"Jennifer Special" (grilled PB&J)

When I was little, my two MOST FAVORITE lunches of all time were grilled cheese and peanut butter and jelly. I remember being about 4 or 5 and sitting on the bar stool at the island in our kitchen and watching Dad make them for me and him always cutting them into quarters...just like I like em! One day, he decided to combine the two sandwiches and call it a "Jennifer Special" since it was like the EPITOME of everything I liked. And boy is it good. I have to be creative, but I still make these at school and they bring back so many good memories of daddy-daughter days. Here's exactly how I like em.

Ingredients
-2 slices of white bread
-Country Crock spreadable butter
-Lots of extra crunchy peanut butter
-Strawberry preserves



Directions
1) If you know how to make grilled cheese, you know how to make a Jennifer Special
2) Butter the outside of both slices of bread
3) Put peanut butter on the inside of one of the slices
4) Put jelly on the other
5) Heat your pan
6) Put your sandwich together and put in the pan
7) When the sizzle stops, flip the sandwich over
8) When the sizzle stops on that side, you're done :)

Grandma Brown's Cinnamon Rolls

After eating the most amazing cinnamon roll the other night, it got me thinking about my favorite cinnamon rolls. Growing up, I don't think I ever ate another cinnamon roll other than the ones made by my Grandma. I remember her making them on the island in our kitchen after riding 24 hours on the Greyhound bus from Michigan (because she is afraid to fly) just because I wanted her to make them. It seemed like magic how she could take the simplest things and turn them into something that nobody else could make.



For Christmas, I made my mom a hardback cookbook filled with our family's recipes and I made sure that this recipe from Grandma Brown was in there. In fact, I think it's on the first page of the book. It's that important...and that incredible. People may make some pretty good cinnamon rolls but no one ever makes anything quite as special as Grandma. Yeah, you can go to a restaurant and order the same things that she makes but I think it's the memories of watching her make them and remembering how they made the house smell that makes them taste that much better.

(all the ingredients are estimated...grandmas never measure)



Ingredients
-1/2 box Jiffy biscuit mix (we're partial to Jiffy because it's made in my mom's hometown...and my Uncle Duke works for Jiffy)
-enough water to make it stiff (like a biscuit dough)
-1 stick butter
-1 cup sugar
-1/4 cup cinnamon
-flour for countertop

ICING INGREDIENTS
-1 box powdered sugar
-enough water for desired icing consistincy

DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Mix jiffy and water until it makes a stiff dough
3) Turn the dough out onto a floured countertop
4) Roll out the dough into a large rectangle
5) Melt butter
6) Pour over the dough
7) Make sure butter is evenly spread over the dough
8) Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the dough
9) Sprinkle the cinnamon over the sugar
10) Roll the dough from end to end like a jelly roll
11) Cut the roll into 1 inch slices
12) Place the slices onto a greased baking pan
13) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
14) Mix icing ingredients
15) Drizzle icing over cooled cinnamon rolls

Snow Cream

This is what I saw when I walked out the side door of my dorm this morning and it's been snowing ever since!



I braved the elements in my pajamas and rainboots (well today they were snowboots) just to get my snow cream!



Getting the snow!!! BRRRRR!!!!

In honor of this wonderful winter storm...let's make snow cream :) Now, I have been APPALLED at the number of people who do not know what this stuff is. It is funny that this is a southern tradition when we are the ones who never get snow...oh well, I'm going to tell you what it is so you northerners can learn from us southerners who know how to do a snow day up right! The basic ingredients for snow cream are snow, sugar, vanilla, milk, and delicious. That's about it. I ate 4 cups today (hee hee). There are SO many variations on this stuff that you can do. I have made chocolate snow cream and my sister told me today that she made a caramel coffee frappucino snow cream. Yum!!! So anyway, recipe time.

Ingredients
-Snow
-Sugar
-Milk
-Vanilla

Optional Ingredients
-Ovaltine
-Chocolate Milk
-Flavored syrups (whatever the heck kind you want, really)
-Honey
-Peanut Butter
-Caramel
-chocolate chips
-candy
-pickles
-just kidding about that last one
-unless you really wanna try that
-i mean, hey...whatever floats your boat
-Etc.

Directions
1) I wish I could tell you EXACTLY how to make this stuff, but really it's all to taste.
2) Just mix all of it together until it kind of looks crumbly (it will turn more "milkshakey" as it melts)
3) Taste it...if its not sweet enough, add more sugar. If it's too sweet, add more snow. Y'all are smart, I think you can handle it.



