German Chocolate Bars

If you love German Chocolate cake and you love brownies...you are sure to love these! I made 2 pans of these when I made them. One for home of course and one to take to Young Women's. Two of our leaders had birthdays so we celebrated! This is part of my September 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. My teammate is Dreamgoddess from Alabama, USA.

German Chocolate Bars
1 (17 5/8 oz) box brownie mix
1 large egg
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp coconut extract
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Frosting:
3/4 cup sugar
5 TBSP butter, cut up
5 oz evaporated milk
2 egg yolks
1 cup sweetened coconut
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan with veggie spray. Combine the brownie mix, egg, water, oil and coconut extract in large bowl. Mix just until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup nuts. Pour into prepared pan and spread around. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Frosting:
Combine 3/4 cup sugar, butter, milk and egg yolks in a saucepan. Cook on medium high heat, stirring, until thickened - approximately 13-15 minutes. Add in remaining coconut, nuts and vanilla. Cook 2 more minutes. When brownies are done, pour on frosting and spread to edges of brownies. Cool and enjoy!

I dare you to eat just one! :)

Layered Lemon Pie

There is quite a lengthy ingredient list as well as instructions. Please don't run the other way! This was so yummy and so worth the steps. It really didn't take long at all. The original recipe calls for a deep dish pie pastry - I didn't feel like making any pie crusts - so opted for 2 graham cracker crusts and divided each layer between the two crusts. It was perfect! This is from the August 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. My partner was Sydney Mike from Southern California.

Layered Lemon Pie
2 graham cracker crusts

Bottom Layer:
3/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold water
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup lemon juice PLUS 4 more tsp lemon juice
2 TBSP butter or margarine
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 drops yellow food coloring

Middle Layer:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 (3 oz) package instant lemon pudding mix

Top Layer:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 oz frozen cool whip, thawed

Bottom Layer:
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat and cook - stirring for another 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir a small amount of hot filling into beaten egg yolks. Return everything to saucepan, stirring constantly.
Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, butter, lemon zest, extract and food coloring. Stir until butter is melted.
Set aside and cool to room temperature. When cool - divide between 2 graham cracker crusts. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Middle Layer:
In a medium bowl - beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in milk. Add pudding mix and beat 2 minutes more. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Divide between 2 pies and spread over 1st layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Top Layer:
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Divide between 2 pies and spread over 2nd layer. Refrigerate until set and ready to serve! Enjoy!

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

There are no pictures. By the time I remembered I needed to take one....The men folk around here had devoured the entire pan! This is from morgainegeiser my August 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap partner. She hails from Ypsi, Michigan. This tastes a lot like a coffee cake!

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream - (I used homemade yogurt in place - made for a very runny batter - tasted great though!)
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients from the flour to the eggs in a mixing bowl. Pour half the batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan.
Combine the cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Pour half over batter in the pan. Add half the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter on top. Add remaining half of cinnamon sugar and remaining half of chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick check comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!

Uncooked Lemon Cheesecake

This recipe is a favorite with the family of my team mate Jen T from New Zealand. I made this for the July Aussie/NZ recipe swap. It's a favorite with my family too! Super easy to put together. Gone in a flash!

Uncooked Lemon Cheesecake
1 graham cracker crust

Filling:
1 (14 1/8 oz) evaporated milk ( I made my own ) well chilled
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup hot water
5 TBSP lemon juice - may not need it all
3 oz lemon jello

Dissolve jello in hot water and make up to 1 cup with lemon juice. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla well. Beat evaporated milk until very thick in a large bowl.
Add cheese and sugar mixture and beat in well. Add in lemon jello and beat well. Pour into graham cracker crust and refrigerate overnight - or at least 8-10 hours.

I am thinking some other tasty variations could include:
orange, raspberry, lime or strawberry

Easy Lemon Cream Dessert

The 2 pictures are very different. The top is the original recipe and Russell said it would probably taste really good frozen as well. So we froze some - hence the bottom picture! This recipe was amazing frozen! Very refreshing. This was part of my recipe swap for the July 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap and my team mate was Jen T from New Zealand.

