Great for a tea party, special occasion, or whenever!

Cake Ball Truffles

• 1 package cake mix any flavor
• 1 container prepared frosting (any flavor)
• 1 block chocolate or vanilla chocolate coating (almond bark- find it by the chocolate chips at walmart or any grocery store)
  

1. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended. Scoop with a little cookie scoop into balls and freeze until firm (you can dip into chocolate immediately, but frozen is easier to work with).
   
2. When you're ready to begin, melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave on the DEFROST selection or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Be careful not to overheat, or chocolate will get thick and mushy!
   
3. Using a fork, dip the balls in chocolate, making sure to coat the ball entirely. If desired, sprinkle with sprinkles, nuts, coconut or whatever you like. You can even dip in chocolate and then drizzle while chocolate over that. Place on waxed paper to set.

Possible cake combinations: German Chocolate Frosting w/chocolate cake, red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, spice cake w/cream cheese, chocolate w/ chocolate...whatever you like.

I made these for Isabelle's birthday tea party. They were easier to make than I thought, and the results were appealing. It was a nice change from normal cake, fancier and bite-size. I tried chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, covered in chocolate. Very decadent! Next time I'll try red velvet.

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Overnight Blueberry French Toast
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

• 12 slices day-old bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
  
• 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries
• 10 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 
  
• Sauce:
  
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh or thawed blueberries
• 1 tablespoon butter

1. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish, and top with dallops of cream cheese spreading evenly over top. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the cream cheese, and top with remaining bread cubes.
2. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and syrup. Pour over the bread cubes. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
3. Remove the bread cube mixture from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Cover, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking 25 to 30 minutes, until center is firm and surface is lightly browned.
5. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1 cup blueberries. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, until the blueberries burst. Stir in the butter, and pour over the baked French toast.

Rich and delicious! We enjoyed this Christmas morn, though if your kids don't take to blueberries, they'll just prefer some cereal instead. This was great the next day as well. Blueberry Syrup is great with pancakes too!

Quick morning treat

Overnight Pull-Aparts

• 21 Rhodes (or similar) frozen rolls
• 1 small box cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding mix
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cube butter or margarine, melted
  

Spray your bundt pan with cooking spray, then add the frozen rolls. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over top, then do the same with the pudding mix (dry). Pour melted butter over everything. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with Pam and let rise overnight.

In the morning: cook on 350 for 30 minutes. Check at 20 mins.. if getting dark cover pan with tinfoil until done cooking. (I think mine cooked fast, about 20 minutes, so watch closely)
Tip: cover a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place bundt pan on top of foil-lined pan so it doesn't get all over the oven.
Pull it out, tip over on cookie sheet and you are ready to eat!

A Christmas must

Cinnamon Rolls
(allrecipes.com)

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. In the pan of your bread machine, combine water, melted butter, vanilla pudding, warm milk, egg, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast. Set machine to dough cycle; press start. For non-bread machine users:just add ingredients, knead for about 5 minutes, let rise 45 minutes, roll out, place in pan and rise again.  
2. When dough cycle has finished, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 17x10 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over dough.
3. Roll up dough, beginning with long side. Slice into 16 one inch slices and place in 9x13 buttered pan. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. While rolls bake, stir together cream cheese, softened butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk. Remove rolls from oven and top with frosting.

These are DELICIOUS. This is a recipe I make around Christmas, and sometimes a couple more times a year....you know how cinnamon roll-making goes. Thing is, these don't take that long, it just seems like a big undertaking.

Whopper Cookies

Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops
(from abbysweets.blogspot.com)

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup malted milk powder
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick plus 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 cups chocolate-covered malted milk balls (I used Whoppers), coarsely chopped
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

1. -Sift together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
2. -Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until very smooth.
   
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled-it will even out when the dry ingredients are added.
   
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Mix in the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. The batter will look more like fudge frosting than cookie dough-and that's fine. With the mixer on low, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the malted milk balls and chopped chocolate.
5. -Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the sheets, leaving about 2 inches on space between spoonfuls. Bake for 11-13 minutes. When done, the cookies will be puffed and set but slightly soft to the touch. Let the cookies rest for 2 minutes before using a wide metal spatula to transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.

I only made these one time, and they were super good! A fun change of pace cookie recipe.

2 more chili recipes I really like

Chili (kid-friendly and tasty)
(Liz Rosenbaum's recipe)

• 2 lbs. hamburger, fried and drained (or as much as you have- I use about half a pound)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 chili seasoning packet
• 2 green bell peppers (I skip)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (or to taste)
• 2 t. chili powder
• 3 cans kidney beans, draining 1, not the other 2
• 1 qt. crushed tomatoes
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute onion and green pepper with the beef.
2. Add all ingredients and heat thoroughly for 30 minutes on low.

Mandy's Chili (more fiery and mature, and very tasty as well!)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced (optional)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced (or use 1/2 t. garlic powder down with other spices)
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 1 can of chili beans
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 soup can of water
• 1 or 2 cans stewed or diced tomatoes

Spices:

• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. oregano
• 2 T. flour
• 2 t. ground cumin
• 2-3 T. chili powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper

1. Brown the ground beef. Season with montreal steak seasoning if desired. Drain. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
2. Throw everything else in, with all the juices in the cans, and bring to a boil. Simmer for as long as desired.

Try this fudge recipe this season!

Caramel Symphony Fudge
(from gatherroundourtable.blogspot.com)

• 4 cups sugar
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 sticks butter (no margarine)
• 16 oz. chopped Symphony candy bars (the almond and toffee chip kind is great)

In a large saucepan, mix the sugar and whipping cream. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Add the two sticks of butter and continue cooking. Boil mixture until it reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in chopped Symphony bars until melted and smooth. Beat mixture with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Allow to harden and cool. Remove block of fudge from pan and cut into squares. Can refrigerate if desired.

I thought this was a great fudge recipe. A little more labor-intensive than some of the no-cook kinds, but definitely worth it. It takes around 30 minutes to prepare. I halved the recipe, and it made quite a lot (a pie dish worth) when a little piece goes a long way!