Sunday, November 30, 2008

Fudgy Mocha Brownies

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

½ cup butter

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp instant coffee

1 Tbsp hot water

¾ cup chopped nuts

1 (16 oz.) tub milk chocolate frosting (optional)

Powdered sugar (optional)


Heat oven to 350º F.

Combine 1 cup flour and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly into bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, egg, ¼ cup flour, vanilla and baking powder in large bowl. Dissolve instant coffee in hot water. Add to cocoa mixture. Mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread over baked crust.

Bake for 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Frost if desires, or sprinkle with powdered sugar.


Carmel Fudge Cake

No-Stick Cooking Spray

1 (18.25 oz.) package chocolate cake mix

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup butter

1 (14 oz.) package caramels, unwrapped

1 (11.75 oz.) jar caramel topping

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans


Heat oven to 350º F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking an with no stick cooking spray. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Pour 2 cups batter into prepared pan; bake 15 minutes.

Melt caramels and butter in heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add sweetened condensed milk; mix well. Spread caramel mixture evenly over cake; spread remaining cake batter over caramel mixture.

Return to oven; bake an additional 25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool. Mix caramel topping and pecan in small bowl. Spread over cooled cake; serve.


Harvest Apple Streusel Squares

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

¾ cup butter or margarine, melted

½ cup finely chopped pecans

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 large eggs

1 (21 oz.) can apple pie filling

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup all purpose flour

¼ tsp. Ground cinnamon

¼ cup cold butter

½ cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped pecans


Heat oven to 350º F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and pecans in a small bowl. Press evenly into prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and eggs. Pour over prepared crust. Spoon apple pie filling over cream cheese layer.

Combine brown sugar, four and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Sprinkle over apple layer.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden (do not overbake). Cool before serving.


Creamy White Fudge

1 ½ pounds white candy wafers (or almond bark)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Dash salt

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts


Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with waxed paper. Melt white candy with sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and nuts. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Fudge

2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup (6 oz.) peanut butter chips


Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with waxed paper. Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat. Add vanilla and peanut butter chips; stir just to distribute chips throughout mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board; peek off paper and cut into squares.


Layered Mint Chocolate Fudge

2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, divided

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup (6 oz.) white candy wafers (or almond bark)

1 Tbsp peppermint extract

Green or Red food coloring (optional)


Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with waxed paper. Melt chocolate chips with 1 cup sweetened condensed milk in heavy saucepan over low heat.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Spread half the mixture into prepared pan; chill 10 minutes or until firm. Hold remaining chocolate mixture at room temperature.

Melt white candy with remaining sweetened condensed milk in heavy saucepan over low heat (mixture will be thick). Add peppermint extract and food coloring, if desired. Spread on chilled chocolate layered; chill 10 minutes longer or until firm.

Spread reserved chocolate mixture on mint layer. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

This is the first post to my regular blog in a long time, and I think I will be more diligent to it, seeing as I have a laptop now and more access to the inter webs without being tied to my PC.

So this Thanksgiving was one of the best int a long time. The family got together, we all made it, there was a lot of food and a lot left over. Praise God. It always seems like there is enough to go around. My brother brought along a laptop that he handed off to me, so I think that it was time again that I start blogging again. As lame as it sounds, the laptop will help me to increase recording to both my blogs.

The other cool thing that happened was that we got a new family pic with my new DSLR. I set the timer for ten seconds and to take ten shots, walked into the frame and hoped for the best. I was super happy that I got everyone's cooperation and that the kids were well behaved overall for the pose. They didn't all pay attention at once and people blinked here and there, but I was content to have a couple that were about 95% of the way there. :)

The last time that we had almost the whole family in a pic was about three years ago, but even then we all were not in it, and you could tell that the kids were inattentive and not happy either. My family rocks, I'm pretty sure. Hope that all of my friends had a holiday as nice as mine.