Awesome Yummy Lasagna

I'm not posting a recipe here - merely a link - to a delicious lasagna recipe. This is out of the ordinary because it utilizes cream cheese instead of the more traditional ricotta or cottage cheese, so it is silky smooth and creamy. And SO yummy! I keep forgetting where the recipe is located, so I'm bookmarking it here - for me, and for you!

http://wondertime.go.com/life-at-home/article/lasagna-beat-this.html

Mary Helen’s Brownies

One of my coworkers, Mary Helen, makes THE BEST BROWNIES EVER. Mine never come out as perfect as hers, but they're still really yummy and chewy. They're quick and easy to make. We just won't talk about how healthy they are(n't).

Ingredients:
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
1 tsp + vanilla
4 Tbsp corn syrup (Karo)
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
Dash salt
4 rounded Tbsp cocoa
1 c. toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 325°. Mix above ingredients together. Line a 9 1/2" x 13" pan with foil (I uses Reynolds Release) or parchment, then sprinkle with white sugar. Bake approximately 35 minutes. Brownies will not be firm when done, but a toothpick should come out fairly clean.
Cool completely, then remove from pan with foil lining. Cut into 1" squares with a plastic knife (a trick I learned from Meredith at Like Merchant Ships). Enjoy...and share!

Fudgy Oreo Ice Cream Cake

My friends Kato & Kim are serving as missionaries to Native Americans in Arizona. Kim has a recipe corner in their newsletter, and she shared this recipe, which I've adapted here. I've served this on 2 separate occasions. It's easy to put together and fun to serve and eat. It'd be a refreshing treat on a hot summer day, and even a fun birthday cake. I'm a dork, so I never think of taking step-by-step photos, or even a good finished product photo, but here's a half-gone photo for you:

Still looks delicious!

Fudgy Oreo Ice Cream Cake
1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 large tub (16 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 pkg. (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding & pie filling
8 Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies
16 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Pour warmed fudge topping into medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip until blended. Add dry pudding mix. If too thick to spread, stir in a little bit of milk. Chop Oreo cookies into chunks, stir into pudding mixture. Arrange 6 ice cream sandwiches side by side in bottom of large loaf pan (I used a disposable loaf pan) or on a large piece of foil. Top with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers, adding extra ice cream sandwiches, if needed. End with a third layer of ice cream sandwiches on top layer. Frost top (and sides, if you didn't use the pan) with remaining Cool Whip. Cover loosely with foil and freeze at least 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly before serving, or slice with knife dipped in hot water. Makes 16+ servings.

Nancy's Pumpkin Bread

vintage pumpkin patch Originally uploaded by thingspondered

This is The. Best. Pumpkin. Bread. Ever!

A former coworker shared this recipe with me. She used to bring it to our office in the fall.

Nancy's Pumpkin Bread

• 3 c sugar
• 1 c Crisco oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1-lb can pumpkin
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3 1/2 c flour
• 2/3 c water
• 1 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pans. Combine sugar & oil. Add beaten eggs & pumpkin. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture with water. Add raisins. Pour into greased pans & bake for about 1 hour, until done. Use either 2 5x9 loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans.

Now, I am not a big fan of raisins, but they are perfect in this. You could also add toasted walnuts or pecans. Or leave them all out...if you want to be boring about it. Just make the bread. You'll thank me for it! And since it's so easy that you'll want to make extras, your neighbors will thank me for it, too!

Jennifer's Pumpkin Layer Cake

Here is a delish fall layer cake. A former church member, Jennifer, brought this cake to a luncheon at our church office during October Clergy Appreciation Month a few years ago. It was so delicious that we were all begging for the recipe. It is a very rich cake - the kind you want to save for special occasions, because you'll want to eat the whole thing yourself! I would take pictures of it, but I can't allow myself to make it until Thanksgiving!

Jennifer's Pumpkin Layer Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin pie filling
• 1 cup oil
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts)

Mix dry ingredients, then add eggs, pumpkin, & oil. Mix well, then blend in nuts. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans. Divide batter between the two pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 - 2 Tbsp milk

Blend until smooth, add the milk until frosting reaches a "spreadable" consistency. Spread some on top of the bottom layer of cake. Add the top layer, then frost the cake competely. You may wish to garnish with toasted chopped nuts or mellowcreme pumpkins.

Mrs. Norvell's Fresh Apple Cake

We had a birthday celebration at our office today. One of the birthday girls loves apples, so I took advantage of a great opportunity to pull out this wonderful recipe:

Mrs. Norvell’s Fresh Apple Cake

(From My Kitchen by Barbara Richardson McClellan)
2 c. sugar1 c. oil2 eggs2 ½ c. flour1 ¼ tsp. baking soda½ tsp. salt3 medium apples, peeled & chopped1 c. chopped nuts¾ c. raisins (if desired)
Preheat oven to 350°. Flour or sugar a 9x13 pan, or line with foil. Mix oil and sugar, then add eggs. Mix dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture. Add apples, nuts, and raisins. Mix well and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool and frost with the following:
Frosting:2 c. brown sugar½ c. evaporated milk1 stick butter¼ tsp. salt1 tsp. vanilla
Mix first four ingredients in saucepan and stir over low heat until blended. Bring to boil over high heat. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and beat until cool and of spreading consistency. Add vanilla. You may wish to garnish with extra nuts. If it's very humid, you may need to add some powdered sugar to the frosting to get it to a spreadable consistency.

Mocha Punch

This is a delicious Mocha Punch recipe. We served it for Bosses' Day. It tastes very much like a Starbucks Mocha Frappucino, but you get a lot more "bang for your buck", as this serves 20 or more. You should be able to buy all the ingredients for under $12. Here is the link to the original recipe.

Ingredients
1- 1 1/2 quarts Water
1/2 cup Instant chocolate drink mix
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Instant coffee granules
1/2 Gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 Gallon chocolate ice cream
1 cup Whipped cream, whipped
Chocolate curls, optional

Preparation
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add drink mix, sugar and coffee; stir until dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. About 30 minutes before serving, pour into a punch bowl. Add ice cream by scoopfuls; stir until partially melted. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream and chocolate curls if desired.