Chocolate Pizza!

It is a well-recognized fact that I like chocolate - and usually the darker the better. We've known that I come from a long line of chocolate lovers on my mother's side(Grandma Bessie Harmon plotting to get some chocolates by moaning on the couch "chocolates" about the time her dad was to be home). And I have passed the chocolate lover genes on (barely a toddler, BJ snatched a Bluebird chocolate out of his dad's mouth just as Dad was about to put it in his mouth).  I'm a little slow but, just recently I realized the Cowles line also has a thing for chocolate - else why would "Grandma Cowles' Brownies" be such a treasure?  

One of my Christmas presents was a cookbook, "Chocolate Never Faileth."  It is fun to read (delightful quips and chocolate information) AND has mouth-watering recipes.  When I came across Chocolate Pizza I had to give it a try for our "I Read the Book of Mormon in 2010" Pizza Party.

Armed with the recipe for the crust (kinda a blend of  sugar cookies and brownies) and suggestions for "sauce" and toppings, I let my imagination and taste buds soar.  On the right is a chocolate peanut butter pizza. - chocolate peanut butter frosting topped with chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips.  On the left is an Andes Mint pizza - Whipped Chocolate Ganache with chopped Andes mints and chopped pecans.

On a roll, I made more for our Visiting Teaching Conference.  Used the two above except omitted the cocoa from the peanut butter frosting. Also tried a Heath Bits pizza (chocolate cream cheese frosting with Heath bits, and mini chocolate chips) and I think my favorite, Rocky Road pizza (Whipped chocolate Ganache with chopped peanuts, mini marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips.  All four pizzas were glazed with a chocolate drizzle.  

Twas Chocolate Lovers Heaven.

Sugar Cookies

The sugar cookie making fun pictures I couldn't get on the previous posting.

Christmas 2010

 One of our joys this Christmas was to have Jenny and Nina come on the 19th of December and stay through the 30th.

Nina and Abby (second cousins) had a good time together. Among the Christmas activities was baking sugar cookies, of course.

 

My camera and I neglected to record my mother's visit from the 20th to the 24th and my sister Eileen's visit from the 22nd to the 24th. That meant that the Mother, Eileen, Jenny and I were all together for our shared birthday of December 23rd.

Someone else's camera hopefully has recorded the fun we had on the Riverwalk, at the SAS Factory Outlet/Museum, and just being together. I was touched that Nina remembered her mother sharing with her that I liked cardinals and when she found a cardinal ornament at the SAS store she asked her mother to get it for me.

Camping at Mustang Island

In spite of some predicted cold weather we went camping at Mustang Island December 27th and 28th. It was windy and cold. But the wind and the cold kept most everyone else off the beach.

Scoobi seemed to enjoy it the most.

 

Nina and Abby had fun in the sand.

Wendy was a good sport/brave and took the kids into the waves. Scoobi did her best to get Richard into the water.

Pumpkin Pie Bar picture

Found an excuse to make these again. Just as tasty - and this time I remembered to get a picture before they were all gone.  I intentionally added 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts instead of the 1 cup called for in the original recipe.  Really like the nuttiness of the bottom crust and streusel-like topping.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

For our family dinner Sunday  I was to bring dessert.  I came across a couple of pumpkin recipes I thought I'd try - after all it was Halloween.  One was Pumpkin Brownies.  They were okay but I probably won't make them again.  The other was Pumpkin Pie Bars.  They didn't have a bit of chocolate in them but oh my were they good!  They are definitely on my preferred recipe list!  Thought I'd share. 

Pumpkin Pie Bars by Eagle Brand

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts (Pecans are a good choice SL)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, nuts, sugars and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add butter, mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of the mixture. Pat remaining mixture on bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, allspice and salt; mix well. Pour evenly over crust. Mix reserved crumbs with 1 tablespoon flour. Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes. Serve warm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

I used probably 1 ½ cups of pecans – really tasted good.  In my haste to get these put together for dinner Sunday, I forgot to add the flour to the crumb topping.

I served whipped cream with these bars.

For a picture you'll need to go to http://www.eaglebrand.com/recipes/details/?RecipeId=4029&categoryIndex=-1 - I couldn't figure out how to get the picture - we finished the pan before I thought to get a picture.  Hmmm, maybe I need to make another batch.

"Backsplash"

Richard has been diligent in tiling our kitchen walls when not working, filling church assignments or some such.
Today the last tile was put in place - except for the decorative mosaic that is being attempted (the printed design pattern was inserted into the "hole"). The dark caulking was put between the wall tile and counters and between the dark decorative tiles (actually designed for use as a chair rail). Grouting remains to be done once the tile has been in place 24 hours.

We've called it the backsplash for so long but now that it is close to being completed perhaps it would be more accurate to label it kitchen wall. What ever you want to label it, it is GORGEOUS!

Over the stove.

 

The baking corner   

 Area over dishwasher (color is off)

Next up on the "to - do list" is to install the vent over the stove - almost hate to cover up any of the beautiful wall. But it will be nice to get the boxes emptied and recycled.


While Richard has been working on the kitchen I've been working on the family room changing things around and getting rid of some furniture. Pictures of that when I'm closer to completing that task.