Chocolate Zucchini Cake

We planted two zucchini plants in our garden this year. The first day we picked anything from our garden, we picked eight zucchini. We've been getting several a day almost every day since. While I love zucchini, I can only eat it so many days in a row before I get a little sick of it. We've done zucchini fries, zucchini quesadillas, zucchini muffins, zucchini pasta, grilled zucchini, sauteed zucchini and several other iterations. But I think that this one is probably my favorite of them all.

If you happen to have a garden full of zucchini, this is the perfect use for it. And if you don't, it's good enough to wrangle some up (I'm sure you have neighbors that are willing to part with some, or you can probably find it cheap at the grocery store at this time of year). After making it seven or eight times in the last two months, I practically know the recipe by heart. It is moist and delicious, almost like a texas chocolate sheet cake in flavor, and probably one of the best chocolate cakes I've ever made. And the frosting...oh the frosting. It is amazing! I hope you love this one as much as we do!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
barely adapted from allrecipes.com

Cake:
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I've also used melted butter or coconut oil with great results)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini (no need to peel, just throw it in the food processor or shred it on the small holes in a box grater)


Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, mix sugar, vanilla, and oil. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until well combined (batter will be very dry). Stir in zucchini.
3. Spread evenly in prepared pan (the batter might still be dry at this point, but it will moisten from the zucchini. I usually just keep stirring until it moistens enough to spread it in the pan). Bake 25-30 minutes, until cake springs back when gently touched in center. Set aside to cool.
4. Make frosting by beating together cocoa and butter. Add remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed until fluffy. Spread over cake.

Kneader's Mint Brownies

Mint + Chocolate is one of my favorite combinations. Peppermint Oreos. Andes Mints. Chocolate mint truffles. BYU mint brownies. Mint chocolate chip ice cream. But my absolute favorite of all is Kneader's chocolate chunk mint brownies. I could literally eat them every day and be absolutely happy (and, unfortunately, very fat). A couple of weeks ago I was at Kneader's and the line was ridiculously long and I had two fussy kids so I didn't end up getting my brownie. I couldn't stop thinking about that brownie, and was craving it all week long, so I decided to consult my good friend google to see if I could find a recipe and make some at home. I came across this recipe and decided to make it. Best. Idea. Ever. These are every bit as delicious as the ones they sell, and now having the ability to make them myself is dangerous knowledge. Deliciously dangerous knowledge.

I think that these are best a day or two after making them (the brownie layer sets up just right so they're not quite so fudgy), so they are the perfect make-ahead treat!


Kneader's Mint Brownies 
barely adapted from Girls with Recipes

Brownie Layer:
1 cup butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I have used less than this, about 2/3 cup, and thought they still turned out just as good)

Frosting Layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 Tb. milk (as needed until frosting reaches desired consistency)
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. peppermint or mint extract (use 1 tsp. for less minty brownies or 1 1/2 tsp. for more minty ones. They do peppermint ones at Christmas time and mint ones the rest of the year.)
2 drops green or red food coloring (red for peppermint or green for mint)

Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream (or butter if you don't have cream on hand)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Spray with non-stick spray. Melt chocolate and butter in microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until completely combined. Gently fold in flour and salt until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake 25 - 30 minutes (do not overcook). Cool completely.
2. When brownie layer is completely cooled, prepare mint frosting. Beat all ingredients together with mixer until light and fluffy, adding milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Using an offset spatula, spread over cooled brownies (make sure you spread it evenly so the top ganache layer will work right). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Make ganache layer by heating cream and chocolate chips in microwave for 30 seconds, then stir completely until totally melted and combined (microwave for up to 30 more seconds if needed). Cool slightly, then spread evenly over mint layer. Do not refrigerate, ganache will set up within about an hour.

Key Lime Pie

This is easily the best key lime pie I've ever had, and it is also the easiest! I made it for Christmas and have been waiting for Pi Day to make it again (March 14th = 3.14 = pi for those of you that might not be math nerds like me). It was definitely worth the wait and I'm glad that I had lots of other people there to eat it with me so I didn't eat the whole thing myself! I only got one picture of the pie because it disappeared so quickly...and in a room full of pies, that's saying something!

A quick note: the first time I made this I used fat free sweetened condensed milk and low-fat sour cream. It tasted great, but the textured was just a little grainy. This time I used full-fat milk and sour cream and it was perfectly smooth and creamy. Either way will work, you just have to decide whether you want to sacrifice the texture to save some calories!

