Fudgy Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This cake is a once a year favorite for my birthday.  I got this recipe from my friend Julie.  She gave me some helpful tips to result in a dense, fudgy, decadent, unforgettable cake.  This starts with an incredibly moist chocolate cake, frosted with peanut butter cream cheese frosting, topped with peanut butter, dark chocolate ganache, and finished with chopped peanut butter cups. To Die For!!!
Follow these tips for best results: First, do not overbake the cake.  If you do, you won't get that fudgy effect.  Second, get the Hersheys special dark cocoa for an extra dark cake not only in taste but in color.  Third, the cake can be made a day or two before you need it, as it tastes better the longer the flavors meld together. 

Fudgy Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dark or dutch process)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c neutral oil such as canola or vegetable
1 c sour cream
1 1/2 c water
2 tbs vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray two 8 or 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray liberally. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Combine in a medium bowl the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine them well.  Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend.  Gradually beat in the water, then blend in vinegar and vanilla.  Whisk in the eggs and beat until blended.  Divide batter even;y between the two pans.
Bake for 30-35 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.  Let cool in the pans for 20 min.  Then freeze them in the freezer for about 30 min.  (this is so the cakes don't fall apart when you invert them.)

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

10 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
2/3 c peanut butter (creamy kind)

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter till fluffy.  Add powdered sugar gradually. beat until fluffy.  Add peanut butter at the end until well combined.

Chocolate PB glaze:

1 c semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 half n half

combine all ingredients except for half in half in a bowl, microwave in 30-sec increments until chocolate is melted, whisk the mixture to make smooth.  Whisk in half n half, beating until nice and smooth.

Assemble the cake:  Place one cake round on a cake plate, cover liberally with frosting, top the next layer and continue to frost until cake is covered.  Pour ganache over cake and top with chopped peanut butter cups (About 6-7 peanut butter cups) (this is optional). Place in the fridge for a few hours for the cake to set.

Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

My 13 year old son made this recipe for our family this last weekend.  He is a budding cook, and I love that he wants to actually be in the kitchen and cook!  The flavor was spot on, and leftovers were great.  I made zucchini noodles for my husband and I, and regular noodles for the rest of the family.  Both ways were delicious. This is a quick weekday meal, paired with salad or veggies.

Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
3/4 c. jarred pesto
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbs. Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.  Spray foil with cooking spray.  In a large bowl combine ground turkey, pesto, panko, salt, and pepper.  Use your hands to combine.  Roll meatballs into 1- 1 1/2 in balls. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 min in the oven. 
While the meatballs bake, add oil to dutch oven pot.  Heat to medium heat, stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 min, stirring occasionally.
When meatballs are done, with tongs carefully transfer meatballs to marinara sauce.  Let simmer in the sauce for 5-10 min.  Turn off heat and serve over noodle, or zucchini (for the low carb version)
(Picture credit here)

Easy homemade Soft Pretzels

I was on the hunt to find a pretzel recipe that was easy, but definitely had the taste factor as well.  I tried this recipe out with preschoolers!!!! and it turned out amazing.  Super easy.  Alot of pretzel recipes require you to cook the pretzel in hot water/baking soda solution.  This recipe uses that method, but you just put the water and baking soda in a shallow dish.  Super simple, and flavorful.  As with all "bread" recipes, it is recommended to enjoy this the day of.  You could do so many options for toppings on these pretzels.  I did cinnamon and sugar, and also pink Himalayan salt (from Costco).  Both were equally good.  Get creative and have fun with this. Recipe and picture credit here.

Easy Homemade Pretzels

• 1 cup milk
• 1 package active dry yeast (not rapid rise yeast) (1 package contains 1/4 oz. or approximately 2 1/4 tsp.)
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (2 tablespoons for the dough; 3 tablespoons for brushing on finished pretzels)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/3 cup baking soda
• Coarse salt, to taste*

1.  Warm milk in the microwave until very warm; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup of the flour with a wooden spoon. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 ¼ cups flour and fine salt to make a sticky dough. Add more flour if necessary (you'll probably need a few tablespoons) to form dough into a ball. Either knead doygh by hand or use your kitchen aid mixer and knead for 5 min, adding a little bit more flour to prevent sticking on the sides.  Shape into a ball, place in a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each into a pretzel shape (form a U-shape, then holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press firmly onto the bottom of the pretzel).
3. Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on a prepared baking sheet (re-shaping if necessary) and sprinkle lightly with course salt. Bake until golden, 10 – 12 minutes. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter and brush on baked pretzels. The pretzels are best enjoyed fresh on the same day.
4. *If you prefer a cinnamon sugar topping, omit the coarse salt. Brush with butter after baking and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar plus about 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon)

 

Artisan Bread (Fool Proof)

I again got this recipe from my friend Jenny J.  She makes homemade bread for her family a ton.  Number one because they are picky eaters and she knows they will eat bread, and number two is because she is a rock star and cooks for her family every night.  This recipe is so easy because there is no kneading involved.  Because of that it's more of a bread to enjoy right when it comes out of the oven.  I usually cut the leftovers up and freeze it in the freezer and use it for toast.  The texture is chewy, with a crispy outside.  The bread is super flavorful. 

   

 Artisan Bread (Fool Proof)

1 1/2 tbs yeast
2 tsp sugar
3 C warm/hot water

Combine these ingredients in a bowl, and let yeast activate.

6 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 Tbs kosher salt
Any other mix ins (dried herbs, garlic, etc)

Add these ingredients to the yeast mixture.  Stir all together to combine and form a ball in the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, and let sit on the counter for 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place a glass loaf pan or 9x13 pan on the lower rack filled with 1-2 cups water.  (This creates steam in the oven for optimal texture).

Pour dour out onto a well floured counter, form into 2 large rounds or 4 smaller rounds.  Place on a jelly roll pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Cut slits using a serrated knife on the top of bread for design.  Let dough rise for another 20-30 min. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven. Remove to a cooling rack. 

Jenny J's Chocolate Chip Cookies

My dearest friend Jenny J lives here in Hawaii with me.  She is a wonderful baker.  She has been a true friend, and a constant support of my life! I love her and will miss her so much when we move apart.
Every year for Christmas she gives us some of her chocolate chip cookie dough, and it is seriously my favorite goodie during Christmas time.  Luckily, she gave me the recipe, and I can eat these cookies year around!   I love these cookies so much that I request them on my birthday for my special treat.

Jenny J's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2  c + 3 tbs flour
1 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugars together until blended.  Add egg and vanilla, mix.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until combined. Dough will be stiff.  Add chocolate chips, stir. 
Scoop or drop dough by large tablespoons onto a cookie sheet (I use a jelly roll pan).  Bake for 8 min.