Easy Lemon Cream Dessert

2 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream

2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

6 lemons, juice and zest of **if you don't have lemons don't despair! 2 1/2 TBSP = juice of 1 lemon

Whip the heavy cream. Empty sweetened condensed milk into a bowl. Mix in lemon juice of 6 lemons and the zest of 4.

Fold in whipped cream.

Serve in serving glasses and top with remaining zest of 2 lemons divided amongst your serving glasses. Chill until serving time.

**For the freezer version - place dessert in an appropriate freezer container and freeze! Scoop out like you would ice cream. So refreshing on a hot day.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cake

I've had this recipe in my cookbook for years. I don't know where it came from. It's a great afterschool snack for the kids though. Especially with a cold glass of milk. You can do this either in a bundt pan or a 9x13 cake pan.

Applesauce Oatmeal Cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup milk
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
3/4 cup applesauce (I like to use my homecanned sauce - store bought will work well too)
1 cup regular oats

Mix all ingredients well in a mixing bowl. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan or 9x13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. If using the bundt pan - cool for 15 minutes then invert onto a plate for serving.

Banana Cake

I don't have a picture to show for this recipe. I made it to take to a church potluck and it was gone lickety split! The recipe comes from a cookbook Russell and I got when we got married. It's called the Farnsworth Family Favorites. It's favorite recipes from my first mission president's family. We love this cookbook.

Banana Cake
1/2 shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk (I used plain yogurt)
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine all ingredients very well. Pour into greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Let cool and frost with....

Chocolate Frosting
1 cube margarine or butter
5 TBSP baking cocoa
1/2 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt margarine and cocoa. Add milk and bring to a boil. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Pour over cake. Enjoy!

Coconut Chocolate Bars

This recipe is one I chose as part of the May 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. Russell and the boys inhaled these. My teammate for this recipe is Seasoned Cook from Eastern North Carolina. I've made some of her recipes before and we've enjoyed them so far.

Coconut Chocolate Bars
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup baking cocoa
2 TBSP butter, melted

Topping:
2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 TBSP butter, melted

In a medium bowl beat eggs and add sugar. Blend in melted butter and vanilla. Add in flour, baking powder and salt.
Pour 1/2 the batter into another bowl. In one batter bowl add cocoa and 2 TBSP melted butter. In the other batter bowl add coconut.
Pour the chocolate batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Spread the coconut batter on top. (I noticed the coconut batter was really runny - don't know if it's supposed to be that way or not.)
Bake at 325 degrees. I had mine in the oven for around 45-50 minutes. Cool.

For the topping:
Melt chocolate chips. Add melted butter and mix. Spread onto cooled bars. Let cool completely and cut into bars. These are very rich so they don't need to be big. I thought they tasted similar to either a Mounds or Almond Joy candy bar.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

This is part of the collection of recipes I chose for the April 2010 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. My team mate is Chickee from Sydney, Australia. She calls these Chocolate Rough Slice and her grandma used to make these. Russell says this is something he could actually get fat off of. That says a lot! If you like coconut - you will like this. These remind me of those Brachs@ Coconut Triple Layer candies - the ones that are pink, white and brown. I love those!

Chocolate Coconut Bars
Base:
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut
2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp salt

Mix all base ingredients and press into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool slightly.

Topping:
2 TBSP butter or margarine
2 TBSP baking cocoa
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups coconut
1 tsp vanilla
**Optional throw in ingredients: chopped walnuts OR pecan pieces OR sliced almonds

While base is cooking melt all topping ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat. Cool. Spread over base. Cut when cold.

If you eat one of these...
You will probably need a glass of milk to go with it....

White Texas Sheet Cake

A few years ago my mom put together a cookbook on my maternal side of the family called Generations of Good Cooks. This is one of the recipes she entered. We really like it and hope you do to.

White Texas Sheet Cake
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour into a greased 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until cake is golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes and frost.

Frosting:
Combine 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1/4 cup milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp almond OR vanilla extract. Mix well. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts if desired. Spread over warm cake.

