Love to Cook Thursdays - Mississippi Mud Cake by Terri

This week's challenge is for my favorite category - Chocolate. I really think it needs it's own food group! Since I have already blogged my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, my irresistible Butterthumbs Recipe, my yummy Milk Chocolate Pie Recipe, and my low calorie Chocolate Eclaire Recipe this week I decided to prepare Mississippi Mud Cake - a recipe that I only recently came across in an old family cookbook. I haven't made it in years so a couple weeks ago I made it for Life Groups and it was a huge success so I thought I'd prepare it again. As luck would have it - I took a flu shot on Friday - and started feeling the first symptoms of the flu at Give Away Day on Saturday. So I will have to share the photos from the Mississippi Mud Cake I made a couple weeks ago. They aren't quite as good as I would like but I better not cook for anyone until I'm over this junk. I hope you will try this incredible ooey, gooey, chocolate cake. It is so decadent! If you are a true chocoholic like I am you will add it to your collection of favorite recipes.

Mississippi Mud Cake

From the kitchen of: Terri Fonville

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (opt.)

2 sticks butter (melted)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa

7 oz. jar Marshmallow Cream

Memaw's Fudge Frosting

Combine eggs and sugar in mixing bowl. Mix at high speed for 5 minutes. Add butter, flour, cocoa, vanilla and coconut to mixture and mix well. Pour into 13"x9" floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream over top of hot cake. Let set a couple of minutes and frost while still warm.

Memaw's Fudge Frosting:

1 stick butter (melted)

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 T. milk

4 cups confectioners sugar (sifted)

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Mix all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl. Original recipe calls for heating on stove top until bubbly. This time I cooked in microwave for about 3 minutes on high. Stir. Spoon over cake and swirl with marshmallow cream.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Taco Soup by Terri

This week our challenge was to share a favorite soup recipe.  When I asked Jerry what he would like me to fix he immediately chose Taco Soup.  I decided to make enough to share with Mom and Dad.  I waited until Wednesday to fix the soup and luck would have it, Wednesday was perfect cold, rainy soup weather.  I am sharing my basic recipe but feel free to use your favorite tomatoes and beans.  This is the first time I have added hominy to this recipe and it really added a nice touch. I hope several of you will join us each Thursday and share your favorite recipes.  Just click on the Love to Cook Thursday button and follow Kipi's directions.  This is a great way to share your recipes with your friends.  

Taco Soup
From the Kitchen of: Terri Fonville
Serves: 8

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. lean ground beef, browned
1 large chopped onion
1 Tablespoon Chili powder
1 pkg. taco seasoning (mild or hot - your choice)
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (I prefer the low sodium recipe)
2 cans Ranch Style Chili Beans
1 can Ranch Style Pinto Beans with Jalapeños
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes with garlic
1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes with chili peppers
1 can Mexicorn
1 can Hominy
2 cups Beef Broth
1 banana pepper, chopped
3-4 small yellow & or orange chili peppers, chopped

Chop onions, set aside.

Brown lean ground beef.  Add chopped onions. Cook until tender.

Add chopped peppers. Cook until tender. Dump into bottom of 6 Qt. Crock Pot.

Add tomatoes, corn & hominy. Add beef broth, chili & Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix. Stir gently.

Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high about 3 hours.

Place a scoop of freetos in bottom of bowl and pour soup on top.

Top with grated cheese, sour cream and chives.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!
Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Angel Biscuits

This week we celebrated Dave's 30th birthday. As a special treat I decided to bake another old family favorite - Angel Biscuits. This is another recipe that I have not made in years. I was reminded of it when we attended a family shower for Casey Hall. They served Sister Schubert's Dinner rolls with our barbecue. This recipe is a homemade version of these rolls. They truly melt in your mouth. No one can eat just one!

Angel Biscuits
From the kitchen of: Loriece Roberts
5 1/2 cups flour - reserve 1 cup flour for rolling out
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup Crisco
1 pkg. dry yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water & 1/4 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk

Dissolve 1 pkg. dry yeast in 1/4 cup very warm water.
Stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda & salt. 

