Metropolis Bars

A rich cookie base, covered with caramel and then a milk-chocolate coating.
Adapted from A Passion for Baking

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Cookie Base
2  1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp corn syrup
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, cut into chunks
2 tbsp whipping cream or whole milk
1 tsp vanilla

Caramel Filling
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 (4-to 6-ounce) milk chocolate bars, such as Cadbury Dairy Milk or Hershey's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11 x 7" pan* with non-stick cooking spray, then place it on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, corn syrup, granulated and brown sugars. Add the butter and pulse to break in the butter until mixture resembles a fine meal. Turn out into a bowl and drizzle over the whipping cream and vanilla. Toss by hand, until you have a slightly damp, sandy mixture. Press gently into the pan. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake 350 degrees, 20 - 25 minutes, or until edges are barely browned. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, prepare the caramel filling. In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar over low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 8 - 10 minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved and is thickened and is about 245 degrees on a candy thermometer. As best as you can, make sure the bottom does not burn. If it does occur, do not stir into the burnt part into the rest of the caramel, and slightly remove the pan from the heat, to allow it to finish cooking. (If it does happen to burn, there is probably only another 1 -2 minutes of cooking time, anyways.)

Pour hot caramel over the warm cookie crust. Gently place the chocolate bars over the caramel. The hot caramel will melt the chocolate. ** Using an offset spatula, evenly spread the chocolate. Refrigerate bars a few hours to allow them to set. Before serving, remove bars from the refrigerator to warm them up a bit before cutting into narrow bars.

*You can use a 9 x 13" pan, but you will have a thinner bar, and you will probably need more milk chocolate for the topping.

**You could chop the chocolate up first, to allow for quicker melting.

Rich Hot Fudge Sauce

I've been going through some of my blog posts that are just in the draft stage and came upon this recipe I started to post back in 2010. I never published the post but I'm not sure why, so I'm publishing it now. It sounds good, as it has both cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate. I've got several ice cream topping recipes on the blog. Check them out by clicking on the labels at the bottom of the post.

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1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1  1/3 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch  salt
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp light corn syrup
2 squares (1-oz each) unsweetened chocolate
3 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tsp rum extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine cream and butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add the sugars and salt, and cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly; about 4 minutes. Stir in the cocoa and corn syrup; cook and stir for 3 minutes.

Add the chocolate and cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 12-16 minutes or until desired thickness is reached, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in the extracts. Cool slightly. Serve warm over ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

Strawberry Fluff

When I first started this blog, I posted a recipe that I got from a friend, but it had no real name. All I could come up with was "Creamy Orange Jello Pudding". Years later, I would find the recipe online, and it was called Orange Fluff. What is nice about this recipe is that you can use any flavor of jello that you like. In the past, I have served this at family gatherings, and it has always gone over well.

I've been making this quite frequently lately, and my favorite flavors so far are, strawberry, lime, and then orange. The lemon flavor is nice, but subtle. The cherry flavor is very tart. I haven't tried any other flavors of jello, but I'm considering trying the grape flavor because I like grape, but I'm curious as to how it would work out.

The recipe is very simple to make, but you do need to plan ahead of time, because it needs a good 8 hours to set up in the fridge before adding the Cool Whip.

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1 (3 oz.) package jello
2 (3.4 oz) packages Vanilla Cook & Serve pudding mixes
2 1/4 cups hot water
Cool Whip (8 to 12 oz) - I use the Cool Whip Lite

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the jello, pudding mixes, and hot water and cook until  it has thickened and become transparent in color, stirring constantly. It will start to boil at this point. Just be sure to continually stir, so it does not scorch. Allow to cool slightly, then cover the pan and chill in the refrigerator overnight, or for about 8 hours. Using an electric mixer, add the Cool Whip and beat until it is fluffy and well combined. I like to "cream" the jello mixture until smooth before adding the Cool Whip just so that it is fully incorporated and there are no flecks of the jello mixture remaining. This keeps for several days stored in the refrigerator.

Notes:
1. You may add fruit to this if you would like. I haven't added anything to the strawberry flavor, but I think sliced strawberries would be nice, or even sliced bananas to your individual servings just before serving it.

2. To the orange flavor of jello, I have added a can of (drained) mandarin oranges.

3. I have also seen recipes online where people have added mini marshmallows. I'm sure that would be good, too.

Pizza Casserole

This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from http://www.kitchme.com/recipes/pizza-casserole. I've made it numerous times, and you can adapt it however you like to suit your tastes. It's very versatile.  Try adding browned Italian sausage, onion, black olives, cheddar cheese, etc. - whatever you would like.  This casserole is very good. Use whatever kind of pasta you want. I usually use Ziti or the corkscrew pasta. I have another version of this dish that I will post, soon.

