So Good You Might Be Tempted To Lick The Plate

The first time I made this for our kids piano recite dessert table I had a swarm of moms asking for the recipe. It was so yummy, yet it was so simple I was almost afraid to let them in on how easy it was to make. Seriously, I think I saw on of the Grandma’s licking her fork it is that good. You can image my surprise the next time a recital rolled around and the piano teacher gave me the invitation with a yellow sticky note attached asking if I could bring the yummy dessert I had brought before.

I guess you could say it really was my encore performance!

I always thought that if you were going to make a dessert it needed to be labor intensive and time consuming, but this dessert is so easy it is almost a sin to tell people you make it from scratch.

Here is what Lidia of Yummiest Foods.com has to say about her crowd pleasing recipe.

“Chocolate Lush – perfect combination of cream cheese, cool whip and pecans! This recipe is very easy to make and it is so delicious! Layer after layer of chocolate fantasy – Chocolate Lush!”

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Quick Tip. If you are not a huge Cool Whip person feel free to make up whipped cream and sweeten with powdered sugar.

Image and recipe courtesy of Lidia of Yummiest Food.com

The post Don’t Be Surprised When Your Guests Cry Out Encore After Just One Bite of This No-Bake Dessert appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

A Perfect Little Treat That Guests Will Go Wild About

I love the taste of pumpkin. And I noticed I must not be the only one because the last time I went to the grocery store they had a whole section dedicated to pumpkin foods, it was amazing! Pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin scones, and pumpkin flavored Oreos were just begging to be put into my cart and taken home.

But I really wanted to make something unique that didn’t require rolling thinly baked sheet cakes around cream cheese filling. Not that I am opposed to that recipe since I made about 4 of those pumpkin logs last year. No, I wanted to treat my family to a new recipe. When I saw this I KNEW I had a winner!

I could make these and put them in the freezer so I didn’t have to spend the day they were arriving in the kitchen. And because these are tidy little bites this makes a perfect little treat after dinner without feeling like we need to break out a big dessert!

This is what Dan of Cakes Cottage has to say about his recipe.

“These pumpkin cheesecake balls are no-bake. They are so easy and taste amazing. Bring them to a party and you’ll be a hero forever!

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Quick Tip: Purchase small take out containers from Smart and Final or a craft store and send a few of these home with your guests or take to neighbors.

Image and recipe courtesy of Dan and Cottage Cakes.com

The post No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls Were The Hit Of My Last Office Party appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

Need to Bring a Stellar Side Dish To The Next Potluck? This Is One That Is Sure To Impress!

Is it just me or is trying to come up with creative ways for my family to add more vegetables a chore. Seriously, I have grilled zucchini, sautéed carrots, and steamed broccoli, but this recipe takes creativity to a whole new level.

The think I love about buying a cauliflower is that they really last a long time in the fridge. Even after they are cut up they are super hearty. You can eat them raw with a dip, or even riced as the base of a dish. Talk about functional!  I love that this dish is actually more along the line of a loaded baked potato. All the familiar flavors of your favorite stuffed spud are in this cheesy casserole that is low in carbs and high in flavor.

The other day I say that the store I was shopping at started carrying multi colored cauliflower. There are shades of green and purples. Talk about a color splash. I think that it exactly the kind of thing kids would love trying. And adding bacon to the top is just flat out brilliant. I know my kids will eat just about anything that has bacon on it and chances are so will your family. So roll up your sleeves, pick up some of this versatile yet understated veggie and make something memorable.

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Quick Tip: This recipe makes quite a big dish, so for a smaller crowd, just cut the ingredients in half!

Image and recipe courtesy of Food Network.com

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Ohh Baby, You Are On a Roll. This Pumpkin Dessert Is Addictive

Ohh my goodness! Fall is here and the thought of sipping on hot apple cider with a dash of fresh nutmeg, watching football, and enjoying the cooler weather makes me want to jump into a pile of freshly raked leaves! But the really awesome thing worth FALLing for is this amazing recipe. I have to admit, I had never tried making a roll before.

Sure, I would oh and awe over magazines with pictures of pumpkin rolls, but the thought of actually making one seemed like so much work and something that might only be successful in a “test kitchen”.

I actually read the directions three times just to make sure I understood what I needed to do. The “Roll up in a powdered sugar tea towel kind of stumped me at first. When I rolled up the cake with the filling and it came out perfect I realized the wisdom in letting it cool like that.

