Monday, April 30, 2012

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red velvet cake showed up a lot around my house when we were younger... It is no surprise that it is both my mom and my dad's favorite cake and that is probably the reason why! :) I am not a huge fan of it, it always seems kind of dry to me - but it was my dad's birthday and that was his request! Instead of going for the standby cake, I searched online and found this recipe for cupcakes and that sounded much easier, so that's what he got! :) Look, they even have strawberries on top - I went all out decorating!



Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
(recipe found at www.foodnetwork.com)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 (12 cup) muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20-22 minutes, turning the pans about halfway through. Test cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Sausage Stuffed Roll

The guys were over working again and lucky for them school was out and daycare was closed for the day. They have been such good sports with all the kids around all the time when they are working. The kids are so curious about what they are doing all the time, the babies are constantly crawling over to see what is going on and the older ones have a million questions. Pair that with the screaming and yelling that goes with a noisy daycare I'm surprised they haven't both put their ear plugs in yet! :) Anyhow, daycare was closed and the hubs and I took our kids on a surprise trip to the water park. This meant that they were on their own for lunch and I set out this meal, hoping that it was a good one. From the almost NONE that was left when we got home, I am assuming that it tasted all right! :) They did leave me a sample piece so I can assure you that it is worth making! :)

Sausage Stuffed Roll
(recipe found at Nourishing Hearts)

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 pound italian sausage, cooked
5 ounces package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Let dough rise to double the size. Meanwhile cook sausage, when done set aside. In another bowl combine spinach, cheese, oregano and garlic. Roll out dough. Place meat and spinach mixture in loaf. Gently roll together and pinch closed. Wrap in plastic wrap and then in tin foil. Freeze immediately, if desired.

To prepare: thaw completely and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Koolaid Playdough

Today is my oldest son's birthday...  Isn't he a handsome one??


Instead of sending sugary snacks with him to school I decided to make up a little something that I found on pinterest via this website.  Brody was game and since Beau's birthday is next month we all worked together and made up enough for both of their classes.  I tested out the recipe and it worked pretty well and smelled awesome!!

Koolaid Playdough
(recipe found at http://impressionsbyrochelle.blogspot.com)

5 pound bag of flour
2 cans salt
40 koolaid packages

Create separate bags that include salt in one and flour in another.  This is an important step that I skipped! :)  I figured that I could just throw them all together and save some baggies...  Whoops - in the directions it tells you to mix each in at separate times.  Maybe one should read the directions before starting a project, not just the ingredients list! :)  Anyhow, back to directions...  Combine separate bags into whatever package you are using and add unopened koolaid package.  Include directions on package.  Here's my example...

It’s Brody’s birthday, but you’re getting the dough!!

To make play dough:
½ cup boiling water
1 tablespoon cooking oil
¼ cup salt (included)
½ cup flour (included)
1 package koolaid (included)

Mix all ingredients together until cool enough to knead.  On a floured surface, knead to desired consistency, adding more flour as needed.  Store in air tight container in fridge.

Now, if you do it the RIGHT way, the directions should read:

Stir together water, oil and salt until dissolved.  Add flour and koolaid and combine until cool enough to knead.  Knead until the desired consistency.

As I said, I didn't do it the right way and it still turned out.  I probably ended up using much more flour then I needed to though!!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Weekly Line Up - 4/27-5/4

Another crazy busy week is on the docket for us this week! I can't wait!! The hubs is finally home from 2 weeks at work, my oldest is turning 7 and we have family coming into town... should make for fun and excitement around here!! Lots of baking to do this week - we only get to see Josh's brother and his family once a year when their circus comes into our state. This means we go and spend a few days with them and I like to ply them with goodies!! Talk about sugar overload on my list this week...

Friday - kid party (aka, bowling and pizza)
Saturday - corn dogs (that's what the birthday boy requested!)
Sunday - *fudgy chocolate layer cake, *pulled pork sandwiches, KFC copy cat coleslaw
Monday - tortellini primavera
Tuesday - cheddar and bacon burgers
Wednesday - taco night
Thursday - circus!!
Friday - still at the circus!!

Extras: big dipper oatmeal cookies, *pretzel chocolate chip cookies, *cookie dough bites, *skinny monkey cookies, *cake batter puppy chow, *oatmeal in a jar, *cream of everything mix

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Chicken Taco Cups

This was a nice meal to have in the freezer, they unthawed pretty quick when I realized that I was going to have extra people for lunch! :) We have been in the process of redoing a big chunk of our house (mainly the windows...) and my dad and the guy that works with him have been over frequently. This means eating lunch at our house... Well, sometimes they end up coming over when I don't think that they are going to and I have to scramble to put something more on the table then what I have planned! :) Thanks dad... Anyhow, since they weren't supposed to be coming on this day I hadn't taken these out until they showed up. They were still a little frozen at lunch time, but I threw them in the oven anyhow. They turned out awesome!! It was the perfect lunch for all of us!

