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Cherry Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake
Sounds like a tasty cake, on my to make and taste list and soon.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box white cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 can cherry pie filling, (595 g / 21 oz)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
For the Icing
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), grease with butter a 9x13 baking pan or bundt pan.
- Add all the Cake ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Mix together until just combined.
- Pour the cake mix in the baking pan and spread out evenly.
- Bake a 9x13 pan 30-35 minutes or a bundt cake 35-45 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a rack to cool completely.
- If using a bundt pan, after the pan has set on a rack for 10 minutes, place a plate on the top, grab each side with oven pads, both the pan and plate, and turn the pan and plate over to turn the cake out onto a plate. Let the cake completely cool.
- Prepare the icing when the cake is completely cooled. In a mixing bowl, stir together the first 4 ingredients, then use an electric mixer to mix in the powdered sugar.
- Drizzle the icing over the cake. (I also sprinkled some candy sprinkles on it.)
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving in the US and in Thailand.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Homemade Spice Cake
This recipe uses the Homemade Spice Cake Mix on this site. This will make two 8 inch rounds, one 9x13 pan, or 24 cupcakes. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 spice cake mix, (Shortcut)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup butter, softened, (1/2 block or 1 stick)
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- frosting, of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking dish or two 8 inch rounds.
- Add the cake mix to mixing bowl, add the butter and work that into the flour.
- Crack the eggs into another bowl and whisk then whisk in the vanilla into the eggs. Pour the eggs into the flour and mix to combine.
- Add the milk and mix just until the cake batter comes together, do not over work the batter or the result will not be a light and fluffy cake.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s) and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before turning out to a platter before frosting.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Quick & Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
Sounds like some tasty, and easy to make, cupcakes, on my to make and taste list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix, Shortcut
- 2 cups cooked pumpkin, (or one 15 oz can)
- 3 eggs, chicken or duck
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup water
- frosting, of your choice, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), Line a cupcake pan with papers
- In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except the frosting.
- Mix until everything is moistened then with an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Pour into the cupcake papers, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
- Frost the cupcakes with frosting of your choice. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Homemade Spice Cake Mix.
Adapted from a recipe card from the 1970's.
Homemade Spice Cake Mix
Spice Cake Mix, a standard cake when I was growing up, came in a box, add a few ingredients, bake, and you have a nice cake. Where I live, the boxed mix is at a premium price. This is the base mix recipe. This mix equals 1 box of store bought mix which will make two 8 inch rounds or one 9x13 pan. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice, Shortcut
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Whisk together and store in an airtight container for up to one month, or use right away to make a spice cake. Use in any recipe that calls for a box of spice cake mix.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Variant: 1. To replace the Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix use 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cloves.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Homemade Spice Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Dream Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Quick & Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes.
- Any Flavor Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
A standard spice mix for pumpkin pies and bread.
Ingredients
To make 1 TEASPOON
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- â…› teaspoon ground allspice
To make ½ CUP
- 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
- Store in an air-tight container and use as directed in recipes that call for pumpkin pie spice.
Notes
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Impossible Pumpkin Pie, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Homemade Spice Cake Mix, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Peach Dump Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake
This sounds really good, on my to make and taste list, and soon! The crust can be made with Oreo cookies and butter or you can use a store bought chocolate crumb crust. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate crumb pie crust, bought or homemade, Shortcut
- 200 grams caramel candies, unwrapped, (7 oz)
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped, divided
- 1 package Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz, 225 g)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix, (small size, 4 serving size box)
- 1/2 cup fudge topping
Instructions
- Remove packaging or prepare the cookie crumb crust.
- Add the caramels and evaporated milk to a small sauce pan, place on low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture is smooth, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.
- Pour into the prepared pie crust and spread out evenly.
- To a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, sour cream, and milk, mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add the pudding mix and mix for another 30 seconds.
- Pour cream cheese mixture into the pie dish, covering the caramel and spread out evenly. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
- Drizzle the fudge topping over the cheesecake in a decorative pattern and sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped pecans. Cover and chill until you serve.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving in the US, I will price this in Thailand when I return home.
Shortcut: Cookie Crusts.
Adapted from a 1970's recipe card.
Cookie Crusts
For those that wish to make pie crusts from scratch, here is a few shortcuts for you. For Thailand I have to make these from scratch, and when in the states, I do in fact use the store bought crusts based on low cost and convenience. Here is 3 I have made and I will add more when I make them.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 25 Oreo cookies, whole, meaning with the filling
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Gingersnap Cookie Crust
- 32 gingersnap cookies
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Graham Cracker Crust
- 12 rectangular graham crackers
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- To make the crumbs, use a food processor, blender, or a great alternative is a rolling pin. Mix the crumbs with the melted butter (and sugar for the graham cracker crust), place in the baking dish and spread out evenly. Press down evenly with the bottom of a measuring cup or can.
