Copycat KFC Cole Slaw

I love KFC Cole Slaw!  I hardly ever eat at KFC because we try not to eat out that often, but when I do, I always get the cole slaw & biscuit for the sides.  There is just something mouthwatering about that sweet, crunchy side dish that makes me scarf it down.  I love it!  This copycat version is fabulous!  The longer it sits, the better it gets, so make this ahead of time & give it time to marry in the fridge.  You are going to love it!

Copycat KFC Cole Slaw

Recipe lightly altered from Mom on Timeout by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (or milk plus 1/4 tsp lemon juice; let sit 5 min before using)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp celery seed or celery salt
• 16oz shredded bagged cole slaw cabbage mix

1. Whisk everything but the cole slaw mix in a medium to large bowl.  Taste the dressing & season with extra salt & pepper if desired.
2. Add cole slaw cabbage mix & stir thoroughly.
3. Let cole slaw chill & break down in the fridge for a minimum of 2-3 hours.  Stir again before serving.

I love KFC Cole Slaw!  I hardly ever eat at KFC because we try not to eat out that often, but when I do, I always get the cole slaw & biscuit for the sides.  There is just something mouthwatering about that sweet, crunchy side dish that makes me scarf it down.  I love it!  This copycat version is fabulous!  The longer it sits, the better it gets, so make this ahead of time & give it time to marry in the fridge.  You are going to love it!

Copycat KFC Cole Slaw

Recipe lightly altered from Mom on Timeout by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (or milk plus 1/4 tsp lemon juice; let sit 5 min before using)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp celery seed or celery salt
• 16oz shredded bagged cole slaw cabbage mix

1. Whisk everything but the cole slaw mix in a medium to large bowl.  Taste the dressing & season with extra salt & pepper if desired.
2. Add cole slaw cabbage mix & stir thoroughly.
3. Let cole slaw chill & break down in the fridge for a minimum of 2-3 hours.  Stir again before serving.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

{Copycat} Chili's Salsa

Before I share my story, I am going to preface this post with some terms in case you are not familiar with Mormon lingo:

• WARD: a ward consists of (Latter-Day Saint) Mormon members based on a geographical area in which these church members live.  For example: the Mormons within a few blocks surrounding my house belong to the 16th ward.
• STAKE: not to be confused with steak (the meat) is a term used for a combination of wards belonging to one region. Another example: the Mormons who live in the next geographical area to my ward belong in the 8th ward, but we both are part of the same Stake.

I hope that makes enough sense that you will understand my story.  

So, this month we had a big party for church that they called a "Cruise."  It was held at our church building & there was: passports, pictures taken when you first "come aboard," entertainment, & food.  Each ward of our stake was in charge of a different country & had to have samples of food served there.  Our ward had the country: Mexico.  We signed up in church to help bring either chips, salsa, guacamole, or queso.  I signed up right away for salsa because I knew I wanted to make this recipe.  Plus, my husband has been bugging me to make salsa & I figured this would be a great time to make some for the party & let him try it.  

The party turned out to be such a great time.  They had activities for the children at each "port" in several of the classrooms & we had to get our passports stamped while we were there.  Our favorite was hula dancing in Hawaii, but we made some cool origami buildings in China as well.  Once the kids visited all 9 countries that were there, they got to go to the Captain's table & pick out a special prize (treat & toy.)  I thought it was a super clever party idea & there were LOTS of people there!


Anyway, back to the recipe!  This is a super easy salsa recipe.  I don't think you can get any easier than a couple cans of vegetables, part of an onion & a few seasonings.  The cool thing about this salsa, is the longer it rests, the more heat it gets!  It had a medium heat the day I made it, but the next day it was even hotter.  So if you like a hot salsa, this one is great if you let it sit in the fridge for a while.  Plus I like the pureed texture.  I like chunks sometimes, but I really love the smooth stuff.  As far as tasting like Chili's salsa...it has been a while since I have had Chili's salsa, but this recipe is all over the internet for Chili's copycat version & with the reviews I've read, I deem it credible.  Give it a go & tell me how it compares!