Chicken Taco Cups
(recipe found at Nourishing Hearts)

1/2 pound chicken
1/2 package taco seasoning
1/2 small onion, diced
8 ounces salsa
1 cup cheese
18 wonton wrappers

Cook chicken and transfer to a food processor and add taco seasoning. Cover and chop. Combine shredded chicken, onion, salsa and 1/2 cup cheese. Spray muffin tin with oil. Press wonton wrapper into a regular size muffin tin. Bake at 375 for 5 minutes. Spoon a round tablespoon of chicken mixture into wonton. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top of cup. Place in freezer bag, if freezing at this point.

To prepare: thaw completely and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Toss

My kids never cease to amaze me... They come up with the craziest things and I can never figure out what they are going to like and not like! Supper on this night was one of those examples. Beau, my child who hates everything and anything.... tomatoes, any kind of potatoes, spinach every now and then and something new every time I put supper on the table, declared this meal to be the best ever and would I please make it for supper every night. WHAT?? Keep in mind that it had SHRIMP in it... Now what normal kid, who hates everything, is going to like shrimp?? Obviously my weirdo! :) Oh well, I aim to please and we have been having shrimp about once a week since then. Hey - if it's going to save a little fighting and cajoling at the supper table, I'm all for it!!

Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Toss
(recipe found in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking)

1package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup frozen peas
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook tortellini according to package directions, add the peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. In a large nonstick skillet, saute shrimp in 2 tablespoons oil for 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1-2 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink. Drain tortellini mixture; add to skillet. Stir in the salt, thyme, pepper and remaining oil; toss to coat.

Serves: 4
Points: 9 points per 1 1/4 cups

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Sausage Pasta with Vegetables

I had a hair cut the other day and the hubs (who was supposed to be home to watch the kids) ended up not being home. For those of you that know me, this is not an uncommon occurrence in our lives. Thank God for family nearby when his work is so unpredictable or I would have a lot of cancelled appointments!! Anyhoo... I ended up calling my mom with the 911 and she said she could take the kiddos but didn't have much for groceries in the house. I threw this together and took it, pan and all, over to her house! Thankfully they saved me a bit cause it was wonderful!! Quick and easy - my mantra...



Sausage Pasta with Vegetables
(recipe found in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking)

2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
1 pound italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Cook penne according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, cook sausage and mushrooms over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add spinach; cook and stir until spinach is wilted. Drain pasta; stir into turkey mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; remove from the heat. Cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

Serves: 4
Points: 9 points per 1 1/2 cups

Monday, April 23, 2012

Lasagna Roll-Ups (A new version!)

If you have been following my blog for any amount of time, you know that my go to dish is my lasagna roll ups. They are so delish and although they were meant to be a no meat meal - throwing in some beef to make my husband happy wasn't that hard to do! At my Nourishing Hearts class the other night, Lasagna Roll Ups were on the menu and these were a bit different from my original recipe, so I had to share... Especially after we tried them and they were also super good!! I love shaking things up a bit...

Lasagna Roll Ups (A new version!)
(recipe found at Nourishing Hearts)

8 dry lasagna noodles
1 beaten egg
1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 jar (26 ounces) prepared pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare 9x13 pan by coating with cooking spray and then adding 1/2 of the jar of pasta sauce to cover bottom. Cook lasagna noodles just until pliable for rolling. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water. In a separate mixing bowl stir together egg, ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup of the parmesan cheese. Spread about 1/2 cup of the filling on each lasagna noodle and roll up. Place seam side down in prepared pan. Pour remaining sauce over top of roll ups and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover and freeze at this point if desired.

To prepare: allow to thaw completely. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5-10 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Weekly Line Up - 4/20-4/27

Wow, things have been wild around here and I have been exceptionally lazy about doing my weekly meal plan... at least on the blog! Obviously I am still planning meals and cooking, but haven't gotten around to posting them! Hoping to be back on track though and get some stuff done!! Spring fever hit a little too early! :) Time to get going though - I've got 2 birthdays coming up, teacher appreciation week and Josh's family is coming into town - time to start baking and cooking it up!! Have a great week!

Friday - *Mexican Meatloaf
Saturday - Pancake Supper (fundraiser for our local fire department)
Sunday - cereal (needing a break this weekend!:)
Monday - *Taco Corn Chili
Tuesday - *Mini Cheeseburger Pies
Wednesday - Taco Night
Thursday - Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad (Boy Scout potluck)
Friday - Pizza at the bowling alley (Brody's turning 7!)

