German Chocolate Cupcakes

 

There is something so decadent about German Chocolate Cake.  The coconut pecan topping, the moist chocolate cake.  The chocolate buttercream puts it over the top. 

These even look like fancy bakery cupcakes.   And, because I used a boxed cake mix with some “secret sauce” add-ins, they were very easy.

German Chocolate Cake

1 box devil food cake

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with 20-24 cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, gently combine oil, eggs and vanilla extract.

3. Sift (for easy mixing) in about 1/3 of the cake mix and stir until combined.

4. Add Buttermilk and stir until combined.

5. Add another third of the cake mix (again, sifting for easy stirring).

6. Add sour cream, then final third of cake mix.

7. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 18-22 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

German Chocolate Topping

1 cup sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

3 egg yolks,  beaten

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 1/2 chopped pecans

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

On medium heat in a sauce pan, constantly stir evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks and butter until thickened. (Basically, until it boils and it will take approximately 15 minutes.) Stir in vanilla extract, pecans and coconut. Let cool.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups powder sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp milk or cream (use only amount needed to reach desired consistency)

Beat cream cheese and butter for 4 minutes. Add cocoa, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Let beat for 3 minutes. If it is too thick, add milk. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar. Or if it is not dark enough, add more cocoa.

*Pipe chocolate buttercream around edges of cupcakes to create a barrier.  Then place a scoop of topping in the center.* 

Enjoy!!

Recipe found at Your Cup of Cake

Laughter In The Kitchen

Lets talk about my kitchen for a bit.  I have mentioned before that I have a large family.  Yes, I have 5 sisters and one brother.  Not only that, but my extended family is very close.  I see my grandparents on average every 6 weeks.  With their visit brings all the siblings, cousins, and my auntie.  We get together and there is instantly a crowd of 10-15 of us.  When one comes…..they all come.

I love this.  I especially love to watch the way my house transforms.  It is beautiful.  Suddenly, there are two pre-teen boys playing their Nintendo's and debating the best way to build a Star Wars Lego set.  There are 3 little ones toddling around and being passed from grandma to auntie and back.  There is a bustle of women in the kitchen prepping a snack or a meal or laughing about “Grammie’s best buns”.  We always have a joke about buns in the kitchen.  Then there are the very few men….just trying to hold there own.  They usually lay their claim on the recliner chairs and just watch the commotion. 
My twin sister is trying to learn more in the kitchen.  Her husband has his fair share of “inedible” meals. So, when I get the chance, I let her in on all the things I have learned and pass along some of my favorite recipes.
My mom and grammy have been running the kitchen for many years.  Our holiday meals are always so delicious.  And we still like to tease mom about her pie fail in 1994.  My mom hasn’t ruined many recipes and to this day, I crave her Blackberry pie and I always stash a piece away for breakfast the next morning.

In our family, life just happens in the kitchen.  Most of my memories growing up are in the kitchen.  Helping Grammy make her famous sugar cookies.  Watching my mom pack lunches and make milkshakes when we were sick.  Waiting very patiently as my dad made “all day lasagna”. 
My dads cooking skills need their own post.  It takes the man all day to make a lasagna.  He makes the sauce from scratch and enjoys the entire process.  He also is the king of breakfast.  But, he uses no recipes….so I have to spy on him and soak up what I can.
I am sure my girls will grow up with the same memories.  They have already learned to come to the counter if I am baking…..they know they will get a little treat.
What are you kitchen memories?

Resurrection Rolls

I have found that if I have a fun activity ready for my toddler right after nap time, we all do a lot better.  This week I saw these rolls on Pinterest and I knew they would be perfect for little toddler fingers and tummies.
All you will need is:
16 large marshmallows
Melted butter
Cinnamon sugar mix
Refrigerated crescent rolls

Roll the marshmallows (symbolizing Jesus’ body) in melted butter and cinnamon sugar mix.  This represents the preparation of Jesus’ body before he was put in the tomb.

Place one marshmallow in the center of a crescent roll and roll up tight.  Be sure to seal up all the edges so the marshmallow is totally enclosed.  It will look more like just a round ball of dough.  The crescent dough represents the clothing that they placed Jesus in.

Look at those sweet toddler fingers!


Bake the rolls at 375 for about 12-14 minutes.  When they are done, they should be a light golden brown.


Show your little ones that the roll still looks the same on the outside, but it is hollow on the inside.  When Jesus rose, all that was left were his wrapping cloths. 

These rolls were delicious!!  And for the rest of the evening, my daughter kept telling us about the rolls that were empty like the tomb. JESUS has RISEN!! 
Happy Easter!

Perfect Strawberry Pretzel Salad (the insider tips)

I really love this dish.  I don’t call it a dessert because I eat it right along with my main meal.  But, I am sure it should be viewed more as a dessert.  When I first attempted this, I came out with a mess.  A real mess.  But after a little practice and a few suggestions, I have been enjoying it ever since.
Here are a few common problems
*Crust too hard
*Soggy, mushy mess in the middle
*Soggy crust

This is not a salad you want to make on a whim.  You really need to be patient and attentive if you want it to turn out just perfect.  The crust needs to cool completely, the cream filling needs to set, and the jello mixture also needs time to set before layering.  It is best to make this dish the night before you want to eat it.  But feel free to lick the bowls so that you are not deprived.

