National Grilled Cheese Month

Not only is is National Poetry Month but also National Grilled Cheese Month.
I had no idea this existed, I love Grilled Cheese!

Tasty Grilled Cheese Recipes to celebrate!

Best Grilled Cheese in the USA (restaurants specialties, "yummiest in the country)

Chocolate No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (you can try cinnamon or chocolate graham crackers also)
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate chocolate chips, melted

Have ready 9x13 inch baking pan.

Mix confectioners' sugar, graham crackers, peanut butter and butter in medium bowl until well blended.
Scrape into ungreased baking pan and press into even layer.
Spread melted chocolate over top.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours until chocolate is firm.
Let stand and cool for 10-20 minutes at room temperature before cutting into bars.

Freezes well.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Betty Crocker loves to bake and share and these are yummy.
Great for a pot luck dinner.

Three Betty Crocker items you need - brownie mix, chocolate chip cookie mix, and some frosting.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Lately -- I have been speechless. Actually very very busy.

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 TBSP cocoa
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup nuts

Combine and mix all together and put in a greased and floured 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Let cool then frost with fudge frosting. Add hokey pokies/sprinkles.

National Zucchini Day August 8th

Carrot Zucchini Cookies

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup raw carrots, shredded
1/2 cup raw zucchini, shredded
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 tsp powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 1/4 cups flour

Mix together the shortening, sugar, and egg.
Stir in the carrots and zucchini.
Sift together: flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices; stir/combine into shortening mixture.
Mix in the nuts.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
Bake 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Raspberry Cheescake Bars

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup shortening
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened (light is ok)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup seedless raspberry jam or preserves
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds

In bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and almonds.
Cut in shortening until mix resembles fine crumbs- set aside 1/2 cup for topping.

Crust: Press firmly remaining crumb mixture into bottom of 13 x 9" pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 min until golden.

Cheesecake layer: In another bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and almond extract until smooth. Spread evenly over hot crust and return to oven 15 min.

Topping: Spread preserves over cheese mixture, set aside. In small bowl combine reserved topping mixture, coconut, and almonds. Sprinkle over preserves- return to oven for 15 more minutes.

Cool on wire rack then chill for 3 hours before cutting into bars.
Store in refrigerator.
Yields: 32 bars.

Triple Layer Carrot Cake

I was looking for some cookware and came across this as I lost my focus.

I have to post it so I don't lose it!
Looks yummy!

Triple Layer Carrot Cake

Hermits

Hermits -- my Dad's favorites

1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. lightly molasses
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. raisins
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
Lemon glaze (below and optional)

Mix in bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in egg then molasses; mix to blend well.
Sift together flour, spices, baking soda and salt.
Stir into creamed mixture.
Stir in raisins and walnuts.
Spread in greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until center is still soft but springs back to the touch. Cut into 12 large squares or 24 bars.


Lemon Glaze

2/3 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel

Kelly Ripa's Mexican Wedding Cookies

Kelly made these easy cookies that are like shortbread.

3/4 butter at room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat 325 F

Lightly grease cooking sheet
In large bowl using a mixer or spoon:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add vanilla, salt, flour and nuts and Mix well.
Roll dough in 3/4 inch balls between palms.
Place on the cookie sheet spacing each ball 1 1/2 inch apart

Bake 15-18 mins.
Cool slightly
Dust with powder sugar

You can see the show demo video on Regis and Kelly's Recipe page, just find it in the video box, "Kelly and the Kids Bake" (6:42) from one of the PJ Christmas Show.

1-2-3 Cookies

Easy and fast to make, especially in a time crunch.

1 cup peanut butter
¼ cup soft butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar or
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
½ cup boiling water
2 cups Bisquick

Heat oven to 400º (moderate hot).
Mix peanut butter, butter, sugar and boiling water.
Blend with rotary beater or spoon until smooth.
Stir in Bisquick.
Drop by teaspoonfuls on to lightly greased baking sheet.
Flatten with fork dipped in flour.
Bake 8 to 10 min., or until set but not hard.

