peanut butter sheet cake with chocolate icing

Peanut butter +  chocolate =  love.  Is there anyone who does not like peanut butter and chocolate?  If you do don't fight it just give in.  You will fall in love trust me.  Could a couple be more perfectly matched?  Do they ever fight?  They just seem to constantly compliment each other.  A peanut butter sheet cake ... yum!  Poke holes in it and pour a sweet thin chocolate icing all over it so, it fills those holes and makes the perfect little pockets of chocolate icing ... now you got a reason to pump your fist in the air.  My only regret other then I ate one too many pieces of this cake is that I did not go all Paula Deen on this cake.  I am still kicking myself that I did not add a bit of peanut butter to the icing and cut up reese's peanut butter cups on top.  If you are going to do Paula do you really leave a usable calorie behind.  Next time.  Enjoy!

peanut butter sheet cake with chocolate icing
adapted: paula deen

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs

2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F if baking with a metal dish; 325 degrees F if using a glass dish.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Add graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat mixture with electric mixer on low until moistened, and then beat on medium for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat for 1 minute. Bake in greased 9-inch by 13-inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes. Do not remove from pan to cool.
For the frosting: mix all of the ingredients together. Pour into a saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Cool slightly. With a wooden spoon handle, poke a few holes in the cake, and then pour the warm frosting over it.

south of the border mason-dixon dip

We went to our annual super bowl party hosted by our good friends yesterday.  I arrived not knowing who was even playing.  I left not knowing who won.  What I do know is we had a blast and I feel ill today.  I blame this dip, Paula Deen and my lack of self control.  I am not to be left alone in a room with dip and chips.  This dip comes together in minutes and can hardly be deemed cooking rather opening cans and wrappers, dumping, mixing and heating.  Once you set it out it will be gone in minutes as well.  It is best right when it comes out of the oven and it is hot and bubbly with delicious gooey cheese.  I am a dip girl and I am not going to deny this but, I am so so thankful that super bowl Sunday only comes one time a year. 

south of the border mason-dixon dip
adapted: paula dean

2 15oz cans vegetarian chili
2 8oz packages reduced fat cream cheese
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 green onions, chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chili in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Turn down to low and add blocks of cream cheese.  Mix until cream cheese is melted. Pour heated chili in 1.5 quart casserole dish and sprinkle grated cheese over top. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until mixture is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with chopped green onion tops. Serve immediately with tortilla chips or fritos.

gooey butter cookies

Brad came with me to the grocery store the other day which is rare these days.  When we first got married we shopped only on the days we were going to cook which wasn't often.  We only bought food for that meal.  As I put cream of mushroom soup and boxed cake mix in the cart he made the comment "I remember when almost every meal you made had cream of something soup, stove top stuffing and boxed cake mix".  I thought back and it was true.  I had no idea how to cook so I relied on processed kitchen staples to make meals like tuna noodle casserole, chicken and stuffing, spaghetti pie and cupcakes with canned premade frosting.  I felt so proud that I have come so far in the kitchen and excited for how much farther I have to go on this food journey.  The boxed cake mix required to make the gooey butter cookies also made me smile because they are comfort food to me.  I realized the comfort food is about a feeling.  The feeling that you get when you taste the food and the place it brings you to.  I will forever remember our sliver of a kitchen in our 797 square foot San Francisco condo and the begining of my marriage.  No matter how bad the food tasted Brad always ate it and that is just one of the reasons I love him.  He is my comfort so, there will always be a place in my heart for boxed cake mix and cream of mushroom soup. 

gooey butter cookies
source: paula deen

1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar


Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Add cake mix, and stir until well blended. Roll into 1inch balls and roll the balls in the confectioners' sugar. Place 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
3.Bake for 10 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.