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2 cups uncooked Ziti pasta (about 1/2 of a 16. oz box)
1 pound ground beef
chopped green pepper
1 cup pepperoni slices - I maybe use 1/2 of a package
1 - 2 (16 oz.) jars pizza sauce
4 tbsp milk
1 cup (at least) shredded Mozzarella cheese (I've used shredded Mozzarella-Provolone)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, brown the hamburger and drain. Add the cooked pasta, green pepper, pepperoni, pizza sauce, and milk. Stir well. Pour into a 9 x 13" baking dish and top with the cheese. Add additional pepperoni slices on top, if you wish. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until cheese has melted and browned.

Notes:
You can sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning on the top of the casserole dish before baking, if desired.

Zesty Meatball Sandwiches

These are extremely good sandwiches. To really simplify this, you can use a jarred marinara sauce in place of the homemade, and/or frozen Italian beef meatballs, in place of the homemade. However, it is worth the extra effort to make these from scratch.

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Sauce
chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 of a (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp oregano leaves
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic in the oil until tender-crisp. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and set the sauce aside.

Meatballs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp water
4 slices white bread, crusts removed and bread cubed
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper

5-6 Italian rolls, or hoagie buns
Sliced Mozzarella or Provolone cheese, optional


In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and water, then toss in the bread cubes. Add the ground beef, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix together and form into 1 1/2" balls. Place meatballs on a parchment paper-lined baking pan with sides. Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Serve the meatballs on the rolls, and spoon the sauce over. If desired, place a thin slice of cheese over the top. Wrap loosely in aluminum foil and bake 350 degrees, for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned.

Note: It is not necessary to bake the sandwiches if you don't want to, but it might be best if you are adding the cheese. Serve with sauce on the side.

Chicken How-So (Similar to Chicken Chow Mein)

I got this recipe from an elderly woman many years ago. It is similar to chow mein. It is very good.


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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
1 can Golden Mushroom soup (if you cannot find, you can use cream of mushroom soup)
1/2 can water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 (8 oz.) can bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 (3-oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 small green pepper, cut into strips

hot, cooked white rice
hard chow mein noodles, optional

Cut chicken into 1 1/2" pieces. In a medium skillet, brown the chicken in the butter until golden brown. Stir in the mushroom soup, water, bouillon, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the bamboo shoots, celery, onion and mushrooms. Simmer, covered, another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in the green pepper and simmer, covered, another 2-3 minutes longer.

Serve over rice and chow mein noodles.

Crispy Cheddar Cheese Potatoes

I used to make this frequently, but haven't made it in years. These are really good, especially with the crispy topping. I have always use crushed corn flakes but you can also use bread crumbs.

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6 cups (5 or 6) potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (these can also be cubed, small)
chopped onions, as much as you would like
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 cups (8-oz. package) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper, optional

Topping
1 cup bread crumbs or crushed cornflakes
1 tsp paprika


1. Crush the cornflakes in a ziplock bag and add the paprika. Set aside.

2. Combine the potatoes, onions, melted butter, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.

3. Grease a 9 x 13" pan and alternate layers of potatoes and cheese, ending up with cheese. Sprinkle on the topping.

4. Bake 350 degrees, covered for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender and cheese is browned.

Lemon Cake

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1 (9 oz.) Jiffy white cake mix 
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups milk
1 large (5.1 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (21 oz.) can Wilderness Lemon Pie Filling
1 (12 oz) carton Cool Whip

Mix and bake cake in a 9 x 13" pan according to package directions. Cool cake. In another bowl, mix together the pudding mix and milk according to package directions. Let stand for 5 minutes and beat in the cream cheese, beating until smooth. Spread mixture over the cake and chill for one hour. Spread pie filling over the cream cheese mixture and then top with the Cool Whip. Serve and store in the refrigerator. 

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

I've never made this, but I did have it somewhere, only I don't remember where. I remember it being very good.

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Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

1st Layer
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 (8 oz) cartons Cool Whip, divided

2nd Layer
2 (3 oz.) packages strawberry jello mix
2 cups boiling water
2 packages frozen strawberries, about 16-20 oz, total


To make the crust:
Mix together the pretzels, sugar and butter in a bowl and press into a lightly greased 9 x 13" pan. Bake 375 degrees for about 7 minutes. Cool.

To make the 1st layer:
Cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the Cool Whip and spread over the crust.

To make the 3rd layer:
Dissolve the jello in the boiling water and then stir in the frozen strawberries, stirring until jello mixture has thickened. Pour over the cream cheese mixture. Chill several hours, until set. Spread second carton Cool Whip on top and serve. Store in the refrigerator.