*I didn't add nuts this time - I wanted sprinkles.

The BEST Sugar Cookies ever!

This recipe comes from my first mission president and his wife. It came in a cookbook called The Farnsworth Family Favorites. It was a wedding present 16 years ago! This dough makes the softest, yummiest, easiest dough to work with cookies! I'm all about simplicity and these take the cake!

Sugar Cookies

Mix together thoroughly:

3/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

I repeat: Mix everything thoroughly. This will make a soft dough. You can use it as is for a nice drop cookie. OR refrigerate at least 1 hour. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 6-8 minutes or until the edges of the bottoms begin to be a very light brown. Bake at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Chip Cake

This recipe comes from my teammate Chef floWer on recipezaar. She comes from Victoria, Australia. She calls her recipe Ultra Choc-Chip cake because she adds chocolate frosting and chocolate zig zags. I am just sticking with the cake part since it stood so well by itself.

Chocolate Chip Cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup dark, semi or milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 cake pan. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bake for about 50 minutes or until cake tests done.

Ice Cream Pie

Mommy Diva was on my team for the November Aussie/NZ recipe swap this time. We chose this recipe and the one below from her posted recipes.

Ice Cream Pie
2 graham cracker pie crusts
1 3/4 quarts favorite ice cream (Or use half a carton from 2 different kinds)
16 oz cool whip

Soften ice cream until soft enough to mix with cool whip. If you are using two different ice cream flavors - use 8 oz of cool whip per flavor.
Scoop ice cream mixture into graham cracker shells. Smooth evenly. Cover with lid and freeze overnight.
Garnish with favorite garnishes and enjoy!
Pictured is Mint Chocolate Chip with hot fudge sauce. I also made Moose Tracks with hot fudge sauce and caramel sauce. I didn't get a picture to share yet because the boys had inhaled their dessert before I got around to taking a picture.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

This recipe originally was meant to "hide" such things as zucchini and carrots. Well....I already add such things to cookies/cakes/brownies, etc. so there was no point in "hiding" them. The chef who shared this recipe is Mommy Diva from recipezaar who is also from Oregon! She likes to make these into cupcakes and frost. I liked these brownie style.

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrot

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and watch your kids inhale these with a tall glass of milk!
If they really, truly don't like zucchini or carrots - they won't even notice/taste the veggies in here. Then you really can feel "sneaky."

Carrot Cake

This recipe comes by way of Jen T from New Zealand. She found it in a "Taste" magazine in 2006 courtesy of the "Fat Dog Cafe" in Rotorua, NZ.

Don't mind my feeble attempts to decorate this cake. I didn't feel like messing with frosting so made carrots from gumdrops. I think it's a rather ingenious idea! :)

This is a very moist cake.

Carrot Cake - courtesy of the Fat Dog Cafe

1 cup vegetable oil (you could go 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup applesauce as well)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups grated carrots (this is where those grated freezer carrots come in handy)

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 cup sunflower seeds (plain - NOT shelled. )

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat oil and sugar until well mixed. Add eggs and carrots. Mix thoroughly. Add in remaining ingredients.

Divide between two 9 inch round cake pans. Don't forget to grease and flour them. I forgot to flour mine and it was a bit tricky getting the cakes out of the pans in one piece.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cakes spring back after pressing lightly. Don't overcook.

Leave cakes in pans for 10 minutes before turning onto cooling rack.

Icing

This icing was a bit overpowering so next time I will use something different. I changed the porportions as well since I was making a layer cake.

12 oz cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup powdered sugar (I would use more of this next time)

1 tsp grated lemon peel

Mix icing ingredients very well. When cake is cool, fill in the middle and frost the cake.

To make the carrots:

I rolled out orange gumdrops in some granulated sugar until flat. Then I rolled up the gumdrops to shape into a carrot shape. The tops - I cut a green gumdrop in half and used scissors to cut almost all the way through to make "tassles" for the carrots. Very elementary.