Key Lime Pie
adapted from Allrecipes

8" prepared graham cracker crust (I always buy Honeymaid brand because it's the only one I've found that doesn't have trans fat)
2 cups sweetened condensed milk (about 1 1/2 cans)
1/2 cup key lime juice (I used bottled, Nellie and Joe's Brand is the best!)
1/3 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together milk, lime juice, and sour cream in large bowl until smooth. Pour into prepared crust and bake for 5-8 minutes, until tiny pinholes form on the top of the pie. Cool completely and garnish with whipped cream and lime slices.

Nutella-Yogurt Fruit Dip

In case you haven't noticed, I kind of have a thing for Nutella. But let's be honest here: it's not exactly the healthiest food in the world. However, when you combine it with protein-rich, fat-free Greek yogurt and use it as a dip for fruit, it takes away a little bit of the guilt but still tastes amazing. This dip couldn't be easier and is SO delicious. It is thick, rich, and creamy--I think it tastes kind of like Nutella cheesecake.

Use it as a dip for fruit--I love it with bananas, strawberries, oranges, and apples, and it's also good with fresh pineapple, kiwi, and probably any other fruit you can think of. We also dipped pretzels, marshmallows, and graham crackers in it. I even used some as a topping on some whole-wheat waffles with strawberries and bananas, and I think it would be amazing stuffed inside of crepes. You really can't go wrong here--anything dipped in this magical stuff is bound to be delicious!

 
Nutella-Yogurt Fruit Dip

1/2 cup Nutella
1 cup Fat-Free Plain Greek Yogurt

Mix until completely combined. (If the Nutella is extra thick I microwave it for about 10 seconds so it's easier to stir.) Serve with fresh fruit for dipping. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to one week.

S'mores Bars

I know it's completely shocking to see a new post on here after four months of absolutely nothing. I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant and I've been ridiculously sick my entire pregnancy. I haven't been cooking nearly as much as I was before (what with food sounding repulsive and all) and when I do actually whip something up, it's usually a tried-and-true recipe that is already posted on here because I know I'll like it. I'm finally feeling a little more like eating and wanting to get back in the kitchen, and I've been doing a lot more cooking. I have lots of pictures and recipes to post, and hopefully I'll find some time (and energy!) to get some of them on here.

I thought this would be a great welcome-back-to-blogging recipe to share with all of you. I remembered seeing these on another food blog a year or so ago and when I was thinking of a treat to make for our 4th of July barbecue, I knew that these would be the perfect treat. They are easy to throw together (no bonfire required!) and everyone loved them (you should have seen the looks on everyone's faces--kids and adults--when I brought these in the house, we couldn't wait to finish lunch so we could dig in to these). They are definitely not healthy, but in small doses for a fun summer treat I think they're totally worth the splurge. Enjoy!

S'mores Bars
adapted from food.com

1 bag (16 ounces) mini marshmallows, divided
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips or chunks (I used chopped Hershey's bars so they'd feel like authentic s'mores)
5 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
5 cups graham-flavored cereal (like Golden Grahams)

1. Line 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mini-marshmallows. Combine remaining marshmallows, chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup in a large pot over low heat. Stir continuously until completely melted and combined (watch carefully as chocolate burns easily). Immediately stir in cereal. Cool slightly, then stir in 1 cup mini marshmallows.
3. Spread into prepared pan (I found it easiest to do this by scraping it out with a rubber spatula, and then pressing it into the pan with fingers sprayed with non-stick cooking spray--the cereal mixture is really sticky!) Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup marshmallows over the top of the bars.
4. Cool completely, then cut into 20-24 pieces (they are really rich so you don't want to cut them too big). Sit back, relax and enjoy the taste of summer s'mores without having to stand over a fire in the heat trying to get your marshmallow cooked to perfection!

Birthday Cake Pancakes

I have a serious weakness for funfetti cake. You know, the kind from a box that you can buy at the grocery store for less than $2. They are my absolute favorite. I kid you not when I say that I could eat an entire box by myself in less than 48 hours. I know it's not high-class to crave boxed cake mix, but who am I kidding? I'm not exactly high class. I love food, and in my own personal opinion this is some of the best.

