Crackers and Frosting, circa 2009

If you ever had graham crackers and frosting when you were a kid, then I'm sure you still love it. I had some left-over frosting the other day and decided to make us a snack. But I realized that graham with frosting is too much sweetness. So....I put it on Ritz Crackers instead and YUMMMM. Excellent Salty/Sweet combo.

Grab a box of these (love the retro packaging):
Spread 'em with your favorite frosting. Mine was left-over THIS.
And enjoy. Cream cheese sweetness with salt-brushed tops:
Casey and I thought we had a money making combo on our hands! Then we saw a pre-packaged version at the store. Ritz beat us to it. But homemade ones are definitely much better.

RECIPE: How to make your cake mix low-fat (and still taste great)

My mom taught me this trick years ago and I use it every time I'm make cake from a cake mix. If you've ever had my cupcakes and haven't been able to tell, then they've passed the test! My husband can't tell the difference and he's a big supporter of "Full Fat" recipes. So here it is. You can fool your husband too!

How to make a Cake Mix low-fat:
Take a normal cake mix and disregard the normal ingredients you're supposed to add (the oil, etc). Instead add the following to the cake mix:
* 1 3/4 cup water
* 2 Tbl flour
* 3 egg whites (I've also done 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg and found good results)

Mix all together and follow normal baking temperatures and cooking times on the box. Baking this way makes me feel okay about slathering all sorts of (full fat) frosting on top!

RECIPE: Peach Cobbler

Peach cobbler makes me feel like a kid again. Growing up, Sunday was often a night to make a fun dessert. And whenever my mom was taking requests, I choose this. For a hard-core chocolate lover, that's saying a lot. What draws me to it is the yummy bisquit topping. It's almost like shortbread. And served warm with vanilla ice cream? I need to stop now.
I believe the recipe is straight from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. But my Mom's been making it long enough that I'm sure it's been tweaked a bit. You can try making with it with fresh fruits and berries as well but you'll have to play with sugar/liquid amounts in the recipe.

PEACH COBBLER
Peaches:
1 large can (low-sugar) Peaches
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (I use 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup Splenda)

Bisquit Topping:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar (I use 2 Tbl sugar, 2 Tbl Splenda)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbl shortening
1/2 cup milk

In a saucepan, mix all the "peaches" ingredients together. Heat on the stove till thick (boil for 1 min). Pour into a round dish or 9X9 pan and put in the oven to keep it hot while you make the bisquit topping.

Mix all the dry bisquit ingredients. Cut in shortening with a fork. Add milk and stir till mixture is moist. Using two spoons, drop bisquit dough balls over the peaches till top is covered.

Bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes, till bisquit tops are slightly golden.
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Serves 4-5 people.

RECIPE: Chocolate Marshmallow Cake

Many of you asked about the yummy chocolate cake from Lucy's birthday pics. As promised, here it is! It's one of my mom's classic recipes and probably one of my favorites. It's the moistest (?) cake I've ever had. For Lucy's party, I halved the recipe and it was just as gooey and amazing. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW CAKE

I cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or use 1 cup milk mixed with 1 Tbl vinegar)
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Satin Frosting (see recipe below)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9 pan.
2. Bring some water to boil and keep it simmering while you make the batter.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
4. Add the 1 cup boiling water and carefully stir until the water is mixed in; beat for 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Pour the batter into the 13x9 pan (batter will be thin).
6. Bake at 350 for 35-38 minutes or just until the top springs back when lightly touched.
7. Make the frosting while the cake is baking. When the cake is done, pour the warm frosting over the hot cake.

CHOCOLATE SATIN FROSTING
1/2 cup butter
6 Tbl buttermilk (or use 6 Tbl milk mixed with 1 tsp vinegar)
4 Tbl cocoa powder
1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups marshmallows (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, buttermilk and cocoa. Cook, stirring constantly, just until it comes to a boil; remove the pan from the heat.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until the frosting is nearly smooth (stir every few minutes while the cake finished baking).
3. Add the marshmallows, then pour the warm frosting over the hot cake, gently spreading until it covers the cake evenly. Cool to room temperature before serving.

RECIPE: Chocolate Trifle (EASY and very rewarding)

This is one of my favorite desserts to make because:
A. It's super easy
B. It's super yummy
C. Everyone is super impressed when you make it

Become everyone's friend by making this recipe!

