No Bake Mocha Fudge Pie for Halloween

Recipes in this PostNo Bake Mocha Fudge Pie

A few weeks ago, I got a few boxes of chocolate on sale at the local supermarket. I discovered that Spane and his friend, Noelle, had gotten into the chocolate one night when she spent the night. Apparently, neither one of them liked the unsweetened chocolate, but it was perfect for my Mocha Fudge Pie I made as a treat for my friend, Joanna Alexander of Strawberry Creek Crochet.

This has got to be one of simplest pies I have ever made, and it didn’t require any baking because I used a chocolate crumb crust I had in my pantry. It was just a matter of melting the fudge. I folded in whipped cream to make the pie silky, otherwise, it would have just been fudge.

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Strawberry Torpedoes – Balsamic Infused Mocha Stuffed Strawberries


I recently joined a great MeetUp, Entrepreneurs Professionals Glendale, and wanted to bring something nice for everyone to share. One of the members, Aron Ganz of Ganz Media gave the berries their name, Strawberry Torpedoes, a much shorter name, and I am grateful for that!

This is a group of entrepreneurs and professionals, who own small to medium businesses. We are not drones of the corporate world, and realize that even though being self-employed has its difficulties, it has huge rewards. Our group, led by Lynn Sarkany of MarketFinders, meets to exchange ideas to help our businesses, share stories, and network with each other. If you are a like-minded individual, you might consider joining us. Please visit Entrepreneurs and Professionals to find out more.

I had recently found a whole bunch of baking chocolate on sale, had some strawberries and a package of cream cheese. But, instead of making the Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries that I made last time, I thought I would add a little more adult flavor to the dish.

I added cocoa, coffee, vanilla, almond and cinnamon to the cream cheese filling, and I injected the berries with balsamic vinegar. When you bite into these berries, they explode flavor into your mouth.

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Peaches Sautéed with Marsala and Cream

Recipes in this PostPeaches sautéed with Marsala and Cream

I really love peaches. I like peaches and cream ice cream, I like peach preserves, I like peaches out of hand, I just like peaches.

My neighbor brought me some peaches a few days ago, and I wanted to make something simple for breakfast for Spane. I suddenly remembered I had peaches in the refrigerator, and decided to cook them off, much like I did Rosy Peaches.

Peaches Sauteed with Marsala and Cream is a very simple recipe, and quite tasty. I served it over pound cake that I had lying around, but it would also be great on cereal, or on toast, or just in a bowl. You could have it for breakfast like we did, or as a dessert.

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Mocha Butterscotch Cashew Cookies Back to School Gift

Recipes in this PostMocha Butterscotch Cashew Cookies

Ah, the first day back at school! This year, not only does Spane get a new teacher for 5th grade, the school also gets a new Principal. I think it’s important to make a good impression. Spane is a good student, but it never hurts to grease a few palms with an appreciative gift. I already made Trinket Boxes, and special Scrunchy Bows for the gift bag, but I wanted to put something else inside. I was wrestling with myself over this, and then I remembered I had a bag of butterscotch chips that I had gotten on sale at the local supermarket. Everyone likes cookies, and if they don’t they can give them to someone who does.

These Mocha Butterscotch Cashew Cookies will be rich, so I will also be giving a plate of cookies to the front office, some to my neighbor who gives me figs and apples, some to Spane’s Lemonade Stand co-worker, and still be able to have some for Spane and I.

Cookies for the Principal, the Front Office and the Teacher
Cookies for the Principal, the Front Office and the Teacher

I love going to the resale shops, finding bargains, and occasionally finding something old that comes back home with me for a new life. I have a friend who had this interesting jar with a top that you would push down on and she would use it for chopping onions. I always wanted one of those, and I was lucky enough to find one recently. I also found out that they were used for chopping nuts. Well, they do a great job at both!

Cashews Before
Cashews Before
Cashews After
Cashews After

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Apple Pancake

Apple Pancake

These apple-stuffed pancakes are a heavenly treat that will satisfy your cravings and impress your family and guests.

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Apple-Stuffed Wontons with Spicy Ice Cream

Apple Wontons
Apple-Stuffed Wontons with Spicy Ice Cream

Combine a warm, crispy apple-stuffed wonton with a generous scoop of spiced ice cream. Take a bite, and you’ll experience a delightful harmony of flavors and textures.

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Independence Day No Bake Cake

No-bake 4th of July tort wafer cake
No Bake 4th of July Tort Wafer Cake

This no-bake cake will be the star of your 4th of July celebration but won’t turn your kitchen into an inferno! Fresh strawberries, blueberries, tort wafers, and sour cream. Declare your independence from the stove! What’s not to like?

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Red Velvet Cake with Mocha Cream Frosting

Red Velvet CakeTuesday, November 21, 2012, was Spane’s 9th birthday. He originally asked for a Red Velvet Cake, but then said he wanted Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting that I made for his 7th birthday, and was the base for the Jolly Roger Cake of the Pirate Rack Rachham that I made for his 8th birthday. At the last minute, I decided to give him his original request.

Yes, I know that Red Velvet is all over the place, and mostly nasty, truly horrific. When Red Velvet became popular all over the country, short cuts were made, and what resulted was a dense, flavorless cake, with a greasy shortening “cream cheese” frosting, that I am sure was made with cream cheese flavoring, and nary a bit of real cream cheese. The first time I heard about the cake was in Steel Magnolias when the armadillo groom’s cake was brought out. The real cake is delicious. I make a real Red Velvet Cake, that uses real cream cheese, cake flour, and vinegar/baking soda leavener.

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I just can’t make an ordinary anything, I always have to umph it up a bit, and this cake was no exception. Instead of using white vinegar, I used Balsamic vinegar. I also used a Mocha frosting instead of the traditional cream cheese frosting. It was a real hit.

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Almond Joy Coconut Cream Pie

Almond Joy Coconut Cream Pie
Almond Joy Coconut Cream Pie

Oh, the joy of Almond Joy Coconut Cream pie! If you’ve always wanted Mounds to have dark chocolate, then here’s your dream come true. A simple, no-bake pie your family will love.

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Baked Julia Apples – In Honor of Julia Child

Baked Julia ApplesBaked Julia Apples

I used to love watching Julia Child on The French Chef when it was on Saturday afternoons on my local PBS station. I think Julia Child kind of reminded me of my mother, they were both tall, loved to talk, and they were never afraid to take anything head-on. My mother was a good cook, taught me the basics, and let me prepare meals when I was 10. Sadly, my mother died when I was 15 but left me in the capable hands of my Aunt Georgia, Grandmother, and Julia Child.

Today would have been Julia Child’s 100th birthday, and I thought I should share a recipe which is inspired by Baked Alaska Apples that I watched Julia make on the show. You can find out more about Julia Child.

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