Chocolate Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

I don't know about you but I do not consider myself a very good baker. I don't know what it is...maybe just I'm bad at the timing but baking is not my first love in the kitchen. I would love to rectify that and I do try really hard to get better at it. My mother was a wonderful baker. She could make the best homemade breads you ever tasted. They would fight over her breads at church. I didn't get that gene somehow. My sister Donna did. Guess I couldn't get all the good genes. I did inherit her creativity and for that I am eternally grateful. My mom could do ANYTHING! Oh, how I miss her!

My mom could make the prettiest and tastiest cakes. She could decorate them like a professional. She even made wedding cakes in her home. My cakes are not what I'd call eye candy. I think that is why when I go to make a cake I want to make a sheet cake. A lot easier and I can make one of those look half way decent.

I made this chocolate peanut butter sheet cake back in the winter when I wanted something sweet but didn't want to go to the grocery store. I happened to have all the ingredients at home to make it. Boy was I pleasantly surprised...it is a very yummy cake! I hope you enjoy it!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
2 c. all purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 c. water
½ c. butter, cubed
½ c. creamy peanut butter
¼ c. baking cocoa
3 eggs
½ c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla extract

Frosting:
3 c. confectionery sugar
½ c. creamy peanut butter
½ c. milk
½ t. vanilla extract
½ c. chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray jelly roll pan with Pam. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a small saucepan, combine water, butter, peanut butter and cocoa; bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended; add to flour mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Prepare frosting while cake is baking. In a large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, milk and vanilla until smooth. Remove cake from oven; place on a wire rack. Immediately spread with frosting; sprinkle with peanuts. Cool completely. Yield: 15 servings.

Patriotic Santa Coke Bottles

I decided to paint my two sisters, sister-in-law and my dad a patriotic santa Coke bottle to enjoy through the 4th of July. These are such fun to paint. They have the perfect indentions for stripes. These are the small bottles so I need to get out and find some larger ones. Fun, fun, fun!

Cheesy Enchilada Stack

Can ya tell that I LOVE Mexican food? I love trying new Mexican recipes and this one is a real keeper! I recently found a recipe similar to this one that is done in the crockpot. I am going to try that sometime this week so I will let ya know if it works out well. You will really enjoy this dinner! Cook up a box of Spanish rice and have with this...yummo!

Cheesy Enchilada Stack
1 lb. ground beef
(2) 10 oz. cans red enchilada sauce
(6) 8” flour tortillas
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
16 oz. can refried beans
(2) 4 oz. cans green chilies
1 bunch green onions

Cook the beef in a skillet over medium high heat until well browned, drain. Stir ½ cup enchilada sauce in skillet with beef. Spray a baking sheet with Pam. Place 1 tortilla onto the baking sheet. Top with 1/3 of the beef mixture and ¼ cup cheese. Top with 1 tortilla, half the refried beans, ½ cup enchilada sauce, 1 can drained green chilies and ¼ cup cheese. Repeat the layers one more time. Top with 1 tortilla, remaining beef mixture and ¼ cup cheese. Top with remaining tortilla. Cover the stack with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 for 40 minutes or the filling is hot. Uncover the stack and top with remaining enchilada sauce, cheese and green onion. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut the stack into 6 wedges.

1. Tortilla
2. 1/3 of beef and ¼ c. cheese
3. Tortilla
4. ½ refried beans and ½ c. enchilada sauce, 1 can (4 oz.) chilies and ¼ c. cheese
5. Tortilla
6. 1/3 of beef, 1-1/4 c. cheese
7. Tortilla
8. ½ refried beans and ½ c. enchilada sauce, 4 oz. can chilies and ¼ c. cheese
9. Tortilla
10. 1/3 beef and ¼ c. cheese
11. Tortilla

Santa and Friends Wine Bottle

Slowly but surely I am getting more wine bottles painted up. I have decided to paint my ornament patterns into wine bottles. I love seeing them this big. This santa is one that I recreated last year. This is perfect for any santa, gingerbread or snowman lover. Of course, I am crazy about all three so this suits me well. You can order this from my Etsy shop at cyndimacsnickknacks.etsy.com. Thank you!