Chocolate Raspberry Bars

2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg beaten
1 t almond extract
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almonds

Frosting:
1 cup powder sugar
2 T Milk

Mix flour and sugar.  Cut in butter.  Stir in eggs and almond extract until moist.  Press in 9x13 pan.  Save about 1 cup for topping.  Spread with jam. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, almonds and left over dough.  Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees until golden.  Drizzle with frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE
2 CUPS FLOUR
2 CUPS SUGAR
1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
4 TABLESPOONS COCOA
1 CUP WATER
2 CUBES BUTTER (1 CUP)
1/2 CUP BUTTERMILK (OR 1/2 C. MILK W/1 TBLSP VINEGAR ADDED)
3 EGGS
1 TEASPOON VANILLA

FROSTING
6 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
4 TABLESPOONS COCOA
6 TABLESPOONS CANNED EVAPORATED MILK
4-5 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR
1 TEASPOON VANILLA
1 CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS (optional--but they make it really good)

Stir together flour, sugar, and soda in mixer bowl. Bring water, butter, and cocoa to boil in small saucepan, stirring constantly with whisk. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and stir. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour into greased (bottom only) 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degress for 30-35 minutes.

Frosting: Cook butter, cocoa and milk until boiling. Pour in mixer bowl and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add nuts if desired. FROST WHILE CAKE IS WARM. I like to keep any leftovers in the fridge, covered.

Chocolate Silk Pie

This recipe is modified from the Pioneer Woman's "Mocha Silk Pie". (Photo from pioneer woman as well) So Yummy! It was hand's down everyone's favorite of my Thanksgiving meal!

• 2 sticks Butter (salted)
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 4 ounces Semi-sweet (or Bittersweet) Chocolate
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 whole Large Eggs

In small microwave safe bowl, melt 4 ounces of chocolate until stirrable (about 45 seconds on high). Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of your mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment), beat butter and sugar, until fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. When melted chocolate is cooled, drizzle it into the butter/sugar mixture as it beats on medium speed; use a rubber spatula to get it all out. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the mixture thoroughly until combined, scraping the sides if necessary.
On medium speed, add the four eggs, one at a time, over a period of 20 minutes; leave about 5 minutes between each egg addition. Scrape sides of bowl halfway through this process. Pour filling into the pie crust. (I used a store bought graham cracker crust because I was feeling lazy...you can make your own our use an oreo crust, whatever works for you!)
Smooth out the pie filling and place pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (preferably longer).
Serve with whipped cream and more grated chocolate.

**Note: this recipe, you might have noted, contains raw eggs. If this gives you pause, then don't make it. :) But, have you ever eaten raw cookie dough?

Mindy's "Soft Batch" Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C. Crisco
1 C. Butter
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
4 eggs
1 package vanilla pudding
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 C. Flour
1 bag of chocolate chips

Cram crisco, butter and sugars. Add Vanilla. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to wet ingredients. Add Chocolate chips last. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes

Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sauce

2 c. sugar
1 c. cream
3-4 T. corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 T. cocoa
1-2 T. butter

Boil all of the above ingredients (except vanilla) until a soft ball stage is reached. Do not over cook. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve over your favorite ice cream. We like it with vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries, and toasted coconut.

No Bake Reece's Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar
1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted
1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)
2 tsp shortening

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and combine. Press into a parchment lined 9x13 pan.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars.

Cheese Fudge

4 lbs. powdered sugar
1 1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 lb grated cheese - American or Cheddar
1 1/2 lbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Leave butter and cheese out overnight in an airtight container. Cream butter, cocoa and cheese together. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Make into long rolls. Roll in coconut or nuts, if desired. Refrigerate for a few hours. Cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

3.5 ounces good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips are fine)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Microwave the chocolate until melted. (microwave in 1 minute increments and stir between - the chocolate won't look melted until you stir it, and it is easy to burn if you heat for more than 1 minute at a a time) Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir using a small rubber spatula or whisk, starting from the center of the bowl and working your way out till combined and smooth. Add the corn syrup (if using) and vanilla. Stir into the chocolate mixture well. Using a hand mixer, beat the chocolate mixture for 2-3 minutes until it becomes softer and light and fluffy.
You can also just allow the chocolate mixture to cool for a few minutes and then pour it over the cake as a glaze.

German Chocolate Upside Down Cake

* 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 1 package (18 1/4 ounces) German chocolate cake mix
* 1 package cream cheese (8 ounces) softened
* 1/4 cup butter or margarine softened
* 1 egg
* 4 cups powdered sugar

Method:

1. Sprinkle the coconut and pecans into a greased and floured 9X13 baking dish.

2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. In mixing bowl beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add egg and sugar, beating until smooth.

4. Drop the cream cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls over the batter. Carefully spread to within one inch of edges.

5. Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

6. Cool for 10 minutes then turn upside down on serving plate.