easy desserts – Meghan E White

S’mores Bars

June 29, 2022 meghanewhite

I love s’mores. When our kids were little, camping was a summer tradition that included campfires and s’mores. There is something so heavenly about toasted marshmallow and chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers. Kuddos to a Girl Scout troop leader, from many years ago, for creating this lovely treat. It’s now a classic.

I have been experimenting with these wonderful bars since last summer. I wanted all the goodness of a s’more without the use of a campfire. After many attempts and tweaks, I feel good about sharing this winning dessert with all of you. It’s so simple, yet full of the perfect amount of sweetness to put a smile on your face.

No fire is required, just the heat of your oven. The Hershey chocolate bar is essential to get that nostalgic taste. Feel free to use chocolate chips if you prefer. Use as much or as little marshmallows. Tweak the toppings to your liking. Bring this to a barbecue or a potluck for a fun treat. To all my s’more loving friends out there, you will love this one. Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9

S’mores Bars

Ingredients

3/4 cup salted butter ( 12 tablespoons) softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg yolk

2 sleeves of graham crackers ( use 14 for the crust and the remaining 4 crackers for the topping)

6 Hershey chocolate bars (regular size)

10 oz. bag of mini marshmallows

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment or aluminum foil.
Place 14 graham crackers for the crust in a food processor to make fine crumbs. Break up 4 graham crackers into bigger chunks and save for the topping.
Using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add the egg yolk, and the graham cracker crumbs. Mix until combined. Press the crust mixture evenly into pan.
Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly brown. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Place 6 Hershey bars on the hot crust. As the chocolate melts use a rubber spatula to spread out evenly.
Sprinkle approximately 1 to 2 cups of the marshmallows on the melted chocolate. Now sprinkle about half of the broken graham cracker crumbs on top. Add another 1/2 to 1 cup of marshmallows on top of that. Now add the remaining graham cracker crumbs.
Change the oven to broil on low. Put the bars under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes depending on how toasted you want the marshmallows. Stay by the oven and watch. Marshmallows can burn quickly. Let cool. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Notes:

Place the warm bars in the fridge to speed up cooling.
Spray a knife with cooking spray for easier cutting.
Store at room temp to keep the marshmallows soft.
Extend the foil or parchment over the edge of the baking dish and then pull the bars out when you are ready to cut.
Use as much or as little marshmallows as you prefer.
If you don’t have a food processor, use a freezer bag and a rolling pin to smash the graham crackers.

Food

Chocolate Lava Cakes

February 8, 2022 meghanewhite

Have you ever had this delightful treat? What appears to be a regular chocolate cake is actually filled with a surprise of warm melted chocolate that comes flowing out like lava. It’s probably one of the funnest desserts to eat. It’s an experience that I highly recommend.

I have ordered lava cake at restaurants, and always assumed they were complicated to make. I was wrong. These little cakes are so incredibly good, and so easy to whip up, literally. Use a whisk for everything, no mixer is required.

Make them ahead of time, and pop them in the oven whenever you are ready for an amazing chocolate dessert. Chocolate lava cakes would be great for Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion. These chocolaty molten filled goodies will make any ordinary day extraordinary.

Happy Eating!

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Chocolate Lava Cakes

Yield: 4 cakes

Required equipment: 6 ounce ramekins

Ingredients

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup flour

For ramekin prep:

1 tablespoon butter

cocoa powder for dusting ramekins

Optional toppings for the lava cakes:

powdered sugar

fresh berries

vanilla ice cream

whipped cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°
Butter each ramekin and dust with cocoa powder.
In a medium size bowl place the stick of butter with 4 oz. of chocolate. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue heating the chocolate and butter for 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir between each 30 seconds. Don’t overheat. Chocolate can easily burn.
In a separate medium size bowl whisk the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk in the vanilla.
Whisk the melted chocolate into the eggs.
Whisk the powdered sugar and flour into the chocolate mixture until combined.
Evenly divide the batter between the four ramekins and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes until the sides are firm. The centers will be soft.
Let the cakes sit for 1 minute. Turn the ramekins over on dessert plates to release the hot cakes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Use good chocolate. I love to use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking bars. They are 4 ounces, and can be found at any grocery store. You can use regular chocolate chips and the cakes will still turn out good, but better quality chocolate improves the taste by a lot.

Use room temperature eggs. Let your eggs sit out for a bit before you start preparing the cake batter. You will get better volume in your eggs which helps make a light fluffy batter.

Use salted butter. I use salted butter for all of my baking. If you prefer unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt to the batter.

Lava cakes can be reheated. Heat leftover cakes in the microwave for 30 seconds to get that yummy lava flowing again. Or, place in a 350° oven on a baking sheet upside down for 10 minutes.

Food

Pumpkin Bars

November 12, 2021 meghanewhite

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It’s that time of year. Pumpkin time. Pumpkin everything is everywhere. It wasn’t that long ago that the only big thing happening pumpkin-wise this time of year was the now infamous pumpkin spice latte. If you got your hands on one of those, then you felt pretty special. Now, pumpkin has taken over all aspects of food from yogurt to cereal, and even candy. We are pumpkin obsessed for some reason. For the non-pumpkin eaters, I’m sorry. For the rest of us, yay!!

