Hot Fudge Cake

This is so good! I made it when we were having company and I didn't have time to run out and buy anything... I had all the ingredients on hand. It seemed weird to pour hot water over the top, but I guess it works!

From Dining on a Dime, by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. butter/margarine, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup nuts (I usually leave these out)

Topping:
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup hot water

Mix all the ingredients and pour into a buttered deep casserole dish (I use my 8x8 pyrex). Mix cocoa and sugar for topping and sprinkle on top of batter. Pour hot water over top and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. This has a delicious fudge sauce in the middle when baked. Serves 9.

Raspberry Ganache Pie

This was the dessert for our first Valentine's day. It's rich, but SO good! 1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup whipping cream

6 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam, divided

1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)

2 cups raspberries

1 Tbsp. water

MICROWAVE chocolate and whipping cream in medium bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring every minute. Beat with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Add 2 Tbsp. of the jam; mix well.

POUR into crust; cover. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

ARRANGE raspberries on top of pie. Microwave remaining 1/4 cup jam and the water in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec.; stir until well blended. Brush over raspberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ribbon Dessert

12 NUTTER BUTTER Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, divided

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tub (12 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

CRUSH 8 of the cookies in resealable plastic bag with rolling pin. Mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of foil-lined 9x5-inch loaf pan.

MIX cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in 3 cups of the whipped topping. Spoon 1/2 cup of the cream cheese mixture into small bowl. Stir in melted chocolate until well blended; set aside. Spoon half of the remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top evenly with chocolate mixture; cover with remaining cream cheese mixture.

FREEZE 4 hours or overnight until firm. Invert onto plate. Remove foil, then re-invert onto serving platter so that crumb layer is on bottom. Coarsely break the remaining 4 cookies. Top dessert with remaining whipping topping and cookies.

Espresso Brownies

Espresso Brownies
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp. instant coffee powder
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts Topping:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup icing (confectioners) sugar
2 Tbsp. instant coffee powder
1 Tbsp. coffee liqueur
2 eggs
1 square semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp. butter

Directions

Melt butter and chocolate together. Stir in coffee and set aside to cool. In a small bowl, mix flour and baking powder together. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until light. Stir in the flour mixture, and the cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in the nuts. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Chill for 10 minutes.

Topping:

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, icing sugar, coffee powder, coffee liqueur and eggs. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until smooth. Pour over brownie layer. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 30 minutes, until the cream cheese layer is set. Cool. Melt chocolate and butter together. Drizzle over the top. chill and cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 16

By Connie from Oden, Arkansas, from Thrifty Fun Newsletter, July 6, 2007 ed.