Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting

1 stick butter, melted

2/3 c. Hershey’s Cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir butter into melted cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add a small amount of additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Absolutely delicious—it puts the stuff in a jar to shame. 

This recipe is from the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa canister.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

2/3 c. granulated sugar

4 Tbsp. cornstarch

4 Tbsp. powdered cocoa

3 c. 2 % milk

1 c. heavy whipping cream

4.5 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped (I used Hershey bars)

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 6 oz pkg chocolate covered peanuts, chopped (or dry roasted peanuts or chopped Reese’s Pieces or chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup candy)

8 or 9 inch Graham cracker pie crust or Mini Graham cracker pie crusts (optional)

Cool Whip

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa in a large saucepan; stir with a whisk. Whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 1 minute or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly while mixture boils. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

Allow mixture to cool. I cool any type of pudding or custard mixture by pouring it into a glass bowl and covering the mixture with plastic wrap. Lay the plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the pudding and lightly press with your fingers to get a good seal. This prevents the pudding from developing a skin on top as it cools.

Serve in bowls or mini graham cracker crusts topped with Cool Whip and sprinkled with chopped chocolate covered peanuts or topping of your choice. Can use as a pie filling in an 8 or 9 inch graham cracker crust (you will have enough filling for 2 pies) or any type of prebaked pie shell. Also good as the pudding layer in trifles or parfaits with any combination of ingredients you like. Recipe can be halved to make a smaller amount.

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

2 c. Sugar

½ c. Butter, cut in several smaller pieces

½ c. Cocoa

½ c. Milk

3 c. Quick One Minute Oats

Stir sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk in large saucepan. Heat over low-medium to medium heat until butter melts and sugar liquefies. Stir occasionally. When mixture is liquid and well blended, increase heat and bring to a boil. Let boil 1 minute (for soft consistency cookies which I prefer, boil longer for firmer cookies). Remove pan from heat. Stir in oats and drop by heaping spoonfuls onto wax paper. Allow to cool and set. Enjoy.

This is not an original recipe by any means. I think pretty much everybody knows how to make these, but it's a family favorite/classic for me. I remember my dad making these all the time when I was a kid. Some people put peanut butter in theirs but we prefer to omit it--to each his own.  :)  

Possum Pie

1 ½ sticks butter

2 cups flour

2 cups crushed pecans, separated

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

12 oz. Cool Whip, divided

1 box milk chocolate instant pudding

1 box chocolate fudge instant pudding

3 cups milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut butter into flour to make crumbly pastry dough. Add 1 cup crushed pecans. Press into two 8 or 9 inch pie pans or a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Bake 15 minutes or until flour starts to brown. Remove and cool.

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add six oz. of Cool Whip and beat until fluffy. Spread over crust bottom of both pies.

Blend together both pudding mixes with milk. Pour in on top of the cream cheese mixture and allow to set.

Spread remaining Cool Whip over the top of both pies and sprinkle with pecans.

Makes two pies.

This recipe is from the book Arkansas Pie, A Delicious Slice of the Natural State by Kat Robinson.

You can experiment with various pudding flavors and mix in’s that you stir into the various layers or use as toppings. I stirred toasted coconut into the cream cheese layer and then mixed more toasted coconut with the nuts for the topping.

This is basically the same thing as 4 Layer Delight in a different shape and with a slightly different pudding mixture. 

Chocolate Chip Kahlua Cake

1 box moist chocolate cake mix
1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 16-oz. container sour cream
1 16-oz. package chocolate chips

Grease a bundt pan.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl for two minutes. Mix in chocolate chips. Bake at 350* for one hour. Let cool 30-45 minutes and carefully remove cake to plate.

Kahlua Cake Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1 Tbsp. butter, softened

1 Tbsp. Kahlua

1 Tbsp. water

Away from burner, but in small saucepan, combine glaze ingredients. Stir until smooth and creamy. Over low heat, warm glaze for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Drizzle over warm cake. Allow glaze to cool before serving.

The cake recipe is from my friend Lois. The glaze recipe is one I found online.

Thendera’s Quick and Easy Chocolate Cake

1 stick butter
½ c. shortening
1 c. water
4 Tbsp. cocoa

Mix and bring to a full boil.

2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
½ tsp. salt

Sift together. Add hot mixture to flour.

1 tsp. baking soda
½ c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. Add eggs and vanilla to batter.

Batter will be thin. Bake in large cookie sheet with sides at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Icing:

1 stick butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa
6 Tbsp. milk
1 lb. powdered sugar

Bring to a boil. Pour over warm cake. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if you wish.

Mom's Peanut Butter Logs (candy)

Filling:
1 c. crunchy peanut butter (at least, you may add more to taste, up to a whole jar)
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. melted butter
½ tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar

Coating:
1/2 c. Canola oil
24 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (At least, you may need more to coat the whole batch. Keep extra oil and chocolate chips on hand in case you need to melt more.)

Mix peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and powdered sugar. Pour butter and vanilla over mixture and work with hands to an even consistency. You may need to put mixture in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to get it to set into a workable consistency. Shape into log shapes (or balls).

In double boiler, bring water to a boil. Turn off heat. Put oil and chips in top pan. Stir until melted. Dip logs into chocolate and roll with fork to coat, remove quickly and place on wax paper covered baking sheet to set. If kitchen is hot, you may have to pop them in the freezer for a few minutes to get the chocolate hardened. Let cool completely before storing. Keep refrigerated.

I think of this as Christmas candy because when I was little, my mom would make homemade candies (including these) to give as Christmas gifts. The peanut butter logs were always my dad's favorite.