In honor of all things pumpkin, I give you pumpkin bars. You’re welcome. I’ve been making these divine treats for close to twenty-six years. The bars are really more like a moist delicious cake. The pumpkin flavor is there, but it’s subtle, not overpowering. And, the piece de resistance, cream cheese frosting. The combo of the scrumptious cake and sweet icing make this dessert irresistible. It’s hard to stop at one. Pumpkin bars are addictive. You’ve been warned.

I was blessed with this recipe from my boss all those years ago. She brought them into work one day and it was love at first bite. I got the recipe from her, which she was given by her mother many years before. And the circle of life continues as I pass this fantastic recipe on to you. Maybe you will share it with someone in your life too. Whenever I make these for potlucks or any event, they get devoured every single time. So be ready with the recipe, because you will be asked.

Pumpkin bars are a nice alternative to pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Or, if you’re feeling really adventurous, make both. Pumpkin fans everywhere will rejoice. I have to admit that I’ve made these in the summer. I know. It’s a bit bold, a bit daring, but so worth it. Try pumpkin bars in the off season too. They are just that good.

Happy Eating!

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Pumpkin Bars

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup sugar

1 15oz. can pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream eggs and sugar.
Add the vegetable oil, pumpkin, and pecans.
Add the flour mixture and mix thoroughly with a hand mixer.
Pour into an un-greased 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz. cream cheese softened

¼ cup butter softened

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Cream together with a hand mixer until smooth.

Notes:

Store at room temperature in a sealed container.

I never add the nuts, but I’m sure it’s delicious.

Let the cream cheese and butter soften at room temperature before making the frosting.

Food

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

June 16, 2021 meghanewhite

This is my favorite pound cake. It’s delicious and easy. I found this scrumptious dessert years ago in Southern Living magazine. I get asked for this recipe every time I make it. I shared this pound cake when I first started writing for Mustard Seed Sentinel, and wanted to share it again with new followers.

Enjoy this delightful sweet treat. Life is short. Have a piece of cake.

Happy Eating!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups butter, softened

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

⅛ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°

2. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla extract, beat until blended.

4. Combine flour and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Don’t over mix.

5. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch bundt pan or tube pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour and 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely for about an hour.

Notes:

~I prefer to use three loaf pans. Cooking time drops to approximately 1 hour 5 minutes when using loaf pans. You can freeze the loaves. Thaw before serving.

~Reduce the sugar to 2 ½ cups or 2 ¾ if 3 cups is too sweet. It still comes out yummy.

Food

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

October 28, 2020 meghanewhite

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. That’s right, it’s pumpkin time. If you are a pumpkin fan then you will enjoy these mini pumpkin cheesecakes. They are scrumptious. Not too much pumpkin for the non-pumpkin fans, yet just enough for the pumpkin lovers.

This pumpkin cheesecake is light and perfectly sweet with just the right amount of spice. Toasted pecans add fantastic flavor and texture to the graham cracker crust. Each bite of these tiny goodies has the perfect mix of creamy and crunchy.

The portions are the ideal size for a sweet treat. No fork required. These would look so beautiful on a cake stand for Thanksgiving. But you don’t need a special occasion to make these mini cheesecakes. Every day is a reason to be thankful so why not celebrate with pumpkin cheesecake.

Make this simple yet impressive dessert for the holiday season or any time of the year. Experience the delight of cheesecake without all of the fuss. Enjoy this delectable small dessert.

Happy Eating!

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Psalm 105:4

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yield: 24 cheesecakes

Crust

1 and a half sleeves of graham crackers (approximately 12 graham crackers)

½ cup butter – melted

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup toasted pecans

Pumpkin Cheesecake

16 oz. cream cheese – room temp

15 oz. can pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 eggs – room temp

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Make the crust

Preheat oven to 350°
Line muffin pan with paper cups. This recipe makes 24.
Toast pecans in the oven on a baking sheet for 7 to 8 minutes.
Place toasted pecans and graham crackers in a food processor and make fine crumbs. (If you don’t have a food processor you can place the graham crackers and pecans in a large plastic bag. Pound them with a rolling pin until crumbs form.)
Place the graham cracker crumbs and pecans in a mixing bowl. Add melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix with a spoon or fork until combined.
Put two tablespoons of the crust into each paper baking cup.
Take a small glass or measuring cup and firmly press the crust in place.

Make the cheesecake

Blend the cream cheese in a stand mixer with whisk attachment, or hand mixer, until smooth.
Add the pumpkin and sour cream. Mix until well blended.
Add the eggs. Blend until smooth.
Add sugar, vanilla, flour, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. Mix well.
Using a large baking scoop or ice cream scoop, fill the crust lined cups with one full scoop each of cheesecake batter. About ¾ full.
Bake cheesecakes for 18 to 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, then leave the cheesecakes in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cheesecakes cool completely. Store in the refrigerator. Top with fresh whipped cream and cinnamon or nutmeg.

Notes

The mini cheesecakes will last for 3 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
If you don’t want pecans in the crust, just use 2 full sleeves of graham crackers.
You will have a little extra batter and crust to make an additional 4 to 6 cheesecakes.
The cheesecakes will puff up in the oven and get some cracks. These will go away once they cool completely.

Go to Mustard Seed Sentinel for this recipe and more. Check out my monthly column, Meghan’s Corner.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-mini-pumpkin-cheesecake