Eugenia Hughes' Blueberry Cake

1. 1 box of Yellow Cake Mix

2. 1 cup of sugar

3. 1 Large container of (16 oz?) Cool Whip

4. 8 oz of cream cheese

5. 21 oz can of Blueberry Pie Filling

Mix 1 yellow cake mix as directed on the box and bake in 2 cake pans or 3 pizza pans. Baking time will be less than what is required on the box. Bake and cool cake layers.

Mix 1 cup of sugar, 1 large cool whip, and 8 oz. of cream cheese.

Spread cream cheese mix on 1 layer of cake and then add a layer of blueberry pie filling. Add another layer of cake, cream cheese mix, and pie filling.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Snack Balls

This is the ultimate after school snack! I've been making these snack balls from a recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, which I love so much, but I wanted to create a healthier version (see notes below for nutritional information). This recipe makes 32 snack balls, because with a family of 8, these only last us 1-2 days depending on if friends come to play and snack too.

Ingredients:

2 cups instant oats

2/3 cup ground flaxseed meal

1 cup and 2 TBSP PBfit Peanut Butter Powder

1/2 cup and 1 TBSP water

1/4 cup honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

3 TBSP semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a large food processor (I use a Hamilton Beach 10 cup), combine the oats and the ground flaxseed meal. Process them until they are finely ground. 

2. In a separate small bowl or container combine the PBfit Peanut Butter Powder and the water. Stir until they reach a smooth peanut butter consistency.

3. Add the PBfit Peanut Butter Powder, honey, vanilla, and salt to the food processor. Blend until it is well combined and the right consistency to mold into balls. With a spoon or by hand, gently mix in the chocolate chips.

4. Form the mixture into small balls, rolling them into shape. 

5. Eat right away or refrigerate for 30 minutes for a more firm snack ball. These can be saved in the refrigerator for about a week, but mine usually get eaten in at least one day. They can also be frozen and served at a later time. 

A note about the nutritional recipe adjustments. When I made Mel's version the calories came to 145 per ball (Yikes!). My version is 65 calories per ball and the fat content dropped from 9.2 g to 2.1 g per ball and I cut the sugar in half. I love using PBfit Peanut Butter Powder in my smoothies so I tried subbing it for the peanut butter in her recipe. I found that I didn't need nearly as much peanut butter or honey as she used. This cut down on calories, fat, and sugar. Plus when you compare PBfit to regular Peanut butter the nutritional content is quite striking (see picture below).

I randomly found this PBfit on the shelf at our local Smith's Grocery Store over a year ago, but have since found it better priced at Costco. I don't gain anything from posting about this product, just that it's become a staple at our house and I love it!

Nutritional Information:

Serving size: 1 snack ball
Calories: 65
Total Fat: 2.1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 40.8 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 8.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Sugar: 3.9 g
Protein: 3.4 g
Calcium: 1.2 %
Iron: 2.1 %
Potassium 36.3 g

Cranberry Cake

Cake:
- 3 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Milk
- 2 Cups Flour
- 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
- 3 Cups Fresh Cranberries

Sauce:
- 1 Stick Butter
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Cream
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla

Directions:

Cake:
Cream butter and sugar together well. Add milk, flour, baking powder, and fold in cranberries. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes (makes 12 mini loafs - bake for 25-27 minutes). Let cool in the bundt pan for 10-15 minutes and then release from pan onto a cooling rack.

(You can release the edges with a small plastic spatula before turning over, set the pan right side up over a kitchen towel in the sink that has boiling water poured over it, or put the pan in the freezer until you can remove the cake if it is still sticking).

Sauce:
Combine and heat butter and sugar in a saucepan until well mixed and then add cream and vanilla. Heat until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Pour warmed sauce over cake and enjoy. (for mini loafs 2 Tbsp. of sauce per loaf).

