Chocolate Peppermint Poke Cake

I must confess that we didn’t even wait until after Thanksgiving was over before we opened the first box of candy canes.

It is a little embarrassing.

But at least it went into something really yummy – a chocolate peppermint poke cake.

You remember the original poke cakes made with colorful jello poked into a white cake? This holiday version features a chocolate cake poked with a yummy peppermint simple syrup.

It’s rich and minty and most of all – super easy!

Chocolate Peppermint Poke Cake

1 – 9 x 13 chocolate cake (you can use a mix – or make your own from scratch)
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 tub of Cool Whip
1 or 2 crushed candy canes

Bake cake as directed.

While the cake is baking, combine the water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture boils. Add the peppermint extract.

Reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use a fork to poke the entire top and slowly pour the peppermint syrup over it all.

Let it cool completely.

Frost with the Cool Whip and garnish with the crushed peppermints.

Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

The cake just gets more minty as it sits!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Dessert

It’s summertime!

The days are longer.

The temperatures are higher and my days are busier!

It sounds like the perfect time to make a yummy ice cream dessert!

This recipe was the inspiration for two of our family favorites, Chocolate Strawberry Ice Cream Dessert and Chocolate Ice Cream Dessert. Both of which we’ve enjoyed often.

But would you believe that we have never made the original?!

It was past time to try it.

And it was delicious!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Dessert

1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
6 cups chocolate ice cream, softened, divided.

Filling:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup peanut butter, either crunchy or smooth
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped (I cheated and used about 4 ounces of Cool Whip)

Line the bottom and sides of a loaf pan (9 inch x 3 inch x 5 inch) with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, chopped peanuts, melted butter and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Press half into the bottom of the foil lined pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Spread half of the ice cream over the crust and freeze for 1 hour.

(Here’s a hint for the ice cream: a half-gallon carton is the perfect size! Open it up lengthwise and cut the rectangle of ice cream in half. Then cut one of the halves into thirds and squish them into the loaf pan. Put the rest of the ice cream in the freezer till later.)

Meanwhile, for the filling, beat cream cheese and peanut butter in a mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar and milk. Mix well. Fold in whipped cream.

Spread over the ice cream and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Spread with remaining ice cream – the pan will be very full. (Just cut the remaining half of the carton of ice cream into thirds and start squishing it in!) Press the remaining crumb mixture on top. Cover and freeze for several hours of overnight.

Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving. using the foil, remove the loaf from the pan and discard the foil.

Cut into pieces with a serrated knife. It should yield 10-12 large slices, or 15 smaller ones.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Peanut Butter Mousse

I must confess – I have a weakness for mousse.

There’s something very comforting about it’s creamy and rich texture.

There’s also something wonderful about a recipe that takes only moments to whip up and tastes heavenly!

This recipe is so easy that my 10 year old son made it himself. It was so yummy that my peanut butter loving daughter was in speechless wonder as she ate it!

So was her mom. 🙂

Beware – it’s addicting. Once you’ve tried it you will be craving it often!

Peanut Butter Mousse

1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1- 8 ounce container Cool Whip
1 cup of mini chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Fold in the Cool Whip and chocolate chips.

Spoon into dessert cups and refrigerate.

Garnish with whipped cream and chopped Reece’s peanut butter cups.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace, Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff and Mouthwatering Mondays at A Southern Fairytale.

Pink Lemonade Dessert

It’s hot and humid here at Windy Ridge.

So hot and humid that I don’t want to use the oven – even if the AC is on!

A search deep into the back of my recipe file yielded this recipe for Pink Lemonade Dessert that I had copied from an unknown source sometime ago.

It’s one of those recipes that has been in my recipe file for years and I’ve never tried it – until now.

What was I waiting for?

It was sweet and cold and creamy and easy!

And it was a big hit with all my kids and all the extra kids hanging around last weekend!

Pink Lemonade Dessert

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate
12 ounces Cool Whip
red food coloring

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and melted butter. Press into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Refrigerate for an hour.

