Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Super Easy!

Gooseberry Patch is not just a wealth of yummy recipes.  Throughout the book you'll find at the bottom of almost every page a great decorating or craft idea, or super simple tips.  I have two super simple dishes to share with you.

Super Easy Side Dish

Bake a panful of roasted vegetables alongside a casserole.  Slice, cube or trim zucchini, cauliflower, sweet peppers, mushrooms, asparagus and other veggies of your choice.  Toss with olive oil and spread on a jelly-roll pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

  

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Super Easy Dessert

After a spicy meal, serve this easy, refreshing dessert.  Dissolve a small 4-serving package of orange gelatin mix in one cup of boiling water.  Slowly blend in 2 cups of softened vanilla ice cream.  Spoon into 4 dessert dishes and chill for at least 20 minutes...yummy!

Mandarin Orange-Pineapple Cake

My mother-in-law makes this cake! It is sooo yummy!

Mandarin Orange-Pineapple Cake

Cake:
1 yellow cake mix
3/4 cup oil
3 eggs
1 small can mandarin oranges with juice

Combine cake ingredients. Bake in two 9-inch round pans at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. When cool, cut into 4 layers using dental floss.

Icing:
16 oz. Cool Whip
1 large package instant vanilla pudding
1 (16 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice

Fold together icing ingredients. Ice cake layers and stack. Tastes best if this cake sets for 24 hours before serving.

*Note: My mother-in-law bakes it in a 9x13 cake pan. Super easy -- the way I like it!

Poke Cake

Since spring is just around the corner I thought I'd share with you one of our favorite spring desserts. It's a common one but like I've said before I'm entering all our favorite recipes into my BigOven program so this one goes in, too. Have you checked out the links to BigOven? The link is on my side bard over to the right.

Poke Cake

1 package white cake mix
water, vegetable oil and egg whites as called for on cake mix package
1 package (4-serving size) strawberry, or raspberry-flavored Jello (you can use lime or orange...any flavor, really)
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip
fresh berries or fruit as a garnish

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. make and bake cake as directed on package for 13x9 pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Poke cake all over with a fork. Stir Jello and boiling water in a small bowl until smooth; stir in cold water. Ladle it over the cake. Refrigerate 2 hours. Frost with Cool Whip; garnish with fruit. Store covered in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

*photo from Kraft

Chocolate Lava Cake -- Crock-Pot Style

This recipe is just in time for Valentine's Day since I "heart" lava cake and all! It looks so pretty in little ramekins, but it takes a lot of ramekins to feed this family so we go the easier route: the good 'ol crock pot! This way I can pop it in early afternoon and it's ready after dinner. It's ooey gooey fudgey goodness is extra special paired with some ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry on top! Enjoy!

1 package Fudge cake mix (I like Betty Crocker's best)
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cups water
1 package Jello-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding Mix
2 cups cold milk
1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil and water. Pour into crock-pot.

Make Jello-O pudding using the milk. Pour over the cake mix in the crock-pot. Sprinkle chocolate chips all over the top of the batter.

Cook in the crock-pot on high for about 2-3 hours until the cake is still moist but doesn't jiggle.

Note: You may want to spray the sides of your crock-pot so the cake doesn't stick to it. You can also bake this in the oven 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes...again, until moist but not jiggly.

Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce

This recipe is a Frays family favorite (my mother-in-law's side).  It's fairly easy and the kiddos love to help make it.  It can be either a "fruity dessert" or a "sweet and fruity side dish". I'll let you decide on that one.   

Cherry Cinnamon Applesauce

2 cups water

1/2 cup cinnamon candies (Red Hots)

1 quart applesauce  (4 cups for those of you playing along at home)

2 small (.3 ounce) packages of cherry Jello®

Boil water and cinnamon candies.  Stir until the candies are dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in Jello®  until dissolved.  Stir in applesauce.  Carefully pour into a 2 or more quart dish.  Don't refrigerate right away because putting very hot items in the refrigerator makes the motor run more to get it back to the proper temp.   So wait at least 30 minutes or so.  Chill the dish at least 4 hours until set.