Valentine's Day treats

Since Valentine's Day is a few days away, I thought I'd post some of my family's favorite chocolate desserts. I'm going to make the Better Than Everything Cake for my gang, because it' so easy and is an all-time favorite. But the cheesecake is to die for. If you choose not to frost the cheesecake, it's still super. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are even better than chocolate chip cookies, if that's possible.

Supreme Chocolate Cheesecake

16 Oreos, crushed
¼ cup margarine, melted
3 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 oz condensed milk
3 eggs
12 oz choc. chips, melted
2 t vanilla
1/3 cup margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
6 oz choc. chips, melted
2 T Grand Marnier (or 1 t. vanilla extract)

Combine crumbs and margarine; press into 9” springform pan. Combine cream cheese and milk; beat until blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Blend in chocolate and vanilla. Pour into crust and bake at 300 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Loosen cake from rim; cool before removing rim. Beat margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add chocolate and Grand Marnier; blend. Frost top and sides of cheesecake.


Better Than Everything Cake
1 yellow cake mix
1 sm. box instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
8 oz sour cream
1 bar sweet German chocolate, grated (Hershey's milk chocolate can also be used)
6 oz chocolate chips
1 cup pecans (optional)

Mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water and sour cream. Beat with mixer until smooth. Add chocolate and nuts, if desired. Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 t vanilla
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, vanilla, and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift together the salt and flour and mix into the butter mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Mix until well blended. Press batter into 15x10 inch jelly roll pan.
Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into bars and let cool in pan on wire rack.