Kitty Litter Cake

You might be asking yourself if the owner of this blog has gone crazy because she is posting pictures of her cat's litter box. This, my friends, is actually a cake made to look like a litter box. I've been wanting to make this recipe for a long time but never had the chance until recently. We had a Fear Factor activity with our church youth and I decided this would be the perfect dessert to end the night. You could use this for Halloween, April Fool's Day, or a farewell cake for the awful co-worker you couldn't stand (tehe). 

While it was very life like and everybody liked it, it wasn't the best cake I've ever had. In reality, you could make any cake and cover it with the cookie crumbs and tootsie rolls to get the same effect. Nonetheless, I'll post the recipe I used from the Allrecipes site:

Kitty Litter Cake

via allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 (18.25 ounce) package German
chocolate cake mix
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (12 ounce) package vanilla sandwich cookies
3 drops green food coloring
1 (12 ounce) package tootsie rolls

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare cake mixes and bake according to package directions (any size pan).
2. Prepare pudding according to package directions and chill until ready to assemble.
3. Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup add a few drops of green food coloring and mix.
4. When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 of the remaining cookie crumbs, and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding, you want the cake to be just moist, not soggy.
5. Line kitty litter box with the kitty litter liner. Put cake mixture into box.
6. Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until softened. Shape the ends so that they are no longer blunt, and curve the tootsie rolls slightly. Bury tootsie rolls randomly in the cake and sprinkle with half of the remaining cookie crumbs. Sprinkle a small amount of the green colored cookie crumbs lightly over the top.
7. Heat 3 or 4 of the tootsie rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle lightly with some of the green cookie crumbs. Heat the remaining tootsie rolls until pliable and shape as before. Spread all but one randomly over top of cake mixture. Sprinkle with any remaining cookie crumbs. Hang the remaining tootsie roll over side of litter box and sprinkle with a few green cookie crumbs. Serve with the pooper scooper for a gross Halloween dessert.

My Rating System

I've had this system in place for a while but am trying to incorporate them into my blog. I haven't got all of them labeled but hopefully I will soon. This way you know what I think of them more clearly.

5★ = Absolute Perfection! If this recipe was on a restaurant menu, I would order it EVERY SINGLE TIME, it's that good! Other people rave about it every time I make it and always ask for the recipe.

4½ ★= Almost perfection. There is probably nothing I could do to make it a 5★ recipe but it comes pretty close. On a restaurant menu I would order it often, but not every time because I like variety. People still rave about it and will probably ask for the recipe.

4★= Really good. Everybody likes it and it tastes great!

3½ ★= Good but just not good enough to go on the PDP list.

3★= Just OK. Some people will like it and some people won't. Bland. Would make if in a dire pinch and had the ingredients on hand. Before I became a foodie, I would say most of my recipes fell into this category. Nothing to be ashamed about just OK food happens.

2★= Edible but we didn't like it. Won't make it again

1★= I'm sorry I even made this recipe. I will NEVER make it again and it will probably go into the trash.

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

One of my very favorite new blogs I discovered for cooking is Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Her recipes amaze me and she finds the best of the best. I found this little gem while browsing her wonderful collection. I just had to try it. Overall, I'd say that I really liked it, not loved it, but it was still yummy.

Coconut Tres Leches Cake
*Serves 12-16

Cake:
Yellow Cake mix (made according to box's directions)

Milk Syrup:
1 can (15 ounces) cream of coconut (Find this in the drink mixers section)
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garnishes:
2 medium-size ripe bananas
Sweetened cream (see instructions below)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake it at 350 degrees until golden brown, 7 minutes, or toast it in a skillet over medium-low heat on the stovetop)


Directions:

     Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set the baking dish aside. Place the make-ahead cake mix, 1 1/4 cups warm water and 2 large room-temperature eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes (if using another cake mix or recipe, bake according to box or recipe instructions). Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until it is lightly golden and is slightly pulling away from the edges, 30-34 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely, 1 hour.
     Meanwhile, make the milk syrup: in a blender, combine the cream of coconut, evaporated milk, cream, and vanilla and process until smooth.
     Pierce the cooled cake all over the top with the tines of a fork or a thin wooden skewer. We are talking all over! The more pokes, the more the syrup will soak into the cake. Using a large spoon or ladle, spoon some of the milk syrup over the cake. Let the syrup soak into the cake, then continue spooning the syrup on top until all of it has been used up. When you have finished, not all of the syrup will be completely absorbed and might be pooling on the top but that’s ok because it will absorb as it refrigerates. Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until all of the syrup is absorbed, 2 hours. Cut the bananas, if using crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Slice the cake and serve it with sliced bananas, sweetened cream and toasted coconut, if desired.

Sweetened Cream:
Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into a large (preferably chilled) glass bowl and beat it on high speed until thickened 1 ½ minutes. Stop the machine and add ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Makes 2 cups.

The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

My Hubby has a tradition on Christmas Eve that his family makes cinnamon rolls and then eats them for their Christmas Morning breakfast. I decided to try and make them this year. They WOULD HAVE been a total success except for the fact they weren't done all the way through. I either attribute this to the fact I put them in a 9x13 pan when she put hers in pie tins OR I took her own advice and cooked them at 375°F instead of the normal 400°F. BUT Hubby did say they were scrumptious.

Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• ½ cups Milk
• ¼ cups Melted Butter
• ¼ cups Brewed Coffee (I OMITTED)
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.
Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.
Note: My rolls don’t work for me at 400 degrees anymore. I now bake them at 375 degrees

Here are my results:

Green Bean Casserole I

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it's time to break out some of my traditional Thanksgiving recipes. I think this one is a classic, and if you haven't had it before, shame on your family!