Later when I watched a baking show I noticed that several of the contestants just rolled up the cake with the filling after it cooled. Unfortunately, the cake cracked. This method helps you achieve bakery perfection with your very first attempt.

This is what Marci says about this dessert recipe.

-This year I took the challenge. My only thought after finishing up the project was “What took me so long to try it!”

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Quick Tip: You can buy canned pumpkin puree or get a little crazy and make your own from fresh baking pumpkins.

Recipe and image courtesy of Marci at MarciSeither.com

The post I Never Thought I could Make Something This Amazing, But It Was Easier Than I Thought appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

And You Thought Starbucks Had The Corner On Pumpkin Latte Flavors

I LOVE pumpkin anything! In fact, I love pumpkin flavors so much I decided to make my own puree by starting out with a fresh pumpkin and let me tell you, it was so good. I ended up going back and getting several more baking pumpkins, cooking them up, and putting the puree in freezer bags. They have been in there since last fall and I an anxious to break out a few new pumpkin recipes to celebrate with comfort food time of year!

My mom is usually our pumpkin pie baker. She has the magic touch when it comes to the perfect flaky crusts. If something happens that she doesn’t make dessert we are kind of up the creek without a paddle because I just don’t know if I could pull it off. But having a different dessert that is a bit easier, well that is okay with me. This is like having pie with whip cream all in one dish.

Whether you are using fresh pumpkin or canned puree, you are sure to be a big fan of this no-bake dessert that just screams “Welcome FALL!”

Sorry, I can barely contain my pumpkin obsession!

This is what Kristyn of Lil Luna has to say about this dessert.

“This next dessert is one that EVERY pumpkin lover will enjoy. It’s one of those Layered desserts that everyone devours during the summer time, and I’m calling it Pumpkin Delight! With a pecan layer, cream cheese layer, pumpkin and pudding layer and a Cool Whip layer on top, it’s sure to be a hit at your home!”

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Quick Tip: You can make this in an oblong pan or divide it into 2 spring form pans. How is that for being as close to traditional pumpkin pie as you can get?

Recipe and image courtesy of Kristyn of Lil Luna

The post All The Pumpkin Flavor Without Turning On The Oven? appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

Surprise Your Co-Workers With These Fun Brownies

My parents used to love to host Halloween parties when we were kids. My mom used to make a big stock pot of homemade root beer and you know what they used to carbonate the drink. Dry Ice! How perfect is that? And the other thing I loved growing up were all the fun outfits my mom would make. One year I was the good fairy from Pinocchio. One year I was a bumble bee and one year I dressed up as a Jack in the Box.

I loved it when we had kids and I could dress them up in fun outfits as well. They were so hilarious. For a few years I told our kids that Halloween was all about dressing up so they could hand out candy to people who can to the door dressed up. After a few years, they caught on that they should be the ones going door to door. Then they figured out if they sung “Trick or Treat” in three part harmony they would get twice as much candy. Brilliant! If only they applied that level of genius to cleaning their rooms!

Even though we have moved beyond dressing up, I still love making fun treats for my family. Thankfully three part harmony is totally optional.

This is what Melissa of Persnickety Plates has to say about this treat.

“Halloween Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies have a layer of rich, dark chocolate brownie topped with a layer of orange cheesecake then swirled together for a spooky treat.”

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Quick tip. I just saw some supper cute Halloween sprinkles that would be adorable on top.

Recipe and image courtesy of Melissa of Persnickety Plates

The post Can I Just Say There Are NO Tricks To This Treat appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

When Opened My Aunt’s Cookbook, This Was The First Recipe I Turned To

I am a huge coconut fan. Since my dad never really cared for coconut and one of my sons ins’t a big fan of it either I tend to shy away from making anything with coconut in it.

But you know what?  Sometimes you just have to give in to your cravings and treat yourself. I have a group of friends that meet every year.

We lovingly refer to ourselves as the Sycamore Sisters since we all met at a writers retreat and room together in the Sycamore cabin. During the day we are busy taking classes or meeting with editors but at night, we get into our PJ’s and have a regular gab fest that involves a lot of snacks, talking, and so much laughing I am pretty sure we have developed quite a reputation for late night raucous.

We have also had several years of getting to know each other, our families. We have helped each other grow as writers, and been there for each other in the disappointing times as well. This year I am going to bring something special to snack on. I am making up a batch of these yummy bars to share with those who have made my life sweeter.

