Brain Freeze Cake

I've been asked for the cake recipe that I made for Muffin's birthday. It's really easy, but looks impressive - so it's a winning combination!

First of all... you will need a bowl - My bowl was rather large and the pieces were huge... so perhaps a shorter bowl would be better. You will need:

• 2 or 3 flavors of ice cream
• Swiss rolls - 24
• chocolate syrup
• chocolate Rolos or other type candy

If you can find these Swiss Rolls not dipped in chocolate - it would be much easier! I used 3 boxes, or 36 of them, cut in 4's. However, I would suggest cutting them into 5's and using a smaller bowl. So 2 boxes should do you. (Warning - do not read ingredients... I didn't even look, and I suggest you don't either. Good thing birthdays only come around once a year!! ;)

After you cut the rolls, line your bowl with plastic wrap and start to lay out your rolls. 

Until your bowl is completely lined with rolls. 

Cover and put in the freezer for one hour.

Take your first layer of ice cream out of the freezer and let soften for 15 mins. 

Spread a layer of ice cream over your rolls. 

Insert your chocolate candies. 

Cover and stick back in freezer for 1 hour.

Allow your second ice cream to soften for 15 mins, and spread on top of the first layer. 

Drizzle chocolate sauce over this layer. It ends up just running to the bottom of the your hole - which is fine. 

Cover and freeze for an hour.

Fill the remaining space with your last flavor of ice cream. 

Cover and freeze. 

Invert bowl over top of plate allow to soften for a few minutes before serving. 

This cake can last months in the freezer if properly wrapped. 

Enjoy! 

Halloween in photo's (and a YUMMY recipe!)

Phew... It was a whirlwind Halloween, with Mister's birthday followed by a Halloween on a school day.
Here are some treats we made...

Rice Krispy squares with orange food colouring added to the marshmallow/butter mix.

These were Mister's birthday cupcakes. I didn't want to add a bunch of food colouring to the icing (many kids are sensitive to food colouring nowadays)... so I dipped them in coloured sugar. I first looked everywhere for coloured sugar. Could not find any in orange. Living in a small town requires you to get creative... So I bought professional grade food colouring and dyed the sugar! It surprising worked well! Just add sugar to a ziplock bag and spread some colouring gel on the inside of the bag and then massage it all in. Takes a little while... but so worth it!!

The cupcakes were pumpkin as requested from Mister. And let me tell you, they were most delicious pumpkin cake/cupcake recipe I have ever had!!! Yummo! You must try it! - Recipe is here... So light and fluffy. Since I have all the spices now, I'm going to make a cake this week. Amazingly enough - the kids also loved this recipe!!

This is a brain center piece I carved from a watermelon. Just peel it... and carve it up!

My Autumn Queen

The moth wings, I photo copied out of a magazine and then attached with white eyelash glue. The clear glue does not work - ever. Don't waste your money.

Mr Police Officer

I'm not sure what the hubby is... I saw the mustache and had to buy it. We thought initially a used car salesman, but he also reminded me of Tom Selleck. Ha!

The kids with Grandma and Grandpa.

Fall fruit and a Plum Crisp recipe!

October = free fruit. Although we don't have any fruit trees, we have many friends and neighbours who do. As I was picking plums the other day, I couldn't help but feel so terrible about the waste. The ground was literally littered with fruit left for the bugs and bears. I always try to salvage any good fruit that has fallen on the ground... but it's almost futile, as it doesn't change the amount that goes to waste. This is normal in BC... there is so much fruit, that much of it doesn't get picked or eaten. Whenever I pick fruit, I can't help but wonder how many people one fruit tree could sustain for a week. SO, in an effort to be 'fruitful' we try our best to put what we can to use. We make berry jams in the summer, in addition to freezing and in the fall we snack a lot on fruit and try to do as much fruit baking as possible. (Even though I don't bake!) One day I'll find the time to start canning!

I'm not a fruit fan, but love plums... and love them even more when they are fresh picked! Plums are an excellent source of vitamin C, B complex vitamins and rich in minerals like potassium and iron.

Last night we tried a Plum Crisp for the first time, and it was a hit! Recipe as follows:

Filling

• 4 cups sliced plums
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar ( I reduced it to 1.5 TBS)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine, melted

Directions:

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. 2
   In a medium bowl toss plums, flour, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together.
3. 3
   Pour into ungreased 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
4. 4
   In a small bowl combine all topping ingredients.
5. 5
   Mix with a fork until crumbly.
6. 6
   Distribute topping mixture evenly over plums (I use my hands for this).
7. 7
   Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until topping is crispy and golden brown.