Green Bean Casserole I
Ingredients:
2 (15 ounce) cans cut green beans, drained
3/4 cup milk (I reduced to 1/2)
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (2.8 ounce) can French fried onions
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium casserole dish mix together green beans, milk, cream of mushroom soup, and 1/2 of the can of onions.
Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until heated through and bubbly. Sprinkle remaining onions over the top, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Here are the results:

Peanut Butter Noodles

Asian food is a favorite of mine, but it always takes too long to make, until now. These peanut butter noodles are so easy. I couldn't find UDON noodles anywhere so I just got low mein noodles in the Asian section of the grocery store. It was fairly good. Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Noodles
Ingredients:
1/2 C. Chicken Broth
1 1/2 TBS. minced fresh ginger root
3 TBS. Soy sauce
3 TBS Peanut Butter
1 1/2 TBS honey
2tsp hot chile paste (optional
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz Udon Noodles
1/4 C chopped green onions
1/4 C chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, chili paste, and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Add noodles, and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and peanuts.


Here are the results:

Breaded Ranch Chicken

As I planned this week's meals out, I needed something simple most days as I would be caring for a bed-ridden hubby this week. I have had this recipe stashed in my recipe box for some time now and decided it was time to give it a try. I'm glad I did. This is a simple,quick, and good tasting chicken recipe. Although not a 5 star recipe by any means, it was hearty and well liked in my house.

Breaded Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:
3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1(1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
8(4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
1. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes, Parmesan cheese and salad dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in cornflake mixture to coat. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear


Here are the results:

Plain Potato Soup

I LOVE POTATOES! Just thought everybody should know. It's my favorite food and the one I would choose to eat for the rest of my life if somebody made me choose. Unlikely, but still. Here's a fabulous recipe for potato soup now that fall will be upon us soon. It's way simple and way yummy!

Plain Potato Soup

Ingredients:
4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
water to cover
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans evaporated milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot over high heat. Add water to cover, about 1 inch over the potatoes. Boil for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.Do not drain.
2. Reduce heat to low and pour in the evaporated milk and the butter. Mash the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Here are the results:

Asian Chicken Salad

I saw this on the side panel of a Keebler box one day and thought it looked yummy, so I tried it and it was! A nice change from a tuna sandwich. You can serve it on crackers or make a sandwich out of it. Here's the recipe:

Asian Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
* 2 cups finely chopped, cooked chicken breast (I use canned chicken)
* 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
* 1/2 cup sliced green onions
* Keebler® Club® Crackers
* Coarse ground black pepper

Directions:
1. In small bowl stir together mayonnaise, soy sauce and sesame oil.

2. In medium bowl toss together chicken, bell pepper and onions. Add mayonnaise mixture. Toss to coat. Serve on crackers. Sprinkle with pepper.

Here are the results:

Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms

I don't get why people don't like Brussels Sprouts. They are delicious to me and I needed a change of pace in my vegetable department. I'm sick of canned green beans. I loved this recipe.

Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms

Ingredients:
4 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1/2 pound whole mushrooms
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Cook Brussels sprouts in a pot of lightly salted boiling water for 15 minutes, or until fork-tender; strain through a colander, removing as much water as possible. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir mushrooms until lightly browned. Toss Brussels sprouts with mushrooms, and sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Here are the results:

Rich and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

I've never been a big fan of canned tomato soup or any tomato soup for that matter. I decided to go out on a limb and try a recipe I found on allrecipes.com that was highly rated. I'm glad I did because this was pretty good. My sister, who actually likes tomato soups, said it was excellent. It seems like a lot of work to me, but then again, I'm a convenience junkie and love pouring a can of soup into the microwave and having it done in a few minutes.Overall, it was a success.

Rich and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients:
4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced (I used one can of whole tomatoes)
4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves fresh basil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.Place tomatoes and juice in a stock pot over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves, and return the puree to the stock pot.
2.Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Do not boil.

Here are the results:

Nana's Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash?? What is that?? I just happened to get one of the little babies when I picked up my basket at the fruit co-op. I had no idea what to do with it so of course I went to allrecipes.com (my favorite recipe website) and did a search for acorn squash. Most of them had you cook for them for an hour in the oven and I did not have the time. I chose this recipe that microwaved the squash and then broiled it for 5 minutes to let the brown sugar and butter melt. I really enjoyed the recipe but my husband ate one bite and ask me if I wanted his (the nice way of saying HE didn't want it). That's OK. He's not a big squash fan and at least he tried a bite or two. If I get an acorn squash again, maybe I'll try another recipe that isn't so sweet. But for the record, I liked it!

Nana's Acorn Squash
Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe casserole dish pour enough water to reach 1 1/2 inches in depth. Place the squash halves cut side down in the water, and pierce the skin with a fork a few times. Microwave on high for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
2. Sprinkle each half with salt and pepper to taste. Place 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in each half.
3. Broil 5 minutes, or until butter is melted. Mix the melted butter and sugar into the flesh, and serve

Here are the results:

Irresistible Peach Smoothie

I had all this fruit from this cool Co-op (I'll write about this later) and I had to use it all up! I received some delicious peaches in my basket and decided I needed to make a smoothie. I didn't have any ice cream so I just used ice instead. It tasted good, but not Jamba Juice good. It did hit the spot on a hot summers day and I have not doubt it would have been better with vanilla ice cream instead of plain ice!

Irresistible Peach Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 cup(s)	(peeled, pitted and diced ) peaches, about 3 medium
1/2 cup(s)	(low-fat) Milk
1 cup(s)	vanilla ice cream
1 tablespoon(s)	(fresh) lemon juice
	peach slices, for garnish, optional

Directions:
Combine diced peaches, milk, ice cream and lemon juice in a blender; puree until nearly smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately garnished with peach slices, if you like.

Here are the results: