Morsels of Chocolate

Blueberry Cheesecake (No-bake)

2012-01-28T18:18:00.000-06:00

Graham Cracker Crust:

16-18 graham cracker squares
1/4 c. sugar
6 T. butter, melted

Crush graham crackers with a rolling pin; measure 1 1/4 c. crumbs. Place in medium mixing bowl; stir in sugar. Stir in melted butter and toss to thoroughly combine.

Place in a 9-inch pie plate. Spread evenly and press to make a firm, even crust. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 6-9 minutes or until edges are brown. Cool completely.
NOTE: Crust can also be chilled until firm if a completely no-bake dessert is your goal.

Cheesecake:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 t. clear vanilla

After crust is cool, blend cream cheese with milk until smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice and mix well, then add vanilla. Pour into crust. Chill until firm. Prepare blueberry topping while cheesecake chills.

Blueberry Sauce*:

1/4 c. water
1 t. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. blueberries (frozen work well, but fresh could be used as well)
1/4 c. sugar
1/8 t. salt
2 t. lemon juice

Combine water and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in blueberries, sugar, and salt. Simmer 5 minutes or until blueberries cook down and the liquid is thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Cool.

Before serving, pour blueberry sauce over cheese cake. Do not eat while wearing white, lest you spill blueberries on yourself and stain a perfect garment.

*I might try this sauce recipe next time:
In a small saucepan combine 2 c. blueberries, 2 T. water, 1/3 to 1/2 c. sugar, 1 t. vanilla, and a dash salt. Bring to boiling over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Ice Cream Muffins

2012-01-28T17:57:00.000-06:00

Wow! I can't believe I haven't posted anything all year!

2 c. softened ice cream
1 1/2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt

Combine in a bowl and beat until smooth. Fill 12 well-greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown.

Try different flavors of ice cream! I used vanilla and loved it, but next time I might try cookies 'n' cream.

Hot Cocoa Mix

2011-12-17T20:59:00.002-06:00

Cold days call for hot mugs of chocolate. This simple recipe is cheaper than boughten mix, and contains no high fructose corn syrup.

2 c. dry milk powder
1 c. white sugar
1 c. cocoa powder (can use less depending upon taste)

Sift ingredients together, breaking up all chunks. Store in an air-tight container.
To prepare hot cocoa, place 1/4 c. mix in a mug. Add 8 oz. hot water.

Note: For flavor variation, substitute 1 c. powdered coffee creamer.

Our 100th Post

2011-11-26T19:51:00.000-06:00

Chocolate-Ribboned Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Topping:

1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. creamy peanut butter

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

Batter:

1/2 C. butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 C. mashed ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)

1 t. vanilla extract

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips

For topping: In small bowl, stir flour, brown sugar, peanut butter, and cinnamon until crumbly; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until just moistened.

Divide half of batter between two greased 8"x4" loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of topping and top with chocolate chips. Repeat layers of batter and topping.

Bake at 350° F. for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.

Enjoy with a glass of milk.

Note: This tastes even better when you prepare it with your friend and blogging partner! Thank you for sticking around 100 posts! ~H&K

Perfect Cornbread

2011-10-20T17:14:00.003-05:00

Perfect Cornbread

1 c. flour (can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or corn flour)

1/4 c. sugar

4 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

1 c. yellow cornmeal

2 eggs

1 c. milk (or cream)

1/4 c. shortening (can use oil or melted butter)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Sift flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt; whisk in cornmeal. Add eggs, milk, and shortening. Beat with whisk until just smooth. (Do not overbeat.) Pour into 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes. (Cut with plastic knife or spatula to avoid harming cast iron.)

Note: the pictured cornbread was made with corn flour, which can be found with other Hispanic foods. This particular batch was also made using heavy whipping cream instead of milk, which makes for a much richer bread that hardly needs buttered.

Jelly fish

2011-10-20T16:56:00.001-05:00

To understand this post, you must watch the video. Even so, you may not understand me.

Jelly Fish Sandwich

2 slices whole wheat bread
1/3 can tuna
1 T. jelly, any flavor (we used mixed berry)

Take some jelly, take some fish. Make a sandwich.

Just make sure you don't eat a real jellyfish!

Banana Breakfast Cookies

2011-10-19T17:20:00.002-05:00

Delicious, filling substitute for granola bars!

3 ripe bananas
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. raisins
1/3 c. plain yogurt
1 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350° F. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well; allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop on paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Lazy Mary Frosting

2011-09-26T20:49:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I haven't not been cooking! I've just been making the same, old favorite recipes. But this one is super easy and keeps me from having no posts in September; and I used it twice last week.

Lazy Mary Frosting

Yumtiousness

1 c. chocolate chips
1 8-inch square cake or brownies

Bake cake or brownies as directed in recipe. Sprinkle chips atop, immediately after removing from oven. Return to oven for 2-5 minutes, or until glossy. Remove from oven and spread with a metal spatula until smooth. This is seriously amazing frosting!

Alternate recipe: Sprinkle 1 c. chocolate chips in a lightly greased 8"-square pan. Bake at 350° F. for 3-ish minutes. Spread until smooth. Cool, break into pieces, and enjoy!! :)

Who needs brownies?

Morsels of Chocolate is 2!

2011-08-28T20:26:00.001-05:00

I missed posting our anniversary, but this blog is officially two years old! Thank you to our faithful readers who have followed us this long!

Burrito Pie

2011-08-28T20:22:00.001-05:00

3 flour tortillas
1 (15-oz.) can refried beans
2 1/2 c. shredded cheese
Salsa (optional)

Grease a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate. Spread a layer of beans in the bottom of the pan. Top with salsa, and a layer of cheese. Spread beans on one side of one tortilla. Place on top of cheese with the beans facing up. Top with salsa and more cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with a tortilla and the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350° F. for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream, if desired.

This can easily be prepared the day before it is baked. Add ground beef if desired.

Orchard Whirlwind Milkshake

2011-08-21T21:57:00.000-05:00

1 nectarine or peach, cored and chopped

1 c. vanilla ice cream

milk

Whirl in blender until smooth. Serves 1 or 2.

This is very handy!

2011-08-10T13:21:00.000-05:00

I will want to keep this link in my favorites. :)

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2011-08-04T11:17:00.001-05:00

Unsure what to do with all the zucchini from your garden/your neighbors' gardens/your friends' gardens/your enemies' gardens? Try this moist and delicious cake!

½ c. butter
½ c. oil
1¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
½ c. buttermilk or sour milk
2½ c. flour
¼ c. cocoa powder
½ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
½ t. cloves
2 c. grated zucchini
½ t. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°. Cream butter, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk and beat well. Sift dry ingredients; beat into butter mixture. Stir in zucchini. Pour into 9”x13” pan and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes. (This makes a tender, moist cake that needs no frosting if you use chocolate chips.)

Hint of Mint Double Chocolate Cookies

2011-07-12T10:39:00.002-05:00

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 drops mint extract
2-ish c. flour
cocoa powder to taste (approximately 1/4 c. or so)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
chocolate chips (probably a cup or so)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and flavorings and beat well. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add chocolate chips to taste. (Taste dough to make certain it is yummy.) Drop by teaspoon onto papered cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly underbaked. Cool approximately 1 minute before transferring to a plate to cool. While cookies are warm, enjoy one--or two--with a glass of milk. Take the rest with you to the fireworks display on July 4th to win instant friends. ;)

Apologies for the approximations. K and H developed this recipe from a regular chocolate chip cookies recipe, so we added the cocoa powder until it looked right. And H never measures chocolate chips--whatever looks good is what I add. So have fun with it and let us know how it turns out! ~H & K

Blueberry-Pecan Biscuits

2011-07-12T10:18:00.000-05:00

2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 T. raw sugar, plus more for topping
4 T. unsalted butter
1/2 c. blueberries
1/4 c. chopped pecans
2/3 c. sour milk

Preheat oven to 450°F. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt; stir in sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Gently add blueberries and pecans. Add milk all at once, gently stirring until dough follows fork around bowl. Be very gentle with the dough to avoid crushing berries. Drop by tablespoon onto lightly greased baking sheet; sprinkle top with raw sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve with yogurt or eggs.

Total prep time: approximately 1 hour.

Vegetarian Taco Salad

2011-07-12T10:10:00.000-05:00

vegetarian chili beans
lettuce, washed and torn to small pieces
tomatoes, washed and chopped
cucumbers, washed and chopped
minced onion
shredded cheeese, any variety
salsa
tortilla chips
sour cream

Combine or layer in any order on serving plates or in one large bowl. All ingredients may be substituted or omitted as desired.

