S'Mores Cookie Ball Pops

A recipe from Philadelphia Cream Cheese....I think my little marshmallow fans will like these....


S'Mores Cookie Ball Pops
18 graham crackers, divided
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
16 Large Marshmallows
6 squares, Baker's Semi-sweet chocolate
6 squares, Baker's White Chocolate

CHOP 6 grahams coarsely; set aside. Finely crush remaining grahams; mix with cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Use 2 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture to evenly coat each marshmallow. (Coating will be thin.)

MICROWAVE semi-sweet and white chocolate squares in same microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolates are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 sec.

DIP 1 lollipop stick about 1/2-inch deep in chocolate; insert chocolate-covered end into center of 1 coated marshmallow. Repeat with remaining marshmallows. Dip 1 marshmallow in remaining melted chocolate; shake gently to allow excess chocolate to drip back into bowl. Dip marshmallow in chopped grahams, turning to coat bottom and part-way of side of each. Place in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Repeat with remaining marshmallows.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.

Turkey Rolls.....Gobble Gobble

I saw these on the "Food Nanny" and I thought they were cute....and easy.  She had her own dough recipe but of course I used "Cool Rise Roll Dough".

Roll the dough out and cut as if you were making crescent rolls but don't roll them up.
Spray your muffin tins....including the top surface so they will not stick.
Then slightly stretch the dough as you lay it in the muffin tin....pull the point up onto the flat part of the tin to form the head.  They fan out the tail onto the flat part of the tin and then with some scissors cut the tail feathers.  I also took my ice pick and poked a hole clear through the head to make some eyes.  I sprayed them lightly with cooking spray because this will help keep the designs in the dough.  Let rise and bake...at 375 for about 15 minutes.

Aren't these just the cutest little turkeys??!!














Look at the beak on this one.....

Here they are ready for the oven......  

                                                        Just out of the oven.......

HaPpY   ThAnkSgiVinG!!!

Amish White Bread

Amish White Bread

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups bread flour
• In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
• Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This is a foolproof recipe provided you just follow the steps, watch your measurements of flour, have good yeast, and keep the temp at least 65 degrees. For those who have had failures try weighing out your flour instead of measuring. NOTES FOR KITHEN AID MIXER USERS: Proof your yeast in the mixing bowl then add the oil/salt, the add the flour approx. 1 cup at a time with the dough hook on low speed. Once all the dry ingredients are in come up to medium speed for 5 minutes. Then take the dough out, fold it over on itself to redistribute the yeast, make a ball, and place it back in the same bowl after you drizzle a tablespoon of oil (veggie or olive) and turn the dough to coat evenly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel. There are a number of tricks if you think your kitchen is too cool. Turn your over on for 20 seconds and then right off. Put the dough in to rise. I set mine about 4 feet from the woodstove and turn it once. However, get it over 115 degrees and you'll kill the yeast. Just kneading it in the KA will increase the temp of the dough. And by the way, I have cut the sugar down to 2 tablespoons and it is a classic farmhouse white bread. 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/amish-white-bread/detail.aspx

Thanksgiving NUT Pies from Marcia.....

Here are a couple recipes that Marcia sent to me.  A couple of her families favorites for Thanksgiving.


This is one Marcia got from Dear Abby. 
PECAN PIE
9 in pie crust (unbaked)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 teas. salt
1 teas. vanilla
Mix well, pour into crust, sprinkle with 1 heaping cup of pecans
Bake 350   45-50 mins. 

Marcia found this one in the paper. 
FRUITS OF THE FOREST PIE
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 Table. melted butter
1/4 teas. salt
1 teas. vanilla
Mix well, pour into 9 in pie crust (unbaked), sprinkle with:
1/3 cup macadamia nuts
1/3 cup hazel nuts
1/3 cup almonds
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup pecans
Bake 350   45-50 mins. 

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

I think these will be perfect for Thanksgiving.....

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
5 lbs. baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 c. chicken broth 
1/4 c. butter or margarine, cut into chunks
1 c. sour cream or plain yogurt
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 c. milk, warmed
In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, place potatoes, chicken broth and butter.
Cover; cook on High heat setting about 4 hours or until potatoes are tender.
Add remaining ingredients except milk. Mash, crush or smash potatoes using potato masher, or beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Do not overmix. Stir in enough milk for desired creamy consistency. Cover and keep warm on Low or Warm heat setting until serving time, up to 2 hours. Stir before serving.

