Chocolate Cookie Cake Recipe

Here's a quick and easy recipe that looks really good! Umm!



Ingredients


•1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix

•16 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed

•1 package (3 ounces) Kraft Philadelphia® – Cream Cheese, softened

•2 tablespoons milk

•2 cups heavy whipping cream

•3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

•Additional cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

Directions

•Prepare cake batter according to package directions; stir in crushed cookies. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan.

•Bake at 350° for 33-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

•In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Beat in cream until mixture begins to thicken. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Frost cake. Garnish with additional cookies. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

It NEver Rains In California..Man It Pours

Looks like we are finally going to have some "winter here in So. Calif.! And probably a month or two's worth of rain in 4 or 5 days. That is one thing I really miss about Washington State, the steady rain. But we can really use some rain here, and one thing you can count on is that when it gets done raining, the sun will surely be out in force. One thing I realy,really like about the Antelope Valley is the air is alway clean. we don't have smog up here ever. and we get alot of really clear days.
Anyway, hope everyone has a great week!

Kent(&Jasmine) @ Kens Kreations

Chocolate-Glazed St. André

Serve this extravagant (yet oh-so-easy) dessert as the perfect ending to a special dinner party...with, of course, a bottle of Champagne!


Serves 6

Ingredients

* 8 oz. wedge of St André cheese, well chilled

* 1/4 cup. fresh strawberries, finely chopped

* 1 cup. premium quality milk or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

* 1/2 cup. heavy cream

* shortbread cookies, sliced strawberries and/or chocolate coulis for garnish

Methods/steps


* Slice very cold St. André cheese into three equal horizontal slices.



* On work surface, place bottom slice of St André cheese, cover with 1/3 of the chopped strawberries. Repeat with second and third slices of cheese. Transfer to a wire rack placed on a baking sheet, and place in refrigerator.



* Place chocolate in a small stainless steel bowl. Heat heavy cream to simmer and then pour over the chocolate. Stir with whisk until smooth.



* Remove the cheese from the refrigerator, slice into six equal wedges, and place each wedge on an individual serving plate.



* Keeping the chocolate sauce warm by placing it in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of chocolate around the base of each plate to create a "pool" for the St. André.

Ile de France Goat and Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients



Serves

10Crust:

Butter for greasing the pan

1 stick unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs*

1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Cheesecake:

1 pound Ile de France ®goat cheese,

at room temperature

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

The grated zest from 1 large lemon, about 1 tablespoon**ss

Juice from 1 large lemon, about 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons**

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Confectioners’ sugar, for decorating

1 cup blueberries and 1 cup strawberries, quartered, for garnish



*A simple way to make graham cracker crumbs is to place about 10 whole graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground.



**Grate the zest from a large lemon and then cut that lemon in half and squeeze the juice out, making sure to strain any seeds.
Methods/steps






* Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring form pan. In a small skillet, heat the butter over low heat.



* In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and ginger, stirring until the mixture comes together. Press the crust evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and chill while you make the filling. You can also make the crust the day before by covering it and chilling it overnight.



* Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, using a paddle attachment if you have one, cream Ile de France goat cheese and the cream cheese until softened, using a spatula to make sure the cream cheese doesn’t get stuck inside the paddle. Gradually add the sugar and then the eggs, one at a time, beating well, until the filling is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, vanilla, and ginger and mix another minute or two. The mixture should be light, fluffy and fully incorporated. Remove the mixture and gently stir with a spatula to make sure the lemon zest and ginger is fully incorporated and that there isn’t any cream cheese sticking to the bottom of the bowl. Place back in the mixer and mix if necessary.



* Wrap the bottom of the cake pan in aluminum foil and place on a large baking sheet.



* Pour the filling into the chilled crust and bake the cake on the middle shelf for about 55 minutes to 1 hour. The cake is done when it is still soft in the center; when gently jiggled, the cake should move as one.



* Let cool at least one hour. Remove the outer ring of the pan and place the cake on a serving plate. Just before serving, sprinkle lightly with sifted confectioners’ sugar and surround with the berries.