{Copycat} Chili's Salsa

Recipe lightly altered from Chef-In-Training & Six Sisters' Stuff by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 2 (14.5oz) cans whole tomatoes, drained
• 1 (4oz) can diced jalapenos
• 1/2 cup yellow or white onion, diced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp lime juice

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor & puree until smooth.  
2. Taste with a tortilla chip & add more salt if needed; you don't want it overly salty, but tasting & adjusting the seasoning with a chip will help you know the right amount of salt since that is what you will be serving the salsa with.  Enjoy!

Before I share my story, I am going to preface this post with some terms in case you are not familiar with Mormon lingo:

• WARD: a ward consists of (Latter-Day Saint) Mormon members based on a geographical area in which these church members live.  For example: the Mormons within a few blocks surrounding my house belong to the 16th ward.
• STAKE: not to be confused with steak (the meat) is a term used for a combination of wards belonging to one region. Another example: the Mormons who live in the next geographical area to my ward belong in the 8th ward, but we both are part of the same Stake.

I hope that makes enough sense that you will understand my story.  

So, this month we had a big party for church that they called a "Cruise."  It was held at our church building & there was: passports, pictures taken when you first "come aboard," entertainment, & food.  Each ward of our stake was in charge of a different country & had to have samples of food served there.  Our ward had the country: Mexico.  We signed up in church to help bring either chips, salsa, guacamole, or queso.  I signed up right away for salsa because I knew I wanted to make this recipe.  Plus, my husband has been bugging me to make salsa & I figured this would be a great time to make some for the party & let him try it.  

The party turned out to be such a great time.  They had activities for the children at each "port" in several of the classrooms & we had to get our passports stamped while we were there.  Our favorite was hula dancing in Hawaii, but we made some cool origami buildings in China as well.  Once the kids visited all 9 countries that were there, they got to go to the Captain's table & pick out a special prize (treat & toy.)  I thought it was a super clever party idea & there were LOTS of people there!


Anyway, back to the recipe!  This is a super easy salsa recipe.  I don't think you can get any easier than a couple cans of vegetables, part of an onion & a few seasonings.  The cool thing about this salsa, is the longer it rests, the more heat it gets!  It had a medium heat the day I made it, but the next day it was even hotter.  So if you like a hot salsa, this one is great if you let it sit in the fridge for a while.  Plus I like the pureed texture.  I like chunks sometimes, but I really love the smooth stuff.  As far as tasting like Chili's salsa...it has been a while since I have had Chili's salsa, but this recipe is all over the internet for Chili's copycat version & with the reviews I've read, I deem it credible.  Give it a go & tell me how it compares!

{Copycat} Chili's Salsa

Recipe lightly altered from Chef-In-Training & Six Sisters' Stuff by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 2 (14.5oz) cans whole tomatoes, drained
• 1 (4oz) can diced jalapenos
• 1/2 cup yellow or white onion, diced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp lime juice

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor & puree until smooth.  
2. Taste with a tortilla chip & add more salt if needed; you don't want it overly salty, but tasting & adjusting the seasoning with a chip will help you know the right amount of salt since that is what you will be serving the salsa with.  Enjoy!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl (Rumbi Copycat)

My kids & I like to get together with some other moms & kids in the neighborhood once a week.  We meet up for "play group," eat lunch, & chat.  It's typically held at our church (when it's bad weather) or the neighborhood park (when it's good weather.) It's a great time had by all; the moms get to chat with each other, & the kids get to run around like crazy & get all their energy out.  

I usually feed my kids before we go just because my kids are not good social eaters.  They can't have any distractions or they are slower than molasses!  My 3 year old son, in particular, has a really hard time eating on a time limit.  I try to give him plenty of time before we have to go anywhere, because as soon as he hears, "hurry" he panics.

