Grasshopper fudge cake

It's been FOREVER! Don't worry haven't tried anything new, well except for Bob's Mocha Layer cake.....ummm...yeah WOW! I'll post that one later.

Anywhoo, I've been in a biggest loser competition and today was the last day...official weight loss 19 1/2 lbs in 2 months, don't know if I won or got second place yet :)

I decided I needed a reward before I go to the gym tonight, still gonna try for another 20 lbs by summer, but there is no way I can cut out my baking and eating completely.

I found this courtesy of Betty Crocker, it's super easy and boy if you like mint and chocolate together as much as I do, this will be a favorite

What you need:

1 box white cake mix and what the directions call for, usually water, oil and egg whites. (You can make your own white cake mix, but really it's good either way)

2 tsp mint extract

green food coloring

2 jars prepared hot fudge(ice cream topping)

1 8 oz container of cool whip

Andes creme de menthe thins

Preheat your oven to what the box of cake mix says or 350 degrees. Mix the eggs, oil and water then add 1 1/2 tsp of the mint extract until the mix is well combined. Take 1 cup of cake batter aside in a separate bowl and add green food coloring, add as much or as little as you want depending on the shade of green you want, I did about 8 drops since I wanted it to be bright. Pour the remaining white batter in greased pan. Then take the green batter and drop spoonfuls over the batter. Then with a butter knife swirl the green into the white (like the swirly brownies) make a continuous s-shape. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the middle pops back if you press your finger, gently into the center or the age old toothpick test.

Let cake cool for at least 1 hour, don't want everything melting. After the cake is cooled take your hot fudge, this is where me and Betty differ, I used one jar of the hot fudge, just seemed like a huge amount to add the other one. You can add it if you want the layer to be thick. Then take the whole container of cool whip, thawed, and add the remaining 1/2 tsp of mint and some more food coloring and mix it well. Spread over the hot fudge layer. Take the Andes mints(I let mine freeze for about an hour) and chop them into pieces and sprinkle over the cool whip layer.

Store in the fridge and enjoy!

Smore's Bars

Ok this will be my last fattening and sugary recipe...for a while. Monday will be my first official day on phase 1 of Southbeach :( This babyweight will not come off by just cutting calories. I am forced to drastic measures. I will miss cake, cookies, pasta, bread, and potatoes. I love these! I will miss them considerably.

1/2 c butter
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c flour
3/4 c graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
5 milk chocolate bars, hersheys
1 c marshmallow creme, I used mini marshmallows cause the creme is hard to spread

In large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla until well mixed. Combined flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to creamed butter mixture, but set aside 1/2 c of the graham cracker mixture for topping.

Press remaining dough into 9 inch square pan, layer the chocolate bars over. Then layer the marshmallows over the chocolate. Crumble the left over graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. cool and cut into bars, store in airtight container.

Red Velvet

I never really had the chance to fall in love with red velvet cake until later in life when I made it at school. I didn't even know that it's actually a chocolate cake dyed red. I made this yesterday, and yes amazing.

Ingredients
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c butter
1/2 c shortening
3 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
2 oz red food coloring

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add vanilla and food coloring. In separate bowl add flour, cocoa powder, and salt, stir well until the cocoa is evenly distributed and no lumps. Then add to the butter/sugar mixture. Then add buttermilk. In a small bowl mix the vingegar with baking soda and pour over batter and mix together. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min in a 9X13 pan, or until center is set and toothpick comes out clean. You can make into 2 8 or 9'' rounds or cupcakes.

Once cooled I made a cream cheese frosting. I didn't really measure much, it was 4 oz of plain cream cheese, about 2 c powdered sugar, maybe less/more. 1/2 tsp vanilla and a tablespoon or two of milk. I just added enough to get spreading consistency.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ok, I always have bananas left over to make something out of so instead of the banana buttermilk cake that I was going to make for Taylor's birthday, I made these, and the kids hoovered them quickly.

1 egg
1/3 vegetable oil
3/4 c sugar
3 medium bananas, mashed
2 c flour
1/2 c old fashioned oats
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c mini chocolate chips(I used regular milk chocolate chips cause the minis only come in semisweet and I DON'T use semi sweet in chip form!) personal reasons :)

In large bowl beat egg, oil, and sugar until smooth. Stir in bananas. Combine flour, oats, soda, powder, and salt, stir in the banana mixture just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips.

Fill greased or paper line muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes.

