at 1:02 PM

Strawberry Shortcake

courtesy of NYT, 5 star recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries
½ cup sugar, or more to taste
4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 ¼ cups butter
3 cups whipping cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION
1. Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the 1/2 cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3. Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add 3/4 cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1 1/4 cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds - 2 rounds per serving.
4. Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.
6. Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.
7. Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.
- *Extra shortcakes may be frozen, but they should be warmed before using. They are also good toasted for breakfast.

at 3:05 PM

Layered Chocolate Pudding Dessert with Salted Pecan Crust

Prep: 25 Minutes	Level: Easy
Cook: 20 Minutes	Serves: 24

Ingredients

FOR THE SALTED PECAN CRUST:
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Packed Brown Sugar
3/4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
9 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE LAYER:
12 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Softened
1-1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
12 ounces, weight Cool Whip, Divided (1 1/2 Cups For Cream Cheese Layer, Remaining For Cool Whip Layer)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE PUDDING LAYER:
2 boxes (3.9 Oz. Size) Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
4 cups Cold Whole Milk
FOR THE COOL WHIP LAYER:
Remaining Cool Whip From Cream Cheese Layer
2 ounces, weight Shaved Dark Chocolate From A Bar

Preparation

For the salted pecan crust:
Preheat oven to 325° F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and pecans. Cut in butter with a rigid pastry cutter or a fork until crumbly. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until crust is set and slightly browned. It should smell nice and toasty, buttery and nutty. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

For the cream cheese layer:
With a blender, whip cream cheese and powdered sugar until completely smooth. With a rubber spatula, fold in 1-1/2 cups of Cool Whip from the 12-ounce container until combined. Spread mixture onto cooled crust. Refrigerate while preparing the next layer.

For the chocolate pudding layer:
In a medium bowl, whisk pudding with milk for 2 minutes. Pudding will become more and more thick as you whisk. Spread pudding evenly over cream cheese layer.

For the Cool Whip layer:
Evenly spread remaining Cool Whip from the 12-ounce container over chocolate pudding layer. Sprinkle with shaved chocolate. (I use a vegetable peeler, running it down the sides of a chocolate bar.) Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight before serving.

This dessert can easily be made the day prior to serving. I actually prefer the overnight refrigeration, as it allows the dessert to chill thoroughly and firm up. Always serve this dessert chilled.

at 3:30 AM

Rolo Cake Mix Bars from Liz

Ingredients

· 1 box (18.25 oz) yellow, vanilla or white cake mix ( I used Duncan Hines), dry

· 5 oz evaporated milk

· ¼ cup butter, melted

· 40 Rolo Candies, unwrapped and cut in half

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

3. With your mixer, beat cake mix, evaporated milk and butter until combined. Mixture will be thick and sticky.

4. Divide batter in half and press 1 half into the bottom of the pan.

5. Bake until just set, approximately 8-9 minutes.

6. Remove base from oven and place Rolo candies, caramel-side down on top.

7. Drop remaining batter on top of Rolos in teaspoon sized amounts.

8. Bake for 20-24 minutes longer until top begins to golden.

9. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

at 2:43 AM

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This is the frosting I use for all my kid's birthday cakes and cupcakes. We love it!

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2 stick soft butter

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

pinch of salt

1-2 Tbs. heavy cream or milk (more depending on desired consistency)

Put butter in an electric mixer and turn on low. Add the powdered sugar. Add the remaining ingredients, and desired amount of cream. Let mix for 5 minutes on high for a nice whipped consistency.

at 2:35 AM

Jello Cake - the only cake that I like: from Jaclyn

· 1 pkg jello (any flavor - I use raspberry or strawberry)

· 1 box of white cake mix

· 1 container of cool-whip (you can also mix this with 1/2 pkg of vanilla pudding)

1. Bake the cake in a greased 9x13 pan and then let it cool.

2. Combine the package of jello with 1 1/2 cups boiling water.

3. Punch small holes with a fork in the cooled cake and pour jello into holes.

4. Keep in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

5. Then frost with cool-whip.

at 2:15 AM

Pumpkin Cheesecake from Maere

Graham cracker crust (homemade or store bought)

Whipped cream (topping)

Filling:

3 8 oz packages cream cheese-softened

1 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 C canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

In large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer until smooth.

Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.

Pour filling into crust. Fill a 9x13 pan with hot water reaching 1/3 to 1/2 way up pan. Placing cheesecake into water bath helps prevent cracking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 min. Top will turn a bit darker. Remove when done and allow to cool. When room temp put into fridge. When chilled cut into 8 equal pieces. Use dental floss to make a clean cut. Top with whipped cream.

at 2:07 AM

Ingredients for Making a Box cake mix taste like a bakery cake from Sarah

· 1 box cake mix

· 1 cup flour

· 1 cup granulated sugar

· Dash of salt

· 1 cup sour cream

· 1 cup water

· 3 whole eggs

· 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions for for Making a Box cake mix taste like a bakery cake

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and grease your pans

2. Whisk together the dry ingredients

3. In mixer bowl place the wet ingredients

4. Add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix together

5. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend

6. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed

7. Pour the batter half way up prepared pans or 2/3 of the cupcake pan

8. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20-30 minutes (depending on size of cake) then turn oven up to 325 for about an equal time.

at 1:42 AM

Cherry Cheesecake: from Emily

1 pkg 3 oz. lemon jello

1 T. lemon juice

1 c. boiling water

Stir and put in freezer to soft jell stage while preparing the rest, stirring occasionally.

8 oz. cream cheese

1 pint whipping cream

1 c. sugar

2 cans cherries

1 pkg. graham crackers

1/4 c. butter

Smash the graham crackers and mix with the melted butter. Press into the bottom of a pie pan or 8x8. Cream the cheese and sugar together. Whip the cream then fold everything in together.