Ice Cream Cake--but not like you think!

As of right now my little Pie a la Apple is just shy of 6,000 views!

Holy Cow!

I just had to share that little bit of information with you because it's just mind blowing to me.






 But, that's not why you are here.

Today, I've got an ice cream cake for you guys. 


And not the kind you are used to. 
We're going to bake this one!

Not long ago I made Ice Cream Bread and we all really liked it but it doesn't compare to this cake.

This cake is so moist. 

So, moist it is almost wet.

It's simple, only uses a few ingredients, and there are boo koo's of options.


This cake uses a cake mix. I know a lot of you may not be to keen on that.  My first choice usually isn't a cake mix either. There is just something about a cake made from scratch. I'm with ya...but this cake is worth the exception.


I suggest using an ice cream rich in flavor.  I made the cake using Cotton Candy flavored ice cream and a white cake mix.  It just didn't have the flavor that the other two did.
 It was however, a very pretty light purple!

The below photo is made with white chocolate macadamia nut ice cream and a white cake mix. I also threw in a cup of white chocolate chips and 1 cup of macadamia nuts too.

And here we have one made with red velvet ice cream and a red velvet cake mix!

Let's Get Started:

Ice Cream Cake

recipe from Omnomicon

1 box cake mix (any flavor)

1 pint ice cream (any flavor)-softened

3 eggs

1 cup water

nuts, chocolate chips, or fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease 9 x 13 pan or bunt pan very well

Mix all four ingredients for 4 minutes (yes 4 whole minutes).

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool before adding any frosting (optional).

  I used a powdered sugar/milk glaze. You can frost with whatever icing or glaze you'd like. Powdered sugar is a great option too!

Print Recipe Here

Candied Popcorn



I may never eat regular popcorn again!

No, I'm just kidding but this is definietly tasty enough to make again....and again.

There are so many possiblites too.

Let's Get Started:

Candied Popcorn

recipe from eaglebrand.com

12 cups of popped popcorn

1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 (3 ounce) package flavored gelatin

Heat oven to 300ºF. Line large shallow roasting pan with heavy foil, extending foil over edges of pan.

Butter foil.

Remove all unpopped popcorn.

Pour popcorn into prepared pan. Keep warm in oven.

Combine sweetened condensed milk and dry gelatin in medium saucepan. Heat and stir over low heat until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly, 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour mixture over popcorn. Stir gently to coat using a long-handled wooden spoon.

Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

 Carefully turn out onto large piece of lightly buttered foil.

Cool.

Break into pieces or clusters.

Print Recipe Here

Homemade Mounds Candy Bars

There is that saying..."you always want what you can't have".

I spent several days without an oven and all I wanted to do was bake!

Without an oven I'm left with my microwave and crockpot. 

Here's what I made instead.

This little copy cat version of the Mounds candy bar has been on my list of things to make for awhile.

No baking required for these yummys!

We all thought that they tasted pretty close to the real thing.

I've got a couple of crockpot recipes I'll share with you in the next post!

Let's Get Started:

Homemade Mounds Candy Bars

7 ounces sweetened condensed milk

2 cups powered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (14 ounce) bag flaked coconut

24 ounces dark chocolate chips

Mix the first four ingredients together.  The mixture will be very firm.

Form into desired shape (I formed mine into an oval shape). Place on cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap. 

Refrigerate for about an hour.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave on 10 second intervals in a microwave safe bowl.

Dip coconut bars into melted chocolate.  After covering each bar with chocolate I placed them on the end of a fork and tapped them on the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate.

Place each bar on wax paper and allow chocolate to harden.

I got 25 candy bars out of this mixture.

Print Recipe Here



Creamsicle Rice Krispie Treats

RIP my dear oven.

My old, run down oven has finally baked it's last cake, roasted it last chicken, and broiled it's last piece of garlic bread.

It didn't go easily.  There were sparks and even a small fire.  But, in the end....it just couldn't hang on.

I'm not going to mourn for that dear oven.  You ask why? I'll tell you why. 

Because this girl got a brand spankin' new one!