Anyway, so back to the point of the story...one day at play group, another mom was eating her lunch & it looked really good.  She said she made this Rumbi copycat recipe & it was darn near the real deal.  I haven't had Rumbi in forever!  Not because we don't like it or anything, we actually quite enjoy it, but we usually only go there if we have a coupon.  Yes, I am a crazy coupon lady.  Or at least I used to be.  We don't get the newspaper anymore, & I am kind of relieved not having to clip mounds of coupons, but we do like to use coupons from the ads in the mail when we go out to eat.  Rumbi coupons aren't in abundance, so we rarely go.  We really don't eat out that much anyway, so when we do, we usually go somewhere we absolutely love, like Costa Vida (is my favorite) or a burger joint for the hubs.

It has been a while since I have had a Rumbi rice bowl, but it was a flavorful & delicious at-home dinner--period!  You will like this even if you have never tried Rumbi before.  One fair warning: this makes a TON of rice!  The proportion of rice to vegetables is almost 2:1 so you might want to double the vegetables, unless you absolutely love more starch than the healthy part.  I really liked everything this meal had to offer.  I loved the crisp vegetables, juicy chicken & bold teriyaki sauce.  The coconut red bean rice (aka Rumbi rice) was the perfect combination with the sauce & veggies.  It wasn't super flavorful on it's own, but the spicy teriyaki sauce helped bring out the coconut flavor in my opinion.  This is a great recipe!  I think it will be a summer favorite of ours.  We love to grill meat & eat fresh vegetables!

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl (Rumbi Copycat)

Recipe slightly altered from Favorite Family Recipes & re-written by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Rumbi Rice:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 (14oz) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups; I used light coconut milk)
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 (15oz) can red beans, drained and rinsed

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:

• 3/4 cups Mr. Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce (found in the grocery store by the BBQ sauces; I actually used Kikkoman Original Teriyaki Sauce.)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp chili garlic sauce (in the Asian section of the grocery store; I used the one in the clear plastic jar with the green lid.)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp of brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch (if needed)
• 2 Tbsp COLD water (if needed)

Vegetables & Chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts (about 2 cups, cubed)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 4 carrots, peeled and grated (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 celery stalks, washed and sliced (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets (approximately 1/2-3/4 large head of broccoli)

1. FOR THE RICE: Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.  [If you don’t have a rice cooker: Combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender.]
2. FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE:  Combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. If needed for thickening, combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce. You want it to be slightly thicker than the jarred teriyaki sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls. (If you find that the sauce is too thick when it cools, just add a little more teriyaki sauce to it.  I actually could have gone without thickening mine.  Just heating it up would have been perfect.)
3. FOR THE VEGETABLES & CHICKEN: Season chicken with salt & pepper & grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.  Allow chicken to rest before cutting into cubes; you can let the chicken rest while you cook the vegetables (it will help keep the juices inside.)  Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (about equal amounts.) Saute ONLY until vegetables are crisp tender. About 1-2 minutes tops.  Serve over Rumbi rice and top with chicken. Serve with Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce on the side (about 3 Tbsp per bowl.)

My kids & I like to get together with some other moms & kids in the neighborhood once a week.  We meet up for "play group," eat lunch, & chat.  It's typically held at our church (when it's bad weather) or the neighborhood park (when it's good weather.) It's a great time had by all; the moms get to chat with each other, & the kids get to run around like crazy & get all their energy out.  

I usually feed my kids before we go just because my kids are not good social eaters.  They can't have any distractions or they are slower than molasses!  My 3 year old son, in particular, has a really hard time eating on a time limit.  I try to give him plenty of time before we have to go anywhere, because as soon as he hears, "hurry" he panics.

Anyway, so back to the point of the story...one day at play group, another mom was eating her lunch & it looked really good.  She said she made this Rumbi copycat recipe & it was darn near the real deal.  I haven't had Rumbi in forever!  Not because we don't like it or anything, we actually quite enjoy it, but we usually only go there if we have a coupon.  Yes, I am a crazy coupon lady.  Or at least I used to be.  We don't get the newspaper anymore, & I am kind of relieved not having to clip mounds of coupons, but we do like to use coupons from the ads in the mail when we go out to eat.  Rumbi coupons aren't in abundance, so we rarely go.  We really don't eat out that much anyway, so when we do, we usually go somewhere we absolutely love, like Costa Vida (is my favorite) or a burger joint for the hubs.

