Supper-Time Sunday!

Time for another recipe round up for this week!

BAKED SOY LEMON CHOPS

Recipe + Photo courtesy of Allrecipes.com

This is an extremely easy recipe that comes together in no time. I read in the reviews that many people suggested cutting back on the amount of soy sauce. Since I only had 1/3 cup of Tamari this was really convenient for me; however, I was still very disappointed about the amount of marinade that was leftover. I put my chops in an 8x8 pan and there was enough marinade for at least twice the number of pork chops this recipe calls for.

Tha being said, the flavor was really good and instead of basting the meat we just turned the chops over. Cute hubster loved it. There are enough recipes out there to try that I wouldn't do this one again but it is a delicious and easy recipe if you are looking for one!

Pin it!

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PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE PUDDING CAKE - IN THE CROCKPOT!

Recipe + Photo are courtesy of The Sister's Cafe

I love easy desserts. Even though I can't eat them I love making them for other people. This was the perfect option for my little girl's birthday. It came together so quickly and cooked perfectly in the crockpot. I can't say how it tasted because, like I said, I can't eat it but it got great reviews from the people at the party. I got the impression that it is really rich and a little goes a long way but people still really liked it.

I didn't change anything about this recipe and followed the cooking time exactly. 

Pin it!

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BANANA OAT BREAKFAST COOKIES

Recipe + Photo courtesy of Watching What I Eat

I made these for my babies one morning when I wanted to change up breakfast. That wasn't such a great idea because they take quite a while to prepare and by the time they were ready I had had to find something for the kids to munch on anyways. BUT! They were well worth the wait. They were chewy and perfectly sweet. In fact, I felt like they were the closest cookies I have found that don't taste like a "healthy cookie" if you know what I mean.

I followed the recipe except that I omitted the walnuts and added 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and 2 tbsp ground flaxseed for some extra nutrition. The kids liked them but I think that mom and dad liked them more. 

Pin it!

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QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: Tried any amazing recipes lately? Share the love with me!

Loves...Shayla

Supper-Time Sunday!

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats (Slow Cooker)

Rating: A

Hearty and delicious - this recipe is definitely a keeper! Since I don't eat added sugars if I can avoid it I didn't add the brown sugar to this recipe at all. I doubled the cinnamon and substituted the butter for coconut oil 1:1. My family just added pure maple syrup to their portions when it was done. I ate mine with just the sweetness from the apples. You also have to be really careful about cooking time. Although this calls for 7 hours mine only took 3 in my INSANE crockpot. 

LINK: http://jamiecooksitup.net/2012/03/overnight-apple-cinnamon-steel-cut-oats-crock-pot/

Instant Mug 'O Mac in the Microwave

Rating: ...B-?

This is a really great idea for a toddler who loves macaroni and cheese. They get to have their favorite dish and you get to feel more confident that they aren't eating a bunch of preservatives and added colors. That being said, however, this technique didn't work for me. I bought a big box of noodles from Sam's Club and I guess the noodles are too "premium" quality for microwave. I had to cook them on the stove top after all. Which is fine. Abrielle still loved it. Maybe you'll have better luck!

LINK: http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2012/05/17/instant-mug-o-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/

Pasta with Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce

Rating: A+

We have established that I haven't liked tomatoes for my whole life, right? Well I had no anticipation that I would like this but I was making dinner at my parent's house in exchange for my mom cutting Jake's hair. I decided to try it and WOW!!!! I absolutely loved it. Love love love love love. We topped ours with feta instead of parmesan cheese and didn't drizzle any additional olive oil on it. We had it again the next day on top of bread, and again a few days later. It is amazing. Make it. Soooo easy and wonderful!

LINK: http://www.marthastewart.com/904229/pasta-fresh-tomato-sauce

Chocolate Protein Power Balls

Rating: A+

These are excellent! I made a big batch and keep them in the freezer. I take 2 of them with me to eat after a big workout or eat 1 occasionally for a snack. The only substitution that I made was to use natural peanut butter instead of almond butter (I didn't have it). LOVE the flavor, texture, everything!

LINK: http://www.damyhealth.com/2011/04/damy-health-protein-power-balls/

Thai Turkey Burgers

Rating: A+

We have had these twice now. Once I made them with ground chicken and the second time I did turkey. Both were fabulous. The sauce is a perfect combination of sweet and spicy and they are very filling. We will make these again and again!

LINK: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/best-healthy-recipes-around-world?page=9

Baked Cinnamon Breakfast Bites

Rating on cooking technique: A-, Rating on crowd consumption: A

These were quite easy to make and seemed to be a great hit at the party I took them to. My husband tried one for me and said they were great and my aunt asked me for the recipe for them. The only change that I made was to use cake flour instead of just all-purpose flour. If you don't have it on hand you can make it by measuring out 1 cup of all-purpose flour and taking out 2 tbsp of it. You then replace those tbsp with 2 tbsp of cornstarch. It helps them to be a little bit lighter and not quite so dense. 

LINK: http://ohmysugarhigh.com/scrumptious-baked-cinnamon-breakfast-bites-recipe/

NOTE: I didn't actually taste these so I can't give you a rating on taste... I can only tell you what others told me!

Clean Eating Gingerbread Waffles

Rating: A-

I really like gingerbread... although Jake does not. I decided to try these anyways and I really liked them. It calls for 5 cups milk and I only used 3 although next time I will probably use 3 1/2 because they turned out very thick. Still delicious. I need to draw your attention to the fact that the recipe calls for NO added sugar. I like them this way and only topped mine with fresh banana slices and peach slices. That was perfect for me. My kids loved them also. I think it could use a little bit of salt added to the batter but otherwise I think it is great.

LINK: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-ginger-bread-waffles/

Clean Eating Turkey Rice Bowls

Rating: B-

These were okay but were honestly kind of bland. We remedied this situation by adding Sriracha to our portions but it isn't one that I would make again. And if I did I would use fresh pineapple and not canned. But I don't plan on making it again. Maybe you'll like it better?

LINK: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-curry-pineapple-turkey-rice-bowl/

The "Best" Snickerdoodle Cookie

Rating on cooking technique: A-, Rating on crowd reception: A

These were pretty easy to put together - Abrielle and I did them together. I refrigerated them for too long though and I had to leave them out for a while before they were not too hard to roll out. However, if they get too warm then they flatten a lot more while cooking. They are a bit finicky like that. But my hubby and our neighbors loved them and so I will probably make them again.

LINK: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/03/even-better-snickerdoodle.html

Supper-Time Sunday!

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Rating: A+

Okay, maybe I am a bit biased but my all-time favorite "guilty" dessert is banana pudding. Why? I have no idea. Something about the flavor combination. Is this a healthy dessert? No. However, you can improve the recipe in many ways. When using a boxed cake mix the oil can be completely replaced with unsweetened applesauce. I have done it twice now and both times it turned out the most gorgeous boxed cake I have ever made. Secondly, if you whip your own whipping cream you get to control the amount of sugar that goes into it and it won't have a bunch of yucky additives like high fructose corn syrup. I added a layer of freshly sliced bananas between the pudding and whipped topping and it was soooo delicious. Everyone raved about this dessert at my baby boy's birthday party. Yummy!

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2012/06/banana-pudding-poke-cake.html

Pasta with Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

Rating: F

No, I am not kidding. This dish was terrible. The lime zest was completely and totally overwhelming - So badly that you couldn't even taste anything else (and there are a lot of other ingredients that should have strong flavors!) This was bad enough that we rinsed off the noodles to try and save dinner and we could STILL taste the lime. Wow. Steer clear of this one. 

Link: The site is down right now so I can't get the link but if you really want to try this one here is the link to my pin on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/206954545347039565/

Zucchini Lasagna

Rating: A+

This meal was so tasty and I thought it tasted a lot like normal lasagna. I didn't miss the noodles at all and, even though the cute hubby wouldn't admit it, I don't think he did either. It came out with the most amazing pops of flavor. I used ground chicken instead of shredded and I ran out of zucchini and so I used part yellow squash. Ironically, we liked the yellow squash best. It takes on an almost cheesy taste to it. We will absolutely be making this dish again.