Orange Walnut Bread Pudding

Comfort food never tasted so good!  This is a Rhodes Bake N Serv recipe....thought it sounded good.  I think you could use 6 slices of bread if you don't have rolls..

Orange Walnut Bread Pudding

6 Rhodes™ Texas Rolls or 6 Rhodes™ Warm n’ Serve Soft Dinner Rolls, baked as directed
2 ¼ cups half and half, divided
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
zest of one orange
¼ cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Combine 2 cups half and half, eggs and egg yolks, sugar, walnuts and orange zest. Cut baked rolls into ½ to 1 inch pieces and gently fold into mixture. Pour into 8x8 inch sprayed pan. Bake at 350º 45-50 minutes or until knife comes out clean and top is a deep golden brown. Cool 30 minutes.

Make a glaze sauce combining powdered sugar, orange juice, butter and ¼ cup half and half in a small sauce pan. Warm through until butter is melted. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve warm over bread pudding.

Coconut Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

Coconut Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

1 box of Carrot Cake Mix -  I prefer Betty Crocker
12 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese (divided)
1/4 c. margarine (plus  2 T.)
1 egg
1/2 t. coconut extract (divided)
1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 cup(s) of white chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together the 1/4 c. margarine with 8 oz. of Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  With a mixer, blend in the egg and 1/4 tsp. of coconut extract until smooth.  Add cake mix slowly, blending well (it will be a very heavy batter).  Fold in oatmeal until well mixed.  Using a small cookie scoop, place scoops of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Half-way through, pull cookies out and gently flatten the tops with a spatula and then return to oven.  Cool cookies completely on cooling rack.

To make frosting, cream remaining 4oz. of Philadelphia Cream Cheese with remaining 2T. of margarine and 1/4 t.. of coconut extract. Add powdered sugar.
To put cookie together, turn one cookie bottom up, spoon or pipe a little frosting on it and press another cookie on top.
Melt white chocolate and drizzle over the top. Refrigerate until frosting and chocolate harden and ENJOY!!!!!!!

Pumpkin Bread with Maple Cream Cheese

Filling:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1 T. milk

1 t. maple extract or 1 T. maple syrup

Bread:

3 c. sugar

1 3/4 c. pumpkin puree or 15 oz. can solid packed pumpkin

1 c. oil

1 c. water

4 eggs

4 c. flour

4 t.  pumpkin pie spice

2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. cloves

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

1 c. raisins or craisins

Beat together:  cream cheese, sugar, egg & milk until creamy.  Stir in maple flavoring and set aside.

Stir together the dry ingredients and spices.  Place in mixing bowl and beat well:  sugar pumpkin, oil, water & eggs.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to this mixture.  Stir in the nuts.

Spray 3 - 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.  Pour half the batter into these 3 pans.  

Spoon the filling mixture over the batter and spread it out carefully.

Pour over the rest of the batter, making sure to completely cover the filling.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until done.  Cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pans to cooling rack.  Best stored in the refrigerator.  

http://www.justapinch.com/recipe/dana-ramsey/pumpkin-bread-with-maple-cream-cheese-filling/other-bread?page=2#comments 

Crockpot Caramel Apples

This crockpot method is a fool proof way for caramel apples.
Crockpot Caramel Apples
1 -2 bags caramel candies -unwrapped (This time of year in the produce section, there should be bags of soft caramel 2 complete with popsicle stick handles.)
TBSP water
apples (one bag of caramel makes 4 large apples)
nuts/sprinkles
Use a 2 qt or larger crock pot

Add the caramels and 2 tablespoons of water to the crockpot.
Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours, checking every 20 minutes or so. The caramel is ready when it is shiny and can be stirred easily.
Put the popsicle sticks into the apples by the stems. Use a spoon to ladle the caramel over the apple, and swirl to completely cover the whole thing. Dip into chopped nuts or sprinkles if desired.
Let cool on parchment paper or Release foil.

Twix Caramel Popcorn

a post from Alisha Youngberg....she finds the best recipes......

Twix Caramel Popcorn

5 quarts plain air popped popcorn

1 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 "fun size" Twix candy bars, chopped
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted-to drizzle over popcorn

Preheat oven to 250.   Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.