Here is a pretty picture of what it should look like :)

ThE bEsT tHiNg I hAvE eVeR eAtEn...Macado's Cinnamon Sensation

So, up until this point my blog has been all about stuff I have actually made. Well today, is different. This is about something I had the PRIVILEGE of tasting...well...more like "devouring". Only because I think this deserves all recognition it can get. Holy guacamole, people.

Today, Allison and I went with a few of our friends to Macado's tonight. I had only been to the one in Lynchburg once before (I am sure there are gasps from the LU kids).

But our friends Courtney and Angela said that we HAD to try a "Cinnamon Sensation", which on Fridays is only $3. Allison and I decided to split one after seeing how BIG they were from another table. Angela helped us out and told us to order it with EXTRA frosting because we wouldn't be sorry!

When it came, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. This thing was HUGE. But I couldn't see it because of all the FROSTING. And on top of all that sugar were 2 scoops of French Vanilla ice cream that was melting fast sitting on the HOT roll. So, look at the picture I posted...then imagine it bigger, with more frosting, plus ice cream.

To make a long story short, we ended up splitting the one and helping another girl finish hers...we were HELPING!!! :) There are hungry kids around the world and it would be a shame to let it go to waste!!! I had to call my mom right afterward to tell her that I just had literally the BEST thing I have ever put in my mouth. I have seen the light.

Amber Alert Chocolate Pecan Pie

This pie has a story behind it...one Sunday afternoon, I was contemplating what to make for the potluck supper at church that night. I soon decided on Paula Deen's chocolate pecan pie. 1) because it's from Paula Deen 2) because it's pecan pie 3) because there's chocolate in it. I don't know, it sounded like a pretty easy decision to me. I was told that we needed to be there by 6:30. So I took my time and was quite pleased with the amount of time I had left over after I had put it in the oven (plenty of time to set!). Until my dad came in (at 10 to 6) and said it was time to go because it started at 6:00! I had to pull the pie out prematurely and take it "as-is". I was hoping that it would set as it cooled so I hid it in the church kitchen until it was time for dessert. When I went back to the kitchen to put it out...IT WAS GONE!!! THE WHOLE STINKIN' THING! GONE! Apparently, someone took the whole pie out to their car! When I found out who took it, I asked them about it and then never asked for it back because I felt bad. Obviously, my dad didn't feel as sympathetic toward the man because he made him give it back (hee-hee) and I'm glad he did because this thing was the BOMB! It still hadn't set but it was still good (all gooey...mmmm). So that's why this pie is called what it is. :)

Ingredients
-1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
-2 cups pecan halves
-3 large eggs, beaten
-3 tablespoons butter, melted
-1/2 cup dark corn syrup
-1 cup sugar
-3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
2) Cover bottom of pie crust with pecans
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and melted butter
4) Add the corn syrup, sugar, bourbon and the chopped chocolate
5) Stir until all ingredients are combined
6) Pour mixture into the pie shell over the pecans and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet
7) Bake for 10 minutes
8) Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes or until pie is set
9) Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack

Baked French Toast Casserole

This is the breakfast that I make for my parents when I want something. It requires some preparation but it is really worth it. The praline topping is to die for. MMMM!



Ingredients
-1 loaf French bread (use day-old bread)
-8 large eggs
-2 cups half-and-half
-1 cup milk
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1 pinch salt

PRAILINE TOPPING
-1 cup very soft butter
-1 cup light brown sugar, packed
-2 tablespoons light corn syrup
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1) Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
2) Slice the French into 20 (1-inch thick) slices
3) Arrange the slices into the bottom of the baking dish in 2-rows overlapping slightly.
4) In a large bowl whisk/combine eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended; pour over the bread slices making certain that all are covered evenly with the egg/milk mixture, then press down with clean hands to make certain the bread it coated well
5) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
6) In a bowl mix together all praline ingredients until well blended
7) Put mixture onto plastic wrap and roll into a log (wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap)
8) Refridgerate the butter log overnight
9) The next day, slice the log and place butter pieces all over the top of the casserole
10) Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees

Gorilla Bread

I think I am going to start calling this "Salvation Bread" because if you don't believe in God...you will after you try this. I swear this is the best breakfast you could possibly make. If you like monkey bread, think about that taste and then multiply that times about...7,849,563,749,572,323,648,594,389,926 and you might be getting closer to how good this stuff is. It has the same basic principle as monkey bread, bite sized pieces covered in cinnamon-sugar, baked in a bundt pan but that's not all...oh, no sir-ee. This has way more.



This recipe is similar to "cake balls" in no other way except creativity. You can be as creative as you want with this and make it with whatever kind of filling that suits your fancy at the time.



For the first go-round of this recipe, I made it for my friends, Allison and Jen. The original recipe calls for cream cheese filling. My version was made with banana and chocolate inside each of the bite-sized pieces...heaven on a plate. Seriously.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-3 teaspoons cinnamon
-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
-2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)
-1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2) Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3) Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
4) In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside.
5) Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes.
6) Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar.
7) Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese.
8) Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan.
9) Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan.
10) Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts.
11) Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts.
12) Bake for 30 minutes.
13) Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

Hidden Mint Cookies

This is a recipe my mom found for me. I loved how easy they were to make and they made great little presents :) This probably goes without saying but...yes, another Paula recipe :) These are great because they look like regular old sugar cookies but when you bite into them...



magic! pure...thin minty...girl scout-ey...cookie magic!

Ingredients
-1 (18 oz) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough, sliced 1/4-inch thin
-1 (14 oz) package chocolate mint wafers
-1 egg (beaten)
-1 tablespoon coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, or enough to cover top of cookies

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Slightly grease a cookie sheet.
3) Place slices of sugar cookies on sheet, about 2 to 3 inches apart.
4) Top each with a chocolate wafer.
5) Cover wafer with another slice of cookie dough.
6) Brush dough with a beaten egg.
7) Press nuts into top of dough.
8) Bake for about 10 minutes.

Banana Caramel Meringue Pie

Again, on a whim, I decided to make this. We had some extra pie shells left over from Thanksgiving so I was really trying to use them up. This was one of my ways. I didn't get to have any :( but I heard it was good!



Ingredients
-1 cup dark brown sugar
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 cup cold water
-2 egg yolks
-1 cup boiling water
-1 tablespoon butter
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 cup evaporated milk
-1 (8 or 9inch) pastry shell, baked and cooled
-4 ripe bananas

Directions
1) Mix sugar, flour and salt in saucepan.
2) Stir in cold water and egg yolks; beat until smooth.
3) Gradually stir in boiling water, then cook, stirring constantly,; about 3 minutes, until smoothly thickened.
4) Stir in butter, vanilla extract and evaporated milk.
5) Cool slightly, then pour into baked pie shell.
6) Shortly before serving slice bananas and arrange over filling.
7)Top with whipped cream or with meringue made from the two egg whites

Mint Chocolate Layer Cake

^ This is what it's "supposed" to look like ^
This is something I tried because I was bored. I have never really been a layered cake maker (I just didn't think I could pull it off). But since I was home alone one day, I decided that it wouldn't hurt to try it. I thought the cake was super good! I am always a sucker for anything mint chocolate...really....anything. It wasn't the prettiest frosting job because I tried to frost it when it was still warm---btw, don't do that. But it's still a great cake.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-1 and 3/4 cups sugar
-3 eggs
-4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3/4 cup milk
-1/2 cup water
-1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-3/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
-1 cup heavy whipping cream
-3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
-1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
-3 to 4 drops green food coloring, optional

ICING:
-1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
-1/4 cup butter
-1/3 cup evaporated milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions
1) Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper. Grease and flour the paper; set aside.
2) In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3) Beat in chocolate and vanilla.
4) Combine milk and water.
5) Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture.
6) Pour into prepared pans.
7) Bake at 350° for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
8) For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in food coloring if desired.
9) Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with filling. top with second cake.
10) For icing, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
11) Beat in evaporated milk and vanilla.
12) Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar.
13) Frost and decorate cake. Chill 2 hours before slicing.

Gooey Butter Cake

This is probably one of my favorite recipes ever. This is #2 on the Paula Deen site's "top ten". Mrs. Deen sure knew what she was doing (yes, I am obsessed with this woman). This is a dessert for a VERY special occasion because not only is is 412 calories per serving but it also calls for 2 sticks of butter (surprise surprise) and 1 whole box of powdered sugar. But that's what makes it mmmm mmm gooooood! The last time I made this, I don't even think I got a piece because it went so fast. YUM! (I will also mention that this heavenly confection comes in chocolate and pumpkin too :) yay! just google it)

Ingredients
Cake:
-1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
-8 tablespoons butter (melted)
-1 egg

Filling:
-1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
-2 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-8 tablespoons butter (melted)
-1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350
2) Combine the cake mix, egg, and stick of butter with an electric mixer until well combined, then pat the mixture into the bottom of a greased 13 X 9 baking dish
3) In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth
4) Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat until smooth
5) Add the powdered sugar and mix well
6) Pour over the mixture in the pan and bake for 40-50 minutes (center should be gooey--do not overbake)

Common Grill Peanut Butter Pie

I'm going to try to make a long story short. OK, my mom is from Michigan and now, my grandma lives right down the road from Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber, 101 Dalmatians, Michigan commercials, etc.). Jeff Daniels owns a really fancy restaurant in Chelsea called the "Common Grill". My mom came across this recipe for Common Grill's peanut butter pie and she and I decided to make it for Thanksgiving and it was splendiferous!!! With a little help from our "Paula Deen" springform pan, it came out wonderfully!