Walnut Dream Cookies

This recipe comes from Karen Elizabeth in South Africa. I have now discovered that cookies are called biscuits in South Africa and Australia and New Zealand. It's fun to see what different foods are called in different cultures. I can thank the Aussie/New Zealand recipe swap from recipezaar.com for that each month. This recipe is changed from metric to U.S. measurements. And the recipe is quarupled because I cook for vacuum cleaners. The boys walk by and inhale the food as they pass.

Walnut Dream Cookies
2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Roll into 2 cm balls. (I just made them whatever size I wanted.) Flatten each cookie with your fingers. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes. They really do cook that long.

Russell thinks they taste like Russian Teacakes minus the powdered sugar on the outside. I think they taste like Keebler Pecan Sandies. Next time I think I will omit the nutmeg and see what that tastes like.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This recipe comes from Chef TraceyMae in California. Her friend Joy submitted it to the Cal Fish and Game, Wild and Wonderful Recipes II. I added chocolate chips. Just because I can.

2 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups butter or margine, softened
2 eggs
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 dash salt
2 cups flour (Her recipe calls for cake flour. I just use regular white flour.)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups raisins
1 1/4 cups regular oats (She uses quick-cooking. I like regular oats for personal reasons.)
3 1/2 cups corn flakes
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup mini chocolate chips (my addition)
1 cup nuts, chopped (I like walnuts.)

I am a combine everything in a very large bowl cookie maker then mix. So you do the same. It all gets mixed up in the end any way. Right? Using a couple spoons - drop onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with your fingers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 17 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

Itty Bitty Cheesecakes

Itty Bitty Cheesecakes
I am a huge fan of cheesecake. Just not of making them. Believe it or not - the thought of using a springform pan intimidates the heck out of me. Not that I have actually tried. I haven't. It's just one of those mind tricks I suppose. So when I came across this recipe - my cheesecake intimidation days are over! Super easy. KathleenP from Michigan totally gets the credit for this tasty treat.

6 miniature graham cracker pie crusts
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 2/3 TBSP sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 cup sour cream
1/8 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a 9x13 pan with water and place on lower rack in oven. Combine cream cheese with sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk. Beat until smooth. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until smooth. Spoon into individual graham cracker crusts. Place filled crusts on a baking sheet. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until firm. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Top with favorite topping. I topped mine with this http://www.recipezaar.com/Leftover-Summer-Freezer-Jam-306664 . All I got from the boys when asking what they thought was "Oh yeah!"

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chips. Need I say more? This recipe comes from Chickee in Syndey, Australia. I chose this as part of the March 2009 Aussie/NZ recipe swap. I had to convert from metric measurements to US measurements. I doubled the recipe so this is what I am posting.

2/3 cup flour (I had to add an additional 2/3 cup flour)
2/3 cup rolled oats (I used regular - NOT quick)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 TBSP water
10 TBSP (2/3 cup) peanut butter (I used crunchy)
Chocolate chips or other nuts or both may be added as desired (I added mini chocolate chips)

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 11-12 minutes. I let the cookies sit for a few minutes on the cookie sheets before removing to a cooling rack.
***It is essential to make these when your husband and children are not home. Otherwise you won't be able to save any for school lunches. They will be gone lickity split.

American Chocolate Chip Cookies of Death

American Chocolate Chip Cookies of Death
I think these might just be my new favorite chocolate chip cookies! They are really very yummy! This recipe comes from Chickee in Sydney, Australia. Her recipe is metric so changing it to US measurements may have altered the original outcome - but we love them nonetheless. Her recipe also calls for instant coffee which I left out as we don't consume coffee at all.

1/2 cup soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 - 2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used semi sweet and peanut butter chip)
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 275-300 degrees. Yes - these really do bake at this temperature. I am a combine everything first and mix it kind of baker so you do the same too. Mix until cookie dough is well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. These cookies do spread out so leave room for them to do so. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Yes - they do bake that long. The wait is so worth it! Let them cool for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk. I dare you to eat just one. :) And your kids will love you forever and say you are the bestest mom ever in the whole wide world for making these for them.