Honey Brownies- SUCCESS!!! Finally!

I don't like cakey brownies. As a result I have gone through several different recipes for brownies made with honey with out any success. Oh, if I wasn't so picky! I found one and tried to once. Failure- I accidentally added baking soda AND baking powder when I was supposed to just add powder. Second try- increased flour and did not use baking soda. Almost but not quite what I was looking for. Third try- now this says something because I NEVER try a recipe three times. This time I changed the amounts of honey and maple syrup and PERFECTION! Even my husband who has not truly embraced the no sugar lifestyle I have introduced said they were really good and he ate several. Hooray! I will count that as success. I frosted them with this chocolate frosting- HERE.

Chewy Honey Brownies
Cream together:
1/2 C butter
1/2 C honey
1/2 C maple syrup- the REAL kind!
Add in:
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Stir in:
1/2 C flour
1/3 C cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease an 8x8 in pan. Pour the batter mix into it. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The top will be glossy.
Frost when cool and enjoy healthy, yummy, chocolatey goodness.

Frosted Chocolate Cake Heaven

I am currently on day 27 of no refined sugars. It has been challenging at times. My husband has been asking for me to make his favorite chocolate cake and I have hesitated for days. How could I make a version that would work for me and him and all our kids. I told him I would do it today but that I was going to experiment. What resulted was seriously heaven in cake form. I don't know if it's because I haven't had treats like this in so long or because this seriously tasted so amazing but it was the best chocolate cake I think I have ever had. With a maple syrup and honey mixture for the sugar and whole wheat flour the combination filled my unresistable desire for something that was so good but that would not derail my efforts. I will probably dream about this one for a little while.

Frosted Chocolate Cake Heaven
1 C 100% maple syrup
1 C honey
1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 C milk
1/2 C olive oil
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two 9 in round cake pans.
Combine the dry ingredients and mix. Add the wet ingredients and make sure they are mixed well. This mixture will be VERY runny. 
Pour in to the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes
Take the cake from the oven and cool completely before frosting. 

To prepare the frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
2/3 c butter, softened
2/3 C coconut oil
1/2 C honey
6 T cocoa
2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in a mixer until light and fluffy and then put in the fridge to chill until the cake is done and chilled.

Paleo Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not really ALL about the new Paleo diet that is taking the world by storm. I just don't agree with some of the things about it. For one I am totally not into raw meat like some Paleos are doing and I also think that whole grains are a beautiful thing if used in moderation. That being said, I have found some really good recipes on Paleo websites and have fallen in love with them. I am on day 16 without any refined sugars in my diet. All I am allowing myself for sweeteners is real fruits, honey and 100% maple syrup. I actually feel really, really good and have tossed around the idea of never going back to white sugars and all their offspring.

There are times like today when I just needed something sweet and so I decided to make this recipe that I came across. Unlike some other paleo cookies I have made these kept their shape and taste amazing!

Paleo Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 C almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/4 c coconut oil
2 T honey
4 T mini dark chocolate chips (preferably 62% or higher cacao)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine the flour, salt and soda. Add the egg, oil, and honey  until dough forms. Stir in the chips.
Scoop onto cookie sheets with a cookie scoop. I used one that was about a tablespoon.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Now this is important: Once you take them from the oven and transfer to a wire rack let them sit for about 15 minutes before eating them. Trust me!

Makes about 22 cookies depending on size

Pumpkin Pecan Scones with cinnamon icing

Today I was trying to think of something for breakfast. I cut a piece of bread, toasted it, put butter on it and ate it. Then I felt like there just had to be more. This day needed to be more. I remembered a little bit of pumpkin in the fridge and wondered how the day would change with scones. Not just any scones but the best scones ever because they would have PUMPKIN!!! It's pumpkin season people. Yay!

Pumpkin Pecan Scones with cinnamon glaze

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor combine-
1 C bread flour
1 C cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
and 6 T brown sugar
with 6 T cold butter
Until crumbly

Put in a bowl and add-
1/3 C heavenly cream (oops I meant heavy :))
1/3 C pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c chopped pecans

Mix until just moistened. It will still be kind of dry but needs to hold together.  Turn out on a slightly floured counter and make into two circles. Cut into 12 triangles.
Bake for 15 minutes.

