Mini Frozen Limeade Pies

We had these for our St. Patrick's Day treat. These are a good summer treat. I love lime, so these are my kind of  dessert. You can make these as is, or make one big pie in a normal pie pan. Either way, your friends, neighbors, family will love it. This is also the graham cracker crust I use anytime I need one. So yummy.

Mini Frozen Limeade Pies

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons melted butter

Mix cracker crumbs and sugar together till well blended. Add in melted butter and mix till crumbs have "absorbed" the butter moisture. Line cupcake pan with liners and scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons crumbs into each liner. Press crumbs down to form solid crust. Or press crumbs into a slightly greased pie pan and press down till solid crust is formed. 

Filling: 

1 {8 oz cream} cheese ~ softened

1 {14 oz} can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup frozen limeade concentrate

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix cream cheese in mixer to "fluff" it. Very slowly add in sweetened condensed milk. Continue mixing till smooth. Add in limeade and lemon juice. Continue beating and you can also add in green food coloring to desired shade. Scoop about 1/8-1/4 cup of filling into cupcake liners over crumb crust. Smooth out limeade mixture and freeze for about 1 hour, or until firm. 

Topping:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In mixer bowl, whip cream till peaks/stiffens. Add in sugar slowly and then vanilla. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of whip cream over top of each cup, {or whole pie} just before serving. 

Peach Crunch

This is so delightful. It is one dessert that can be enjoyed warm, cold and with or with out ice cream and still be delicious. It is easy to throw together, but tastes like it took so long to put together. You will definitely please the crowd with this one.

Peach Crunch 

29 ounce can sliced peaches in syrup

1 yellow cake mix 

1 stick butter ~ cut into pieces

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts ~ optional 

Layer all ingredients in a sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Starting with peaches. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

Two Ingredient Strawberry Cake

This is one of the best ways to make a cake. I have only used this method on Strawberry and Lemon. But give it a try on any other flavor. The cake ends up being so light, fluffy and super moist.  For my daughters 6th birthday, she wanted a Strawberry Cake. But she wanted it to have a Strawberry Cream Filling. So, that is just what I did for the sweet birthday girl. It was a hit and everyone loved it.

Two Ingredient Strawberry Cake 

1 strawberry cake box mix

12 oz diet 7-up

Combine both ingredients together in a bowl. Mix till well blended. Pour batter in desired cake pans that are sprayed with cooking spray. Bake as directed on cake box. Let cake cool completely and frost with desired frosting. 

Strawberry Cream Filling

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 jar strawberry jam ~ I used one of my homemade ones, but store bought is just fine. 

 

make a batch of the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (below). Divide the frosting in half. In one bowl add in strawberry jam to half of frosting. Mix well. Refrigerate both bowls of frosting for about 30 minutes. Then frost cakes to liking.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

8 tablespoons {1 stick} ~ room temperature

3 3/4 cup powdered sugar ~ sifted

2 tablespoons milk or cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Place butter in large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk/cream and vanilla extract. Beat frosting on low and slowly increasing speed until frosting is nice and creamy. Add more milk/cream slowly if frosting is too thick.

Banana-Sour Cream Cake

Thinking about this cake, kind of makes me want a piece. It is super moist. It is like banana bread turned into cake. So delicious. The chopped walnuts are totally for looks. You can either forgo all of them or just sprinkle them on the top or on each individual piece.

Banana-Sour Cream Cake

1 package {2-layer size} yellow cake mix

1 cup mashed ripe bananas {about 3}

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 pkg. {8 oz.} cream cheese ~ softened

1/2 cup butter ~softened

1 pkg. {16 oz.} powdered sugar

1 cup finely chopped walnuts ~ optional

Beat cake mix, mashed bananas, sour cream, eggs, and oil with mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape bottom and side of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Pour into greased and floured 13x9-inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. 

Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar.

Remove cake from pan. Carefully cut cake crosswise in half using serrated knife. Place 1 cake half, top-side down, on plate; spread with some of the frosting. Top with remaining cake half, top-side up. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Press nuts into sides. Keep refrigerated.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Although the name of this recipe has "cake" in it, you can totally enjoy a piece for breakfast. It is gooey, full of flavor and heavenly just like cinnamon rolls.  I had the pleasure of making this for a luncheon for a friends baby blessing.  It was gone in seconds.  Luckily, I had reserved 3 pieces before setting the plate out.  But those pieces reserved didn't last long, once my hubby and kids got to them. So, word of advice when making this ..... Be the first to get your slice!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter ~ melted

Topping:
1 c. butter ~softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla


While cake is still warm, drizzle glaze over the top. Getting every inch of the cake covered. 