Extras: *pumpkin chocolate chip bread, *purple green monster, *peanut butter banana bread, *breakfast cookies

* new recipes

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Dirt-N-Worms

For her birthday, which I can't believe was already a month ago, my mother in law asked for lasagna roll ups and Dirt-N-Worms for her birthday dinner. Easy enough, consider it done! :) Looking back at my recipes, I found it extremely hard to believe that I have never posted about Dirt-N-Worms... It is a family favorite, usually found instead of cake at a lot of my nieces and nephews birthday parties. It was even the "grooms cake" at my brother's wedding, that is how much our family likes Dirt-N-Worms!! I've seen it made in individual cups, my brother's was even in a sand pail, but I just make one big pan - ready for everyone and easy as can be! :)



Dirt-N-Worms

2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 packages of instant chocolate pudding
3 cups milk
12 ounces cool whip, thawed
1 package oreos
gummy worms

In first bowl, combine butter, cream cheese and sugar. In second bowl, combine pudding and milk. Combine both bowls together and fold in cool whip. Smash oreos and layer half of the oreos on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Add pudding and cover with rest of oreos. Poke worms into "dirt". Refrigerate.

Additional idea: We have tried this using butterscotch pudding and gummy bears... Bears in the bed - still a hit, but I definitely like the original idea best! :)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Here's the frosting recipe that I promised you!! So rich and creamy and I love that touch of vanilla in with the cream cheese. If you have leftovers - a favorite snack of mine is to spread the frosting between two graham crackers and have a fabulously, if not super sweet, sandwich! :)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 package (16 ounces) powdered sugar

In large bowl, with mixer at medium hgih speed, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Beat in powdered sugar until blended. Increase speed to medium high; beat 2 minutes or until light and creamy.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Vanilla Rich Chip Cake with Vanilla Butter Glaze

I was looking for something simple yet delicious for my son's first birthday cake. I knew the design that I was going for and just needed to make the square cakes so that I could decorate my heart away! :) I found this recipe, yet again, in my trusty old file of recipes that I have saved and saved! :) I can't believe that I haven't ever made this cake before... It was rich and delicious and YELLOW - which is my absolute favorite! I topped it with the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting that will be coming tomorrow instead of the butter glaze... Super yum!



Vanilla Rich Chip Cake

1 package (18 1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 package (3 1/2 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Beat all ingredients, except chocolate chips, in a large bowl with mixer on low, just until moistened. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Stir in chips. Pour into greased and floured 12 cup bundt pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with vanilla butter glaze.

Vanilla Butter Glaze:

Mix 3 tablespoons butter, melted, 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons water and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth. Let stand for 3 minutes or until thickened. Drizzle over cake.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Ranch Pasta Primavera

This is another oldie that I found in my recipe binder... obviously I need to take a look in there every once in a while to see what I have collected! :) It was quick to throw together and another recipe that I didn't get to try on my son's birthday night... I don't know what I was figuring that night - usually I have food overflowing the house and we are eating it for days... This night we ran out of everything!! Made cleaning up easier, but the hubs and I didn't get much to eat!! Once again, from the looks of it - this was a tasty recipe!! I even doubled it and it was gone!!

Ranch Pasta Primavera

6 ounces rotini pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 packet hidden valley ranch mix
16 ounces thawed vegetable medley mix

Cook pasta. Drain and stir in remaining ingredients. Heat through and serve warm.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

This is one of my favorite salads and I have never made it before!! I was browsing through my own cooking binder (for once!:) and found this recipe, so I decided that it was just the thing to make for Braxton's first birthday party... It was obviously a hit since I didn't even get to have any!! They ate me out of house and home that night... At least that means that the food was good, right?? I guess that I will have to make another batch soon so I can have more then the one bite I got off my dad's plate!!

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

1 head of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound bacon
3/4 cup sunflower seeds (add when you are ready to eat)

Dressing
1 cup miracle whip
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/3 cup sugar

Mix everything together and serve.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Deconstructed Chicken Cordon Bleu

Wow, this was a fabulous meal!! The whole family enjoyed this meal... My only complaint was that it was a little hard to cut up because of the ham slices, but I think that next time I will use chunks of ham instead or cut up the ham and sprinkle it over top. This would make it WAY easier for me when I am cutting up 4 plates!!



Deconstructed Chicken Cordon Bleu
(recipe found at Nourishing Hearts)

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
8 slices swiss cheese
6 ham slices
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup milk
2-3 cups pepperidge farm herb seasoned stuffing mix
1/3-1/2 cup melted butter

Place chicken on bottom of baking pan, sprayed with cooking spray. Top with ham and swiss cheese. Mix soup with milk and pour over layers. In a separate bowl, mix melted butter with stuffing crumbs and spread over casserole. Cover with aluminum foil. Freeze.

To prepare: allow to thaw completely. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 or until hot and bubbly all the way through. I left foil on for most of the baking time.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Crock Pot Roast

Tried yet another way to make my roast in the crock pot. A little more detailed then my normal way, but pretty tasty all the same! :) Now if I could just get Beau to eat the potatoes when I make roast supper would be less full of fights!