This is a delicious no-cook meal which even my meat-loving Dad enjoyed!

Quesadillas Supremas

2011-06-14T14:53:00.000-05:00

Olive oil for skillet
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese
Chopped, cooked chicken
Mashed avocado
Chopped tomato
Minced bell pepper
Salsa and sour cream (optional)

Heat a very small amount of oil in a cast-iron skillet. On one half of each tortilla, spread a teaspoon or two of avocado. Top with chicken, tomato, pepper, and cheese. Fold tortilla over toppings. Place one at a time in hot skillet, cheese side up. Cook until side is browned (a few minutes); flip and cook until the other side is browned and cheese is melted. Place on serving plate. Cut into four pieces. Serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping, if desired. Each quesadilla serves one.

Easy Lemon Drop Cookies

2011-06-05T19:48:00.000-05:00

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. white sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 egg
1 (3-oz.) package lemon-flavored gelatin dessert
poppy seeds (optional)
2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Beat in gelatin and poppy seeds. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill dough for approximately 20 minutes. Drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes.

This is a great way to use the package of gelatin which has been sitting in your cupboard for two years, which expired last October, and which you don't think you will use any other way. Feel free to experiment with other flavors of gelatin.

Asparagus with Cream Sauce

2011-05-27T17:17:00.000-05:00

Found this and edited it till it made a perfect sauce. Do steam the asparagus instead of boiling it; boiled asparagus can have a bitter taste.

Ingredients:
Asparagus spears, hard end cut off
4oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
dash salt
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Ground chives, to taste

Directions:
Steam asparagus until tender. In small saucepan, whisk cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, and salt over low heat until smooth. Add parmesan and chives and heat through. Serve warm over asparagus. Serves: 4-6.

--K.

Lessons learned

2011-05-12T11:36:00.000-05:00

Lesson #1: Bad smoothies

Bad smoothie #1: Frozen banana and lemon yogurt. Something about the lemon-banana combination is terrible. (Might be better if another flavor is added.)

Bad smoothie #2: Pureed cantaloupe and plain yogurt. Which leads me to Lesson #2:

Lesson #2: Pureed cantaloupe should be avoided at all costs. It resembles applesauce in consistency; but unlike applesauce, it tastes horrible! (And I love ordinary cantaloupe.)

Best Smoothie Ever

2011-05-11T13:15:00.000-05:00

1 banana, frozen
2 T. peanut butter (approximately)
1 T. cocoa powder (approximately)
water (or milk) to thin
sweetener may be added to taste, if so desired

Combine in a blender until smooth. Chill before eating, if desired.

Soft cookies

2011-04-23T13:30:00.002-05:00

Secrets for soft cookies:

~Melt the butter. And use butter--not a substitute.
~Use brown sugar. No white.
~Do not over-bake! This will ruin all your efforts.
~In fact, under-bake. Then leave the cookies on the sheets a few minutes. They will continue cooking.
~Do not place cookies on a wire rack. This dries them out, resulting in hard cookies.
~Store cookies in an airtight container, along with a slice of bread.

Trust me. It works! :)

Peanutty Chocolate Banana Muffins

2011-04-19T09:40:00.000-05:00

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 c. mashed, ripe bananas (I used 3 bananas)1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. peanut butter
3 T. peanut oil (can use vegetable or canola)
1 egg
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place papers in 17 muffin cups (18 if you make small muffins).

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil, and egg. Add to dry ingredients, mixing just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Place ¼ c. batter in each muffin paper (use less per muffin if you want 18 muffins).

Bake 20-25 minutes.

The reason the number of muffins is off is that this recipe originally made 1 loaf of bread, baked at 350° for 60 minutes. And the original recipe calls for chocolate chips and chopped peanuts to be sprinkled on top before baking.

Cheesecake Pudding

2011-03-28T14:11:00.000-05:00

1 sm. box white chocolate pudding mix
1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. milk, divided

Combine cream cheese with 1/4 c. milk until smooth. With a wire whisk, beat in remaining milk. Add pudding mix and beat 1 minute, until smooth. Spoon into serving dishes; serve after 5 minutes.

Any pudding may be used. Cream cheese makes it richer and also firmer.

Super Quick Dinner Muffins

2011-03-28T13:59:00.001-05:00

1 c. flour (can use all or half whole-wheat flour)
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 T. mayonnaise
1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a regular-sized 6-cup muffin tin. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients; add mayonnaise and milk. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until nicely puffed and browned.

Chicken Rice Soup

2011-03-28T13:54:00.000-05:00

This is a nice alternative to chicken noodle soup, when one is restricted to a bland diet.

2 boneless, skinless chicken thigh pieces
3-4 celery stalks, diced
3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
parsley, to taste
rosemary, to taste
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
onion flakes, to taste
8 c. water
1 c. brown rice, rinsed
Olive oil

Place chicken pieces in a large, heavy soup pot. Add celery, carrots, parsley, rosemary, pepper, garlic, and onion. Add water. Cover. Bring to a rapid boil; reduce to simmering and cook about 2 hours, until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Reduce heat to very low, enough only to keep warm.

Carefully remove 1 1/2 to 2 c. broth from soup pot. Place in a saucepan with rice. Cover; bring to rapid boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in approximately 1 T. olive oil.

Place one small scoop of rice in each serving bowl; ladle soup over rice. Serve immediately. Serves 8-10

Store rice separately from soup. If added to soup for storage, it absorbs too much liquid from the soup and begins to resemble oatmeal in appearance.

Dinner Rolls

2011-02-15T10:36:00.000-06:00

4 to 4 1/2 c. flour
1 T. dry yeast
1 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter
1 t. salt
2 eggs

In a large mixing bowl combine 2 c. flour and the yeast. In a saucepan heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt until just warm (115° to 120°) and butter is almost melted; stir constantly. Add to flour mixture; add eggs. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed.

Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a a spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).

Punch down; divide dough in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Shape into desired rolls (normal rolls, crescents, clover-leaves, etc.). Cover; let rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes). Bake at 375° for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen.

(Who knew fresh bread could be so simple?)

Cinnamon Crunch Muffins

2011-02-02T11:15:00.002-06:00

Muffin:

1 c. oatmeal

1 c. flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. milk

1 egg

1/4 c. melted butter

Struesel Topping:

2 T. butter

3 T. oatmeal

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. chopped nuts

2 T. flour

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place muffin papers in a 12-cup muffin tin.

Mix first 5 ingredients. Add milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix until dry ingredients are just moistened. Using 1/4 c. measure, fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Mix topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly atop muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: I discovered the 1/4 c. trick this morning when making these muffins. Usually, I cannot fill them evenly and I have unevenly-sized muffins. The 1/4 c. measure is less messy than a spoon, and the muffins are more closely uniform.

Double Blueberry Whole-Wheat Pancakes

2011-01-28T20:22:00.003-06:00

In honor of National Blueberry Pancake Day, my family and I savored these toothsome pancakes for supper this evening.

Sauce:

1/4 c. water

1 t. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. blueberries

1/4 c. sugar

1/8 t. salt

2 t. lemon juice

Combine water and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir in blueberries, sugar, and salt. Simmer 5 minutes or until blueberries cook down and the liquid is thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Cover and set aside.

Pancakes:

1 c. milk

1 T. butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour (approximately)

2 t. baking powder

2 T. sugar

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. blueberries

Combine milk, butter, and egg in a small bowl. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients; stir just until blended. Fold in blueberries.

Grease a griddle or cast-iron skillet. Heat over medium heat until water droplets sprinkled atop sizzle and dance. Drop batter by 1/4-c. measure onto hot skillet. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden.

Serve pancakes with blueberry sauce. And cream cheese, if desired. Other options include peanut butter, bacon, ham, whipped cream, other fruits, or whatever else your little palate desires.

Great Pumpkin Cookies

2011-01-28T20:12:00.002-06:00

J and I made these at her house last weekend. :)

1 c. butter (room temperature)

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. + 2 T. packed brown sugar

1 c. canned pumpkin

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

3/4 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. allspice

1/8 t. nutmeg

1 c. chocolate chips (approximately)

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

Cream butter and both sugars until light. Stir in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Stir into batter to make a medium dough. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonsful onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10-ish minutes, watching carefully, until done. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes before removing to racks or plates to cool completely.

Store: in an airtight container

Freeze: if desired

Mail: no; they grow stale too quickly

These are most delicious warm, but do not lose their charm after cooling.

Potato Cheese Soup

2011-01-28T20:02:00.004-06:00

Thank you, Preciosa, for sharing this recipe with us!