It has been a while since I have had a Rumbi rice bowl, but it was a flavorful & delicious at-home dinner--period!  You will like this even if you have never tried Rumbi before.  One fair warning: this makes a TON of rice!  The proportion of rice to vegetables is almost 2:1 so you might want to double the vegetables, unless you absolutely love more starch than the healthy part.  I really liked everything this meal had to offer.  I loved the crisp vegetables, juicy chicken & bold teriyaki sauce.  The coconut red bean rice (aka Rumbi rice) was the perfect combination with the sauce & veggies.  It wasn't super flavorful on it's own, but the spicy teriyaki sauce helped bring out the coconut flavor in my opinion.  This is a great recipe!  I think it will be a summer favorite of ours.  We love to grill meat & eat fresh vegetables!

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl (Rumbi Copycat)

Recipe slightly altered from Favorite Family Recipes & re-written by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Rumbi Rice:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 (14oz) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups; I used light coconut milk)
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 (15oz) can red beans, drained and rinsed

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:

• 3/4 cups Mr. Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce (found in the grocery store by the BBQ sauces; I actually used Kikkoman Original Teriyaki Sauce.)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp chili garlic sauce (in the Asian section of the grocery store; I used the one in the clear plastic jar with the green lid.)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp of brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch (if needed)
• 2 Tbsp COLD water (if needed)

Vegetables & Chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts (about 2 cups, cubed)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 4 carrots, peeled and grated (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 celery stalks, washed and sliced (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets (approximately 1/2-3/4 large head of broccoli)

1. FOR THE RICE: Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.  [If you don’t have a rice cooker: Combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender.]
2. FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE:  Combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. If needed for thickening, combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce. You want it to be slightly thicker than the jarred teriyaki sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls. (If you find that the sauce is too thick when it cools, just add a little more teriyaki sauce to it.  I actually could have gone without thickening mine.  Just heating it up would have been perfect.)
3. FOR THE VEGETABLES & CHICKEN: Season chicken with salt & pepper & grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.  Allow chicken to rest before cutting into cubes; you can let the chicken rest while you cook the vegetables (it will help keep the juices inside.)  Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (about equal amounts.) Saute ONLY until vegetables are crisp tender. About 1-2 minutes tops.  Serve over Rumbi rice and top with chicken. Serve with Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce on the side (about 3 Tbsp per bowl.)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Sweet Fire Chicken

First off, I would like to WELCOME any newcomers visiting me from Chef-In-Training's blog.  I am a big fan of Nikki's & admire her ability to blog so often & make a variety of delicious things.  I love to make new friends & enjoy your comments.  It makes blogging even more fun when you know others enjoy the recipes you love & adore.    I am newer to the food blogging world, but I do have lots of culinary experience.  Head to my "About" tab to learn more about me.  I hope you enjoy today's recipe & maybe look around at a few other recipes I have to share.  Okay, let's get to today's post.

I don't go to Panda Express very often, even though I LOVE it, so when I do splurge & get Chinese, I always get their sweet fire chicken.  It is my favorite as well as the beijing beef.  For some reason I like the spicy dishes there, even though I don't "handle the heat" very well.  Anyway, I found this copy cat recipe & it is darn near an exact replica of the real deal.  I don't think I will ever need to go to Panda Express to get this chicken ever again.  Delicious!