{Even the sides!}

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

A good friend of mine made this for my birthday.  Our families got together for a BBQ and she did this.  It is so so so yummy.  Talk about a crowd pleaser.  We all loved it!  She did a great job on it.

 

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping ~ warmed

1 tub  {8 oz.} Cool Whip ~ thawed and divided

1 pkg. {3.9 oz.} Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

8   OREO Cookies ~ chopped {about 1 cup}

12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches {she used cookies & cream}

 

Pour fudge topping into medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies. 

 

Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long sheet of foil; top with half the cool whip mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sandwiches. Frost top and sides with remaining cool whip. Bring up foil sides; double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet. 

 

Freeze 4 hours or until firm.

 

Mini Apple Pies

These were our Sunday treat last night.  We go to my in laws for Sunday dinner sometimes and I always love taking something to help out with the meal.  For last night, my mother in law asked me to bring dessert and my husband requested these. After church, we gathered up all the ingredients into a bag and headed down.  {These are so amazing ... even more amazing hot from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!} After dinner, I started to get these made.  These only take about 10 minutes to put together. 

Mini Apple Pies 

1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

2 large granny smith apples ~ peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons sugar

butter

Peel and chop apples.  Add cinnamon and sugar over apples and mix till apples are well coated.  Flatten each biscuit into a 4 inch circle.  Place a couple spoon fulls of apple mixture in the center of each biscuit.  Add a small chunk of butter to the top of apple mixture in each biscuit.  Bring up sides of biscuit to enclose filling and pinch to seal. 

Place in a slightly greased muffin tin.  Bake at 375 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Woof-em's

With just the title, I am sure many of you are thinking "What in the world!?" Well with summer being here, it means ... swimming, camping, bon fires, smores', dough boys, movies out side and so much more!  We have all had our share of smores' this season.  Whether it be the traditional way or ones spiced up with some of our favorites ~ peanut butter cups, carmelo bars, grasshopper cookies, even an occasional flavored marshmallow now and then, etc.

Well here, we love doing fires in the pit in the back and having all those roasted treats.  But recently we have been introduced to Woo-Em's by my husband Aunt.  They are so fun and such a different camp fire treat. First you need these roasting sticks....

We have 4 of them.  {If you would like information on how to make them, leave a comment with your email or if you are known friend/family member, contact us email or phone.} Then gather up your ingredients and have a Woof-Em Party! We have had these a few times this summer and everyone has loved them. These are a never fail treat. This past weekend, we did it with some friends and we had Raspberry filling.  Then for pudding we had Chocolate Fudge, Vanilla Cream and Lemon.  Sweet Goodness.

Woof-Em's

1 container refrigerated biscuits {Homestyle works the best}

1 can of pie filling ~ flavor of choice

a couple different puddings ~ flavors of choice

1 can of Redi Whip

Cooking Spray

Spray roaster stick with cooking spray {the large round end}.  Then take one biscuit and put large end of roasting stick in center of biscuit and wrap around. {We use half a biscuit, then it isn't so thick.}  Roast biscuit till it is fully cooked - you don't want any gooey parts.  Put a scoop of pie filling in bottom of roasted biscuit, top with  scoop of pudding and top off with cool whip.  

These can get messy, so have napkins ready!  

*A couple tips on roasting the biscuit .... 

The thinner the biscuit the easier it cooks.

Cook over coals so it doesn't burn ~ you want it golden.

Make sure you press it firm around the sprayed roaster, you want to it stick and not fall off when cooking.

Grasshopper Cake

This is a total refreshing dessert.  My hubby loves grasshopper ice cream/shakes.  I came across this recipe in a book that I have and knew we had to try it.  It has just the perfect amount of mint in it.  We made this and it was a huge hit with everyone.

Grasshopper Cake

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup milk

1/4 cup white creme de menthe

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 egg whites

1 jar (6 oz) fudge topping

3 tablespoons white creme de menthe

4 drops green food coloring

1 (8 oz.) whip topping ~ thawed

In a large mixing bowl, beat flour, sugar, shortening, milk, 1/4 cup creme de menthe, baking powder, salt, and vanilla with electric mixer.  Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly.  Beat on high for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg whites on high 2 minutes, scraping occasionally.  Pour cake batter into greased and flours 9x13 baking pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 -45 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely for about 1 hour. 