Makes 6 1/2 dozen -- great for a bake sale or treat for a classroom (check with teacher for peanutbutter allergy first)

Ellen - Grilled Cheese - Scotto Family

The Scotto Family Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Mozzerella in Carrozza) as seen on Ellen 1/29/08.

Ok -- this was the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich I ever saw and I wrote down the ingredients and process as I watched the show.
Basically, this is the recipe as they presented it and a synopsis of the real recipe.
I jotted it down on the back of an envelope which, I misplaced and just found! Horray -- a blog post!

---

Bread that has a texture
Mozzarella Cheese
Fresh Basil

Put the next three ingredients each in a shallow bowl or pie plate (3/three bowls or pie plates) big enough to dip and coat the bread easily:

Flour
Egg (raw and scrabbled) with a bit of milk
Bread Crumbs (plain or seasoned)
10 inch skillet with heated olive oil

Tomato Sauce (seasoned)

Make the sandwich with the bread, cheese, basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Make sure the sandwich is firmly pressed together so it won't fall apart.

Dip both sides in the flour.
Dip both sides in the egg.
Dip both sides in the bread crumbs.

Heat olive oil in the skillet and heat the sandwiches turning with tong.
Heat till sandwich is brown and cheese is melted.

Make sure the olive oil is just hot enough but not so hot that the sandwiches scorch and the cheese is not melted.

Cut sandwiches in half. Dip sandwiches in the tomato sauce and eat. YUM!

Other Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: with tomato, with ham, with bacon.

I like cooking mine in my George Forman Grill. They come out nice. Don't put too much butter on the bread side that needs to be grilled or it will be very soggy not to mention the drippy mess!

The Scotto Family Original Recipe

Mr. Food's Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich -- triple YUMMY!

Peanut Butter Squares

Peanut Butter Squares

1 cup butter
4 cups icing sugar
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 cup graham wafer crumbs
8 oz bag chocolate chips

In large saucepan, melt butter.
Add the next 3 ingredients; blend well.
Press firmly into 11×16″ pan. (Make thicker ones with a 9x13 pan)
On low heat, melt chocolate chips; spread evenly over peanut butter mixture.
Chill till firm, cut & serve.

Peppermint Bark

Well it is a nice time to organize a bit after so much cooking. I found this recipe while organizing and thought I would post it since many people have lots of candy canes. We are no exception as my son went on a Candy Cane Hunt a few weeks ago and brought home a few dozen.

I scribbled this five minute recipe off a FoodNetWork Paula Deen Show (Retro Recipes).
It makes about 2 lbs of "bark".
If you go to winter pot lucks, this is nice to bring and very easy to make.
Also makes a nice gift.

1 cup of crushed candy canes
2 pounds white chocolate (the good kind)
Peppermint flavoring (optional but recommended)

Crush candy canes in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or meat hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller.
I put a clean terry towel around the plastic bag so that the candy does not rip the bag as much.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. (Add a bit at a time.)
Combine candy cane chunks with the white chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper, spread it out with a spatula if you have to.
You may want to score the bark to make it easier to break later.

Place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm.
Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

I have also used semi-sweet chocolate instead of white to make it like a peppermint patty.
Green or blue candy canes look nice with the white chocolate.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate and drizzle on the top.
OR make a layer of white chocolate and put a layer of dark chocolate over the white.

Sprinkle some more crushed candy on top of the bark before putting it in the frig.
You can also sprinkle some red and green sprinkles on the top too.

Pretzel Turtles

So easy a caveman can do this!

Mini pretzels twists
Rollo candy
Pecan halves

Preheat oven to about 225º. Line a cookie sheet with foil.

Fill the cookie sheet with pretzels (About 40 pretzels on one cookie sheet).

Top each pretzel with a Rollo candy. Put the cookie sheet in a warm oven for about 3 minutes (just enough for Rollo to get soft).

Remove from oven. Place a pecan half on top of the Rollo and gently push the pecan down.

Cool on cookie sheet and when cool enough place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator until chocolate is firm.

Old Fashioned Tea Cakes

1 cup butter
2 cup sugar
3 eggs
4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar.
Add slightly beaten eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt.
Roll on floured board and cut.
Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 9 to 10 dozen depending on size or thickness. The cakes are fairly thick. For thinner cakes, roll the dough thinner and cut.

