Libby's Zucchini Cake

I got this recipe from Libby years ago and have enjoyed it a lot.   Craig came to visit us for a few days this week and brought zucchini so I made the cake.  Clair, Jen, and Grayson came yesterday so we all had a chance to enjoy the cake.  One of the best things about this recipe is that it needs no frosting although it is delicious with a cream cheese frosting or any other kind, and you can make some variations using things that you like, such as chocolate chips, raisens, nuts, and this time I used cinnamon chips.  I also modified it by using half the oil called for and replacing it with applesauce.  Turned out very moist and delicious.

               

                                                                Zucchini Cake

2 Cups grated zucchini                                                 
3 eggs
1 Cup oil (or 1/2 Cup and 1/2 Cup applesauce            
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla                                                                 
1 - 8 oz. can crushed pineapple
3 Cups flour                                                                  
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda                                                                     
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon                                                             
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 Cup raisens or chocolate chips

Mix first six ingredients together in a bowl.  Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly.  Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  Ice if you choose to do so after it has cooled.

Strawberry Cake

Here is a great recipe for the Easter weekend. This is my favorite version of strawberry short cake. This recipe comes from my sister-in-law Jennifer. It is so simple but delish, enjoy!

Strawberry Cake
1 White cake mix
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 pkg Junket Strawberry Danish Dessert
8 oz Cream cheese, softened
1 tub cool whip, smaller size
16 oz strawberries, sliced

Make the cake. Bake it in a greased jelly roll pan (I call mine a cookie sheet). Let it cool. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add the cool whip and mix well. Spread mixture on top of the cooled cake.
In a medium sauce pan mix the Danish Dessert with 1 3/4 c cold water. Bring it to a full boil. Boil for 1 min. stirring constantly. Let it cool. Spread it on top of the cream cheese layer.
Lay the sliced strawberries on top on the Danish Dessert layer. Refrigerate to let every thing set then serve cold.

Banana Cream Pie

I am no seasonded pie maker by any means. I think this is maybe the 4th pie I have ever made in my life, but my husband loves pie so I decided to give it another try. I found this recipe on cooksrecipes.com and like that it had cream cheese in it (cause seriously anything you can add cream cheese to is better right.) Needless to say it was a huge hit at our house and surprisingly easier than I thought so I may be becoming a regular pie maker.

1 (9 inch) baked pie crust

8 TBSP (4 0z) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 Cups cold milk plus 2 TBSP

1 (3.4 oz) package of instant vanilla pudding and pie filling

2 bananas

2 Cups whipping cream

1/4 Cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

With an electric mixer beat the cream sheese until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 TBSP milk and mix until the cream cheese is creamy and lump free. Add the remaining milk; mix well. Add the pudding mix and beat on the lowest speed for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the bananas and place in a single layer on the bottom of the cooled pastry shell. Pour the pudding mixture over the bananas. Refrigerate 1 hr.

Beat the cream together with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread over top the pie. Refrigerate at least 1 more hour and serve. ( I was lazy and used whipped cream in a can,which Kate put on which is why it is so beautiful, since we weren't going to eat the whole pie at once and I didn't want the cream to separate and get my pie all soggy.)

Chocolate Dessert Cups

Wow, it has been a long time since I have posted a recipe, sorry! I tell myself I have a good excuse, a beautiful baby girl! I had forgotten what having a newborn was like. I'm still trying to figure out how to get everything done in a day with four children, so blogging kind of gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do-list.

I hope you all had a great Valentines day! It felt like I spent my entire day in the kitchen preparing a special dinner. I knew we wouldn't be going out so I wanted to do something fun and special for the boys and Eric. I saw this cute idea for chocolate dessert cups at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. They were a hit with the boys. My eight year old was very impressed, he thought I was a genius and had made the idea up myself, I had to tell him I'm not that creative.

Chocolate Dessert Cups

-white or brown chocolate

-balloons

-sprinkles (optional)

**Do not serve these to anyone with latex allergies**

I just blew up some balloons, washed and dried them off, set them aside. I used white chocolate disks, melt them and let it cool or you will have popped balloons. Just dip the bottom of the balloons into the chocolate. I used sprinkles on mine then set them on wax paper to harden. Once they have set up it is time pop the balloons and remove them. Try to let the air out slowly. There you have it cute fun bowls to use for a variety of things, I filled mine with homemade chocolate pudding. If you find my instructions to vague go visit Mel's Kitchen Cafe where she gives very detailed instructions and photos.

I will try and get the other recipes I tried for our V-day dinner posted sooner than later.

Carmel Apple Cheesecake Bars

My photos are never very good but this one is really not good, sorry. But they do taste good, and that is the important part right.
I found this recipe over at Melskitchencafe. This recipe is delicious as is, but I think the next time I make it I will only make 1/2 the amount of the streusel topping.
I know this is a lengthy recipe but don't let that scare you off. Enjoy!
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping
Base:
2 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened

Cream cheese Layer:
2 (8oz.)pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 c light brown sugar
1 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c quick cooking oats
1/2 cup butter, softened

1 c caramel sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl stir together the "apple"ingredients, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but combined. Press evenly into a 9 x 13 baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 min. or until lightly browned.

While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 c sugar until smooth. Then add eggs, and then the vanilla. Mix well. Pour over the warm crust.
Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes, until the filling is set.
Cool the bars to room temperature. Drizzle with the caramel topping (or plate individual slices and drizzle the topping one by one.)

Caramel sauce:
4 TBS butter
1 c light brown sugar
1/2 c half-and-half or cream
Pinch of salt
1 TBS vanilla
Mix butter, brown sugar, half-and-half or cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 min. until thickened slightly. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold. If the caramel sauce has cooled in the fridge long enough to harden, warm slightly before drizzling on bars.

Pumpkin cake Roll

Don't know for sure where I got this recipe, have had it for years. I believe that Clair brought it home to me from school when he was going to Ricks so you can see it has been a while. At any rate we like it and hope others may enjoy it as well. It is easy and doesn't take a lot of time.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

3 eggs
1 C sugar
2/3 C pumpkin
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 C walnuts, chopped, (optional, I never use them)

Beat eggs for 5 minutes, then add the sugar gradually. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Fold in dry ingredients. Grease well a jelly-roll pan and sprinkle with flour. Spread batter into pan and top with walnuts if using them. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees
Turn cake onto a terry towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll towel and cake together beginning at short side, and cool on a rack. When cooled, unroll and spread cake with filling. Roll cake up again, wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

Filling:
Mix together and spread on cake;
1 C powdered sugar
1/4 C butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 oz. cream cheese, softened

Eye Balls

Eye Balls (Oreo Truffles)

Last weekend Eric & I went to a Halloween party and I took these eye balls for treats. I forgot to take a picture, so this is from the Family Fun website. They used doughnut holes dipped in white chocolate for theirs, which is the easy route if you are short on time. I made mine with the Oreo Truffles recipe I posted some time ago. I used mini M&M's for the pupils just to add a little color. Have a Happy Halloween!

Rebel Bars

These bars are so yummy! They are good warm but I think I prefer them after they have had time to cool and set up a bit. Those of you who are lucky enough to own your own copy of my ward and community cookbook "A Taste of Heaven" this recipe is in it.

Rebel Bars
Dough:
1 c butter
2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c quick rolled oats

Filling
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 c chocolate chips
2 TBS butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Place all filling ingredients in a pan and cook over low heat until chips and butter are melted. Mix dough ingredients in the order listed. Grease and flour 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan. (I put mine in 9x 13) Spread half of dough in pan; spread with filling and then put remaining dough on top of filling by spoonfuls. Bake at 350 for approx. 25 min. Don't over bake. Cut in squares after cooled.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This is another great recipe from Sisterscafe. A great twist for zucchini bread.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Beat 3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 tsp vanilla

Add:
2 c. grated zucchini
2 1/3 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c. cocoa
choco. chips (optional if you just can't get enough choco. I use mini chips.)

Pour Batter into greased and sugared loaf pans. (this makes a sweet and crispy crust)
Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.

Sugar Cookie Bars

I've seen a few recipes for sugar cookie bars floating around out there. I choose this one from Annie's Eats. I love a good sugar cookie and sometimes I actually have time and the patience to have my boys help me to make them. Yesterday was not the case so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try this recipe. I'm so glad I did. I thought they turned out delicious! I loved the lemon zest flavor! I didn't have a vanilla bean but I'm sure that would make them even better. I used my favorite powdered sugar frosting recipe click here for the link.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 C butter, room temperature

2 c sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

zest from 1 lemon

5 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Powdered Sugar Frosting Recipe

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 18" rimmed baking sheet. Cream together the butter and the sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla, seeds from the vanilla bean, and lemon zest. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir till well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Mix just until incorporated.

Press the cookie dough into an even layer into the prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Powdered Sugar Frosting

This recipe is from Grandma Geraldine Andersen. It is definately the favorite at our house. I don't usually add the crisco, due to pure laziness. Enjoy!
Powdered Sugar Frosting
1 lb. powdered sugar (or 3 1/2 c.)
1/2 c butter, softened
3 TBS Crisco
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Sego milk (about 1/4 to 1/3 c)
Beat until fluffy, adding sugar or milk until desired consistency. This isn't meant to be too thick.

Apple Pie

Made this for Clark's birthday and even though it is a basic recipe Cheryl thought I should publish it so here it is. The crust and filling recipes are found in Grandma's Gracious Goodness, my mothers cookbook.

Good and Easy Pie Crust
Makes 4- 9 inch crusts

3 C flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/3 C lard or shortening

Combine first four ingredients and then cut in shortening .

Mix together and add:
1 large beaten egg
1 TBS vinegar or lemon juice
7 TBS cold water

Mix into dry ingredients with a fork. Smooth with hands and divide and roll out on floured cloth or surface.

Filling:

3 C peeled, sliced tart apples
3/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
2-4 TBS butter

Mix dry ingredients and pour over apples in a pastry lined pan. Dot generously with butter. Wet edges of under crust; cover with upper crust and press edges together and flute if desired. Make slashes in top crust in a flower design or other design to let steam out while cooking. Sprinkle a little sugar on top crust and bake at 425 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes

Key Lime Pie

This past week we received a bunch of key limes in our "bountiful basket". I knew exactly what I wanted to make with them, Key lime pie. I don't think I had ever tasted one before. This was delicious and so simple. I actually just bought a graham cracker crust for the sake of time. (If you do purchase a crust omit the first baking, just add the filling.) We got together with the neighbors for dinner and it was a hit! I found the recipe at Two Peas and their Pod, who adapted it from Epicurious.

Key Lime Pie

For the crust:

1 1/4 c graham cracker crumbs

3 TBS sugar

5 TBS butter melted

For the filling:

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

Zest of 1 large lime

1/2 c lime juice

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter with a fork. Mix until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press Mixture into a 9 inch pie plate or dish. Pat down the bottom and sides. Bake for 12 min. or until golden brown.

2. While the crust is baking prepare filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Whisk until well combined. Add in the lime zest, and lime juice. Whisk well. Set mixture aside. It will thicken up as it sits.

3. When the pie crust has cooled to slightly warm or room temperature, pour the lime filling over the pie crust. Bake for 15-17 mints. Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack. When cool, chill the pie in the refrigerator. The filling will set up as it cools. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

4. Serve cold.

Peach & Raspberry Crumble

This is another Giadda De Laurentiis recipe with a few change ups. She used strawberries, which I'm sure is delicious too.

Peach & Raspberry Crumble

2 TBS fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 large lemon)

1 1/2 TBS arrowroot flour (I used corn starch)

2 cups raspberries (I used frozen) (or 1 lbs strawberries, halved)

1 1/2 lbs yellow or white peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced (I used white)

1/2 c light brown sugar

Topping:

2/3 c flour

2/3 c oats

1/2 c sliced almonds

1/4 c light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c butter chilled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Butter an 8x8 glass baking dish. Set aside.

For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and arrowroot until smooth. Add the berries, peaches and brown sugar. Gently toss until the fruit is coated. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pan.

For the topping: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, almonds, Brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until mixed. Add the butter. Pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Sprinkle the mixture over the filling and bake for 40 to 45 min. until the filling is bubbling and the top is light golden. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Lemon Bars

I have been wanting to make these for weeks. They bring back childhood memories. (We didn't have them often.) I looked at a few different recipes and they were all basically the same, so I combined and omitted what I wanted and this is what I came up with. Enjoy!

Crust:

1 C butter, softened

1/2 c powdered sugar

2 c flour

For the crust mix the above ingredients in a bowl, then press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Filling:

4 eggs, beaten

4 TBS flour

2 c granulated sugar

2 lemons, juice and zest

pinch of salt

1 tsp baking powder

Mix the filling ingredients together then pour over slightly cooled crust. Bake again for 20-25 min at 350. They may seem a little bit runny but they will firm up as it cools. I store mine in the fridge and eat them chilled.

Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake

I still have blueberries in my freezer so I went searching for a new recipe to try. I adapted the recipe from Tasty Kitchen (submitted by fcopeland). We enjoyed it.

Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake

For Cake:
2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 c shortening
3/4 c milk
1 whole egg
2 c blueberries
For crumb topping:
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 c butter, softened
1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the glaze:
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 tsp hot water
Preheat oven to 350. Mix the first seven ingredients together then gently stir in the blueberries. (I put mine in frozen) Then pour into a greased glass pie plate. (This is just a little to much batter for a pie plate so two options: put it in a bigger baking dish or bake it with a cookie sheet under it to catch the overflow.)

Mix the crumb topping ingredients together. Crumble it over the top of the cake before putting it in the oven. Bake it for 45-50 min.
To make the glaze just simply stir the ingredients together till sugar dissolves and it is smooth.
Once cake is removed from the oven drizzle with the glaze.

Ice Cream Cake

My son isn't a big fan of cake, but loves ice cream. So this year for his birthday I thought I would try my hand at an ice cream cake. He thought it was a great idea. He was born on Groundhogs Day so when I saw groundhog cupcakes at Family Fun.com I had to try it!

Ice cream Cake
1 batch Kat's Brownies
2- 1 qt. ice creams (I used Tin Roof Sunday & Death By Chocolate)
Crushed Oreos
Hot Fudge Sauce

Cool whip Frosting
1 (8 oz.) Cream Cheese
1 c Powder Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
24 oz cool whip
(I had alot of frosting left over if you want to 1/2 the recipe)

First I mixed up a batch of Kat's Brownies. I baked them in two 9 in. spring form pans.
Let them cool then I placed them in the freezer for a couple hours. Remove brownies from the freezer and the ice cream (15 min or until very soft). On one of the pans of Brownies spread enough of the cooled fudge sauce to cover the top. Sprinkle a a good layer of crushed Oreos on top of the fudge sauce. (If you are not pressed for time freeze again) Spread a different flavor of ice cream over each pan of brownies. (To the top of the pan, it won't use all of the ice cream). Place back in the freezer till frozen again.

Make the Cool whip frosting by mixing in all the ingredients with a hand mixer.
Remove pans from freezer. Let ice cream soften just a bit and run a knife around the edge of the pan and then remove the side of the pan. Invert one of the cakes to set on top of the other, so ice cream is on ice cream. Give them a little press so they will stick together. I placed my cake on a lazy susan to make the frosting process a little bit easier. Once frosted place back in the freezer. Remove from freezer about 10 min prior to serving. Warm up the additional hot fudge sauce if desired.

Not to pretty of a picture since I forgot to take the picture till it was quite soft.


I made these cupcakes for my son to share with his class at school. They were a hit! For instructions to make the groundhogs click here Family Fun.

Oreo Truffles

I guess these were all over the blogging world last year. Being fairly new to this I just found these the other day and had to try them. They are so simple, yet yummy.

Oreo Truffles

1- 16 oz package of Oreos, divided. Total of 45 oreos
1- 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened

white bark -melted

Crush 9 Oreos in blender and set aside. Crush remaining 36 Oreos. (The whole cookie including the filling) Beat Cream cheese until smooth and add the 36 crushed Oreos. Beat until well mixed. Form into 1 inch balls and then rool in remaing crushed Oreos. Refrigerate them until firm.

Or instead of rolling them in more oreo crumbs dip them in some melted white bark. Then sprinkle with some oreo crumbs. Both ways are good but this was my families preference. Try not to eat to many!

Pumpkin Bars

These are so easy and delicious! This recipe comes from my friend, Brittney D. The icing is what really makes these so yummy!!! Enjoy!


Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1c butter (softened)
2c sugar
1-15oz can pumpkin
2c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
2 tsp ginger

Mix all ingredients together. Spread into a jelly roll pan, bake at 350 for 20 min.
After the bars have cooled spread the frosting on and enjoy!
Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Zucchini Brownies

It must be zucchini time as I just pulled up the blog and there was Chris's recipe for zucchini cupcakes. I tried these brownies this morning to see if I had a new way to use the zucchini from our garden. (I actually don't have any zucchini yet but know that warmer areas are in the season). I used frozen zucchini that I did last year. I will add this recipe to my zucchini bread and zucchini cake group. It is more of a cake brownie and although the icing is very good, it was a little too much for me. Not much of a sweets person. Next time I will make a bit less.

I found this recipe on Kara's Kitchen Creations blog.

Zucchini Brownies

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Whisk sugar, oil, vanilla, and zucchini till blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean. Frost with chocolate frosting.

Frosting:
3 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp buttermilk or milk
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla
Stir together butter and cocoa till smooth. Beat in remaining ingredients, adding milk till it is the consistency you like.