz.) pkg. Peanut butter chips
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all base ingredients except marshmallows at low speed until crumbly. Press firmly in bottom of ungreased 13X9X2" pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 min. or until light golden brown. Removed from oven; immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven; bake an additional 1-2 min. or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping.

In large saucepan, combine all topping ingredients except cereal and peanuts. Heat just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cereal and peanuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover. Refrigerate 45 minutes or until firm. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 36 bars