6 Layer Batman Cake

This weekend we celebrated a birthday party for a good friend.  Believe it or he is a full grown adult and we had a super hero party for him.  It was AWESOME!  Natural I was asked to make a cake and this is what I came up with.  Enjoy!

6 Layer Cake

Chocolate Chips, follow the recipe on the back to make the chocolate chip layer of the cake. 
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-brownies/, for the brownie
http://www.cakeboss.com/CakeBossSpongeCake.aspx, for the sponge cake


I baked each layer of the cake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Then I made a stencil out of thin paper and placed it on top of the cake once it was pieced together.  
Then I cut it out with a sharp knife.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c butter
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c powder sugar
2 Tbs creamer or milk

In an electric mixer, cream butter and peanut butter.  Add brown sugar and vanilla until well blended.  At half cup at a time blend powder sugar, then creamer.  Beat until well blended.

Chocolate Butter Cream

1 c butter, soften
4 c powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3  Tbs creamer 
1 c chocolate chips, melted

In an electric mixer, cream butter.  Add in powder sugar at a half cup at a time until well blended.  Beat in vanilla and creamer, then melted chocolate, until well blended.

Monkey Bars

Annalise had a sleep over last night with her cousin.  She was so exited! However, my little niece is a early riser, 5:30am, and my daughter is not.  So, while we waited for Annalise to wake up, we decided to make a snack.  I was going to make granola bars but quickly found that I didn't have all the ingredients that I needed. So, seems how I had a couple of monkeys in my house, we came up with Monkey Bars! Enjoy!

Monkey Bars

1/2 c butter, soften
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c honey
1/2 canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites
1/2 sugar
1/2 wheat germ
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In an electric mixer, cream butter.  On medium setting add bananas, peanut butter, honey, canola oil, vanilla, sugar and eggs.  Beat to well blended.  In a separate bowl mix wheat germ, flour and baking soda.  Gradually add to the wet mixture and beat until well blended to lowest setting.  In a greased, 9x13 pan spread dough evenly.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bottom is golden brown.

(My niece helping me out)

86 Degrees! I Think It's Time To Grill

Here in Michigan, it is 86 degrees and humid as all get out.  So, natural I had a very important decision to make, grill or not to grill? Its's too bleeding hot so guess what? I'm grilling. I had another hard decision to make, with lack of food in the house what was I going to make for dinner?  I did what I do best, start throwing things together that I have laying around and hope it turns out well. This is the result! Enjoy!

Beef Sausage and Grilled Potatoes and Asparagus

4 Tbs olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 medium potatoes
bushel of asparagus
14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
12 fresh sweet basil leaves, chopped

pkg. beef sausage

Chop onion, potatoes, and asparagus into small cubes.  In a large bowl mix together above ingredients, minus the sausage. Cut 6 squares of tin foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Add about a cup and half of the potato mixture to each square. Fold in the sides of tin foil until mixture is enclosed.  Place tin foil squares on the grill and cook for 30 minutes or until veggies are completely cooked.  About half way through cooking the potatoes, grill up the sausage for the remaining 15 minutes.

A Man's Man Sandwich

There is a lot of meat on this sandwich.  Need I say more? Enjoy!

Man's Man Sandwich

Jar of pesto
Mayonnaise
Focaccia Bread, sliced in half, length wise
Smoked Swiss, sliced
1 lb Smoked Ham
1/2 lb Salami
1/2 lb Pepperoni
Red Onion, sliced
Tomato, sliced


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Start layering the sandwich according to the pictures below.  Wrap the sandwich in tin foil and bake for 15-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted.  Slice and serve.

Custard Filled Donuts w/ Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Father's Day is a dad that we cherish our fathers and husbands.  We tend to spoil them rotten and I guess sometimes they deserve it.  So, today that's what Annalise and I did for Daddy/Aaron.  We started our morning with Custard Filled Donuts and ending with Gyros and potatoes on the grill.  Both of which are fan favorites for my husband.  I am going to share with all of you the recipes for Custard Filled Donuts w/ Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting. The links are going to be listed below for the custard and the donuts.

Custard
http://www.grouprecipes.com/63982/homemade-vanilla-custard.html


Donuts
http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/homemade-doughnuts/

Now, instead of cutting a hole in the middle of each donuts I left them whole. Once the donuts are fried and cooled I used a piping bag w/ rounded tip.  I filled the piping bad w/ the custard and then poked a hole in the side of the donuts using the rounded tip, filling the donuts w/ custard until it was oosing out the side. Then I frosted the tops.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. powder sugar
1 c. chocolate chips, melted
2 Tbs. Bailey's Creme Brulee Creamer

In a stand up mixer, beat butter until creamed.  Add in powered sugar half cups at a time until. Continue beating until well mixed.  With mixer still running add in melted chocolate and then creamer.  Enjoy!

7 Layer Mexican Casserole

7 Layer Mexican Casserole

2 Tbs olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbs bold taco seasoning
1 16 oz re-fried beans
10 oz Frito's Chili Cheese chips, crushed
2 ripe avocados
2 Tbs Fiesta Party Dip Seasoning by Tastefully Simple
12 oz sour cream
16 oz black bean and corn salsa
8 oz Mexican Four Blend Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large skillet saute olive oil, onion, and garlic for about 2 minutes.    Add the ground beef and cook thoroughly.  Once the beef in browned, add and mix in the taco seasoning.  Next mix in the re-fried beans. Once well mixed, set aside.  In a medium remove the avocados from their shell and mash until there in no more large pieces.  Mix in Fiesta seasoning, set aside.  In a 9 x 13 oven safe dish, sprinkle Frito's along the bottom.  On top of that, evenly smooth out beef mixture.  Then top of with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and lastly cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Cherry Bark

Well, It's girls night tonight and I'm hosting a Thirty-One Party.  WOO WHO!  So , of course there is going to be wine and lots of yummy food and treats and this is just one of those treats that I created for tonight.  Enjoy!

Cherry Bark

1 1/2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
2 12 oz. bags semi sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts of your choosing
1. fresh cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a lined baking sheet, spread crushed Ritz crackers evenly.  In a small pot heat brown sugar and butter.  Bring mixture to a boil and butter is completely melted. Pour brown sugar mixture over top of Ritz crackers, evenly. ( I mixed it all up and then evenly dispersed the mixture on the pan.) Bake the cracker for 5 minutes.  While that is baking melt down the chocolate chips.  When the crackers are done baking, spread the chocolate evenly over top of them.  Then add cherries and nuts.  Let the bark set for 30-60 minutes in the fridge.  Break apart and enjoy.