- Here is a Oreo cookie crust getting pressed into my 9 inch pie dish.
- Here is a gingersnap cookie crust pressed into my 9 inch spring form pan. Spring form pans are definitely the easiest to prepare.
- Optionally, you can bake the crust for 5-8 minutes, then allow to cool completely before using.
Notes
Low cost per crust.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Oreo Pie, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Mandarin Orange Pie II, made it.
- Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
Pear Pie
This pie can be made with fresh or canned pears. Link to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 2-3 pears, or 2 cans drained
- 1 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 unbaked pie shell, Shortcut
For the Topping
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Make and place a pie shell in a pie dish or if using refrigerated, place that in your pie dish. Poke the bottom of the crust 4-5 times with a fork.
- For the pears, for fresh, peel and core, then slice 1/4 inch thick. Or use 2 cans, drained.
- In a mixing bowl, add the Filling ingredients except the pears, mix together then pour into the prepared pie shell.
- Arrange the pear slices evenly on the filing.
- Place in the oven and bake 15 minutes. While the pie is baking, add the Topping ingredients to a mixing bowl, mix together with a fork.
- Remove the pie at the 15 minute mark, sprinkle on the topping evenly on the pie, place back in the oven and bake for another 30-40 minutes or until the filling is set as indicated by inserting a toothpick and it comes out clean.
- Remove pie to a rack and allow to cool completely.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Sour Cream. Pie Crust, Olive Oil Pie Crust.
Adapted from Fresh Pear Pie on the Great Grub, Delicious Treats website.
Mandarin Orange Pudding
This is an excellent and easy recipe! When I return to Thailand, I will be taking pudding mixes back with me so I can make this there! There are two ways to make this, one with fresh whipped cream and the other with ready made Cool Whip. I used Cool Whip this time, in Thailand I will use fresh whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla wafer cookies, you won't use all of them
- 1 can Mandarin oranges, whole segments, drained, (29 oz / 822 g)
- 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz)
- 1 can condensed milk, (14 oz)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix, (6 serving size)
- 3 cups whipping cream, or three 8 oz containers Cool Whip
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, omit if using Cool Whip
- 1 can Mandarin oranges, drained, for serving, optional, (11 oz / 312 g)
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with the vanilla wafer cookies.
- Add a layer of mandarin orange segments.
- Add the cream cheese, condensed milk to a mixing bowl, beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add the dry pudding mix, vanilla, and milk. Beat until fully combined then set aside. Wash and dry the mixer blades if you are using fresh cream.
- In another mixing bowl, add the whipping cream and beat until soft peaks form, then add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, then set aside 1 1/2 cups.
- Take the remaining whipped cream and fold that into the pudding mixture. OR fold in two containers of Cool Whip. I used Cool Whip.
- Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the oranges.
- Top the pudding with the reserved whipped cream OR another container of Cool Whip. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- To serve, slice into serving size pieces, top each serving with a mandarin orange segment if desired.
- Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use Cool Whip in place of the whipping cream and powdered sugar. Fold in two 8 oz containers of Cool Whip into the pudding mixture, then top with one 8 oz container before placing in the fridge.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Slow Cooker Chicken & Gravy II
This is another Chicken & Gravy recipe and is absolutely delicious! Highly recommended. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- black pepper, as desired
- garlic powder, as desired
- 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, Shortcut
- 1 can chicken broth, (14.5 oz can or 2 cups fresh), Shortcut
- 2 packets brown gravy mix, Shortcut
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- mashed potatoes or rice, for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken on each side with black pepper and garlic powder as desired, add the chicken to your slow cooker.
- In a mixing bowl, add the soup, broth, gravy mix, and flour. Whisk together.
- Pour mixture over the chicken. Cook on High setting for 3-4 hours or Low setting for 6-7 hours.
- Turn slow cooker to Warm setting. Remove the chicken to a shallow dish and shred with two forks into bite size pieces and return to the slow cooker. Leave the lid off the cooker while you prepare the mashed potatoes or rice.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or rice (or biscuits) with sides of your choice. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Chicken Broth, Gravy Mix.
Variants: 1. Serve over hot biscuits, highly recommended. 2. Serve over egg noodles, also highly recommended.
Recipe provided by Conni Layton and her recipe is here.
United States.
United States.