Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Clay turned 15 a couple weeks ago and I still can't believe it! He asked me to make the same cake I made last year. I couldn't find the recipe I used then so I gave it a goog and found a cake and frosting combo that sounded on target. That cake is from The Stay At Home Chef and I fully agree with her naming it the Most Amazing Chocolate Cake! The frosting was on AllRecipes.com when I searched for peanut butter frosting. Here's what I did:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

I actually made a double recipe of this cake so I would end up with two 9x13 rectangles to layer. I did two separate batches of batter. The standard recipe, according to the original post, will yield three 9 inch rounds. The first step (after preheating your oven to 350 degrees) is to butter and flour your cake pans. I chose to use cocoa powder in place of flour for mine.

Mix together the dry ingredients until they are well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Slowly pour the wet mix in to the dry mix and blend on medium speed until smooth.

Divide the batter between your prepared pans.

Bake for 30-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean!

Cool before frosting with your choice of options but, seriously, try this one first:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tablespoons milk (more if needed)
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together the peanut butter and softened butter.

Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. As it thickens, add in milk one tablespoon at a time until all the sugar has been added.

Beat until nice and fluffy! Grab your cakes and slather them well!

The coup de gras of this cake is the topping. We went for Reese's minis on the perimeter and chopped up Reese's miniatures all over.

SO! VERY! GOOD!

French Dip Sliders

Well! It has been a little while since I have blogged anything, hasn't it? I am attempting to dust the cobwebs off this blog by starting to add some of the delicious things we have been eating here in Chaosville so here is the first one! As with many of the new recipes I have tied lately it started as a post on Facebook. This particular recipe was posted on Chelsea's Messy Apron

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 package (12) Hawaiian sweet rolls
1 pound deli roast beef
10-12 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups French fried onions
Seasoning mix:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 packet AuJus seasoning mix, separated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using the softened butter, butter the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Split the package of Hawaiian rolls in half but do not separate the rolls individually.

2. Place the bottom half of the rolls in the buttered casserole pan. Top with a layer of provolone.

3. Add the roast beef in a layer on top of the cheese.

4. Spread the fried onions on top as evenly as you can. Add another layer of cheese on top of the onions.

5. For the seasoning sauce, melt the butter in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the AuJus mix and the remaining ingredients.

6. Put the top layer of rolls on and coat with the sauce. You probably won't need all the sauce, just enough to cover the tops of all the rolls well.

7. Bake, uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Just long enough to make the cheese melty and the tops of the rolls toasted. Slice with a large knife to separate all the rolls from each other.

8. We ate ours with some pasta salad and loved every bite!

Special thanks to my lovely assistant, Pattie Lynn!!