Sweet Fire Chicken

Recipe altered from Food.com by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Chicken:

• 2 small chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
• Salt & Pepper
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2-3 eggs beaten
• 1 cup cornstarch
• canola oil, for frying

Sauce:

• 1 red jalapeno, seeded (keep seeds for more heat) & chopped fine
• 1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (OPTIONAL- In addition to jalapeno if you need more heat)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp COLD water

Extras:

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 white onion, julienned
• 1 (20oz) can pineapple chunks, drained

1. For the chicken: Season cut up chicken with salt & pepper.  Set up your breading station: zip-top bag with flour, plate with beaten eggs, & zip-top bag with cornstarch.  Dredge chicken in flour, then coat with egg, then shake in cornstarch.  Repeat until all chicken is finished.
2. Start your sauce: combine red jalapeno, garlic, sugar, water, vinegar & salt in a small saucepan.  Heat until boiling.  Make a slurry with your cornstarch & water & whisk into boiling sauce until thickened.  Taste & adjust heat with crushed red pepper flakes if needed.  Hold sauce on low temperature.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat.  Carefully lay chicken strips into the oil.  Do half the mixture at a time, so you don't overcrowd your chicken.  Cook until golden brown & no longer pink in the middle.  Let rest on a paper towel to soak up extra oil. Repeat with other half of chicken.  Keep warm.  Wash pan.
4. In the large skillet, that is now clean, add 1 Tbsp canola oil.  Saute red bell pepper & onions for 3 minutes.  Add pineapples, & the reserved sauce & chicken.  Toss everything together until well-coated & heated through.  Serve on top of your choice of rice. 

First off, I would like to WELCOME any newcomers visiting me from Chef-In-Training's blog.  I am a big fan of Nikki's & admire her ability to blog so often & make a variety of delicious things.  I love to make new friends & enjoy your comments.  It makes blogging even more fun when you know others enjoy the recipes you love & adore.    I am newer to the food blogging world, but I do have lots of culinary experience.  Head to my "About" tab to learn more about me.  I hope you enjoy today's recipe & maybe look around at a few other recipes I have to share.  Okay, let's get to today's post.

I don't go to Panda Express very often, even though I LOVE it, so when I do splurge & get Chinese, I always get their sweet fire chicken.  It is my favorite as well as the beijing beef.  For some reason I like the spicy dishes there, even though I don't "handle the heat" very well.  Anyway, I found this copy cat recipe & it is darn near an exact replica of the real deal.  I don't think I will ever need to go to Panda Express to get this chicken ever again.  Delicious!

Sweet Fire Chicken

Recipe altered from Food.com by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Chicken:

• 2 small chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
• Salt & Pepper
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2-3 eggs beaten
• 1 cup cornstarch
• canola oil, for frying

Sauce:

• 1 red jalapeno, seeded (keep seeds for more heat) & chopped fine
• 1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (OPTIONAL- In addition to jalapeno if you need more heat)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp COLD water

Extras:

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 white onion, julienned
• 1 (20oz) can pineapple chunks, drained

1. For the chicken: Season cut up chicken with salt & pepper.  Set up your breading station: zip-top bag with flour, plate with beaten eggs, & zip-top bag with cornstarch.  Dredge chicken in flour, then coat with egg, then shake in cornstarch.  Repeat until all chicken is finished.
2. Start your sauce: combine red jalapeno, garlic, sugar, water, vinegar & salt in a small saucepan.  Heat until boiling.  Make a slurry with your cornstarch & water & whisk into boiling sauce until thickened.  Taste & adjust heat with crushed red pepper flakes if needed.  Hold sauce on low temperature.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat.  Carefully lay chicken strips into the oil.  Do half the mixture at a time, so you don't overcrowd your chicken.  Cook until golden brown & no longer pink in the middle.  Let rest on a paper towel to soak up extra oil. Repeat with other half of chicken.  Keep warm.  Wash pan.
4. In the large skillet, that is now clean, add 1 Tbsp canola oil.  Saute red bell pepper & onions for 3 minutes.  Add pineapples, & the reserved sauce & chicken.  Toss everything together until well-coated & heated through.  Serve on top of your choice of rice. 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Black Tie Mousse Cake

This is the Dessert Now version of my Valentine's Date Night idea for you all, because we want our dessert first right?  