CHOCOLATE TRIFLE

A trifle is an English dessert composed of layers of sponge cake doused with jam, custard, and whipped cream. This distinctly American version is much easier to make, lighter, and very chocolaty. Presentation is best in a large clear glass bowl, so you can see all the yummy layers.

2 small packages instant Chocolate Pudding (can be sugar-free if you like)
Milk (for pudding)
2 small, 8-oz? Tubs of Cool Whip (thawed)
1 Box Brownie Mix
(You can use lower-fat versions. Krusteaz has a good one)
2-3 Heath or Skor Bar Candy Bars

• Prepare Brownies in a 9x13 pan according to directions on box. Let them cool completely. Cut into very small bite-size squares.
• Prepare 2 boxes of chocolate pudding according to directions on box. Refridgerate till ready for trifle assembly.
• Break and crumble both candy bars with fingers while still in the wrapper. (less messy that way)
• Fold one container of cool-whip into the pudding. Do not mix completely. You want to see swirls of brown and white. (you don’t have to do this step. Some prefer the pudding left alone)
• You’re ready for assembly! Get your glass bowl, pudding, cool whip, brownie bites, and candybar crumbles together. Here we go!
• First layer brownie bites on the bottom of your bowl. Sprinkle a small amount of Skor Bar in with them. Next, do a layer of the pudding/cool-whip mix. Next layer just the cool-whip (from 2nd container). Then start the process over with the brownies.
• You should make it through 2 cycles of layering. Make sure you save enough cool-whip for the very top/last layer and sprinkle a few Skor bar crumbles over the top for décor (you can also use crumbles of brownie pieces from your brownie pan. Whatever you want)
• Refridgerate till ready to eat! It tastes best when very cold and has sat for about an hour or more. This gives the brownies time to soak up some of the liquid. After a couple of days, however, you’ll notice the dessert gets slightly watery. This is likely from the pudding.

RECIPE: Carrot Cake or Cupcakes

Carrot Cake is one of my all-time favorite desserts. Mostly I love the cream cheese frosting on top. But without the cake to go along, the balance is off (believe me, I put extra frosting on this last time and it was actually too much).
Since it's now Fall, I decorated the cake with colorful leaves on top (make sure you wash them first). The cake can be made as a sheet cake, layered cake, or even mini cupcakes. They all taste scrumptious. I've made this a few times and had people ask for the recipe. So here it is; another favorite from my mom's recipe box.

CARROT CAKE2 - 4 carrots

1/2 cup oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup lowfat milk mixed with 2 tsp vinegar)

• Grate 2 - 4 carrots. Measure 2 cups of loosely-packed carrots (don't cram the carrots into the measuring cup) and set them aside.
• Heat the oven to 350º (turn it to 325º if using a non-stick pan or a glass pan). Grease a 13x9 pan (or 2 to 3 round pans)
• In a large bowl beat the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla together until light, about two minutes.
• Stir together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
• Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Beat for another two minutes.
• Stir in the carrots.
• Bake for 33 - 40 minutes or just until the center springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

NOTE: I don't believe in nuts and raisins in Carrot Cake. I think it ruins the bite. But if you like them, throw them in the mix!

LITE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
(you may need to double this recipe, if making a round double-layered cake)

4 ounces Cream Cheese (Lite Cream Cheese or * Neufchatel Cheese is okay)

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 - 3 cups powdered sugar

milk

Cream together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and enough milk to make a creamy, spreadable frosting.

To make a Layer Cake:

Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Cut three 9-inch circles of waxed paper and place in bottom of each pan. Make cake batter and pour evenly into the three pans. Bake at 350º for 18 - 25 minutes or just until done. Place pans on wire racks and cool for 20 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes. Remove cakes from pans, peel off wax paper, and finish cooling on a wire rack. Make two recipes of the frosting. Frost and decorate as desired. Store cake in refrigerator.

For Mini Cupcakes (the really tiny bite-size ones):
Prepare recipe above, use candy-cup wrappers for cupcake holders (found in the candy making aisle at Michaels and other craft stores), and pour appx 1 Tbls of batter into each cup. Bake 7-9 minutes. Place frosting in piping bag and decorate as you like.