Lemon Lime Jello Poke Cake

In searching for a different recipe online, I came upon this website that had a cake recipe that I used to make for my kids' birthdays, when they were little. Because most of them happened to have birthdays in the summertime, I wanted something that was light and refreshing. This certainly fit the bill, and it was easy to make, and delicious, too.

Since it is always nice to have a photograph of the finished product of any recipe I post (and since I don't have one of my own yet), I decided to post a link to the recipe blog where I found this recipe. I'll have to find my own recipe, then compare the two. There are some slight differences, but I'll come back and post them if they are significant. One difference I will mention is that I used an 8-oz container of Cool Whip in place of the Dream Whip. See note below.

The recipe can be found here at Cleverly Simple: Lemon Lime Jello Poke Cake. 

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1 box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix - Baked according to package directions in a 9 x 13" pan
1 (3-oz) package lime jello
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water

Frosting
1 small box (3 oz) lemon instant pudding mix
1 envelope Dream Whip
1 1/2 cups cold milk

1. As stated, bake the cake mix according to package directions in a 9 x 13" pan. Cool cake for 20 - 25 minutes.

2. While the cake is cooling, prepare the jello as follows: Combine the jello mix with  the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the cold water and stir. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Using the tines of a fork, poke holes all over the cake and pour cooled jello over the top. Refrigerate the cake until it has chilled.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating the lemon pudding and Dream Whip mixes together with the cold milk. Spread over the top of the cake and refrigerate. Store cake in the refrigerator.


Note: If you prefer, or have trouble finding the Dream Whip (which can be found in the baking aisle in your grocery store along with the cake mixes and canned frosting), you may use an 8-oz container of Cool Whip. Just prepare the pudding mix by mixing with the 1 1/2 cups cold milk (since you want a stiffer pudding, you use less milk than called for in the directions on the box). Let set. Fold in the Cool Whip and spread over the cake.

Strawberry Angel Food Cake Dessert

I got this recipe YEARS ago from a friend. I made it several times way back then, but haven't made it since. I had forgotten about this recipe, but in going through my recipe file, I came upon it again and decided to share it here. It is a nice and light dessert, perfect for spring or summer - especially when strawberries are in season. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Note: See link at the bottom for a similar recipe I found using strawberry jello mix, if you are unable to find the Danish Junket.

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1 full-sized angel food cake, purchased from a bakery, or prepare one, using a boxed cake mix
2 (4 3/4-oz.) packages Danish Junket dessert mix, strawberry flavor 
    (You should be able to find this at your grocery store in the baking aisle, along with the jello and           pudding mixes)
3 1/2 cups water
2 (10-oz.) packages frozen strawberries, partially thawed
1 (8-oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
fresh strawberries, sliced, for garnish (optional)

1. Tear or cut angel food cake into pieces and place in a glass 9 x 13" pan (preferably one with a cover).

2. Mix 2 packages Danish Junket mix with 3 1/2 cups water, and cook according to package directions.

3. Stir in the partially thawed strawberries and allow to sit so the strawberries will finish thawing.

4. Pour strawberry mixture over the cake pieces in the pan. Chill until set.

5. Refrigerate until ready to serve and top with the Cool Whip. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired. Store this dessert in the refrigerator.


Note: I found a similar recipe online that uses Jello mix, if you are unable to find the Danish Junket mix. It is here at Cleverly Simple: Strawberry Angel Food Cake.

Egg Brunch Bake

This is another very old recipe that I got from a friend. It is a good way to use up bread and eggs that need to be used up quickly.

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1 loaf sliced bread, white or wheat bread
butter, softened
12-15 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dry mustard
chopped ham
1 (8 oz.) package shredded cheddar cheese, may use more if desired


1. Remove the crusts from the bread and butter both sides. Place one layer of bread slices in a greased 9 x 13" pan. Beat eggs and milk together, and add salt, pepper, and dry mustard, set aside.

2. Sprinkle ham and cheese over the bread in pan. Place another layer of bread on top of the ham and cheese. Pour egg mixture over all.

3. Cover pan with foil and chill overnight in the refrigerator, or at least 8 hours. Bake, uncovered, in a 275 degree for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until bread is puffy and golden brown. Increase the oven temperature, if it is not browning up. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

M & Ms Bars

I got this recipe many years ago from a friend. These are very good.

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1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain M & Ms

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Beat in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix just until combined. Spread in a greased and floured 9 x 13" pan and sprinkle on the M & Ms, then bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. 

