Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

I was asked to bring this to Julia’s baby shower on Saturday. Kind of makes a person feel famous to make the item that everyone wants the recipe for. I did a double recipe for the shower, and used half margarine, half butter. If I was doing a single recipe, I’d use all butter – just because the only thing I like about margarine is the price.

Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

 

 

 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. margarine, soft

1/4 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. powdered sugar

2 T. brown sugar

3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

3/4 c. pecans, finely chopped. 

 

In mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually

add sugars; beat just till combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and

refrigerate 2 hours. Place mixture on large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape

into a ball. Refrigerate at least l hour. Just before serving, sprinkle on pecans and press in gently. Serve with graham crackers, regular or chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

  

 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. margarine, soft

1/4 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. powdered sugar

2 T. brown sugar

3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

3/4 c. pecans, finely chopped. 

 

In mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars; beat just till combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Place mixture on large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into a ball. Refrigerate at least l hour. Just before serving, sprinkle on pecans and press in gently. Serve with graham crackers, regular or chocolate.

lunch today

I’ll sort of follow this recipe. Roger made this once and it was really, really good. Except that time we didn’t have Granny Smiths – so the apples didn’t have quite the right flavor.

Lamb Curry

2 lamb shanks, 2 lamb shoulders steaks (yielding about 2 lbs of meat without the bone)
2 large onions, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 T. olive oil with butter
2 T. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 lemon sliced (with rind)
2 peeled and chopped apples (tart green granny smith if possible)
1 c. of chicken broth
8 small red potatoes, quartered
rice

Optional, marinate lamb pieces overnight.
Marinade: grind and mix with 2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 T. of coriander seeds
1 T. cumin
1 T. curry powder
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On stove, brown the meat in a little bit of olive oil in an oven-safe pan. Remove meat from pan. Add olive oil with a little bit of butter to pan, add curry powder, cook gently for a minute or two. Add onions and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Return meat to pan. Add sliced lemon, apples, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Put pan in oven and cook for 3 hours. In the last 45 minutes, remove from oven and put in potatoes. Return to oven.Serve with chutney and yogurt over rice.           -Serves 6.

 

 

a breakfast recipe

Here is the concoction that my husband has influenced most of our children into enjoying for breakfast:

plain old uncooked oatmeal
raisins
honey
peanut butter
some almonds or pecans if you’re nutty

They pour milk over it all and happily enjoy it. Does anyone else eat anything like this?

Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake

I’ve made this twice now – it’s pretty amazing. (If you like chocolate…)

Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake

1 pkg. (8 squares) semisweet baking chocolate, divided
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
½ c. oil
½ c. water
8 oz. frozen whipped topping
2 T. sliced almonds

Chop 2 of the chocolate squares; set aside. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in chopped chocolate. Spoon into 2 greased 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely. Place frozen whipped topping and remaining 6 chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 ½ minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth, stirring after 1 minute. Let stand 15 minutes to thicken. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; top with ¼ of the chocolate mixture and the second cake layer. Spread top and sides with remaining chocolate mixture. Garnish with almonds. (Tip: The fudge-like texture of this cake improves if stored overnight in the refrigerator.)