Serve warm with frozen yogurt - Yummilicious!

Rhubarb upside down cake...

I have 4 rhubarb plants in my yard... and until yesterday, I have had no use for them at all! I am not a baker..., the only pies that come out of my oven are beef pot pies. However, upon RSVPing for a block party, we were asked to bring a dessert. I have to admit that the thought of running down to the market and grabbing some home made goodies - did enter my mind! But, Dan had my van... so I was stuck at home. Then I remembered the gigantic rhubarb plants that take up so much room in my garden... I showed Mister how to pull the stalk out, not to cut... etc. and we set off to bake a rhubarb cake. Mister ate marshmallows, helped measure and stir and patiently waited by the oven door. The smell was so amazing that we had to "taste" it the minute it came out! It was yummilicious and didn't last long at the party! I had quite a few recipe requests... so rest assured - it is worth trying!

Here is the recipe...

• 5 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the rhubarb, sugar, marshmallows and dry strawberry flavored gelatin. Pour into the bottom of the prepared pan, and distribute evenly. Mix cake batter according to package directions; pour over the ingredients in the pan.
3. Bake for 50 - 60 mins in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Run a knife around the outer edge of the cake to loosen; turn out onto a large serving plate while still hot. Allow the cake to cool before serving.

Next time I will likely add another cup of rhubarb. I served it with whip cream, but it would be even better with ice cream!!

Healthy (easy) snack - Cinnamon Chickpeas

This is a great healthy snack to make for your toddlers...  (And the older kids too!)

Cinnamon Chickpeas


Combine 2tsp sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp salt
Add 1 can of rinsed and drained chickpeas (or equivalent of prepared dried chickpeas).

Mix the first 3 ingredients, and add to the chickpeas. Toss until evenly coated.

Spread onto a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes or until crunchy.

I personally like them on the crunchy side, but you can take them out sooner so they are softer for toddlers. These aren't as lipsmacking as roasted peanuts etc... but they are addictive! They are also packed full of protein and have all the healthy benefits of the cinnamon. Read here for 10 healthy benefits of cinnamon.

Enjoy!!

Chili for a Crowd

We had an Olympics Party on Friday... and made it a Martini party as well, and served Chili. How is that for a mixed up party? Ha! We had about 20 people over... so needless to say, the pot of chili needed to be large! I heard about this recipe from my SIL, and then found it online. It's a great recipe... that I adapted a bit.

2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb yellow onions, coarsely chopped

1 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings

4 lbs beef chuck, ground

1 can tomato paste - (12 oz)

1 1/2 Tbs minced garlic

1/3 cup ground cumin

1/2 cup chili powder

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 Tbs dried basil

2 Tbs dried oregano

1 1/2 Tbs salt, or to taste

1 1/2 Tbs freshly-ground black pepper

3 cans Italian plum tomatoes - (28 oz ea), drained

1/4 cup dry red wine

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 cans dark-red kidney beans - (16 oz ea), drained

2 cans pitted black olives - (5 1/2 oz ea), drained

Heat the olive oil in a very large pot. Add the onions and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 15 minutes. Add the sausage meat and ground chuck; cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the meats are well browned. Spoon off any excess fat and discard.

Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, cumin, chili powder, mustard, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, wine, lemon juice, dill, parsley and kidney beans. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Add olives; simmer for 5 minutes more to heat through. Serve immediately.

This recipe yields 20 servings.

Per serving: 260 calories, 19g carbohydrate, 26g protein, 10g fat, 55mg cholesterol.

Comments: When choosing chopped meat for chili, you'll find that beef chuck adds great flavor. And you never can have too many spices. Look for dark-red kidney beans. Lemon juice brightens all the tastes!

ADAPTATIONS

 

Okay, I'm not a "bean" fan so I omit 1 can of beans and replace it with 1.5 packages (I love lots of mushrooms) of chopped mushrooms. These should be cooked seperately and then drained, or they will add too much moisture to the pot.

I also double the garlic and dill and serve it with sour cream, grated cheddar, chopped gr. onions and the black olives on the side to add on top.

I didn't take a pic unfortunately.... but here is a similar photo.

ENJOY!