Pie Cake (Chocolate or Lemon)

I just love that fun name!

My sis-in-love shared this easy recipe with me over 30 years ago.  In combing through a lot of old recipes recently, I came across this one and knew I needed to share it on the blog.

The crust is made with a cake mix...then it's topped with a can of pudding...then a layer of Cool Whip or meringue.

Simple, delicious and Deliciously Simple! 

(Be sure to read through the whole recipe before mixing

because there are options)

PIE CAKE

Crust: 

1 (18 ozs) lemon or chocolate cake mix

5 Tb. butter

3 egg yolks

1 c. coconut 

(if you don't care for coconut, add nuts, or omit)

Preheat oven to 350*. 

Mix cake mix, butter, egg yolks and coconut until crumbly. (It seems dry, but keep mixing and it will blend). Press in ungreased 9" X 13" pan.  Bake 10 minutes; cool to room temperature. 

(If you're using Cool Whip instead of meringue, bake 20 minutes)

Pudding Layer: 

1 (22 ozs) can (same flavor as cake mix) pudding and pie filling

(or substitute 2 sm. boxes (sugar free) instant pudding mixed with 2 c. milk...let stand until thickened)

Spread pudding over cooled crust. Top with 8 - ozs. Cool Whip or top with meringue (only if using canned pudding). (I sprinkled toasted coconut over Cool Whip.)

Meringue: 

3 egg whites

1/2 c. sugar 

Beat egg whites until stiff; gradually add sugar and beat until dissolved. Top pudding with meringue. Bake 15 minutes or until light brown. 

Chill until ready to serve.

Linked to Thursday's Treasures
Weekend Potluck
Meal Plan Monday

Leader Enterprise - Sept 4 2013 - Summer Squash & Zippy Zucchini

I love fall, and am already excited about getting to share some wonderful apple and pumpkin recipes soon, but because I've been cooking up a storm making all kinds of zucchini recipes the past few weeks, I decided I would put together some nutritional info for zucchini and summer squash; very popular and available vegetables this time of year.

Like other members of the summer squash group, zucchini tends to grow in a bush rather than the vine spread of the winter-squashes. Its fruits are normally ready for harvesting about 40-50 days after seed implantation.

Zucchini is one of the lowest calorie vegetables; one cup chopped provides about 20 calories. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Its peel is good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation and offers some protection against colon cancers.

In general, considering both of these squash, here's 'The good' info: This food is low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, very low in Cholesterol, a good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Niacin, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese.

The bad: A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.

In the stores, choose small to medium-sized zucchini featuring shiny, bright green skin, firm and heavy in hand. Minor superficial scratches and mild bruises are oftentimes seen on their surface but are perfectly fine. Almost all the members of the squash family vegetables feature smooth, tender skin and flesh with small edible seeds and high moisture content.

