Baked Fish Chowder

Back into the kitchen I go. I kind of miss cooking just not quite enough to actually do it. I like the idea of dinner but this last deployment has just knocked everything out of me. Christopher has been home a couple of months and I have yet to settle back into my previous routine of work and home. Bare with me.


Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Hometown Christmas.
Ingredients
2 lbs cod or haddock fillets
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 cup celery leaves, chopped
4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dill weed
salt to taste
2 cups boiling water
Optional: 1/4 cup dry vermouth
2 cups light cream
Garnish: oyster crackers
Directions
Combine all ingredients except cream and garnish in a 4 quart casserole dish; stir. Cover and bake at 375 F for on hour. Shortly before serving time, discard cloves and bay leaf. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, warm cream just to boiling. Stir cream into chowder, gently breaking up fish fillets. Serve topped with crackers. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Cream Cheese Danish

A slice of fresh out of the oven Danish with a cup of coffee is just the way every morning should start. It reminds me that I really need to bake more. This will be one of those recipes that I have the ingredients on hand for. It’s quick, simple, and easy to whip up for when the girls show up for coffee unexpectedly.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Garfield… Recipes with Cattitude.
Ingredients
2 (8 oz) tubes, refrigerated crescent rolls, divided
1 (8 oz) package, cream cheese, softened
1 (3 oz) package, cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk
Directions
Unroll one tube of crescent rolls without separating rolls. Place in the bottom of an ungreased 13” x 9” baking pan. In a bowl, blend together both packages of cream cheese and sugar; gently spread over rolls. Top with remaining tube of tolls; brush with butter. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to a glaze consistency; drizzle over top. Cut into squares; serve wam. Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Classic Lasagna

You can’t review a Garfield Cookbook without making a lasagna recipe. I knew it would be a winner, you can’t go wrong with lasagna in this house. I even followed the recipe and cooked the noodles. Normally I’m a non pre noodle cooker kind of gal. Less mess and work and bakes in the same amount of time. I didn’t think there would be a difference in the texture but there was. I really liked the noodles better pre cooked. I even used gluten free lasagna noodles and Miss Finicky didn’t even notice. The only thing this meal was missing was some cheesy garlic bread and a glass of wine.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Garfield… Recipes with Cattitude.
Ingredients
10 oz package lasagna noodles, uncooked
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground Italian pork sausage
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
14-1/2 oz can Italian seasoned stewed tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, brown beef, sausage, and onion; drain. Add garlic, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian seasoning; simmer for about 10 minutes. Ina large bowl, blend together ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, eggs, and seasonings. Spread 1/2 cup of beef mixture in a lightly greased deep 13” x 9” baking pan. Layer as follows: 1/3 each of noodles, cheese mixture, beef mixture, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 ⁰F for 45 minutes to one hour, until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 6 to 8.

Mocha Peppermint Brownies

Oh no! I ran out of ingredients. Ugh. Guess I’m done baking for the night. Was really hoping to make a batch of peanut butter brownies next.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 eggs
3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup crushed candy cane pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Lightly grease a 9” x 9” baking dish.
Combine the melted butter, sugar, peppermint and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt in a bowl. Gradually stir flour mixture into the egg mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Chunky Cheesecake Brownies

Second batch of brownies for this evening. I’ll be taking all these goodies to work tomorrow. Once again I used my Pampered Chef Brownie Pan and only had to bake these for 20 minutes ish. I love anything with cream cheese.
Ingredients
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.
Combine cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 egg in a mixing bowl; beat until smooth. Stir 1 cup chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture. Set aside.
Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off, and set a heatproof mixing bowl over the water. In the mixing bowl, combine butter with the remaining cup of chocolate chips; stir until just melted and blended together. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 2 eggs, then sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into chocolate until evenly blended.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer. Top with remaining chocolate mixture (this doesn't need to completely cover the cream cheese layer). Using a knife, swirl the top chocolate layer into the cream cheese to make a marble pattern.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top is crinkled and edges pull away from sides of the pan. Cool thoroughly. Cut into 12 to 16 squares. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

White Chocolate Blondies

I’m in a baking craze this evening and just wanted to quickly share these brownie recipes. These are melt in your mouth good. I recently purchased a Pampered Chef Brownie Pan,  love it! If you use it for this recipe the brownies will only need to bake for 15 minutes ish. Plus I always use my microwave to melt my chocolate just remember to not over nuke it.
Ingredients
8 oz white chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
3/4 tap salt
1/3 cup white sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Grease a 9" x 9" baking pan. Melt white chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler, over barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs until foamy. With the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar and vanilla. Drizzle in the melted white chocolate mixture. Combine the flour and salt; fold into the white chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars.