2 c. diced potatoes

1/2 c. diced carrots

1/2 c. diced celery

1/4 c. chopped onion (optional)

2 c. water

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

2 c. milk

1 c. cooked, diced ham

2 c. shredded cheese

Combine potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, seasonings, and water. Cook until tender. Combine butter, flour, and milk. Cook until thick. Combine vegetables with white sauce. Add cheese and ham. Heat, but do not boil. Serves 4-6 people.

Your Recipes

2011-01-23T19:15:00.004-06:00

Hello MC readers! As you can tell, K and H are terrible bloggers, averaging at best, 2 or 3 recipes per month. But maybe you have a favorite recipe that you would love to see featured. If you do, email it to us at morselsofchocolate(at)gmail(dot)com. If we approve of it, we will post it and give you the full credit for the recipe. Looking forward to finding recipes in our inbox! =)

Note: all submissions will be subject to grammatical and technical editing. Submitting a recipe does not guarantee that it will appear on this blog. Multiple submissions will not disqualify the submitter from recognition. We will not share your email address with anyone. Morsels of Chocolate reserves the right to test submitted recipes before posting them.

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

2011-01-23T19:07:00.004-06:00

2 (15-oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ c. vegetable broth

1 c. chunky salsa OR 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes

1 t. ground cumin

4 T. sour cream

2 T. thinly sliced green onion

Combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin in a blender. Blend until fairly smooth.

Heat mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Ladle into 4 individual bowls, and top each serving with 1 T. sour cream and ½ T. green onion. OR serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

Serves 4.

H's Chicken Tacos

2011-01-03T19:20:00.005-06:00

(Measurements? who needs measurements? So sorry--I measured nothing.)

Chicken, cooked and cubed (I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs)

Hatch chili peppers, diced as small as possible (mine were frozen when I chopped them--that might affect things)

Red onion, diced as small as possible (not very much--onion is potent!)

Fresh garlic, diced as small as possible (I used more than it needed--garlic is potent, too)

Butter (not very much at all--probably less than a Tablespoon)

Frozen corn

Black pepper to taste

Cilantro to taste

Finely shredded cheese

Chopped tomatoes

Torn lettuce

Soft taco shells

Cook chicken (I baked it in the oven). Chop peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook onion and peppers in butter until tender; stir in garlic and corn; season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Cook over low heat until corn is hot. Prepare tomatoes and lettuce. Warm tortillas in the oven, if desired. Cube chicken. Serve immediately.

Servings: that depends what quantities of ingredients you use.

Note: If desired, serve with sour cream and/or black olives. If you must.

Note: If you are vegetarian like K, you may substitute beans for the chicken. If you must.

New cook books

2010-12-25T20:28:00.003-06:00

My parents gave me this book for Christmas. When it came out a year ago, I wanted to buy it. But I didn't; and after several months, I forgot about it. Until I opened the package, and there it was! How cool is that?

Additionally, my sister R and her husband gave me this book. Do you know what that means? I had better get cooking!

May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmas cookies bring delight!

WoW

2010-12-22T09:40:00.002-06:00

Try this to make your bank tellers happy: bring a box of homemade goodies for them to share!
The best one was this simple treat:
Brownies baked in mini muffin cups with a Hershey's kiss in the middle!

(I presume that any brownie batter and any flavor of kiss will work.)

Your bank tellers will be thrilled.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-11-11T13:01:00.002-06:00

What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner? Please scroll to the bottom of this blog and answer the poll! If I didn't list your favorite part, leave a comment on this post. Thank you, and come again!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

2010-10-17T18:34:00.003-05:00

Not very cheese-cakey; but these are delicious!

(click on the link)

Best Apple Pie

2010-09-30T20:15:00.005-05:00

CRUST:

1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature (3/4 c.)

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

3-5 T. milk

Using a fork, mix butter with flour and salt until it resembles crumbs. Drizzle in the milk bit by bit, blending with a fork until it just sticks together. (You may not need all the milk.)

Divide the dough in two pieces, one a bit larger than the other, to be the lower crust. Pat the pieces into disc shapes and cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least 20 minutes.