Cherry Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups water
6 ounce box of cherry Jell-o
20 ounce can of cherry pie filling
8 ounce can of crushed pineapple
8 ounces cream cheese
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Bring the water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Mix in the jell-o and then add the pie filling and crushed pineapple. Stir until mixed well and then pour into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate until well set. Soften the cream cheese to room temperature. Cream the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer. Top the cream cheese mixture on the set jell-o mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Jenny's Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mint/peanut butter/chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well. Add the chips and do a final mix. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
4 TB Premium cocoa
4 TB flour
8 TB butter
12 oz can of evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, cocoa, and flour and whisk thoroughly to break up the little cocoa balls. Add the butter and evaporated milk and place the pan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a slow boil. Stir until it is of desired consistency. Remove the chocolate syrup from the heat and add the vanilla. Store in the refrigerator or on the pantry shelf.

Pie Crust

For one 9 inch, 2 crust pie.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 TB sugar for a sweet pie, (omit sugar for a savory pie)
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cold butter flavored Crisco, cut into chunks
1/2 cup cold water or evaporated milk


Directions:
Combine the flour, salt, sugar (for a sweet pie), butter, and butter flavored Crisco and pulse it 8 times. Add the cold water or evaporated milk and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Form 2 discs and then refrigerate them for 10 minutes. Then, roll out the dough between parchment paper to make an 11 inch circle. Place the circle in a 9 inch pie pan, form it, and trim it. Refrigerate it for 10 minutes, then fill it with filling. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes then bake it at 350 for 20-40 minutes depending on the filling.

To pre back the pastry (bake blind) roll out pastry 1/8 inch thick to fill pan, crisp and seal edges. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line pie pan with sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry rice, or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, then return to oven for 5 minutes more until center of crust is light golden. Remove and cool.

Creamy Rice Pudding

Ingredients
3 cups cooked rice
3 cups milk (I substitute 6 TBSP powdered milk, 2 cups water and 1 cup milk)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
Cinnamon & Nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 TBSP butter, optional

Directions
In a clean saucepan, combine 3 cups cooked rice, 3 cups milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes.  Here I sprinkle in a generous amount of cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix remaining 1/2 cup milk and 2 eggs together.  Dip 1/2 cup of pudding from pan and mix into milk and egg mixture (so you don't get an egg drop soup when you add the egg to the pudding).  Beat this together until smooth.  Stir into pudding and cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Peaches and Cream Sensation

I had a can of peaches that just wouldn't seal, must be a bad jar or something.  So I had to make the jar into something.  What better than a delicious peach pie dessert?!  This makes a 9x13 size dessert, but if you 1/2 it then it will fit nicely in a 10 inch round pie pan.

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 sleeves graham crackers, crushed (about 2 1/2 - 3 cups)
3 TBSP sugar
12 TBSP butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted

Creamy Filling:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
5-6 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Stir in the melted butter until combined. Take out 1/3 cup of the crumbs and set aside for later. Press the remaining mixture on the bottom of a 9X13-inch pan. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the rest of the dessert.
2. In a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat together the powdered sugar and cream cheese until light and smooth. Mix in the vanilla. Pour in the cold heavy cream and mix on low (to avoid spatters) until the mixture starts to come together. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the mixture is thick and fluffy.
3. Spread a thin layer of the cream filling over the chilled crust, about 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Layer the sliced peaches over the top of the cream. Dollop the remaining cream over the top of the peaches in large blobs and spread carefully to cover the peaches completely. Spread the cream filling all the way to the edges of the pan so that the peaches are well sealed inside the cream (otherwise if prepared in advance, the air can make the peaches turn an off-brown color). Sprinkle the reserved graham cracker mixture over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours before serving. Cut into pieces, scoop onto a plate and serve.

Zucchini Brownies

Truly delicious.  Makes one 9x13 pan.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (1 wheat flour & 1 white flour)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Frosting:
6 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl (it was easy in my Bosch), mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts/chocolate chips. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 (mine cooked for 38) minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Wonderful over Cinnamon Rolls.

Ingredients:
2 (3 oz) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup softened butter
2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar.

Directions:
In a bowl beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating well.  Gradually beat in enough remaining powdered sugar to make frosting of spreading consistency.

Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade yummy goodness.  Always make a big batch of Cinnamon Rolls so you can enjoy them for a few days. I only make these with my Homemade White Bread Dough.

