Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

               Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

(yep this is another one of Becky's famous recipes-at least in my book!  My daughter who loves junk food, really loves this, and I'm happy to make this for her-at least there is zucchini in it right?  This is a keeper and wonderful way to use up that zucchini, also I love that is has applesauce for 1/2 the oil)

3 eggs
1 c sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2c. vegetable oil
1/2c applesauce, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2c. grated zucchini, 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted, 2c. flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. Cinnamon, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1c. chopped nuts (I omit this my kids won't eat nuts), 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips.
***Cream together eggs, sugar, and oil.  Add remaining ingredients slowly while beating.  Bake at 350 F for 50 min or until tests done.  Makes 2 regular loaves.  Enjoy!  * I sprinkle a little sugar on top before baking-  

Brazilian Cheese Bread

             Brazilian Cheese Bread 
   Just like a famous Brazilian  restaurant

(my son went to Japan on his mission, there are a lot of Brazilians there, these are close to what he ate-they are a little bit of work  but worth it, my kids gobble these up I double this recipe)

1 c. whole milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. salt
2 c. (10oz) Tapioca flour
2 eggs
1 to 1 1/2c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
(I use 1/2 sharp cheddar and 1/2 Parmesan) .
 Preheat oven 450F.

  Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or baking liner.

1.  Boil Milk and oil -combine the oil, milk, and salt in a saucepan, and whisking occasionally, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.  Remove from heat as soon as you see big bubbles coming through the milk.

2.  Add the Tapioca Flour- add all the tapioca flour to the saucepan and stir until you see no dry tapioca flour.  The dough will be grainy and gelatinous at this point.

3.  Cool the dough-  transfer the dough to the bowl of a standing mixer (I use a good hand beater)fitted with a paddle attachment.  Beat the dough for a few minutes at medium speed until it smooths out and has cooled enough that you can hold your finger against the dough for several seconds.
4.  Beat in the eggs-  whisk the eggs together in a small bowl.  With the mixer on medium beat the eggs into the dough in two additions.  Wait until the first addition is fully incorporated into the dough before adding the second.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5.  Beat in the Cheese-  with the mixer on medium beat in the cheese until fully incorporated.  The resulting dough will be very sticky, stretchy and soft with a consistency between cake batter  and cookie dough

6.  Portion the puffs- using an ice cream scoop, a tablespoon, or a dinner spoon, scoop rounded portions of the dough into mounds on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Space the mounds an inch or two apart.  Dip your scoop in water to prevent sticking.

7.  Bake the puffs- put in oven and immediately turn oven down to 350F.  Bake 25 to 30 min.  until the puffs have puffed, the outsides are dry and they are just starting to color.  Cool briefly and eat.
Leftover puffs can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week.  And re-crisped in a warm oven or toaster oven.

**Makes about 2 dozen

Note:  Bob's Red Mill makes a tapioca flour (I found mine at a local health food store, or local grocery store in the flour section.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie

                Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie

(this pie will bring back so many memories of  my mother-in-law.  She was an amazing cook and would make this for dessert a lot.  The kids loved this one the most and it's easy to make! Her ward made these and sold them for their girl's camp fund raiser)

Makes 3 pies, In parenthesis for 2 
**Cream together until smooth:  1 1/4c sugar (1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp.), 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa (2 1/2 Tbsp), 8oz softened cream cheese (4oz), 
2 Tbsp. softened butter(1 Tbsp) .  

**Gradually add 2/3c milk (1/3c) **Whip until thick and creamy; then fold in 16oz.Cool Whip (8oz) .  Pour into Oreo pie shells.  Add a little Cool Whip on top and decorate with chocolate curls, refrigerate.  Great and easy pie for Thanksgiving! 

Grammy's White Sheet Cake from Eat Cake for Dinner

 Grammy's White Sheet Cake
(from:  Eat Cake For Dinner)
I just made this today and I will say, I ate way too much it was that good, but honestly it's the frosting, which is like a glaze that makes the cake--this was easy and well worth making!- this came from pinterest, another winner in my book!
Cake:
1 c. butter (2 cubes)
1 c. water
2 c. granulated sugar
2 1/4c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream

****Frosting: 

 1 c. butter

 6 Tbsp. evaporated milk

 4 1/2-5 c. powdered sugar

 1 tsp. vanilla,

 1/8 tsp. salt

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Melt butter and water in large saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted.  Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda.  Stir with a wire whisk until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the sour cream and mix until blended.

 Pour the batter into a well greased 11 x 17 " pan (not jelly roll, its a cookie sheet). 

 Bake for 20-25 min. or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

 Remove cake from oven and allow to cool slightly while you make the frosting.  

  Frosting :  

Put the butter and milk into a medium saucepan.  Heat until the butter is melted and bring to a simmer. 

 Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla and dash of salt. 

 Whisk until completely smooth and spread over cake.  

Can add Almond extract instead of the Vanilla if desired.   Enjoy!   ps. my daughter just texted me and asked me to save her some extra, she is craving it :)  

Summer Refreshing Strawberry Sorbet

 Summer Refreshing Strawberry Sorbet

(another one of Becky's hit recipes!- we make this all summer, especially the 4th of July-enjoy!)

