Turtle candy yes or no? If you answered yes then you are going to love this Chocolate Turtle Slab Pie! If I could only use 3 words to describe this recipe, decadent is the first word that comes to mind, followed by easy and huge. I’m talking one ginormous, scrumptious, crowd pleasing and feeding kind of pie that couldn’t be simpler.
This pie uses an 18x13x1 sheet pan. Even if you don’t have a crowd to please, you can easily cut the recipe in half and use a quarter sheet pan that’s only 13x9x1.
Go on and get in that kitchen. This recipe will make you be glad that you did. READ MORE
Lacie is a busy mom who blogs about making everyday life easier. When she isn’t blogging, you will usually find her volunteering at her kiddo’s school. Lacie wants to share her easy recipes, DIY projects, and school related ideas with other busy moms everywhere.
If you want a cookie to impress, you have come to the right place with these white chocolate chip and almond oatmeal cookies. Several months ago, the Hubs picked up some delicious oatmeal cookies from a special bakery he visited during a work trip. The man knows when he leaves me with these children for a week, he better show back up with something g-o-o-o-d!
As I ate my delicious round of sugary goodness, I considered the flavors. I decided this was a cookie I must try to recreate on my own. And that was when the recipe for these white chocolate chip and almond oatmeal cookies was born. I used my basic oatmeal cookie recipe as the base and just guessed my way through the ratios for the white chocolate and the almonds. READ MORE…
When I saw that this month’s theme song was Raspberry Beret ,I knew I had to make something. I had never heard of the song until around Christmas 2016 while we were at my in-laws for the holidays. It came on the radio and my father-in-law was singing along— except he would say sorbet instead of beret. It took me a few times to figure out that the song wasn’t about dessert and that it was supposed to be beret. I have not forgotten about it and it still makes me smile.
This sorbet recipe is adapted from the one that my in-laws made while we were home forFourth of July a few years ago. I must say it is delicious but the best part is that it is very easy to make. Read More
Renee, the voice behind If Spoons Could Talk, loves everything food related. You will often see her taking pictures of her food before eating, while her smiling husband shakes his head and waits to eat because, of course, she has to take a picture of his as well. Her time is spent cooking in the kitchen, researching recipes on the computer, or eating what she’s been researching and cooking! The rest of her time is spent with her husband and two fur babies watching TV. Now she is making time to get a masters so she can be a full-time teacher. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest as If Spoons Could Talk and on Twitter as Spoons Could Talk And of course over at If Spoons Could Talk
There are just certain foods you expect at every family gathering, am I right? Certain standby recipes, if you will. At Thanksgiving there will always be turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie. At Christmas there will always be ham and homemade candy. I could go on and on but I think you get the picture.
In my family, something we have always come to expect is my sister’s Dot Cookies. My sister is the baker in our family. I love to cook but baking is just not my thing. The taste is always there but the presentation, not so much! Oops!
Dot Cookies are tiny sugar cookies with just a “dot” of icing on top and are just the perfect size to pop in your mouth and eat! Or, if you are my niece Paycen, you lick the icing off and give the cookie to your Aunt Ricci to eat. HA!
I believe the Dot Cookies came about when my aunt worked at a local bakery that made them. She started making them for our family get-togethers and then my sister started making them when my aunt didn’t want to any more.
The recipe has been tweaked a few times throughout the years but I love them no matter how they are made, HA!
I think these cookies are just adorable and I love these cookies are completely customizable in that you can make the icing whatever color you want to match your event. These cookies are perfect for holidays, birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers, potlucks, really just whatever! They also travel well which is always a plus in my book!
While they may be a little time consuming, only in that they have to chill for a few hours, I think Dot Cookies are the perfect addition to any celebration!
The Foodie Friday 2016 theme is #Celebrate. Come join us as we focus on a different way to #Celebrate each month. In January we are all about “Celebrate Celebrations.” I can’t think of a better way to kick off a brand new year than with this Ding Dong Cake from Rhonda Bramell of Bramell: Party of Five.