Root Beer Cake

Some days I make little to no sense. I don’t like root beer. My girls don’t like root beer. I made these because I miss my root beer drinking husband. I miss him so much I even listened to country music while baking. Sigh. Love him. Love Pandora.
I was having some baking fun and made these in my Pampered Chef Brownie Pan. Square cakes are so adorable plated. These cakes have a unique flavor and texture, you don’t have to be a root beer lover to like them. I will defiantly be making these once Christopher is home.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Farmhouse Favorites.
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup root beer
FROSTING
1/4 cup butter
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp milk
1/3 cup root beer, chilled
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed; beat for 3 minutes on medium speed. Pour into a greased and floured 8” x 8” baking pan. Bake at 375⁰ for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick tests clean.
In a bowl, beat together all ingredients except root beer. Add root beer; beat to desired consistency. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Serves 8 to 10.

Mushroom & Sausage Mini Quiches

I was waiting all day to come home and start cooking and baking. The only thing that could have made it even more awesome was if someone would have emptied the dishwasher. Oy. Why did I have children? Once the chore of the dishwasher was complete I assembled the French Toast Casserole for tomorrow night's dinner. It smelled so good, I'll share that recipe tomorrow. Then I baked a Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee Cake to take to work tomorrow. OMG! The smell in my kitchen was making my stomach growl.
Tonight's dinner was Mushroom & Sausage Mini Quiches. So easy to make. I received a BIG thumbs up from Christopher. He said these taste like McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches. Next time I shall have some English muffins on hand. Of course and it will be no surprise that my finicky eater wouldn't give them a try. She really doesn't know what she is missing.

Ingredients
8 oz breakfast turkey sausage links, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 tsp pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup milk
Directions
Brown sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat; drain and transfer to a bowl. To the same skillet, add oil and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms to sausage. Stir in green onions, cheese and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites and milk. Divide egg mixture evenly among 12 lightly greased muffins cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of sausage mixture into each cup. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes, or until tops are golden. Remove from cups; cool on a wire rack. Makes one dozen.

Sausage Muffins

Monday’s are mean. It was a long day and my patience was wearing thin. Bring on the quick and easy comfort food. These muffins were scrumptious. Breakfast dinner was a hit. Except, finicky eater wouldn’t try them but I guarantee if she would have taken a bite she too would have liked them. They were even yummy reheated.

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey sausage
1/4 cup butter
1 (5 oz) jar sharp pasteurized process cheese spread
1/4 tsp garlic powder
6 English muffins, split
Directions
In a skillet over medium heat, brown sausage; drain. Add butter, cheese and garlic powder; mix and cook until cheese melts. Spread sausage mixture on 6 English muffin halves. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Top with remaining halves of English muffins. Makes 6.

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread w/Lemon Glaze

My garden is in full bloom and I’m trying to keep up with all the yummy fresh vegetables. This year I downsized to one zucchini plant. Zucchinis grow like weeds for me. My first garden had six zucchini plants. Oh boy! You know you have an overabundance of veggies when people are running away from you as you try to give it away. Last year with just two plants I ended up pulling them out way early because I’d just had enough. You can only bake and freeze so many loaves of zucchini bread. As much as I love my grandmother’s zucchini bread recipe I was looking for something a little different this year. This one will rock your taste buds! It’s lite, lemony and the blueberries gave it a little extra kick. I did notice my first batch was a tad bland but once I added the lemon zest the flavor just popped. It’s just as yummy without the blueberries too.
Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 to 1 cup of blueberries
LEMON GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 35o ⁰F. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan, set aside. In large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the mixer bowl beat 2 eggs well. Then add oil and sugar, and beat on low until well combined. Add the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest and blend everything well. Fold in zucchini and stir until evenly distributed in mixture. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together, but don’t over mix. Stir in blueberries.
Pour batter into prepared 9×5″ loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. While loaf is cooling, you can make the glaze.
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled loaf. Let glaze set. Serve.

