Salted Caramel Icebox Pie

After a few weeks, I’m back! By which I actually mean I’m somewhere new – the move kept me busy/without useful ingredients for a bit, but now we can once again have nice/delicious things, like this pie. Relatively light caramel filling with a crispy chocolate crust, hard to go wrong! I haven’t tried it in a deep dish pie pan, but I would believe that there’s enough crust and filling to use one of those instead of heaping up in a regular pie pan.

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used chocolate Teddy Grahams, because my supermarket had limited options)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 pinches of fine salt, optional
  • 10 ounces salted caramel sauce or topping (if your container is a bit larger, you can still use the whole thing)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1-2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles or shavings (optional, I couldn’t get myself to buy a whole thing of sprinkles for 1 tablespoon)

food processor or mallet to crush your cookies

To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the crust ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until evenly moistened.

Press evenly into a 9″ pie pan.

Bake for 10 minutes, then allow to cool. You’re done with the oven at this point.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl and beat until smooth.

Add the caramel sauce and beat in.

In a large bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

Gently transfer into the cooled crust, and sprinkle with…the sprinkles, if using.

Refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving. I waited until the next morning to cover with plastic wrap, and at that point it had enough of a surface that the plastic wrap barely stuck to it.

Salted Caramel Icebox Pie

From Bake or Break.

Crust:

  • 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used chocolate Teddy Grahams, because my supermarket had limited options)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 pinches of fine salt, optional
  • 10 ounces salted caramel sauce or topping (if your container is a bit larger, you can still use the whole thing)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1-2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles or shavings (optional, I couldn’t get myself to buy a whole thing of sprinkles for 1 tablespoon)

To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the crust ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until evenly moistened. Press evenly into a 9″ pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then allow to cool.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. Add the caramel sauce and beat in. In a large bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Gently transfer into the cooled crust, and sprinkle with…the sprinkles, if using. Refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving.

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Peanut Butter Sauce

I’m getting ready to move, which means using some pantry staples up, and refusing to buy more of others that have already run out, which is what led me to find this recipe! I think I’ll make it again once I have my new kitchen fully stocked, though, as it turns out to be delicious! I served this sauce over white rice and roasted cauliflower. This recipe is from the Ivory Coast, but I have no sense how authentic it is or isn’t.

Also, it appears I took VERY few pictures of making this admittedly unphotogenic meal, but I really do recommend trying it!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter 
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bouillon cube (I used beef bouillon)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

Cook the ground beef(/turkey) in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring to break up, until fully browned.

Add the onion, tomato paste, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the peanut butter and boil uncovered another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the salt, bouillon cube, and chili powder, and stir well, then let boil 5 additional minutes without stirring. Serve over rice, potatoes, and/or vegetables.

Peanut Butter Sauce

From Food.

  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter 
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bouillon cube
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

Cook the ground beef in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring to break up, until fully browned. Add the onion, tomato paste, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the peanut butter and boil uncovered another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the salt, bouillon cube, and chili powder, and stir well, then let boil 5 additional minutes without stirring. Serve over rice, potatoes, and/or vegetables.

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No Baking Powder No Baking Soda Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’m starting to get ready to move, which at this point mostly just means refusing to buy things when they run out, no matter how annoying it makes things between now and then. Luckily, there are recipes like this to help me get through! These cookies are pretty small, and (as expected with no raising agent) don’t get any bigger while baking, but they taste nice!

I am once again just making all the dough balls and then freezing them and baking up a few at a time in the toaster oven, to stop myself from eating 1 billion cookies in a day just because they’re there.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup of packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment/silpat and set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Add the flour and salt.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

The original recipe said to drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared sheets, but that’s TINY and would take forever and just…no thanks. I used my tablespoon sized dough scoop, and left even that a bit towards heaping when scooping.

If you were actually going to bake them all now, you’d spread these out over 2 pans so they have some room to spread as the butter melts.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown and slightly underdone. Cool on the pans.

No Baking Powder No Baking Soda Cookies

From The Kitchen Magpie.

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup of packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment/silpat and set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, followed by flour and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop in small balls onto the prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown and slightly underdone. Cool on the pans.

 

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Cookies and Cream Crunch Bars

Dense brownies covered in Oreos, and then a layer of chocolate peanut butter, this is a real rich dessert! I cut mine into 9 pieces, but then ended up chopping those some, as this is an intense dessert to eat that big a piece of, but however much you do eat, you will probably love it!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 cups chocolate chips, divided (I used a variety, cleaned out the cabinet)
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 20 Oreo cookies, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour an 8×8″ pan. (Mine might actually be a 9×9″?)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Add the vanilla, then the cocoa powder.