In a blender, combine the sweetened condensed milk, and pink lemonade concentrate. Add red food coloring to achieve the pink color you like.

Pour the lemonade mixture into a bowl and fold in the Cool Whip.

Carefully spread the mixture evenly over the crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.

This disappeared really fast over the weekend! One niece said, “It’s like drinking pink lemonade, you don’t want to stop – and I don’t want to stop eating this!” 🙂

Score for Aunt Melinda!

I’ve linked this post up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed With Grace, Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and Tuesdays at the Table over at All the Small Stuff.

Chocolate Cheesecake Dessert

You know who your friends are when they bring you chocolate.

You know who your really good friends are when they bring you chocolate cheesecake!

I have a friend who did just that. 🙂

Back in December – during the craziest busy week in my month – she brought me this luscious chocolate cheesecake dessert.

She didn’t even make me share.

I asked for the recipe – but with the snowstorms and busyness of life – I am just now getting the recipe up for you all to enjoy as well.

This would be a perfect treat to share with your special Valentine’s!

This comes from a well-used church cookbook. Which are , by the way, one of my favorite kinds of cookbooks because they are written by women in the trenches (like me) who serve real food to real hungry families.

Chocolate Cheesecake Dessert

1 package chocolate cake mix
4 eggs
1 tablespoon oil
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces Cool Whip

Set aside 1 cup of dry cake mix.

In a large bowl combine the remaining cake mix, 1 egg, and oil. The mixture will be crumbly. Press into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl blend the cream cheese and sugar. Add 3 eggs and reserved cake mix. Beat 1 minute at medium speed. At low speed add milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour over crust.

Bake at 300 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

Cool. Spread with Cool Whip and refrigerate.

Enjoy!

Tra – di – tions…Traditions!

I love that song from the “The Fiddler on the Roof! I can just hear Teyve belting it out – especially this time of year when we are surrounded by traditions.

It was playing in my head on Saturday as we moved the boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic and started to decorate.

The first of many Christmas traditions were about to begin – decorating the Christmas tree – followed, of course, by Chocolate Fondue.

But this year, I have departed somewhat from the usual “after- the -party” traditions. Normally, I would put the left-over fondue in a small container and hide it in the back of the refrigerator. Then I would slowly enjoy it one bite at a time in the days to follow.

But this year – you might want to sit down for this – this year I shared.

I know it’s shocking, but really I did!

Actually, Angel girl and I took the left-over fondue and whipped it up with 3 ounces of cream cheese and one tub of Cool Whip.

Then Angel Girl put them in pretty dishes and we called them Chocolate Mousse.

We served them as dessert that night after our evening meal of Broccoli-Cheese soup – which was a good thing because we all knew that a spoonful of chocolate helps the green vegetables go down!

So has a new tradition been born? Time will tell!

Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake

I can’t believe it is Buddy’s 9th birthday already! When did my baby turn nine? It seems like yesterday I was watching him take his first steps and now he’s reading Redwall books, writing in cursive and begging to drive the 4 wheeler by himself.

At least he is still young enough to enjoy a traditional birthday cake – chocolate cake with Cool Whip frosting and decorated with M & M’s and his own Lego creations.

This year I tried a new chocolate cake recipe – Feathery Chocolate Fudge Cake – from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook.

Although it had great flavor, it didn’t quite live up to it’s “feathery” name. It seemed a little dense and heavy to me – but Buddy didn’t seem to mind – he loved it as did the rest of the birthday party guests!

Feathery Fudge Cake

2/3 cup soft butter of margarine
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate (melted and cooled)
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup cold water

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla till fluffy (beat 5 minutes at high speed on mixer, scraping bowl occasionally to guide batter into beaters, or beat 5 minutes by hand).

Blend in chocolate.

Sift flour with soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cold water; beat after each addition.