Ingredients:
Bread Dough
Cinnamon
Sugar
Melted Butter
Dental Floss
Pastry Cloth and Pastry Brush

Directions:
After your dough has risen once pull out your pastry cloth and rolling pin.  Spread a little flour on your pastry cloth so the dough won't stick.  Roll out the dough in a large rectangle shape to desired thickness.  I usually roll mine to about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread melted butter over entire rectangle of dough.  I like to use a pastry brush and paint the butter evenly over the dough.  Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the butter.  Use as much as you'd like.  I think, the more the better!  Sometimes I have added raisins and craisins to liven things up. 

Starting at the top of your dough, roll into one big log.  Slide a strand of dental floss under the log about 2 inches from the end, overlap the two ends of the dental floss as if to tie a knot (don't really tie a knot) and then "cut" through the dough.  The dental floss works better than a knife by not smashing your dough.

Place your cinnamon rolls on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly golden.  Top with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Homemade White Bread Dough

This light dough makes a bunch of what you like most.  I often make it into Dinner Rolls and Cinnamon Rolls all at once.  Just the other day I used half of it to make my Ham and Swiss Pockets and the other half to make Cinnamon Rolls.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp SAF yeast
3 eggs
10 1/2 cups flour

Mix the warm water, oil, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl.  I like to mix it with a whisk.  Let it rest for 15 minutes.  When you come back it should be super frothy and bubbly.

Add the flour and eggs.  Mix the dough with your hands, place the dough on the counter and then knead it for 5 minutes.  It will be sticky, if it's too sticky feel free to add a bit more flour. 

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.  Place your dough in the bowl and cover with a thin cloth.  Let it rise for 30 minutes or until double in size.  Punch dough down and form into your desired rolls or cinnamon rolls, bread pans, etc.  Let it rise one more time, about 30 minutes or until double in size.

Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes for Cinnamon Rolls, 20 minutes for Dinner Rolls, or 11 minutes for Ham and Swiss Pockets.

Soft Sugar Cookies

We love these thick and chewy sugar cookies.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

Directions:
Cream together the first five ingredients.  Add four and baking powder.  Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.  Roll out dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick depending on how soft and chewy you like your cookies.  Cut with cookie cutters.  Bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes.  Take out before cookies are brown.  Yield 21 cookies.

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
evaporated milk to consistency desired
food coloring

Chocolate Snikers Bar Trifle

Serve this in a large trifle dish or individual dessert cups.  Sure to be a hit with your closest friends.

Ingredients:
Chocolate Jello-pudding (large package)
Chocolate cake mix
Snickers Bars (one for each person eating), cooled in the fridge
Whipped Topping

Directions: 
Bake any type of Chocolate cake.   Cut it into little squares and place a few squares in each dish.   Pour chocolate pudding over the cake pieces.   Chop up or Blend the Snickers bars in the blender.   Layer them on the Jell-0 and Cake.  Repeat layering if doing in trifle dish.   Add Whipped topping and sprinkle some bits of candy bar on top.

Chocolate Cool Whip Cookies

Yum!  You'll never get enough of these.

 Ingredients:
2 large Hershey Bars (8 oz.) w/ almonds
    (or 1 lb dipping chocolate)
1 8 oz pkg Cool Whip
Vanilla wafer crumbs
Extra toasted almonds

Directions:
Melt chocolate slowly in microwave, stirring
Every 30 seconds.   Remove from heat and stir
In cool whip and nuts.   Cool until firm.   Shape
Into balls and roll in wafer crumbs and finely
Diced nuts.

Variation:   Add 1 c. ice cream instead of Cool
Whip.   Beat until fudgelike and roll in
Chopped nuts.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my favorite!  So soft and chewy, I could eat a dozen in one sitting.  Makes 72 cookies so you can share with your neighbors.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

The most delicious soft gingersnap you'll ever taste!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt

small bowl of sugar for rolling

vanilla ice cream, optional for making it into an ice cream sandwich

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar. 

3. Add egg and molasses and mix well.

4. Add flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt and mix until well combined. 

5. Shape into balls and roll in a small bowl of sugar. 

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Mine come out perfectly at 10 minutes. Cool for 2-3 minutes and then move over to a cooling rack. 

These taste great fresh from the oven, but they taste even better the next day after being stored in an air-tight container. They store well in a freezer bag in the deep freeze for up to 3 months. They are super tasty the next day (after being saved in an air-tight container) served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the side or smooshed in between two cookies in an ice cream sandwich.