Add the flour and salt and beat until smooth, then fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spread batter in the prepared pan. Press 9 Oreos into the surface of the batter, spaced evenly.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until they pass the toothpick test.

Meanwhile, place the remaining Oreos in a large ziplock and crush them, then add 1/2 chocolate chips to the bag and mix together.

When the brownies are done baking, sprinkle the crushed Oreo/chocolate chip mixture over the top of the brownies, then put back in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining cup of chocolate together with the peanut butter. Remove the brownies from the oven and spread the melted peanut butter chocolate over the top, making sure to get it in all the spaces between the crushed Oreos to hold everything together.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set, then let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cookies and Cream Crunch Bars

From How Sweet Eats.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 cups chocolate chips, divided
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 20 Oreo cookies, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour an 8×8″ pan.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, then the cocoa powder. Add the flour and salt and beat until smooth, then fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spread batter in the prepared pan. Press 9 Oreos into the surface of the batter, spaced evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until they pass the toothpick test. Meanwhile, place the remaining Oreos in a large ziplock and crush them, then add 1/2 chocolate chips to the bag and mix together.

When the brownies are done baking, sprinkle the crushed Oreo/chocolate chip mixture over the top of the brownies, then put back in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining cup of chocolate together with the peanut butter. Remove the brownies from the oven and spread the melted peanut butter chocolate over the top, making sure to get it in all the spaces between the crushed Oreos to hold everything together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set, then let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Creamy Turkey Veggie Noodle Soup

A good kitchen-clearer, you can use what veggies you have, use up some dairy, and get whatever pasta’s leftover out of the cabinet. This makes A LOT of soup – very much to the top of my pot, so either make sure you own a properly huge pot, or consider halving the recipe.

Just looking back at the archives, I hadn’t cooked mushrooms since 2018, and before that the last time was 2015… Occasionally they have their uses!

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
  • 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 5 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, sliced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 10 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta or other large shaped pasta
  • 2 cups cubed cooked turkey (whoops I actually have chicken)
  • 1 cup half-and-half cream

Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a 6 quart stockpot. (No idea what size my pot is!) Add the mushrooms, carrots, onion, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8-10 minutes.

Stir in the flour and spices until the veggies are evenly coated.

Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the pasta, and reduce the heat. Cook at a simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is cooked, 8-10 minutes. Add the turkey and cream, cook just until heated through, and serve.

Creamy Turkey Veggie Noodle Soup

Slightly adapted from Taste of Home.

 

  • 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
  • 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 5 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, sliced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 10 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta or other large shaped pasta
  • 2 cups cubed cooked turkey
  • 1 cup half-and-half cream

Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a 6 quart stockpot. (No idea what size my pot is!) Add the mushrooms, carrots, onion, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the flour and spices until the veggies are evenly coated, then stir in the broth. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and reduce the heat. Cook at a simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is cooked, 8-10 minutes. Add the turkey and cream, cook just until heated through, and serve.

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Bacon and Beet Hash

Made this one for the library’s Page to Table (cookbook potluck book club) event last week and quite liked it! The fact that you start with vegetables sort of makes me forget that there’s beef and bacon and I think it’s somehow a healthy meal. …We’ll not bring in any nutritionists on that one, thanks.

Ingredients:

  • 4 beets, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 sweet onion, cut into 1″ pieces
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 8 slices bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 eggs
  • sliced scallions

Preheat your oven to 450 and place a rack in the upper third. Combine the beets and onion on a rimmed sheet and toss with some olive oil. Spread in a single layer, then put the rosemary sprigs on top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and some salt and pepper, the roast for 15-20 minutes, until it’s easy to pierce the beet with a fork. Your kitchen will smell INTENSELY of rosemary.

Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, then remove to drain on paper towel. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up, until it’s fully browned through, then remove the pan from the heat and pour off any excess grease. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the bacon and cooked veggies into the cast iron pan with the ground beef and mix together.

Top with the cheese, then use a spoon to make 8 dents and gently break an egg into each, being careful not to break the yolks.

Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then bake about 8 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. — Even if they still look like they’re jiggling suspiciously much, if the whites are actually white, not clear/translucent, they’re cooked enough, and you should yank them then.

Spoon onto plates and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some scallions and extra rosemary.

Beet and Bacon Hash

Tinsy bit adapted from The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook.