Bake in 2 paper-lined 9 X1-1/2 inch round pans in moderate oven (350 degrees) 30 to 35 minutes or till done. (We used a 9 x 13 pan, would have made a difference in the texture of the cake.)

Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Frost with your favorite frosting. (I use extra creamy Cool Whip – it’s fast, easy, and no-fail!)

Enjoy!

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Angel girl shares a June birthday with one of her friends. So when our families enjoyed a meal together this weekend – I knew a special dessert was in order.

Since we were enduring some intense heat and I didn’t really want to turn the oven on – I decided that an ice cream cake would be perfect!

I found a yummy recipe for a peanut butter ice cream cake – but Angel Girl is not on the peanut butter kick that her older sister is – so I made some chocolate alterations.

The final result –

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Crust :

2 cups oreo cookie crumbs
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter

Filling:

6 cups of vanilla ice cream (divided)
4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip

Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch x 5 inch 3 inch bread pan with aluminum foil.

Mix together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted margarine. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared bread pan. Freeze for 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining crumbs.

Spread half of the ice cream over the crust and freeze for one hour or until firm.

Put the chocolate chips and milk in a microwave proof container and microwave until melted, stirring till smooth. Cool.

Beat cream cheese with the powdered sugar. Add the melted chocolate chips and mix well. Stir in the Cool Whip.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the vanilla ice cream layer and freeze for one hour or until set.

Carefully spread the remaining ice cream over the cream cheese layer and freeze for one hour.

Press the reserved cookie crumbs on top of the ice cream and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze at least one hour before serving.

To serve, use the foil to carefully remove the ice cream cake from the pan. Slice with a serrated knife.

What a cool and yummy treat to celebrate the birthdays of two special 11 year old girls!

Mint Brownie Pie

I was thrilled to hear that my good friend and college roommate was planning a stop at my house in route to pick up her daughter!

I haven’t seen Kimmie in 6 years! This called for an amazing chocolate dessert!

Dagmar and I scoured our cookbook collection to discover the perfect “I haven’t seen you in so long- I’m so glad you are here” dessert. (Chocolate of course.)

The winner and huge hit at our meal was this rich chocolate brownie with a creamy mint topping.

Mint Brownie Pie
from Taste Of Home Annual Recipes- 2000

Melt together in a saucepan 6 tablespoons of butter and 2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate.

Stir in 1 cup of sugar until well blended.

Add 2 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.

Stir in 1/2 cup flour until well blended.

Pour into a greased 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Filling:

In a mixing bowl, beat 8 oz. of cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar until smooth.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract and green food coloring (optional).

Fold in 1 carton (8 ounces) of Cool Whip.

Spread evenly over brownie layer, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove sides from pan just before serving.

Melt 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and drizzle over the top. Garnish with more Cool Whip and chocolate chips.

Dagmar used her cake decorating kit to make the top extra special. She piped melted chocolate chips into stars and refrigerated them until they were hard.

It was a very special dessert, perfect for our very special company!

Oreo Pudding and Brownie Parfaits

I wanted a treat to tell my children “thank you” for their good attitudes and hard work after a very busy day of working in the garden, mowing the lawn, and washing mounds of laundry.

As I was putting away the dishes, my eyes fell on the parfait glasses that I had picked up at a garage sale and never used.

A quick look through my pantry revealed a package of Oreo pudding and Bingo! I had my idea.

First I baked some very simple fudge brownies and let them cool. Then I mixed up the Oreo pudding according to the directions on the box.

To assemble, Angel Girl helped me put chunks of brownies in the bottom followed by a layer of pudding, more brownie, then some Cool Whip. We continued the layers all the way to top, finishing off with a dollop of Cool Whip.

They were delicious! A perfect treat after a long hot day of hard work!

My Classic and Favorite Fudge Brownies

Combine: 1 1/3 c. flour, 2 c. sugar. 3/4 c. cocoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

In separate bowl combine 2/3 c. oil, 4 eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, Do not over mix!

Spread into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.