1 lb. fresh strawberries
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2c. corn syrup
juice from 2 lemons (can also use limes)
4 c. cold water--

Slice strawberries and mix with sugar and lemon juice.  Put in refrigerator until cold, at least an hour.  Take out and mash with potato masher (it will still be chunky), add corn syrup and cold water and put in refrigerator until cold.  Then put in ice cream maker according to manufacturer directions.  Churn until thick and sorbet like and eat  :)

**I have a small  2qt. Cuisinart one that I love and its easy to use.  This should make about 2 qts. 

**Becky called this a Ben and Jerry's Sorbet, don't know if I should give them the credit so thought I would put that here

Easy Turkey and Dumpling Soup

Easy Turkey and Dumplings Soup
(I can't remember where I found this, but it is quite yummy! The flavor is rich and creamy and worth the effort!  You make a thicker soup with flour and cream and add dumplings and it's just wonderful!)

  We have made it a tradition to cook a turkey breast on the barbeque every Conference week-end.  The last two I decided to cook the carcass down and make a broth with water, celery, onion, and carrots.  Then discard the vegetables, take the meat off the bone and when the broth is cool, skim the fat off.  My husband smokes the turkey with wood chips and boy it really have an amazing flavor! 

 Now with this amazing broth,

here is the soup recipe:

  5 c. turkey broth

 turkey from the bone, and some of the leftovers (hopefully you have some )

  5 Tbsp. unsalted butter,

  4 carrots peeled and sliced to 1/4 in thick,

  1 large onion, chopped fine, 

  2 stalks celery, 

  3/4 c. sliced mushrooms 

  1 tsp. salt 

  1 tsp. celery salt

  garlic salt to taste

  3 garlic cloves, minced

  6 Tbsp. flour

  3/4 c. cooking sherry

  1/3 c. heavy cream

  1/2 tsp. dried thyme

  2 bay leaves

  1/2 tsp. pepper.

 For the stew: 

 put 5 Tbsp. butter in dutch oven, when melted, add 4 carrots, 1 onion,  and 

 3/4c. sliced mushrooms, 2 stalks sliced celery, 1 tsp salt, cook until softened,  about 7 minutes.

 Stir in 3 cloves garlic, and cook until fragrant about 30 sec.

 Stir in 6 Tbsp flour, and cook, stirring frequently for 1 min. 

 Stir in 3/4c. cooking Sherry,  scraping up browned bits.

  Stir in reserved broth

 1/3c. heavy cream

 1/2tsp. thyme

 2 bay leaves

 1/2 tsp pepper and bring to a boil. 

 Cover reduce heat to low and simmer until stew thickens, about 20 min.

   For the Dumplings: 

 Stir 2 c. flour,

 1 Tbsp. baking powder,

 1/2 tsp. salt in large bowl. 

 Stir in 1 1/2 c. heavy cream until well mixed, the dough will be thick and shaggy.

  To finish:  Throw away bay leaves and return stew to a rapid simmer.  Shred reserved turkey and add to stew .   Using 2 large soup spoons or small ice cream scoop,  or cookie scoop ( these grow), drop into stew about 1/4" apart --makes 16 to 18 dumplings,  reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until they have doubled in size, 15 to 18 min.  Can make ahead to step 2, then continue when ready to make.   Enjoy!  

Hershey's Perfectly Perfect Chocolate Cake

Hershey's Perfectly Perfect Chocolate Cake

What can I say? This is my go to cake and so easy to make!  My first memory was more than 20 years ago, my sister-in-law, Anne, made this and I just had to have the recipe!  She has since passed away and I always remember her when I make this wonderfully moist cake!

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.  

Stir together: 2 c. sugar, 1 3/4 c. flour, 3/4 c. unsweetened Hershey's cocoa (I used a dutch processed cocoa, it makes it darker), 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and
 1 tsp. salt- in large bowl.  Add 2 eggs, 1 c. milk, 1/2 c. vegetable oil (can use 1/2 c. melted butter,     instead, it makes it more dense), 2 tsp. vanilla-beat on medium for 2 min., then add 1 c. boiling water and stir, batter will be thin!  Pour into prepared pan and bake 35 to 40 min. or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool completely and frost. 

   Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Frosting:  1/2 c. butter (1 cube), melt- then add 3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa (can also use 1/2 c. instead)-mix, now add  3 c. of powdered sugar and 1/3 c. milk (I used evaporated milk) alternately until desired consistency, then stir in 1 tsp. vanilla.  
Makes 2 cups frosting.  Frost cake and can add sprinkles to decorate.
**to make gluten free use 2 c gluten-free flour blend and 2/3 c. cocoa and reduce water to 3/4 c. I haven't tried this but read from a review on the Hershey site.  

Ultimate Chewy Brownie with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Wow I am loving Pinterest these days!  I'm sure not all recipes are as amazing as they sound, but this one is a winner in my book:)--this is slightly adapted from simplylakita.com --I just doubled the recipe for my big family :). She did hit the ball out of the park with this frosting, it's a winner!

    The Ultimate Chewy Brownie w/Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Preheat oven to 350F.

In mixing bowl, whisk 3 c. All purpose flour, 3/4c. Unsweetened baking cocoa, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. Salt- set aside.--

In another bowl, with wooden spoon mix-- 1 c. Melted butter, 1 1/2c. Sugar, 1 1/2c. Brown sugar,  until combined. 

 Stir in 4 large lightly whisked eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, until blended--

stir in 1/2 of the flour mix, then add 6 Tbsp. Milk, and add the rest of the flour mix until combined, batter will be thick.  Pour into a buttered jelly roll pan and bake 25-30 min or until center is just set.  Let cool before frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: beat with hand mixer on medium speed:  10 oz. softened cream cheese, and 6Tbsp. Softened butter together about 1 min. Or until creamy,  then add 1 tsp. vanilla and 4c. Powder sugar, 1/4 c. Unsweetened cocoa, beat until smooth, then Spread on cooled brownies and decorate as desired.  Sit back and listen to the groans of delight, or better yet, enjoy them yourself!  These make a lot so you can share :)