I live on a military post.  Having said that, you are all probably at least a little familiar with the government budget issues going on now.  It's rare that we get anything new.  I'm not complaining, as long as what I have works.  But, standard practice around here is to fix it...not replace it.

So, I had to go a couple of days without an oven or a stove top.  The very kind maintenance man that visited us offered to rewire it so that I could at least use the burners on the old one.

 I politely declined.

 You see, when the old oven caught on fire I grabbed my purse, laptop, and a few pictures (they were on the way) and hauled booty out the door.  I'm a little embarrassed over the way I freaked out about it now. My husband, who bravely stood in front of the oven the entire time, said the fire was out before I hit the door.

So...I wanted nothing to do with that oven.  Nothing I tell you. I wouldn't even walk in the kitchen for more than 30 seconds.  I made my coffee the next morning in my dining room.

It's all good now!  My new oven is so sparkly and shiny! It's even self cleaning!!  I can't wait to cook in it!

Here's a little recipe for a kicked up version of rice krispie treats...or rice crispy treats...or rice krispy treats.  Not sure why it's spelled so many different ways but whatever you prefer my friends.

Creamsicle Rice Krispie Treats

3 Tablespoons Butter

4 cups miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup yellow cake mix

3-4 drops orange food coloring

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

In a large pan over low heat melt butter and marshmallows.

Remove from heat and stir in cake mix, food coloring, and extract one at a time until well combined.

Spray large bowl with cooking spray; combine cereal and marshmallow mixture.  You may want to spray your spoon and/or hands with cooking spray also. 

Stir until well combined.

Press into a 9 x 18 pan.

Let set for 30-1 hour.  Cut into pieces and store in an air tight container.

As you can see, I added some Halloween colored sprinkles!!

I actually melted the marshmallows in the microwave this time but I prefer melting them on the stove.

You can sub red food coloring and strawberry extract to make Strawberries and Cream Rice Krispie Treats!

Print Recipe Here

Roasted Banana Pudding

This is the first time I have ever roasted a banana.

Honestly, it's the first time I have ever roasted fruit!

It's also the first time I have ever made pudding from scratch.

It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

I loved this pudding and so did my family.

The original recipe calls for three bananas to be sliced and two are to be  mashed.  I did the opposite.  I like the banana flavor more than I like the actual banana pieces in my pudding.

Let's Get Started:

Roasted Banana Pudding

recipe adapted from myrecipes.com

5 ripe unpeeled medium bananas (about 2 pounds)

2 cups half-n-half 

2/3 cup sugar, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided

45-55 vanilla wafers, divided 

 Preheat oven to 350°.

 Place bananas on a jelly-roll pan covered with parchment paper.

 Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

 Remove 2 bananas; cool completely.

 Peel and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Bake the remaining 3 bananas at 350° for an additional 20 minutes.

 Carefully peel and place the 3 bananas in a small bowl, and mash with a fork until smooth.

*The original recipe calls for 3 sliced bananas and 2 mashed bananas.  If you want more banana pieces in your pudding you may want to do this.  

 Combine half-n-half and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer (do not boil).

 Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Slowly add hot half-n-half mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. It's very important that you mix these together very slowly and stir constantly. If the hot mixture is added too quickly it can cook the eggs!  So take it slow and don't stop whisking!

 Return this combined mixture to pan.

Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add mashed bananas, butter, and vanilla, stirring until butter melts.

Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until mixture comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. If you don't have a large enough bowl, fill the bottom of your sink with ice.

Fold half of whipped topping into pudding.

 Spread 1/2 of the custard evenly over the bottom of an 8x 8-inch baking dish. Top evenly with  vanilla wafers and half of the banana slices.

 Spoon remaining custard over banana slices.

Repeat procedure with vanilla wafers, banana slices.

Spread remaining half of whipped topping evenly over top.

Crush several wafers; sprinkle over top of whipped topping.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

The longer it's in the frig---the better it is!

Print Recipe Here

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

For the past year I've been trying to make the "perfect" brownie.  Having said that, I think everyone has their own idea of what the perfect brownie is.

I like fudgy and rich brownies...not the cakey kind.


