Chocolate lava cake

This is the perfect date night at home treat.  It makes two individual servings of chocolate lava cake...and it uses basic ingredients.  These recipes often call for coffee, and since we don't drink coffee, I haven't been able to make them.  This recipe (which I found on foodgawker) looks yummo and I can't wait to try it!

Molten Chocolate Cakes for Two
from America's Test Kitchen

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
cocoa powder (for the ramekins)
confectioners' sugar (for dusting, optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Generously butter two 6-oz ramekins and dust them with cocoa powder. 

Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted and smooth.  I like to do 30-second bursts at 50% power and stir in between each.  In total, it'll probably take about 1 1/2 - 3 minutes, depending on your microwave.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a hand mixer on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute.  Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the egg forms soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute.  Still beating, gradually add the sugar and salt.  Once incorporated, beat for another 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and pale yellow in color.

Use a rubber spatula to transfer the egg mixture to the bowl containing the melted butter and chocolate.  Sift the flour over the top, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together, just until incorporated. 

Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins, smoothing the tops with your spatula.  Put the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the cakes have puffed slighty and jiggle just a bit in the center when gently shaken.  Immediately upon removing the cakes from the oven, run a knife around the edges of the ramekins.  Invert the ramekins onto serving plates and let them sit for about 1 minute or so, until the cakes release from the ramekins.  Remove the ramekins and, if using, dust the cakes with confectioners' sugar then serve immediately.

Marie's tenderlicious bread

Our former Relief Society president makes this bread all the time to share.  It makes about 7 or 8 loaves so you have to share!  :)


6 c H20 warm
3 T yeast
2/3 c. honey

Combine first three ingredients and let sit awhile.


2 T salt
3 T dough enhancer
1/4 c. vitawheat (gluten)
2/3 c. oil or applesauce


Add enough whole wheat flour till dough begins to pull away from sides leaving bowl clean. (Maybe 10-12 cups?)
Let the Bosch run as much as 20-30 minutes (really!) before turning it out into an oiled bowl to
rise until double.  Or 2 large bowls.  I learned my lesson...don't overfill the bowl! :D

Shape the dough on oiled counter into loaves.  Let rise in pans.  Depending on the size of loaves bake around 35-45 minutes at 350.


Remove, butter tops, and cool on racks.

Janet's easy fudge

My sister Janet just gave me this easy fudge recipe.  Her husband grew up on fancy fudge, but this recipe is so much easier and just as good.

3 c. chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt in the microwave.  Mix in whatever you want.  Pour into a foil lined (butter the foil) 9x9 pan.

Sample mix ins:
Rocky Road, stir in marshmallows and chopped nuts.
Peanut butter
Caramel and nuts and sea salt (have you tried salted caramel hot chocolate???)
Mint extract

Mom's Orange Candy Cake

2 c. white sugar
1 c. butter
4     eggs
1 t.  baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk (dissolve baking soda in it)

3 1/2 c. flour
1 lb. dates, diced
1 lb. orange gummy candy slices, diced (kitchen shears work well for this)
1 c.  coconut
2 c.  chopped pecans

1 c. orange juice
1 t.  grated orange rind
2 c. powdered sugar


Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add buttermilk/baking soda mixture.

In large bowl, mix flour, dates, orange slices, coconut and nuts.  Add sugar and egg mixture and mix well.

Pour into greased and floured tube pan (or 4 loaf pans).  Bake at 250 for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until it springs back when touched.

Combine orange juice, rind and powdered sugar and pour over cake.  (If making loaf pans, 1 1/2 this part of the recipe to make a bit more juice mixture to cover all loafs).  Let stand in pan overnight. Before removing from pan, heat 10 minutes and cake will loosen from pan easily.

Mom's Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Cream together:
2 c. sugar
2    eggs
2 t. lemon extract
2 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla

In separate bowl, mix:
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1t.        salt
2 t.       baking soda
4-5 c.   flour

Mix together. Makes a soft dough. Refrigerate to firm dough.  Roll on lightly floured board, but not too thin--maybe 1/4 inch.  Cut out with cookie cutters.  Bake on greased pans at 375 for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned.

Great with frosting or flavored powdered sugar icing and sprinkles.

Homemade mac & cheese

Johnny was in charge of dinner for Family Home Evening tonight. He wanted mac & cheese but we didn't have any Kraft so I went looking for a recipe.  What we made apparently was a hit because Courtney and Johnny both want a copy of the recipe.  :)   I had some zucchini that needed to be used so I added it to the recipe and I didn't get a single complaint about the veggies in the mac.  I do need to give my kids credit...they have been getting very adventurous in their eating.  I am so glad they are generally willing to try new foods.  This recipe was taken from The Ultimate Cooking Course and Kitchen Encyclopedia, and modified by me.


Creamy (Zucchini) Macaroni & Cheese

2 c. dry small shells or macaroni
5 c. cubed zucchini (optional, but yummy!)
1/2 c.  butter
1/2 c. flour
5 c. milk (I use skim because that is what we have and it turned out just fine)
3-4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. dry stuffing or bread crumbs, crushed
1 c. grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 pan.  Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until done, but not soft.  Drain.  Meanwhile, boil cubed zucchini about 6 minutes. Drain.
Melt the butter in a pot.  Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring.  Stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium, (being careful not to scald the milk) stirring constantly, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat.  Add the macaroni, zucchini and cheddar cheese and mix well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Transfer to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.  Toss together the stuffing and parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the top of the macaroni.

Bake until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Ice Cream Bread???

I got this recipe from today's Foodgawker.com.  Thanks to Nikki for sharing the website with us.  I love easy recipes and this one is super easy...and sounds yummy!


Ice Cream Bread Recipe

2 cups ice cream, softened (I used a mix of homemade chocolate and mint chocolate chip)
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour (to make self-raising flour, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt for every cup to flour)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix ice cream and flour together until well combined.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.
3. Bake for 35-45 minutes