Crock Pot Roast
(recipe found in A.C.C.C)

1 roast
3 potatoes
4 carrots
1 onion
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 package dry onion soup mix
pepper to taste

Place roast in crock pot. Cut up potatoes, carrots and onion; place on and around roast. In a separate bowl, mix water, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and onion soup mix. Pour over roast. Cook on high 8 hours or low for 16 hours.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Guacamole

Secret Recipe Club time again!! I love the opportunity to check out and talk about new blogs that I have not had the chance to browse before. Once again I found a blog that had so many wonderful recipes that it was hard to choose just one... So, of course I didn't!!

Living in Arizona for a few years turned me into a guacamole fan... It isn't really something that I had ever tried while living in Minnesota and I'm still not completely sold on avocados, but I'm still up for eating them in recipes! I knew guacamole was something that was pretty easy to make but have never taken the time to try it on my own. After looking through the recipes on Katie's blog, I knew that this was the time to try it out. I am so glad that I did - it was as simple as I heard it would be and even more delicious then any guacamole that I have tried from a jar!! This is definitely on the list of things that I will make again...

If you are looking for a great site with healthy recipes, ideas for snacks and much more - http://www.thischickcooks.blogspot.com/ is the place to head to. I got lost in Katie's blog, veering from one place to another - there are so many options to check out!! I have already tried out her peanut butter banana smoothies and her pumpkin pie smoothie - watch for those to come up on my blog soon! :) If you can't wait, just click on the names and you will find the recipes!! The kids definitely liked taste testing those...



Guacamole
(recipe found at http://www.thischickcooks.blogspot.com/)

2 avocados
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, diced
1 fresh lime, juiced (or about 1-2 tablespoons lime juice)
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
salt and pepper as desired

Mash avocado with a fork until it reaches a thick, pasty texture with chunks. Stir in remaining ingredients and serve immediately. If making ahead of time, wait and add tomatoes right before serving.



Thursday, April 5, 2012

Saucy Chops

Chocolate and pork chops?? Yes, please!! This had the makings of a fancy meal that I could throw together pretty quickly... LOVE IT!! The kids also ate it up, so that is a true bonus. What a great savory meal any day of the week!



Saucy Chops
(recipe found in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking)

4 bone in pork loin chops
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped

Sprinkle pork shops with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, cook chops in oil over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160. Remove and keep warm. Add the coffee, steak sauce, molasses, garlic powder and thyme to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Whisk in chocolate until melted. Return pork chops to pan; heat through.

Serves: 4
Points: 7 points per chop

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Baked Tilapia

It makes me so happy that my kids are so willing to try all the things that we make and it makes me even happier that they actually like "different" things that kids might not usually eat... The other night I made fish and they were actually annoyed with me that there wasn't enough from them to have more! I was just excited that they liked it let alone wanted seconds! :)


Baked Tilapia
(recipe found in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking)

4 (5 ounces each) tilapia fillets
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

In a shallow bowl, combine ingredients. Coat tilapia in crumb mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet. (I used parchment paper.) Bake at 425 for 8-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serves: 4
Points: 3 per fillet

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Recently I discovered that my hubby's favorite kind of soup is chicken wild rice... How did I miss out on that one? He isn't really a soup kind of guy but when he was talking about it I did realize that he does order chicken wild rice if he has soup at all. So, to make up for this total lack of knowing that he loved chicken wild rice, I decided that I needed to make it for him... Here is the version that I tried - he said that it tasted pretty good! :)

Chicken Wild Rice Soup
(recipe found in A.C.C.C.)

1 (4.3 ounces) package long grain and wild rice mix (I used Rice-A-Roni)
1 envelope chicken noodle soup mix
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 (10 3/4 ounces) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup cubed cooked chicken

In a large saucepan, combine water, rice with contents of seasoning packet and soup mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in celery, carrot and onion. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in chicken soup and chicken. Cook 8 minutes longer, or until the rice and vegetables are tender.

Serves: 5

Monday, April 2, 2012

Chocolate Cobbler

We had friends over for games the other night and I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to try out this new recipe that I had found. This cobbler was a little taste of heaven and the hubs and I enjoyed the little bit that was left over the very next day... We didn't even share with the kids! :) Well, I did double the recipe the night before so they got to try some when it was fresh out of the oven, come on I'm not that mean! :)

Chocolate Cobbler
(recipe found at www.becomingbetty.blogspot.com)

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa + 4 tablespoons cocoa
3/4 cup sugar + 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons cocoa and 3/4 cup sugar until combined. Add milk, butter and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 8x8 baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and remaining 4 tablespoons cocoa. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter. Top with 1 1/2 cups hot tap water and DO NOT STIR. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Cobbler will be done on top and wobbly underneath... Serve warm over ice cream.