Should you find yourself in need of an easy (yet impressive) dessert for a special occasion, check this one out. My friends, this is the dessert that will woo your enemies and win you admirers for life. This is my go-to recipe when I need a birthday cake, office potluck dessert or just for the “lots of people coming over” occasion.
The beauty of the Ding Dong Cake is that it looks like it was completely labor intensive and difficult to make. Alas, it’s not! There are only a few ingredients and it doesn’t require a culinary degree to pull off. And, I might add, there’s nothing better than homemade whipped cream
The downside to making this cake is simply the temptation of having it in your house. As a result, I don’t make it as often as I’d like…because I would totally eat it myself. As my kindergartener demanded as I removed it from the fridge, “Give me the cake now!”
I definitely suggest making this your next celebration dessert, too. Or, at the very least, go grab a gallon of milk and a fork and celebrate your baking victory!
Rhonda Bramell is a blogger in Northwest Arkansas. She is the ringleader of a circus that includes her husband, three kids and a rambunctious Boston Terrier. Rhonda has been blogging at Bramell, Party of Five for eight years; her blog is a collection of stories about the real life joys and challenges of parenting.
A couple of years ago, my mom went gluten free. She isn’t allergic to gluten, but she found that gluten aggravated some of her pre-existing medical conditions, so she cut it out. Gluten is typically found in most baked goods, as flour contains gluten. While there are gluten free flours, they behave differently when cooking. So for the first year or so, we had difficulty replacing some of mom’s favorite foods with gluten free alternatives. We struggled to adjust to the gluten free lifestyle, especially when it came to holiday cooking.
Thankfully, over the years we have discovered some delicious gluten free dishes to add to our holiday table. We have found a cornbread mix that makes great cornbread stuffing. And our local health food carries a wonderful gluten free baguette that pairs wonderfully with our cranberry cheese dip. And we’ve adjusted our chicken and wild rice casserole recipe to be gluten free. But one dish was the thorn in my holiday baking side: pie.
My mom loves pecan pie, and we hadn’t found a gluten free pie crust either ready-made or homemade that was perfect for pecan pie. Either the crust turned out too fluffy like a puffed pastry, or it was more of a graham cracker crust. Nothing seemed right for the pecan pie. I wanted so badly to recreate the pecan pie flavor for mom.
I ditched the pie idea and went for something that hit the right flavor notes instead. These gluten free pecan pie bites hit the spot! They are sweet, have the traditional flavors of pecan pie, and are actually pretty healthy! You won’t feel guilty indulging in them all holiday season long!
In my recipe, I used corn syrup to bump up the traditional pecan pie taste. Every pecan pie I’ve ever made used corn syrup, so that’s what I used here. If you want an alternative, you could try another liquid sweetener like maple syrup, molasses, or honey. The point here is for the liquid to be a sweetener and binder. The mixture needs to be sticky enough to hold together in a ball.
Even if you aren’t gluten free, these are an easy treat to make that your family and friends will love. They make great snacks or party food! For a twist, you could drizzle them with chocolate to mimic the flavors in a chocolate pecan pie. They are beautiful stacked in a bowl or spread them out on a platter with fun party picks. Or eat them right off the pan. That’s what I do!
My mom’s porcupine meatballs. Mom didn’t home cook a lot (and these DO have rice-a-roni and jarred gravy in them, so it’s not exactly home cooking) but it always felt like a meal she put a lot of love into. And it was delish! http://www.razorbackbritt.com/favorite-meal-moms-porcupine-meatballs/
What is your favorite international cuisine?
Mexican! I could eat salsa by the jar. I like the spicy, creamy, smoky flavors together. I also like that I can lighten up the restaurant versions at home with lighter ingredients.
What is always in your refrigerator at home?
Liquid egg whites. Easy and healthy to whip up for any meal. I usually do mine with cheese and a little green onion.
What is your go-to ingredients that you use time and time again? The Cafe 1217 Cookbook from Cafe 1217 in Hot Springs. I cook the gingerbread muffins several times a year.
Do you have a favorite food indulgence? Queso with chorizo. As if queso isn’t indulgent enough, let’s add some sausage and dip it with fried tortillas.