This is what Anna has to say about her recipe.

“These bars were disappearing fast right before my eyes. My Hubby, who is not a coconut fan at all, declared these to be absolutely amazing. He loves cheesecake as much as I do, but he actually really loved these! That says a lot!”

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Quick Tip: To add just a bit of color, drizzle a little dark chocolate on top.

Recipe and image courtesy of Anna at Crunchy Creamy Sweet

The post Ready For Something Heavenly? Make These And You Will Hear Angels Singing! appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

Grab Four Favorite Sweater And Cozy Up TO This Cupcake

I grew up not far from a place called Apple Hill. I love anything made with apples and that includes apple butter. My oldest son is a huge lover of the brown spicy apple goodness. I think it was from remembering how the house smelled when I would have a huge crock-pot of peeled, sliced, and cooking apples mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg. I used to cook it for about three days. The house smelled so amazing! The taste was even more incredible.

Nathan asked if he brought me the apples me would I make apple butter. I totally agreed. At the time Nathan was working for a man with a few trees. . He told Nathan he could have as many apples as he wanted if he picked them.  Later that day I came into the house to find 4 laundry baskets of apples. Let’s just say we ate a lot of apple butter that year: ~D

This is what Nicole has to say about her recipe.

“Spiced Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting are the perfect Fall dessert! This easy recipe is great for parties and meals. A very special secret ingredient adds a blast of flavor!”

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Quick Tip: You can also make this recipe into 2 8 inch round cake pans for a layered cake. I think that is what I want for my birthday!

Recipe and image courtesy of Nicole at Wonky Wonderful

The post No Wonder My Aunt Hazel’s Cupcakes Were So Popular. She Had A Secret Ingredient! appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

Hot And Zesty, Just Like You Love It!

I love the spicy flavors of Mexican food. And I love pasta! This is a perfect twist of two amazing dishes into one, and thank goodness they are easy to make!

I remember the first time I made jumbo stuffed shells. Talk about an epic failure! I think I must had read the recipe all wrong because I had to actually scoop out the filling and try to start again. I had not read that the shells needed to be cooked in advance! So I had tyo go back to the drawing board. Let’s just say by the time I filled the shells, scraped out the shells, and refilled the shells again the whole kitchen counter was a mess. The worst part was that was my very first meal I cooked for John after we got married. I guess I could only improve from there!  Now that we have been married over 32 years I am sure there have been a few meals that really were not the best, but that is just the way life goes sometimes. We can’t always be on our game, some days are just harder than others. I am not just talking pasta here friends, I am talking about the day in and day out of just living.

This is what Aimee of Like Mother Like Daughter have to say about this incredible recipe.

“These Mexican stuffed shells are a fun twist off of traditional Italian style stuffed shells.It is also fun and delicious to eat your taco styled meal inside pasta shells instead of the typical tortilla.”

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Quick Tip: Try this with ground chicken and use a green enchilada sauce.

Recipe and image courtesy of Aimee and Like Mother Like Daughter

The post Wonder How To Make Dinner More Exciting? Make This Easy Dish Tonight! appeared first on Urban Retro Recipes.

If You Can Boil Water You Can Make This Classic Dish

Last year we were hosting a couple of teens from Australia for a week. Our son was so excited and we really wanted to make them feel welcome. They had already exchanged information and had been messaging back and forth.

One of the boys loves soccer, our son loved football, and another kid loved skateboarding. There were so many things we learned about each other and each other’s country. The one thing I wanted to know was what to fix them. Did they love breakfast? Toast with Vegemite?

I found out that once of the boy’s favorite food was mac and cheese. He loved it so much, he didn’t care if I fixed it for every single meal and would much rather have the cheesy pasta over any of the desserts I made. So I decided to make several versions and have him pick out which one he loved the best. Every day the boys would do something different. One day they went kayaking, one afternoon they went to a museum, and one day they went to Sea World. Every night they came home to a main course, and over half the time, there was a pan of pasta and cheese on the table. Which one was our Aussie friend’s favorite? They were all so good he couldn’t decide!

This is what one of the boys told my son after they returned home.

“Tell you mum “Hi” and let her know I miss the mac and cheese!”

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Quick Tip: Want to add a little spicy heat? Scoop some salsa into the cheese as it is melting.

Recipe and image courtesy of Foot Network.com

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