Texas Sheet Cake

It's been called Texas Brownies, Mississippi Mud Cake, Texas Sheet Cake, etc. Whatever you call it, it's delicious!
Texas Sheet Cake

Chocolate Mix-
1 stick of butter
1 c water
1/2 c shortening
4 T cocoa
Cake Mix-
2 eggs
2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1/2 c buttermilk*
2 c flour
Frosting-
1 stick of butter
4 T cocoa
6 T milk
1 t vanilla
3-4 c powdered sugar, sifted
1 c nuts, in small pieces (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 400*.
2. Place ingredients for Chocolate Mix in a small sauce pan, on low, until melted and well mixed. Take off heat and set aside.
3. Mix Cake Mix in a large bowl. Add Chocolate Mix.
4. Grease and flour a jellyroll pan (with 1/2" sides). Pour batter on pan, spread evenly, and bake for 22-25 minutes until it passes toothpick test.
5. Once cake is out of the oven: melt butter, cocoa, and milk in a small sauce pan, on low. Take off heat, add vanilla and powdered sugar until desired consistency. Mix well.
6. Let cake cool for at least 10-15 minutes before you spread frosting on it. Sprinkle nuts quickly after spreading frosting, if desired.
*To make "buttermilk", combine 1/2 c milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes before adding to recipe.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Turtle Pumpkin Pie(s)
*makes 2 pies
2 graham cracker crusts
1 c caramel topping, divided
2c pecan pieces, divided
1 c cold milk
2- 3.5 oz pkgs vanilla instant pudding
1 c canned pumpkin
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1- .5 pt whipping cream
2 c whipped cream, divided

1. Pour ¼ cup caramel topping into each crust; sprinkle with ½ cup pecans.
2. Whisk together milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin, and spices until well blended; stir in whipping cream. Spread over pecans in crust.
3. Refrigerate at least one hour. Top each pie with half of the remaining caramel topping and pecans (and half of the whipped cream) just before serving.

Ali's Apple Pie

Ali's Apple Pie
2.5 lb apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
.5 c sugar
.25 c brown sugar
.25 c butter
.5 t cinnamon
.5 t nutmeg
1 t lemon juice
1 egg
.25 t salt
2 t flour
4 shallow pie shells (two top and two bottom)

1. Combine apples and white sugar in colander, over a bowl. Let sit for about an hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400*.
3. Mix together brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, egg, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Add the apples to the mixture and coat evenly.
4. Put the apple "drippings" aside.
5. Place half of the apple mixture in each pie shell. Cover with top shell and press edges together.
6. Use a pastry brush to apply the "apple drippings" generously to the top shell. No need to poke holes in the top.
7. Place in center rack of oven and bake for about 50 min.

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars

5 eggs

2 1/2 c sugar

1 1/4 c oil
1 t vanilla
1- 15oz can pumpkin

2 1/2 c flour

1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder

1 t salt

1 T cinnamon
1-1 1/2 c chocolate chips (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 350*.

2. Mix together eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin.

3. Fold in dry ingredients and pour into jelly roll pan, or 9x13 if you want them thicker.

Opt- you can sprinkle those chocolate chips on top, or you can frost with cream cheese frosting after it comes out of the oven.

4. Bake for 30 minutes in jelly roll or 45 minutes in 9x13, check with toothpick test. Do not over bake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz cream cheese

3/4 c butter

1 3/4 c powdered sugar

2 t vanilla

1. Blend all ingredients. Done.

Macaroni & Cheese With A Kick

This stems from the recipe found here. I wasn't a huge fan of her recipe, so I changed it a bit.

Macaroni & Cheese With A Kick
1 lb macaroni
1 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1 c frozen corn
1- 4 oz can chopped green chilies
2 c half & half
2 c grated Pepper Jack cheese (or Mexican blend)
Salt & pepper to taste
2 c corn flakes cereal (opt for added crunch)

1. In a large pot, boil pasta until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute garlic, onion, pepper, jalapeno, and corn in olive oil, over medium to medium-high heat for about 7 minutes.
3. Stir in chilies.
4. Drain pasta and add to skillet.
5. Pour on half & half; add cheese, salt, and pepper and stir gently.
6. Cover and let sit for about 7 minutes over medium heat.
7. Check seasonings and serve topped with crushed corn flakes.

Click for a closer look!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1- 15oz can of pumpkin puree
1 box spice cake mix
2c chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Mix ingredients.
3. Bake for 15 minutes.