Link: http://munchercruncher.blogspot.com/2011/05/seasons-are-lil-bit-different-in-sunny.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Candy Bars

Rating: A- on flavor and texture

Sound healthy? Surprisingly, they are very respectable for a dessert. All natural ingredients and no added sugars except for honey (which isn't processed nearly as heavily as white sugar) and whatever sugar might be on your dried cranberries. These had a very rich and creamy flavor and texture and a little bit goes a long way. Unfortunately, a long way isn't very long for me when it comes to sweets and even after just a little bit my body went into "sugar shock" and I felt sick to my stomach for the rest of the night. *Sigh* So even though these were delicious I probably won't make them again. I bet you would enjoy them though!

Link: http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.ca/2010/05/best-recipe-ive-ever-messed-up.html

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Rating: B

I really like the concept of this "cookie" and it turned out pretty good. I made a blueberry version and did agave instead of maple syrup. I also didn't have vanilla yogurt and so I added a tsp of 100% vanilla whey protein powder and just used plain, nonfat yogurt. It was tasty and I enjoyed it, however it didn't keep me feeling full for very long. That is a deal breaker for me and breakfast so I won't make this one again for me but maybe for my kids?

Link: http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=2583#.UAlqqbRDwrc

Oreo Puddin' Poke Cake

Rating: A+ according to my husband

I have to confess... I didn't actually eat this one. My baby sister turned 7 yesterday and specifically requested a "Special Shayla Dessert" and she wanted chocolate cake. I knew that she would love this cake although I don't personally eat Oreos. Once again, you can replace the oil in the cake mix for unsweetened applesauce 1:1. My sister had 2 BIG pieces of this cake and my husband went on and on and on about how good it was. He doesn't normally like cake but he said this one was so perfectly moist and the perfect amount of sweet without being overbearing. I added a layer of whipped topping on top of the pudding after it had completely set (8 ounce container) and I think that that is what balanced the sweetness out. 

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/07/puddin-poke-cake.html

Tijuana Tortas

Rating: A+

I cannot possibly say enough to praise this meal. It comes together in no time at all (like 5 minutes) and is incredibly tasty. I think I had it for 4 or 5 meals over the course of 2 days because we loved it so much. The avocado mixture is really what makes it. The limey, oniony creaminess is just a burst of flavor. I didn't want to search for pickled jalapenos so I used chopped banana peppers instead. I am actually planning on making this again tonight. Really. We also didn't hollow out our whole wheat sub rolls - we just ate these like sandwiches. I know that that is cheating and not really a torta but they were fantastic, nonetheless. And meatless too!

Link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tijuana_torta.html

Fresh Strawberry and Lemon Mousse Trifle

I understand that strawberries are out of season. I understand I am probably being really cruel to post about this now that the season is over. But, in all fairness, I did make this when the season had ended anyways. Strawberries are not impossible to find quite yet so run out and get yourself some today so that you can make this dessert! Trust me, you WANT to make this dessert.

I am not a big fan of angel food cake. It just doesn't do it for me. So strawberry shortcake is a dessert that I can take or leave. But this? This dessert takes the concept of strawberry shortcake to a whole new level of awesome deliciousness that just cannot be ignored. This is one of my new favorite desserts. Seriously. The amount of lemon flavoring is just perfect and the danish dessert makes the shortcake the perfect amount of moist.

And trifles are gorgeous. This turned out so pretty that I felt like a professional chef. It broke my heart to scoop it out of the trifle dish and ruin the appearance but my woes were quickly forgotten when I took my first bite.

And in case you are wondering about my picture.... I forgot to mix the lemon zest into the mousse before putting it in the trifle dish. So instead I just sprinkled it on top.

This recipe is courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen and can be found at this site here: http://realmomkitchen.com/6475/fresh-strawberry-and-lemon-mousse-trifle/

Fresh Strawberry and Lemon Mousse Trifle

From Real Mom Kitchen

Printer Friendly Version

·         1 (4 3/4 oz) pkg. Strawberry Danish dessert (found by the gelatin)**

·         2 1/2 cup cold water

·         1 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced

·         1 1/2 cups whipping cream

·         1/2 cup milk (I used skim)

·         1 (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding

·         zest of 1 lemon

·         1 (14 oz) angel food cake, cut into about 1 inch cubes

·         extra strawberries for garnish (optional)

1.      In a large microwave safe bowl, whisk together the danish dessert and cold water.  Cover the bowl with a piece of waxed paper and microwave for 6 minutes, stirring every two minutes.

2.      Remove from the microwave and allow danish dessert to cool for 1 hour.

3.      In a large bowl, whip the whipping cream and milk until soft peaks form.  Add the dry pudding to the cream mixture and  beat until stiff peaks form.  Then fold in the lemon zest.

4.      Once the danish dessert has cooled for the 1 hour fold in the fresh strawberry slices.  It will look like a strawberry sauce.

5.      In a trifle bowl or large glass bowl, layer 1/2 of the cake cubes followed with 1/2 of the strawberry sauce and the 1/2 of the lemon mousse.  Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.  You can pipe on the last layer of lemon mousse to make it decorative.  Chill for at least 3-4 hours before serving. Serves 10-12.

** Strawberry Pie Glaze may be substituted.  The danish dessert does have a more gelatin-like consistency after refrigeration, but strawberry pie glaze will work just as good.

This recipe is a Real Mom Kitchen original!

Peaches and Cream Cake

This is, hands down, one of our new favorite desserts. Ever. Seriously. I made this twice in the span of two days. That is how good it is. It is so good that my brother even FACEBOOKED about how awesome it is. His status update, "Oh man this dessert is fantastic!!! Thanks Shay!!!" My dad ate what little was left of it the next day for breakfast.

Think of a cobbler, cake and a cheesecake all in one delightful dish. That is what you get in this dish. It is flavorful without being too rich and creamy without the cream cheese amount being too overwhelming. Man blogging makes me hungry!!!

And if that wasn't wonderful enough this dessert is so easy to make with mostly basic ingredients. I had to buy the peaches and the cream cheese both times but that was it.

Now I will have to make it again to test my theory but the first time I made this cake I made it with Whole milk because that was the only kind I had on hand at the time. It seemed to me like the first cake puffed up a lot more than the second one that I made with 1% milk. So my theory is that this cake is puffier with thicker milk. That is certainly true when you make rolls so it seems perfectly reasonable to me. But if you want to cut calories it is still wonderful both ways.

This amazing recipe and the picture are courtesy of Mel's Kitchen Cafe and can be found at this site here: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/05/peaches-and-cream-cake.html

Peaches and Cream Cake
from melskitchencafe.com
printable recipe
*Serves 12

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted

 Peaches and Topping:

29-ounce can sliced peaches or 1 quart home-bottled peaches
16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons reserved peach juice
Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium or large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cornstarch. Blend. Make a well in the center and add the vanilla, eggs, milk and melted butter. Whisk together until well combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Slice the peaches into bite-sized pieces, scattering them over the top of the batter evenly. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and reserved peach juice together until light and creamy. Dollop the cream cheese mixture in tablespoon-sized spoonfuls over the top of the batter and peaches and then use a spatula to evenly spread together to form a creamy layer. It doesn't have to be perfect, just try to spread it as evenly over the top as possible (it's ok if peaches are peeking through in spots). Sprinkle the top of the cream cheese layer generously with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake for 45-60 minutes until the edges are puffed and golden and the cream cheese layer has bubbled slightly on top. This is a difficult cake to test for doneness because of the gooey cream cheese layer. If the middle is still jiggly, bake until it no longer jiggles and the cake batter layer is puffed and no longer runny. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*NOTE: I liked the cake better at room temperature and my husband liked it better warm. You just can't go wrong! :-)

Lemon Cheesecake Dessert

I was looking for a simple recipe that I could make in bulk for my sister's sealing dinner and I knew this one was the perfect one! I am not a cheesecake fan unless it is light and this was the perfect amount of tartness ad lightness. I actually did two of these - one in lemon and one with raspberry. I preferred the lemon one and my husband preferred the raspberry. It was pretty much a toss up between the two and what the guests like. I think it would be fun to do all sorts of flavors - lime, cranberry, strawberry, peach, etc. My aunt said that this tastes just like the cheesecake my Grandma used to make while she was alive. I'm not kidding about how easy it is - try it! You will love it!

