Nestle Chocolate Bread

For my first post of the New Year, I thought I would share a recipe that I just tried for the first time EVER and it was DELICIOUS! I was looking on Pinterest for a bread with ingredients I had on hand to give as a gift to a friend I was going to visit. You can find it straight from the Nestle Toll house site, but I first found it via Pinterest on A Daily Dose of Toni. These directions are modified in accordance to how I made it. I haven't shared a recipe in a long time, so it's long over-due. Enjoy!

               Image from Nestle Toll House Site

Ingredients:                                                                                                          Preheat oven to 350 

1-1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 C Cocoa

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 C softened butter

1 C Sugar

2 Lg. eggs

1 C buttermilk or sour milk (1C milk to 2tsp. vinegar)

1/2 C chopped pecans, divided (opt)

1/4 C Semi-sweet chocolate mini morsels

Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Mix Sugar and butter til creamy and add eggs and milk. Sift in dry ingredients and mix. Add chocolate mini morsels. Pour in greased pan and bake at 350 for 20 min. Top with pecans and mini morsels as desired, bake another 30-35 min. Let cool before cutting. Serve with chocolate honey butter.

Chocolate Honey Butter:

Microwave 1/2 C. semi-sweet mini morsels in small bowl (uncovered) on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Morsels may still retain shape. If necessary, microwave an additional 10-15 second intervals until melted.  DO NOT OVER HEAT! Let cool and beat with 1 stick (1/2C) butter and 2 Tbs. honey in small mixer until fluffy. Makes 1 cup. ENJOY

Seven Layer Bean Dip

1 can refried beans
2 avacados, mashed with juice of one lime
8 oz. sour cream
2 C. shredded cheese (or to liking)
chopped green onion
diced tomatoe
chopped olive
Layer on platter or 9x11 dish in order of ingredients given and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with tortilla chips. Que Provecho!

Rocky Road Brownies

This is literally an award winning 4 layer recipe. Our family has personally won baking contests for this sinfully decadent and deadly dish. Once you make these and try them, you will know why. WARNING: One 2x2 square could fix your tastebuds after any meal for long periods of time and leave you craving more for days to come!

Set oven at 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

Brownie Layer:

1/2 C. Butter

1 square unsweetened chocolate

1 C. Sugar

1 C. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

directions:

Melt butter and chocolate; add other ingredients and mix well. Spread in prepared dish. Layer with

filling:

6 oz. Cream Cheese

1/2 C. Sugar

2 Tbsp. Flour

1/4 C. Butter

1 Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix all ingredients in mixer till smooth. Layer over brownie mixture and bake for 25-30 min. until cream cheese filling is golden brown around the edges. 

Meanwhile mix frosting:

1/4 C. Butter 

1 Square Unsweetened Chocolate

2oz. Cream Cheese

1/4 C. Milk

1 lb. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla 

1/2 C. Chopped Nuts (optional)

Layer #4:

1 Bag Mini Marshmallows

Layer top of filling with mini marshmallows (enough to cover top). Bake another 3-5 min. When soft and puffy, swirl frosting onto marshmallow layer and let cool.

When taking this recipe to any occassion, be prepared to take copies. You will need them!

Yummy Crepes

1 C. Milk
1/2 C. Water
2 Eggs
2 T. Butter, melted
2 T. Oil
1 C. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in bowl and cover. Let sit 30 min. Butter or oil crepe pan, heat till butter sizzles or oil is hot. Add 2 T. oil or butter & tilt from side to side till bottom is covered. Cook aprox. 1 1/2 min. or till crepe is lightly browned on one side. Turn out onto paper towl. Repeat.
Crepes freeze well, stacked w/ wax paper between layers. Wrap stack in moisture proof bag. Thaw one hour before using.
ideas for filling:
applesauce, yogurt, sausage gravy, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, bananas and cream, pie filling, spaghetti sauce and cheese. The possibilities are endless!

My Favorite Bundt Cake

Over the years this recipe has been tried and true over and over, epitomizing the name it was given. Across the board, it is always the favorite and I never go home with even so much as a CRUMB left!

1pkg. Chocolate cake mix (the fudgier, the better)
1 small pkg. instant choc. pudding
4 eggs
1/2 C canola oil
1/2 C. water
1 C. sour cream or plain yogurt
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
powdered sugar, to sprinkle

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 & spray bundt pan with baking spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chips & powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Stir in choc. chips and turn into bundt pan. Bake 50-60 minutes. Let cool 10-15 mins. in pan, then place on serving plate and cool completely.  Sift powdered sugar over the top. *Do NOT over bake!

Creamy Fruit Salad

One of the children asked me to start making more fresh fruit salads. With Spring on it's way and Conference weekend upon us, I created this yummy dish as tempting side. I'm happy to say it was a healthy success!

1 C red grapes
1 pkg. honey glazed almond slivers
1 honeydew melon (or melon of choice)
1 pint fresh stawberries
1 C blueberries
1 apple, peeled, sectioned and sliced into chuncks
3/4 C nonfat sour cream
2 tsp. truvia or splenda (sugar substitute)

Combine fruit in large bowl. Mix sugar substitute to sour cream and fold into fruit mixture. Add sliced almonds and serve cold. Best with sandwiches.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

This is by far the BEST oatmeal cookie I've found! A personal favorite--

Oven: 350 degrees F
1/2 C Shortening
1/2 C Butter (not margarine)
3/4 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C granular sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 C rolled oats
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Cream shortening, butter, and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Combine baking soda, salt, and flour. Stir into creamed mixture.
Mix in oatmeal then chocolate chips. Stir until well blended. Drop teaspoon fulls onto greased cookie sheet & bake for 15 min.
*Caution: may not be able to refrain from eating too many! ;)