Texas Sheet Cake

This is the infamous chocolate sheet cake from this post from my family blog. We have had this recipe in the family for years. It is a really quick and easy recipe and this cake is so moist and delicious! You will love it! It is made with buttermilk and so it has a really rich and unique flavor. It is very different than your typical chocolate cake, you will love this "melt-in-your-mouth" dessert!

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

On the stove, boil the butter, oil and water together. Pour over a mixture of the sugar, flour and cocoa. In a separate bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk, and then beat the eggs and add them and then add the vanilla and the salt. Add this to the above mixture. Pour into a shallow baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 -28 minutes, may vary with each oven. Frost the cake when it is still warm. (About 10-15 minutes out of the oven). That is how it keeps its moisture.

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

1 cube butter

1/3 cup buttermilk

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter and add buttermilk. Pour into a powdered sugar and cocoa mixture. Beat well and add vanilla. Spread on the warm cake. If bringing to a party, sometimes I cut them in squares before-hand and serve them up like brownies. This cake is delicious served with vanilla ice cream! You will love it, almost as much as Micah!!! ENJOY!

Café Rio Nachos: Best Leftovers Ever!!!

I'm no photographer, so these pictures really don't look that great...but they really are so good! Mitchy is obsessed with them and this is the way to do leftovers! Because they don't taste like your typical leftovers. Every time we make the salad we make sure to make enough for leftovers because we look forward to them just as much as the original dinner, if not more. It's really nice to make dinner and know that it will last and be exciting for at least a second dinner.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE:

Begin with a layer of tortilla chips. Grate cheddar cheese over the top. Add a layer of rice, corn and black beans. Then bake in the oven at 400 degrees until the cheese is melted and the rice and beans are hot. Once you take it out of the oven add diced tomatoes, diced avocado and cilantro and then drizzle the Cilantro Tomatillo Salad Dressing over the top. Squeeze a little lime on top, and Enjoy! And trust me, you will!

Café Rio Salad

This meal is a real treat! I always look forward to making it and eating it, and also to my husbands face when he gets home and sees that we are having Café Rio! I love the Café Rio Salad and I got this recipe from Tracy Bruce and I am not sure where she got this recipe, but it is so good that I never feel the need to go to Café Rio again. The salad dressing is what really makes it! Put it on anything...it makes everything better! I've also added a few things that I really like. This is not your typical salad! It is the kind of salad that your husband will like too! (And the kiddos.)

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

~Tortillas ( I definitely prefer the uncooked tortillas, you have to put them in a pan and cook them for about a minute or two! They really make a big difference, but it is still good with pre-made tortillas, heated.)

~Rice (recipe below)

~Black Beans

~Romaine Lettuce, chopped

~Tomatoes, diced

~Avocados, sliced

~Cheddar Cheese, shredded

~Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Salad Dressing (recipe below)

~Cilantro

~Tortilla Strips (recipe below) (Or, if you don't want to make them, you can just crush come tortilla chips)

~Lime

HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:

Cook or heat the tortilla and melt a thin layer of cheddar cheese on one side. Once melted, put on a plate open-faced.

Spoon a layer of rice, a layer of black beans and layer of corn.

Then top with a good layer of lettuce. Add a little more cheddar cheese, some tomatoes, and some avocado.

Then add the salad dressing and finally top with the tortilla strips (or crushed tortilla chips). Then finish off with a squeeze of lime and some fresh cilantro.

Café Rio Rice

3 cups rice

4 cups water

4 tsp vegetable bouillon

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 of an chopped onion

4 tsp minced garlic

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp salt

Saute onion and garlic with butter until onion is soft. Add rice and water and all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and steam for about 15 – 20 minutes.

OR

2 boxes Spanish style Rice-a-roni

1/2 chopped onion

2 Tbsp butter

4 tsp garlic

1 bunch cilantro

1 small can diced green chiles

1 seasoning packet

2 cups water

Saute onion and garlic in butter. Add the rice-a-roni, seasonings, and water and cook as package directs.

