Hawaiian Dream Cake

Need to whip something up quick for a party or special event but are short on time?  This cake recipe is definitely for you then!  It's super easy, super quick, and relatively inexpensive.  It combines a traditional yellow cake with pineapple and an awesome coconut-pineapple glaze.  Is your mouth watering yet?!
 

Hawaiian Dream Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18 oz) yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with liquid

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Drain pineapple and set aside one-half for glaze. Beat all ingredients and half pineapple liquid in bowl for 4 minutes.  Pour into sprayed, floured, 9x13" baking pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Cool and spread coconut-pineapple glaze over cake.

Coconut-Pineapple Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with liquid

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar

1 (6 oz) can flaked coconut

Directions:

Heat pineapple and butter in saucepan and boil for 2 minutes.  Add powdered sugar and coconut.  Punch holes in cake with knife and pour hot glaze over cake.

Yields: 18 servings.

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts and I am in love with chocolate so when I seen this recipe I had to share.  I mean where can you go wrong with a cheesecake that incorporates chocolate?....Never!  I'm definitely making this for the next family/friends gathering...or I might just make it tonight. Decisions, decisions.

Enjoy and leave your comments below to tell us what you thought! Also, don't forget to like us on facebook!

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Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 27 wafers)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• FILLING:
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• TOPPING:
• 1-1/2 cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Whipped cream and miniature chocolate kisses, optional

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°.
• For filling, melt chocolate chips in a small heavy saucepan or microwave; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; add cream and mix well. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add cocoa and beat well. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Stir in vanilla and reserved chocolate mixture just until blended. Pour over crust. Return pan to baking sheet.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. For topping, melt chocolate chips in a heavy saucepan or microwave, stir until smooth. Stir in cream and vanilla; mix well. Spread over filling. Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove sides of pan. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and miniature chocolate kisses if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. 

Yield: 12 servings

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**This recipe is not my own.  Originally published in Taste of Home December/January edition, 1999.**

Homemade Doughnut Balls

To celebrate National Doughnut day we're cooking up some quick and easy homemade doughnut balls! Doughnuts are one of the biggest customization desserts there is.  You can have them with powdered sugar, glaze, plain, and with any type of filling you want!  Nothing get's better right?!

Homemade Doughnut Balls

Ingredients: 

• 3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 tsp. baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. soft shortening
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1 c. vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in pot on high.
2. Measure 1 1/2 cups flour into mixing bowl and add all other ingredients.
3. Blend on low speed, constantly scraping the sides of the bowl.  Stir in the rest of the flour a little at a time until completely blended and in dough form.
4. Put dough on a well floured area and roll out dough to make sure it is coated with flour.
5. Begin to pinch off enough dough to make about a 1-1 1/2 inch balls.  Roll into ball form.  If entire surface of ball is not lightly coated with flour, recoat.
6. Put balls into oil and cook until golden brown.  The balls will float when they are done.  Don't put too many in at one time because they won't cook all the way through.  Normally no more than 6-8 in a decent sized pot is enough.
7. Remove from oil. Do not prick surface.  Put on a paper plate with a paper towel to drain.
8. Top with powdered sugar, glaze, or serve plain.
9. ENJOY!

*If you are using self rising flour, simply omit the baking powder and salt from the recipe.

Doughnut Ball Glaze:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. confectioners sugar (powdered)

Directions:

1. Combine milk and vanilla in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Heat over low heat until warm. (Do not boil!)
3. Sift in confectioners' sugar.  Whisk slowly until well combined.
4. Remove glaze from heat and set over a bowl of warm water.
5. Dip doughnut balls into the glaze one at a time. Set doughnut balls on a draining rack (or anything you find handy) to cool. 
6. Let cool 5 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Doughnut Ball Fillings

Don't forget to add some filling!  Anything can be used as a doughnut filling: peanut butter, cream cheese, strawberry or grape jam.  Your options are limitless.  

To add a filling to your doughnut balls:

1. Use a skewer or other object to poke a whole into the side of the doughnut ball.  
2. Put filling in a ziplock bag and cut out one corner.  
3. Insert corner of bag into whole and squeeze the filling inside the doughnut. 

** Allow doughnut balls to cool before adding filling.

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Slutty Brownies

I make these all the time!  They are absolutely to die for.  Especially for those of us who are obsessed with chocolate and Oreos.  I guarantee that you will love these little goodies.

And as for the name, I was told the reason for it is because they are just so good that they have the potential to make the consumer feel "slutty."  I assume this refers to the crazy amount of calories that are chocked inside just one brownie. But either way, they are amazing and definitely worth making!

Ingredients: 

• Box of fudge brownie mix
• Pack of Oreo cookies, double stuffed or regular. (I use double stuffed).
• Chocolate chip cookie mix
• Oil (for the cookie and brownie mix)
• Eggs (how many ever your box of brownie mix calls for)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare the cookie mix and brownie mix in separate bowls as the recipe on the back of the box/bag describes.
3. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  You can just use the cooking spray but I have found that it is a million times easier to use aluminum foil and spray, especially when letting them cool and cutting the squares,
4. This step is optional:  You can cut the Oreos into smaller pieces if desired.  I normally do this just so I have little bites of Oreos all throughout the brownie.  Or you can simply leave them whole for the use of this recipe.
5. Spread out your cookie dough in the pan.  Make sure that there are no places lacking dough.  This is important for even baking.
6. Add Oreos.  If you chopped them up simply sprinkle them anywhere your heart desires.  If you left them whole then simply line them up in rows all over the cookie dough.
7. Top with brownie mix.  Once again, make sure that no part of the dish isn't covered in chocolate yumminess. 
8. Pop in the oven for about 20 minutes.  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. The most important part: ENJOY!!

These make wonderful party sweets or even just a yummy treat for the kids. 

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White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Ok, so who doesn't like cheesecake?  It's one of the best comfort foods around.  I found an amazing recipe for a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake that is just to die for!  After making and tasting this delicious marvel I just had to share.  I hope you all enjoy!

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Keep checking back for new recipes!!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Prep Time: 1 Hour Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 10 Hours Servings: 16

"Raspberry sauce is swirled into the batter of a creamy white chocolate cheesecake. Garnish with white chocolate curls if desired."

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs 3 tablespoons white sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 cup water

2 cups white chocolate chips 1/2 cup half-and-half cream 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup white sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2.	In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
3.	Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
4.	In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
5.	Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

This recipe was found using allrecipes.com,  I do not own this recipe and all rights go to the original owner.