  • 4 beets, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 sweet onion, cut into 1″ pieces
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 8 slices bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 eggs
  • sliced scallions

Preheat your oven to 450 and place a rack in the upper third. Combine the beets and onion on a rimmed sheet and toss with some olive oil. Spread in a single layer, then put the rosemary sprigs on top. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and some salt and pepper, the roast for 15-20 minutes, until it’s easy to pierce the beet with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, then remove to drain on paper towel. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up, until it’s fully browned through, then remove the pan from the heat and pour off any excess grease. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the bacon and cooked veggies into the cast iron pan with the ground beef and mix together. Top with the cheese, then use a spoon to make 8 dents and gently break an egg into each, being careful not to break the yolks. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then bake about 8 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

Spoon onto plates and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some scallions and extra rosemary.

 

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Quick Cinnamon Buns

A 1930s recipe, in this case the ‘quick’ is because this is a baking powder dough, rather than a yeast dough, so there are no rising times. Because it’s a ’30s recipe, you aren’t given 100% of the details, so the below is how I interpreted it.

Ingredients:

Dough:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup milk

Filling:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins

Topping:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Sift the flour once, measure, then add the baking powder and salt and sift again. Cut in the butter until only small pieces remain.

Stir in the milk to form a soft dough. (I needed to add a bit more flour one of the two times I made it, using different brands of flour, to get it not super sticky.) Roll out 1/4″ thick on a lightly floured surface.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cinnamon of the filling.

Spread over the dough to within 1/4″ of the edges, the sprinkle the raisins evenly on top of that.

Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 1″ thick slices.

Combine the butter and sugar of the topping in a 9×9″ dish. Place in the oven until the butter melts and stir the sugar in. Cook a few more minutes until the butter dissolves, then remove from the oven.

Place the cut slices/the cinnamon buns into the hot sugar mixture, cut-sides-down, being cautious of the hot sugar.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Remove the rolls from the pan at once, turning sugar-side up. (If you had a large platter you could probably flip the whole dish out at once, but with that very hot butter/sugar mixture, I didn’t want any drips getting on anything/anyone, so fished the buns out one-by-one with 2 forks.)

Quick Cinnamon Buns

From The General Foods Cookbook (1932).

 

Dough:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup milk

Filling:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins

Topping:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Sift the flour once, measure, then add the baking powder and salt and sift again. Cut in the butter until only small pieces remain, then stir in the milk to form a soft dough. Roll out 1/4″ thick on a lightly floured surface.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cinnamon of the filling. Spread over the dough to within 1/4″ of the edges, the sprinkle the raisins evenly on top of that. Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 1″ thick slices.

Combine the butter and sugar of the topping in a 9×9″ dish. Place in the oven until the butter melts and stir the sugar in. Cook a few more minutes until the butter dissolves, then remove from the oven. Place the cut slices/the cinnamon buns into the hot sugar mixture, cut-sides-down, being cautious of the hot sugar. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove the rolls from the pan at once, turning sugar-side up.

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Butternut Squash Clafoutis

For the unfamiliar, a clafoutis is generally a sweet thing, sort of a Dutch Baby pancake thing full of fruit, for dessert. Today, though, we’re going savory for dinner, and making a cheesy, squash-y delight! This is slightly better day-of, but if you have leftovers you can toast them back up to best-ness in the toaster oven.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese blend + more for sprinkling
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine the squash, oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a 12″ cast iron pan and toss to evenly coat. (I cut the squash the day before, so just mixed everything together in the ziplock I’d stored it in.)

Roast 15-20 minutes until tender (=easy to stick a fork into).

Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, slower, and cayenne, then stir in the cheese.

When the squash is cooked, turn it out into a plate/bowl, and put the butter in the still-hot pan, placing back in the oven for a minute if necessary to melt the butter. Turn the pan all around to grease the insides of the pan.

Pour the prepared egg mixture into the greased pan, then sprinkle the squash chunks across the top.

Bake until puffed and browned at the edges, 30-35 minutes.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with some more of the Parm blend and some chives, and let stand 15 minutes before cutting and enjoying!

Butternut Squash Clafoutis

From Taste of Home.

  • 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese blend + more for sprinkling
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine the squash, oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a 12″ cast iron pan and toss to evenly coat. Roast 15-20 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, slower, and cayenne, then stir in the cheese.

When the squash is cooked, turn it out into a plate/bowl, and put the butter in the still-hot pan, placing back in the oven for a minute if necessary to melt the butter. Turn the pan all around to grease the insides of the pan.