When my husband & I go to Olive Garden & haven't eaten too much, we will typically share a dessert, & it is always, hands down, the Black Tie Mousse Cake.  But who really wants to spend that much money on one slice of cake?  Not me!  So I altered this at home version.  This cake is slightly time consuming, but worth every second.  Plus, it is so rich that it will take you a while to finish it, & since it is kept in the freezer, that is no problem!  The perfect decadent chocolate dessert to serve your lover for Valentine's Day.

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Black Tie Mousse Cake

Recipe altered from Meemo's Kitchen by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Layer 1: Chocolate Genoise Cake (Crust)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large (or extra large) eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup dutch baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup flour

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl cream butter & sugar with a hand mixer.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla & mix well.  Sift cocoa & flour & add to mixture, until combined.  Batter will be thick, but light & fluffy; not pourable, but easily spreadable.
3. Bake cake at 350*F for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.  Remove from oven & cool completely; may even use the freezer to speed process along.

Layer 2: NO BAKE Chocolate Cheesecake

• 8 oz cream cheese (may use 1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dutch baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until incorporated.  Add cocoa & blend well.  Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer whisk heavy cream until it starts to get fluffy.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time.  Whisk until stiff peaks are achieved. (**May do the whipped cream mixtures for both cheesecake layers together at the same time in your mixer & then divide in half evenly.)  
3. Add whipped cream to the chocolate mixture & beat until well combined.  Cover bowl & put in refrigerator.

Layer 3: NO BAKE Cheesecake

• 8 oz cream cheese (may use 1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until incorporated.  Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer whisk heavy cream until it starts to get fluffy.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time.  Whisk until stiff peaks are achieved. (**This step may have already been done if you did it the same time as the whipped cream for the chocolate cheesecake.)  
3. Add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture & beat until well combined.  Cover bowl & put in refrigerator.

Assemble first three layers:

1. Once cake is cooled you may run a knife along the edges & release the spring-form edge to help ensure it's ability to release after all the layers are complete.  If you release the edge, put the edge back on & then continue with the layers.
2. Spread the chocolate cheesecake mixture evenly over the cooled chocolate cake. 
3. Spread the plain cheesecake mixture evenly over the chocolate cheesecake mixture.
4. Cover pan with saran wrap (try not to let it touch the cheesecake) & freeze for 4-6 hours in the freezer.
5. After the cake is frozen.  Use a warm offset spatula to run along the edge of the pan & remove the spring-form edge.  (Keep cake on the base.)

Layer 4: Dark Chocolate/White Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 10-12oz (1 bag) dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• Nestle mini chocolate chips

1. Put dark & white chocolate chips in separate bowls.
2. In a small saucepan on LOW, heat heavy cream & butter until it just comes to a boil.
3. Measure 3-4 Tbsp of the cream/butter mixture & put it on top of the white chocolate chips.  Pour remaining butter/cream mixture over the dark chocolate chips.  Let cream melt chocolate chips & then stir them up in their separate bowls.  Let the ganache cool slightly until spreading consistency.
4. Using a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet, set cake on cooling rack (the ganache that falls off the cake will be caught in the cookie sheet, underneath the cooling rack) & pour dark chocolate ganache over the top of the cake; spread evenly with an offset spatula.
1. When the chocolate drips over the edges, smooth the ganache with your spatula & immediately apply mini chocolate chips to the sides before the ganache hardens from the frozen cake.  Continue around all sides of the cake saving extra dark chocolate ganache to swirl with the white ganache on top & enough to pipe a border for the edges.
5. Once the cake is ganached & chocolate chips decorate the sides, drizzle the white chocolate ganache on the top.  Add small dollups of dark chocolate ganache (saving enough to pipe a border on the edges) & using a toothpick/knife swirl the two ganaches together.
6. Use the remaining dark chocolate ganache to pipe a border around the edge, once the ganache has set/thickened a little bit, but still soft enough to work with.
7. Store cake in freezer.  Cut & enjoy cake frozen.  

This is the Dessert Now version of my Valentine's Date Night idea for you all, because we want our dessert first right?  