Spread fudge topping over cake (you can heat it up a little to make it softer to spread). Carefully fold 3 tablespoons creme de menth and food coloring into whipped topping.  Spread over fudge topping.  Store covered and in refrigerate. 

Substitutes:

If you don't have Creme de menthe or don't feel comfortable buying it, there are a couple different things you can do in place of it.  You can use whole milk and peppermint extract or half & half with peppermint extract. Liquid measurements are the same as recipe calls and then just add 2-3 drops of extract.  

If ever needing Green Creme de menth, just add food coloring.

*Creme de menthe is a liquor that is very common in baking. It is found in Andes Mints, anything Grasshopper, a variety of Mint Chocolate, etc.

Waffle Cake

I got this idea from a friend, so we decided to give it a try ourselves.  It was a huge hit.  We shared some with neighbors on the street along with my sister and her family who were in town. Everyone thought it was the neatest thing. It was a great, quick, light dessert.  For our topping options we had ice cream, hot fudge, variety of fruits, whip cream and nuts to put on top.  It was very yummy.  Thanks Kait!

Waffle Cake

1 box cake mix ~ flavor of choice

{or feel free to make from scratch}

Toppings of choice

Waffle Iron

Make batter according to box directions or recipe of choice.  Heat up your waffle iron & fill, like you would with making waffles.  Bake cake batter for about 3 minutes.  Take waffle cakes out and top with desired toppings.

Twix Cheesecake

My daughters primary teachers at our church were out of town for a couple weeks.  She really missed them because they are amazing teachers and friends.  So, she asked if we could make them a treat to take over to them.  When I asked her what she was thinking, she suggested a cake.  As we got to talking, we decided on a cheesecake and she decided to add some Twix candy bars to it.  Such a great idea.  It smelled and looked so yummy.  So yummy that we have plans to make one for all of us to enjoy here at home!

Twix Cheesecake
20 Oreo cookies {with creme filling}
3 tablespoons melted butter
Two {8 oz.} packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
18-20 chopped Twix Fun Size Candy Bars {2 cups total)}
hot fudge
caramel syrup

6-8 chopped Twix Fun Size Candy Bars

To prepare the crust: Crush cookies (either in a sealed plastic bag, blender, or food processor) and mix with melted butter. Use your fingers to press into a lightly greased 9-inch pie dish or 8x8 baking dish. Place crust into the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until it is firm.

To prepare the filling: With an electric mixer in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar and eggs until mixture is smooth. Stir in chopped Twix bars. Pour into frozen pie crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set in center; let cool.  When cheesecake is completely cooled, drizzle with hot fudge and caramel syrup.  Garnish with more chopped Twix bars. Chill until serving. 

Chocolate Mousse Cake

This cake seriously looks like so much time was spent on it, but really ..... it was a piece of cake to do.  {No pun intended} The chocolate mousse can be used in desserts or it can be put into little cups & eaten by itself.  Delicious.  I made this for my mother in law & grandmother in law for mother's day.  It was a great treat.  This exact cake, with a few changes, has been made as a birthday cake in the past.  Instead of heath chips & letting the hot fudge run down the cake, "spread" the hot fudge all over the cake & then line the bottom of the cake with fresh strawberries. Very very yummy.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

1 devils food cake mix

1 recipe Chocolate Mousse ~ below

1/3 cup Heath Chips

1 jar Mrs. Richardson's Hot Fudge

Mix cake mix as directed on box.  Divide batter into 2 round oiled & floured cake pans.  Bake cake as directed on box.  Flip cakes out of pans immediately after baking.  Let cool completely.  Place one cake on serving plate & spread chocolate mousse onto cake & stake other round cake on top of mousse.  Heat hot fudge up.  Make sure it isn't extremely hot {Too hot & it will "melt" the mousse}.  Dump hot fudge over top of cake.  You can either "spread" fudge over all of cake or just let is run down by itself.  Top with Heath chips or fresh strawberries. 

Chocolate Mousse

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup real butter ~ room temperature

9 tbsp cocoa powder

3 tbsp oil 

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs ~ room temperature

Cream together sugar, butter & vanilla till fluffy.  In separate bowl, mix together cocoa & oil.  Blend as well as you can.  Add cocoa mix into sugar mixture.  Cream together till blended.  Add in 1 egg at a time.  Refrigerate mousse for 2-4 hours before using/eating.