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I am addicted to cooking and baking. I love to find and make delicious recipes. Sometimes I create my own and I post them here. Other times I find a recipe and adapt it. I have posted those recipes here as well. Enjoy.

Saturday, November 19, 2011








Malted Chocolate Milk Ball No-Bake Cheesecake

(My recipe, Tamara Lichfield) 8 inch cheesecake.

Crust
1 1/2 cup crushed chocolate graham cracker
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
7 tablespoon unsalted butter(melted)

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar.
2. Add melted butter and blend until combined.
3. Press into pan. Set aside.

(or just use a premade chocolate wafer crust and ¼ cup melted butter – put in 9 inch springform pan crumble, add melted butter and press into with a fork pan)

Cheesecake

1 packet gelatin

½ cup water

2 ¼ cups heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

1 pound cream cheese, softened (2 8 oz. packages)

2/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons malted milk powder

¾ cups chocolate malted milk balls, crushed

12 or so malted milk balls for garnish

Instructions:

1.Beat heavy cream until medium peaks form. Set aside.

2. In small saucepan, combine gelatin and water; let stand 1 minute. Add sugar; stir over medium heat until mixture is hot and gelatin and sugar are dissolved.

3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and malted milk powder until creamy. Gradually add, gelatin mixture , and whipping cream. Beat until smooth.

4. Gently fold in malted milk balls.

5 .Fill chosen pan (spring form pan) with a slight mound at the center, as the cheesecake will become slightly sunken at the center.

6 .Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set or overnight for best results. Freeze if desired.

7 .Remove from refrigerator and smooth top to level with edges. Serve with whipping cream and garnish with chocolate malted milk balls.

Sunday, November 13, 2011



Opulent Chicken (Serves 8)

8 skinless boneless chicken breast

3 small cans of cream of chicken soup

1 cup of sour cream

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

10-12 Swiss cheese slices

2 cups Ritz Cracker Crumbs

½ cup melted butter

White Rice

Lightly grease the 13” x 9” Pyrex dish

Place clean chicken breasts on bottom of the pan.

Cover the chicken with Swiss cheese

In another bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and the lemon juice.

Cover the chicken and Swiss cheese with the soup mix

Melt the butter

Mix the Ritz Cracker Crumbs with the butter

Sprinkle over the sauce

Bake uncovered at 275° for 3 hours

Make Rice (I use the success rice that boils in the bag for 10 minutes)

Serve on top of Rice

Easy Sweet Rolls and Bread Dough









The World’s Simplest Bread Dough ( Adapted from page 117 of the Family Fun Cookbook)

2 cups warm water (for a tender brown crust use 2 cups warm milk – measure to 80 degrees Fahrenheit)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

5 ½ to 6 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour, or a combination (I use 4 cups all-purpose and 2 cups white whole wheat flour)

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup sugar

1. In a large bowl, add the liquid. The key to activating yeast is finding the right water temperature.

2. Add the yeast

3. Measure the sugar into the bowl.

4. Whisk until the sugar and yeast are dissolved

5. Measure 2 cups of the flour into the bowl.

6. Whisk the mixture well, then let it “proof” or sit for 10 or so minutes. If tiny bubbles appear and the batter looks slightly expanded, you’re on the right track.

7. Stir in the salt, then add in the flour 1 cup at a time. (in the first cup of flour that you add, mix 1 cup of sugar into it)

8. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop of pastry mat.

9. To knead, fold the dough in half and push it down and away with the heel of your hand, rotate the dough and repeat until it is smooth and elastic. (Kneading can take up to 10 minutes)

10. Place the ball in a bowl greased with vegetable oil and turn to coat.

11. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a draft-free area for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

12. Punch the dough down

13. Knead it again to remove air bubbles, then shape and bake it for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 400 degrees.

14. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy

Page 118 of the Family Fun Cookbook – Braided Loaf

½ recipe World’s Simplest Bread Dough

2 tablespoons Poppy Seeds

Roll the dough into three thick snakes, each about 10 inches long. Lay the strands side by side and loosely brad them (to avoid tearing the dough), braid from the center out to an end; repeat with the other side). Pinch the three sides together at each end, tuck them under, and arrange the loaf on a greased cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth and let it rise in a draft-free area for 30 minutes.

Preheat the over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter the top and sprinkle the poppy seeds. Bake for 25 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic until ready to eat, or freeze, Makes 1 loaf.

Page 119 of the Family Fun Cookbook – Crescent Rolls

½ recipe World’s Simplest Bread Dough

Butter or margarine, softened

Roll the dough into a large circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Spread the butter on the circle, then cut into 16 wedges. Roll the wedges up, starting with the outside of the circle. Pinch the tip of each wedge to seal it and bed the ends to make the crescent shape. Place them on a greased cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth, and let them rise for 20 minutes. Bake for 12- 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 400 degrees. Cool on a rack slightly, serve warm. Makes 16 rolls.

Chocolate Truffle and Cream Cheese Pumpkin Swirl Brownies




Chocolate Truffle and Cream Cheese Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

1 box Trader Joe’s Chocolate Truffle brownie mix. (or any brownie mix)

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

½ cup pure pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ cup extra fine baker’s sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare brownie mix as directed on the box (most brownie mixes need the egg and oil product to be added.) The Trader Joe’s brownie Mix requires 2 large eggs and 1 stick melted butter to be whisked together then added to the mix. Spread in a 8 X 8-in pan.

Meanwhile using a mixer, cream together cream cheese, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Add pumpkin and mix until smooth and creamy. Using a tablespoon, place dollops of pumpkin mixture on top of the brownie batter in the pan. Then, using a knife (or cake decorating spatula), cut through the pumpkin mixture making swirls in random patterns.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until a toothpick comes out clean. DO NOT OVERBAKE!

Garnish with whipping cream and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. They taste fabulous served warm.

(Kodiak Cakes Big Bear Brownies would be a good brownie mix to try with this recipe)




Tuxedo Chocolate French Silk Pie

Crust:

1 refrigerated pie crust (from 15 oz. package)

1st layer

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces

¼ cup butter, softened

1/8 cup extra fine baker’s sugar

A splash of vanilla

¼ cup refrigerated or frozen fat free egg product, thawed

2nd layer

2 oz. white chocolate baking bar, cut into pieces

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened

A splash of vanilla

¼ cup refrigerated or frozen fat free egg product, thawed

3rd layer

2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, cut into pieces

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/8 cup extra fine baker’s sugar

A splash of vanilla

¼ cup refrigerated or frozen fat free egg product, thawed

4th layer

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces

¼ plus cup 2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup extra fine baker’s sugar

A splash of vanilla

¼ plus 2 tablespoons cup refrigerated or frozen fat free egg product, thawed

Topping:

½ cup sweetened whipped cream

Chocolate Curls, if desired

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one crust baked shell using 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 450 for 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

2. Begin first layer. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; cool. In small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

3. Add egg product 1/8 cup at a time, beating at high speed 2 minutes after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour into cooled baked shell. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

4. Begin Second layer after 1st layer has chilled for one hour. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; cool. In small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

5. Add egg product 1/8 cup at a time, beating at high speed 2 minutes after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour onto first layer. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

6. Begin Third layer after 2nd and first layers has chilled for one hour. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; cool. In small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

7. Add egg product 1/8 cup at a time, beating at high speed 2 minutes after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour onto second layer. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

8. Begin Fourth layer after 3rd layer has chilled for one hour. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; cool. In small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

9. Add egg product 1/8 cup at a time, beating at high speed 2 minutes after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour onto 3rd layer. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

10. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls.