2 Minute Chocolate Cake

So often I think to myself "I want a little treat!" but I don't want to bake and end up with an entire cake or something similar. SO. When I saw this recipe, I had to try it. It's basically like making one slice of cake- so you can make yourself a little treat and not have to deal with leftovers :-) so yummy! and here is the link to the website I got it from: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 5 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1 egg 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips 1 tablespoon nutella Dash of vanilla and salt

DIRECTIONS: Whisk all the ingredients together in a large cocoa or coffee mug until smooth. Microwave the cake on high until puffed, about 2 minutes, watching carefully as microwaves can vary in strength. If desired, drizzle chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce on top. Scoop cake onto a plate or in a bowl and serve immediately with a scoop of ice cream, if desired, but which I highly recommend.

Snickerdoodles (part 2)

I made these snickerdoodles for Relief Society on Sunday and everyone appeared to like them a lot :-) Personally, I think I prefer this recipe, so I'll post it (even though I just posted a different recipe) the dough seemed less-sticky... I may have put too much flour in, but I don't think it made that big of a difference. Make sure you don't overcook them- they are way better slightly underdone than overdone. :-) And here is the link to the website where I originally got the recipe: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/03/even-better-snickerdoodle.html

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For rolling:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with
an electric mixer on high speed. Add the egg and vanilla and
beat until smooth.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and
cream of tartar.

3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Preheat oven to 300 degrees while you let the dough rest for
30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator.

5. In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the cinnamon for the
topping.

6. Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a
ball. Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press it
onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat for the remaining cookies.

7. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes and no more. The cookies
may seem undercooked, but will continue to develop after they are
removed from the oven. When the cookies have cooled they should be
soft and chewy in the middle.

Makes 16 to 18 cookies.

Excellent Pancake recipe

I made pancakes a few weeks ago with a different recipe and I wasn't that impressed... On this lovely Saturday morning I was looking for things to do (my roommates don't get out of bed until 12 or 1 and I'm usually wide awake by 7:30 or 8... oh the joys of being a morning person who lives with a bunch of night owls... haha) so I decided to browse for a new pancake recipe. I looked at several, but honestly this one was one of the only ones that did not call for heavy cream or buttermilk (neither of which I have) and I didn't feel like going to the store. WELL. let me say that these are honestly the BEST pancakes I have ever had. Seriously amazing. and really simple too!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• Assorted toppings, such as butter, maple syrup, confectioners' sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, or chocolate syrup

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine).
3. Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.
4. For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).
5. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. (You'll have 12 to 15 pancakes.) Serve warm, with desired toppings.

Snickerdoodles

Okay. Snickerdoodles are my absolute favorite cookie. I have a few recipes that I want to try out and compare, this is the only one I've made and it was really good. Next time I'll try something new but I would def make these again. :-)

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups sugar (12.25 oz), divided
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt*
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter* (not margarine) at room temp
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
*if using salted butter, just omit table salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in shallow dish and set aside. Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl.

Beat butter, shortening, and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

Reduce speed of mixer to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Give dough final stir to ensure that no flour pockets remain.

Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into balls. Working in batches, roll dough balls in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart.

Bake 1 sheet at a time until edges of cookies are set and just barely beginning to brown, but centers are still soft and puffy, about 10-12 minutes. The cookies should look raw between the cracks and seem underdone. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen 3-4 inch cookies.

If you want a slightly crunchier cookie, leave it in the oven until they flatten out more. If you like soft and chewy cookies (like I do) take them out before they flatten out completely (when they are solidified and fully cooked but still gooey). the ones in the picture above were crunchier than I would have liked, but my roommates all said they were amazing...

Baked Chimichangas

I'm sure these would be fantastic fried, but I decided to try the baked version in an attempt to be slightly healthier... and I must say they turned out really well...

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped fine 1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice 2-3 cups diced, cooked chicken, 1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese (or a combination of both) 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (I did not add this, but I'm sure it would be great) Salt and Pepper 6 large burrito-size flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS: Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is heating, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Cook the onion until it is just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beans, rice, and chicken. Cook until the mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cheese and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 teaspoon each).

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave the tortillas until they are warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Top each warm tortilla with some of the chicken mixture, leaving about a 2-inch border at the bottom of the tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll up the tortilla tightly. Brush the wrapped tortillas with the remaining oil and arrange them seam side down on the hot baking sheet that has been preheating in the oven. Bake until the chimis are golden brown and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve.

I also topped mine with shredded cheese before putting them in the oven and then ate them with sour cream, and that was a good idea :-)

Experimental Snickerdoodle Bars

So I was recently on a three day media fast for my Communications class and I was unable to use my phone or computer or any other kind of digital media or communication. SO. I had no recipes and I had a lot of extra time! I decided to experiment a little... I didn't really know what I wanted the result to be, so I just kinda threw some things together with the loose desire of making sugar cookies... I added some cinnamon and realized that the dough tasted like snickerdoodle dough, so I am going to call these "Snickerdoodle Bars" but keep in mind that this recipe is not perfect and probs would taste better if it was edited a bit (with that said, they tasted preeeety good :-))

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

2 eggs

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

Directions:

1) soften butter and cream with hand mixer. Add the sugars and eggs. Mix well

2) add cinnamon, vanilla, and baking powder. mix

3) add flour and mix well

4) put in a pan (the smaller the pan, the thicker the bars) press into pan until evenly distributed.

5) sprinkle some cinnamon and granulated sugar on top (I also added sprinkles, but that was more out of boredom than anything else)

4) bake on 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes (it gets hard on top but the middle should still be gooey- I poked it with a fork and took it out of the oven when the middle was cooked all the way)

5) let cool, slice, and enjoy!

The Best Cinnamon Rolls EVER.

My sister makes these and they are FANTASTIC. So when I got the recipe, I had to try them :-) This is honestly the best recipe I have ever tasted for cinnamon rolls. Mine didn't turn out quite the same as my sisters do- probably because I didn't let them rise for as long or something... but they were still delish!

INGREDIENTS:

Rolls: ½ cup warm water 2 tablespoons active dry yeast 2 tablespoons sugar 3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding ½ cup butter, melted 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 6+ cups flour

Filling: 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature 2 cups brown sugar 4 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups confectioner’s sugar 2-3 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS: In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 very large rolls.

Baked Wontons

I found wonton wrappers at the grocery store, so I decided to experiment a little! haha- I think they turned out pretty good... I baked them rather than frying them (If you want to fry them, just use vegetable oil or whatever-I'm sure it would taste yummy) to be slightly more healthy...

Ingredients:

Wonton wrappers

1/2 lb of pork (chopped up- you could substitute turkey or whatever kind of meat you want)

1 T soy sauce (plus any soy sauce you want to dip them in)

1 clove of chopped garlic

vegetable oil (if you are going to fry them)

a small amount of ground pepper

handful of cheese (I added this last minute out of curiosity- I couldn't really notice it, and the recipe I was following didn't call for this, so experiment however you want ;-])

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 425

2. mix together all ingredients except the vegetable oil and wrappers

3. place a small amount of filling in each wrapper. Use water to get the sides to stick together as you fold the wonton together. Fold however you want ( tried a few ways, and I decided I liked bringing all four corners together best)

4. bake for 10 minutes or so, turn them over about half way through. When you take them out of the oven, check one or two to make sure the meat is cooked all the way.

5. dip in soy sauce or whatever else you want to use!

pretty simple and only took me about 30 minutes to make :-) this would be great as party appetizers or something...

Sugar Cookie Bars

I made these for Break the Fast yesterday and they turned out great- everyone seemed to enjoy them and they were gone super fast! This is a yummy recipe and not too difficult to make (plus the ingredients are common enough that I had all of them :-) )

the bars: (note- you can also add food coloring to the frosting or sprinkles to make them look more interesting- I didn't have either of those things, so I just left them plain...)

the frosting:

before:

Bars:

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

3. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

4. Add the vanilla to the creamed mixture and then slowly add the dry ingredients.

5. Press into a greased 13 x 18 inch pan and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes.

6. Cool and frost (see directions below).

Frosting (note: I don't love this frosting as much as some of the other frosting recipes I've tried, but my roommates said it was amazing...):

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons of milk
food coloring (optional)
sprinkles (optional)

I added just under teaspoon of almond extract too, and I think it made a difference- I'm sure it would be fine either way though...

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the shortening and butter until creamy.

2. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar.

3. Gradually add the 5 tablespoons of milk until you reach your desired constancy.

4. For the sprinkles, I found that they rolled all over the place. To help this, place a sheet of plastic wrap over the frosted sugar cookies and gently press the sprinkles into the frosting.

5. Chill and cut.

Ultimate S'mores Cake

This cake is INSANE. It took me about 5 hours to make it, and then it is supposed to chill in the fridge for a day... so needless to say, it is a big project to undertake!!! I made it today and my roomies and I are going to eat it tomorrow afternoon to celebrate my roommate's birthday. You could buy some of it (like the frosting and stuff) but I made it all from scratch (except the graham crackers) and it was worth it :-)

the pieces:the assembled cake (before frosting):

the finished project:

Here’s what you’ll need for this cake:
2 brownie layers
2 cheesecake layers
2 chocolate chip cookie layers
5 graham crackers (this is one of the ‘cake’ layers)
1 recipe for marshmallow frosting
1 recipe for chocolate Frosting

Note: I used 3 round cake pans that are all the same size for the brownie, cookie, and cheesecake. I put down wax paper in the pan before putting batter in and I just slid out each piece and let it cool off to the side as I baked the next part...

Brownie:

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (I did not put this in, but I'm sure it would make them yummy)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 cups chocolate chips (if you stir these in while it's still hot, they will melt into the brownie mixture, if you wait until the batter has cooled a bit, you can have chocolate chips in your brownies- it doesn't really matter either way)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 round cake pans (or a 9×13 inch pan for a standard batch of brownies).
*Grease the pan AFTER you add a piece of parchment, like the note above says.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it’s hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it’ll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

While the sugar heats a second time, crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla till smooth.

Add the hot butter/sugar mixture, stirring until smooth.

Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth. Note: If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.

Spoon the batter into the cake pans.

Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool COMPLETELY on a rack before frosting or cutting (if your making normal brownies)

Cheesecake
1 1/4 pounds cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

Put a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of a springform pan, spray with non stick spray. Pour half of the filling in each pan Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temp down to 325 and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, let cool 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of the pans to loosen from the sides; let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use.

Chocolate Chip Cookie
Used my normal recipe from scratch, spread half of the batch in each cake pan and bake at 350 for 12 minutes, until it’s slightly golden. Not TOO golden or the cookie will be crispy, and you want a soft cookie in the cake.

Chocolate Frosting (this is not the frosting I used, I used my sister's recipe that I promised would stay secret... This is the recipe that came with the cake- I haven't made it, but I'm sure it's good...)

Ingredients
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (I let it cool about 1 hour, stirring occasionally)
4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (no need to sift)
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Process until the frosting is smooth.

Marshmallow Filling (okay. I don't really like Marshmallows, but this frosting stuff is AMAZING. I'm thinking of using it for cupcakes soon because it is that good.)

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

To make the butter cream, beat together the marshmallow fluff and butter, on medium speed, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Reduce the speed to low, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat for another minute. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.

Assembly
Place one layer of brownie on a cake stand (I used a normal cookie sheet- I recommend putting the cake on whatever you want to serve it on, because this sucker is HEAVY) Frost brownie with with marshmallow frosting. Place a cookie layer on the marshmallow filling. Spread cookie layer with marshmallow frosting.

Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom of the pan from each piece, then peel off parchment paper.

Place cheesecake layer on top of the marshmallow frosting.

Spread a layer of chocolate frosting on cheesecake. Layer graham crackers on the cheesecake. You’ll have to break up the crackers to make them fit. Spread chocolate frosting on grahams, then place the second layer of cheesecake on the chocolate frosting. Spread cheesecake with marshmallow frosting

Then place the remaining cookie on the frosting. Spread the cookie with marshmallow frosting and put the remaining brownie on the marshmallow frosting. Spread the remaining chocolate fudge frosting on top of the cake and on the side.

Enjoy it!!! This cake is CRAZY!!!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

I pretty much love anything Southwestern, so these were def a hit for me!!! I ate them with some Ranch dressing as a dipping sauce, and they were delish! My roommate who loves spicy food (I'm not such a fan) dipped hers in Franks hot sauce, and she said they were great... so take your pick!!!

In the Oven:

Le Finished product:

Ingredients:

For the egg rolls:
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained (I did not put these in)
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin (I did not put this in)
1/2 tsp chili powder (I did not put this in)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I did not put this in)
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers

2 chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 425F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

I grilled the chicken on my little George Foreman and then cut it up into little pieces (cooked all the way, but not too much because it will get baked in the oven too)

In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, cheese, chiles, onions, chicken, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of filling onto the wrapper. Starting at a corner, carefully start to roll the wrapper. When it’s slightly rolled, tuck in the two side and continue rolling to the last point. Wet your finger with water and dab a bit on the corner to seal the egg roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing them slightly apart on the baking sheet.

Lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes, flipping them at least once during baking.

Better Than Twix Bars

Twix are definitely my favorite candy bar, and these are TONS better than the candy bar. Note: I put them in the freezer for 10 or so minutes before cutting them. They are def easier to cut when cooled off- I do not recommend cutting into them when the chocolate is gooey, because it is a HUGE mess... ;-)

the crust:

Caramel:

Chocolate:

The result:

1 stick (4 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
10 ounces caramels, unwrapped (I used 35 Brach's Milk Maid Caramels)
1 tablespoon, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons heavy cream
8 ounces milk chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable shortening (I used vegetable oil), optional

Preheat oven to 300º. Line 8 x 8 inch pan with nonstick foil or greased regular foil.

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the flour. Press evenly into pan...you may need to flour your fingers to prevent sticking. Prick crust with fork. Bake 35-45 minutes till crust is golden.

Immediately after removing crust from oven, run knife around edges to loosen crust. Cool completely.

Melt caramel and cream gently in microwave or in saucepan over low heat till smooth. Pour over cooled crust and chill for 30 minutes.

Gently melt chocolate in microwave or in double boiler over low heat. Add shortening or oil if too thick to pour. Pour over chilled caramel and spread to edges. Chill till chocolate is well set. Cut into squares to serve. Store covered in refrigerator, but remove a few minutes before serving.

Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan is my FAVORITE kind of pie, so when I saw this recipe on pinterest, I had to try it... I was definitely not disappointed. These are SO GOOD. My roomies and I ate them with ice cream, and it was excellent.

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter (10 2/3 Tablespoons)


Filling:
3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups chopped pecans

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13 baking dish with heavy foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt. Cut in 2/3 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a pastry blender or just two knives. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the prepared pan, and press in firmly.

3.Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

4.While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, corn syrup, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons margarine, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans. Spread the filling evenly over the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.

5.Bake for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set. I usually like things on the rare side and a little gooey but these you want cooked all the way through so make sure the middle is set. If the top starts getting to browned cover with aluminum foil.

6.Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into bars with a sharp knife.

Homemade Dutch Crunch Bread

Okay. I don't know if Dutch Crunch is a Bay Area thing or what, because no one in Utah seems to have heard of it... but it is the BEST kind of bread ever. I made this when I had a few hours to kill on a Sunday morning (my church doesn't start until 1, and I inherited the family gene of being a morning person...). It was GREAT!!! Easier to make than I thought (just time consuming) and WAYYY good.

In the oven:

Fresh Bread:

This Recipe makes 7-8 rolls (depending on size) and the rolls are great for sandwiches!!!

Bread
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt

2.5 - 3.5 cups all purpose flour (I used bread flour, but I doubt it matters)

Topping

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup white rice flour

1. Place sugar and yeast along with the warm water, warm milk and oil in your mixer bowl. Mix for 30 seconds and let sit a few minutes until dissolved.

2. Mix salt with 2 1/4 cups flour and to the bowl, mixing on medium until the dough comes together.

3. Switch to dough hook and slowly add the last 1 1/4 cup until bowl pulls away from the side of the bowl. I ended up adding a total of 2 3/4 cups.

4. Turn mixer to medium and knead until tacky and smooth. Alternatively, you can do this step by hand.

5. Place dough in an oiled container and let rise until it has doubled, approximately an hour.

6. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Shape into 8 balls and place on lined baking sheet, and cover. Let sit for 15 minutes. (I ended up with 8 balls of approximately 90 grams each.

7. In the meantime, mix up topping. Dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Add in vegetable oil. Then rice flour. Whisk all ingredients together until you get a thick cake batter-like consistency. It should be smooth. Let sit for the rest of the 15 minutes, plus another 10 minutes.

8. Rolls should have risen a little bit by this point. With a brush, spread topping all over each of the rolls. This should be done in a thick layer. Brush a generous layer on each roll. Then brush a second layer on each roll, using up all of the batter. This step is why you need parchment or a silpat on your baking sheet.

9. Let rolls rise for another 20 minutes until puffy. In the meantime, preheat oven to 350F.

10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool. You must let them cool--the topping tastes a bit weird until it's completely set and cooled.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

My sister and I made this over Thanksgiving break, and it was AMAZING. The cookies and mascarpone set together so you can actually cut it as a cake... it was a big hit with the family!

Ingredients

• 4 cups cold heavy cream
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon whiskey (optional)
• 8 dozen chocolate chip cookies (2 1/4 inches, baked until crisp)
• Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions

1. Whisk 3 cups cream and the mascarpone in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar and whiskey. Whisk until medium-stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use (or up to 3 hours).
2. Arrange 9 cookies in a circle (with cookies touching) on a cake stand or a plate. Place 2 cookies in center. Carefully spread 1 cup cream mixture evenly over cookies, leaving a slight border. Repeat to form 7 more layers, ending with cookies (you'll have a few cookies left over). Refrigerate, lightly draped with plastic wrap, overnight.
3. Whisk remaining cup cream until soft peaks form. Spread over top of cake just before serving. Garnish with chocolate shavings.