Make-Ahead Ham Bites

I love any kind of sweet bread so this recipe is one of my favorites. My only suggestion is getting out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to baking to help the cheese melt more. Even your finickiest eater will have thirds.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for the cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Meals in Minutes 10th Anniversary Edition.
Ingredients
12 Hawaiian rolls, split
1 lb deli ham, slices
1/2 lb Swiss cheese, sliced
3/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp dried, minced onion
Directions
Arrange bottoms of rolls in an ungreased 13”x9” baking pan; layer ham and cheese on top. Replace tops of rolls. Whisk remaining ingredients together; drizzle evenly over the rolls. cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 12 servings.
 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

To die for!
I'm late for work so more to come.

Ingredients
CUPCAKES
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)
FILLING
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
FROSTING
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
CUPCAKES
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, combine the butter and brown sugar. Cream together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl . Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Alternating add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl with the milk on low speed, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
Divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
FILLING
Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy(about 2 minutes). Add flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, (about1 hour).
After cupcakes have cooled, fill the cupcakes by cutting a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.
FROSTING
Beat butter and brown sugar with the paddle attachment on high speed until creamy and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
Frost… Decorating… EAT!
 

Weekly Menu For March 12

Surprise! MIA much? I'll get into that in a moment.
This week’s menu is out of the new Gooseberry Patch Cookbook “Meals in Minutes 10th Anniversary Edition”. It's on sale now, just click on the book.

This cookbook showed up just in time for me to get back into the kitchen. There is nothing worse than a foodie on a diet. I seemed to have lost my desire to whip up yummy meals. My poor family. They are excited for this week to begin, everyone was checking out the recipes and making request.
Dessert of the Week:  Butterscotch Brownies, Milky Way Cupcakes (not GBP), Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes (not GBP)
Monday:  Parmesan Meatballs
Tuesday:  Chicken Tetrazzini
Wednesday:  Vermicelli with Shrimp
Thursday:  Make-Ahead Ham Bites
Friday:  Pizza
Saturday:  Coffee Braised Chicken
Sunday:  Salisbury Steak

Stuffed Milky Way Cupcakes

A few weeks ago I saw these scrumptious cupcakes while blog hopping and knew I would have to make a batch. I thought I bookmarked the page but come to find out I didn’t. Grrr. Then on a visit to Keven & Amanda I saw her Decadent Snickers Cupcakes w/Chocolate Mousse Filling. OMG! I love easy to make but look like you busted your butt gourmet looking cupcakes. Amazing. I’m already plotting what kind of cupcake creation I can dream up.

Ingredients
CUPCAKES
1 box Devils Food Cake Mix
1 small box Jello chocolate instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups milk chocolate chips
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 stick softened butter
2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 bag fun size Milky Way
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Line 24 cupcake tins with liners. To prepare the cupcakes, place the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, milk and sour cream into stand mixer. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Scoop the batter evenly into the cupcake liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and a toothpick comes clean from center. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and let cool.
To prepare the mousse, melt the milk chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream with a stand or electric mixer until it looks like whipped cream and stiff peaks form. Fold melted chocolate chips into whipped cream until well combined, then transfer batches into a piping bag. When cupcakes have cooled, press the tip of the piping bag into the center of the cupcake, about 1 inch deep. Squeeze the mousse into the cupcake while pulling the tip out. It doesn’t take much, just one firm squeeze is perfect. Continue filling all the cupcakes.
To prepare the frosting, beat the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa and vanilla until well combined and a nice frosting consistency. Spread over cupcakes then top with chopped Milky Way bars.
 

Weekly Menu For December 5

Drum roll please.
This week’s menu is out of the new Gooseberry Patch Cookbook “101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches”.

I am so excited to review a cookbook and even more excited to be able to share it with you. It wasn’t easy choosing which recipes I would use this week as there are so many enticing photos. Luckily it’s soup season, giving me time to try them all. For this week I tried to stick to the recipes that the whole family would love. Stay tuned, my next post will kick off the giveaway for this cookbook.
Dessert of the Week:  Custard Pumpkin Pie
Monday:  Chicken & Dumpling Soup
Tuesday:  Honey Barbecued Pork & Mustard and Thyme Potato Salad
Wednesday:  Macaroni & Cheese Chowder
Thursday:  Scrumptious Chicken Sandwiches
Friday:  Pizza
Saturday:  Family dinner @ BIL & SIL’s
Sunday:  Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Blueberry Buckle

Surprise!
I really am hoping that this a step back into the blogging world. Oh how I miss you all. Not only am I sharing this recipe I already have tomorrow’s weekly menu planned out and ready to post. We shall see how the week goes.
It’s blueberry season and my fridge is overflowing. My first thought was to make a Blueberry Pinwheel Cobbler. BUT someone forgot to buy the butter flavored Crisco. Duh! So I settled for Blueberry Buckle which I’m taking into work tomorrow to share with the gang. It smells so good!