To make the glaze:
Combine 1 c powdered sugar, 1/2- 1 tap cinnamon (your taste), and 1 T milk
When scones are mostly cook drizzle the glaze over and enjoy! Or rub it all over your face. :)

The BEST carrot cake. LIKE EVER!

I am forever looking for a good carrot cake. FOREVER! I don't want one with weird things in it like nuts and pineapple and raisins. I wanted it to be moist but not so dense that you could kill someone if you threw it at them. Then my husband found this one that we tweaked a little bit and I do believe we have found the BEST carrot cake ever. Well, at least the best one I have ever had.


Best Carrot Cake Ever

- 2 c sugar

- 1 1/4 c oil

- 4 large eggs

- 2 c flour- use cake flour fora lighter cake.

- 2 tsp baking soda 

-1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1 Tbsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp salt

- 3 c grated carrots

FROSTING

- 12 oz powdered sugar

- 2 3 oz. cream cheese room temp

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 Tbsp butter

- 2 Tbsp milk

Directions

1.   In large bowl, beat sugar and oil. Add eggs and beat well.
2.   Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt into egg mixture; mix well; fold in carrots and nuts.
3.   Place batter in greased 9x13 pan; bake for 45 minutes in a 350 oven. (Check once because of oven variances.)
4.   FROSTING: Beat together powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, butter and milk; spread on cooled carrot cake.

Banana Ice cream

We are trying to eat healthy in this neck of the woods lately. Avoiding refined sugar and all that jazz. The other day I just needed something sweet and decided to whip up some banana ice cream. I have made this two different ways but the possibilities are endless.

I also mix it in my Kitchenaid. The banana is frozen so it has to be mixed for a while before it gets all creamy but it is so worth the few minutes of wait time at the end.

Strawberry Banana Ice cream
1 frozen banana
1 C frozen strawberries(slightly thawed)
a dash of vanilla or actual scrapings from a vanilla bean(which is divine!)
1 tsp agave nectar or honey

Put ingredients in the mixer and mix until creamy. It is thick and delicious.

Chocolate Peanut butter Banana Ice Cream
1 frozen banana
1 T cocoa pwd
1 T peanut butter
1 tsp agave

Put in mixer and mix until smooth. You may need to scrap the sides a few times. If it is too bitter from the cocoa reduce the amount of cocoa.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!

What is it with combining chocolate and peanut butter that makes magic ensue? Last night was girl's night and we were all supposed to bring desserts. I decided on these. They take a little time, are easy to put together and are so incredibly rich that they don't disappear too quickly.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Chocolate cups:
9 oz semi sweet chocolate, melted (We decided that milk chocolate might be even better!)

Peanut Butter mousse:
One 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1 C creamy peanut butter
1/4 c sugar
2/3 C heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 C semi sweet mini chocolate chips

For the cups- I just put the melted chocolate into a piping bag and using a mini muffin tin squirt the chocolate into the cups and then spread thin with a spoon. Although last night as I was thinking about it I thought it might be more effective to turn the muffin baking pan upside down and make chocolate lattice patterns on the cups and then freeze. I use the plastic muffin baking pan for this so they come off really easy after frozen.

For the Mousse- Blend together the cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar until smooth. In another bowl whip the whipping cream with the vanilla until stiff peaks form. Then fold the whipping cream into the peanut butter mixture. After that fold in the mini chocolate chips.

You can either put the mousse in a piping bag to squeeze into the cups or you can spoon it in to the chocolate cups. Chill for 30 minutes before serving. This makes about 24 mini peanut butter cups.

Peanut Butter Popcorn!

This is so good that I am thinking I will make a huge batch of it and give it for gifts to teachers and friends. Basically I ate it for dinner tonight! Yum!

Peanut Butter Popcorn

2 (3.5 oz) pkgs of microwave popcorn, popped (I just light butter, but plain would be good as well)
1/2 C butter
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 bag of small marshmallows
1/4 C peanut butter

Place popped corn in a large bowl.
In a saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar and small marshmallows. Cook until smooth. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, stirring until melted.
Pour the peanut butter mixture over the popcorn slowly, stirring to coat.
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

I'm not sure what to say here about these other than I made them for family dinner and my husband has eaten at least 3 in less than a half hour. I am not sure there are going to be any left for the dinner! These are so good! I got the recipe off of Pinterest and am not sure where it originated.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the  brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat on medium speed until well combined.  Add dry ingredients, and mix on low until smooth. Fold in pumpkin puree.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
Makes ~ 18 cupcakes.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 stick salted butter
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar

In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color.  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth.  Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar.  Mix until thoroughly combined.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the caramel.  Beat on medium high speed until light and airy, and completely mixed (about 2 minutes).  Mixture should be ready to use without refrigeration.  If your caramel was too hot when added, it will cause your icing to be runny.  If this happens refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Butterfinger Cheesecake

This post is in honor of National Cheesecake Day which is TODAY!!! Yum! If you are not a butterfinger fan just omit them and you have the most perfect plain cheesecake ever!

Butterfinger Cheesecake

2 Lbs cream cheese, at room temperature
1 C white cugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 T cornstarch
1 C sour cream
4 large butterfinger bars, broken into pieces

Crust:
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
6 T melted butter
1/4 C white sugar

Preheat ove to 400 degrees
Mi graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a food processor and then press into a 9 or 10 in spring form pan. Put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Cream sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Blend in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch just until mixed. Stir in sour cream until blended and then fold in butterfingers.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Lower temperature to 225 degrees and bake for another 35-40 minutes. DO NOT OPEN the oven door and turn off the heat. Let it set for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove from pan and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate. 

PERFECT Basic Yellow cake

 Matt made the perfect yellow cake today after church. He made it into two desserts- yellow cake with chocolate icing and Peach Rhubarb upside down cake. That was dinner! Yum!!! It was perfect on a chilly, Alaskan summer day.

Basic Yellow Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (do not sift the flour)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
Vegetable oil
1 stick butter (not margarine), softened
1-tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°
Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of (3) 9 x 1 1/2-inch round pans. Spray the pans with cooking spray, place the wax paper in the pans and spray the paper.
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well.
Measure the 1-1/4 cups of milk in a 2 cup measuring cup….then add enough vegetable oil to bring the liquid up to 1-1/3 cups.
Add the milk/vegetable oil mixture, butter and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
Add the eggs and continue beating an additional 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center of cake comes out clean, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.Cool cakes on wire racks for 15 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.Frost as desired.

And if you want here is the chocolate icing recipe:

Cooked Chocolate Frosting

Mix together in a large microwave save bowl:
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch; packed
7 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon salt

Stir in with a wire wisk :
1-1/2 cups boiling water

Cook in microwave on high at 1 minute intervals stirring well after each with the wire whisk. As mixture begins to thicken cook at 30 second interval until the mixture is very thick.

Then stir in 6 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of vanilla; stirring until the butter is melted; cool to frosting consistency and frost cake.

If you prefer to cook it on the stove just stir the boiling water into the dry ingredients and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thick and bubbly; remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/15071/easy-scratch-basic-yellow-cake

Rhubarb Curd Bars

These are pretty neutral in color because my rhubarb was not extra pink. Next time I make them I am only going to use the reddest/pinkest rhubarb that I can find. Oh and there WILL be a next time. These take a little more prep than other things but are TOTALLY worth the time.



Rhubarb Curd
4 cups rhubarb (about 10 to 15 stalks)
1/3 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar 
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
¼ C unsalted butter, cut up into chunks
Wash and chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch chunks. There is no need to peel, but if your stalks are particularly large, you might trim off any tough parts. Stir the rhubarb and 1/4 cup of sugar together and let sit for about 10 minutes. Place in a medium sized pot with about 1/4 cup of water and cook over low heat until you can no longer see whole pieces. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Blend to a smooth puree if you desire (this will remove any remaining little stringy bits, but it isn’t necessary).
If you are making the bars, pause at this point to make and bake the crust.
In a double boiler (or a bowl over boiling water), whisk the egg yolks, remaining sugar and salt. Whisk until well combined and warm. Add about 1 cup of the stewed rhubarb and the lemon zest. Keep stirring until the mixture is warm again. Check for taste and add more of the pureed rhubarb until you get the desired flavor and color. Remove from heat and stir in the butter chunks.
If you are not using the curd immediately, let it cool to room temperature and then store refrigerated for up to a week.
This recipe makes more curd than you’ll need for the Rhubarb Bars.

Rhubarb Bars

Makes about a dozen
½ C butter, room temperature
1 cup (136 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
about 1/2 of the Rhubarb curd recipe from above
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350.
Place the butter, flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a mixer. Start on low speed (to keep the flour from flying everywhere), stir until it resembles course crumbs. Then increase speed slightly and continue to mix until a soft dough forms. It’s kind of magic.
Take the dough and press it into a 9″ x 5″ baking dish. Let rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes, and then bake until it is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. While the dough is baking, finish preparing the curd.
Pour the enough curd onto the crust to make a layer a little less than 1/4 inch thick, and bake for another 10 minutes, until the curd has set. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate if desired (it’s easier to slice when chilled, but not necessary). Dust with powdered sugar before slicing if you’d like.

Rhubarb Mania!

Today I made several rhubarb desserts from the rhubarb my sister gave me, since ours is not yet ready because of the transplant. This first recipe is seriously A.MAZ.ING! We loved it and will probably make it every single year. So good!

Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake

1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. milk
1 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1/2 c. sliced almonds
Topping:
1/3 c. sugar
1 Tbls. butter, melted
1/4 c. sliced almonds

Beat brown sugar, oil, egg & vanilla until smooth. Combine flour salt baking soda; add to sugar mixture alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in Rhubarb & almonds. Pour into 2 greased 9-inch round cake pans. For topping, combine sugar & butter; stir in almonds. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or test done.

And the other recipe that we made that was pretty good was this Strawberry Rhubarb Ice cream. It tasted like creamy strawberry jam.

Rhubarb Ice Cream-

3/4 lb fresh rhubarb, chopped
1 C sliced strawberries
1 C sugar
1 T lemon juice
2 C heavy cream

In a medium saucepan combine the fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. Boil down until it appears that all the chunks are gone. Blend this mixture in a blender until smooth. Let cool- either to room temperature or in the fridge which will aid in freezing quicker. Stir in the heavy cream and then process in an ice cream maker. Super YUM!!!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I couldn't help it! I had to make these! And they were so good!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

For garnish:
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners.  Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla extract.  With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients.  Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Blend in the vanilla extract.  Beat in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.  Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.


Printed from Annie's Eats

Rhubarb Custard

Let rhubarb season begin!!! On Monday we were helping my sister in her yard and several of her rhubarb plants were HUGE. She gave us some and I finally got to make a dessert that I have been holding on to for two summers. This year we planted 12 rhubarb plants, so I bet in a minute we will have more than we ever wanted to have. This recipe from my friend, Cheryl, is so good. It was so good that Matt was eating a second serving of it in bed with ice cream after 11pm.It is VERY sweet!


Rhubarb Custard

4 eggs, beaten well
2 C sugar
1/4 C flour
8 c diced rhubarb

Mix together the sugar and flour. Add the eggs and then stir in the rhubarb. Put in a prepared 9x13 in pan.

Topping:
1 1/3 C brown sugar
1 C butter
2 C flour

Combine until it resembles bread crumbs and spread over the rhubard filling. You can half the topping if you want it to be less fattening. Bake for 40 min at 350 degrees.

We like it topped with vanilla ice cream!

The BEST frosting!

Running out of powdered sugar was the best thing that could've happened to me today. Otherwise I probably never would've made this recipe. Thank you Pioneer Woman! You are awesome. Like your frosting. Just saying!

