Chocolate Crock-Pot Cake

I found this recipe on cjaneanswers.com (her pic) last week and it is fantastic - like a heavy pudding rich chocolate cake. Make it right away! Mine looked just like this - maybe even better. I shamelessly ate two bowls.

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 container of sour cream (8 oz)
1 cup chocolate morsels
1 cup water
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 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.

I think cooking on low is probably better. I cooked on high and the edges got a little brown, but not too bad. the entire center was complete bliss.

Double Chocolate Brownies

Happy 2010 everyone.

It has been months since I have made homemade brownies, and I was in the mood for something chocolatey, fudgy and delicious so I decided to try out a new recipe. These are, in fact, delicious.

I always like to try new brownie recipes without any additions- so I left out the nuts which Chris so ardently adores. However, this recipe was so good he did not even comment on the missing pecans.

This recipe is now my favorite brownie recipe- although, I am wondering how some of the recipes on Epicurious stack up against it. If you all have a favorite brownie recipe please post it so I can try it.

Also, for those of you who are fans of boxed brownie mixes- Epicurious just did a taste test and a gluten free version came out on top- very interesting. Click here for the full article.

Ingredients

Makes 9 large or 16 small squares

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 6 ounces coarsely chopped good-quality semisweet chocolate*
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter lining (excluding overhang); set pan aside.
2. Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until butter and chocolate are melted. Let cool slightly.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; set aside.
4. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat, scraping down sides of bowl, until well incorporated.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out brownies; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

*We are fans of bittersweet chocolate so I use the Ghirardelli bittersweet 60% cacao chips in most recipes now, including this one. I am sure the brownies will be just as delicious with semi-sweet.

From Martha Stewart's Cookies

Grilled Chocolate Sandwich

This is delicious.

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 large slices challah or Italian bread (cut 3/4 inch thick)
4 ounces thin semisweet chocolate bar (chocolate chips also work)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Assembly

1- In a large, shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk; set aside.

2- Form two sandwiches with the bread and chocolate (break the chocolate as necessary to cover the bread without extending over the edge); dip both sides of the sandwiches in the egg mixture to coat.

3- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat; transfer the sandwiches to the skillet. Cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Cut each sandwich in half, and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

From Great Food Fast