3-LAYER GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE/COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING

4-oz German's sweet chocolate

1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottoms of 3 9-inch round baking pans with waxed paper.  Very lightly spray sides and bottoms of pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the chocolate in the boiling water; cool.

In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla extract and chocolate mixture.  Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth. 

Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into the batter.

Pour batter evenly into the three prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.  Remove from oven and immediately run a thin spatula or knife around edges of cakes to llosen from pans.  Cool in the pans for 15 minutes.  Remove from pans, remove waxed paper, and cool completely on wire racks.  Spread the filling/frosting (recipe below) between layers and over top.

Filling/Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla extract.  Cook mixture, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened - 10-12 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the coconut and pecans.  Cool until of spreading consistency, beating occasionally.

To assemble cake: Place one layer, bottom side down on cake plate and top with a layer of the frosting/filling.  Top filling with a second layer, add a layer of filling.  Top filling with last layer and top with the remaining frosting.

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HOMEMADE SPICED TEA MIX

1 cup Country Time lemonade-flavored tea mix

1 cup Tang orange drink powder
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Combine all ingredients together well.  Store in a large zip-top plastic food storage bag for home use or put in a pretty glass jar to give as a gift.  If giving as a gift, don't forget to include the instructions for making a cup of tea (below).

To make a cup of hot tea: Place 2 heaping tablespoonsful of the mixture into a cup or mug.  Add 1 cup boiling water and stir gently.

Yield: 2 cups of mix

Homemade Spiced Tea Ready for Gifting

 

Note: This is my version of an old Southern Living Recipe

BANANA STICKY BUNS

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened
3 dozen pecan halves
2 cups biscuit/baking mix
2/3 cup mashed ripe banana
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of butter, and 3 pecan halves in each of 12 medium muffin cups. Place in the oven just to melt the butter and brown sugar.

Stir the baking mix and banana together to make a soft dough. Gently shape into a ball on a floured surface. Knead 5 times. Roll into a rectangle of about 15 x 9-inches. Spread the 2 tablespoons of butter over the surface. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of brown sugar over the butter. Roll rectangle up beginning at long side. Pinch edge of dough to seal.

Cut the roll into 1 1/4-inch slices. Place, cut side down, in the muffin cups. Bake 10 minutes. Immediately invert the pan onto serving tray or a baking sheet and allow to remain for a minute or two to allow the butterscotch to drizzle down over the buns.

Yield: 12 buns

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BLACK RASPBERRY DUMPLINGS

1 quart fresh or frozen black raspberries

1 1/4 cus sugar, divided
1 cup water
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 cups Bisquick or same-type product
1 cup milk
additional tablespoon or so of sugar, optional
dash of ground nutmeg, optional

Combine the raspberries, 1 cup of the sugar, water, and cornstarch is a large saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring almost constantly; reduce heat to low.

In a mixing bowl combine the Bisquick, milk, and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and mix together until a soft dough forms.  Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the berry mixture and cook over low heat, uncovered, 10 minutes.  Cover pan and cook another 10 to 15 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through. If desired, combine some sugar and nutmeg and sprinkle over the dumplings just before serving.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Note: Great with cream or ice cream!

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HOLIDAY EGGNOG PIE

1 1/2 cups cold eggnog

1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg (6-serving size) vanilla instant pudding
1 9-inch pie shell, baked, cooled
whipped cream for garnish
nutmeg for garnish

Combine the cold eggnog and milk in a mixing bowl.  Add the pudding mix and beat with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Immediately pour into the cooled pie shell.  Chill at least an hour before cutting to serve.

Before serving, garnish each slice with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled lightly with nutmeg, if desired.

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LEMON POUND CAKE MUFFINS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

Heat oven to 400-degrees.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluff

y, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla and lemon extracts. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture just until moistened.

Fill 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.

Combine the glaze ingredients, drizzle over the muffins. Best served warm.

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PEACH PUDDING WITH CANNED PEACHES

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 large can sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Mix sugar, flour, and baking powder together. Stir in the milk with a wire whisk. Pour the flour mixture over the butter in the pan. Do Not Stir! Place the peach slices overall. Pour the peach juice over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

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MINTY CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CANDY CANES

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

ICING:

4-oz semi-sweet and/or white chocolate chips

1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract

red, white, pink, green, etc nonpareils

To make cookies:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and then the vanilla.

Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Make 4 equal disks and roll each between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1/8-inch thick. Chill until firm - 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using floured candy cane cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Reroll, chill, and cut the scraps.

Bake, rotating pans around halfway through, Bake until cookies are lightly brown around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

To decorate:

Place cooling racks over parchment paper. Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring in 20 second intervals until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Dip top half of each cookie in the chocolate, replace on rack and sprinkle with the nonpareils.

Recipe and photo HGTV 2018

BASIC WALNUT FUDGE BROWNIES WITH ADD INS

This recipe is a favorite on this blog.

4 squares (1-oz each) unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (may substitute pecans, if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for a metal baking pan or 325 for a glass baking dish.
Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan and set aside.

In a large glass mixing bowl melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave on high for 2 minutes or until butter is completely melted when stirred.  Stir until the chocolate is totally melted.

Stir the sugar into the chocolate mixer until completely blended.  Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.  Stir in the flour and the walnuts until well blended.  Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs attached.  Be careful not to overbake!  Cool in the pan on a wire rack then cut into 24 squares.

Add ins to make CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Prepare the above recipe as directed above but use 4 eggs instead of 3!  Spread in 13 x 9-inch greased pan as above.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and flour in the bowl you just mixed the brownies in.  Beat until well blended.  Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the brownie mixture in pan and swirl with a knife to marbleize.  Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Add ins to make WALNUT CRUNCH BROWNIES
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups chopped walnuts

Prepare brownies as directed above in original recipe but use 4 eggs instead of three and omit the walnuts.  Spread the batter in greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

Microwave the brown sugar and butter together in a small to medium glass mixing bowl.  Microwave on high for 1 minute or until the butter is melted.  Stir in the eggs, flour, and vanilla extract until well blended.  Stir in the chopped nuts and spread the mixture evenly over the brownie batter in the pan.  Bake for 45 minutes. 

PEANUT BUTTER MARSHMALLOW CREME FUDGE #1

4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 tall can evaporated milk
1 pkg peanut butter chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 small jar marshmallow creme

In a heavy saucepan combine the sugar, butter, and milk; bring to a boil.  Boil the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes; remove from heat and add the chips, vanilla, and marshmallow creme.  Beat well by stirring pour into a buttered 8-inch square pan.

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