Pencil Cake

I made this for the boys before school started back up for the year as a "back to school" treat(I know, I'm super late posting this!!). We had a couple of friends over and made a party out of it. Everyone loved it!! It was a really simple recipe I found in my Food Network magazine. It looks like a lot of directions, but it is really very simple.

Pencil Cake

2 16-ounce frozen pound cakes, thawed

1 16-ounce tub vanilla frosting

6 drops red food coloring

23 drops yellow food coloring

2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

2 green sour belt candies

Cut a 2-inch piece from one cake for the eraser; set aside. Trim 1/2 inch from the uncut ends of both cakes. Line up the cakes to make 1 long cake.

Using a paring knife, score 2 lines down the length of both cakes, 1 1/4 inches in from each side. With the lines as a guide, trim the cake sides at an angle, as shown.

Mix 1/2 cup vanilla frosting, the red food coloring and 3 drops yellow food coloring in a glass liquid measuring cup. Microwave the frosting about 20 seconds, stirring every 5 seconds.

Make the eraser: Put the 2-inch piece of cake on a rack set over a baking sheet. Pour the warm pink frosting evenly over the cake. Chill until set, about 20 minutes.

Microwave the chocolate chips in a resealable plastic bag (unsealed) in 5-second intervals until melted. Push the chocolate to one corner, twist the bag and secure with tape; freeze until set.

Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups frosting and 20 drops yellow food coloring. Frost the cake with an offset spatula, following the beveled edges.

Make the tip: Cut one end of the cake into a tip, shaving it with a paring knife so the pencil looks sharpened.

Remove the chocolate cone from the bag and trim the base to make it flat. Attach the chocolate tip to the pencil with frosting; attach the eraser to the other end.

Lay the sour belts across the end of the pencil near the eraser, trimming as needed. Gently press into the frosting to secure.

Smore's Cookie Bars

I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe. These were a yummy treat, and my boys loved them!!

Smore's Cookie Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups marshmallow topping, like Marshmallow Fluff or Creme
2 cups milk or semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 short sides. Grease the foil with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Divide the dough in half. Press half into the bottom of the prepared pan until the dough is evenly flattened. Dollop the marshmallow topping on top of the cookie base and gently spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

Scatter the remaining dough over the top in clumps. Don’t worry about completely covering the top, the marshmallow and chocolate chips should peek through. Bake the bars until golden brown, about 30-32 minutes. Cool completely. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil overhangs. Cut into bars and serve.

Fresh Salsa

This stuff is truly amazing!! This is my Aunts recipe, and it is a winner! It is so simple and fresh.

Fresh Salsa

28 oz can whole tomato (If using fresh, just eyeball it, and get it to the texture and flavor you want)

1 jalapeno (I usually use one jalapeno, plus a couple of other peppers like banana peppers, or Hungarian pepper)

1 clove garlic

1 t. salt

1/3-1/2 bunch cilantro

Medium onion (I use yellow)

Remove stem from jalapeno, boil for 1-2 minutes. Put in blender with garlic, salt and juice from the tomatoes. Pulse a few times

Rinse cilantro and pull off stems. Add cilantro and tomato to blender; pulse.

Chop onion and add to blender; pulse until you get the consistency you want.

*I have also added a couple of tomatillos to the salsa before. It adds an extra flavor to it that is also very yummy. I just quarter them, then broil them for a few minutes before adding them to the blender.