When I saw a recipe online for cake batter pancakes, using cake mix from a box...I couldn't resist. In fact, I didn't even make it three days without making these. And I didn't last a week after that without making them again. They are clearly not the healthiest breakfast...but for an occasional indulgence they are awesome (I'm thinking birthdays, because I want to eat birthday cake for breakfast on my birthday anyway, so why not birthday cake pancakes instead?) As a bonus, the leftovers are awesome as a mid-day snack. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

Birthday Cake Pancakes
adapted from How Sweet It Is

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow or white cake mix
2 Tb. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 Tb. oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 -2 cups milk (you may need more or less depending on the brand of cake mix that you use, I used 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 - 1/3 cups multi-colored sprinkles (the big fat ones, they're called "jimmies." If you use little ones they will dissolve too quickly and you won't be able to see the pretty streaks of color)

1. Whisk together dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Add eggs, oil, vanilla, almond extract and milk (start with about 1 cup and add more as needed to get desired consistency). Stir in sprinkles.
2. Preheat skillet to medium and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Drop batter by 1/4 cup-fuls onto hot skillet. Cook until bubbles form and stick on top and bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook for about 1 more minute or until golden brown on other side. Serve warm with butter and vanilla glaze (below) or maple syrup.

Vanilla Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3-4 Tb. multi-colored sprinkles
1-2 Tb. milk

Stir all ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle over pancakes.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Remember these classic cookies? Five ingredients, 20 minutes, and you're on your way to warm peanut-buttery and chocolatey goodness. These totally hit the spot when I found myself having an unexpected peanut butter craving a couple weeks ago (I'm normally not a big peanut butter lover, but I had to have peanut butter cookies immediately). I'm thinking about trying these again but with Nutella instead of peanut butter...I'll keep you posted with how they turn out!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
adapted from allrecipes

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
18 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. With electric mixer, combine all ingredients except kisses. Beat on medium until completely combined. Roll into 1" balls and place on prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press 1 chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. A big glass of milk is a MUST with these!

Mini White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecakes

My brother is getting married to a fabulous girl, Cami, next month. My sisters, my mom and I threw a bridal shower for her last weekend. Cami isn't much of a dessert fan, but she does love cheesecake. I knew I needed to make some kind of cheesecake for the shower. I wanted it to be cute and bite-sized, and I wanted to incorporate raspberries (my favorite). I adapted my favorite cheesecake recipe from Kraft Foods and came up with this delicious and beautiful dessert. It was the hit of the party, and everyone loved it. I hope you will too.

Mini White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecakes
Makes 24 mini cheesecakes

3/4 cup vanilla wafers, finely crushed
2 Tb. butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
2 Tb. white chocolate, melted and cooled
1/4 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 Tb. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 mini muffin cups with paper liners. Mix vanilla wafers and melted butter, and divide evenly between liners (about 1/2 Tb. or 1-1/2 tsp. each). Press crust down lightly with fingertips.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat until blended. Add egg and mix on low speed until just blended, scraping sides of bowl to mix completely. Divide cream cheese filling evenly between muffin cups (about 1 - 1 1/2 Tb. per cup).
3. Blend raspberries with mini chopper or immersion blender until completely blended. Press through fine mesh strainer to remove seeds, and mix with sugar. Dot each cheesecake with a couple of drops of the raspberry puree, then swirl carefully with a toothpick.
4. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until just barely set. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 30 minutes, then move to refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours. Serve with fresh raspberries.

Chocolate Fondue

Fondue is one of my absolute favorite desserts. It's easy, delicious and fun, and what doesn't taste better dipped in chocolate? I got this recipe from a friend and have literally made it dozens of times since.

Chocolate Fondue

1 cup (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tb. sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream

Combine chocolate chips, vanilla, and sugar in a medium bowl. In small bowl, heat whipping cream in microwave for 30-45 seconds, or until just barely boiling. Pour over chocolate chip mixture. Let stand for 1 minutes, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. Serve warm with dippers of your choice, such as:  strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, marshmallows, graham crackers, brownies, angel food cake cubes, etc.

Nutella Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Have I mentioned that I have a love affair with Nutella? Whether on crepes, in stuffed french toast, in gelato, or in the world's most delicious frosting, I cannot get enough of it. So naturally, when I saw a recipe for Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl Brownies on one of my favorite blogs (Annies Eats!) I immediately had to make them, but with Nutella instead of peanut butter. Thus, these were born. They are probably the most rich dessert I have ever made (and that is definitely saying something). You absolutely have to eat these with a tall glass of milk or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Indulgent. Easy. Delicious. Hope you enjoy!