FILLING:

4 c. chopped, peeled apples (about 6 small apples)

3/4 c. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed (1/2 of a 12-oz. can)

2 T. flour

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 420° F. In a large bowl, combine the apples, juice, flour, and cinnamon. Roll out the larger crust and press into a 9" pie plate. Add the apple mixture. Dot with butter bits. Roll out the smaller crust for the top. Moisten the edges of the lower crust with a little water and add the top crust. Press down the edges with a fork or your fingers (or crimp as desired). Make several slits in the top crust. Bake at 420° for 30 minutes; check pie and cover rim with foil if already brown. Reduce oven heat to 335° F and continue baking for about 30 minutes, or until a little juice is coming out of the slits.

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

NOTE: Depending on your apples, this pie might taste a bit sour.

Courtesy of Penzeys Spice catalog

CCMM Cookies

2010-09-07T19:42:00.005-05:00

1/2 c. butter
1 c. butter substitute (I used this because it's cheaper than butter; if you want to use 3 sticks of butter, go right ahead.)

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar

3 T. vanilla (okay so I like a lot of vanilla--the original recipe calls for 2 T.)

3 eggs

5 1/2 c. flour (again, I increased this amount--the original calls for 4 c.)
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. miniature M&M's

Cream butter and butter substitute; cream in sugar, then brown sugar. Continue creaming and add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; fold in chocolate. Cover tightly and refrigerate for two days. (I'm serious: this is important!)

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from refrigeration; allow to warm while oven is heating. When oven is hot and dough is workably warm, drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8-12 minutes; watch carefully to ensure proper baking time. (My first batch was underdone and the next was overdone. And then there were some WAY overdone cookies; and finally the last batch I baked were perfect. But I froze some of my dough, so we'll see how they bake up.)

Yield: 5-8 dozen, depending upon size of cookies--and how much dough you eat while baking them!

Note: K and I made this original recipe together, once upon a time. It inspired this blog post.

Because of Jesus Christ,

Guacamole

2010-08-31T20:24:00.003-05:00

There they were. Strategically placed, beside the tomatoes in the supermarket. Softly whispering my name. And in that moment I realized that I must, must, must buy some avocados to make guacamole. And so was born this recipe--if you can call it that. ;)

3 avocados, with skins and cores removed

1 tomato, chopped finely (approximately--my sister was chopping tomatoes and I used what I thought to be 1 tomato's worth of chopped pieces)

1 c. plain yogurt (again, approximate--I used what was left in the carton, which appeared to be about a cup but might have been less. Sour cream can also be used.)

garlic powder

black pepper

tortilla chips (Hooray for blue corn tortilla chips! So colorful!)

Mash avocados until smooth. Blend in yogurt; add tomato. Season to taste with garlic powder and black pepper. (Also add onion powder and salt if desired.)

Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

My friend J said that she uses avocados and salsa, only, to make guacamole. It really is up to you, and to your personal tastes. (We mixed this guacamole with salsa--also delish.) Also, thanks to M, whom I watched make guacamole and therefore who taught me what to put in it.

And one more note before I leave: use this within two days, because the tomato runs and turns the guacamole brown--ick!

Because of Jesus Christ,

Simple Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie-Bars

2010-08-31T20:22:00.001-05:00

Read my comment on this post to see the modifications necessary to make these bars.

Banana Nut Bread

2010-08-31T19:50:00.006-05:00

This is my new favorite banana bread! It seems that after a while, my stand-by recipe gets old. Then a quest for a new b-bread recipe begins. That may end now. The last search began because my then-present recipe had too many ingredients. So I looked for something simpler, and here it is! This recipe is from ELT, the 1930's cookbook. I didn't change a thing. (I didn't even correct the grammatical errors!)

1/2 c. fat

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 crushed bananas

2 c. whole-wheat flour

1 t. soda

1/4 c. nut meats

Crush bananas and whip until very light. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, then flour, soda and nuts. Add bananas. Turn into a well greased bread pan. Bake in a moderate oven at 350° for 1 hour.

I never used to like nuts in banana bread. But in the spirit of following the recipe precisely, I added them as directed. It was so delicious that way! Although I may add cinnamon next time, this recipe is definitely a keeper.

Because of Jesus Christ,

Happy birthday, MC!

