Chocolate Appreciation

Last night's enrichment activity was a "Chocolate Appreciation Night". Check out the awesome chocolate taster's table Karla Chambers put together:

The following posts are a few chocolate recipes and our freezer meal recipes for this month...

Chocolate Torte

Karla Chambers

1st layer:

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Cut butter into flour with knife, add pecans, and press into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool.

2nd layer:

1- 8 ounce cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup cool whip

Mix together, then spread on cooled crust.

3rd layer:

1 large package chocolate instant pudding

3 cups milk

Mix together, then spread on top of 2nd layer.

Chill in refrigerator. Top with whipped cream and garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Ashley Mason

Mix together:

1 package Devils Food Cake mix

2 eggs

1/4 oil

Roll into small balls. (I usually press them flat with a fork because they don't seem to flatten on their own.) Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Cool and frost one cookie (I like to use cream cheese frosting). Top with another cookie to make a homemade Oreo cookie sandwich!

Rolo Cookies

Melanie Warnes

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

40 rolos

Beat butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. In another bowl combine flour, cocoa, and soda. Stir into egg mixture to form soft dough. Chill in fridge at least an hour. Place on Tablespoon of dough in palm of hand and press flat. Put one Rolo candy in the center. Bring up sides of dough between palms to make a smooth ball. Roll cookie ball in sugar, place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until tops crack.

Monster Cookies

Karla Chambers (from the Standard Examiner)

1 1/2 cups butter

2 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

3 cups peanut butter, extra crunchy

2 Tbsp light corn syrup

4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

9 cups quick oats

1 large package M&Ms, plain

1 package chocolate chips, optional

Use ice cream scoop to form dough balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350.

(This recipe makes a 'monstrous' amount of cookies!)

Pineapple Meatballs

Shar Fletcher

30 frozen meatballs

3/4 cup barbeque sauce

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pinapple

Combine barbeque sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, cornstarch and pinapple. Place meatballs into freezer bag and pour sauce over meatballs.

To serve: Thaw. Place in a greased baking dish. Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour. Serve over rice.

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 lb extra lean hamburger

1 med onion

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp flour

1 can mushroom pieces

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

Noodles

Brown hamburger and onion in butter until light brown. Add flour, salt and pepper, and mushrooms. Stir in soup. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly 5 minutes. Reduce hear, simmer 10 minutes uncovered. Stir in sour cream. Heat through. Serve over noodles.

Freezes well.

Russian Chicken (VERY easy)

Melissa Evans

Combine together:

8 oz. Russian salad dressing

1 pkg. Dry Onion Soup Mix

1 cup any kind of jam

Layer uncooked chicken (breasts, tenders, whatever you want) in sprayed 9x13 pan. Pour sauce on top and bake covered at 325 for 1 hour.

Serve over hot rice. (Despite the name it tastes like sweet and sour chicken so I also serve it with Chinese noodles.)

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

Melissa Evans

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

Combine in bowl:

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 Tablespoon hot sweet mustard (or any mustard)

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Dip uncooked chicken tenders or sliced breasts in wet ingredients, then in dry. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve with favorite dipping sauce.