Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

This is the cake I brought to Amanda's dinner. I thought I had already posted this recipe, but I was wrong...sorry for keeping this delight all to myself! Hope you enjoy it!! (The reason the amounts on this recipe are a little strange is because I have halved it. I made the full recipe once and there was waaaaay too much cake with little ice cream. This version I'm posting is the way I make it now).

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 + 1/16 cups cocoa powder

1 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup (a little scant) vegetable oil

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla

3/4 cup very hot water

Ice cream, slightly softened

1/2 cup cream

4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Grease 13x27 sheet pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk briefly. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the hot water, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin. Pour into pan. Bake 25-30 minutes.

Let cool in pan. Chill, covered, until ready to build the cake. Cut the cake in two equal halves. Place one piece on a serving platter and spread the ice cream on it all the way to the edges. Place second layer on top. Press down gently. Return to freezer while you make the topping.

In a small saucepan heat the cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate and whisk to make a smooth ganache. Remove the cake from the freezer and quickly spread over the cake.

Tri Tip Chili

My friend Alexia Hankins is an amazing cook - she catered our mother/son and father/daughter dances at school and was generous enough to send me home with some leftover tri tip. After discussing some options for leftovers, she casually listed a group of ingredients off the top of her head and said it would make a great chili...and it is one of the best chilis I have ever made! Use your last bits of leftover tri tip that are all broken up and un-slice-able, they are perfect for this soup.

Tri Tip Chili

1 red onion, diced, I used about 1/2 an onion

1 each red and green bell pepper, diced

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 cans black beans, drained

3 ears corn on cob, cut off corn

1 can tomato sauce

1 packet chili seasoning (or salt, pepper, cumin, whatever sounds good!)

tri-tip bits (I used about 1/2 lb worth, or approx 3-4 slices?)

Saute onion in a little oil, add peppers and finally garlic. When soft, add cilantro, then corn, then black beans, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Simmer for at least an hour, carefully stir in tri tip at the end.

I garnished with avacado slices and served it with my grandmother's cornbread recipe.

Mucho Queso Chip Dip

(I'll post a photo next time I make this, which will be soon!)

I found a version of this dip on the internet, and brought it to an activity last night, having never made it - but I could tell by the ingredient list that it had to be good! The whole pan vanished in minutes along with a Costco size bag of chips, so I think you all agreed with me! I promised several of you the recipe, so here it is:

Mucho Queso Chip Dip

1 lb ground beef

1 c diced onion

1 16oz jar salsa

2 16oz cans refried beans

2 14oz cans chopped green chiles

1 2oz can sliced black olives, drained

1 8oz pkgs cream cheese, sliced

2 c shredded cheddar cheese (I used cheddar jack)

(Jim Lindsay suggested the addition of garlic and cumin, which I think would be fabulous!)

Cook onions and ground beef til onions are soft and beef is browned and crumbled up. Remove from heat and add salsa, beans, chiles, and olives. Transfer to a 9 x 13 dish. Layer with cream cheese slices. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 400 for 15ish minutes (til cheese melts and it is kinda bubbly).

Serve warm with tortilla chips!

Betty Crocker's Potatoe Salad

I love potato salad, but when I buy it, it's always either too pickley or vinegary. The potatoes are always undercooked and too chunky. Here is the recipe I use, which is out of my good old Betty Crocker cook book from 25 years ago!

First I'll share the basic recipe then tell you the way I do it.

Ingredients:

2 pounds potatoes (about 6 medium)

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. vinegar

1 Tbsp. prepared mustard

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Prepare and boil potatoes for about 35 minutes. Cool slightly. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix in celery and onion and set aside. In large mixing bowl, cube the potatoes and eggs. Toss together. Pour the dressing on and stir. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. 10 servings (about 3/4 cup each); 260 calories per serving.

I pretty much stick to this recipe with a few variations.

The first thing I do differently is to boil the potatoes longer than directed. I boil them until they start to fall apart on the outside. I also double the eggs. Doing these two things is what makes the salad so much creamier. Note: Because the potatoes are more crumbly, it's ideal to cool them in the refrigerator overnight so they don't fall apart when cutting up.

I cut the celery and onion into pretty small pieces.

I always make a double batch. Here I have catered to my whiny children and added the celery and onion to only half of the salad. They don't care for the crunch. This double batch was made to travel, as my mother-in-law always asks me to bring it to family BBQ's. Make it pretty by putting whole slices of egg on top and sprinkling with paprika.

With warmer weather coming, it's the perfect time to try this salad. It travels well and is even better the second day!

Poppycock

Poppycock

TamiLyn’s family’s recipe

Main Ingredients:

16 cups popped popcorn

( two full batches in the hot air popper)

1 cup nuts (½ pecans, ½ almonds)

Syrup Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup butter

½ cup corn syrup

½ tsp  cream of tarter

Add after boiling:

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp baking soda

Directions:

1) Place popped corn in clean sink.

2) Melt butter on low – will double in size when baking soda is added, so use a large pot.  Mix in sugar, corn syrup and cream of tarter. Bring to a “soft ball” on candy thermometer – 235 degrees?

3) Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda.

4) Pour syrup over popcorn and nuts and mix until thoroughly blended.

5) Pour out onto parchment paper and let cool.

6) Enjoy!

it is fun to color for various occasions!  think orange, pink, red, red white and blue!

Buttery Caramel Sauce

This is the super yummy recipe I used for Relief Society the other night, so many of you asked for it!    Is actually from a blog I follow called: How Does She.  Here is their link to the original posting.

 Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

*Makes 2 1/2 cups

In a medium saucepan combine sugars, syrup and butter. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil, about 6-8 minutes. from heat and cool 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into a jar and store in refrigerator.  It will thicken when cold.

YUMMY!  A  double batch makes 3 pint jars, great for gift giving!

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I made these last night and couldn't believe how the kids gobbled them up. I think they liked making their own wrap, and the veggies were easy to eat diced up with the other ingredients. I'll definitely add it into my standard dinner rotation! I don't know if this recipe is better than any other in particular, but we really liked them. They best thing is you can adapt and add a little more or less of what you prefer.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

2 pkg (3oz) chicken-flavor ramen noodles
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 each red and yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onions with tops
1 medium cucumber sliced into small pieces
2 medium carrots sliced into small pieces

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 garlic, pressed
1 half inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot, pressed (use garlic press!)
2 tsp Asian seasoning (I just added ground ginger, a little red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, and a little pepper)

lettuce leaves (about 1 head, I just used iceberg)

optional: (but yummy)
peanuts, chopped
sweet and sour sauce

Boil about 3 cups of water, add ramen (broken up) and seasoning, cook 2 minutes, stir. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place noodles, chicken, bell peppers, green onions, cucumbers, and carrots in a big bowl, mix.

Combine soy sauce, oil, garlic, ginger, and seasonings. Toss to coat chicken noodle mixture. Cover and refrigerate.

Remove full lettuce leaves and rinse well, dry.

To eat, place lettuce leaf on your plate, spoon noodle mixture on top, top with peanuts and sweet and sour sauce, wrap up in lettuce leaf like a healthy burrito!