Store fresh zucchini inside the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator set with adequate moisture. They can be stored for up to 2 - 3 days. Fresh,tender zucchini can be eaten raw in salads. It mixes well with potatoes, carrots, asparagus, green beans, etc., in soups, stews and stir-fries. Chopped or grated, it can be added to bread, pizza, etc. If you have never tried this yummy dessert, you have missed out! It tastes just like apple crisp, but it is made with zucchini! What a way to get veggies into your family without them even knowing. I love how zucchini easily takes on the flavor of other things. ZAPPLE CRISP 8 c. peeled, sliced zucchini 1/3 c. lemon juice 1/4 c. water 3/4 c. sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg Crust: 3-3/4 c. flour 1-1/4 c. sugar 1 cup margarine, plus 4 Tb. (I've already cut that back from 3 sticks!) dash salt 2 tsp. cinnamon Preheat oven to 375. Cook zucchini in lemon juice and water until tender .Add sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg.  Mix crust ingredients until crumbly.  Use 1 cup crust mix to thicken filling. Pat 1/2 of remaining crust into 9"  X  13" baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon filling over crust and spread evenly. Top with the rest of the crumb mixture, patting down. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake 30 minutes more.    DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI WAFFLES  1 c. (white) whole wheat flour 1/2 c. white all purpose flour 1 TB. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 c. cocoa powder, sifted 1/4 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. coconut oil,melted (or butter) 2 eggs, beaten 1-3/4 c. milk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 c. zucchini, pureed in food processor 1 c. chocolate chips Mix dry ingredients (whole wheat flour through cocoa powder) in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar and melted coconut oil. Whisk in beaten egg, milk and pureed zucchini. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. (Do not over mix). Stir in chocolate chips. Pour about 1/4 c. mix per waffle onto prepared (spray with cooking spray) waffle maker and bake until done. (About 3 - 3/1-2 minutes). Top with fruit and/or cool whip. Yield: 15 - 4" waffles. I had never made soup with tortellini before trying this recipe. It didn't appeal to me much when a friend gave me the recipe, but because she did, I decided to try it. We were NOT disappointed. It was delicious. A great warm-you-up dish for cooling temps. And a good way to 'hide' zucchini. TORTELLINI VEGETABLE SOUP 2 Tb. olive oil 1 med. onion,chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 sm. zucchini, diced 1 med. carrot,peeled and diced 5-1/2 c. chicken stock 1 tsp. dried basil (use more if using fresh) 1 bay leaf 1 (15 ozs) canned crushed tomatoes, undrained 1/2 tsp. salt 8 - 9 ozs. fresh or frozen tortellini (cheese or meat filled) 2 - 3 Tb. chopped fresh parsley Black pepper, to taste Heat the olive oil in medium soup pot or large saucepan. Add onion, garlic, zucchini and carrot. Saute over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until onion is soft and translucent. Add the stock, basil, bay leaf, tomatoes and salt to the pot. Increase hat and bring to low boil. Add tortelllini and bring soup back to a low boil. Cook for 2 minutes, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5 -6 minutes longer. Gently stir in parsley and pepper during last minute or so. Yield: about 5 servings. I saw this on Facebook recently and thought it was worth sharing. "Life is a Kitchen; Put on your prettiest apron and whip up something incredible." So have an incredible day! Looking forward to seeing some of you at one of my booksignings! I truly appreciate your support.

Best Banana Cake & Weekend Potluck #83

WELCOME TO WEEKEND POTLUCK!!

Do hope you enjoyed a great holiday week and are excited about the fact that fall is 'falling'....I sure have been loving these temps (low 70's) this week in NW Ohio....perfect weather I think.

Where I share something worth sharing...again 

Guess it's time we think about turning those ovens  back on again, huh? This is definitely my favorite season and I'm excited to share fall recipes in the coming weeks. 

This yummy cake begins with a cake mix...stir in yogurt and other yummy ingredients - top with cream cheese frosting.  Gotta love it!

Best Banana Cake 

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Fresh Corn Fritters by The Cozy Little Kitchen

Recipes that caught our attention ~

French Fry Hot Dish by Julie’s Eats & Treats

No Bake Raspberry Cheesecake by Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves

And, a personal favorite ~

Salted Caramel Cupcake  by Simplified Saving

Your hostesses ~

• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Frugal Family Favorites ~ Tabitha
• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all FIVE blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines:

If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional videoPlease use a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!

E-Z Poppy-Sesame Rolls

I love using frozen or refrigerated biscuit/bread dough, so when I came across this simple recipe in a FIRST FOR WOMEN magazine, I knew I'd have to try it.

I changed it up by using the frozen rolls (instead of loaves called for in recipe) I had on hand. And I used 2 balls per biscuit instead of the 3 balls in the ingredient list in the magazine.  I also rolled the dough in the mixture instead of just pouring it over the top as suggested. 

They were very tasty and fast.  I allowed them to raise for about 15 minutes before baking, but if you don't have the time, you can skip that step and they'll be great. 

These would be good to make ahead and freeze sealed tight in a ziploc bag.

Pull them out as needed, wrap in a paper towel and microwave, or bake them, to reheat. 