When my husband & I go to Olive Garden & haven't eaten too much, we will typically share a dessert, & it is always, hands down, the Black Tie Mousse Cake.  But who really wants to spend that much money on one slice of cake?  Not me!  So I altered this at home version.  This cake is slightly time consuming, but worth every second.  Plus, it is so rich that it will take you a while to finish it, & since it is kept in the freezer, that is no problem!  The perfect decadent chocolate dessert to serve your lover for Valentine's Day.

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Black Tie Mousse Cake

Recipe altered from Meemo's Kitchen by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Layer 1: Chocolate Genoise Cake (Crust)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large (or extra large) eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup dutch baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup flour

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl cream butter & sugar with a hand mixer.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla & mix well.  Sift cocoa & flour & add to mixture, until combined.  Batter will be thick, but light & fluffy; not pourable, but easily spreadable.
3. Bake cake at 350*F for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.  Remove from oven & cool completely; may even use the freezer to speed process along.

Layer 2: NO BAKE Chocolate Cheesecake

• 8 oz cream cheese (may use 1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dutch baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until incorporated.  Add cocoa & blend well.  Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer whisk heavy cream until it starts to get fluffy.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time.  Whisk until stiff peaks are achieved. (**May do the whipped cream mixtures for both cheesecake layers together at the same time in your mixer & then divide in half evenly.)  
3. Add whipped cream to the chocolate mixture & beat until well combined.  Cover bowl & put in refrigerator.

Layer 3: NO BAKE Cheesecake

• 8 oz cream cheese (may use 1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until incorporated.  Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer whisk heavy cream until it starts to get fluffy.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time.  Whisk until stiff peaks are achieved. (**This step may have already been done if you did it the same time as the whipped cream for the chocolate cheesecake.)  
3. Add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture & beat until well combined.  Cover bowl & put in refrigerator.

Assemble first three layers:

1. Once cake is cooled you may run a knife along the edges & release the spring-form edge to help ensure it's ability to release after all the layers are complete.  If you release the edge, put the edge back on & then continue with the layers.
2. Spread the chocolate cheesecake mixture evenly over the cooled chocolate cake. 
3. Spread the plain cheesecake mixture evenly over the chocolate cheesecake mixture.
4. Cover pan with saran wrap (try not to let it touch the cheesecake) & freeze for 4-6 hours in the freezer.
5. After the cake is frozen.  Use a warm offset spatula to run along the edge of the pan & remove the spring-form edge.  (Keep cake on the base.)

Layer 4: Dark Chocolate/White Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 10-12oz (1 bag) dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• Nestle mini chocolate chips

1. Put dark & white chocolate chips in separate bowls.
2. In a small saucepan on LOW, heat heavy cream & butter until it just comes to a boil.
3. Measure 3-4 Tbsp of the cream/butter mixture & put it on top of the white chocolate chips.  Pour remaining butter/cream mixture over the dark chocolate chips.  Let cream melt chocolate chips & then stir them up in their separate bowls.  Let the ganache cool slightly until spreading consistency.
4. Using a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet, set cake on cooling rack (the ganache that falls off the cake will be caught in the cookie sheet, underneath the cooling rack) & pour dark chocolate ganache over the top of the cake; spread evenly with an offset spatula.
1. When the chocolate drips over the edges, smooth the ganache with your spatula & immediately apply mini chocolate chips to the sides before the ganache hardens from the frozen cake.  Continue around all sides of the cake saving extra dark chocolate ganache to swirl with the white ganache on top & enough to pipe a border for the edges.
5. Once the cake is ganached & chocolate chips decorate the sides, drizzle the white chocolate ganache on the top.  Add small dollups of dark chocolate ganache (saving enough to pipe a border on the edges) & using a toothpick/knife swirl the two ganaches together.
6. Use the remaining dark chocolate ganache to pipe a border around the edge, once the ganache has set/thickened a little bit, but still soft enough to work with.
7. Store cake in freezer.  Cut & enjoy cake frozen.  

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