Cut in Crisco until mixture looks like small pellots.

 

Add buttermilk & dissolved yeast to dry ingredients. Mix well.  

Sprinkle flour onto board. Knead dough 10 times. 
Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter.  

Melt 1 stick of butter. Spread melted butter over biscuits and fold in half.  

Place on cookie sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. 
Recipe makes about 2 dozen nice sized rolls.

Note: Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for several days or place uncooked rolls on cookie sheet and freeze. When frozen remove rolls from cookie sheet and store in air tight plastic container placing parchment paper on bottom of container and between rows of rolls. Store in freezer.

Note 2: Because I was expecting 11 for lunch, I doubled the recipe this time so all the photos show double the amount of the above recipe. I made this on Saturday night and stored in the refrigerator over night. When I put the rest of lunch in the oven I checked on the refrigerated rolls and noticed how they had spread out in the container and looked like they might be difficult to remove from the container, so I popped the containers in the freezer for about one hour before getting them out and onto the cookie sheets.  
Note 3: Next time I make them ahead I will just go ahead and freeze the rolls and get out what I need when I am ready to bake them. I will probably lightly brush the tops with melted butter since these rolls don't brown much on top. When cooked from frozen you will need to cook an additional 5 minutes. Done when brown on bottom.
Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Experiencing Texas visits Cookies-in-bloom by Terri

http://www.experiencingtexas.com/2009/09/24/cookies-in-bloom/

Check out the latest Experiencing Texas article featuring Cookies-in-Bloom, a great specialty shop found in downtown Grapevine on Main Street.  Just another reason to take a leisurely stroll down the streets of downtown Grapevine, TX. The revitalization going on there is amazing.  I still remember walking down Main Street not long after Jerry and I married 32 years ago.  It was a like visiting a Ghost Town. The changes they have made are truly incredible!

Walk with God!
Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - French Apple Pie by Terri

This week our challenge was to share a new or old favorite using apples. I chose Mom's French Apple Pie since it just can't be beat. I haven't made it in years and I had forgotten how easy it is to make and how delicious it tastes! I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does.

French Apple Pie
From the kitchen of: Loriece Roberts

Ingredients:
1 uncooked deep-dish pie crust
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 sliced, peeled apples
1 1/2 Tablespoon light butter
Crumb topping:
1/2 cup light butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
Directions:

Prepare pie crust as directed on the box.

Peel and thinly slice 3 apples. Set aside.

Mix together sugar and cinnamon.

Toss cinnamon sugar lightly through the sliced apples.

Heap the apples onto the pie crust.

Dot the top of the apples with light butter.

Mix crumb topping.

Pat the topping over the top of the apple filling.

Bake at 425 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Note: My oven runs warm so I cooked my pies at 400 degrees for 50 minutes. Also I gently covered the pie crust with aluminum foil the last 20 minutes, next time I think I'll cover it sooner.

Options: This time I used Splenda Sugar blend and Splenda brown sugar instead of regular sugar and brown sugar. Jerry couldn't tell the difference in the taste.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!
Terri

Love to Cook Thursday - Anytime Muffins by Terri

For several years I have given family cookbooks to the young brides in the family. I try to include a variety of recipes from each cook in the family. Recently my aunt shared a recipe that she makes each year before school starts for her granddaughters. This recipe has several options. It can be made as directed, and the muffins baked all at one time, then frozen and removed as needed from the freezer and microwaved or it can be made, then stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 weeks, then baked freshly as needed. Feel free to try some of the options listed at the bottom of the recipe, or try your own variety!