That's the Best Frosting I've Ever Had

5 Tablespoons flour

1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated white sugar (not powdered sugar)

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. It took me around 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. You can place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools if you are in a hurry. Stir in vanilla. This mixture must be completely cooled in order for the frosting to work.
While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream. Make sure you scrape down the sides every so often so that it all gets incorporated and whipped. If it's not looking like whipped cream, keep on whipping. This frosting is great for piping.

Yogurt cheese cakes

I had some yogurt cheese from my last batch of powdered milk yogurt and wanted to try to make a cheesecake out of it. This turned out really good. The flavor is less tangy than a regular cheesecake but super creamy and yummy.
To make the yogurt cheese all you need to do it put it in a cheesecloth bag and hang it over a bowl over night letting all the whey drip out. I let mine hang from one of the cabinet knobs. You can also put cheesecloth over a large bowl, securing it with a rubber band, and let it drain over night. There are different ways to do this posted at Everyday Food Storage. 

Yogurt Cheese Cake

8oz yogurt cheese
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Mix together the ingredients until smooth.

6 graham crackers
1 T melted butter
Mix together and then press into the bottom of 6 muffin cups.
Pour the cheese mixture over the crust and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the middle doesn't jiggle. Refrigerate until set.


Here is the caramel sauce recipe we drizzled over it.


Caramel Sauce:
1/2 C buttermilk
2 C sugar
1/2 C butter
2 T corn syrup
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla


In saucepan add all ingredient except vanilla and boil for about 3 minutes or until browned through. Remove from heat and add vanilla. This stuff makes a lot and is divine!!!

Magic shell ice cream topping

Tonight I wanted a special treat for FHE. So I made up some brownies with our powdered eggs, made 'ice cream' with our milk, and then wanted to top it with some chocolatey goodness. At one time I had a copy cat recipe for Hersheys chocolate syrup. It was perfect and so good. But somehow it got lost and I can not seem to find it anywhere. I mourned the loss of the recipe a moment and then remembered a recipe I had tried in 2008 for magic shell ice cream topping. I started searching for it and found it with a little note at the bottom of the page that said, "5/31/08 Ooh la la! Perfect!!!" And perfect it was!

Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping

6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
4 T butter
1/4 C canola oil (you can use vegetable or corn too)

In a double boiler melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and stir in the oil really well. Serve over really cold ice cream and you will have magic shell that sets up hard just like the store bought stuff!

100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

I haven't had a good cinnamon roll in a really, really long time. Problem solved! These were so light and fluffy I had two. Plus the brown sugar cinnamon pooled at the bottom of the pan and caramelized the bottom of the cinnamon rolls. Perfection!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

In a bread machine place in order listed:
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C honey
1/4 applesauce
2 T vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 C warm water- Between 110 and 115 degrees
1 T yeast
2 C hard red wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2-3 C white wheat flour

Put on dough cycle and let the machine do it's business. Once it is done take the dough out and roll into a large rectangle. Smother with butter, sprinkle with obscene amounts of cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up long ways and cut into 12 very large rolls.
Place on a large cookie sheet- this is important. If you put them in a 9x13 pan you will get doughy rolls and we do not want that! Let rise until double. This may take awhile since you are using whole wheat. It took mine 1 1/2 hrs.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes.

Top with the following cream cheese frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 C butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 C powdered sugar

In mixer beat cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Spread on to warm rolls.

Whipped Topping from Powdered Milk

Wow- two posts in one day. This one is pretty dang close to whipped topping. It will definitely do the job and the kids that tasted it loved it. It takes a little bit of time to make so be sure to give yourself a couple hours before you need it.

Whipped Topping from Powdered Milk

6 T powdered milk
2 tsp plain gelatin (you could probably used flavored too)
1/4 C sugar
1 C water
1 tsp vanilla

Dissolve milk and gelatin in boiling water. Add the sugar. Stir and chill until it jells. Beat the mixture until it looks like whipped cream. Add vanilla and beat again. Store in the refrigerator until use.