Peanutbutter candy

Those of you that went to public school here in Pocatello should remember these delicious treasures from school lunch, the one and only thing I loved from school food. I've come across many copy cats and this one by far wins by miles! It doesn't use rice krispies but crushed graham crackers so the consistency is much finer and better.

Peanut Butter Filling
2 c powdered sugar
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. melted butter
2/3 c. graham cracker crumbs (4 large retangles will be perfect)

Chocolate topping
2/3. c chocolate chips
4 Tbs peanutbutter
2 tsp. butter

Line a 8X8 square pan with foil with some overhanging the edges. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the 4 ingredients for the filling and mix until all combined and somewhat smooth, there should be a few graham cracker chunks. Then spread in the pan into an even layer. Then the 3 ingredients for the topping need to be melted together either in microwave or stovetop. Then spread over the peanut butter. and put in fridge until set and chocolate stiff. Then lift out by foil and cut into 1 inch pieces, store in fridge, if any is leftover :) LOVE

Revision

This is just a new topping idea for the strawberry poke cake that I posted earlier. I made this for Mike on fathers day, and I've never seen a cake that big go so fast! So yummy.

So make the white cake with strawberry jello, but for the topping use:
8oz plain cream cheese, softened
8oz pkg of cool whip
1/2-1 c. powdered sugar
fresh strawberries, sliced

Beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the cool whip and mix in the powdered sugar, use less if you don't want it too sweet or more if you do. I didn't really measure I just added until it was the sweetness I liked. Once it's mixed together and smooth spread over the cake making sure it goes into the holes. Then top with the fresh strawberries. Seriously amazing!

Creamy Mints

These no-cook mints are good for parties and use any colors you want1

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp mint extract
2 drops food coloring of your choice
4 1/4-4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
superfine or granulated sugar

In a large bowl mix cream cheese, mint extract and food coloring until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar until mixture becomes stiff.
You can use candy molds which you would coat the molds in the extra sugar and press mint mixture in. Then take them out on wax paper. Or you can use a tablespoon to form into a ball for each one and roll in the sugar. Then using your thumb or back of a fork to shape the mints. Store covered in the fridge and can be frozen for up to a month

Pickle

I love pickles! My girls love pickles, and I came across a fun tip a few months ago and I just got around to trying it. I'm sure you've tried the homemade pickles with vinegar and onions but it's not the same as a pickle from the store. So what you do is save the pickle juice once your pickles are gone and cut up cucumbers, I made them spears and put them in the leftover juice. Let them sit in the fridge for at least 5 to 7 days. And you'll have yummy pickles again! We tried ours last night and it was awesome! Also please send comments on something you've wanted to try and don't have a recipe for. I'll get a good recipe and try it and then post!

Strawberry Poke Cake

Ok I know I was wanting to post something everyother day, but I realized I needed to get in gear and lose this dang baby weight! I have a wedding to be at in July and my dress is blue and I am just having horrifying images of me as the beached blue whale in the pictures. So I have been working hard eating turkey and vegetables, but I was naughty this weekend with Ari's birthday cupcakes, which were frogs and adorable I might add. With Erika down I made a yummy and very easy cake.

1 box of white or yellow cake mix(bake according to pkg directions and must be 13X9)
1 small box of strawberry jello(raspberry would be excellent as well)
1 can of strawberry pie filling(raspberry or blueberry will work, doesn't really matter it's all good. I used blueberry with strawberry jello)
whipped cream, just enough to cover the cake

Bake your cake and once it's cooled take the end of a wooden spoon and poke holes about 1 inch apart all over the cake. Then make the jello with 1 c. boiling water and mix until dissolved, add 1 c. cold water. Pour all over the cake, making sure you drench the entire thing with the jello. Put the cake in the refridgerator for at least 2 hours. Then Take the pie filling and spread it over the cake making sure the filling is going into the holes of the cake. Finally spread the whipping cream over the pie filling and put back in the fridge for another hour or more. Seriously so good, so I must get back to my rabbit food diet

Chicken and Rice Wraps

Ok this is way too easy and it's definetly not one I can take any credit for, but I made it for dinner last night and it's so good! It's meant to be made in a crockpot, so I wouldn't try it without one. Plus my crockpot seems to cook it a whole lot faster than the recipe says it should, so it's not one that you can make early and let it cook all day unless yours is able to switch to a warm and not cook it anymore.

