Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie

This recipe needed no tweaking, whatsoever. It is as equally delicious as it is simple. And want to hear a secret? I didn't even think I was going to like it. Boy was I WRONG! Amazing!!

½ c. cocoa
¼ cup cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 ½ c. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla


Directions: Bake the pie shell by itself according to package directions until brown. Mix cocoa, cornstarch, beaten egg yolks; sugar, salt and vanilla, then add milk gradually while stirring in a pot over med-high heat. Cook until thick, beating it smooth. Pour into a pre-baked pie shell. Put in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.

*Note: It may take a few minutes for the mixture to thicken in the saucepan. Be patient, it will happen. Also, make sure your pie shell is browned in the oven before putting the chocolate mixture in it to chill. Obviously from my picture, mine cooked have cooked a little longer. OOPS!

Baked Ziti

I am the first to admit that I am an italian food junkie and Baked Ziti has proven itself worthy of being classified as one of the world's best comfort foods. I changed some ingredients to create this fantastic recipe and I hope you enjoy it half as much as I did!

INGREDIENTS:

◾1 pound italian sausage
◾1 pound ground beef
◾2 Tablespoons extra light olive oil
◾2 Tablespoons minced garlic
◾1 large onion, diced
◾1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice
◾2 cans (14.5 Oz) marinara sauce (I like traditional Ragu)
◾2 teaspoons italian seasoning
◾Salt and pepper, to taste
◾1 pound ziti pasta
◾1 tub (15 Oz) ricotta cheese
◾1-1/2 pound grated mozzarella cheese
◾1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
◾1 egg
◾Dried Parsley Flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and brown. Drain off fat.
Add tomatoes, marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper.
Drain the pasta. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and stir until the pasta is coated with melted cheesy goodness . Add the meat sauce and stir together.
Pour the combined mixture into a greased casserole dish. Top with two more cups of mozzarella shredded cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. FANTASTIC!

Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake is not my absolute favorite, but my mom loves it and this is the best recipe I've come up with for this classic chocolate sheet cake. It's very moist for a homemade cake and the frosting is delicious! 

 

CAKE:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 heaping Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
2 sticks butter
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

FROSTING:

1 3/4 sticks butter
5 heaping Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
6 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, optional (it's just as good without if you don't like nuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

Melt butter in a saucepan and add cocoa and cinnamon. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into 13 x 18″ sheet cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make the icing. If using nuts, chop them finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa and cinnamon, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the nuts, stir together, and pour over the cake while it's warm. It's important to make sure to pour the frosting while it's warm so it can blend together for optimal setting. You can let the frosting set or serve it warm. Either is fantastic! Enjoy!!

Taco Pasta

Ingredients:
4 cups of bowtie pasta
1 14.5 oz can of stewed tomatoes-mexican flavored
1/2 cup of Taco Bell Taco Sauce (if you can't find it, use red enchilada sauce)
1 small onion
1 cup of water
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: Brown the ground beef and drain. Dice up the onion and add to the ground beef. Add the stewed tomatoes, water, taco sauce, and taco seasoning. Simmer for 15 minutes.

In a separate pan, boil the pasta until fully cooked. Don't forget to salt the water. When pasta is fully cooked, drain and add to the sauce mixture. Once pasta is combined in the sauce, add the shredded cheese to the top and cover with a lid until melted.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake

Everyone knows about the shortcake cups you get at the grocery store, but NOTHING compares to homemade. This buttery and sweet bread melts in your mouth and makes the perfect fresh dessert! 

Strawberries 

I like to prepare the strawberries first and let them sit in the fridge for about an hour so the flavors can merry together. First, I cut up one pound of strawberries and then add 1/2 cup of sugar and about 4 tablespoons of water. Stir together until the mixture forms a light syrup. Place in the fridge for an hour. 

Shortbread 

Combine 2 and 1/3 cups of Bisquick mix with 2/3 cup milk, 4 tbsp melted butter, and 1/2 cup of sugar and bake in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. I place them in biscuit size circles for individual cakes.  

Whipped Topping

Cool Whip always works but fresh is best with this dessert! Take 1 cup of heavy cream plus 3 tablespoons of sugar and a splash of vanilla and whisk on high until you get a whipped cream consistency. 

Top the shortcake with whipped cream and the strawberries and voila! Perfect Strawberry Shortcake! 

Cheesy Ham and Potatoes

Ingredients 

3 lbs of potatoes, thinly sliced 

1 cup of sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 small package of velveeta

1 cup of milk 

2 cups of chopped ham 

1 small onion 

Salt

Pepper 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dice onions and cook until done in a dutch oven. Add the cream of chicken soup, velveeta, chopped ham, sour cream, and milk until blended. 

While the sauce mixture is cooking, thinly slice the potatoes and place them in a 9X13 glass dish. Make sure you salt and pepper the potatoes before adding a new layer. 

Once sauce is fully combined, pour on top of the potatoes and put in the oven for an hour or until brown and bubbly. 

Serve with salad and bread. Yumo! 

Chicken Spaghetti

This was my favorite recipe growing up with my grandma. She would make Chicken Spaghetti for our entire family and it was DELICIOUS! I tweaked her recipe and came up with this one. I absolutely *LOVE* this comfort food classic!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large rotisserie chicken
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb velveeta cheese, regular or mexican
1 can of regular or mild ROTEL
1 lb spaghetti pasta
1 stick of salted butter
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of chicken broth
1 can of cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

Shred the rotisserie chicken into pieces. Make sure to use every ounce of meat you can, avoiding the bones and skin. Once the meat is shredded, start chopping the onion. Next, cut the velveeta into squares. Throw the Onion, Velveeta, Rotel, Butter, Cream of Chicken Soup, Cream of Mushroom soup, and Chicken Broth into a dutch oven. Stir until combined and let the flavors merry for about 20 minutes while simmering on low. Boil water in a separate pan for the spaghetti pasta. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and combine with the liquid mixture. Serve with salad and garlic bread. YUM!