Nutella Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Kitchenist


Brownies:
7 Tb. unsalted butter
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour

Cheesecake:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup Nutella
1 Tb. sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 8x8 inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Combine butter and chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir well until completely melted. Whisk in all remaining brownie ingredients except flour. Stir until smooth and well blended. Gently stir in flour until just combined (do not over mix). Spread evenly in prepared pan.
3. Make the Nutella cheesecake filling by beating the cream cheese, Nutella, and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined. Add egg yolk and vanilla and mix until completely blended.
4. Drop spoonfuls of the Nutella filling over the brownies in pan. Swirl batter gently with a knife.
5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until the center is just set. Cool to room temperature and move to refrigerator. These are best after chilling for at least 12 hours.

Magic Bars

These are super easy and delicious, perfect for the holiday season! Plus, they are totally customizable. Don't like nuts? Add more chocolate chips instead. You can swap white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, mint chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or even toffee bits for some of the semi-sweet or butterscotch chips. Just make sure you have a nice tall glass of milk to enjoy with these because they are nice and rich!

Magic Bars
Adapted from Eagle Brand

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
2. Mix melted butter and graham cracker crumbs in medium bowl. Press evenly along bottom of prepared pan.
3. Heat sweetened condensed milk in small bowl in microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute, until melted slightly (this will make it easier to spread in the pan). Spread over graham cracker mixture. Top with coconut, chocolate and butterscotch chips, and nuts. Press firmly into pan.
4. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving. (I think they are best after about 10 minutes, so they're still warm and gooey. Pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? To die for.)

Chocolate Sheet Cake

I know that it's Thanksgiving week and I should probably be posting Thanksgiving-themed recipes, but to be completely honest I'm not that on top of things. Instead, I'm posting this recipe for my favorite-ever chocolate cake. My mom and grandma always made this when I was growing up, and every time I eat it I think of home and all of my happy memories from when I was little. I literally cannot leave myself alone with this cake or I will eat it and eat it and eat it one little piece at a time until suddenly the entire thing is gone. It's not much to look at, but it tastes incredible!

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ cup butter

½ cup shortening

1 cup water

½ cup buttermilk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting:

½ cup butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ½ cups (approx.) powdered sugar

chopped walnuts and/or mini marshmallows (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray jelly-roll pan with cooking spray.
2. In bowl of large stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
3. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt together butter, shortening, water, and cocoa powder. Stir frequently until well combined. Add to dry ingredients, mixing on medium speed until completely combine.
4. Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and soda. Beat on medium speed until completely combined. Batter will be very thin.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched in the center. If using nuts and marshmallows, sprinkle evenly over top of cake. Frost while cake is still warm.
6. As soon as cake comes out of the oven, immediately prepare the frosting. Boil butter, cocoa, and buttermilk in large saucepan until slightly thick, 2-3 minutes after it begins to boil. Stir constantly. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat with an electric mixer until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Immediately spread over warm cake (or pour, if using nuts and marshmallows as it simply won't spread over the top of those).

Chewy Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies

I have made these twice in the past month, and Corey has declared them his favorite cookies ever. I never thought that anything would replace his deep and undying love for chocolate chip cookies...but if anything was going to, it makes sense it would be these. Chewy chocolate cookies with milk chocolate, semi-sweet, and butterscotch chips? Delish. I even substituted half whole wheat flour for the regular flour in these cookies and he still raved about them (shh...don't tell!)

I made some with white chocolate chips instead of the butterscotch chips, and while they were still really good (and slightly more photogenic), the butterscotch chips are definitely better. I suppose you could try peanut butter chips too, but why ruin a perfectly good cookie with those? (We are not big peanut butter lovers here!) I made my cookies small so that I didn't feel quite as guilty eating five of them before 11:00 a.m...but you can feel free to make them larger if you so desire, just up the cooking time accordingly.

Chewy Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies
adapted from Mrs. Harding Cooks

Makes 2 1/2 dozen small cookies (I used a 1 Tb. cookie scoop)

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tb. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips (or white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until completely combined, scraping down side of bowl to ensure everything is mixed well.
3. Add cocoa powder and mix until combined. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until totally combined (do not over mix). Stir in baking chips.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes (mine were perfect at 9 minutes). Be sure that you don't over bake, you want them to be firm around the edges but still nice and a little gooey in the middle. I think these are best warm right of the oven (maybe because I can't possibly wait for five minutes until they cool down) but Corey likes them cool with a tall glass of milk. Either way, they are amazing!

