Andes Mint Chocolate Cake = Delicious

My mom had her birthday just a few days ago and I wanted to do something special for her, so I baked her a cake...An Andes Mint Chocolate Cake. One word: AH-MAZING.
You want the recipe right? Cause I'm giving it to you.
What you'll need:
1/2 cup butter
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 squares of unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup boiling water

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4-6 Tbs milk

So let's started:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar

Then, add in the eggs one at a time. Make sure they get beat in well after each addition.

At this point you will need to melt those baking chocolate squares. 

And after this I got so involved in this project I started forgetting to take pictures. After you melt the chocolate you should beat it in with the vanilla. 

Then, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. You will want to add this to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream. Boiling water comes next and you whisk it until it is smooth. 

Pour into greased pans.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins. Let cool for 10 mins and then place on rack to cool. Make some frosting and decorate that cake. 

Between the layers of the cake I put andes mint chips. I also cover the top with them. They add a really nice touch to the cake. 

TADAH!

I think she had a good birthday. I mean who couldn't with a cake like that. :)

Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe

Roasted Apples and Sweet Potatoes with Honey Glaze

If you are still trying to get your menu together last minute, here's a great dish that not only looks good, but is very tasty.

5 large sweet potatoes
3 apples
1/4 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
6T. butter
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. salt
2/3 cup pecans

Directions:

Wash and bake potatoes at 400 degrees for 1 hour.
Slice apples and toss with lemon juice.
Peel potatoes, slice, and arrange in baking dish (9x13) with apples. Combine sugar and next 5 ingredients in pan, bring to boil until thickened (about 2 min.). Pour glace over potatoes and apples. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 min. Remove, baste with glaze, and sprinkle nuts on top. Bake 15 more minutes.

Note: The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup bourbon to add to the glaze. I originally made this without and loved it so much that I have never added the bourbon to it.

Black Bean Burgers

I found a recipe for these from Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook Double Delicious. I had checked it out from the library and for some reason I did not write down the recipe before returning it. So I tried to remember the basic ingredients and have thus just been making these from memory.

Here's my adapted recipe:

Black Bean Burgers

1/2-1 cup veggies (usually zucchini, corn, tomatoes) sauteed in olive oil

1 egg, beaten

2 cans black beans (or equivalent of cooked beans)

1 cup bread crumbs

salt to taste

1 t. chili powder (optional)

and whatever other spices you want to add

Chipotle Ranch dressing, Marketside brand from Wal-mart (can be found in the produce section because it has to be refrigerated)

Saute the veggies first. Mix the egg, beans, and bread crumbs together. Add additional seasonings. Combine with veggies. Using a mixer, mix thoroughly until it comes together like a paste. Make patties. Cook on a hot iron skillet or in pan. 

We serve these on homemade cornbread and drizzle the dressing on top. The dressing is what makes this so great because it adds a kick of spice and yummy goodness.

I have used a variety of cornbread recipes, but this one I used tonight:

Cornbread

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup kefir (buttermilk or plain yogurt could be substituted)

2 T. agave nectar 

1/4 cup butter

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

Add dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Mix and stir just until wet. Place in greased 8X8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes. 

I like this because even my meat lover husband enjoys these and it easily makes enough for 2 meals for our family. Getting the kids to eat something so good for them always brings me a lot of joy and saving money on making a meatless meal is always a plus!

Chunky Monkey Ice Cream

Photo Credit: Smithfield.com

During one of my recent obsessive sessions with Pinterest, I came across the recipe for Chunky Monkey Ice Cream. It's basically frozen bananas, a couple tablespoons of p.b., some chocolate chips, and walnuts. You can add or take away from the recipe as long as you've got the bananas.

I was so excited to try it that I immediately threw 4 bananas into the freezer. And wouldn't you know, just this night, I threw those bananas into the food processor, dumped the concoction into some bowls, and we all devoured it in minutes. The kids loved it and I didn't feel bad about giving them second helpings because it was so basic and um, shall I say healthy.


Hope you enjoy as much as I did!