Pour the prepared egg mixture into the greased pan, then sprinkle the squash chunks across the top. Bake until puffed and browned at the edges, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with some more of the Parm blend and some chives, and let stand 15 minutes before cutting and enjoying!

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Baked Mac & Cheese

Need to use up the rest of some cheese powder from King Arthur, might as well go to the source for a recipe idea! They call this Garlic-Herb Mac & Cheese, which is kind of funny because the only garlic comes from the optional garlic oil (garlic infused olive oil). I don’t have that, and you can skip it entirely, but I just replaced it with olive oil and a bit of garlic powder. Also, the recipe said to use “four 1 1/2 to 2-cup ramekins, or one 2-quart baking dish.” With 2-cup dishes, the bread crumbs barely fit in the dish and were overflowing a bit as I ate, so…don’t go any smaller, I don’t think!

Ingredients:

Mac & Cheese:

  • 8 ounces (about 2 cups) uncooked pasta, any tubular shape
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 3/4 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup King Arthur Better Cheddar Cheese Powder
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder, optional
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

Topping:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons garlic oil, optional (leave out, or replace with 2 teaspoons olive oil and a bit of garlic powder)
  • 2 teaspoons pizza seasoning, or 1 teaspoon each rosemary and thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 4 2 cup ramekins or 1 2 quart baking dish. I might go with the bigger dish next time, because I could definitely get 5 meals out of it, but it seems goofy leaving a little bit in each dish…

Boil the pasta until al dente – check it about a minute before the shortest recommended time on the box. Drain and rinse with cool water, and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the flour, milk, and cheese powder.

Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, pepper, mustard powder (if desired), and salt. Stir every few minutes until the cheese is fully melted in.

Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce, then spoon into the prepared dish(es).

Melt the butter and add the garlic oil and pizza seasoning. Stir into the Panko in a small bowl, then spread a thick layer over the macaroni.

Bake 25-35 minutes, until bubbly and browned. Remove from the oven and serve still hot.

Baked Mac & Cheese

From King Arthur Baking Company.

 

Mac & Cheese:

  • 8 ounces (about 2 cups) uncooked pasta, any tubular shape
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 3/4 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup King Arthur Better Cheddar Cheese Powder
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder, optional
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

Topping:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons garlic oil, optional (leave out, or replace with 2 teaspoons olive oil and a bit of garlic powder)
  • 2 teaspoons pizza seasoning, or 1 teaspoon each rosemary and thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 4 2 cup ramekins or 1 2 quart baking dish.

Boil the pasta until al dente – check it about a minute before the shortest recommended time on the box. Drain and rinse with cool water, and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the flour, milk, and cheese powder. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, pepper, mustard powder (if desired), and salt. Stir every few minutes until the cheese is fully melted in.

Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce, then spoon into the prepared dish(es).

Melt the butter and add the garlic oil and pizza seasoning. Stir into the Panko in a small bowl, then spread a thick layer over the macaroni. Bake 25-35 minutes, until bubbly and browned. Remove from the oven and serve still hot.

 

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Crockpot Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

A crockpot full of chocolate brownie that makes its own chocolate puddingy topping. Delicious, and even better with some ice cream! I didn’t feel like the peanut butter added strong flavor, but it’s in there and it’s nice.

Whoops that’s cookies and cream ice cream not vanilla, I’m a fraud.

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Pudding Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • Vanilla ice cream for serving

Grease a medium-sized crockpot. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then dig a little well in the center of the dry goods.

Add the milk, oil, and vanilla into the well, then stir together until smooth.

Stir in the peanut butter – if desired, you can microwave it for a few seconds first to make it a bit easier to stir. Stir in the chocolate chips, then transfer to the crockpot and spread evenly.

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and sugar for the topping. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until smooth.

Gently pour over the cake batter, so it doesn’t mix in. Cover the crockpot and cook on high until the top is set, 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes, then serve with some vanilla ice cream. The ‘pudding’ made by just the cocoa powder, sugar, and water is surprisingly delicious as a topping!

It’s not as dry in real life as it looks in this photo! The ‘pudding’ isn’t just around the edges how it kind of looks.

Crockpot Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

From Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

Cake:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Pudding Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • Vanilla ice cream for serving

Grease a medium-sized crockpot. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then dig a little well in the center of the dry goods. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla into the well, then stir together until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter. Stir in the chocolate chips, then transfer to the crockpot and spread evenly.

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and sugar for the topping. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until smooth. Gently pour over the cake batter, so it doesn’t mix in. Cover the crockpot and cook on high until the top is set, 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes, then serve with some vanilla ice cream.

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