Sunday, July 18, 2010

Peanut Butter Silk Cake

This is decadence!

Ingredients:
1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 container chocolate frosting (I recommend the Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy kind)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, beat dry cake mix, water, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup butter and the eggs on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
2. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool about an hour.
3. In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter orver medium heat; stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling; boil and stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Refrigerate uncovered for 10 minutes.
4. In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In another medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup peanut butter and the brown sugar mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add whipped cream to peanut butter mixture; beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Once the cake is cooled, cut in half length-wise (horizontally). Spread the peanut butter/whipped cream mixture on to one half of the cake then put back together. Frost the side and top of the cake with the chocolate frosting. Store covered in refrigerator.

Recipe from the back of a Betty Crocker SuperMoist butter recipe yellow box cake mix.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Cooking in Nicaragua

From June 26th - July 10th, I had the unique privilege of going to Nicaragua to share the gospel with the people there. We spent a lot of time hiking in the mountains and the villages of Ocotal and Wiwili handing out Bible study booklets that went along with a local radio program that would help them learn about the saving message of Jesus Christ as well as teach them how to study the Bible. However, I don't think that even a mission's trip would be complete without me getting to cook something. I was able to make pancakes for my team one morning for breakfast (one was intentionally made to look like Mickey Mouse), as well as cook french toast and ham another morning. I made guacamole from a handpicked avocado from a tree outside our residence, but unfortunately that was unable to be photographed. Mostly it was cooking over a gas stove/burner, and here are two pictures from what I was able to make.