Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream with NO MACHINE

Don't ask me how, but the results are better than Haagan Daz.

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon hot water
4 oz milk chocolate (I used 1 large Hershey's bar), broken into small pieces
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup cream

Mix hot water and coffee powder until dissolved.  Add chocolate and sweetened condensed milk and microwave in 15 second increments, mixing in between until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute.  Add pinch salt.  Set aside.

Add vanilla to cream and whip until soft peaks form, about 3-4 minutes with electric mixer on high.  Fold 1/3 whipped cream into chocolate mixture.  Add remaining whipped cream into chocolate, fold until no white streaks remain, and pour into a plastic container.  Freeze for six hours until firm.  It not using within 1-2 days, place plastic wrap on top of ice cream and use within 2 weeks.

Brownie Pudding Cake

I used to make a similar recipe but lost it a while ago.  After being struck with a major craving for it the other day, I found this recipe through Google on another cooking blog.  It is seriously DIVINE!  Same basic concept as the one I used to make- but SO much better.  The cinnamon is such an awesome touch!  It is super easy, but decadent and impressive.  It's a bittersweet cake, so definitely serve it with powdered sugar or ice cream on top .  Love it!

*Recipe and photo courtesy Sara's Kitchen

Brownie Pudding Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 3/4 cups boiling water

1/4 cup cocoa

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powdered sugar, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch square baking dish or round souffle dish. Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and 1/3 cup cocoa in medium bowl. Add milk, butter and vanilla, stir until just blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish.

Combine brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Pour boiling water over entire mixture; do not stir.

Bake 35 to 38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the top layer comes out clean. Cool at least 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Honey Bun Cake

I made this cake as a surprise for my husband's birthday and he has officially proclaimed it his new favorite cake. It was an upsetting defeat for Carrot Cake, the previous title-holder, but the verdict was undisputed as the decadent, buttery layers of this cake and the ribbon of cinnamon and pecans are equally charming and irresistible. Likewise, this cake is most definitely NOT good for you, but deep down you know that acknowledging that would spoil the fun.
The recipe came off of the back of a Betty Crocker cake mix box, but I've tweaked it slightly.

1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® Butter Pecan cake mix
1 cup butter	or margarine, room temperature
4	eggs
1	container (8 oz) sour cream (1 cup)
1	cup packed brown sugar
1/3	cup chopped pecans
2	teaspoons ground cinnamon
1	cup powdered sugar
1	tablespoon milk
1	teaspoon vanilla

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Quick Creamy Lemon Pie

Come on girls, where are the desserts!

This recipe is from Weight Watchers. It is so quick to make and the fresh lemon juice makes it to die for. I sometimes throw a little lime juice in with the lemons, it takes about 2 large lemons. I have never used the reduced fat cinnamon graham crackers. I have heard the reduced fat graham crackers don't taste good, but I cannot verify that. I use the regular and it probably doesn't add too much of the bad stuff. :) I have served it with sliced strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries and it is gone in a flash.

Ingredients
6 whole reduced-fat cinnamon graham crackers
2 Tbsp butter
11 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk

2 large egg(s)
1/2 cup(s) fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp lemon zest

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