best dessert recipes

Less Time Cleaning

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Moen, Incorporated for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

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For more information, be sure to become a fan of Moen on Facebook and follow them on Twitter (@Moen). Plus look for the Moen Boardwalk at your local Lowe's store!

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Chocolate Covered Oreo Cake

This was the featured dessert at our Easter celebration and it was a HUGE hit! Fun to look at but even better to eat, and super easy to make, it would be a great birthday cake or a wonderful ending to any special occasion. The cake is from a box mix, but you could easily sub your own recipe to improve on it further!

Start by baking the cakes as the package directs in two 9 inch pans. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. While they cool, you can prepare the filling. First, crush the oreos. I found it best to do this in a big baggie, using a rolling pin. You want them coarsely chopped, and not pulverized, and when I used my food processor the crumbs were way to small. (On the bright side, I know have the crushed cookies for a pie crust!)

In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until well mixed. Then fold in the whipped topping and the cookies.

Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate and spread with the filling.

Then top with the second cake layer.

Now use a spatula to gently straighten the filling edges so it looks more like an Oreo, and less like a big mess.

For the topping, combine the chocolate and butter in a small bowl that you can put in the microwave.

Heat it at about 50% power for 1 minute at a time, stirring between each heating, until the butter is melted and the chocolate is soft. Then stir, stir, stir, until the chocolate is completely melted.

Transfer the topping to the top of the cake

and spread it just to the edges.

Let the topping set for at least 10 minutes.

If you're not going to serve the cake right away, you'll want to keep it refrigerated. (Also, keep any leftovers refrigerated.)

One year ago: Asian Honey BBQ Tilapia
Two years ago: Bistro Mac & Cheese
Three years ago: Hearty Wild Rice Soup

Find more great ideas at Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wednesday Extravaganza, What's Cooking Wednesday (#2), Wicked Good Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday's Treasures, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2).

Chocolate Covered Oreo Cake

1 pkg.(2-layer size) devil's food cake mix (and oil and eggs as package directs)
4 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese (low fat is ok), softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups thawed whipped topping
12 chocolate sandwich cookies (oreos), coarsely crushed

Prepare cake batter and bake in 2 (9-inch) round pans as directed on package. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in whipped topping and crushed cookies. Place 1 cake layer on plate, spread with cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining cake layer. Use a spatula to "straighten" the filling edges.

Microwave chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl on 50% power for one minute, stir, then repeat, until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool 5 minutes then spread the top cake with chocolate glaze; let stand 10 minutes or until firm. Keep refrigerated. Serves 16.

Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate and spread with the filling.

Then top with the second cake layer.

Now use a spatula to gently straighten the filling edges so it looks more like an Oreo, and less like a big mess.

For the topping, combine the chocolate and butter in a small bowl that you can put in the microwave.

Transfer the topping to the top of the cake

and spread it just to the edges.

Let the topping set for at least 10 minutes.

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Creating Artistic Cakes with the Silhouette Portrait Machine

Silhouette Portrait Machine is extremely useful to the craft lovers. The machine has the ability to ease the process of craft making. But have you ever wondered the extensive range of design possibilities with the Silhouette Cameo Machine. Can you imagine decorating a cake with the help of this innovative craft cutter? The answer to this should be a yes. It is possible to create decorative and various other embellishments that goes on cakes with the help of the Silhouette Portrait Machine.

Icing sheets are used to make various designs that go on the surface of the wedding cake. These icing sheets are made to be strong enough to go through the electronic cutting machine. The very first step in making the cake is to understand what the client wants. The requirement of the bride is taken into consideration and picture references are asked so as to recreate or design cakes that will blow them away.

The company offers several templates and designs to the customers. One can pick and choose from the designs and download the one that meets their fancy. For instance ruffled borders can be created with the help of the images that are available. These are not actual ruffled sheets but give the illusion of being so. The scalloped design is apt for it and this can be easily made by using the Silhouette Portrait Machine software. Several scallops can be cut out from the icing sheets in various colors like gold, red, sliver and the likes. These can be layered on the various tiers of the cake.

The Damask design template also helps in creating a damask patter on any tier of the cake. It adds a regal touch to the cake. The cut out of the Damask designs could be in any color or shade. This can be placed on the surface of the cake and adds a more realistic feel. There are made from icing sheets that are edible hence one does not have to worry about any health scares.

The initials or the names of the bride and the groom can also be monogramed onto the cake. This adds a personalized touch and adds more meaning to the cake. After the design has been cut one has to remove the backing paper vary carefully otherwise it may crack. Use a shortening to gently brush on the back of the design. This will help the design to stick well on the cake.

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This Dinner Brought To You By Netflix

I am a Netflix junkie. Yes, if there was a support group I would join. "Hi my name is Krista and I'm a Netflix addict." And to be honest, it's not movies I'm hooked on, but instead television series. Most evenings you can find me either watching favorites over again (I'm on my 4th time watching Lost from beginning to end!) or finding "new" ones to get lost in. And by new I mean those that I didn't watch when they first aired and now find myself becoming obsessed with wondering why.