Creamy Cilantro Tomatillo Salad Dressing

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3 tomatillos, outer leafy skin off (pictured below) You can find them at about any grocery store, I have NOT seen them at Trader Joe's though.

Put all ingredients in a blender. Chill before serving and it will thicken. My favorite thing!!!

Tortilla Strips

2-4 tortillas cut into strips, I just use scissors.

Saute in a pan with a little butter.

Add a little salt OR garlic salt to taste.

Then add a squeeze of lime.

Saute all together until crispy! These are so good! And adds a great crunch to the salad!

ENJOY!

Another Version of Balsamic Brown Butter Pasta!

I just made another version of the Balsamic Brown Butter Pasta. I used Ravioli and added asparagus. Mitchy liked this version even better! The sauce is so easy but crazy delicious! So, just make the sauce and add whatever you have!

P.S. I Promise that my Kiddos eat more Cucumbers than Cookies!!!

In case you are wondering, No, my children do not eat cookies all day long! They are actually really healthy eaters, but it's not as fun to take pictures of them eating edamame and broccoli!

The Cookie Saga: Take 4

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

(*My personal Favorite...I've never tasted a cookie I like better!)

There is something about these cookies, they are the chewiest and softest cookies I have ever had! Seriously...AMAZING! And the dough when frozen, the best little treat ever! Save some dough just to freeze it! These cookies are a MUST-TRY!

As if the cookie itself isn't enough, I love to add a little fun to this dessert when having friends over...this is the best and everyone loves it! I use this cookie dough recipe to make pizookies! (Obviously inspired by the pizookies at BJ's Pizza-pictured above!) They are one of my favorite desserts on the planet with this recipeq! You just take the dough and spread a thin layer on each ramekin! Then bake all together on a cookie sheet! Then put a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and serve immediately! Everyone gets their own special dessert! And the combination of the hot and cold and chewy oatmeal couldn't be better! And it is so easy but seems like a special, unique dessert! Can't wait to hear what you think about these babies!!!

My 3 Little Helpers! That is Micah and Jade's cousin Jack in the middle!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cubes butter, softened (1 cup)

1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed down

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 Tablespoons milk, (any percentage, just whatever you have)

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups Quick Quaker Oats, uncooked (OR 3 cups Old Fashioned oats)

2 cups chocolate chips (I love the mini chocolate chips in these cookies because then you get an even amount of chocolate flavor throughout the cookie, and it just really works with the texture of the cookie!) But if I don't have mini's, they are perfectly good with regular chocolate chips!

OPTIONAL: Every so often when I feel like adding a little something extra, I add somecoconut! So good! But not for everyone!

HOW TO:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla. Then add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined but don't over-mix or your cookies will be tough!

stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Then bake for about 7-10 minutes, depending on size! ENJOY!

Micah took this one...and right when they come out of the oven I like to put a few

"normal-sized" chocolate chips on top of each. They are much more enticing that way!

I guess I got caught eating one too...I didn't know Micah was taking a picture!

The Cookie Saga: Take 3

CHOCOLATE LAVA COOKIES

(The pictures don't do them justice, I can never photograph chocolate, just looks boring...oh, but it's not!)

Why do I collect recipes that are full rich chocolate with gooey dark chocolaty centers oozing out? Do we really have to ask this question?

You bite into these chocolate cookies and out oozes dark chocolate perfectness! These cookies are delicious and they are perfect to bring to an event or something because they are decadent and rich just like the Lava Cakes, but they are portable! If you like chocolate, you will love these!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, 2 cubes

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks (I like the kind in the huge bar from Trader Joe's)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together. Mix in dry ingredients and roll into 1” balls. Put a thumbprint in cookie and fill with a chunk of chocolate. Cover with dough and bake. The tops should be soft when you take them out. Use good quality chocolate for the filling...don’t use chocolate chips- they won't stay gooey! The centers will stay soft and gooey for several hours so these are the best eaten the day you bake them. ENJOY!

Can you tell, my kiddos are starting to LOVE posing for pictures? They crack me up!

