Butterfinger Cake

This cake is a huge hit! What's nice is that it's really simple to make.

Butterfinger Cake

1 german chocolate cake mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 jar caramel ice cream topping

1 (8oz) container cool whip, thawed

2 Butterfinger candy bars, coarsely chopped

Mix up cake batter and bake in a 9x13 baking pan (or glass dish) according to package directions. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven poke holes in the top of it using a fork.

Combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping in a 2-cup glass measuring cup (this makes it easy to pour). Pour about half of the caramel mixture slowly over cake. Use a rubber spatula to spread the mixture evenly over cake. Wait about 10 minutes for the cake to soak up the caramel, then pour remaining mixture over the cake.

Cool cake completely.

Spread cool whip evenly over cooled cake, then sprinkle Butterfinger pieces on top. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

This cake really really rich, so you'll want to be sure to cut small pieces! Refrigerate leftovers.

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Homemade Salsa

This recipe came from my mother-in-law. I've tweaked it a little to fit our tastes. Everyone that tries it says it tastes like restaurant salsa!

Homemade Salsa

2 cans (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, slightly drained (You can also use about 4 cups of fresh tomatoes. Just cut them in half, squeeze a little of the juice/seeds out, and then dice them)

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

2 yellow banana peppers, fresh or from a jar, seeded & chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, fresh or from a jar, seeded & chopped

fresh cilantro (a large handful of leaves only)

2-3 green onions, chopped

1/4 c. white onion, chopped

If using fresh peppers, boil them in water for about 15 minutes until soft. Then chop fine. Add everything to blender and blend until soupy.

Chill and then serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!!

Print this recipe! .::See instructions in left sidebar::.

This recipe is linked to Faith, Food and Fashion Friday!

Roasted Red Potatoes

I adapted this recipe from my Mom. She gave me the general idea of what spices and stuff that she used and I added and changed some things.

2lbs red potatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp seasoned salt

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Wash potatoes and cut them into 1 inch cubes.

In a gallon-sized ziploc baggie combine potatoes and olive oil. Once potatoes are coated with oil, add remaining ingredients to baggie. Shake well to coat potatoes evenly.

Pour into a greased 13x9 glass baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Bake for another 30-35 minutes or until browned.

Makes about 4 servings.

Sausage Dip

This is an all-time favorite with my family, church family, and friends! Whenever we are planning a youth prayer meeting and we ask what the young people want to eat they all say "sausage dip!"

Basic recipe:

1 lb. sausage, cooked and drained

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese

2 cans Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies), drained

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Warm on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, stirring frequently. Serve warm with tortilla chips. About 4 servings

When I make a large crockpot full for a get-together, I use: 4 lbs sausage, 5 packages of cream cheese, and 5 cans of Rotel. You can easily double or triple the recipe, just make sure you have one more package of cream cheese and can of rotel than you do pounds of sausage. (I hope that makes sense)

I'm participating in Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, and BooMama's DipTacular, so be sure to stop by there for more awesome recipes!

Raspberry Chocolate Custard

I got this recipe in a pregnancy email from What to Expect. I modified the original recipe a little to fit our tastes.

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 oz fresh raspberries

1 cup milk

2 T. butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 in glass pie plate. You can use custard cups if you want.

Add raspberries and chocolate chips to pie plate and set aside.

In a small saucepan combine milk, butter, sugar and salt. Heat over low heat stirring often, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.

Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.

Sift flour and cinnamon together into a mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs one at a time; beating until mixture is clump-free.

Slowly pour milk mixture into flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Pour over over raspberries and chocolate.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown (or you can stick a fork in the center and it will come out clean). Cool slightly then dust with powered sugar and serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

We loved this! It's just so easy but so gourmet!

Spicy Chicken & Rice Casserole

This casserole is a big hit in our family and at church dinners! I've changed the original recipe a good bit to suit our tastes. I love that this recipe doesn't use cream soups (a rare find when it comes to casseroles!), so it's gluten free!

Spicy Chicken & Rice Casserole
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
salt & pepper
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pkg mushrooms, sliced
2 cups chicken broth (I use gluten-free)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 can Rotel (tomatoes & chilies), slightly drained
1-1/4 cups raw long grain rice
1 tsp each Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, paprika, & garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high. Sprinkle a dash of salt on the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper. 

Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces on two sides, about 1-2 minutes per batch. Add a little more salt to the pan (and more olive oil if needed) after every batch. This will help prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan. Remove chicken pieces and place in baking dish. Note: the chicken does not have to be cooked through, only browned.

In the same sauté pan add 1 Tbsp olive oil, add the onions, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add onions to baking dish.
Raise heat to medium high, add the sliced mushrooms. Dry sauté them (no need to add butter or oil), allowing the mushrooms to brown lightly, and release some of their moisture. Add the mushrooms to the casserole dish.

Add chicken stock, milk, sour cream and salt to sauté pan. Whisk together over low heat until blended. Add the raw rice and rotel to the casserole dish, then carefully pour the sauce mixture over top. Add the seasonings to the dish. Stir the mixture so that everything is evenly distributed in the casserole dish.

Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in a 375°F oven for 45-50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before removing foil. If the casserole is still too liquidy, let it cook a few minutes more, uncovered, until the excess liquid has evaporated away.

Approx 6 servings (the leftovers taste great too!)

This recipe is linked to LifeasMom's Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Homemade Lemonade

There is nothing like fresh homemade lemonade in the hot summer time...or anytime of year, really! After trying several different recipes, I finally found one that's easy and super yummy!

