Mississippi Mud Cake

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 cup chopped pecans
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

Mississippi Mud Cake Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened  (I melt mine)
3 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons milk, more if needed
1 cup chopped pecans

CAKE - In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour and cocoa; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in the pecans. Transfer to a greased 13-inch x 9-inch x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 3 minutes (cake may fall in the center).

Spoon the marshmallow creme over cake; carefully spread to cover top. Cool completely.

FROSTING - In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, vanilla and enough milk to achieve frosting consistency. Fold in pecans. Spread over marshmallow creme layer.

	1 pound lean ground beef
	1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
	1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
	3 tablespoons ketchup
	1 egg
	1/2 teaspoon celery salt
	1/4 teaspoon pepper
	Potato Frosting
	3 cups mashed potatoes
	Food coloring

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with foil bake cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the meat loaf ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the lined cups (the liners should be about three quarters full).
3. Place the filled muffin tins on cookie sheets and bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Divide the mashed potatoes among three small bowls and stir a few drops of food coloring into each batch to create blue, yellow, and pink pastel frostings. Spread a generous dollop on each cupcake. Makes 12 cupcakes.

(updated with finished cookie pic)

Dee Dee posted this recipe, and the kids and I worked through it tonight.

Easter Story Cookies

1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggy
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don’t wait till you’re half done with the recipe!)

Place pecans in zipper baggy and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-10

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Now, this is a story with a happy ending. Which is, in fact, not an ending at all. But a beginning.

Christ is risen!

On Sunday morning, our Easter Cookies were hardened and empty!

My friend Sarah made these this morning and they were delicious! I am making some for our family and a batch to share. She cut the sugar in the filling back and they were still incredibly sweet.

Cinnabon Style Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

-Dough

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
• 2/3 cup sugar, PLUS
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warmed milk
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 7 cups flour, or more if needed

-Filling

• 1 cup melted butter, divided
• 1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 1 1/2 cup raisins, optional

- Creamy Glaze

• 2/3 cup melted butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 6 tablespoons hot water, more as needed

Directions:

Turn out onto a well-floured board; knead 5-10 minutes. Place in well-buttered glass or plastic bowl, cover and let rise in warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

When doubled, punch down dough and let rest 5 min. Roll out on floured surface into a 15×20″ rectangle.

Filling: Spread dough with 1/2 Cup melted butter. Mix together 1 1/2 Cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered dough. Sprinkle with walnuts and raisins, if desired.

Roll up jelly roll-fashion and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12-15 slices. Coat bottom of a 13×9 inch baking pan and a 8 inch square pan with remaining melted butter, then sprinkle with remaining sugar. (I cut mine a little thinner and made 2 full 13×9 pans)

Place cinnamon roll slices close together in pans. Let rise in warm place until dough is doubled in bulk, about 45 min.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until rolls are nicely browned. Cool rolls slightly.

Creamy Glaze: Meanwhile, in med. bowl, mix melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla; add hot water 1 Tablespoon at a time until glaze reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread over slightly cooled rolls.

One of my blogging mentors, OMSH, featured her budding cake decorator in THIS  blog post.   It brought back memories of my up-and-coming creative cook, Nicholas.  His scout troop in Oklahoma had a yearly jamboree and one of the events was a cake decorating contest.   The theme was “Western” and this was his entry:

He mixed up a chocolate cake and poured it in a rectangle shaped pan.  I covered the baking duties (HOT was not a deterrent to my 9 year old son).    He carved out a neck and used that little V shape to make the ears.  Then he rounded off the nose and ate the excess.   After getting the cake, arms including elbows and kitchen curtains covered with chocolate frosting, he made a mane using a zip lock bag filled with white icing.

 He used a jellybean for the nose and if you look closely you’ll see big chocolate LIPS on this steed.  Nicholas knew he had saved them in his Halloween stash for some special reason.  He twisted (sort of braided) some licorice strings together to make the reins.

His cake was a big hit.  He got a first place trophy.  He had some stiff competition., however his cake was the BEST entry submitted and 99% created by a 9 year old boy scout.   He was very proud and still  loves to tell people about his talent as a cake-decorator.

BBQ Pork Ribs

• 2 sheets (18x 24-inches each) Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
• 3 pounds baby back pork ribs
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/2 cup water (or apple juice)
• 1 1/2 cups of HEAD COUNTRY BBQ SAUCE - made in Oklahoma!!

PREHEAT grill to medium. Cut each rack of ribs into thirds. Place half of ribs in single layer on each foil sheet.
COMBINE brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder and pepper. Sprinkle ribs with spice mixture; rub in to coat evenly.
WRAP ribs by bringing two sides of foil sheet to center. Leaving space for heat circulation inside packet, fold foil down. Fold in one end to seal. Through open end, add 1/4 cup water. Fold foil in to seal. Repeat for second packet.
GRILL 45 minutes to 1 hour in covered grill. Remove steamed ribs carefully from foil and place directly on grill.
GRILL ribs 10 to 15 minutes in uncovered grill, brushing ribs generously with barbecue sauce and turning every 5 minutes to cook evenly.

I’ve also baked these at 300° for 2 hours or until done.

Click for MORE Saturday Stirrings

Italian Sausage Bread

2 (1 pound) loaves frozen white bread dough, thawed
1/2 pound mild pork sausage
1 1/2 cups diced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups shredded
mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Allow dough to rise until nearly doubled.

Brown and crumble sausage. Add mushrooms and onion. Cook and stir until done, drain. Cool. Beat 1 egg, set aside. To sausage mixture, add 2 eggs, cheese and seasonings; mix well. Roll each loaf of dough into a 16-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Spread half the sausage mixture on each loaf to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting at a narrow end; seal edges.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes; brush with beaten egg. Bake 5-10 minutes more or until golden brown. Serve warm.

is thisaway.   I’m making this today.  Shhhh!!

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-3/4 cups butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ———————
•  2-1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• ———————
• Glaze:
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk

Sprinkle with pepper and lightly brown:

4 (1-inch thick) pork chops
pepper to taste 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Stuffing

1/3 cup water
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2 boxes prepared stuffing (Stovetop style)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup  chopped onion
1/2 cup  chopped celery
1 (8 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

To make stuffing, heat water and 1/4 cup of the butter or margarine
in medium saucepan until fat is melted. Stir in stuffing mix,
mushrooms, onion, celery and drained corn.

Melt remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine in 5-quart slow
cooker on HIGH setting; use it to brush sides of slow cooker. Spread
stuffing over bottom of slow cooker. Arrange pork chops on top. Cook,
covered, on LOW setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Serves 4.

This recipe is featured in SouthCalVal’s monthly newsletter for moms.   Click HERE to sign up and get it delivered to your mailbox each month.  Lots of great ideas and inspiration. 

Pizza in the Crockpot

1 1/2 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
3 cups cheese (I  use colby jack or mozzarella)
1 chopped onion
1 pkg. sliced canadian bacon (or pepperoni)
1 box rigatoni noodles, cooked  (use noodles that don’t get gummy)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms
2 cans pizza sauce
You can use any other pizza topping you enjoy (bacon bits, black olives, green peppers, etc)

Alternate layers in crock pot: hamburger, noodles, cheese, soup, mushrooms, onions, other toppings, sauce and pepperoni.

Heat 4 hours on low in crock pot.

Serve with bread sticks, foccacia or other crusty Italian bread.