The picture and recipe are courtesy of Eat at Home Cooks and can be found here.

LEMON CHEESECAKE DESSERT
From Eat at Home Cooks

• 1 box lemon jello (gelatin) (3oz box)
• 1 cup very hot water
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 12 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed

Dissolve the jello in hot water. Set aside to cool.

Stir the sugar and graham cracker crumbs together. Add the butter and mix well. Reserve 1/2 cup for the topping. Press the rest into a 9×13 pan.

Combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a mixer bowl. Beat until well combined. Stir in the lemon jello, until well combined. Fold in the frozen whipped topping until it’s all blended. Pour this onto the crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or until the next day.

White Texas Sheet Cake

We had a family get-together yesterday and I wanted to take a simple dessert to compliment the much fancier dessert I had made. I wanted to make sure there was enough of the fancy dessert for the adults so I made this cake for the kids! Even then, it is still delicious and I wouldn't have minded if it was the only dessert we had. It really is incredibly simple and requires mostly basic ingredients. The only ingredient you probably don't have on hand is the almond extract but it is SOOOO good in this cake! I got this recipe from Three on Food but the picture is courtesy of Allrecipes.com and can be found here.

WHITE TEXAS SHEET CAKE
From Three on Food
1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract

Bring butter and water to a boil. Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl. Pour the boiling liquid over the flour and sugar and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour into a well greased jelly roll pan. (I just used a normal cookie sheet.) Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Cool for 20-30 minutes and spread with frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Bring butter and milk to a boil. Pour over remaining ingredients, adding enough powdered sugar to achieve the consistency you want.

Cherry Dump Cake

Talk about a delicious and easy dessert! This is the one for you! My sister and I were in charge of dessert for a family get together today and I thought about this recipe because it only has 3 ingredients. THREE!!!! And it turned out SOOOO good. It is just like a cobbler only with so much less work. And the greatest part? You don't have to use cherries. You can use raspberry, peach, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, etc, etc, etc... you choose! I choose raspberry and it was so good, there wasn't any left! The picture and recipe are courtesy of Three on Food and can be found here.

CHERRY DUMP CAKE
From Three on Food

2 cans cherry pie filling
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In the prepared dish, layer the cherry pie filling and then sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top, covering evenly. Pour the melted butter over the cake mix, and pat down with a spatula until the all the cake mix is covered. Bake 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until browned and bubbly.

* Store in the fridge. This is even good the next day - the crust stays good and crunchy!

Mini Cheesecakes

My sister had a big clogging performance yesterday and my extended family always attends. We had a big dinner before the show itself and I was in charge of dessert! I wanted something that would be easy to transport, easy to make, and still was impressive and delicious. I turned to my tried and true sources: Real Mom Kitchen and My Kitchen Cafe and found this great recipe.

The cheesecakes turned out great! I made the normal ones with a raspberry topping and the chocolate version as well. I am glad that I did because some people preferred one while others preferred the other. The raspberry ones were my husband's favorite, but I liked the chocolate ones best. If you are anti-richness, go with the normal cheesecakes. The chocolate ones weren't SUPER rich - I used semi-sweet chocolate chips - but they were still a little much for my hubby!

This recipe and picture is courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen and can be found here.

Mini Cheesecakes
From Real Mom Kitchen

2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese (I have used the lowfat version also and it works fine)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
vanilla wafers or oreo cookies
18 cupcake liners
pie filling (I like cherry or blueberry) or fresh fruit

1. Cream cream cheese and sugar together. Add eggs and lemon juice. Beat until smooth.
2. Line cupcake pan with liners. Place vanilla wafer flat side down in each liner. If using oreos, use the chocolate wafers after scraping frosting off.
3. Fill 3/4 full with cream cheese mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Allow cheesecakes to cool and store in the fridge. Paper liners can be left on or removed.

To serve: top with pie filling. The cheesecakes can also be frozen. Frreze before topping. Then thaw and top with pie filling.

