Chocolate Dream Cake

mmmMMMMmmmmmMMMMMmmmmMMmmMMMMmmmmmMMMMmmmmmmmm.........this cake is one of my FAVORITES! So moist and just SCRUMPTIOUS! And because you bake this beautiful baby in a cookie sheet, it's enough to serve a crowd! However.... the crowd of FOUR at my house can lick the pan clean pretty quick!  Hint: hide it if you don't want it to disappear! :)
When I first met my husband, my mother-in-law {I've always claimed her :) I love her!} made this one night when we went there for dinner.  I fell in LOVE with it and it's been in my "special" recipe book since. 
Of course, as we near Valentine's Day, I have CHOCOLATE on the brain! BADLY!  So I apologize if I overrun you with chocolate recipes.... Tis the season! :)  Take this beauty to your Valentine's Party and make people think you just slaved away! They don't really need to know how easy it is:)

Chocolate Dream Cake
recipe from Cheryl
printable recipe

1 chocolate cake mix, prepared as directed on box (I like Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge)
1 sm box instant chocolate pudding (prepared as directed on box, PIE directions)
1 8 oz. brick cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
mid-size container of cool whip
chocolate bar to shave or chocolate sprinkles

Prepare chocolate cake as directed on box.  Pour into greased 15x10 cookie sheet.  Bake as directed and cool COMPLETELY!  Prepare pudding as directed on the box with the PIE directions recipe.  It usually takes 1/4 cup less milk to make it a thicker consistancy.  Let the pudding set up.  Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar until nice and smooth.  Add pudding and whip together until combined well.  Spread over cooled cake.  Spread container of cool whip over pudding layer.  I like to put chocolate bars in the freezer then use a vegetable peeler to make curls up the side of the chocolate bar.  But chocolate sprinkles work well too!  Just use what you've got :) Chill until ready to serve.  Refrigerate any left overs! {Yeah... that's funny around here too! }

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach Artichoke Dip is easily my F-A-V-O-R-I-T-E appetizer.  It's always my first choice at restaurants if it's an option on their menu.  So today when my parents came for a nice Sunday dinner at my house, I decided to make an appetizer.  Of course, this was the one!  And it was soooooo good!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

From Cupboard to Cupboard

printable recipe

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 jar (6.5 oz) artichoke hearts, chopped into small pieces

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Place mixture in an oven-safe baking dish.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated thru. Serve with sourdough bread slices and celery... The yummiest appetizer EVER!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

I have a question for you.....

Am I the only one that just wants to go to Subway for their cookies? 

Well, I'm going to pretend you all answered that with a very fearce "Oh no! I go there for their cookies, not their healthy sandwiches!" Awe... thanks guys for your support :)

I always figure I can go there and just buy 3 White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies and be set for awhile.... that was, until I found this recipe!  Sorry Subway! My love for you is OVER! I'll make my own sandwich AND cookies, thank you!

When I was grocery shopping with my husband {such a frightening experience it can be}, I was in the baking isle.  I know, I know.... imagine that!  There were these oh so beautiful macadamia nuts in a package just begging to be thrown in my cart! So of course I didn't turn my back on them.  Afterall, if I didn't find a recipe to use them in, I'm sure I could find an excuse to just EAT them! :)  So when I got home I got busy searching online for White Chocolate Macadamia cookie recipes.  Nothing appealed to me.  So I got out the trusty old Lion House cookbook... the bakery one.  I had noticed the recipe in there before and looked at it, but to be honest, I was turned off by the "Oatmeal" in them.  I thought that it was strange to put oatmeal in them... Not the texture I'm used to in this type of cookie.  But I decided to try them anyway because the Lion House Cookbook has never let me down yet!

I decided that to be able to actually "deal" with my worry of the oatmeal, I would just make it into oat flour with my blender as I do for the Neiman Marcus Cookies. I must admit... I actually think that it gives them the perfect texture!  They are crisp on the outside and so chewy when you bite into them... mmmmmm..... with the yummy melted white chocolate and bits of crunchy macadamia goodness.... oh my!  So I guess my next question is:

 Do you want one?

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
adapted by From Cupboard to Cupboard
from Lion House Bakery
Printable Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups chopped macadamia nuts
1 bag white chocolate chips (I like Nestle or Guittard best)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Blend oats in blender to make oat flour...
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt baking soda, and oat flour.  Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and blend until incorporated.  Fold in nuts and white chocolate chips by hand.
Drop walnut-sized balls of dough onto ungreased {or SILPAT-lined} cookie sheets and bake 12-15 minutes.  (Mine were perfect at 12 minutes).  Edges need to be light golden brown.