Such was the case last month when I found myself watching multiple episodes of "The West Wing" every day, loving it more and more with each episode. I don't know how many of you watched this Emmy winning show when it ran from 1998-2006, but I can now see why it won so many awards and was loved so much by it's fans. Outstanding writing, acting and amazing story lines are just some of the reasons I was engrossed after only 1 episode.

Now, what does this have to do with food? Well, I was telling my friend about my latest Netflix find (She happens to love watching series on there too, and is always on the lookout for great ones) and she laughed at just how passionately I felt about this show and its characters. She was teasing me and said, "Then you would love a recipe my grandma gave me a while back. It was supposedly Ronald Reagan's favorite mac and cheese recipe." Well, heck yeah, sign me up. We love mac and cheese, and if our 40th president loved it, I'm willing to try it!

I have quite a few mac and cheese recipes. Some are baked, some are creamy, but this is the only one that has a custard filling...and it's delicious! So simple to make and something young to old in your house will love.

This is one of those recipes that has been shared 1000's of times by 1000's of people. Passed down again and again, but it was originally published in The White House Family Cookbook by Henry Haller. What a great little piece of history to have, especially for us foodies! I might just have to order it so when I go back and re-watch all of The West Wing episodes (And you know I will!) I will have lots of presidential recipes to eat!!!

Ronald Reagan's Favorite Mac n Cheese

8 oz. elbow macaroni

4 c. sharp cheddar cheese

1 c. milk

2 TBS butter, melted

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 TBS hot water

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Boil macaroni and drain well. Transfer to baking dish. Add butter and egg. Mix well. Add 3 cups cheese. Stir well. In a small bowl combine mustard and salt. Add hot water. Mix well. Add to 1 c. milk. Stir again. Pour milk mixture over macaroni. Add remaining 1 cup cheese to top. Bake for 45 minutes or until set and browned on top.

Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Apr. 3, 2013

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Apr. 5, 2013

Pasta at Very Good Recipes
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Ronald Reagan's Favorite Mac n Cheese

8 oz. elbow macaroni

4 c. sharp cheddar cheese

1 c. milk

2 TBS butter, melted

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 TBS hot water

1 egg, beaten

Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Apr. 3, 2013

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Apr. 5, 2013

Pasta at Very Good Recipes
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Where Do You Get Your Maryland Crab Cakes?

If you live in Maryland, you know the treat of going down to a seafood market (SM) at Baltimore Harbor and getting delicious crab cakes (CCs) from a waterman who has made them with fresh, locally-caught crab. If you don't live in Maryland, however, it becomes a little more complicated to decide on the best place to get your Maryland CCs. Ultimately, though, there is only one answer that makes sense: getting your CCs straight from the source so you can also enjoy the freshest ingredients and the best local flavors. Fortunately, thanks to the Internet and the ability to order your Maryland CCs and have them overnighted to your home, it is now possible for people throughout the U.S. to get their CCs from the home of the very best CCs.

Where to Get Maryland Crab Cakes
Ordering Maryland CCs online direct from a seafood market in Maryland only makes sense. After all, if you buy CCs from the grocery store or even from local SMs, it can be difficult or impossible to tell where the crab meat comes from or how fresh it is. The CCs may have been made with pasteurized or frozen crab and, if so, they simply won't have the same delicious taste and texture as crab cakes made from fresh-caught crabs. CCs from local restaurants or your grocery store might even be made with imitation crab meat instead of with real jumbo lump crab or backfin crab.

Choosing a Seafood Market

Once you have made the decision that you will order your Maryland crab cakesdirectly from a SM in Maryland, the next thing to do is to find a seafood market that can provide you with what you are looking for.

In order to choose one, you'll want to look for the following features:

You want a seafood market that ships CCs overnight. The SM should offer this as a routine service so you can rest assured they have perfected the technique for safely sending the CCs through overnight mail.You want a seafood market that is run by a waterman. When you choose a SM run by a waterman, you know they are catching their own crabs to use in the CCs. This ensures you really get fresh local ingredients.You want a seafood market that promises that crab cakes are made with only real Jumbo Lump or Backfin crab that has never been frozen or pasteurized. After all, the point of ordering mail order crab cakes direct from Maryland is to get the CCs fresh.You want a SM that prides itself on its CC seasoning. The crab meat and the spices and seasoning used are the two determining factors that can take a CC from ordinary to extraordinary.

If you order your Maryland crab cakes over the Internet direct from a SM that offers all of these features, you can rest assured that every CC you try will be truly delicious.

Choosing a Seafood Market

In order to choose one, you'll want to look for the following features:

If you order your Maryland crab cakes over the Internet direct from a SM that offers all of these features, you can rest assured that every CC you try will be truly delicious.