Anytime Muffins

From the Kitchen of Delpha Herndon

Modifications by Terri

Ingredients:

4 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

1 can Apricot or Peach Nectar

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup Splenda sugar blend

1 cup Splenda brown sugar blend

1 cup natural applesauce

1 qt low fat buttermilk

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups all purpose flour

4 cups All Bran Cereal

1 pkg Craisins 

2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

2 pkgs. white chocolate chips 

1 tsp. salt

5 tsp. soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 T vanilla 

Combine Rice Krispies and Nectar. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow cereal to absorb juice. Set aside. Mix together in extra large mixing bowl eggs, sugar, applesauce and buttermilk. Stir in cereal. Mix well. Add flour and spices. Mix well. Add Craisins, walnuts and chocolate chips. Stir well. Place in air tight container and allow to chill over night.

"Pam" muffin tins and scoop a level scoopful of dough into each cup(about 2/3 cup). These muffins will be very dense and do not rise much. In above photo I used the paper liners for the muffin tin...I have decided that the paper is not needed and the muffins freeze better without them. These muffins are best when made fresh.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

If you decide to make ahead - I freeze 4 each in quart size freezer baggies.

Recipe options - feel free to substitute:

2 cups sugar for the Splenda white and brown sugar blends

2 cups dates instead of the chocolate chips

2 cups raisins instead of the craisins

2 cups pecans instead of walnuts

1 cup of canola oil for applesauce

Original recipe called for 2 cups of rolled oats and 2 cups of boiling water instead of Rice Krispies and Nectar. When baked with Oats, dates and raisins the original recipe has 94.8 calories per muffins.

Also, several spices may be added: 1 tsp. allspice, 1 tsp. nutmeg and or 1 tsp ground cloves.

Enjoy!

Walk with God!

Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Taco Cups by Terri

This week I decided to share a fairly new recipe with you - Taco Cups. This delicious recipe is quickly becoming a family favorite. I found it in Kraft Food & Family the free quarterly magazine from http://kraftfoodscompany.com. The first time I made this for one of my crops. It was a big hit with my scrapbookers!

Taco Cups
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
1 tsp. Lime Pepper
1 pkg. reduced sodium Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can Campbell's Tomato Bisque Soup
2 cans 8 count refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits (not Grands)
1 cup grated colby jack cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Coarsely chop onions.

Brown ground beef and onion. Season with Lime Pepper.

Add taco mix and tomato soup.

Press biscuits onto bottoms and up sides of 16 muffin cups.

Fill with meat mixture.

Sprinkle cheese on top of meat.

Bake 15-20 minutes. Serve with Salsa & sour cream.

Note: Store brand biscuits work great. Last time I used "Grands" biscuits. Jerry & I both felt that there was too much bread and not enough meat mixture using the "Grands". This time I used reduced fat crescent rolls. This formed a very thin pastry crust which worked well. Jerry especially liked these as "leftovers" for lunch at work. Enjoy!

Walk with God!
Terri

Love to Cook Thursdays - Chocolate Eclairs by Terri

Chocolate Éclairs

From the Kitchen of: Terri Fonville

Ingredients:

1 box low fat graham crackers 

12 oz. container sugar free Cool Whip

2 1.4oz pkgs. Jello sugar free/fat free White Chocolate Instant pudding

15oz. container Chocolate Frosting

3 cups 2% milk

Combine pudding with milk. Mix on low until well combined.  Let set a few minutes. Gently fold in Cool Whip.

Layer 8 graham crackers in bottom of 9x13 pan (all the way to the edges).  Spread half of the pudding mixture on top of the graham crackers. Layer another 8 graham crackers on top of pudding.  Spread the remaining pudding on top of crackers.  Layer remaining 8 graham crackers on top of pudding.

Microwave frosting for 30-45 seconds until melted.  Pour on top of graham crackers.  Cover and refrigerate a few hours to allow graham crackers to soften.

Note:  You can substitute 1 small box of sugar free/ fat free instant chocolate pudding mixed with 1 1/2 cup 2% milk for the frosting.

Using frosting 1 serving is 2 Weight Watchers points, using pudding 1 serving is 1 Weight Watcher point.

I got this recipe from a co-worker while working at Texas Oncology.  Despite the low fat/ low sugar ingredients it has become a family favorite.  It is so light and yummy! A perfect ending to a delicious dinner.

Walk with God!

Terri