The Cookie Saga: Take 1

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I love these chocolate chip cookies, they are chewy and moist and they have great flavor! This recipe makes a lot of cookies and it is a real crowd pleaser! Everyone loves these traditional chocolate chip cookies...they are everything a cookie should be!

INGREDIENTS:

~3 cubes butter, softened

~ 2 cups Brown Sugar

~ 1 cup White Sugar

~ 2 Eggs

~ 1 Tablespoon Vanilla

~ 4 1/4 cups Flour

~ 1 tsp. Baking Soda

~ 1 tsp. Salt (I like Sea Salt)

~ About 2 cups Chocolate Chips, plus extra to top

HOW TO MAKE:

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, and vanilla.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt.

Then add the chocolate chips. Roll into balls and put them on the cookie sheet. Bake at 325degrees for about 8-11 minutes.

And right when I take them out I add chocolate chips on top so that they all look equally as delicious! The chips melt right into them! Enjoy!

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

This is a big time family favorite! This is my mom's recipe and it was inspired by the lava cakes from The Chart House, but I think my mom's are way better!!! It is a rich, dense chocolate cake but the center is still gooey and liquidy! This decadent dessert is to die for!!!

HOW TO CREATE THESE DELICIOUS GEMS:

This recipe makes about 8 servings, depending on the size of the ramekins.

2 cubes of butter

8 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

4 ounces milk chocolate

4 Tbsp heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

4 Tbsp powdered sugar

~Melt the above ingredients together stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

In a bowl whisk together:

4 eggs

4 additional egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 pinches salt

~Beat until thick ribbons form (about 4-5 minutes)

Sift 4 Tbsp flour into the egg mixture and fold in.

~Then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

~Put the batter into the ramekins and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes until the sides are set and the middle is soft but peaked.

(Every oven is different and you don't want to overcook them. So set it for a few minutes under and then just keep checking!)

~Top with vanilla ice cream and berries or topping of your choice! Enjoy!

You know they are done when they are cracked on top! Tell me those don't look good!

Mitchy is less than thrilled that I started this blog...he hates posing for pictures! Can you tell?

Tomato, Havarti & Basil Baguettes

Anyone for a picnic? These sandwiches are perfect, actually they are perfect for eating anywhere! Whenever I make these sandwiches if feels like a real treat because there is almost nothing else I would rather eat!

(I took these pictures from Elise's blog because surprisingly I don't take pictures of EVERYTHING I eat!) But she made the sandwiches, had a picnic and blogged about it, so thanks Elise! Love this tree shot too, it makes me feel like I was on the picnic too!

My Inspiration: When I was 5 months pregnant, I took a trip to Europe! For the first 5 months of my pregnancy I was crazy sick!!! I couldn't eat anything at all, really! I was even throwing up the whole way over on the airplane! But somehow while I was there, the switch flipped! And I felt perfectly fine, had tons of energy and was beyond hungry! So, there was this little "eatery" in London that was so delicious! Everything was so fresh and crisp, we all loved it, plus it was fast and easy! They actually have opened one in NYC and DC too. We'll have to see if it matches up! It is called "Pret A Manger"!

We loved it! Anyway, I ordered the Brie and Basil Baguette! It had only brie cheese, tomato and Basil. That's it! But it was so fresh and I adored every bite! I ate the entire baguette and then proceeded to order a second and then ate that entire one as well! I classified myself to everyone as being "ferociously hungry". That is the only way to explain it! You know what I am talking about if you have been pregnant...I hope! Anyway, they each were probably almost a foot long!

So, before you judge...

A. I hadn't really eaten in 5 months

B. I was eating for two

C. Baguettes are actually really skinny ok!

Anyway, I craved that sandwich the rest of the trip and when I came home I decided to make one! Then I kind of added some things and switched it around a bit! Made a pesto mayo to give it a little something extra. Anyway, this is what it turned out to be and I love it!