This is the good stuff right here.  I was caught licking the spatula tonight.  I continued to slurp and smack my lips with no shame.  I even shared.

One secret, is that you really do have to reduce the water, use the strawberry juice, and let this chill in the fridge for an hour before layering.

I like a heavy cream to strawberry ratio in my salad.

Joyful Momma’s Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
• 4 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 1 cups boiling water
• 1 (24 ounce) package frozen strawberries (sliced strawberries with sugar added) Usually in a container of some sort.  These are not the strawberries in the bag.  I found mine on the bottom shelf of the freezer section at Walmart. 

Directions
1. Crush pretzels and mix with 4 1/2 Tbsp sugar and the melted butter
2. Press pretzel mix into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes exactly.  Do not over bake or you will run in to problem #1 of a very hard crust.  You want to not break a tooth on this yummy dish.  Remove from oven and cool COMPLETELY on a wire cooling rack.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the 1 cup boiling water and 6 oz strawberry jello.  Stir until dissolved.  Add in the frozen 24 oz of strawberries and juices.  Stir until the strawberries thaw and mixed well.  Set in fridge for 1 hour to chill
4. In a medium bowl, beat together 1 cup sugar and cream cheese.  I used and electric hand mixer and beat it until nice and smooth.  Then, fold in the cool whip with a spatula.  Don’t use your mixer for this part.  Taste test as you see fit.
5. Spread cream cheese mixture on to the pretzel crust (after completely cool….getting the idea?) and let chill in the fridge while the jello mix sets as well.  Make sure to really get the mixture into the corners of the dish.  we want to create a barrier so that no jello juices can sneak down and cause problem #3 of a soggy crust.
6.  After the jello mix has chilled for one hour, layer on to the cream cheese filling.  Smile at your beautiful layered success. Chill over night and serve to your friends and loved ones with pride.
ENJOY!

Keep up with my current recipes HERE I am always adding new favorites. (find it here first before all your friends find it on Pinterest)

Pioneer Womans Cinnamon Rolls (With a quick version)

Seriously, have you guys made these yet?  I have always steered away from cinnamon rolls because they always seem to have something wrong with them.  Too dry on the outside, not enough frosting, too much frosting, to flat….etc.  You get the idea, I have high standards when it comes to my sweet breads.

Enter Ree Drummond.  She is quite the gal.  I want to be her BFF and offer to do her dishes if she will teach me her cooking ways.  And she has beautiful red hair and a basset hound, pretty great right?!

Don’t these look divine?  (That is Ree’s word to describe these sweet, gooey bites of heaven)  Do you see that frosting.  It has maple and coffee in it.  Now, if you don’t like coffee, don’t shy away.  You wont even notice it.  It just does something for the flavor that nothing else can do.  My friend does not like coffee and she ate 3 of these without so much as an nod to the coffee.
This is directly from her website.  See the bottom of this post for how I made it quick, quick, quick.  The normal prep time on this is 2 hours.

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/4 cup Melted Butter
• 1/4 cup Brewed Coffee
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt

Preparation Instructions

For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute. Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.) Preheat the oven to 375°F. To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin. To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal. Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log. Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.) Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown. While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable. Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. *Now, there are 2 ways that I have made this quicker.  First, I used my bread machine to make the dough. I just used the recipe that came with my machine for cinnamon roll dough and that was a real time saver.  Second, I made these after dinner the night before I wanted to serve them.  Just make the rolls as you would, put in a butter drizzled pan, and cover with saran and place in the fridge overnight.  They will be all ready for you in the morning.  Just take out of the fridge and let set and rise on top of the stove for about 30 minutes and let your oven preheat.  Then bake as directed and DRENCH drizzle in the maple frosting.  ENJOY!

Welcome 2012

We have had a year filled with more blessings than I can count.  Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

I was busy feeding this crowd of 20 for Christmas dinner.  We had a delicious dinner and enough laughs to burn all the calories.
See you tomorrow for more recipes to take you in to the new year with great menu ideas.

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

We had a North Pole Breakfast this year.  Our elf on the shelf, Twinkle, came to visit and we had special North Pole treats.
I adapted this recipe from one on the Pilsbury website.  I wanted to make it very fast and easy.  Basically, all I did was sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix rather than rolling each piece of dough in it.
Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread
2 cans Pilsbury Flaky Supreme refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
2 granny smith apples, peeled and finely chopped
2/3 cup cinnamon sugar mixture (I just made my own)
1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease a round bundt pan.  I used and angel food cake pan, worked great
2. Cut each cinnamon roll in to 4 pieces. 
3. Sprinkle bottom of pan with some apple and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
4. Layer half the cut cinnamon rolls on top.  Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar (about 1/3 cup on this layer)
5. Top with remaining apples and cut rolls.
6. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool for 15 minutes.
8. Turn upside down on a plate and smother with icing. 
9. Enjoy!!
These are so gooey and delicious.  It would make a very fast and delicious Christmas morning breakfast.