Chocolate Cinnamon Bread with Sugar Crust

I saw this recipe and had to post it so I would not lose it.
I love cinnamon and chocolate!

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
pinch ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350F and thoroughly grease a 9×5″ loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, waiting until the previous egg has been completely incorporated before adding the next.
In a medium bowl, sift together all purpose flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

In a measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, water and vanilla extract.
Working in two or three additions, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the sugar mixture. Begin and end with an addition of the flour mix.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together topping ingredients: sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder and ground cloves. Sprinkle evenly on top of the loaf cake.
Bake at 350F for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and turn out onto a wire cooling rack.
Cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

One loaf recipe is from Baking Bites.com

Original Starbucks recipe that makes two loaves: pdf file

Cream Cheese Frosting

Wow! I thought I would post this since I love making carrot cake! This frosting sounds great to use on my Pumpkin Tea Bread also as well as a dark chocolate cake or brownies! Or even a filling for Ginger Cream Cookies like Raggedy Anne liked to have at tea parties.


Beat 8 oz. cold cream cheese (not rock solid, but it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator) with 5 Tbsp. softened butter and 2 tsp. vanilla until combined. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue to add more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.

Source: Slashfood

Chocolate Lava Cake

Pictured above Triple Chocolate Meltdown at Applebees

Where you can get "copy cat" versions for your next party.

Chocolate Volcano Cake, "Delighful Desserts" -- WalMart in the "action alley" aisle with boxed mixes for fudge and magic bars. Makes 4 servings.

Sam's Club -- 8 per box, microwave, priced approx. $10.00.

BJ's -- Chef James Molten Chocolate Lava Cake Kit comes with everything (including ramekins but not Chef James!), makes 8 cakes for approx $4.00.

Betty Crocker Death By Chocolate or Warm Delights Molten Chocolate Cake (7 varieties)

Duncan Hines has a baking kit in a box -- add three eggs and oil, makes 12 muffin sized "cakes".

Trader Joe's sells the exact same "Lava Cake" Carnival Cruise in the freezer section, two to a box for under $3.00.

Kroger's "Privage Selection Chocolate Molton Lava Cakes" freezer section next to pies/cobblers, microwave for 45 seconds.

Williams Sonoma sometimes offers this cake so check their site or email them for availabilty.

Recipes for Chocolate Lava Cakes to make it yourself (text files):

Paula Deen's Molten Lava Cake

Carnival Cruise Lines Flourless Chocolate Cake

Earthquake Cake

My son's class is studying Earthquakes and Volcanos.

I might make this as the end of the unit surprise.
We can use an ice cream scoop and put the cake into those small plastic cups and they can eat with a spoon. Maybe a scoop side of vanilla ice cream too?

Earthquake Cake

1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup of coconut
1 German chocolate boxed cake mix
1 stick margarine
1 -- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar


Combine the 1 cup of pecans and 1 cup of coconut and put in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Mix the German chocolate cake as directed on the box.

Pour the cake mix over the coconut and nuts.

Melt the margarine and cream cheese over low heat.
Slowly stir in the entire box of confectioners sugar.

Drop spoonful dollops of cream cheese all over the top -- Do not spread.

Bake cake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Let cool. Dig in!

Enjoy!

Related post on this blog: Lava Cakes including the Carnival Cruise Line's Flourless Chocolate Cake and Paula Dean's Molten Lava Cake plus companies that make instant mixes.

Hot Mulled Cider

Crisp air, crunchy leaves, pumpkin harvest and Halloween!

This is so good on a cool fall day or Halloween celebration especially with plain or cinnamon donuts (try non-trans fat ones)!

Hot Mulled Cider
(mulled is to add spices then heat it)

Four servings with antioxidants (from the spices)

4 cups of apple cider
10 whole cloves
10 black peppercorns
4 strips of orange zest (3 inches by 1/2 inch)
1 cinnamon stick, cracked
1 vanilla bean, split

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring all ingredients to a boil.
Remove from heat and let seep for 30 minutes.
Discard the spices (you can use a strainer)
Reheat till the mixture begins to steam.
Ladle into mugs; wait 3-5 minutes then serve.