Ingredients:

~1 FRESH Baguette, it has to be fresh!!! (I like the Brea ones from Costco- get it the day of)

~Tomatoes- about 3 or 4 depending on size

~Fresh Basil- about 6-8 whole leaves

~Havarti Cheese- (it is much more people friendly than brie, plus it really adds a nice almost nuttiness and richness to the sandwich!) Love this cheese! Mozzerella is way too flavorless!

~Mayo

~Jarred pesto (I like the classico brand, I don't know why)

~Lemon

~ Salt & Pepper to taste

How to make the pesto:

Mix together a couple tablespoons of Mayo with a tablespoon or so of pesto. Then add a squeeze of lemon if you have it. It just makes it taste a little fresher. (It shouldn't taste like a lemon pesto- just a light squeeze). It should be more white than green, but still a significant amount of green! Sorry if I am confusing you!

How to assemble the Sandwich:

Slice the baguette lengthwise, leaving one side still "connected".

Add the Pesto Mayo generously...

Layer the cheese along the bottom of the baguette generously,
Then add a layer of sliced tomatoes generously,
And a layer of whole basil leaves generously, from end to end. And I love a lot of basil!!!
And then top with a little salt and pepper!

We put tooth picks in after to keep it closed and then eat and enjoy!

They are still good in the fridge for up to two days! Let me know what you think, but my whole family, on both sides...we are all sold!!!

Heavenly Coconut Cupcakes

This recipe is straight from the kitchen of Ina Garten! No changes, just Ina at her best! We make them all the time! They are so delicious! They are very dense, but still light, if that makes sense! The cream cheese frosting is the amazing one used in the Chocolate Truffle Cupcake recipe! This is where we got it! Best frosting ever! Enjoy!

When I am making cupcakes for an occasion, like a Bridal or Baby Shower, I like to have a variety, so I make maybe chocolate and coconut in mini form, so everyone can have a taste of each...also they are really cute when they are mini! (But I always love to include these coconut cupcakes because they are the best I have ever tasted!)

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar), sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

And I like to put the leftover cupcakes in the fridge overnight, because it is a cream cheese frosting!

Open-faced Greek Sandwiches

So, let's take a little trip to Greece! This is quite possibly my favorite thing to eat lately! I love these greek flavor combinations and it tastes so fresh and light. Also, it is crazy how easy it is! I think you would be able to do a version of it using other ingredients but I get all mine from Trader Joe's and I couldn't imagine it any other way! Please try this...it is so good I just want to talk about it with you!

Ingredients:

Garlic Naan

Hummus

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Feta Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

(I've never tried it with Kalamata olives, but that might be good too!)

How to Assemble: No cooking required, just assembly!

Take the hot naan out of the oven, spread the cold hummus on top generously. Then top with the tomatoes and cucumbers. Sprinkle the feta cheese on top and a little salt and pepper if you wish.

Garlic Naan- I think it has to be the frozen garlic kind! This yogurt based bread is so chewy and delicious and is the perfect texture for the creamy hummus and crunchy cucumbers!

(I have never tried using anything except naan- but I guess you could try maybe a flat bread or pizza dough and then add garlic and parsley. I think pita is a little too dry and flavorless.)

Put a piece of naan into the over at 400 degrees for about 2-5 minutes. Make sure it is hot throughout. Then immediately add the cold hummus and topping and eat while it is still hot!

I am kind of a connoisseur of hummus! I love hummus and I have not found a better hummus than the original one from Trader Joe's. You can taste the garlic and hint of lemon but it isn't as bitter as a lot that I have tried...which means, just the right amount of Tahini!

Yes, I know, get a life, but I care about Hummus, clearly!

While you're preheating and cooking the naan, dice the tomatoes and cucumbers.

I love the Campari tomatoes from Costco and the Persian Cucumbers from Trader's!

Then Sprinkle on the feta and enjoy!!!

I love these flavor combinations! It couldn't be easier, and there is everything you could want in this refreshing treat... Hot and Cold, Crunchy, chewy, creamy, salty, sweet (from the tomatoes)! It is a winner! Can't wait to hear what you guys think!