Yummy Chocolate Cake (Dairy and Egg Free)

My youngest has food allergies and when it comes time for birthdays I feel so bad for her. Well I did until we found this recipe which I have had for awhile but got it just right enough to share.  All the girls have approved as well as the hubs.

3 Cups flour ( I use 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour)

1 1/2 Cups brown sugar

1 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons salt

2 Cups water

1/4 cup oil

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients then add the wet and mix until smooth.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes in a Large Muffin  or 18 for a small muffin pan if making cupcakes and if you are making a cake be sure to check it around 20 minutes.  The key is to not over bake them otherwise they are too dry and these should be very moist. 

I received this recipe from a friend and tweaked it just a little and now my little one can enjoy cake too.  

For dairy free frosting: I use a couple of Tablespoons of Smart Balance Light ( the light doesn't have whey but the other one does ) and powdered sugar.  I don't measure but it was probably like a 1/2 of cup or so of sugar.

I Think I Am In Love

I was just smitten but now I am in love:
I hate cooking rice on the stove top - it never comes out right.  Not done or too done, even with a heat deflector.  So I bought this and rice is perfect - every time.  I was smitten when I did white rice but I fell in love when I cooked brown rice.  So easy, and easy to clean with no spill over or mess on the counter.  Fantastic find. Want to check it out, go here.

Tuesday Treats

Maybe one day I will have the time to do this blog the way I want but for now I will just post when I can and call it a work in progress!  I haven't really been cooking or baking as much as I want to. :(  Just been putting some meals together last minute. That is what happens when you have three young daughters and home school, I guess.  I think that I might actually be the work in progress these days.

Life is crazy! For instance I put on a pot of beans walked over to my computer and forgot about them and voila - burnt beans. Lovely!  

For now just a little treat. If you are ever in the neighborhood of Santa Ysabel, California (just a hop skip and a jump away from Ramona) make sure you stop into one of my favorite bakeries.

or just click on the picture and head on over there now from your current seat and order some yummy bread or their most wonderful Fruit Bars.  I am going to as soon as I am done posting this. TTFN

French Cherry Cream Pie

This is one of my favorites.  My mom would make it for me every year at Christmas when I was little.  You can use a regular pie crust of graham cracker crust if you prefer.  This year I tried it with a sugar cookie crust and it was awesome.

1 recipe cookie pie crust (below)

1 PKG. Cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tea. vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped)
1 can cherry pie filling

 
 Add sugar and vanilla to Creamed cheese and beat until smooth and fluffy. Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream carefully. spread over bottom of baked and cooled pie shell. cover with canned cherry pie filling and chill thoroughly.

Cookie Pie Crust:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/42 cup sugar

2 egg yolk

2 flour

Combine sugar with butter and egg yolk.  Using a pastry blender, gradually mix in flour until crumbs form. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9 inch pie plate.   Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until edge is browned.  Cool and fill.

Pumpkin Junk

I got this from a friend a long time ago and it has become a family favorite  Thanksgiving dessert. It is very simple and oh so yummy served warm with whipped cream.

1 15 oz. can canned pumpkin

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 package yellow cake mix

chopped pecans (optional)

3/4 - 1 Cup butter melted

In large bowl combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice.   Transfer to greased 13x9x2 inch pan.  Sprinkle with dry cake mix and drizzle with butter.  Top with pecans.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Top with Ice Cream or Whipped Cream

I'm Back

Sorry for the absence.  We have had a crazy couple of months but I'm back and hope to post recipes like crazy. It is the best time of year for cooking and baking, trying new yummy things and loving those old holiday favorites.  Enjoy

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is by far the best Chocolate Chip cookie recipe I have found as of yet and I have looked far and wide. If you like big,moist, yummy cookies you will LOVE this recipe!

2 Cups All Purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup unsalted butter, melted
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or use nonstick cookie sheets.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt: set aside. Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in vanilla, egg and yolk until light and creamy. Mix in sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand with wooden spoon. Drop dough 1/4 cup at a time on sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in oven or until edges are lightly toasted. Cool on sheets a few minutes then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

I wish I could take credit for the recipe but I think I found it on Taste of Home and actually followed the recipe for once, only because my cousin made it the first time. Regardless it is a keeper.