crispy chocolate log

This is one of my favorite dessert snacks because it's so easy to make and tastes absolutely amazing.

I got this recipe back in high school.  Our Spanish teacher was also the cheerleading coach (and a rather unlikely one at that), so she would sell baked goods to her Spanish classes in order to raise money for the cheerleaders.  As a Spanish student, I gained probably 5 pounds that year, just due to my consumption of these crispy chocolate treats alone.  I managed to track down the parent who donated the goodies and persuade her to give me the recipe.

This is one of those easy-to-make recipes that is perfect to individually wrap and then put in lunch boxes or take on road trips.  I encourage you to serve them chilled...there's just something wonderful about biting into a chewy rice crispy layer before hitting the cool candy bar center.

In order to make these lower fat, try cutting the margarine down by half and cutting down or completely omitting the peanut butter.  It won't turn these into health food, but it will leave you with a much lighter dessert without compromising the flavor.

 

Crispy Chocolate Log

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 bag large marshmallows
• 5 1/2 cups crisped rice cereal
• 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips
• 3/4 cups butterscotch chips

Line a large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray heavily with cooking spray; set aside.

In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine margarine, peanut butter, and marshmallows.  Microwave on high 2-3 minutes until margarine is melted and marshmallows have expanded.  Stir to combine.  Add crisped rice cereal, stirring until thoroughly coated.  Spread evenly into pan.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and butterscotch chips.  Microwave on high 2-3 minutes (stirring at least every minute) until melted; stir.  Spread evenly over top of crisped rice mixture.

Lift up a long end of the parchment paper, and roll dessert like a jelly roll until it forms a log.  Arrange so that the seam is down, and then chill for at least one hour, or until chocolate center is set.  Cut into slices.  Makes 15 servings.

the perfect biscuit

Finding the perfect biscuit recipe is a lot like finding a husband.  There's a lot of good ones out there, but it's hard to find the one.

I found my husband years ago...as of last weekend, I think I've also found the perfect biscuit!


Here's what I love about it:

• It's fast to whip up.  The dough comes together in a matter of minutes!  So many biscuit recipes require complicated sifting or hours of rising...not this one.  When I want breakfast, I want it now, and this recipe lets me have it.
• It takes simple ingredients...stuff I've already got in the pantry.  My favorite feature is that it calls for butter and not shortening.  Butter equals tons of flavor.  Shortening just means bigger hips.
• The biscuits rise beautifully and separate easily.  Time to pull out the jam!

The recipe comes from one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch cookbooks - Country Baking.  They are so good that I have to share!

Dixie's Sky High Biscuits
from Gooseberry Patch's Country Baking

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. cream of tartar
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Add egg and milk, stirring quickly until just mixed.  On lightly floured board, knead briefly.  Roll to about one-inch thickness. Cut the dough with a round biscuit cutter.  Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

triple chocolate cake

What would a dinner party be without dessert?

Well...it wouldn't be a party.  It would just be dinner.

Sad face. :-(

This is one of the best desserts to serve at a dinner party because it is just as easy as it is delicious.  Your guests will think you slaved in the kitchen all day long...don't correct them. :-)

The ingredients - chocolate cake mix, chocolate instant pudding mix, 1 cup of sour cream, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup water, 2 cups chocolate chips, and cocoa.

Most used word in previous sentence = chocolate!

This recipe makes a ton of glaze.  Being the chocoholic that I am, I use every single bit of it.  I fill up the middle of the cake like it's a moat.  In my opinion, that's what the hole in the middle of the cake is for. 

Take it from me...this cake is good.  You should definitely make it.  Soon.

Just a few final thoughts - 1) You should refrigerate leftovers because of the egg substitute in the glaze.  2) Refrigeration is an excellent thing - this cake tastes even better when it's served cold!

Triple Chocolate Cake
18.25 oz. package chocolate cake mix
3.9 oz. package chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
cocoa powder

Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl; beat for a minute until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into a well-greased 12 cup Bundt pan that has been dusted lightly with cocoa.  Bake at 350 for one hour or until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; remove cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Glaze
3 (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares, melted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup softened butter

Combine melted chocolate, sugar, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.  Gradually add egg substitute and beat until mixture cools.  Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until blended.  Spoon glaze over top of cake.