Yields: 5 dozen cookies


Happy Cooking!
Teauna

Dressed-Up Chocolate Cupcakes

There are times we are all running around like chickens without heads trying to get our kids to and from school, practices, etc... There are things to be done at home, treats to be made for a special occasion, and there just doesn't seem like there's enough time in a day. 

Do you ever feel this way??

Well, I sure do sometimes.  And knowing that Valentines Day {AKA MY BIRTHDAY} is drawing near & I just have to bake treats for the kids' classes, I'm starting to prepare myself.  When I need to make a larger number of treats I like to make cupcakes, because they are quick and you can bake 24 at a time.  I'll be honest, I've made alot of cupcakes from scratch and don't get me wrong... I love them.  However!.... Do you realize the people at Betty Crocker have thrived on perfecting their cake mixes?  I love Betty Crocker {and good ole' Duncan Hines ain't all that bad :)}  I have decided that at my house, I would rather just "dress-up" a cake mix then spend all that time making a heavier cake that I really don't care to eat. 

I laugh when people say to me, "but you're a cook! I can't believe you use mixes...I thought you make everything from scratch!"  Ha ha ha!  People I am human!  And I go for easy sometimes too! :)  I also go for flavor and have to admit that Betty Crocker does a mighty fine job at getting her flavors spot on!  I like to take what she has perfected and add my own personal charm to them... not only does using a cake mix save you the time, you can still make them yours!

So, I thought I'd share this with you!  Really, don't be ashamed to make a cake mix YOURS! 

Dressed-Up Chocolate Cupcakes
by From Cupboard to Cupboard

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix ( I prefer Betty Crocker Super Moist Milk Chocolate)
ingredients to make mix as directed on box... example: eggs, oil & water
1/2 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can of whipping cream {I don't like the "LITE" versions, they're too watery... get a fattening one! Oh and that chocolate whipping cream in a can would be divine!}
1 can chocolate frosting {yup... Betty does that too!}
sprinkles

Mix cake mix, and ingredients required on box as directed.  Add 1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.  Mix until distributed.  Bake cupcakes as directed on box.  Leave in pans for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to prevent papers from peeling away from cupcakes when they cool.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Take a knife (I like to use a steak knife because they're serrated}.  Being careful not to cut thru the paper on the bottom of the cupcake, cut an X into the middle of the top of each cupcake.  Now take your can of whipping cream, shake it up real good, place the nozzle in the X of the cupcake and fill the cupcake.  You'll be able to feel it as it gets heavier.  Just fill it until it is level with the top of the cupcake.  Now take the frosting in the can and whip it real good with a knife.  It smooths it out and makes it look like yummy homemade frosting :)  Frost the cupcakes and throw on some cute sprinkles for whatever occasion! 
Now when you take them, don't warn anyone they have filling!  Let it be a surprise! 

** You could surely do this with different flavors of cupcakes and different fillings.... this is just what I did this morning.  Start to finish 48 cupcakes in 1 hr 15 minutes with cooling time!  Can't beat that!**

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Our Favorite "Heavy" Rolls

If you are a "beginner" at bread-making, this recipe is a GREAT one to build your confidence.  Unlike the Lion House Rolls, these rolls are not light and fluffy.  They have more of a dense texture, making excellent sandwich rolls.  They hold up really well for sandwiches and who doesn't just LOVE homemade bread?!  My kids love them just warm with butter on them too.  A great recipe with a nice buttery flavor.  Try them!

Our Favorite "Heavy" Rolls

by From Cupboard to Cupboard

printable recipe

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

2 1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups warm water

4 eggs

4 Tbsp yeast

13 cups flour

Mix water and yeast in large bowl.  {This recipe fits in my larger KitchenAid bowl}... Add sugar to feed yeast.  Melt butter. Add butter, salt, & eggs to yeast mixture.  Add flour 3 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until blended.  Turn into a greased extra large bowl.  Grease the top and lightly cover with plastic wrap.  Set in a warm place and let rise until doubled.  Punch down and simply squeeze off blobs of dough, remembering that they're going to rise again.  Place on a silpat-lined, or lightly greased cookie sheet.  Let rise until doubled.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately brush melted butter on rolls while they're still hot. Cool on wire rack.  Store in a cool dry place.

