Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

First off, I want to apologize for not posting more.  All three of my girls were home in May and I cooked many of their favorites instead of always trying new recipes.  I love having everyone home. Annie is now traveling with Baylor Business in Europe - taking six hours - but mainly having so much fun.  She is loving it - from swimming in Lake Geneva to paragliding in Interlaken and on and on. Jenna is taking senior pictures this summer.  She is having so much fun with her photography.  She just took the Megabus to Chicago this week - having a great time!  Meg just left for a high school church mission trip to Nicaragua.  SO - we are empty nesters this week.  I love my wonderful husband but I love having the girls and their friends here.  Meg will  be a senior this year - so not empty nesters just yet!

At the end of school, I was enjoying some time on Pintrest.  Everyone loves Pintrest.  Pintrest led me to a great blog with great recipes... Cookies & Cups.  There were so many fun recipes but I printed off two to try.  I will make the other one soon.

In Texas, we love Texas Sheet Cake.  When I saw this recipe for Texas Sheet Cake Cookies - I knew I had to try it.  This recipe only make 24 cookies but I went for it anyway.  If you love Texas Sheet Cake, you will love these cookies.  They are so yummy.  My family thinks they are pretty rich so they enjoyed each cookie with a tall glass of cold milk or they warmed them in the microwave and served with vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy - and be sure to check out Cookies & Cups!

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies (Adapted from Cookies & Cups)

Ingredients for Cookies:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

Ingredients for Icing

1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 Tbsp milk (I ended up putting a little more)
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  In a bowl, use a mixer and beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping sides.  Add in egg and vanilla and continuing mixing.  Mix in baking powder and salt.  Turn mixer to low and slowly add in flour - Dough will be the thick.  In Microwave, melt chocolate chips on high at 30 second intervals ...until melted. Stir after each 30 seconds and mix directly into cookie dough until evenly mixed.  Drop by a measured tablespoon sized mounds onto baking sheet.  Bake for 7-8 minutes or just until cookies appear set. They will be soft on the inside - DO NOT OVERBAKE!!  Transfer to wire rack.

For Icing..Combine butter, cocoa powder and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking until melted together.  Remove from heat and and whisk in powdered sugar.  (May need a little extra milk to reach desired consistency)  Spoon over cookies and allow icing to set before serving.

**Store at room temperature for up to 3 days

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Earthquake Cake - Great Gluten Free or Regular

Leslie is a teacher at preschool with me.  We have several teachers that eat Gluten Free.  We have our monthly birthday celebrations so Leslie decided to bring this Earthquake Cake - Gluten Free.  She used a Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix and we all thought it was great.  I honestly couldn't tell the difference - probably because of the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, coconut and pecans. Those five ingredients can make anything taste good!!

I made it for my family.  I cooked it a little long - as you can tell by looking at the top.  It was still heavenly and my family devoured it.  Chris enjoyed his warm with vanilla ice cream  Our two oldest girls had just gotten home from college and couldn't wait to try it.  They would tell me with one breath, "We are eating healthy" and then with the next breath, sneaking a bite of cake or asking me to buy Peanut Butter M & Ms!!

Thanks Leslie for this yummy new recipe!!

Earthquake Cake

1 chocolate cake mix, mixed according to directions
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
1  8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cake according to directions. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle pecans and coconut on the bottom of the pan.  Pour cake mix over pecans and coconut.  In a bowl, mix softened cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar. Drop by spoonfuls on top of cake mix.  Top with chocolate chips and bake for 55-60 minutes.  Enjoy!!


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Amazing White Queso - the BEST!!

I recently helped with a friend's daughter's graduation party.  She made three recipes of this Queso and it was gone.  Everyone loved it.  I made it for my girls and we have been snacking on it all week.

Try it soon - it is the best Queso!!

Queso ( I believe this may have come from Southern Living)

2 lbs. deli white American Cheese ( I like Boars Head)

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2   10 oz can Rotel Original

3/4 cup milk

1/2 - 1 tsp ground cumin ( I like it with 1 tsp)

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Place all 7 ingredients in a 6 quart slow cooker and cook on low for 3 hours, stirring every hour. (I did mine in the microwave)

If want to make ahead, place in container and freeze up to one month.  

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Yummy Granola

My mother-in-law is a great cook.  She is often telling me about a good recipe.  She shared this granola recipe with me not too long ago and I love it.  I cooked mine a little long so it is a little brown - but still tastes great.  I liked to mix mine with vanilla yogurt or mix with a few craisins and chocolate chips for a yummy snack.  I haven't tried it yet - but I bet you could substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar and agave nectar for honey.  Who knows - worth a try!

Granola Mix

Preheat over 250 degrees.  Mix together .....

3 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup chopped pecans

1/4 c + 2 tbs. dark brown sugar

1/4 c + 2 tbs. honey

1/4 c canola oil

3/4 tsp salt

1 c Craisins (add these AFTER the other ingredients are baked)

Bake 1 hour stirring every 15 mins.

Place on parchment paper to cool. **If you leave it in pan,  it really sticks to pan and hard to get off pan.  I used a baking sheet with sides.

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