Monday Night Dinner

Dinner – October 15th (AKA Birthday Season 2013 – Part II)
Spaghetti-Os
Bread
Salad/Fruit
Snickers Ice Cream Sundae Skillet Cake

Spaghetti-Os

Recipe previously given:  Nostalgia for a Childhood I Never Had

Snickers Ice Cream Sundae Skillet Cake
(serves 6-8)

This is exactly as insane and ridiculous and amazing as it sounds.

Skillet Cake
1 ¼ cups flour
½ + 1/8 tsp baking soda
1 ¼ cups sugar
dash salt
5 Tbsp butter
5 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 ½ Tbsp cocoa powder
10 Tbsp water (or ½ cup + 2 Tbsp)
5 Tbsp buttermilk
1 egg + 2 Tbsp egg (or just add a little water or heavy cream because I know 2 Tbsp of egg is annoying)
(generous) ½ tsp vanilla
(optional – ½ cup chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together and set aside.   In a small bowl whisk together the egg, buttermilk and vanilla.

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, bring the butter, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, and water to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the dry ingredients well. Mix in the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Frosting
5 Tbsp butter
2 ½ Tbsp cocoa powder
3-4 tablespoons milk (as needed for consistency)
1/2 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
(generous) ½ tsp vanilla

When you take the cake out of the oven make the frosting.

In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, cocoa, and milk to a boil. Remove them from heat and add the icing sugar, and vanilla. Stir to combine.  Stir in the chopped peanuts.  Pour over the warm cake, spread into an even layer with a spatula.  Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes before attempting to eat.

Caramel Sauce
(makes about 1 cup)

4 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the butter, sugar and cream in a small, heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir this mixture over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a very gentle boil, stirring all the while. Cook 5 more minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Serve immediately, or cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. To rewarm, either microwave the uncovered sauce on low power or transfer the cold caramel to a saucepan and stir over low heat until warm.

To Serve the Insanity
2-3 Tbsp salted peanuts
1 pint Vanilla Ice Cream
Caramel Sauce
Spoons

Option A – the communal gluttony version
Scoop the ice cream into the center of the cake (in the skillet).  Drizzle generously with caramel sauce.  Sprinkle peanuts on top for effect.  Place in the middle of the table and hand everyone a spoon.

Option B – the slightly more refined and/or someone has a cold version
Drizzle the cake (in the skillet) generously with caramel sauce.  Sprinkle peanuts on top for garnish.  Scoop out generous portions into bowls, top with scoops of vanilla ice cream & drizzle with more caramel sauce.  Listen to the sounds of everyone pausing to fully appreciate the ridiculousness of what you’ve just served them.