One of our favorite things to do with these rolls is to make Chicken Malibu Sandwiches...

simply cut the roll in half.  Place a chicken patty or breaded chicken, a couple thin slices of ham, and a slice of swiss cheese on the roll.  You can add any condiments you choose.  These sandwiches make a great lunch or dinner!



Doesn't that look so yummy? Kenzie sure thought so!



I hope your family enjoys these rolls like we do! 

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Bundles

Imagine that! Another FABULOUS {= simple} recipe for breakfast! I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but my husband LOVES breakfast! I can go without breakfast, and honestly, I prefer to.  But Mike..... he just can't! He likes breakfast and it's an essential part of his day, especially when he's at work! So, I've tried really hard to come up with easy-to-eat-on-the-go types of breakfasts. I like to keep refrigerated biscuits on hand.  Of course, I also have cheese and breakfast sausage too.  So, I decided to throw all those ingredients together and this is what I came up with! Oh so simple! But a winning recipe it is! He didn't argue at all when I asked him to be my taste-tester! As a matter of fact, he sat down on his cooler in the mud room {in his chore clothes covered in hay} and thoroughly enjoyed it! {That's right, I don't allow him to walk thru the house in his chore clothes...muah ha ha ha ha!}

Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Bundles
a FROM CUPBOARD TO CUPBOARD original
printable recipe


*Refrigerated Biscuits (each tube will make 5 bundles)
*Shredded Cheese (I had that canned processed cheese {the cheddar cheese kind for nacho night} and used it in place of the shredded cheese)
*Breakfast Sausage, browned and drained (it took a little less than a pound for 5 bundles)
*coarse kosher salt
*milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a silpat-lined or lightly greased baking sheet, flatten out refrigerated biscuit to 4-5" circle.  Place approximately 2 tsp of cheese on the bottom biscuit.  The place 2-3 Tbsp of sausage in the center. I like to then sprinkle a little more cheese on top.  That way the sausage is surrounded in cheese :)  Make sure to leave a small margin all around the whole end so that it can seal.  After placing all the filling in the center, stretch out another biscuit and drape it across the top of the filling.  pulling all edges out to meet the edges of the bottom biscuit.  Press edges together and seal with a fork.  With a pastry brush, gently brush milk over the bundle, then sprinkle with coarse kosher salt.  Bake at 400 for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. 

flattened biscuit with cheese, sausage, & more cheese

the top s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out biscuit placed over the filling and edges pressed together

sealed edges with a fork

after baking 11 minutes.... YUMMY!!

Happy Cooking!
Teauna

Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread

You know, there are those times that I crave something sweet and chocolate-y... but not like candy-bar kind of sweet.  Okay, well that just sounds confusing. The kids and I were sitting around wanting banana bread but I wanted to try something different.  This turned out really good! It seems to have more of the texture of a pound cake, but it's really yummy.  And considering the fact it bakes for 80 minutes, by the time it's out of the oven, your house is nice and warm and smells FaBuLoUs! 



Proof that even the pickiest of eaters love this bread!  {Bed-time snack}



Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread

adapted by From Cupboard to Cupboard

printable recipe

1 1/3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 ripe bananas, peeled

Squirt of lemon juice

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp butter, at room temp

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.  Butter and flour a 8.5"x4.5"x2.5" (or a little bigger) loaf pan.  Make sure to butter and flour it WELL!  Place the pan on an insulated baking sheet. 

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with the lemon juice. I use a fork or a pastry blender to mash them.

Melt the chocolate and 2 Tbsp of butter together in a microwave. I placed mine in the microwave for 30 seconds... took it out and stirred until melted...

In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add the sugars and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes or until light and smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.  The batter will look curdled, and it will continue to look curdled as you add ingredients.  Add half the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.  Pour in the milk, and when it is blended, add the remaining dry ingredients.  Scrape down the bowl and mix in the mashed bananas.

Pour a little less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and stir to blend.  Drop alternating spoonfuls of both batters into the prepared pan, then, using a butter knife, swirl the batters together.  Don't overdo it or you'll end up without the marbled look!

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted deep into the center of the loaf comes out clean. {IT CAN BAKE UP TO 1 HOUR AND 30 MINUTES}  Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest for about 15 minutes before taking out of the pan.  Cool completely right side up on the rack!

Wrapped in plastic wrap, the cake will keep for 4 to 5 days at room temperature.... or you can wrap it airtight and it will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Happy Cooking!

Teauna