Trifle...Dump Cake...whatever you want to call it - IT'S GOOD!

This is another one of those quick and easy fix deserts.  I get on a kick...which I find something I like, I make it ALL the time and I bring it to EVERY function for a period of time until I find another recipe that I get a kick for!  ;)  This is an oldie, but goodie....

I don't really have a name for it because it has been called a trifle but I really don't think it fits the trifle description.  It really is a dump cake.  You dump everything in, stir and bake.  Perfect and yummy. 

Dump Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
1 box of vanilla cake mix
1 can crushed pineapple (drained)
1 can cherry pie filling
1 stick of butter

Ingredients

Mix can of crushed pineapple & cherry pie filing

Mix well

Dump the cake mix on top (**Dump cake, remember!)

Spread it out....

Cut up the butter and arrange evenly on top

Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown

This is really good with a big ole' scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

We enjoyed this as desert with homemade ice cream on the porch at my Mom's house.  It was the perfect treat!  I hope everyone had a fabulous Mother's Day! 

Pillow Cookies

I have been a huge fan of Bakerella for years now!  She is incredible!  I always check her site for new recipes and I found this one that looked delicious! 

Bakerella's Pillow Cookie Recipe

So, I decided to try it!  And, I am so glad I did........





Blurry picture, but it shows how you put the brownie in the middle of the cookie dough.






They are VERY big!





....and very Yummy!



Sorry, the pictures are not great but they turned out really yummy!  And, they are HUGE!

Brownie Pillow Cookies
1 package brownie mix
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz. bag miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Make brownies according to package and let cool. Cut about ten 1 inch squares. Enjoy the remaining brownies. (I used a pan about 8 X 8)
For the chocolate chip cookie dough, beat butter with a mixer until creamy.
Add brown sugar and beat until smooth.
Add eggs, yolk and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.
Add flour to butter mixture and beat until combined. Stir in mini chips.
Let dough chill covered in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use a measuring cup to scoop batter by the 1/2 cup. Since it’s chilled, you may need to pack it with a spoon. Then use the spoon to remove the dough from the cup and place it on parchment paper. Work quickly so the dough remains chilled or either prepare one cookie at a time so the rest of the dough remains cold.
After the dough is on the parchment paper, make an indention and place a 1 inch square brownie in the center. Press the brownie down gently and work the remaining dough around the brownie. You can use your hands to shape the dough into a ball.
During this step, I found it easier to use a piece of parchment paper as a work surface since the dough can get sticky and then I used another piece of parchment paper for the baking sheet. If your dough gets too soft, you can chill the rolled dough balls for a few minutes right before baking.
Prepare six cookies at a time using a large baking sheet (15 X 20) and bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. Return the remaining dough to the refrigerator until time to bake the second batch.
Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack.
Makes about ten cookies using a little less than a 1/2 cup of dough for each cookie.
If your cookies start to get too brown before they are done baking, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil over top for the last few minutes. 

** Recipe from Bakerella - Here is her website:  http://www.bakerella.com/



Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Okay, I admit it.... I have fallen off the diet wagon. For crying out loud, cadbury eggs are out at the stores and HAVE been for over a month. Chocolate is my weakness. I may need to consider giving it up for Lent again. In the meantime I have created a new cupcake -- Mint Chocolate Chip. I decided to get creative in the kitchen on a Friday night as my boys played what they called "the zippy cup game". It entertained them for about thirty minute with lots of laughter so I let it slide when I saw the mess it was creating.... I was planning on cleaning floors tomorrow anyways. :)

So.... Here are the results of my cupcake creation

I just started pulling things from my baking drawer.........

Chopped up Peppermint Patties

Gently Stir into Cake Batter

I used a French Vanilla cake mix and added Chopped up Peppermint Patties to it.  I gently stirred and put into a cupcake tin. 

After that I used a Chocolate Cream Cheese icing to frost the cupcakes.  The recipe is below:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz Cream Cheese at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup Chocolate Cocoa powder

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Milk (or most depending on your desired consistency of frosting)

Mix cream cheese, sugar & cocoa together.  Then add liquid ingredients.  You can add more milk if needed and more powdered sugar if it's not sweet enough. 

And here we are...

Honestly, these did not turn out exactly how I wanted them to.  The peppermint patties sunk to the bottom of the cupcakes when baked which I thought may happen.  They still had a good flavor to them.  I would definitely pick a different frosting next time, also.  BUT, I did say I was going to post regardless of outcome.....so here we are!!!  :)