Dirt Cake

Yep, it looks like dirt!  I would never have tried this if not for one our good friends making it for a small group gathering awhile back.  I do not like chocolate pudding or Oreos but it works here.  I know, don’t even try to figure out my weird dislikes that I like in other forms…it makes no sense!  I love cool-whip (my hubby says I could eat a whole container plain!) and I guess with that addition and the cream cheese it just works for me!

The only change I made was splitting the recipe in half because there would only be 3.5 (.5 = toddler) people enjoying it and then I didn’t want the temptation to eat it all later.  It still made quite a lot so if you don’t have a big crowd I’d half it.  I put probably three quarters of the Oreos on the bottom and the rest on the top.  I also softened my cream cheese and butter.

Here’s what I found on sweet milk.  I love the internet….sometimes!

Recipe taken from – W.M.U Centennial Cookbook (1988)

1 large pkg. Oreo cookies

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese

1 stick oleo

1 c powdered sugar

1 large ctn. Whipped topping

2 boxes or 7 oz Instant Jello-O pudding mix

3 c sweet milk

1 tsp vanilla

Crush cookies and put into 9x13 inch pan.  Save a handful of cookies for topping.  Mix cheese and butter together until smooth with electric mixer.  Mix in powdered sugar.  Fold in whipped topping.  In a large bowl, mix pudding with milk and vanilla.  Fold cream cheese in pudding and mix well.  Spread the saved cookies on top of mixture.  This may be frozen.

This would make a fun little boys birthday party treat or a fun pot luck dessert!

Chocolate Brownies

We were taking food to some friends who just had a baby and I wanted to take a dessert as well because I know I wanted dessert after I had my son!  Hmm…and I still do!  So, I decided to try out another brownie recipe because most people like brownies (just not me!).  My hubby said they were good so I have to trust his judgment!  He thought they might even be better than the previous ones. 

I followed the recipe as stated.  My only note is to make sure you do not scramble your eggs.  Stir constantly as you put them in the hot chocolate mixture.  I wasn’t going to transfer to another bowl but when I felt how hot everything was I decided I better just in case.  Oh, and the color is a bit interesting as they come out because it’s not the typical dark brown it’s more of a light brown.  I used milk chocolate morsels if that maybe had something to do with it?!...

Recipe taken from – Heart of the Home (1982)

¾ c flour

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1/3 c butter

¾ c sugar

2 Tbsp water

1 (12 oz) pkg. chocolate morsels

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

½ c chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325.  In a small bowl, combine flour, soda and salt; set aside.  In small saucepan, combine butter, sugar and water.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add 1 cup chocolate morsels and vanilla.  Stir until they have melted.  Transfer to bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Beat well after each addition.  Blend in flour mixture gradually.  Stir in remaining morsels and nuts.  Spread into greased 9 inch baking pan and bake at 325 for 35 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares for serving.  

Chewy Brownies

My husband loves anything chocolate but me not so much so all the desserts I fix are usually chocolateless but the other day was our 5 year anniversary so I thought I would surprise him and make him brownies.  He loved his surprise and said they were delicious.  He gave them 10 stars and said they were better than boxed!  I tasted them and they tasted like brownies…duh!!:)

These were super easy to make.  My 20 month old son helped.  He loves dumping the ingredients in the bowl and helping stir.  It’s nice to know they are homemade because they don’t have all the preservatives that give box brownies a crazy long shelf life.  That makes you feel a little less guilty in eating them….right??!!...

I did not put nuts in the mix and I put slightly heaping tablespoons of coco.  I cooked them for 30 minutes.  When I cut into them they wanted to crack apart a little but not to bad….I’m not sure why though.

Recipe Taken from – County Heritage Cookbook (1976)

1 stick butter

1 c sugar

3 T cocoa

2 eggs

2/3 c flour

½ tsp vanilla

½ c nuts, chopped

Melt butter, mix cocoa with sugar and add to butter; mix well.  Add the eggs, then the flour.  Add nuts and vanilla last.  Bake in a square pan at 325 for 20 or 25 minutes.