Cake Balls by Maressa

Now, the above picture doesn't at all do Maressa's Cake Balls justice! But believe me - they are so YUMMY! Jake even took one to school and share one with a couple of buddies who LOVED them and wanted to know where you could buy them. As my boys have often said, "Everything Maressa makes is good!" That's right - Maressa spoils my kids with yummy treats (I think it is because she loves to bake and secondly, knows that I really don't!" She's a great friend to have!


This is how you make CAKE BALLS.


Step 1:
Bake your favorite cake and let cool.


Step 2:
Frost your favorite cake.


Step 3: (the fun part)
Take your beautifully frosted cake and DUMP it into a bowl. Break it up and mix it up. Shape into balls and dip the balls into melted chocolate. Let harden and enjoy!




Maressa doesn't like "boxed cake mixes." I am going tell you a little secret....I thought making a cake from a box was from "scratch." Even throughout my college life. My heck - I'm cracking eggs, adding oil and mixing it - that's scratch right? It wasn't until I met Devin and his mother that I learned differently.

But Maressa says that if you are going to use a CAKE MIX for this recipe use RAINBOW CHIP CAKE MIX and RAINBOW CHIP FROSTING. Then roll the balls into WHITE CHOCOLATE.

Banana Boats

This is a super easy dessert to make. Especially if you are already bbq-ing or camping. Or when we make tin foil dinners we always make these for dessert. Usually I don't use this many mini chocolate chips but we were at the cabin and I let the kids make them. Also, I normally add mini marshmallows but we didn't have any.



Tip - hollow out a little tunnel of the banana so the chocolate chips and marshmallows have a place to stay (I like adding chopped walnuts to mine and sometimes even coconut). We will make 4-5 of them and wrap them all up together making a tin foil pouch. Then Tyler will stick them on the bbq. Or we have baked them in the oven before (400 degrees until they are done - 30 minutes or so). Cook them long enough so the chocolate melts and the bananas get soft and gooey.

Thanks Tyler for being my photographer!!!

Creme Brulee taught by Brian Curl

Kim's No Bake Cheesecake

Kim Miller's No Bake Cheese Cake:

1- box cream cheese
1 can sweeten condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 tsp. of vanilla

Mix the cream cheese in mixer until it becomes really light and fluffy - takes a while. Use a spatula to really scrap down the sides and the very bottom of the bowl every once and a while. Then slowly add swtnd condensed milk. Scrap down the sides more. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Poor into a store bought graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for several hours before cutting (it will set up).

Smores

Jake's Cub Scout Cupcakes - Aloha Style!

Every year for the Cub Scouts Blue and Gold Dinner, the Cub Scouts have a Cupcake Decorating Contest.

This year's was a Hawaiian Theme. Using Teddy Graham Cookies (for Cub Scouts) Jake had a fun time showing various Hawaiian activities Cub Scouts could be doing - surfing, inner-tubing, laying out on the beach.




The Brimhalls made a cupcake lei around our Scout Master - Kim Miller. Very cute!

Linda's Chocolate Cake

My Mom's Angel Food Cake with hidden raspberries

Bake an Angel Food cake and let cool.

With a knife cut slits in the cake from the top of the cake down 3/4's of the cake.

Using frozen raspberries with juice (thawed); poke a few raspberries in each hole and drizzle just a tiny spoonful of juice.

Frost with Cool Whip or whip cream.

For Christmas - sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

I made this Angel Food Cake for Emily's 4th Birthday.





Emily's first Dance Recital....


Aunt Marie, Emily and Uncle Al...


Aunt E and Aunt Marie...

Grandma England's Pies

Jake & Mommy's Angel Food Cake Trifle

Here is Jake and I on Easter. We made this yummy dessert. Super easy and super yummy!

Bake on Angel Food Cake and let cool
Tear the Angel Food Cake into pieces
In a bowl with sliced fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries add some sugar and set aside to get some juices going.

