Gingerbread pudding cake

My small group at church had a Christmas gathering last night. We had a potluck dinner, chatted, and sang carols. It was a nice time with friends.

I had recently gotten a free kindle book called Slow Cooker Spoon Cakes and Desserts by Sara Winlet. As with many free kindle books, I think it was self published, as there were some errors I think an editor might have caught...such as none of the recipes stated what size crock pot to use.

Anyway, that book was my inspiration for wanting to make dessert for my potluck in my crockpot. I found some that were possibilities, but I searched Pinterest, too. There I found a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens for Gingerbread Pudding Cake. Since I was trying to find something Christmasy, gingerbread seemed the way to go. It was very easy, and got many rave reviews from my friends. Here it is:

**********
Gingerbread Pudding Cake (source: BHG)

1 box gingerbread cake mix (14.5oz)
1/2 c milk
1/2 c raisins (I omitted these)
3/4 c packed brown sugar
2 1/4 c water
3/4 c butter (1 1/2 sticks)

In a saucepan, combine sugar, water and butter. Bring to a boil, turn down heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly spray the inside of a 3 1/2-4 qt crockpot with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine cake mix and milk; it will be very thick. Stir in raisins, then spread evenly in the bottom of crockpot.

Carefully pour butter and sugar mixture over the cake mixture (do not stir), cover pot, and cook on high for 2 hours. Cake may still look moist in center, but will set as it cools.

Remove crock from base, uncover and let cool for 45 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream.
**********

I had been concerned, because I have a 2.5qt pot, and I was worried it would be too small. But I gave it a whirl, and it was fine. It made a yummy caramel sauce in the bottom of the pot, and a thick cake on top. Yum.

In the kindle book, I found a recipe for Cinnamon Bread Pudding (similar ingredients as French toast, but a lot less work) that I was thinking of making as a breakfast on New Years Day (it would be nice for Christmas, too, except M is at her dads until late Christmas morning). I will let you know how that turns out :)

Photos:
Cake mix in crock
After I poured butter and sugar mixture on top
A decimated cake during serving (I forgot to take a pic pre-serving)
A big spoonful of cake, sauce, ice cream and whipped cream

Christmas open house

We had an open house last night at my preschool. In addition to sharing with parents the developmental progress their children have made, we had cookies. And more cookies. And still more cookies. The kiddos had been helping make, and watching teachers make and plate, trays of cookies and cupcakes. So obviously, the first place they all wanted to go when they arrived was the treat table :)

This pic is of the two "fanciest" (read: fussiest) cookies that were made. Boss Lady saw the Santa cookies somewhere, and wanted us to make them. But they were way too tedious for 4yo kiddos to make, so I made them, with the exception of a few that a 10yo girl helped with. But she agreed...while cute, they were not easy.

The other ones were s'more sticks. A friend of a friend mentioned them on Facebook a week or so ago, and they sounded yummy. I made them as well, not because my kiddos couldn't dip something in chocolate, but because it is difficult to dip things in chocolate while sleeping. Yes, I made them during nap time. They consist of quartered graham crackers sandwiching marshmallow fluff. I then dipped them in melted chocolate, and gave a little sprinkle of Christmas sprinkles for pizazz. To speed up the process, I then popped them in the fridge for a bit to firm up so they wouldn't leave all their chocolate on the wax paper. They were my preferred cookie, mostly because I prefer brown chocolate to white chocolate :)

The kids then had a party while parents were able to go shopping (or whatever). They decorated giant gingerbread cookies and a gingerbread house, made little egg carton snowmen, and ran around and were silly. I, however, left and went home, while other people stayed and cared for the kiddos :)

In case I don't post before then, here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas!