Lisa's Super Moist Strawberry Cake

My friend Lisa made this cake for our Life Group many years ago. It is incredibly moist and a delicious summer dessert. Here are her directions in her own words...

1 strawberry cake mix - made per directions on box.

While cake is baking:

mix 1 large box strawberry jello with 1 1/2 c. boiling water,

add 1 1/2 c. strawberry soda.

Poke holes in cake (I use round toothpick).

Pour jello/soda mixture slowly and evenly over cake.

Allow to cool.

Chill in refrigerator.

Add topping.


Topping:

Small box vanilla pudding - made per directions.

fold in small tub of cool whip.

Spread over chilled cake. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Stuffed Strawberries

I took these to a book club meeting last week- what an easy and delicious dessert!

20 strawberries, washed, dried and cored
8 oz pkg light cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 sleeve of graham crackers
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Set aside strawberries while you make the filing. Beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer, then add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Place graham crackers in a zip lock bag and beat them into fine crumbs - set aside.

Take the cream cheese mixture and put in a gallon zip lock bag. Snip the end and fill the strawberries.

After strawberries are filled dip the top in the graham cracker crumbs. Melt the chocolate chips, then place in zip lock, snip tip off. Drizzle the side of each strawberry with a little chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Paula Deen's Banana Pudding

I made this for a family get together on Memorial Day. Rich but very Yummy!

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Buttermilk Pie

My favorite pie E-V-E-R!! This recipe makes 2 9-inch pies - make one for your family and one for a friend.

2 9-inch pie crusts, unbaked
3 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup (2 sticks) light butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
**a little lemon zest and a squeeze of juice is a nice addition, lemon in his buttermilk pies it adds a subtle tartness.

Mix sugar, flour and salt. Add eggs, butter, buttermilk and vanilla (lemon if you are adding it)- stir well to combine. Pour into two unbaked pie crusts and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees (check them at 50 minutes- if they’re too jiggly put them back in for a few more minutes. They shouldn't jiggle very much at all when they’re done). If the tops are getting too brown, cover loosely with foil for the remainder of baking time. Cool in a rack and serve at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Old Fashioned Banana Pudding

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
5 very ripe bananas
4 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
1 T butter
Box of Vanilla Wafers
2 tsp vanilla extract

Meringue Topping:
4 egg whites
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Spray a nine by nine inch baking pan with cooking spray and then arrange a layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom. Set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Drop your egg yolks in a heavy saucepan. Add the flour mixture as well as the milk and vanilla and whisk well so no flour clumps remain. Turn heat on medium low and continue to whisk NON STOP for a solid ten to twelve minutes, or until the custard thickens up to a pudding consistency. This will take awhile. Be patient.

Once it’s thick, immediately take off the stove to cool. Stir in the butter. Chop your bananas and layer half on top of the cookies in the dish. Pour the custard on top. Layer the rest of the bananas, plus more cookies, on top of the custard and push down so that the cookies and bananas sort of sink into the custard a little bit.

Set aside and make your meringue. In a KitchenAid (or an electric hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they are frothy and you can’t see the bottom of the bowl. Gradually add the cream of tartar and the sugar while you continue to beat until thick, glossy peaks occur. This will take about five to six minutes, depending on your mixture.

When you have stiff peaks, turn off the mixer and spread or pipe the meringue on top of the pudding. Bake at 375 for about twelve minutes, or until the top of the meringue is golden brown. Chill for about three hours before serving.

Chocolate-Drizzled Strawberries and Cream Pie

1 8-oz. package light cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c.sugar
1 9 inch graham cracker crust (store-bought)
1 quart fresh strawberries
1-2 ounces chocolate

In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate large bowl, beat the whipping cream and sugar until medium peaks form. Add about 1 cup of the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining whipping cream mixture and mix until just combined. Spread in the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for a few minutes while you prepare the strawberries.

Wash the strawberries and cut off the stems. Blot dry with a paper towel and then gently press, cut side down, into the whipped cream mixture. Set aside.

If using a chocolate bar, break it into equal pieces and place in a small Ziploc bag. Microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stopping the microwave every 20 seconds to mash the bag. You want the chocolate to be melted but not hot at all. When the chocolate is melted, snip a corner off the bag and drizzle it over the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.

German Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 cup butter, melted and divided
1 large egg
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 16oz box confectioners' sugar
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter, and egg. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Add remaining melted butter , beating at slow speed until combined. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour over cake mix layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 45 minutes (the center should remain slightly gooey). Remove from oven. Let cool completely before cutting into squres.

Gooey Butter Cake

1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 of a 16-ounce box powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together.

Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Toffee Bars

Great to take to pot lucks and teacher luncheons. I'm taking these next week when the Kindergarten is responsible for Teacher Lunch Day.

1 Yellow cake mix
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Butter
1 (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 - 1 Cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 - 1 Cup Heath Bits O' Brickle


Mix first 3 ingredients until crumbly. Pat into 9x13 pan. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

No Bake Cheesecake with Fruit Topping

My mom made this for Easter lunch this year. It is also the first dessert that I remember my mom making as a child. My mom always tops her pies with cherry or blueberry pie filling, my favorite is blueberry. The recipe is below, of course I always make it lower in fat by using light cream cheese and light cool whip. Easy but so so good!


2 8 oz. pkgs Cream Cheese,room temperature
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
1- 1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Graham Pie Crust (Largest size)
1 can favorite pie filling (I recommend Blueberry!)


Beat cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla together until smooth. Spoon into crust.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. After set add pie filling to the top of the cheesecake and cover completely. This can be made a day ahead before you are ready to serve.

Cola Cake

Yummy but definitely not low fat. Great for a special occasion! Very rich, so serve small pieces so your guests do not go into a sugar coma. :)

1 cup coke
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350. Combine coke and buttermilk. Beat butter at slow speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs and vanilla/ beat at low speed until blended.
Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with coke mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in marshmallows. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes.
Pour Classic Coke frosting over warm cake. (Sprinkle with toasted pecans - optional)

Classic Coke Frosting (the best part)
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup coke
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 16 oz pkg powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Toasted Pecans (optional)

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla. Use immediately.

Snicker Blondies

I made these tonight for our family's New Year's Eve party. They were a hit!

1/2 Cup plus 2 tbs butter (room temp)
2 Cups brown sugar
2 eggs (room temp)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 miniature Snickers bars, cut into pieces

Place butter, brown sugar in mixing bowl, blend until creamed together. Add the eggs one at a time, mix after each addition. Scrape the bowl and mix in vanilla. Put all dry ingredients in a bowl mix together. Add one cup of the dry mixture to the wet mixture, beat until incorporated. Scrap sides and add the final cup of dry mixture until blended in well. With spatula fold in Snickers pieces just until combined. Press dough into 13x9x2 inch greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan then cut into bars.

Ricotta Cheesecake

Another David recipe- I did not make any changes - his recipe is called Carla's Torta Di Ricotta.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 (8-inch) pie crust, blind baked until cooked through and golden brown.
3 pears, peeled, halved and cored**
3 cups water
3 tablespoons apricot jam

Refrigerate the ricotta cheese in a strainer overnight so that the excess moisture is removed.

In a mixing bowl, blend the ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar with a hand mixer until it becomes a velvety consistency. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. Gently fold in the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture along with the bittersweet chocolate. Spread the filling into the piecrust and refrigerate.

In a saucepan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 2 cups of water. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the pears and gently simmer until soft when pierced with a knife. Remove the pears from the pan and let cool. Cut the pears into slices and fan the slices on top of the pie filling, until the surface of the pie is covered. Fill in the gaps with extra pieces of pear, if necessary.

In another saucepan, heat the remaining 1 cup water and apricot jam. Stir and cook until the jelly is liquefied, so that it can be used as a glaze. Spread the apricot glaze over the pears and let the pie rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

**You could substitue the pears with peaches or plums.

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies w/ Toasted Pecans

I love all the goodies in these cookies.

1/2 cup white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large egg
3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3⁄4 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1⁄2 cup pecans, roasted for 10 minutes and chopped


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and add to butter, sugar and egg mixture. Beat until well incorporated, and then stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, place on parchment-sheet lined cookie sheets and bake for 17 minutes. Should make about 24 cookies.

Lemon Cupcakes w/ Marscarpone Frosting

Dimples Cupcakes use to be my favorite local bakery. I loved the Lemon Delight cupcake, which is strange, because lemon is not my first choice when it comes to dessert. This cupcake is super moist and the lemon cuts the sweetness - I CRAVE this cupcake. Sadly, I no longer go to Dimples because of an article published in D Magazine that outed the bakery. They do not make their cupcakes from scratch and they are dishonest business owners, so can not longer in good conscience support their business.

When I saw Leigh Anne's recipe for the Perfect Lemon Cupcake I had to try it so I could get my cupcake fix. Here I have adapted the recipe a bit by adding a lemon mascarpone frosting. For an added touch, you could put a thin slice of lemon on top or a candied lemon slice. If you have not visited the blog Your Homebased Mom you are missing out. Leigh Anne has amazing recipes and entertaining ideas. She also has a whole blog dedicated to party planing ideas called Your Homebased Parties.

1 package lemon cake mix
1 C sour cream
3/4 C water
3/4 C oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding

Mix dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Use a strong mixer, this batter is thick. For cupcakes, bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (I was able to get 24 very full cupcakes from the recipe). Don’t over bake or the cake will be too dry! The toothpick test works to check to see if they’re done.

Frosting:
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus more for garnish
Pinch of salt
2 cups mascarpone, at room temperature

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and mix at low speed until the sugar is dissolved. Add the mascarpone and beat at low speed until creamy; do not overbeat.

Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Cream Frosting

By now you know that Giada is one of my favorite chefs. Here is a great brunch muffin recipe or it could be used for a dessert. I made just a couple of changes to the recipe, see the original recipe here.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

Frosting:
3 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) light butter, room temperature
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions
Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins may be eaten warm or cooled completely and frosted.

To frost the cupcakes: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone cheese and then beat in the honey. Spread the frosting over the muffins. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

My friend Leya is famous for this dessert. Here is her recipe:

2 pkgs. crescent rolls**
2- 8oz packages of cream cheese*
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 stick butter**
cinnamon-sugar mixture (to your taste)

Butter bottom of 9x13 dish. Spread one package of crescent rolls on bottom of dish. Heat cream cheese on stove and stir in sugar and vanilla. Spread other package of crescent rolls on top. Pour melted butter on top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Serve warm with coffee.

**When I make it I use Reduced Fat Cresent Rolls, Neufchâtel cheese (instead of cream cheese) and light butter. It tastes as good as the full fat recipe.**

Chocolate Chip Graham Cookies

Making these for a Casa Hogar Elim party tonight.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand - my choice brand)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl beat sweetened condensed milk, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder and stir until smooth; then add chocolate chips. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Kentucky Derby Pie

My friend Ivey makes this amazing dessert - yum!!

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
2 Eggs; Beaten
1 Stick Butter; melted then cooled
1/2 Cup Pecans, chopped
1 6 oz chocolate chips ( or half of a 12 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
1 ready made pie crust ( I think Kroger is the best)

Mix sugar & flour then add eggs, butter, pecans, choc. chips and vanilla. Pour into a unbaked pie crust.

Bake @ 325 for 1 hour.

Served warm with vanilla ice cream!

Slow Berry Cobbler

Recipe by Paula Deen I made some changes below.

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen strawberries
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen blueberries
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen raspberries
1/3 to 2/3 cup Splenda, depending on your level of preferred sweetness
1/2 cup baking mix
2 1/4 cups Pioneer Low-Fat Biscuit & Baking Mix
1/4 cup Splenda, plus 1/4 cup
4 tablespoons light butter, melted
1/2 cup skim milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Spray the insert of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together all the frozen fruit, Splenda and 1/2 cup baking mix. Transfer the fruit to the slow cooker. In another large mixing bowl, stir together 2 1/4 cups baking mix, 1/4 cup Splenda, melted light butter and milk with a wooden spoon. With your hands, drop bits of dough on top of the fruit in the slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup Splenda and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture on top of the dough and place the lid on the slow cooker. Turn the power onto high and slow cook for 3 to 4 hours until the topping has puffed and the fruit is bubbling.

Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or frozen yogurt.