Chocolate swirl variation: Make using oreo cookies as base. Fill as above in recipe. Cook cheesecakes for 6 minutes. Drop 4 to 5 chocolate chips in batter. Let sit for a minute for chocolate to melt. Swirl chocolate in the batter with a toothpick. Continue baking until done.

Turtle variation: Make using oreo cookies as base. Fill and cook as above in recipe. (can also use the chocolate swirl variation for this too). Remove paper liners. To serve: drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with chopped pecans or 1 pecan half.

Eclair Cake

My wonderful Grandma Traci gave me this recipe that she got from the ladies she is working with to put together BYU Women's Conference. I didn't actually make it, but I passed the recipe on to my mom to make for a family dinner. It was great! It was a wonderful combination of flavors and wasn't too rich. I loved the texture and I must say, this was a MILLION times better than a normal eclair! The picture is from this site here.

ÉCLAIR CAKE

1 box graham crackers
2 boxes French vanilla instant pudding
3 ½ cups milk
8-9 oz. Cool whip

Spray 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Layer bottom of pan with one row of graham crackers, covering all areas of the pan. Mix pudding with milk and allow to set. Blend with cool whip. Spread half on graham crackers. Layer another row of graham crackers. Spread second half of pudding on 2nd layer of graham crackers. Layer another row (last) of crackers on top and refrigerate for 2 hours.

FROSTING:

3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa
6 Tbsp butter – softened
2/3 cup milk
4 sp light corn syrup
4 tsp vanilla

Blend sugar and cocoa, add butter and milk – mix well with mixer. Add corn syrup and vanilla and mix until creamy. Spread frosting on top of crackers, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bridal Shower Recipes

This past week I had the honor to throw my best girlfriend, Ashley Crapo, a bridal shower! We had LOTS of delicious food, fun games, and friends and it was just a wonderful time! If you want to throw a party, these are the recipes to use! Everyone was just RAVING about the food and, to be honest, I put VERY little time into making them! Those are the best kinds of recipes! Enjoy!

EASY CHEESY ARTICHOKE BREAD
Linked here.

My bread didn't have such large pieces of artichoke in it because I diced mine really well. Unless you are taking this to a large party of people that are just crazy about artichokes, I would dice them finely because then they aren't so overwhelming.

1-14 oz. can artichoke hearts in water, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (not the powder)
1 clove garlic (spoonful of fresh, refrigerated minced)
1 loaf French bread, cut in half

Mix together all ingredients and spread evenly on halves of French bread. Cook at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Slice in to pieces and serve.

FRIENDSHIP DIP
Linked here.
 
This is another great recipe from Real Mom Kitchen! My great friend, Cassandra Adams, was in charge of the dips and she did a marvelous job. I actually liked this dip better than the 7 layer dip because it was hot and cheesy.
 
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz) can of chili
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
Lots of shredded cheddar cheese
sliced olives
diced green onion (optional)

In a large pie plate (or a pizza pan will work) spread cream cheese. Then layer on top of cream cheese in this order: chili, green chilies, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced olives. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and melted (approximately 20-25 minutes). Garnish with green onion and serve with tortilla chips.

*NOTE: I always double the recipe because it goes fast.

7 LAYER BEAN DIP
Linked here.

Ironically, this is a classic Ashley dish! We always request that she bring it to our parties and get togethers. So this time we got to make it for her! Again, Cassy did a fantastic job and there wasn't any of this left by the end of the party!

Layer 1: 10 oz. Bean dip mixed with 16 oz. Canned refried beans
Layer 2: 1 c. mayo mixed with 1 c. sour cream and 1 pkg. Taco mix
Layer 3: 2 lg. Avocados mixed with ½ tsp. Lemon juice and salt
Layer 4: Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Layer 5: Tomatoes, diced
Layer 6: Olives, sliced
Layer 7: Green Onions, slices

BETTER-THAN-ALMOST-ANYTHING CAKE
Linked here.

This is a must-have for a bridal shower! This classic cake is moist and rich and will send your taste buds twirling. Be warned, though. It is not very good as left overs, which you probably won't have anyways, and requires more time and ingredients than I would normally post about!

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® German chocolate cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 jar (16 to 17 oz) caramel, butterscotch or fudge topping
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 bag (8 oz) toffee chips or bits

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Bake cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan.
2. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon. Drizzle milk evenly over top of cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake. Drizzle with caramel topping. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
3. Spread whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee chips. Store covered in refrigerator.

JELLO CAKE
Linked here.

This cake has become a staple in our family. I am always asked to bring it to parties of all kinds is SUPER fast with very few ingredients and tastes DELICIOUS! Got to love it!

1 box yellow cake mix
6 oz box strawberry jello
3.4 oz box vanilla instant pudding
1 –  16 oz. container cool whip

Bake cake mix in 13x9 inch baking dish according to box directions. Pull out of oven and poke holes into the top of the cake. Combine strawberry jello with 2 cups BOILING water. Mix well, then pour over hot cake. Refrigerate over night. (I only refrigerated for about 4 hours and it was fine). Mix packet of instant pudding with container of cool whip and spread over cake. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

What a fabulous Family Night treat! SOOOO easy to make with ingredients you mostly already have around the house! I got this recipe in the Deseret News and it is really fabulous! It is RICH so 1 "cake" can definitely go for two people! If I had whipped cream I definitely would've toped this with it, or served it with vanilla ice cream! Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE CAKE IN A MUG
From Deseret News

4 Tbsp. plain flour (NOT self-rising)
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. baking cocoa
¼ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
Dash of vanilla

Empty dry ingredients into a microwaveable mug. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil. Mix again. Add chocolate chips and vanilla and mix again. Cook in microwave for 2 ½ - 3 minutes. Allow to cool. Eat from mug or tip out on plate and slice.

*NOTE: After you add the egg it is quite difficult to mix! Stick with it until mixture looks like a regular wet cake batter. You can do it!

Brandi's Pumpkin Dessert

This is a great pumpkin recipe that my family likes even more than pumpkin pie! It is SOOO easy to make and tastes phenomenal! My favorite part is the crust! Try it - it's a fantastic holiday treat!

BRANDI’S PUMPKIN DESSERT

CRUST (CAKE MIX)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter

Melt butter and add to cake mix. Mix well.

Lg. can pumpkin
12 oz. Evaporated milk
4 eggs
1 ½ c. sugar
¼ tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Sprinkle nutmeg

Stir ingredients together. Press ½ cake mix in bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Add pumpkin mixture on top. Sprinkle other half of cake mix over pumpkin layer.

Cook at 350 for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Moon Cake

This recipe comes from my wonderful friend Ashley Crapo. This recipe does NOT have a heavy sweet taste which I love SO MUCH! It is a lot like an eclair or cream puff taste. Yesterday, my brother had 3 pieces, my husband had 4, and my father had 2. The actual CAKE part is very finicky and make SURE you follow the directions, but once you get past that part it is not hard at all! I couldn't find a good picture for this recipe because Chinese moon cake is ENTIRELY different. This should look like a bubbly yellow cake on the bottom, layer of vanilla colored cream in the middle, and a layer at the top that is a SLIGHT brown. (VERY Light)

ASHLEY CRAPO’S MOON CAKE

1 ¼ c. cold water
½ c. + 2 Tbsp. Margarine
1 ¼ c. of flour
5 eggs
2 - 8 oz. Cartons of cool whip
3 - 4 Tbsp. of Fudge

Cream Cheese Layer (*ASHLEY usually doubles this part, I leave it as is*)
1 - 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened
3 ½ c. milk
2 - 3 oz. Pkgs. Vanilla instant pudding

Mix cold water and margarine in sauce pan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add flour all at once and let sit for 5 min. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat after each one. Spread on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. DON’T OPEN OVEN WHILE BAKING AND DON’T POP THE BUBBLES THAT FORM. Let cool.

Blend cream cheese and then slowly add milk. Add vanilla pudding. Beat until thick and spread on cool cake.

Fold in fudge to cool whip. (OR just use 2 pkgs. of chocolate cool whip if you can find it). Frost the top of the cake with mixture. Allow to chill for several hours.

*I ignored the "ungreased cookie sheet" part last time... big mistake. The batter slipped and slid all around the sheet until I was just ready to scream! Next time I will definitely leave the cookie sheet ungreased.