What is your most used cookbook?
The Cafe 1217 Cookbook from Cafe 1217 in Hot Springs. I cook the gingerbread muffins several times a year.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
My slow cooker! I use it at least twice a week. I make soups, stews, roasts, and just about anything in the crock pot. What is your favorite food meal to cook at home?
I love to cook steaks and potatoes. A nice steak with some garlic, and top it with blue cheese at the very end of the broil. A side of potatoes roasted with some garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese.
What is your favorite go-to ingredients you use time and time again?
Canned fire-roasted tomatoes. An easy way to add to the depth of flavor in my crock pot recipes.
What is a cooking tip that you would like to share with beginning cooks?
Learn what you don’t know! Don’t be too scared. We all start somewhere. Watch the Food Network, watch Youtube videos, read blogs. Learn about common flavor combinations and kitchen skills. My mom wasn’t a cook, but I learned by watching the Food Network a lot as a teen. I would watch, print out the recipe, and play with it. I would add this, take out that (especially for spices or ingredients we didn’t have or I’d never heard of)…and figure it out. Don’t know how to cook an artichoke? Watch a Youtube video and buy an artichoke. Give it a try!
When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes?
I enjoy Zumba, walking my dogs, and reading. I try to stay active so I can enjoy treats in moderation.
What else would you like us to know about you?
I’m a foodie who loves to try new things. If it’s funky and on the menu, I’m ordering it. Hamburger with peanut butter? Delish. Pizza with pears. Awesome. I’m not afraid to try most anything once. Except rocky mountain oysters. I have no interest in trying those!
Brittney is a native Arkansan with a love for bright lights and big city. She often escapes her 20-acre home in a small town to shop, eat and catch a concert in the big city nearby. She blogs about her life, her faith, her adventures, her dogs and her country home at Razorback Britt.
Since the day my daughter was old enough to sit up, she has been in the kitchen with me. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I had her sitting up on the counter top while I measured the ingredients, analyzed recipes, and did my best to place something edible on the table for my family.
As soon as Ting got old enough to help, baking together became a tradition for us. Lately Bug has been in on the action as well, and cooking with my kids has become one of my favorite activities.
At our house Fall doesn’t really bring a longing for pumpkin flavored anything, but it does stir up a need for apple based desserts. I started searching for a new apple-something for us to bake, and I found this Apple Cake recipe on one of those recipe database sites.
The first step for me when cooking with my kids is always prep work. It is so much easier to get all the ingredients measured out before the kids hit the kitchen. I know the day is coming that Ting will be ready to practice measuring, but for now our cooking sessions always begin with pre-measured ingredients.
I love this recipe because it is so simple for both my kids to just pour and mix all the ingredients together. Everything just goes into the same bowl and then it pours over the apples. It makes it easy when both kids can participate at the same level and this cake was definitely on that scale.
We also loved this cake because it smells delicious when it gets in the oven, and it tastes even better when it gets on the table!
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
Karen lives in South Arkansas with her husband and two kids. When she’s not working or chasing kids, she blogs about her family’s life on Ting’s Mom Blog. She also reads books for all ages and reviews them on her book site, Ting’s Mom Books.
By Great Day Farms Brand Ambassador Heather Disarro of Heather’s Dish
Angel food cake is one of those things that’s rarely made but often enjoyed in our house. Fluffy and flavorful with basically zero calories (fine, the calorie part is false…) it’s a cake that is sure to please almost any palate. You can dress it up with whipped frosting and chocolate, dress it down with a scoop of ice cream, or meet it right in the middle, in my favorite way, with a simple creme anglaise and fresh berries.
This summer has been, from my experience and the stories from friends, a very mild one. Just the other day my husband mentioned that we’ve been lucky the past two summers in Arkansas to have relatively mild weather; I told him he better find some wood to knock on because summer isn’t over. Truly though, this summer has been filled with days outside in the warm sunshine, long walks at dusk and sweet baby tan lines. There isn’t a more summer dessert, with the exception of ice cream, than an angel food cake with fresh seasonal berries. Light and sweet and completely satisfying, this is one dessert y’all won’t want to miss!
Very lightly grease ONLY the flat part of a 16-cup tube pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whip the egg whites until they start to become foamy.
Add the salt and cream of tartar, then whip until the whites start to get very fluffy.
Increase the speed and slowly stream in 1 cup of the sugar.
Continue to beat until the egg whites form soft peaks.
Add the vanilla and beat until just mixed.
Working in batches, gently fold in the remaining sugar and the flour, alternating, until all of the ingredients have been used up.
Gently work the batter evenly into the pan.
Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release air bubbles.
Bake at 325 for 55 minutes or until the cake springs back from being touched.
Allow to cool completely upside down; some cake pans have feet to rest on, but if your pan does not then be sure to prop it up slightly on a couple of plates to allow air to circulate.
Gently work a sharp knife around the edge of the cake pan to release once completely cooled.
Cut with a serrated knife.
Serve with creme anglaise (recipe below) and fresh fruit.
By Heather Disarro of Heather's Dish
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
Heather Disarro is a food-centric lifestyle blogger who is passionate about embracing the beauty that surrounds us with in our everyday lives. She is a Texan living the expat life in central Arkansas with her husband, son and two massive dogs. Heather writes her blog, Heather’s Dish, from an office filled with dust, dog fur, toys and plenty of love, grace and music. She specializes in creating delicious and creatively nourishing recipes. Cooking seasonally and with as many local ingredients as possible is an important component to Heather’s style of food, and she revels in the opportunity to bring the love of cooking to the world as a way to love others well!
I’ve always heard it said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. But, I’m convinced that not just any meal will do.
As a single gal one thing I’m thankful I snagged from my mama is her cooking skills. (I guess it doesn’t hurt that I look just like her too!)
But, I’m pretty sure if I knew my house were burning down, there are about 3 things I’d quickly grab and the typed collection of my mama’s recipes are at the top of that list.
See, at our house, food was the way you told someone you loved them. Whether it was a German Chocolate pie when my dad got a promotion at work or a pasta dinner to carb load the night before my sister’s big soccer game, she always came through with just the right meal.
So, one can only assume then that if one were on a manhunt, then one would prepare a meal. **hypothetically of course! **
I recently found myself walking into my Sunday night bible study with what I thought was a perfectly prepared offering for the dinner menu that had been posted on our Facebook page. What I quickly found out was I was the only one who showed up with a 9 x13. Everything else was in its original grocery store container and displayed perfectly for our smorgasbord buffet. Much to my amusement the new guy in the group was standing closest to the delectable delight I had hauled across town in my carriage which was protecting the dessert I had just removed from the oven moments before I left the house.
“What’s wrong with these people?” was my first thought. But I quickly learned that girls my age don’t really do much home cookin’. (Which surely has to give me the upper edge?) So, I’ll keep showing up with homemade desserts and hope at some point it will overcome all my other faults.
The way I see it, I have two options: show up with a homemade layer cake or bat my eyelashes and twirl my hair. Since my lashes are stubs and I’m not one for putting up fronts, I’m gonna stick to mama’s recipes. They worked for my daddy and he’s a pretty cool dude.
So, today I’m sharing with you Dirt Dessert – the last menu item I made and carried to a man’s house to finish off the menu, just the way my mama fixes it on a summer afternoon while dad’s mowing the yard! After all, everybody needs a treat for dinner.
Mixthe pudding and milk in bowl and set aside. The pudddig will thicken while you prepare the other ingredients.
Crush the cookies in food processor (If you don’t have a food processor, put them in a gallon Zip loc bag and crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet – you know the tools you’ll use to chase him when he’s your husband later!)
Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
Add in vanilla and mix thoroughly.
Fold in ½ of the tub frozen whipped topping.
Reserve ½ cup of cookie crumbs; spread the remainder of the crumbs across the bottom of 9x13 baking dish.
Top with the cream cheese mixture and spread evenly.
Cover cream cheese mixture with pudding, spreading evenly to edges. Cover top with remaining frozen whipped topping and sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Notes
I’m not a fan of the worms. I just don’t feel like grown men are into gummy worms, but if you’re making this for kiddos or another occasion, feel free to make it a little more “fun” and add your own gummy creepy treats! And of course, it’s always better when served in a container where you can see all the pretty layers – to make the layers, split the cream cheese and pudding layers in half and save a few cookies for in between.
By Keisha Pittman of Big Pitt Stop
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
While I’ve still not snagged the man, I’m going to guess it has nothing to do with the menu. The right one just hasn’t eaten any of my treats yet!
Keisha Pittman is learning to dance in the rain and glory in the rainbows. She started a blog, bigpittstop.blogspot.com, to tell the story of her walk through cancer. Five years later, she’s kicked cancer’s butt, and learned to navigate life a little differently. A self-proclaimed nerd, there’s nothing she won’t try, no side road she won’t take and no recipe she won’t improve. Lucky for us, she likes to talk about her adventures with a healthy dose of self-deprecation humor, and always looks for the good in every situation and person. Come follow along.
In an effort to eat more veggies, today I shall have carrot cake!
I love a good carrot cake. Honestly, I love cake PERIOD! There is just something about a carrot cake that makes me feel like a kid again.
In a single bite it takes me right back to the “pie” auctions the Cattlemens Association used to have.
I loved going to the auction with my Godfather. What little kid wouldn’t want to go bid on cakes and pies?!? Plus, everyone always said things like “Oh, I see you brought the boss with you.” Me? The boss? Alright I could handle that.
My Godmother, in what I chose to believe was an effort to make me smile throughout the year, but was more likely an effort to keep her husband’s wallet a little thicker, started making me carrot cake any time I asked.
Yes, I was that spoiled by them.
You’re going to need:
A couple large mixing bowls
A mixer (unless you’re crazy and want to do this by hand)
A large spoon
An oven heated at 350 degrees
Either a 13X9 cake pan
OR two 8 or 9 inch round pans
A little bit of shortening
A tiny bit of flour
As well as:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
and to frost it you’ll need
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Now that you have everything needed, I’ll tell you just want to do with it.
If you read this from the start, your oven should already be preheating to 350 degrees. If not, do that now.
Grease the bottom and sides of the pan(s) with shortening and lightly flour them.
Get one of those large bowls and your mixer and beat the granulated sugar, oil and eggs on low for about 30 seconds or until its well blended.
To that, add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the salt; beat on low 1 minute.
Stir in the carrots and the nuts. STIR, with the large spoon I mentioned earlier.
Pour your batter into the pan(s).
If you used a 13×9-inch pan you’ll want to bake it 40 to 45 minutes.
If you used the round pans, bake them 30 to 35 minutes
Either way, you want to bake them till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once baked, let them cool completely. You can cool the 13X9 in the pan or on a cooling rack. Cool the rounds about 10 minutes in the pan then remove them and let them finish cooling on a rack. It should take about an hour.
While that’s cooling you should probably make the icing so get the other mixing bowl and your mixer back out, or cleaned off.
You’ll want to beat the cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla on low until its smooth. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Gradually… like 1 cup at a time. Your mixer should still be on low so just keep it going till its smooth and spreadable.
Since that didn’t take an hour let your cake(s) finish cooling.
Now you can frost the 13X9 or fill and frost the rounds.
If by chance you have leftovers, store them in your fridge or invite me over.
Shannon is a 30-something Mom to 5 beautiful children. Yes, 5! You could call it a modern day version of yours, mine, and ours. Her blended family of 7 keeps her on her toes and on the go. Add in working from home as a legal secretary and quickly you’ll see her life is crazy and often chaotic, but she wouldn’t trade one sarcastic moment of it. Her blog, Still Seeking Martha is just a place she goes to share the ups & downs of blended mommyhood, like mowing what feels like 127 acres with a push mower, favorite foods and recipes, mostly cake, and sometimes some DIY projects like great teaching tools. You can stalk Shannon at http://stillseekingmartha.blogspot.com, on Facebook, Twitter, or just email her at seekingmartha@gmail.com.