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

Cookie Exchange week continues. 

My friend Kristen brought these little treasures.  They are a soft chocolate cookie with a Rolo candy inside. They are like a little treasure box that you bite in to.  YUM!

Chocolate Rolo Cookies (From food.com)

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup margarine

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

48 rolos chocolate-covered caramel candies

1 tablespoon sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add Sugar, Brown Sugar, Margarine, Eggs and Vanilla.
3. Mix together until well blended.
4. Add Flour, Cocoa and Baking Soda and mix well.
5. Refrigerate and chill dough for 30 minutes.
6. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place 1 Rolo in the center of each dough ball.
7. Form the dough ball around the majority of the Rolo.
8. Roll each dough ball in sugar.
9. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes.
10. Let cool on pan for 1 minute then take off and place on cookie cooling rack.

Cookie Exchange: Perfect Chocolate Crinkles

My twin sister made these!  And I must say, she is getting pretty good in the kitchen. 
These are truly the perfect chocolate cookie.  The powdered sugar outside, the chocolate chip inside.  The love just pours out of them.  I may or may  not have eaten all 5 of them at nap time.
Perfect Chocolate Crinkles (recipe from The Small Things Blog) *This is an awesome blog to browse*
Mix together:
3/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

In separate bowl, mix:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Add dry ingredients to wet ones & mix well
Pour 12 oz bag of chocolate chips in mixture, & stir together
Refrigerate at least 2 hours
Roll into balls, then roll in 1/2 cup powdered sugar (really coat these little guys in sugar)
Bake @ 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Do not over bake.
This recipe will make about 3 dozen.
Enjoy!

No Roll Sugar Cookies

Thursday I will begin counting down the 24 days to Christmas! I love this time of year when we get eat such delicious goodies, indulge in incredibly fattening rich drinks, and whip up our family favorite recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. I have a whole list of recipes just waiting to be made in the month of December. Even a few new ones to try. Here is a little teaser for you.  No Roll Sugar Cookies: found on allrecipes.com So, here’s my explanation.  Most families with little kids love to make the ever so cute roll out, cut out sugar cookies.  I like them too.  They are very cute, but also very time consuming.  And since my oldest child is only 2, she still does not get the concept.  I gave her a cookie cutter and wanted her to help me.  She proceeded to mutilate the dough and mash it together as if it were playdough.  Lesson learned.  So, to cut down on the time commitment and still get to enjoy Verity’s favorite part (the decorating), I found this really delicious No Roll Sugar Cookie. 
No Roll Sugar Cookie

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Cream butter or margarine, shortening, white sugar and confectioners' sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla.
3. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar together. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and blend.
4. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Dip a glass in white sugar and press balls flat. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Now, you all know how I am a rebel and I like to do things my own way.  I do not roll the dough in to walnut sized balls, I use my favorite cookie scoop.  I also do not flatten them before baking.  I like the way they look with a slightly cracked top.  So, I bake them as a ball for 11 minutes then, immediately after I remove the pan from the oven, I press the cookie down just slightly and lightly with the bottom of a dry measuring cup.  They look so pretty this way.  Especially if you choose to serve them without frosting. 
These taste like a cross between a sugar cookie and a shortbread cookie.  I have made these 5 times and they always turn out and taste fabulous.  Just be sure to take them out of the oven before the edges turn crisp.  Unless, of course, you like a crisper cookie. 

Impossibly Easy Apple Dumplings

Oh man oh man!  These were totally drool worthy.  SO GOOD!  Don’t be fooled by the ingredients.  The Mountain Dew does something similar to magic in the pan.
Apple Dumplings
2 apples, peeled.  I used Honey Crisp apples
2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 sticks butter (1 cup)  Use real butter only
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar mix
1 cup Mountain Dew

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9X13 baking pan
2. Peel and core apples.  Cut each apple in to 8 slices.  So, 16 slices total
3. Roll each apple slice in cinnamon sugar mix.

4. Roll in a crescent roll, beginning at the wide end of the dough.


5. Place the 16 rolls in the greased 9X13 pan

6. Melt butter in the microwave.  Stir in sugar, but don’t worry about mixing it too much.  Add in the vanilla, stir and pour over the rolled apples.

*Here comes the MAGIC*
7. Pour the Mountain Dew just around the edges of the pan.  Do not pour it all over the rolls.


8. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Serve warm with the buttery sauce over top.

Seriously, these lasted about 10 minutes.  They were so good I think I will have to make them again soon

A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

This year, I am making chicken potpie and my moms delicious cranberry sauce.  I will not be spending all day in the kitchen.  I will however, be spending the day relaxing watching all three Santa Clause movies.  I will also be making and decorating cookies, winning a game of Phase 10, and taking a very long nap.
How about you all?
Any fun and exciting plans for Thanksgiving?  What are you favorite foods for this specail day?
Come back bright and early on Monday as I kick off the Holiday 2011 series.  Holiday favorites and some new ideas too.