2 cans campbells cheddar cheese soup
2 c. salsa
1 c. water
1 1/4 c long grain uncooked white rice
2 lbs. uncooked, cubed chicken

Mix the soup. salsa, and water together then add rice and chicken. Set on a low temperature or 8 hours, depending on your crockpot. But mine was done in about 6 hours and I took it out and let cool down. Once ready to eat get tortillas and spoon about 1 cup of chicken and rice filling, and eat as a wrap, but of course you don't have to make it a wrap and just eat the chicken and rice alone

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These are so good! They are so soft and delicate in texture its like a fluffier version of banana bread

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3 medium bananas, mashed
2 c. oats
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. add to the creamed mixture and mix well. stir in the bananas, oats, and chocolate chips.
Drop on greased baking sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

110 Calorie Brownies

Here is another yummy, and less fat brownie recipe that is good. They really are only 110 calories per brownie and only 20 of those are from fat!

Ingredients:
1 c. granulated sugar
1 6ounce container of Yoplait 99% fat free french vanilla yogurt
2 TBS canola or vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8 or 9" baking dish
Mix sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla, and egg white until combined. Stir in remaining ingredients except powdered sugar. Mix until all combined. Spread into greased baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely and cut 4 by 4 so there are 16 even squares (this ensures your 110 calories) SPrinkle with powdered sugar, if you want to. I looks pretty and if you are entertaining or taking them for a party

Asian Chicken and Orzo Salad

I love love love orzo! Anything with orzo I am totally down with trying.


Ingredients:
1 9ounce frozen pkg sugar snap peas
1 lb orzo, fully cooked according to pkg directions
1 c. water chesnuts, drained and chopped
3 c. diced cooked chicken
3 green onions chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 TBS rice wine vinegar
2 TBS soy sauce
2 tsp hoisin sauce
2 ounces of slivered almonds (optional I don't use because I'm allergic)

Cook sugar snap peas according to pkg directions. Then Add to orzo, water chesnuts, chicken, green onions and bell pepper. Whisk oil, vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce together, and pour over chicken mixture and if you want stir in the almonds.

So easy, so simple, so delicious!

Healthy Whoopie Pies!?!

Yeah ok Britteny, I found a healthy recipe for a dessert, nearly blasphemy, in my book. I guess that's why you are thin and I am not! :) These are 100 calories per cookie sandwich and still yummy. Plus low in cholesterol with using only the egg white and if you use margarine or crisco shortening, almost zero cholesterol!

1 c. flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 egg white
1/2 c. 1% milk
3/4 c. marshmallow creme

First preheat 425 degrees. In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, and salt. In a large bowl beat sugar, butter and egg white until fluffy. Add flour mixture, then stir in milk unil just blended.
Drop by tablespoon on ungreased pan, you should get 32 cookies. Bake 5 min or until tops bouce back when touched. Let cool on wire rack and when cooled spoon marshmallow creme on 16 cookies bottom side up then top with the rest to make sandwiches

Banana Cream Brownies

Seriously yummy brownies! Vanessa and Britteny should remember these now you can make them too!

1 pkg (9X13) brownie mix
3/4 c. dry roasted peanuts, chopped
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 1/4 c. milk
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 container cool whip (just the regular size not the jumbo)
12 strawberries (optional), sliced
1 one ounce square of baking chocolate

Mix brownie mix according to pkg directions, and stir in 1/2 c. chopped peanuts. Bake brownies as directed on box. Let cool completely. Then slice 2 of the bananas and layer evenly over the cooled brownies. Then mix pudding mix, milk until slightly thickened, then fold in 2 1/2 c of the cool whip. Spread pudding mix over the banana layer and refrigerate for at least 30 min.
Then using the remaining peanuts and the last banana and evenly put on top of the pudding layer, and this last part is optional with the strawberries, also layer with the bananas and peanuts and grate the chocolate for garnish.

The last time I made this I didnt' have strawberries or the grated chocolate and it's still good either way!

Chocolate-Cream Cheese Cookies

Well I'm going to try to put something new up everyday or everyother day. But that may be too ambitious for me. Anywhoo, I have a serious addiction problem to all things chocolate, cream cheese, and raspberry. I may need to seek some help.

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix

Cream cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, add the egg and vanilla. Add cake mix and mix well, this will be sticky. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Scoop out with tablespoon and form into a ball. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 mins, or until tops are cracked. Cool on wire rack.


Cake mix cookies are my favorites since they are so fluffy and soft.

Sour Cream Drops

Ok after a long break I did finally make something new. These are seriously yummy cookies, I'm mad at myself for not making them sooner, and I just might eat all of them before Mike gets home :)

Sour Cream Drops
1/4 c shortening
3/4 C. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Frosting:
2 TBS butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3-4 TBS hot water

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to the creamed mixture. cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 7-8 min or until lightly golden around the edges. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Yields 2 dozen if done with tablespoon.
For frosting, melt butter in saucepan until golden brown; stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla ad enough water to get a spreading consistency. Frost when cookies are cooled.