In my pursuit for the perfect brownie

I've grated chocolate, melted chocolate, used a couple of different cocoa powders, used only room temperature ingredients, I even made brownies in an iron skillet (twice) and so and so forth.

I've also tried several of the "best brownie" recipes that are floating around the internet. They may be some one's best but they weren't mine.

Finally I just started throwing things in a bowl to see what I'd get. At this point I'd made so many brownies (close to 3 dozen), I had a good feel for what I was doing.

After countless attempts

it finally paid off!

I've found my "perfect" brownie!!

Let's Get Started:

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

8 ounces dark chocolate baking bar

I recommend at least 60% cacao

14 Tablespoons of butter

1 cup AP flour

1 1/2 cup white sugar

Give the sugar a few spins in a food processor

4 eggs-slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease 8 x 8 pan for thick brownies or 9 x 13 for thinner brownies

In a medium saucepan melt chocolate and butter over lowest heat.

I put my sugar in a food processor and grind it for about 30 seconds.  It's a trick I learned while making the 3 dozen plus different brownie recipes I've tried!

Once chocolate and butter are melted remove from heat and whisk in sugar until well incorporated.

Stir in flour, mix well.  Stir in beaten eggs, add vanilla.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 35-55 minutes or until inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean.  Baking time will depend on the use of 8 x8 pan for thick brownies or 9 x 13 pan for thin brownies.

Print Recipe Here

White Chocolate-Pomegranate Blondies

I love pomegranates. 

 I love blondies too! 

I was at my local commissary staring at the pomegranates trying to think of something I could make with them.  I usally just open one up and eat the seeds.

And it hit me like a bolt of lighting!!

So I present to you my friends, the perfect combonation of white chocolate and pomegranate flavor in a rich chewy blondie.

Let's Get Started:

White Chocolate-Pomegranate Blondies

1 cup butter-softened

1 1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 white sugar

2 1/4 cup AP flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs-beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 pomegranate-peeled-seeds removed, reserved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease 9 x 13 pan

Cream butter and sugars until combined with a mixer in a large bowl.

In a small bowl bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add flour mixture to butter sugar mixture about a 1/4 of a cup at a time, allowing mixture to combine before adding anymore.

Once flour and sugar mixture is combined stir in beaten eggs and vanilla until combined.  You can use your mixture to combine the eggs.  Beat until just combined.

Stir in white chocolate chips and pomegranate seeds.

Pour into prepared pan and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean and edges are pulling away from the sides.

Let cool completely before cutting.



Print Recipe Here

Granny's Coca-Cola Marshmallow Cake

My late Granny used to make this cake every time we went for a visit.  I love it because it reminds me of her.    

My mother and I found the recipe in a shoebox that my Granny kept most of her recipes in.  It was hand written on a piece of paper that had turned yellow from age.  We were both so excited to make it for ourselves.  And I'm excited to share it with you.

Let's Get Started:

Granny's Coca-Cola Marshmallow Cake

Cake

2 cups of AP Flour

2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

2 sticks unsalted butter

3 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup Coca-Cola

2 eggs-slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease 13 x 9 x 2 pan

Sift flour and sugar into large bowl and add marshmallows.

Heat butter, cocoa, and Coke in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over flour, sugar, and marshmallows.

Stir in beaten eggs and vanilla.

Combine baking soda and buttermilk in a small bowl.  This combination should fizz and expand a little so make sure you allow for this. Let sit for about 20-30 seconds.

Add buttermilk to other ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour into greased pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until inserted toothpick is clean.

Icing

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

6 Tablespoons Coca-Cola

4 Cups powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

In a medium sized saucepan, bring butter, cocoa, and Coke to a slight boil.

Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and pecans if using.

Spread icing over hot cake--really you just pour it over the cake while it's still hot.

Allow the icing to soften so that you can spread it entirely over the cake, if needed. 

Allow cake to cool before cutting. 

Print Recipe Here

S'mores and Turtle Kiss Pies

This is my kicked up version of the kiss pie.  A Hershey's kiss and a little pie crust just wasn't enough to statisfy my sweet tooth.  If a little bit of caramel, pecans, and chocolate sound good to you then we're on the right track.  If marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs, and chocolate are more your style, I've got something for you too!