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Enhance The Level Of Festivity With Red Velvet Cupcakes

To make occasions memorable and to intensify the depth of festive feel, it is time that you start blending ingredients to give form to the special red velvet cupcakes. These are special yet easy to make cakes and with the perfect cheese toppings, you are made to think that Santa is on the way. The cakes would be just perfect to commemorate the onset of the Christmas month. So, it is time to feel happy with Christmas cupcakes. Yummy is the word which comes to mind when you sit to rejoice with your red velvet cupcake in hand. Just a bite will tell you the making of the desert. It is all buttering and smearing down the way.

The Things Required Shaping the Cake

Making red velvet cupcakes is not rocket science. You just have to go through the steps rightly and you would know how to make the cakes puff in time. First, it is time to make a list of the ingredients you would require for shaping the cake. You can choose to make use of two and a half cups of all-purpose flour. You can start compiling with one and a half cups of sugar, one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of cocoa powder, one and a half cups of vegetable oil, one cup of buttermilk at normal room temperature and two large sized eggs. You would also require two table spoons of red food coloring, one table spoon of distilled white vinegar, and a single spoon of vanilla extract.

Frosting with Cream Cheese

The red velvet cupcakes alone don't look good till they are aptly frosted with cream cheese. For the process you would require one pound of cream cheese. Before you make use of the cheese you must make sure to soften the stuff, so that it sits well over cake. You should also make arrangements for two sticks of butter, a single spoon of vanilla extract four cups of sugar preferable of the shifted confectioner variety, and to end with you can even deliver with chopped pecans. The final trimmings can be made apt with fresh strawberries and raspberries.

How to Make the Cakes

For making red velvet cupcakes you have to make use of muffin pans. It is required that you preheat the pan to a temperature of 350 degrees. You should arrange for proper cupcake papers to hold the cakes well. Take a medium sized mixing bowl and put all ingredients of flour, baking soda, sugar, cocoa powder and salt to mix well.

Take another bowl and congregate ingredients like oil, eggs, vinegar, food coloring, butter milk and vanilla. You need to amalgamate the ingredients in the correct proportion for the apt formation of the red velvet cupcakes. This is the time you must make use of an electric mixer for the proper blending of the ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ones and the smoothening has to be done perfectly. Fill each cupcake papers with the mixture and then allow them to be heated for a time span of about 20 to 22 minutes. In the midway, you can turn the pans once and test the cakes to measure the extent of readiness of the Christmas cupcakes.

Last Tips to Follow

Be very sure to let the red velvet cupcakes be completely cooled before you start with the frosting. For preparing the frost you have to beat the cream cheese well. Butter, vanilla and sugar should be added at a low speed to combine things fine. Amalgamate well till the mixture turns fluffy. Finish with the red velvet cupcakes by providing with raspberry and strawberry toppings.

Jacob Reed is a homemaker and she has shared her experience and thrill in the making of the red velvet cupcakes . She has even received acclamation for her lips smacking Red Velvet Christmas cupcakes recipes.

The Things Required Shaping the Cake

Frosting with Cream Cheese

How to Make the Cakes

Last Tips to Follow

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Are you staring at tons of leftover ham today? Or turkey? Or do you need a great idea for dinner tonight? Look no further. This delicious casserole has all the wonderful salty, cheesy taste of chicken cordon bleu, combined with yummy pasta and finished with a crispy breadcrumb topping. Although it's not the most picturesque dish on the planet, it was a big hit with guests at my house and will be at your house, too.

Start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Then cut up the ham, chicken and cheese.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, and then add the flour and cook and stir until bubbly. Gradually add the milk,

and cook and stir until the mixture thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, mustard,

paprika,

salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and place it in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with the ham, chicken and cheese.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and meat mixture. To make the topping, combine the melted butter and panko and stir until combined.

Add the seasoned salt and parsley,

then sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until topping is golden and filling is bubbly. What a great use for leftovers!

One year ago: Ham and Asparagus Casserole
Two years ago: Triple Treat Torte
Three years ago: Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Find more great ideas at Mop it up Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, On the Menu Monday, Seasonal Inspiration, Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tasteful Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Clever Chicks.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Casserole:
12 oz. small pasta shapes (like penne or rotini)
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
3 cups milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoons pepper
4 oz. swiss cheese, cut into chunks
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups diced ham

Topping:
3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 1/2 teaspoon parsley

Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot of boiling water. Drain, and pour into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, and then add the flour and cook and stir until bubbly. Gradually add the milk and cook and stir until the mixture thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper.

Layer the ham, chicken and cheese over the pasta in the baking dish, then pour the sauce over all.

To make the topping, combine the melted butter and panko and stir until combined. Add the seasoned salt and parsley, then sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake at 350 30-40 minutes or until topping is golden and filling is bubbly. Serves 8-10.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, and then add the flour and cook and stir until bubbly. Gradually add the milk,

and cook and stir until the mixture thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, mustard,

paprika,

salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and place it in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with the ham, chicken and cheese.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and meat mixture. To make the topping, combine the melted butter and panko and stir until combined.

Add the seasoned salt and parsley,

then sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

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