This is really easy and they are so soft and fluffy

Acapolco Halibut

I made this Acapolco Halibut today and it turned out great. I don't have a lot of experience with white fish that isn't tilapia. It's spicy and a little hot but you can cut the chili powder down. And I think it will work with different kinds of white fish, depending on what's available and what looks good that day. Plus, everyone should eat more fish! It is very good for you!



Acapolco Fish

4 4-6 oz fillets of halibut(or cod, catfish, or tilapia will work)

3 limes

2 T extra virgin olive oil

3 tsp cumin

2 tsp granulated garlic

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground red pepper, or chipotle powder

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt



Put fillets in shallow dish and sqeeze lime and pour olive oil over. Then combine all spices together and sprinkle all sides of the fish with it along with the juice and oil until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 20 mins. Once marinated either use grill or a saute pan coat with a little non stick spray or canola oil to prevent sticking, and grill or saute for 2-5 min on each side depending on the thickness of your fillet. The thicker they are the longer they need to stay on. Once your fish is opaque and flaky it's done. Also a lime wedge to squeeze on the fish right before eating makes it even more yummy and helps the heat of it.

I served it with grilled vegetables and a rice pilaf with bell peppers and chicken stock instead of water. It was really good.

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes, not only fun to make but yummy!!

I got this from My HELLO, CUPCAKE book. It's really fun and has lots of ideas with cupcakes. These are a pumpkin cake with the decoration on top and it's really easy.

Ingredients

1 box white or yellow cake mix

1 c. canned pumpkin puree

3/4 c. buttermilk

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/3 c. veg oil

4 eggs

Mix together and bake in cupcake pan according to cake mix directions. Let cool completely.

For pumpkins

Orange decorators sugar, I got two canisters

1 can vanilla frosting

orange food coloring or red and yellow will work but it's really light in color

3 strips of green rainbow twizzlers

orange writers icing. I used Betty Crocker, make sure it's the writers kind with a small round tip.

Once your cupcakes are cool enough to frost, color the vanilla frosting orange and frost a cupcake and pour out your orange sugar in a shallow pan or I used a pie tin. and holding the bottom of the cupcake roll the entire thing in the sugar so all of the frosting has a layer of the sugar. Using a toothpick create ridges from the middle out, also do it off center cause pumpkin ridges are off. Then pipe the orange writers icing along the indentations from toothpick. Then cut the green twizzlers into 1 inch strips diagonally and put into the top of the pumpkin where your ridges meet and thats your stem. Repeat with all cupcakes and you have an edible and delicious pumpkin patch!

Cuban Pork Chops

Cuban Porkchops with Mojo(moe-hoe) sauce
I made this today for my assignment and it was so good the pan sauce is amazing!

1 c. orange juice, plus 1/4 c, divided
1/2 c. lime juice, plus 1/4 c., divided
1/4 c. white vinegar
4 pork chops, no more than 1 inch thick
1 T. black pepper
2 T salt
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 T garlic powder
1T. onion powder
1 T dried oregano
3 T canola oil
1/4 c. red onion (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. white wine or chicken broth

In a large ziplock bag add the 1 c. orange juice, 1/2 c. lime juice and the vinegar. Put the chops in the marinade and put in the fridge for at least 20 mins to an hour.

Meanwhile add all the spices together in small bowl. Once you pull your pork out, pull out of the bag and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub the spice mixture all over each side of the pork. In a large saute pan heat the oil on high heat and sear one side of the pork until golden brown, then flip and turn the heat to medium-low heat and add your onion(if using) and saute for about 2 min. Then add the minced garlic and saute til golden, do not burn the garlic. Then add the remaining orange, and lime juice. Then add the wine or chicken stock, and bring to simmer and let pork finish cooking through while sauce reduces. Temp your pork at 155 degrees. Then put on plate with a foil "tent'' to keep warm, meanwhile turn the heat up on your pan sauce and let reduce. Pour the sauce over your pork. You can also top with chopped fresh roma tomatoes.

to make it a fulloy cuban meal, make your own refried black beans, by sauting onion, bell pepper, and garlic until soft. Add whole canned black beans and heat through until they split. Add about 1 tsp red wine vinegar and stir. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze on the beans. it's l really good. I also had grilled zucchini, and bell peppers that were seasoned with red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.