Ingredients
-1/2 cup melted butter
-9 oz crushed chocolate wafer cookies (we used chocolate graham crackers)
-20 oz softened cream cheese
-1 cup sugar
-20 oz creamy peanut butter
-2 cups heavy cream
-1 cup powdered sugar
-1 and 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts
-optional hot fudge to drizzle over the top (we didn't do that...whew! rich!)

Directions
1) Combine crushed cookies and butter until well-mixed then press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and up the sides 2 inches
2) Beat cream cheese and sugar. Add in the peanut butter and beat until smooth. Set aside
3) Beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form
4) Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture 1/3 at a time
5) Pour into springform pan and top with honey roasted peanuts
6) Freeze the pie for 3-5 hours or until firm
7) Remove pie from springform to serve

Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Muffins

I think I am addicted to pumpkin...it might even be diagnosable. I found this recipe through one of my favorite daily email suppliers, Hungry-Girl. She is all about taking our favorite foods and making them healthy. Now, before you hit the backspace button and go running and screaming from your computer at the thought of "healthy", I promise you, I wouldn't put this on here if they weren't absolutely "try-worthy". And of course, you could exchange the "diet-sounding" stuff for the real deal and it would come out just the same. But for consistency's sake, I am going to post the ORIGINAL recipe. Oh, and p.s.- the recipe is for a BIG muffin tin but I did cute little ones (refer to picture)

Ingredients
-2 cups of moist-style yellow cake mix
-1 cup canned pumpkin
-1/3 cup liquid egg substitute (or 2 medium eggs)
-2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup (or regular maple syrup)
-2 teaspoons cinnamon
-2 teaspoons Splenda (or sugar)
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1/3 cup water

Topping
-caramel syrup (optional)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Combine all ingredients and whisk for about 2 minutes
3) Spray the bottom of a 12-cup muffin tin
4) Spoon the batter into the tins and bake for 12 minutes
5) Once muffins have cooled, drizzle with caramel syrup

Cake Balls

This is something that I tried that was another one of those "woah, that's cool...I gotta try that" recipes. And I was sure glad I did. I brought some back to school for my roommate, Allison, to taste-test. They didn't last long. They are super easy to make and leave PLENTY of room to be creative. You can mix and match whatever flavors you want to. I personally did funfetti/cream cheese/white chocolate. 1) because I think funfetti is God's gift to the world and 2) because we had it at home and I didn't feel like going to the grocery store. But you definitely could do pretty much whatever you wanted to with these little things! Chocolate cake/strawberry frosting/chocolate coating....red velvet/cream cheese/white chocoate...chocolate/peanut butter frosting/ melted reese's coating...you get the point.

Ingredients
-1 box of your favorite cake mix (prepare as directed)
-1 can of your favorite frosting
-1 (3 oz) bar of your favorite flavor of confectioners coating

Directions
1) Prepare cake as directed and let cool
2) Crumble cake and mix with frosting
3) Using a melon baller (or your hands), form the cake mixture into balls
4) Dip the balls in the melted confectioners coating
5) Place them on wax paper to dry

Chocolate Cheese Fudge

Yep, you read right. Chocolate. Cheese. Deliciousness. Now, who can guess where this recipe came from? I'll give you a hint. The recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter. Yes, Paula Deen. I saw this on the Food Network and was too curious not to try it for myself...and HOLY GUACAMOLE! I'm pretty sure I could eat my weight in this stuff...not that I would. Just sayin'.

Ingredients
-1/2 lb velveeta cheese
-1 cup butter
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup chopped nuts
-2 (16 oz) boxes confectioners sugar
-1/2 cup cocoa powder

Directions
1) Spray the bottom of a 9 X 2 pan with non-stick cooking spray
2) Melt the butter and velveeta together (it said to do it on the stove but I did it in the microwave)
3) Remove from heat.
4) Add vanilla and nuts
5) In a large bowl, sift the sugar and cocoa together. Then add the cheese mixture
6) Stir until completely mixed
7) Press the fudge into the bottom of the pan and refridgerate until completely set

Fruit Pizza

I had never even heard of fruit pizza until last semester when we had a nursing presentation and someone brought it to eat. Holy cow! Who knew that something so simple could be so good! So, of course, I went home and made it myself. I am probably the only person who didn't know about this but...I still think it's good. I used a sugar cookie recipe from scratch but you can do it the easy way.