1 (2lb) bag lemons (about 7 lemons depending on their size)

1 packet of dry lemonade mix

2 cups sugar

water

Grate lemon zest from one of the lemons into a gallon sized pitcher. Cut lemons in half and juice (or squeeze). I have a handy-dandy juicer that saves my hands from having to do all the work. A bag of lemons should yield about 2 cups of juice.

In pitcher combine lemon zest, lemon juice, lemonade packet, sugar, and about a quart of water. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Fill pitcher up with water. Pour over ice and serve or refrigerate until chilled.

Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Brownies

Today I have been craving something chocolate...like cookies or brownies. A piece of dark chocolate just would not do! Since I have food allergies and I have to use a special kind of flour (expensive flour I might add), I was hoping to make something that didn't use flour. So I googled "flourless brownies" and I found this recipe. I tweaked it a little to suit my taste and this is what I came up with to satisfy my chocolate craving!

Flourless Chocolate Brownies

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup butter
2/3 c. sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups ground almonds (I used a mixture of almonds, pecans and walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Over low heat in a heavy saucepan melt butter and chocolate together. Take the pan off heat and add the sugar and vanilla. Let the mixture cool a little.

Whisk the eggs into the chocolate mixture, then add the ground almonds (I ground up the nuts in my food processor. They were still a little mealy, but you don't want to grind them too much and make butter!)

Turn batter into a greased 9-inch square baking pan and bake 25-30 minutes (I baked mine for 30). The edges and most of the top will have set but it will still be a bit wiggly in the middle when shook. Allow to cool and then cut into 16 pieces and serve. Brownies will be fudgy and gooey.

Aunt Juanita's Cake

This is a super easy super yummy cake! The recipe originally came from my great-aunt Juanita. It's basically a Butter Pecan cake. What makes it unique is that you put the icing in the cake...believe me, it turns out sooo moist!

1 butter pecan (or plain yellow) cake mix

1 container coconut pecan icing

1 cup water

5 eggs

3/4 cup oil

Grease a bundt pan and preheat oven according to cake mix package directions.

In a large mixing bowl, beat all ingredients for 30 seconds on low and 2 minutes on high. Scrape sides of bowl often to make sure everything gets mixed in evenly. Pour into greased bundt pan.

Bake according to directions on box or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan about 10 minutes then turn out onto a cake stand or plate. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners sugar before serving.

Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits

Photo credits: taken from google images (michaelscomments.wordpress.com)

Everyone who tries these cheese biscuits says that they taste just like Red Lobster's! They are ahuge hit everytime I make them, not to mention, they are super fast and easy to make!

Cheese Biscuits

2 cups Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried parsley (opt.)

In a mixing bowl combine bisquick, milk, cheese and garlic. Stir mixture until well combined.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (my cookie dough scoop is the perfect size) on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

In a small bowl melt butter in the microwave. Stir in garlic powder and parsley. Brush mixture over biscuits as soon as they come out of the oven. Cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then serve warm.

Print this recipe! .::See instructions on left sidebar::.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

These are seriously the best blueberry muffins ever! The reason this recipe caught my attention is that it doesn't call for any milk, which is perfect for me since I can only use goat milk which I haven't had on hand for awhile.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. orange juice

2 T. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (8oz) ctn. vanilla yogurt (I just measured 8oz out of my big container)

1 egg

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

1 T. sugar

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl; make a well in the center of mixture.

Combine orange juice, oil, vanilla, yogurt and egg; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Divide batter among greased or lined 12-cup muffin pan. Sprinkle tablespoon of sugar evenly over tops of muffins.

Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until golden. Remove immediately from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Leftovers can be frozen.

Gluten-Free Brownies

My blogging friend SnoWhite posted this recipe on her blog awhile back. I finally got to make them this week! They are so yummy and no one would ever guess that they have no flour in them. There is one special ingredient...Jacob tried to guess, but couldn't get it right...

Black beans!!

I know it sounds weird, but don't write it off til you try them!

Gluten-Free Brownies

1 can (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 T olive oil (I used vegetable oil because I was out of olive oil)
1/4 C cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C white sugar
1/2 C chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 8x8 or 7x11 pan (I used 7x11).
2. In your blender, combine the beans, eggs and oil. Then, puree the mixture. Scrape down the sides several times to make sure everything gets evenly pureed.
3. Add in the cocoa, sugar, baking powder, pinch of salt and vanilla and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides again to get everything mixed in.
4. Pour the brownie mixture in the pan.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of the brownies.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Hope you enjoy! The brownies will be gooey and have a different (but good!) texture.

Key Lime Pie

This is one of the easiest pies I've ever made! It always gets rave reviews too! It's kind of a go-to dessert when I need something fast or spur of the moment since I usually have all the ingredients in my pantry.

What's neat about this pie is that you don't have to make it Key Lime, you can do Lemonade, Strawberry, or whatever Kool-Aid flavor you have a hankering for at the time you want to make it! Every flavor I've tried has been a hit with all who tried it!

I almost forgot to mention that a cashier at Walmart told me the recipe several months ago. She saw that I was buying Lemonade packets and cream cheese (for completely different things) and she said I just had to try this pie.

Super Easy Pie

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 packet (any flavor) Kool-Aid

1 (8oz) carton cool whip

1 graham cracker crust

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Add condensed milk and Kool-Aid, beat well. On low speed of mixer, whip in cool whip until fully combined. Spoon into crust and smooth out to edges. Freeze for 3-4 hours before serving. Store leftovers in freezer.

Enjoy!!