BANANA SPLIT POKE CAKE

BANANA SPLIT POKE CAKE Cake: 1 box Marble Cake Mix 3 large eggs 1 1/4 cup milk 1/3 cup vegetable oil Fruit Layer: 1 3.4 oz. package Jell-O instant banana cream pudding plus ingredients to make 1/2 cup strawberry ice cream topping 1/2 cup pineapple ice cream topping Strawberry Frosting: 2 cup heavy cream, divided 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 1/3 cup Jell-O instant strawberry pudding mix Vanilla Frosting: 1/2 cup heavy cream 3 tbsp confectioners' sugar 1 tbsp Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix Topping: chocolate sauce (NOT HOT) sprinkles chopped nuts maraschino cherries Cake: Preheat oven according to box directions. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine cake mix, eggs, milk, and oil in a large bowl or stand mixer and beat until combined. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and add the chocolate mix from the cake box to the remaining batter in the bowl and mix just until combined. Zig zag the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter and run a knife up and down through the batter. Bake according to box directions and let cool completely once done. Fruit Layer: Poke holes all over the cooled cake, prepare banana pudding and pour over the cake. Spoon strawberry sauce and pineapple sauce on top of the pudding and swirl around with the back of the spoon. Strawberry Frosting: Add ingredients to a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip on medium high until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrap down the sides as needed. Dump frosting out onto fruit covered cake and use a frosting or rubber spatula to cover the cake evenly. Vanilla Frosting: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl or large stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag with a large star tip. Topping: Drizzle cake with chocolate sauce. Pipe on small peaks of vanilla frosting, 3 across and 5 down. Add sprinkles and chopped nuts and top each peak with a cherry. Slice and serve shortly after preparing or store in the fridge.

CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH BARS

CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH BARS 6 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal 5 tablspoons butter 1 (10 ounce) + 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (divided) 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Grease a 9x9 inch pan with butter and set aside. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the 10 ounce bag of marshmallows and salt. Cook and stir until just about completely melted/smooth. Remove from heat and add the cereal and remaining marshmallows. Mix until cereal is evenly coated. (If you want the additional marshmallows pretty intact, completely mix the cereal with the melted marshmallows before adding them in.) Press into the butter dish and cool completely. Cut and serve.

Almond Butter Cookies

Almond Butter Cookies 2 cups sugar, divided 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 large egg 1 tsp almond extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup water Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 1 cup of the sugar and the butter in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and almond extract and beat until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed. Place remaining 1 cup sugar in another bowl and water into a separate small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and dip the top of each ball into the water and then into sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARS

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARS 1 (15.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix 3/4 c. melted butter 1/2 c. milk 1 c. creamy peanut butter, slightly warmed 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 c. peanut butter chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13" pan with non-stick baking spray. Set aside. In a bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, and milk. Mix until completely combined. Spread 1/2 of the batter into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Make sure to reserve the remainder of the batter. Bake the bottom crust for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven. While bottom crust is still hot, pour the warmed peanut butter evenly over the crust. Next, sprinkle with the chocolate and peanut butter chips. Using a teaspoon, evenly spoon small dollops of the reserved batter over the chocolate chip layer. Bake again for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE SANDWICHES

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE SANDWICHES Cookies 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup chocolate chips 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips Chocolate Buttercream 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream Cookies Preheat oven to 375F and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper. Set aside. Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) until well-creamed. Add sugars and beat on high speed until well-combined (about 1 minute). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set mixer to low speed and gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. Stir until well-combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough by rounded 2-tsp sized scoop onto prepared cookie sheets, at least 2" apart. Bake on 375F for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are beginning to turn golden brown. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack or filling with buttercream (cookies will be flat and will be fragile when warm). While cookies cool, prepare your frosting. Chocolate Buttercream Frosting In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips at 15-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until chips are completely melted. Set aside and allow to cool slightly (about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally). Cream room temperature butter with an electric mixer. Stir in slightly cooled chocolate and beat well. Gradually add sugar, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Sprinkle in salt and vanilla extract, stir well. Gradually add heavy cream, increase speed to high and beat for 1 minute, pausing halfway through to scrape down sides of the bowl. Spread or pipe chocolate frosting onto the bottom of one completely cooled cookie. Sandwich with another cooled cookie and repeat until all cookies have been filled.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup oil 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup hot coffee 1 Tablespoon orange zest Frosting: 2 sticks butter, softened Juice from 1 orange 5-6 cups powdered sugar Orange food coloring (if desired) Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 12 cup cupcake pan with liners. In a mixing bowl, combine your cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In another bowl mix together your milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Slow beat your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients until combined. Add in your hot coffee and continue mixing until incorporated. Fold in your orange zest. Fill your cupcake liners about halfway full with batter and bake for about 18-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and center springs back when touched. Remove from oven to cool, repeat with remaining batter. Meanwhile to make frosting beat your butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in your orange juice and continue to beat until smooth. cup at a time add in your powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Mix in your food coloring as desired. Once cupcakes are cool pipe your frosting on top of cupcakes.

Lemon & Onion Barbeque Pork Chops

Lemon & Onion Barbeque Pork Chops 4 boneless pork chops 4 thin slices onion 4 thin slices lemon 4 tbsp brown sugar 4 tbsp ketchup Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Place the pork chops in a 9x13 pan Place a slice of onion on each pork chop Place a slice of lemon on top of each onion Put a tablespoon of brown sugar on each lemon slice Put a tablespoon of ketchup on top of brown sugar Cover the pan with foil Bake for 1 hour (depends on the thickness of the pork chops. I used thin cut and 45 minutes was good) Take the foil off the pan and baste the pork chops with juice from the pan Bake an additional 20-30 minutes