 In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. Pour caramel in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat. Gently stir until all of the popcorn is covered.

Place popcorn on two large shallow baking sheets and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for about an hour. Remove popcorn from oven and let cool completely. Break popcorn into pieces and mix in chopped Twix candy bars. Drizzle popcorn with melted chocolate. Let the popcorn sit until chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Over the Top Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies

I think Steve is gonna love these.....


Over the Top Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
32 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, each cut into 4 pieces
Mix the ingredients down to the vanilla.  Add soda, salt, and flour.  Fold in chocolate chips.
Using and ice cream scoop, scoop dough (these are big cookies).  Place 6 scoops of dough on ungreased cookie sheet.  Use your hand and slightly flatten each scoop of dough.   Bake for 12 minutes at 350.
Remove cookies from oven and lightly press 8 cut up pieces of the Reese’s peanut butter cups over the top of each cookie.  Return to oven for 2 more minutes.  Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes before placing on cooling rack.  I think these cookies are best eaten warm.  Makes 18 cookies.

Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Cake

I think this may be a new holiday favorite...however, I did make some big changes from the original recipe.  But I am so glad I did.....it was a hit and disappeared quickly.  So here is how I made it....

Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. milk 
3.4 ounce box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1/2 c. sour cream
15 oz. can pumpkin
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. each of nutmeg, ginger and cloves
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 c. cream cheese frosting, thinned with milk for a glaze  (I used my pumpkin roll filling) 
Preheat oven to 350  and spray a jelly roll pan with non stick cooking spray.
Place in mixer bowl: cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream, pumpkin and spices, beating until well combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Place butter into a microwave safe bowl and melt, about 30-40 seconds. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to bowl, mixing until combined. Drizzle mixture evenly over cake then take a knife and run it through to swirl into the top.  Make sure to just swirl it in the top part of the batter, if you swirl it clear through to the bottom it will stick to the pan when baked.  Bake cake for 25 minutes. Drizzle with glaze while still warm.  Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Refrigerate if not serving same day.   

Mint Water...

I came across a great tip in my online reading:  mint water! To make it, add a couple sprigs of fresh mint to a container of water and let it sit at room temperature overnight. Simple and delicious!

I grow mint in a pot because it spreads so quickly that when planted in the ground it can become a pest. Growing it in a pot contains it and gives you fresh mint whenever you want it.

I had tried making fresh mint tea before, but it always came out strong and bitter. So I was delighted to come across the suggestion to just let it sit in water for several hours at room temperature. It keeps the flavor soft and delicate. I actually prefer drinking it at room temperature as well, but it would also be good chilled.

Adding a little flavor to water can make it easier to drink more. 

Mostly I like it because it is so refreshing. Try it!

Here are a few other ideas for Mint Water that I ran across......

Mint tea- use only the leaves – the stems are bitter.
 I am a herb grower and a lover of herbs. I like to rinse my mouth out with mint water. Makes a wonderful mouthwash, too!!!


Mint-Water has lot of health benefits as it contains lot of nutrients, it contains vitamins and minerals and it can build your immune health.
I make 1 gallon of mint water at a time. I use it as a final rinse in my hair after conditioning. I don’t rinse it out. I also put some in a spritz bottle and use it on dry hair, or as a refreshing pick-me-up on my face and arms (be sure to close your eyes!).


plant some chocolate mint or lemon mint too


here's a good website with more information....    
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=102

• All you do is pick a handful of mint, pull off the leaves, and rinse them.
• Roll the leaves around between your palms to bruise them.
• Place the leaves in the bottom of a pitcher.
• Then, fill the pitcher with spring water.
• Cover and refrigerate the mint water for several hours.

Cucumber Water Recipe

In order for the cucumber to fully release its juice, you need to prepare it the day before your event.

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, sliced and unpeeled + 6-7 cucumber slices for decoration
• 1 1/2 to 2 liters of water
• 3 mint sprigs + 2 mint sprigs for decoration
• Half a lemon, sliced and unpeeled
• Ice cubes

In a pitcher, mix the water, cucumber, 3 mint sprigs and lemon. Let it rest on the fridge for 24 hours. If you prepare the water at the last minute, cut the first cucumber in three or four pieces. Then, squeeze the cucumber pieces to release all the juice.