Chocolate Peanut Buddy Bars

I got this recipe years ago from the back of a package of milk chocolate chips. They are surprisingly very good, though I haven't made them in many years. They are a soft bar, and if I remember right, remind me of a toffee bar, as there is no leavening in them. You can find the recipe online at VeryBestBaking.

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FOR THE BARS
Cream:
1 cup peanut butter
6 tbsp (3/4 of a stick) butter, softened

Add:
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add:
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt

Stir in:
1 cup milk chocolate chips

FOR THE TOPPING
1 cup milk chocolate chips


Spread dough in an ungreased 9 x 13" pan. Bake 350 degrees 25-30 minutes or until edges are browned. Sprinkle on the 1 cup of chocolate chips as soon as they are removed from the oven. Let stand for 2 minutes, and spread when melted. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Indoor S'Mores (Golden Grahams Cereal Recipe)

Have you ever made these quick and easy treats? They are very good. Try them, if you haven't before, or make them again if it's been a while. You can find the recipe online here.

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8 cups Golden Grahams cereal
5 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup light corn syrup
5 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup additional mini marshmallows, if desired

1. In a large bowl, measure the cereal. Butter a 9 x 13" pan. In another large bowl, microwave 5 cups of mini marshmallows, the chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter uncovered about 2-3 minutes, or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.

2. Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal and toss until completely covered. Stir in 1 cup marshmallows, if desired.

3. Press into the prepared pan using the back of a buttered spoon. Let stand for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars. These may be refrigerated if you prefer a firmer bar. 

Cherry Pastry

I got this recipe years ago from a lady at work. I haven't made it in many years, but I noted the recipe card that this is very good. It is a very simple dessert that you can even serve as a breakfast cake. You can also make this with an apple or blueberry pie filling. For that matter, you could even use lemon pie filling.

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1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 can cherry pie filling, or any desired flavor

Glaze
4 tbsp butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp milk or water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together until smooth.


Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well mixed. Add the flour and baking powder, and beat just until combined. Spread half of the batter in a greased 9 x 13" pan. Spoon pie filling over on top. Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls and spread gently. You do not have to completely cover the pie filling. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Drizzle with glaze while warm (you may not need to use all of the glaze).

Country Apple Coffee Cake

This recipe can be found on the Pillsbury.com website. It is very easy to make, and very tasty. You can use blueberries in place of the apples, if you wish.

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Coffee Cake
2 tbsp butter, softened, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled apples, divided
1 (10-oz) can refrigerated flaky biscuits
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

To Make the Coffee Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using 1 tbsp of the butter, and grease a 9" round cake pan or 8" square baking pan. Spread with 1 cup of the chopped apples in bottom of the pan. Separate the biscuits and cut each into quarters. Arrange the biscuit pieces points up over the apples. Top with the remaining chopped apples.

2. In another bowl, combine the remaining 1 tbsp butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, corn syrup, and egg. Using an electric mixer, beat for 2-3 minutes or until the sugar is partially dissolved. Stir in the pecans and spoon over the apples and biscuit pieces.

3. Bake 350 degrees for 25-45 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes.

To Make the Glaze
Blend all of the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over the warm coffee cake.

Serve the cake warm or cooled. Store the remaining coffee cake in the refrigerator. 

White Chocolate Lemon-Lime Bread

This recipe was found on the Lil' Luna cooking blog.

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1 box Lemon cake mix
2 small boxes instant White Chocolate pudding mixes
4 eggs
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
zest of 1 lemon

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lime
add additional fresh lime juice, if needed

Mix the glaze ingredients together while cakes are baking. Add the additional lime juice if the glaze is too thick.


Mix together the cake mix, pudding mixes, oil, and eggs and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix in by hand, until well combined. Pour into 1-2 greased 9 x 5" loaf pans. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until cake tests done by inserting a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan(s) for 10 minutes, then remove to cool on a wire rack. Poke holes in the top of the cake and drizzle with glaze.
Cool thoroughly. 

Banana Bread

I got this recipe a few years ago from a friend at work. It is very good.

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1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
3 large or 4 small bananas, well mashed
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and eggs and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the mashed bananas and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add to the creamed mixture and beat until well combined. Pour into a greased 9 x 5" loaf pan and bake 300 degrees for 1 hour plus 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Velvety Chocolate Sauce

An old recipe that I came across, and I thought I'd share it with you.

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1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

3 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup evaporated milk

In a saucepan, combine the corn syrup, sugar, and water and cook to the softball stage (236 degrees). Remove from heat and add the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Add the vanilla and lix well. Slowly add the evaporated milk, and mix thoroughly. Let cool. Store in the refrigerator. 

Makes 3 1/2 cups