Festive Fudge Blossoms

Christmas is merely minutes away.  Or, at least that's what it feels like to me.  I am STILL baking and decorating cookies.  I have dozens and dozens of the sugary confections already decorating my dining room table so why on earth am I compelled to keep going?

Because it's Christmas dammit!  And this is the only time of year I can bake cookies with maniacal abandon and be totally normal.  So COME TO MY HOUSE AND EAT COOKIES PLEASE!!!

Who wouldn't love cookies for Christmas??

Anyway, where was I?  Oh yes, the origins of this particular recipe... It was my first Christmas in an apartment.  I was in college and had a BURNING desire to make some Christmas cookies.  But I was dirt poor and hadn't developed a fully-stocked pantry yet.  I needed a cookie recipe that didn't require me to go out and buy pounds and pounds of flour, sugar, and butter.  I needed quick, cheap, and easy.

I don't think it gets any faster, cheaper, or easier than cake mix.

Festive Fudge Blossoms
Recipe from Santa's Favorite Cookies cookbook

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened [FYI, I've tried both and find margarine easier to work with here]
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tbsp water
3/4 to 1 cup FINELY chopped walnuts
Chocolate stars

1.  Preheat oven to 350.

Hard to tell from here but the margarine has been cut in.

2.  Using a dough cutter, fork, or whisk, cut the margarine into the cake mix in a large bowl until coarse crumbs form.  Stir in egg and water until well blended.

Dough doesn't look like this? Keep stirring.  It takes a little bit.

3.  Shape dough into 1/2-inch balls; roll in walnuts, pressing nuts gently into the dough.  Place about 2 inches apart onto an UNGREASED baking sheet.

I love walnuts.

4.  Bake cookies 12 minutes, or until puffed and nearly set.  Place a chocolate star in the center of each cookie and bake another minute.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove cookies from baking sheets to wire rack to cool completely.

The chocolate cousins of Hershey Kiss Peanut Butter Blossoms

Depending on how big you like your cookies, this recipe can yield between 2 and 4 dozen cookies.  I like A Cookie so I usually get a couple dozen.

Chocolate Punchbowl Dessert

I don't know what it is, but there is something truly magical about layered dishes, especially desserts.

This one in particular has very mystic qualities.  Make this and your kitchen magically "cleans itself."  Toys will suddenly return to their storage containers.  Rooms will be clean and tidy.  Laundry has even been known to be accomplished after this makes an appearance at the table!  And there your family sits, happily devouring this sweet, creamy concoction and expressing their gratitude in ways only a busy mom can imagine.

Chocolate Punchbowl Dessert (aka Chocolate Trifle)
Recipe from my mom

1 box of chocolate cake mix, prepared according to package directions
2 small boxes instant chocolate pudding, prepared according to package directions
2 small containers whipped cream
4 Heath bars, crushed

1. Cut up the cake into relatively small bite-sized pieces.  Sprinkle half of the cake in the bottom of a LARGE clear, glass dish.  Press down gently on the cake to smush it a little.

I like to use devil's food cake.

2.  Carefully spread one of the prepared pudding mixes in an even layer over the cake pieces.

When layering, always plop in the middle and use a spoon to smooth toward the edges

3.  Top the pudding layer with an even layer of one of the containers of whipped cream.

Halfway there!

4.  Sprinkle two of the crushed Heath bars on top of the whipped cream.

Oooooohhhhhhhh

5.  Repeat all four layers.

Yes, people will fall to your feet when you walk in with this.

Not only is this exact recipe amazing, the CONCEPT is fantastic as well.  I love to make a lemon-berry version of this with angel food cake, lemon pudding, whipped cream and fresh raspberries.  I have a friend who mentioned a cheesecake version that calls for pound cake, sweetened mascarpone cheese, and cherry pie filling.

No matter what adaptation you choose to make, your family will still love and appreciate you so much that they'll do whatever it takes for you to make this again.  Yes, even the dishes. ;)

Triple Chocolate Cake

This is BY FAR the easiest cake you will ever make. And quite possibly the most moist you will ever consume.  Seriously.

Triple Chocolate Cake
Recipe from my father-in-law

1 box Cook & Serve chocolate pudding mix [No, you can't use Instant Pudding here]
2 cups milk
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

1.  Preheat the oven to 375.

2.  In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pudding mix and milk.  Cook over medium heat, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, until the pudding just barely starts to thicken.

See that little clump at the end of the spoon? Time to remove from heat!

3.  Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in the dry cake mix.  The cake batter may take on this partially baked look because of the hot pudding; that's ok.

The slightly cooked bits make it lumpy.  Also OK

4.  Pour batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan.  Spread in an even layer.  Top with chocolate chips and walnuts.

Or use the delectable chocolate-peanut butter swirl chip

5.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

This cake is MOIST and oh-so-sinfully delicious.  And so easy!!  The hardest part is keeping an eye on the pudding to make sure it doesn't go too far.  But if it does, oh well!  The worst that could happen is you have chocolate pudding and no cake.  There's still chocolate involved so I fail to see the downside here.

I made this cake for Gavin's birthday too, omitting the nuts and chips entirely, using chocolate frosting to complete the trifecta of chocolate goodness.