Layer:
pieces of cake
fresh berries
Cool Whip or homemade whipping cream

Jake's Berries and Yogurt Dessert

This was another Jake Dessert that he made all the time by HIMSELF. He'd scoop vanilla yogurt in sundae glasses and top them with fresh berries.

I just love the way he arranged the strawberries all by himself!


He even made this dessert when we had The Woodwells and Wulfenstein's over for dinner one night.

Frozen Strawberry Sherbet Dessert

Thaw 10 oz pkg of frozen sliced strawberries and combine with 4 bananas blended well in blender.

Stir in 1/2 gallon of softened pineapple sherbet

Fold in one 12 oz container of Cool Whip, mix well.

Pour into large container and freeze. Remove from freezer 1/2 hour or longer before serving. It should be the consistency of a soft frostie ice cream Spoon into dessert dish and garnish with a gourmet cookie.

Serves 20 to 25 people.

Maressa's Smore Bars

In a sauce pan heat 1/2 cup whipping cream on medium heat (just barely start to boil).

Take off heat and add one package of milk chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes.

Add:
3-1/2 cup mini marshmallows
7-1/2 oz pkg Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers (broken into bit size pieces)

Line a 9 in pan with foil.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Cut into squares.

Marresa's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

The Fish Head family is in love with this super yummy cake by Maressa. Anything Maressa makes is just the best! We made the Oreo/Chocolate Glaze version.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 9" round pans, or a 9 by 13. In large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes for round pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 9 by 13. Cool rounds 10 minutes, then remove from pans. Cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting:
6 tbsp butter softened
1/2 cup cocoa
2 2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, add cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with milk. Blend in vanilla.

The picture above is the Deep Dark Chocolate Cake with Oreo Filling and Chocolate Glaze. Thanks Maressa for letting me steal your image! wink, wink!

Oreo Filling:
8 oz cream cheese softened
3/4 cup shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs whites
12 oreo cookies crushed

Beat all ingredients till smooth. You may need to add more powdered sugar.

Once you have filled the cake make the glaze.

Glaze:
4 oz. semisweet baking chocolate chopped
4 tbsp butter

Melt these two together, the microwave is fine.
Pour the glaze on top of cake and smooth.

Michelle Hilton's Chocolate Crockpot Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix
8 oz sour cream
1 cup chocolate morsels
1 cup water
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix

Spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. Mix cake mix, sour cream, chocolate morsels, water, egss, oil and pudding mix in a bowl by hand. Pour into crock pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Makes about 12 servings.

Nicole's Cinnamon Butter Cake

1 Duncan Heinz Butter Cake
1 pkg instant Vanilla Pudding
4 eggs
1 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup Oil
1 tsp. Almond Extract

Add Cinnamon Sugar to the top.

Bake in bundt pan at 350 for 50 minutes.

Michelle Hilton's Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I soooooo love this cake!!!

2 ½ c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½-3/4 c. cocoa
3 eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. grated zucchini
3 tsp. Vanilla
½ c. milk

Mix all together. Place into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle ¾ cup brown sugar and ¾ cup chocolate chips on the top before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Secret Cake

INGREDIENTS:
1 box Yellow Super Moist Pdding & Butter Flavored Cake
1 stick butter
3 TBS butter (additional on top)
1 egg
1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/6 cup oil
1/2 cup (less 2 TBS) water

Preheat oven to 350.  Greased 9x13 pan.

For crust - mix graham cracker crumbs, nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon with 1 stick butter until crumbly.  Set aside.

For batter - measure 2 cups of cake mix.  Mix with 1 egg, oil and water.  Add vanilla.

Place 1/2 crumb mixture in bottom of pan.

Mix rest of dry cake mix with remaining crumb mixture.

Pour batter over crust.

Top with rest of crumb/dry cake mix.

Slice 2 TBS of butter and put on top of crumbs.

Bake 25 minutes.

9 cups Chex Cereal (any variety) 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup butter 1 tsp vanilla 1-1/2 cups powder sugar

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	Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
	In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
.	Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Michelle Hilton's Chocolate Cake