Oreo Cake

I have something to admit...my kids think that Family Home Evening is the dessert...LoL

I guess that's okay. They enjoy getting together as a family and I enjoy trying new recipes. :) It's a win-win!

Find the original recipe here http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate-covered-oreo-cookie-cake-90307.aspx

 

It really was a simple recipe, although there are a few observations that I'll make. Don't mind the fridge or the lopsidedness of the cake...apparently our oven isn't sitting evenly...

You'll need:

1 devil's food cake mix

4 squares of BAKER's semi-sweet chocolate

1/4 C butter

1 pkg (8 oz) of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c sugar

2 c thawed cool whip

12 oreo cookies, coarsely crushed.

1. Bake cake according to directions in two round cake pans, then cool completely. Place one round on a plate.

2. Melt butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until well blended and cool.

3. Mix cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add coolwhip and blend gently. Add oreos.

4. Spread cool whip mixture on top of cake. Top with other round of cake. Drizzle chocolate over the top.

Options: Here are a few things I wondered and noticed.

First: I'll bet you could drizzle some of the chocolate on the plate first. You'll notice that it gets kind of hard (you need to keep this dessert refrigerated) like the topper ice cream cones you can get from restaurants. I'll bet that crust would be yummy on the bottom!

Second: ADD THE COOL WHIP FIRST! I added the oreos first. I noticed it was turning a greyish color. So I don't think I blended the cream cheese/cool whip as well.

Third: I would recommend more oreos. There just weren't enough, in my opinion. I would probably add another six oreos.

 

It was delicious! Give it a try!



Life

It's true...sometimes life just runs you over. Last week was one of those weeks, which is why you didn't see much from me. But don't worry! I may have been absent, but I have not forgotten! I have another project almost completed, a few new foods that I've made, and a story to update. I have another idea floating around, although it might take me a bit longer to put together. Never fear! There will be more updates coming soon! :)

Terrific Tuesday: Cake Batter Fudge

I try to make sure to give credit where it's due...the original recipe is found here: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/03/friday-fun-list-50-easy-delicious-no.html The "Six Sisters' Stuff" blog contains many of my favorite food recipes. Go check them out!

 

1 14 oz can of sweet and condensed milk

3 1/2 c white chocolate chips (about 1 3/4 bag)

3 t vanilla extract

1/2 t almond extract

Sprinkles

1. Melt chocolate chips in the sweet and condensed milk in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl-about 2-3 minutes. DO NOT OVERHEAT. If you've never melted chocolate in the microwave, pull it out after a minute and give it a stir. The sneaky chips retain their shape until you stir them up! Stir until the chips and milk are blended and smoot.

2. Immediately vanilla and almond extract, stirring until well blended.

3. Throw about a handful and a half of sprinkles into the fudge, folding gently. DO NOT overstir or the sprinkles will all melt and turn the fudge an ugly gray.

4. Pour into an 8 x 8 in pan or 11 x 7 in pan. I've got an 8 x 8 here. It's about an inch deep. If you want, I sprinkled a few sprinkles on the bottom of the pan before adding the fudge, then I added some more on top after pouring.

5. Cool, either to room temperature or in the fridge.

This is extremely rich fudge! The smaller cut outs are to show you about how much I take at a time and it lasts me half a day...and I have an extreme sweet tooth addiction... ;)

Mad Monday: Writer's Digest Challenge

So, I follow the Writer's Digest on Twitter (you can follow me, too: smilingrayita) and a few days ago (okay, about 14) they offered a 12 day writing challenge. The 12th day was to pick your favorite and publish it. Here's mine, a 20 line poem of a memorable moment.

In a Moment of Faith

Inspired by Love

I said

Yes.

 

On a Windy Hill

O'erlooked by Dead

He asked

Me.

 

A Sweet Letter read

An Uncertain Look

We laughed

Together

 

The Future Together

We There pledged

I loved

Him.

 

No End in Time

Our Love's Eternal

This I

Know.

A Little Late: Storytime Saturday

We're a little late...this has been a hectic weekend! But it's better late than never! The Storytime Saturday page has been updated with an adventure for Super Zip! Will she be able to save her friend? Will anyone find out her secret (probably not ;) )? Find out now!

Wonders of Wednesday: Baby Afghan

 Okay, I think it's pretty obvious that I'm not quite done with this baby afghan. I still have the border to go, then I have to tuck all the edges. That being said...here's the back...

...and here's the front.

I don't have the directions anymore, kinda did the squares mostly from my head. I started this several years ago as a present...then got pregnant, so I intended it for my baby...then got sick...then got busy...and am just now finishing it! Each square is a bit larger than my hand (maybe 4-5 inches?). It was about 14 dc with the red.
Anyways, I dc the white until it was about done, then did a dc border of red with 3 dc in the corners. the brown is a sc around the edges, then um, I don't remember the name of this stitch. Dc, but don't pull through the second loop. You only pull through the first. Do this 3 or 4 times, so that you have 4 loops on hook, then pull through all at once. sc in the last red dc before the 3 in the corner, sc in each of the 3, then do the stitch that I don't remember the name of again. Finally, I don't have a crocheting needle, so I simple sc all the squares together. I plan on sc for the border, possibly making that poofy stitch again on the corners (I have to laugh at my 3 month old talking to the tv! It's so cute!).

Feel free to ask questions. I'll do the stitch again so that I can more accurately recreate what I did. :) Happy crocheting!

Tasty Tuesday: Chimis

For a time, my husband and I lived in the Dominican Republic. We loved it there, especially the people and the food! One of our streetside favorites was the chimi. It looks like a hamburger, but tastes...not like a hamburger...LoL It's delicious! If you're ever in the country, BUY ONE! So I've been on the lookout for a chimi recipe. This one was good, but it did NOT taste like a chimi. We rather thought it tasted more like a meatloaf.

So, here's what you need for the burger: 1 1/4 lb ground beef (I have 2 lbs here), 1 medium onion (I used a large onion because you use more later on. Also, the Dominicans I knew generally used the purple ones), 1/2 lg green bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1/3 C chopped cilantro, 1 t dried oregano, 2 t soy sauce, 1 T worcestershire sauce.

 Mix your beef, onion, pepper, garlic, cilantro, oregano, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, scant 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper. I think it would work better if you could chop everything (except the hamburger) in a food processor so it's almost a puree, then squish it into your hamburger.

 It says to make 4 patties, I made seven (obviously). These were LARGE patties and one burger was VERY filling! Next, get your toppings prepped: 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage, 1 carrot, 1 small red onion (remember that lg onion I mentioned earlier?), 1 tomato.

Next, lightly toast your hamburger buns on a griddle (all cooking will be done on a griddle).

 

 Then cook your hamburgers, about 8 minutes for medium rare, turn once. When finished, place on hamburger buns.

While your burgers are cooking, prepare you sauce:  2 T ketchup, 2 T mayo, 1 T yellow mustard mixed together.

 Mix your cabbage, carrots, and 1/4 t of salt, then cook on the griddle after the hamburgers are done. Turn once or twice. Only cook until the cabbage starts to wilt. Divide on top of hamburgers.

 Now you get to sear your onion and tomatoes. Only cook for about 2 minutes, turning once. FYI, the tomatoes used in the Dominican Republic were more green than red.

 Add the cabbage, then tomato and onion, top everything with your sauce, and enjoy! It is a VERY messy burger, btw. It was pretty tasty, but definitely NOT a chimi.