Chocolate Pound Cake

So I don't even like Starbucks, but they used to have this chocolate pound cake that rocked my world. Then they discontinued it. Since I was already making 2 desserts for Thanksgiving I thought I would try to find a recipe for chocolate pound cake and see if I could come close to appeasing my cravings. ~Well it is good, and I did get lots of compliments on it, but isn't Starbucks. Maybe next time I will try chocolate chips in the batter. ~Isn't the serving dish cool? It was a wedding present and I've just now been able to use it!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups white sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the dissolved coffee and buttermilk. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Chocolate Cheesecake

Mmm Mmmm Mmmm my amazing chocolate cheesecake with chocolate chip cookie crust! This was a hit at Thanksgiving last year so I HAD to make it again! Be sure to cut VERY small slices as this dessert is SUPER rich.

~Ok so I forgot to take a "before" picture, so here is the "after".

Ingredients:

1 pkg of chocolate chip cookie dough

2 pkgs(8 oz each) of cream cheese, softened

1 cup of sugar

4 packets(1 oz each) of unsweetened chocolate squares

2 pkgs(8 oz each) of cool whip, thawed

~you will need a springform pan for this dessert~

Directions:

~Preheat over to 350 degrees-then grease a 9 inch springform pan

~Press cookie dough into the bottom of springform pan and bake for about 15 minutes. Let cookie cool completely.

~Combine cream cheese, sugar, and chocolate squares in large mixing bowl until well blended.

~Add cool whip and stir until just blended.

~Spoon mixture over cookie and smooth top.

~Cover and refridgerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight.

~Remove sides of pan.

Peanut Butter Pie

So I lost my wonderful peanut butter pie recipe I had made from last year's Thanksgiving, and had to search for a new recipe. I have to say, it was a little runny, it didn't hold together very well. I'm posting the recipe anyway, maybe someone else can figure out how to adjust it so that it stays together better-I'm thinking less cool whip.



INGREDIENTS:

1 baked pie crust, or use graham cracker crust, 9-inch
-I bought the chocolate pre-made pie crust
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces whipped topping
chocolate shavings, optional

PREPARATION:
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar and peanut butter. Slowly add milk, beating until smooth. Fold in whipped topping; pour into crust. Freeze for 1 hour.