Before serving remove the cucumber slices used to flavor the water. Then stir with a wooden spoon, add some ice cubes,  6 or 7 fresh cucumber slices and the remaining 2 mint sprigs. Enjoy this refreshing drink.

An actual mint water recipe....

2 cups fresh mint leaves (I like to use spearmint. I find peppermint to be a little too strong.)
1 gallon water
ice

Bruise the mint leaves with the back of a spoon.

Put the mint in a gallon of fresh, cool water and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Serve it strained, over ice.

This will keep in the refrigerator for about one week.

Creamy Potato Soup

We received lots of great soup recipes from our readers, but a few stood out above the rest when we held our soup competition last week. Here’s the recipe that got the second most votes.

Recently we held our first official Corporate Soup Day to assemble a delicious collection of soups and a large body of people to vote on the best flavors. Next week the grand prize winner—which will receive a $100 gift certificate to Deseret Book—will be announced, so stay tuned!

Our first runner up was Creamy Potato Soup, from Debbie Judd of Evanston, Wyoming.

Photo from Thinkstock.

Creamy Potato Soup

10 medium potatoes, cubed
14 slices of bacon, sliced into 1/2" to 3/4" slices
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1 8-oz. package cream cheese ( at room temperature & sliced)
1 cup unsalted butter
4 cups 1% milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup flour
salt and pepper
3 cups potato water (from boiling potatoes)
Place cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water. Add salt for flavoring and bring to a boil. Cook until tender and remove the 3 cups of potato water to a separate bowl. Drain remaining water off potatoes.
While potatoes are boiling, cook bacon until golden brown. Reserve some of the drippings, add the onions, and cook until transparent.
In large saucepan, melt butter, and with a whisk stir in 1 cup of flour slowly to incorporate. Slowly add 2 cups milk into the roux mixture, making sure to stir constantly to avoid lumps. Slowly add sliced cream cheese to mixture, stirring until well blended. Add 1 cup milk, along with 1/2 cup sour cream, and incorporate into mixture. Slowly add up to 3 cups of reserved potato water. Sauce should be the consistency of a medium-thick gravy. Salt and pepper sauce to desired taste.

Mix together bacon, potatoes, onions, and cream sauce to serve. If there are leftovers, add extra water or milk when re-heating to achieve desired consistency. Makes approximately 14 servings.

Oreo Truffles

These are really good....if you want some hints or flavor variations look at this link (some are listed below):
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/easy-oreo-truffles/detail.aspx


Oreo Truffles
1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.


use all different flavors of sandwich cookies...from Nutter Butter to Coffee & Cream Oreos. Each is delicious. My favorite batch is: add crushed BUTTERFINGER to the Peanutbutter Oreo cookie mixture. I use about 2-3 regular sized candy bars to 1 pkg Oreos. There are so many options with this recipe...


HINT:  crush cookies in the processor AND then add the cream cheese via the same way. You'll know it's well blended when the whole cookie mixture turns into a big blob...it won't be crumbly at all. I also chilled the dough for about 15 min before rolling. I then chilled the balls (in the freezer) for about 10 min while I melted the chocolate. I dipped 1/2 the batch at at time & then melted the remaining 1/2 of chocolate for the 2nd tray of balls. YUMMY.


refrigerate the scooped balls for 1 hour before dippings, and dip half of them in milk chocolate and half in white chocolate, then drizzling the opposite flavor over the top. (a slotted spoon works really well for both dipping and drizzling) An A+ recipe for sure!


a "double boiler" works best to melt the chocolate 

Beef Stew

from Sherri Walton......she says this is her family's favorite

Beef Stew

Place in large crock pot:

diced potatoes & onions

Meat (either browned hamburger or leftover roast)

Cover with water and add some beef bouillon cubes.  Cook 6 to 8 hours on low.  At serving time make about a qt. of beef gravy and stir it into the crock pot mixture.  Serve.

Soups......2 of my favorites

Here are 2 of my favorite soups....       (these are both in the Atkinson Cookbook)

Cheese Soup

Melt 2 cubes of butter in a large soup pot.  

Stir in: 1 c. flour

Add: 3 qts. boiling water 

4 chicken bouillon cubes.

Add vegetables and simmer until tender:

3 carrots, grated or diced

4 potatoes, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

pkg. frozen peas or broccoli

Stir in: 16 oz. of cheese sauce or Cheez Whiz.  

Heat through and serve. 