Let's Get Started:

Turtle Kiss Pies

1 refrigerated pie crust (I rolled mine out to make it a little thinner)

Pecans

Caramel bits

Hershey kisses

3 Tablespoons of melted butter

1 Tablespoon sugar

I didn't give exact measurements because it's going to depend on how much you want to put into each kiss pie and how large you cut your squares or circles from the pie crust.

I placed a Hershey kiss, several caramel bits, and a couple of pinches of pecans on top of the pie crust and then cut a square big enough to be able to pull the sides together.  Using a glass and cutting a circle out will work too. 

Pull the sides together above the kiss to seal everything in.

This step is optional--Melt butter and stir in sugar to combine. Brush the top of each kiss pie with melted sugar butter. 

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes on 400 degrees F .

S'mores Kiss Pies

1 refrigerated pie crust (I rolled mine to make it a little thinnner)

Hershey kisses

marshmallows

graham cracker crumbs

3 Tablespoons of butter

1 Tablespoon of sugar

I didn't give exact measurements because it's going to depend on how much want to put into each pie and how large you cut your squares or circles from the pie crust.

I placed a Hershey kiss, a few marshmallows, and a couple of pinches of graham cracker crumbs on a section of the pie crust and cut squares around it, allowing enough space to fold the edges together.

I added 4 marshmallows to each kiss pie but will add more next time.  Four just didn't seem to be enough.

Bring the edges together above the kiss and seal.

This step is optional--Melt butter and stir in sugar to combine.  Brush the tops of each kiss pie.

Bake for about 15 minutes on 400 degrees F on a greased cookie sheet.



Print Recipe Here

Your Team Football Rice Krispie Treats

You can have rice krispie treats with your favorite team colors with just a little kool-aid!  The possibilities are endless!

These are red and black because we are Arkansas Razorback fans in this house.

Woo Pig Sooie!

Okay....enough cheering for my team, which did great this past weekend by the way. 

A friend gave me this great little tip of using kool-aid to help achieve the desired color and mask the taste of food coloring.

Let's get started:

Your Team Football Rice Krispie Treats

adapted from ricekrispies.com

3 tablespoons of butter

4 cups of miniature marshmallows

6 cups of rice krispies cereal

couple of pinches of desired color/flavor powdered kool-aid (I used strawberry)

food coloring as needed to achieve color (I used red)

Melt butter and marshmallows in a large pan over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat and add kool-aid and food coloring to achieve desired team color. 

Don't use too much kool-aid, the rice krispie treats will have a very strong flavor if you do.

Combine cereal and colored marshmallows in a large bowl and stir to combine. 

Let cool for 20-30 minutes or until it's easily shaped.

Spraying bowl, spoon, and hands with non-stick cooking spray will help to keep everything from sticking to you.

Shape cereal mixture into a football shape.  I rolled my into a ball and spread it out with my hands to make the shape.

Allow rice krispie treats to set. 

I used Wilton's pre-made black icing to make the stripes.  Melted white chocolate with food coloring (and kool-aid if desired) should work great too.  Spoon icing into a pastry bag with tip and apply stripes.  A sandwich bag with a small hole cut out works great too.

Print Recipe Here

S'mores Dip

I served this yummy dessert dip a few days ago at my husbands welcome home BBQ.  He spent the last seven months in Afghanistan.  Everyone loved it!  If you like s'mores, this is a simple way to have them anytime you want.

Let's get started:

S'mores Dip

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

1 cup of small marshmallows

Graham Crackers for dipping 

 

In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and condensed milk on High for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted. Stir to mix well.

 Pour into 9-inch glass pie pan, spreading evenly.

Drop marshmallow creme by tablespoonfuls randomly over chocolate mixture.

 Microwave on High about 30 seconds or until marshmallow creme is softened.

 Immediately with a knife, make several small swirls through marshmallow and chocolate, creating a marbled appearance.

Top with small marshmallows, place in oven and broil until marshmallows start to turn brown.  Keep a close eye on them because they  burn.

Serve immediately with graham sticks for dipping

Print Recipe Here