E-Z POPPY-SESAME ROLLS

2 Tb. olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tb. parmesan cheese, optional

1 frozen loaf bread dough, thawed

(I had frozen rolls on hand)

1 tsp. sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Heat oven to 350. Grease 12 - cup muffin pan. 

In bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder & parmesan. 

Cut (loaf) dough into 36 equal parts (or cut rolls in half); roll each into a ball.  Place 2 - 3 balls into each well of muffin cup. If you have time, allow to raise, covered, for 15 minutes.  If not, just place in preheated oven and bake 10 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.  Serve warm. 

Yield: 12 rolls 

3 Favorite Fall Muffins {Blast from the Past}

I would love to kiss the person who thought of this terrific idea! 
Nutella swirled on top of the muffin before baking makes for a
wonderful 'frosting'....MMMM!

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins

ZOWIE!  I just drool seeing that layer of cream cheese in the middle!
Such a great combination of flavors...pumpkin & cream cheese.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Cake Batter Dip (3 ingredients)

AAHHH - the kids are in school and you have time to unwind.  How about
whipping up this simple snack to enjoy yourself today??? 


Here's an E-Z, P-Z...quick and delicious snack recipe. 

I know this isn't a 'new' kind of recipe as it's all over the net, but there are different versions and this is one I love. 

It's simply dry cake mix, combined with yogurt and whipped topping!

Use whatever kind of cake mix you'd like...

Funfetti...Cherry Chip...Chocolate...Whatever!

I used a Rainbow Chip mix that was on sale at my local grocery store.

This is great to whip up when you have unexpected company or want something quick to satisfy a sweet craving.

This simple recipe is in my newest cookbook too...it's one of 13 appetizers - all have 5 or fewer ingredients! 

(for more info about "Love at First Bite", click here). This recipe was first shared with me by my faithful foodie friend, Sandy.

Here I share a version using the whole cake mix, or just partially, so you can feed a few or many. 

CAKE BATTER DIP 

1 (18 ozs) box cake mix

(you choose the flavor)

1-1/2 c. (vanilla) (lite) yogurt

2 c. (fat free) frozen whipped topping, thawed

In large bowl, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth and blended.  Cover and refrigerate.  When ready to serve, sprinkle some

jimmies or edible 'fun' over the top if you want.  Serve with animal or graham crackers or vanilla wafers. 

Smaller Portion:

3/4 c. dry cake mix

6 Tb. plain (or vanilla) yogurt

3 Tb. whipped topping

In medium bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Blackberry Cream Cheese Bread

I have a granddaughter, Claira Ruth, who LOVES cream cheese like I do!

When she and her family came to visit a few weeks ago, I made this bread, especially for her and me.  We gobbled it up...for breakfast, for lunch, for snack. 

Thanks to Judy at The Southern Lady Cooks 

for this one, whose recipes are ever popular and always a hit!!

It's easy and delicious.  I had originally planned to use fresh raspberries, but had picked up some blackberries at our new Farmer's Market in town, so blackberries it was. But you could use any fruit you'd like.  Peaches would be yummy too....especially with the cream cheese.

This is an awesome bread...doncha just LOVE those chunks of white cream cheese showing through? OH.MY!!!!

We sure did.

The only changes I made were to use white whole wheat flour instead of all purpose, and I didn't soften the cream cheese first, but cut it into chunks while it was still cold.  It softened while I mixed the rest of the ingredients.  

BLACKBERRY CREAM CHEESE BREAD

1 (8 ozs) pkg. cream cheese, still cold
1/2 c. butter or margarine
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1-3/4 c. white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt 
2 tsp. lemon zest
(I think lime would be good also!)
2/3 c. buttermilk
2 c. fresh or frozen blackberries

Unwrap cream cheese, and cut into chunks while it's still cold (about 12 pieces...you want larger chunks). Let it stand and soften while you combine the remaining ingredients. 

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray 9" X 5" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

In large bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs with mixer. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and lemon zest.  Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients, adding buttermilk; mix until combined.  Fold in blackberries by hand, then gently add the cream cheese to the flour mixture. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, checking by placing a toothpick in the middle to see if it's done.  Cool a few minutes; remove from pan. Cool to room temperature; drizzle with glaze if desired.  (We loved it without).

Yield: 1 loaf 

Glaze: Optional

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tb. milk

Linked to Weekend Potluck
GBP Roundup - Favorite Muffins and Quick Breads

Butterscotch Apple Cake & Weekend Potluck #82

WELCOME TO WEEKEND POTLUCK!

 

AND....

When I share something worth sharing...again...

This is such an awesome cake that screams FALL! Even delicious for those who don't think they like butterscotch. 

Butterscotch Apple Cake

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Lemon Dream Yogurt Cake with Lemon Marshmallow Buttercream by Eat Cake For Dinner

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Chicken with Buffalo Fettucine Alfredo by Lemons For Lulu

Fiesta Corn Saute by Lisa’s Dinner Time Dish

And, a personal favorite ~

Raspberry Crumble Bars by Practical Stewardship 

Your hostesses ~

• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Frugal Family Favorites ~ Tabitha

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all FIVE blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines:

If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video Please use a direct link within your post.)

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!

Strawberry Peach Smoothie (Healthy Choice)

Wanted to share this while fresh fruit is still available these summer months. 

Since we are smoothie lovers in this house, I love trying a new combo of fruit flavors.

This one from Love Bakes Good Cakes sounded so yummy...I went right to the kitchen to make it.

I had fresh peaches on the counter and  frozen berries on hand.  I love not having to add ice to my smoothies. 

Use flavored or plain Greek yogurt for an added protein boost!
You could also add flax seed meal or oatmeal.  They both get ground up and you don't even know they're there. 

It will not disappoint!  

STRAWBERRY PEACH SMOOTHIE

1 c. strawberries, cleaned (fresh or frozen)

1 large peach, cut in to wedges (fresh or frozen)

1 c. orange juice or (1%) milk(more or less, depending on the consistency you like)

1/2 c. favorite (Greek) yogurt (I used peach)

1 TB. honey or 1 sm. packet sugar or sweetener

1 Tb. flax or chia seeds

(If using fresh fruit, add 4 - 6 ice cubes)

Strawberries or peaches for garnish, optional

Place all of the ingredients in a blender; 'whir' on high until smooth. Garnish with additional strawberries or peaches if desired. SIP SIP HORRAH!....or AWAY! =)

Yield: 2 servings

Linked to  GBP Roundup - Breakfasts
Weekend Potluck

3 Quick-to-Fix Chicken Dishes (Blast from the Past)

Easy...BBQ...Bacon...Cheese....YUUUMMMM!

Monterey Chicken

This is a delicious and quick meal...and it has cream cheese!
Along with salsa...that's it!

Chicken Quesadillas

A simple, creamy, make-ahead dish...I love the crunchy topping too.

Special Delivery Chicken

Wendy's Copycat Berry Almond Chicken Salad

This salad is sooo awesome!!!!!!

(And I am NOT usually a lover of lettuce type salads)....

But the first time I tasted this, I told my husband 'I could eat this every day for a week'...and then, had a great giggle when I told my daughter, who told me she told HER husband the same thing when she tried it too!

I was elated to see this recipe from Margo at  Joyful Homemaking 

after she shared this at a recent Weekend Potluck party.  I was already thinking I needed to come up with my own version.  I just wasn't sure what kind of cheese was in it as I've never purchased Asiago cheese before. 

I even grated it in little 'sheets' instead of long pieces like what usually comes out when I use my grater.  This made it more like 'the real deal'.

In fact, the first time I made this at home, was the same day I ate it 'out' for lunch at Wendy's, then went grocery shopping and bought everything I needed to make it...then enjoyed a second salad for dinner that evening! 

But alas...that time I used a bowl, and you really couldn't see all the yummy ingredients, so what to do...but to make it AGAIN! =) 

I can testify it was just as enjoyable again the next day. *-*

I love the crunch of the roasted almonds, and have always loved fruit in a salad. The asiago cheese is perfect here and the raspberry vinaigrette is too. 

I know this is only a seasonal salad at Wendy's, so you might want to add these ingredients to your shopping list as it probably won't be available for purchasing for long...but what the hey...

NOW YOU CAN MAKE IT YOURSELF!!!

WENDY'S COPYCAT BERRY ALMOND CHICKEN SALAD

This is what you need:

Mixed greens

(I wanted spring mix, but there was none, so I used a bag of romaine and it was great...use your favorite) 

Strawberries, washed and chopped

Blueberries, washed 

Asiago cheese, grated

Sliced Almonds, roasted 

(I had slivered on hand so that's what I used)

Grilled chicken breast

Raspberry vinaigrette

Add greens to your bowl, then add desired toppings.  Pour on some raspberry vinaigrette to enjoy a fabulous salad. 

Linked to Weekend Potluck
        Meal Plan Monday

Iced Vanilla Coffee

I am always wild about Nancy's recipes at Skinny Kitchen.

She says this is a 'remake' of Coffee Beans Vanilla Ice Blended Drink.

(I'm not familiar with that brand, but know they must be an awesome company).

Please visit Nancy's site (at link above) if you'd like WW Points.  I tweaked this recipe a tad. 

I'm SUCH a fan of coffee drinks - hot or cold, but have been enjoying plenty of iced coffee this summer.  Have to confess I'm getting addicted to this one too!

ICED VANILLA COFFEE

1/3 c. double strength regular or decaf coffee, chilled

1/2 c. nonfat (or 1%) milk

1 Tb. instant (sugar free) vanilla pudding, dry

(or 2 - 3 Tb. simple vanilla creamer)

1 pkt. Truvia or liquid stevia to taste

(if using the creamer, it will already be sweet) 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. crushed ice 

Combine all ingredients in blender, blending on high until drink is smooth. 

Pour into a glass - top with light whipped cream if desired.

Yield: 1 large drink

Enjoy every awesome cooling sip! 

Linked to 

       Full Plate Thursday

    Weekend Potluck

Zucchini Brownies (Lighter Choice)

We've had plenty of zucchini given to use this summer.  Our son, Dave, enjoys growing a garden and we have friends who offered us a few lovely zucchini from their garden also.

When we want to splurge, we fry it crisp.  Otherwise, I use it in soups or stir frys. 

I also love making chocolate zucchini bread or the 
double chocolate zucchini bread (with a secret ingredient) is wonderful too.

I combined ideas from 3 different recipes to come up with this recipe, so I guess you can say this is 'my own'. 

I used less sugar, replaced half the oil with applesauce, exchanged 1/2 white whole wheat flour for all purpose flour, added cinnamon, and made a glaze instead of frosting. I also sprinkled the top with nuts instead of adding them to the batter.

It's moist and delicious.  You can always toss in a few chocolate chips also if you'd like to jazz it up. 

ZUCCHINI BROWNIES 

1 c. white whole wheat flour

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. baking cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon, optional 
1-1/4 c. sugar
(I used 3/4 c. xylitol, 1/2 c. sugar)

2 eggs 

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. oil

1/4 c. applesauce

2 c. grated zucchini  

1/2 c. chopped nuts 

Glaze:

3 Tb. baking cocoa

2 Tb. butter, melted

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tb. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
(If you prefer having frosting, just double these ingredients)

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour 9" X 13" baking dish. 

In medium bowl, combine flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda and cinnamon; set aside. 

In large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla, oil and applesauce until well blended. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in zucchini and nuts. Spread evenly into prepared pan. 

Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until cake springs back when touched with finger. 

To make the glaze, add cocoa to melted butter; set aside to cool. 

In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread evenly over warm brownies. 

Yield: 12 - 15 servings

Linked to Melt in your Mouth Monday  
Weekend Potluck  
Full Plate Thursday
Lou Lou Girls
Meal Plan Monday