Ingredients
-1 (18 oz) package refridgerated sugar cookie dough
-1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese
-1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping
-2 cups of your favorit fruit (I used kiwi, strawberry, and banana)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Slice cookie dough and place it in the bottom of a greased pizza pan, overlapping the slices. Then press the dough down uniformly.
3) Bake for 10-12 minutes and allow to cool
4) In a bowl, fold the whipped topping into the softened cream cheese and spread over the cookie
5) Slice your favorite fruit and place on the pizza however you'd like

TIP- when using bananas, make sure to dip them in lemon juice before putting them on the pizza to avoid looking yucky and brown

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

This is a Thanksgiving dessert that I wish I could take credit for because it is awesome. I am a HUGE fan of anything pumpkin. In fact, when they were having the pumpkin shortage around Christmas time, I went to six different grocery stores in search of this incredible vegetable. Sooo..with that being said...this is a Paala Deen recipe. I'm prety sure anything that Paula touches turns to something fantastic and this dessert is no exception.

Ingredients
-2 (14 oz) boxes gingerbread mix
-1 (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
-1 (30 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 (12 oz) container whipped topping
-1/2 cup gingersnaps (optional)

Directions
1) Bake the gingerbread according to the package instructions and set aside to cool
2) While that is cooling, make the pudding and set aside
3) Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cinnamon into the pudding
4) Crumble half of the gingerbread into the bottom of a trifle bowl
5) Pour half of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread
6) Spread half of the whipped topping on top of the pudding
7) Repeat beginning with the gingerbread until all ingredients are gone
8) Crush the 1/2 cup of gingersnaps over the last layer of whipped cream for garnish

Baby Carrot Cake

My best friend, Clara (who just got engaged to my cousin...YAY!), shared this recipe with me and I thought it was absolutely genius! The secret is....BABY FOOD! Gone are the days of orange fingers! No more slicing yourself on a grater! This cake is so moist and delicious and tasted like I spent all day making it! No one will ever know it was this easy to make!

Ingredients
CAKE
-2 cups self-rising flour
-2 cups sugar
-2 teaspoons cinnamon
-2 (4 oz) jars carrot baby food
-4 eggs
-1 and 1/2 cups vegetable oil

FROSTING
-1/2 cup softened butter
-1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
-1 (16 oz) box confectioners sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 325 and grease cake pans (3 pans--8 or 9 in)
2) Mix all the ingredients together with a hand-held mixer for about 2 minutes or until everything is well-blended
3) Pour batter into pans and bake for 25-30 minutes
4) Allow to cool for 5 minutes then invert pans onto wax paper

FOR FROSTING
1) Mix all the ingredients together with a hand-held mixer until smooth
2) Frost the layers, top, and sides of cake. Assemble.

Mashed Maple Sweet Potatoes

While I was making my meatloaf, I saw 3 big sweet potatoes on the counter. And thus, we had mashed sweet potatoes for a side dish. They were pretty darn delish.

Ingredients

-3 large sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)

-1 cup brown sugar

-3/4 cup maple syrup

-4 tablespoons butter

-3/4 cup milk

-2 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

1) Cook and mash sweet potatoes and have them on low-medium heat

2) Melt the butter and brown sugar and mash with a potato masher

3) Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well

Meatloaf

So, tonight is my last night at home before being forced back into reality by going back to school. I decided that I would make dinner one last time. But what to make? Upon looking in the fridge, I found 2 pounds of ground beef. I thought about chili (too similar to the jambalaya I made the night before). I thought about spaghetti and meatballs...nah. Then I decided to make meatloaf. I knew how to make a basic meatloaf but had never made one myself. I completely made it up. Here's what happened.

Ingredients
-2 lbs ground beef
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1 egg
-3/4 cup milk
-2-3 tablespoons italian seasoning
-1 and a half sleeves crushed saltine crackers

Sauce
-Ketchup
-Strawberry, grape, and pepper jellies
-Dale's marinade
-Brown sugar

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350
2) Mix all the meatloaf parts together with your hands until completely incorporated
3) Form into desired shape and put in pan
4) Use half the sauce to cover loaf
5) Bake for 30 minutes at 350 and take out to add more sauce to the loaf
6) Bake for another 30 minutes and voila!