Mug Fudge! Yes, mug fudge for two.

You can smile now. 

Mug Fudge for two:

We've all heard of a mug cake, but what about mug fudge?  Well you have now!  Mug cakes are okay, but just wait till you try this simple fudge recipe!

1. Get a mug. 

2. To the mug add 1 tablespoon milk, 2 tablespoons white sugar and 1 tablespoon real butter(can be cold) and microwave for 20 seconds. Mine looked like this:

Give the mix a good stir and pop it back in the microwave for 20 seconds more. It should look something like this: and yes it will look foamy. 

3. Add 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the mug. And stir, stir, stir until it's smooth.  Add a pinch of salt. 

4. Add 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows to the mug. 

Now stir more, more, more!  The marshmallows will almost completely melt. Sometimes I add a few more if they all melt. I like marshmallow chunks in the fudge. You can also add nuts. Here I added walnuts. 

5. Pour out into a container lined with wax paper. Here I used a small plastic food storage container. Spread the fudge to corners and place in fridge to let it set. 

6. Lick the spoon and scrape the sides of the mug. 

Your welcome!  Enjoy. 

Sometimes I also add a dash of vanilla, but if you do add it when you add the marshmallows. 

Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Hummingbird Bundt Cake - last slice pictured above!
Cake:

• 1 - package yellow or white cake mix
• 1 cup crushed pineappel with the juice
• 1 cup mashed banana 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1/2 cup oil 
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans - toasted or not

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your bundt pan, you could do two layers if you don't have a bundt pan.

On medium speed, mix the cake mix, pinapple, bananas, water, oil, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon for 2 minutes. By hand, stir in the pecans. The batter will be thick. Pour into your bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour unitl golden and it will spring back when you touch it. Remove from oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Invert cake from pan and cool completely before frosting.

 Frosting:

• 1 - 8 ounce package of creame cheese, room temp.
• 1 stick of butter, room temp.
• 3 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 to 1 cup pecans, whole or chopped

Mix the cream cheese and butter on low/med until well blended. Begin adding the powdered sugar gradually until all is added. Add vanilla and mix on med/hi for about a minute. Frost cooled cake and top with whole or chopped pecans.

Baked Cheesecake using just one 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

I searched the web high and low for a recipe for a baked cheesecake that used just one 8 oz. package of cream cheese and no sour cream and there just aren't many to choose from. Most traditional recipes call for a minimum of 3 packages of cream cheese and the one's that do call for just one are usually no-bake or contian sour cream. I combined a couple of recipes and came up with this one. This recipe makes a small cheesecake that is just the right size and is nice and creamy and not too dense.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crust:

1.5 cups of graham cracker crumbs or ritz cracker crumbs

1/2 stick of butter or margarine, melted

Combine crumbs and butter and press into a buttered 8 inch pie plate or a small spring form pan. If you use the spring form pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper first.

You could also use a store bought graham cracker crust.

Cake:

1 - 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese - room temp.

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 cup corn starch

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup half n half or milk

2 eggs - room temp.

dash of salt

In a medium or large bowl beat cream cheese till fluffy. Add lemon juice, vanilla and salt and mix till blended. Add corn starch, sugar and half n half and mix well. Add eggs one at a time until well blended. Pour into crust.

If you are using the spring form pan, wrap the bottom of the pan in foil and place into a baking dish, then add hot water to the baking pan till about half way up the side of the cake pan. If you are using a regular pie pan place a pan of water in the oven with your cake when you bake it and it will less likely crack when baking.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes until golden on top. Your cake should not jiggle when done. Set cake on wire rack and allow to cool for one hour, then cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but best over night.
If you are using the spring form pan refrigerate the cake in the pan. Do not remove from the pan while the cake is still warm.

Gingerbread Bread Pudding

Gingerbread Bread Pudding

Submitted by Christy (my sister)

what you need:

4 gingerbread muffins, broken into chunks

6 slices butter toasted white bread, torn in pieces

3/4 cup raisins

1 apple, peeled, cored and cubed small

4 fresh eggs

3/4 cup white sugar

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a greesed 9x12 baking dish, add muffins, bread, raisins, and apple. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread mixture and allow to soak for 10 minutes. Bake for 45 minutes until golden.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies

What you need for Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
a shake of salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temp., not melted
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips, not semi-sweet
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and sugars in a bowl. Add butter, vanilla, and egg and mix until well blended. Stir in milk chocolate chips and pecans. Drop teaspoon size balls of dough onto greesed cookie sheets. Cook 10 to 15 minutes. This is a small recipe and will make about 32 cookies, depending on size.

Okay, I know the measurments are a little different, but trust me, these cookies are GOOD. They turn out perfect every time I make them. I have tried many different versions of chocolate chip cookie recipes and this one is, hands down, the best. And please use the milk chocolate chips, not the semi-sweet, you will be glad you did! Enjoy ;0)

Coconut Cupcakes

Prepare a white cake mix according to the box directions for cupcakes. Allow to cool before frosting. You could also make a large cake and use the same frosting.

7 minute Frosting from Betty Crocker

(which should not be called 7 minute frosting because it actually takes 9 1/2 minutes! just wanted to point that out ;0)

2 egg whites

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar or 1 tbsp light corn syrup

1/3 cup cold water

1 tsp vanilla

Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and water in top of double boiler. Beat on high speed 30 seconds with electric mixer. Place over boiling water (water should not touch bottom of pan); beat on high speed 7 minutes. Remove pan from boiling water; add vanilla. Beat 2 minutes longer on high speed. Fills and frosts two 8- or 9-inch layers or frosts a 13x9-inch cake.

Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with coconut.

* I also added a small splash of coconut flavoring to the icing along with the vanilla. These were served at a board meeting and were a big hit. They were quick and easy to make and transported very well.

Rein de Saba (Chocolate Almond Cake)

Okay, who hasn’t seen the movie Julie and Julia yet? I watched it last week and was compelled to make this chocolate cake, called a Rein de Saba, or Chocolate with Almonds Cake. Yes, most of the recipes by Julia Child are long and complicated with lots of ingredients and steps, and this one is no exception, although not the worst.
I had to give it a go and I will say that the cake was very tasty. My only problem is that it tasted similar to a brownie and my dad even made the brownie statement. Before I go to the trouble of making this cake again, I will first make a pan of brownies and frost them with the icing recipe. I would even add the pulverized almonds to the batter with a little almond extract. It would probably come pretty close.
This recipe will make a single layer cake that is baked so that the center is slightly underdone, giving the cake a creamy texture

**A note about Julie and Julia: I read the book when it first came out and was very surprised that someone would want to make a movie from it. The book is full of the “F” bomb (which is a BIG snag for me) and Julie Powell isn’t the best writer in the world. I was somewhat reluctant to watch the movie and the only reason I did was because everyone was raving about Meryl Streep’s preformance as Julia Child. The movie was much better than expected, although the “F” bomb is dropped once.

For the Cake:

4 ounces or squares semisweet chocolate , melted
2 Tbsp. rum or coffee (I used coffee)
1/4 pound or 1 stick softened butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar to mix with butter
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar to beat with egg whites
1/3 cup pulverized almonds
1/4 tsp. almond extract (I used vanilla)
*1/2 cup cake flour , scooped and leveled, turned into a sifter
Chocolate-Butter Icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the cake pan. Set the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and place (off heat) in a larger pan of almost simmering water ( a double boiler); let melt while you proceed with the recipe. Measure out the rest of the ingredients. Cream the butter and 2/3 cup of sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture. Beat in the egg yolks until well blended. Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle 1 Tbsp. sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the almonds, and almond extract. Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter. Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one third of the flour and continue folding. Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all egg whites and flour are incorporated. Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in middle level of preheated oven for about 25 ·minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a needle plunged into that area comes out clean; the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and a needle comes out oily. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack. Allow it to cool for an hour or two; it must be thoroughly cold if it is to be iced.

*If you do not have cake flour on hand here is a substitute, and what I used to make my cake. In a one cup measure add two tablespoons corn starch. Fill the remainder of the cup with all purpose flour (I always used unbleached flour). Sift three times. This gives you one cup of cake flour.


Icing:

2 ounces (2 squares) semisweet baking chocolate
2 Tbsp. rum or coffee (I used coffee)
5 to 6 Tbsp. butter

Place the chocolate and rum or coffee in the small pan, cover and set in the larger pan of almost simmering water (a double boiler). Remove pans from heat and let chocolate melt for 5 minutes or so, until perfectly smooth. Lift chocolate pan out of the hot water, and beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time. Then beat over the ice and water until chocolate mixture has cooled to spreading consistency. At once spread it over your cake with spatula or knife. Garnish the icing with slivered or chopped almonds.

*Granny's Peach Pineapple Pie

This is, by far, the best fruit pie you will ever taste. The sweet tangyness of this pie is amazing! I have heard this pie called an Amish pie, but it came to my family through my Granny, Betty Watts. My mother made this pie for our Christmas dinner in the form of a cobbler. Either way, you must try it!

Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium sauce pan heat together:

1 - 16 ounce bag of frozen peaches
1 - 15 ounce can crushed pineapple

To fruit mixture add:

2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix well.

Pour into prepared piecrust and dot mixture with butter. Top with another pie crust and bake at 375 degrees till golden brown and bubbly.
For a pie crust, you can use storebought or make your favorite recipe.
Love ya Granny!

Chunky Zebra Fudge (the grand prize winner at Autumn Fest!)
by mom (Donna)

4 cups sugar
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup butter or margarine (she used butter)
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream
3 cups (18 oz) white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 to 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (melted)

Combine Sugar, milk, and butter in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add marshmallow cream, chocolate chips, and vanilla; stir to blend or until there are no lumps. Pour the mixture into a butterd 13X9X2 inch pan (we also lined our pan with foil, then buttered, for easy removal); dollop melted semisweet chocolate chips on top of mixture and use butter knife to gently swirl for a marble effect. Chill till firm; cut into 1-inch squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Makes 5 about pounds.


Sambo's Tiger Butter Fudge
by me (Aimee)

4 cups sugar
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup butter or margarine (i used butter)
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream
3 cups (18 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter (I used the Reese's brand, creamy) Softened for easy dolloping, lol

Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a heavy saucepan; bring to boil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add marshmallow cream, chocolate chips, and vanilla; stir to blend or unti there are no lumps. Pour half the mixture into a buttered 13X9X2 inch pan (i lined the pan with foil first); dollop with spoonfuls of the peanut butter. Pour remaining mixture over the peanut butter. Gently swirl mixture with a knife to create a marble effect. Chill till firm; cut into 1 inch squares and store in airtight container in fridge.
Makes about 5 pounds.

NOTE: After I swirled my mixture, I couldn't see the peanut butter so I warmed about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter in the microwave, just till smooth, and drizzled it on top of my fudge. I then took a toothpick and ran it back and forth over the peanut butter to create tiger stripes.
ENJOY!!!