Brownie Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

Cheesecake: Good.
Cupcakes: Great.
Chocolate: Delicious.
Brownies: Divine.
Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake Cupcakes: Amazing!

These were fast, delicious, and look gourmet. You really can't go wrong!

 

Brownie Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes
Adapted from Pillsbury

1 box fudge brownie mix (19.5 oz)
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup water
4 eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled to room temperature
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 container (6 oz.) vanilla yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
hot fudge, whipped cream, and raspberries if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Prepare brownie mix using 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup water, and 2 eggs. Divide evenly among cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed. Add yogurt and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and beat until completely blended and no white streaks remain.
4. Divide cheesecake mixture evenly over the warm brownies. Return to oven and bake 15 - 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Top with hot fudge, raspberries, and fresh whipped cream if desired.

Perfect White Frosting

Corey doesn't like frosting. And by "doesn't like" I mean "scrapes it off of everything that I put it on." So when I say that Corey loves this frosting, that means it's really, really good. It's light and creamy, and not too sweet, almost like whipped cream. It is the perfect accompaniment to white, chocolate or lemon cake (and probably many others) and I must admit that I have been known to eat the leftovers straight out of the bowl with a spoon.

This is probably the strangest frosting recipe that I've ever tried (flour in frosting? What?) but the results are phenomenal. I'll say right now that the frosting can be very fickle, so don't try varying from the recipe at all. The only luck I've had in changing the recipe is changing the flavoring (substituting almond extract for half of the vanilla, or stirring in crushed oreos once the frosting is complete). If you want a chocolate frosting that is similar, see the recipe here. Enjoy!

Perfect White Frosting
recipe by ourbestbites.com

Enough to frost 12 - 24 cupcakes, depending on how much frosting you like. I like a lot of frosting (especially when it's nice and fluffy like this) so I usually get about 16 - 18 cupcakes frosted with this recipe. 

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk, preferably whole milk
1/2 C real butter (NO SUBSTITUTES!) 
1/2 C granulated sugar (NOT powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Cook, stirring continually, until mixture is thickened (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when stirring. It is better to make it too thick than too thin, so if you're doubting that it's done, keep cooking for a couple more minutes. I think I cook mine for about 5-7 minutes). Stir in vanilla. If there are any lumps, push the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lumps. Cool completely to room temperature (I put mine in the fridge and cool until it is completely cold). This part is critical, if it doesn't cool completely it will melt the butter and you'll be stuck with a goopy blob of runny frosting.

It an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Turn to medium-low speed and slowly add the completely chilled flour/milk mixture. Beat on high until mixture is light and fluffy and well combined, about 7 minutes. (When you first start beating it, the mixture will not look like it's going to combine. Just keep beating for the full 7+ minutes and the result should be a nice, fluffy frosting).

This frosting is best if served immediately. It separates if it stands more than a day (and if it is refrigerated) so plan accordingly.

Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie

This is one of my all-time favorite desserts. Whenever we go to Chili's, I try to talk Corey into getting this (it's not too hard to convince him, he loves it too). Since I know that I'll probably be full after eating my dinner, we get it as an appetizer instead. It's a whole lot easier to bring home the rest of my meal as leftovers than it is to bring this home! I adapted this recipe from one I found online and it is absolutely divine. I can't get enough of it!

Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie

Crust:
4 Tb. Butter, melted
2 Tb. sugar
1 cup cinnamon graham crackers, finely crushed (or 1 cup regular graham crackers, crushed plus 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cookie:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

For serving:
vanilla ice cream
chocolate syrup
caramel syrup
chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9 x 9 inch baking pan. Prepare crust by mixing 4 Tb. melted butter and 2 Tb. sugar. Add graham crackers and press into baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
2. Prepare cookie layer by creaming 1/2 cup butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add flour, soda, powder, and salt and mix until blended. Stir in coconut. Press cookie mixture over the chocolate chips. Sprinkle with 1/2 cups walnuts and press into cookie layer.
3. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, chocolate, caramel, and additional chopped walnuts.

Perfect Vanilla Ice Cream

Nothing says summer like cold, creamy, homemade vanilla ice cream. This is a super-simple ice cream recipe with no eggs in it, but it still manages to be extra creamy. I've already made this twice in the last week--first on top of warm peach cobbler, then on top of warm cookie bars, then on top of my mom's homemade chocolate sheet cake (recipe to come soon), and finally just by itself as a just-before-bed snack. It is perfectly delicious any way you eat it. Hurry and enjoy this as you soak up these last few weeks of summer!

Perfect Vanilla Ice Cream
adapted from Alton Brown

1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup + 2 Tb. granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 tsp. vanilla extract
dash salt

In large pot, scrape vanilla bean into sugar. Rub until well combined. Stir in whipping cream milk, vanilla, and salt. Add vanilla bean pod. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool completely in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Freeze according to ice cream maker instructions. Enjoy!

Cookie Bars

My 10 year old nephew Jonathan made these on Sunday and brought them to my in-laws to share with everyone. I took one bite and was head-over-heels in love. I've (literally) been thinking about them ever since. It took every ounce of will power I possess (and a little willpower I borrowed from my husband) to not immediately make them when we walked in the door that night. I managed to hold out another 20 hours (mostly because I had a screaming baby to take care of), but the minute I had a chance to whip them up, I did. And proceeded to gobble down three. The rest are currently sitting downstairs taunting me, begging me to come and eat them (masochists). I'm pretty sure they won't survive the rest of the day.

The best part about these? There is only 4 ingredients, and if you're like me you probably have all of the ingredients in your cupboard right now. It takes only 20 minutes to make and bake them, so you're only a few minutes away from a sweet, chocolately fix. But the real kicker is that they taste like a combination of cake batter and chocolate chip cookies. Crispy and chewy like cookies, but with a cake-like flavor. These are sooo addicting! I used white cake mix and milk chocolate chips. Jonathan used funfetti cake mix and milk chocolate chips. I hear that chocolate cake and peanut butter chips is great too. All I know is I'm going to be trying many, many varieties in the next little while because I can't get enough!

Thanks for sharing Jonathan! I had him write down the recipe for me and he knew it off the top of his head. If that doesn't spell easy, I don't know what does!

Cookie Bars
by Jonathan

P.S. I greased the pan with non-stick spray so that they would be easier to get out, and I recommend you do the same. Isn't

Classic No-Bake Cookies

I'm pretty sure that everyone has had these at least once in their lives. I grew up on these babies and loved making them all the time when I was younger. They were also the first recipe I made in my foods class in 7th grade...which should tell you that they're quick and pretty much fool proof if a bunch of 12 year olds can make them. And I don't have to tell you that they're a crowd-please. Chocolate. Peanut Butter. Oatmeal. You really can't go wrong with ingredients like that. I brought these to a picnic with some friends recently and everyone was thrilled, and the tray was empty in no time. These are perfect for hot summer days when you're craving something sweet but don't want to turn on the oven or take a lot of time making something. I spruced mine up by drizzling them with semi-sweet and white chocolate, but even without it, they taste wonderful.

Classic No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 cup milk (preferably not skim)
1/2 cup butter (I use unsalted, if you use salted butter omit the additional salt)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky, I prefer smooth)
4 cups quick cooking oatmeal

1. Combine sugar, salt, cocoa, milk and butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and cool for one minute. Add vanilla, peanut butter and oatmeal and stir until peanut butter is completely melted and mixture is well combined.
3. Immediately drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper, and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Cool completely before serving. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Cookie Dough Topped Brownies

Have you ever made chocolate chip cookies and just wanted to sit there and eat the entire bowl of dough without baking it? Yeah...me too. So when I saw the recipe for these cookie dough topped brownies I knew I needed to try them. Brownies. Cookie Dough. No raw eggs so I don't have to feel guilty about eating it. Sounds perfect, right? These are delicious and super rich so you only need a tiny piece to feel totally satisfied. Enjoy!

Cookie Dough Topped Brownies
adapted slightly from My Kitchen Cafe

9 x 13 pan of your favorite brownies, baked and cooled
1/2 cup (1 cube) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tb. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Cream butter and sugars in medium sized bowl until light and fluffy. add milk and vanilla and beat until creamy. Add flour and salt and beat until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls over cooled brownies and spread (I found it easiest to do this with an offset spatula dipped in cold water so it doesn't stick to the cook dough). If desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt (I love that sweet/salty combo so I used just a little bit of sea salt on top, yum!) Refrigerate at least two hours so the cookie dough firms up and you can cut it (I cut the brownies with a pizza cutter dipped in cold water so it didn't stick). Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.