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
TOPPING
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup cold butter
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in the blueberries. Pour into greased 9-in. square baking pan.
For topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over blueberry mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Mousse Pie

This amazing pie will cure anything and everything. It is so rich, chocolaty and mouth watering good. You absolutely must try it!

Ingredients
20 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)
1/4 cup butter cut into pieces, room temperature
12 oz high quality semisweet dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3-3/4 cups chilled whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
Chocolate shavings for garnish
Directions
Butter 9" spring-form pan. In a food processor grind the cookies until fine. Add the butter and pulse until combined. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan to form thin crust. Bake crust 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
For Mousse: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chocolate, vanilla and salt. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. With food processor running, gradually pour hot cream in and process until chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
In the bowl of a standing mixer beat 2 cups cream and sugar until stiff peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour mousse into prepared crust. Chill until set, about 6 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Beat remaining 3/4 cup cream in medium bowl to firm peaks. Serve sliced pie with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for garnish.

Carrot Cake

Veggies have never been so yummy. This cake is soft and extra moist. I didn’t get to add the pecans due to my nut hating family. Toasted pecans would have blown my taste buds. Silly cruel family.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional
Frosting
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using. Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.

Sour Cream Cheese Puffs

These made the perfect appetizers. Delicious. Even non cream cheese lovers liked them.

Ingredients
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tubes (12 oz each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
Directions
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, red pepper, onion, lemon juice, dill and pepper until blended. Cut each biscuit in half horizontally; press into greased miniature muffin cups. Place a rounded tablespoonful of cream cheese mixture in each cup. Bake at 375 °F for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve warm.

Pie Cake

Does that grab your attention or what? I was lucky enough to receive this delicious baked goodie from my good “real life” friend Trudy.  The concept just blew my mind. When she dropped it off we couldn’t wait to try it and so it was our dinner. I had to share it with you so I have asked Trudy to be my very first guest blogger.

So, since I am a Food Network junkie, I decided to try one of the latest desserts mentioned on one of their shows. A Pie Cake. Sounded just as crazy to me. But, sounded intriguing and sinful as well! Not sure how they put theirs together but I got to thinking. How hard could it be? So here's how I made mine.

Pre-heat oven to 350-
1 cake mix (prepared)
1- 8 inch pie (any flavor)
1- 9 inch springform pan
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Set bowl to the side. Unwrap pie and set to the side.
Spray bottom and sides of springform pan with non-stick baking spray.
Pour 3/4 cup of cake batter on the bottom of the springform pan.
Invert pie and set in the center of batter.
Cover pie with the remaining batter. Tap the pan a few times to make sure there are no air bubbles.
This is the tricky part. I baked the cake for almost 80 minutes.
I recommend checking the cake after one hour. I used a long wooden skewer to check doneness and to check for any remaining wet batter, remembering of course that there is a pie in the middle. Check with your finger for a "solid" center to the cake baking longer if necessary.
When cake is done and you remove it from the oven, let it cool completely before removing from the springform pan. I inverted the cake onto a plate so the pie is upright when you slice into it. (sorry Michelle I forgot the right side up for yours ... lol).

*Toppings: For the chocolate cake with cherry pie I made a simple chocolate gnache topping. 8oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup cream.
For the cinnamon swirl I did a simple glaze. 1 cup confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.
I was thinking icing would be way too sweet, but its all a matter of taste.
We served ours with ice cream! Delicious!
*Note: Remember to play with flavors! The cake I made for Michelle was a cinnamon swirl cake. I used a yellow cake mix. I set aside a cup of batter and added 1 tsp. of cinnamon and a half teaspoon of vanilla. I swirled it into the cake batter on the bottom and top for a little extra flavor.
Enjoy and have fun with this. I can't wait to see pictures.
God Bless!
Trudy