I found this one in a cooking magazine years ago and I make it often.  Fast & easy & comforting when someone doesn't feel good.  

Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup

Place 2 qts. water and 8 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 qts. chicken broth from cooking the chicken)  In a large saucepan.  Bring to boil and add 6 c. uncooked wide egg noodles.  Cook until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.  

Add:  2 cans cream of chicken soup

3 c. cooked cubed chicken

Continue to cook to heat through.  Just before serving add 1 c. sour cream and 2 T. dried parsley flakes.  Remove from heat and serve.  

Chowders .... Clam, Cheese, Corn

I got this recipe from a Relief Society sister in our branch at Ennis, Montana in 1984.  Enjoy!  Love, Joyce Heavrin

I think this is a great way to make 3 different chowders from one basic recipe. Can't wait to try it....

 

CLAM CHOWDER

Step 1: 

        1 cup diced potatoes

        1/2 cup diced celery

        1/2 cup diced onion

        Put the above ingredients in a saucepan.

        Pour claim juice over and then add enough

        water to cover.  Cook until tender.

 

Step 2: 

        Melt 1 cube margarine in large saucepan  

      Add 3/4 cup flour and cook, but do not brown.

 

Step 3:

        Add 1 quart half & half      

        Cook until thickens

 

Step 4:

        Add 2 cans chopped claims, potatoes, celery,

        & onions, with liquid.  Season to taste (1 T.

        sugar, 1 tsp salt, dash pepper.)        

       Heat and serve, - never boil.

*****************************************************************

CHEESE CHOWDER
    Do steps 2 & 3
   Add 1 cup grated cheese 

    1 1/2 tsp Chicken bouillion

    1 T. sugar

    1 tsp salt, dash pepper

    1 pkg frozen peas & carrots cooked

    (you can add potatoes if desired)

    Simmer until cheese melts & flavors blend.

 

*****************************************************************

CORN CHOWDER

    Do steps 2 & 3

    Add 2 cup cooked corn

    3 T. bacon bits

    1 T. sugar

    1 tsp salt, dash pepper

    You can add potatoes, celery, & onion

    or just have the corn.

Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

Amy Williams from RWOP says, "My indulgent dessert is Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake".
I especially like that Amy has made her ganache in the microwave...I've thought about trying that but worried that it wouldn't work....but I'm gonna give it a try now.

Mini Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake
Cake
1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/8 cup grated orange zest (2 large oranges)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup good semisweet chocolate chunks


Syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice


Ganache
3/4 cup good semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease & flour 6 individual serving baking molds.
Cream the butter & sugar for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, l at a time, then add the orange zest.  
Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour.  
Toss the chocolate chunks with 1 T. flour and add to the batter.
Pour into pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.  
Let the cakes cool in the molds on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the syrup.  In a small saucepan over med.low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves.  Remove the cake from the pans, put them on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cakes.  Allow cakes to cool completely.
For the ganache, melt the chocolate and heavy cream in the microwave 10 seconds at a time until chocolate   is melted and mixture is smooth.  Drizzle over cakes.

Nutella Pie

I've got some nutella that needs to be used.....and this sounds easy and delicious.  It turned out great....I used 3/4 c. nutella and filled (heaping)  the one cup measure the rest of the way with peanut butter.  I left off the whipped topping.....

From Charla S. of  RWOP........Oh ya’ll!!! I just can’t wait for you to try this recipe! One of my favorite restaurants has Nutella Pie on their dessert menu. After searching for a recipe with no success, I finally got the courage up to ask our waiter when we were there for my birthday. You would have thought that I had asked him to give me a kidney or something! Anyway, they left me no choice. My husband and I sat and savored every bite until we had identified the flavors and had an idea for a recipe. With no further delay…I give you MY recipe…NUTELLA PIE!

Nutella Pie
16 oz. Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese
1 c. Nutella spread
1 T. Creamy peanut butter
9 inch graham cracker pie crust
caramel-flavored ice cream topping
chocolate syrup (ex. Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup)
Whipped cream, to garnish
Mix Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese, Nutella, and peanut butter until all ingredients are fully combined.
Spread mixture into 9 inch graham cracker pie crust.
Freeze for at least 45 minutes.
To serve, pour caramel topping over slices of pie, drizzle with chocolate syrup, and dollop with whipped cream.   ENJOY!!!!!