2010-08-14T13:35:00.000-05:00

As of tomorrow, Morsels of Chocolate will be one year old! As we reach this milestone, I must confess a discovery: I do not try new recipes as much as I used to think I did. I thought this blog would be bursting with new recipes every week; but the fact is that I use the same old favorite recipes time and again. When a new recipe is tried, I might like it; but it will probably fall back into obscurity until I have a taste for something different again. As my family knows, the desserts I make the most are variations on the brownies theme. So as MC enters another year, I can't promise more recipes than before. I can only say that I, and K with me, hope you will keep checking back for more--because new recipes will get posted eventually!

Here are some random MC statistics:

*There are two contributors, although one of them rarely posts anything. ;)

*We have seven followers! Although I suspect that in reality, we have only two. At least, we have only two who leave comments. Thank you, Preciosa and Angela, and keep the comments coming!

*There have been around 60 posts, although not all of them are recipes.

*Main dish recipes are rare around here; mostly we post desserts. (But what did you expect, considering our name?)

Because of Jesus Christ,
H

Cake Decorating Idea

2010-08-06T21:14:00.007-05:00

Chilled Cucumber Salad

2010-07-31T22:00:00.002-05:00

2 c. sliced cucumbers (about 2 small cucumbers)

2 thin slices onion, separated into rings (or 1 slice if you dislike onion more than I, or none if you really detest it)

1/4 c. water

1/4 c. white vinegar

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. dill weed

1/4 t. black pepper

1 dash cayenne pepper

Combine water and vinegar; stir in sugar until dissolved. Add dill and peppers. Chill for a few hours or overnight. Wash, peel, and thinly slice cucumbers. Slice onion and separate rings. Place cucumber slices and onion rings in a glass serving bowl; sprinkle with salt. Pour dressing over the top; chill for 30 minutes or until serving time.

Waffle Sandwich

2010-07-24T12:58:00.003-05:00

2 waffles, toasted or fresh off the iron

peanut butter

1 sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

honey

Place one waffle on serving plate. Spread with a thick layer of peanut butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Place second waffle on peanut butter; top with honey. Serve immediately with a tall glass of milk to wash it down. Serves 1.

Any type of nut butter may be used in place of peanut butter. Cream cheese or cream cheese spread may also be used. Pancakes may be used in place of waffles; syrup may be used in place of honey. Any spice may be sprinkled on top; and nuts, fruit, or chocolate chips may be sprinkled on top. Additionally, this may be served as a dessert with Nutella in the middle, and chocolate syrup on the top. The possibilities are limited only to a person's creativity!

The best way to eat a chocolate bar

2010-07-24T12:52:00.004-05:00

I have discovered the best way to eat a chocolate candy bar! Even though it was milk chocolate and not dark, it was delicious. So here is my formula, in three easy steps:

1) Place candy bar in a cooler in the trunk of your car, convincing yourself that even though it is mid-June, the cooler will keep it from melting. (This can also be done in July or August.)

2) Forget about it for 3-4 days.

3) Re-discover your chocolate and savor the melty goodness. It tasted like fudge! =)

On the other hand, there is no wrong way to eat chocolate--except, perhaps, with raspberries.

Announcing.....!!!

2010-07-17T13:37:00.002-05:00

...our first picture with a recipe! It's an old post. It's an old picture. But it's a picture on our boring blog!!!

Colorful Veggie Pasta

2010-07-10T10:23:00.004-05:00

Hello, M of C readers! At long last, I return to the world of blogging. In the time since I last posted, changes have arrived in my food life: namely, I have declared vegetarianism! This both expands and complicates my eating habits. On the one hand, I search out more interesting choices and recipes; on the other, it can be very difficult to find such choices/recipes. For your non-meat-eating pleasure, I present Colorful Veggie Pasta. This was a hit with the carnivores, as well.

Ingredients;
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium-large red pepper
large handful uncooked spaghetti noodles + water for boiling
olive oil
Italian seasoning (basil, rosemary, oregano) to taste
3/4 cup or to taste shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese (could probably substitute grated Parmesan)

Instructions:
Boil water for pasta; add pasta when water reaches rolling boil. (You may want to add a little oil to the edge of the water to keep it from boiling over.)
Meantime, cut up vegetables into roughly quarter-size pieces. Sautee in saucepan with a little olive oil until tender (I like them to still have just the tiniest bit of crunch).
Drain and rinse cooked pasta. Add vegetables, Italian seasoning and cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
Serve warm.

--K

Citrus-ade

2010-07-07T10:10:00.003-05:00

Lemonade--but with limes and oranges! So refreshing in the summer!

6 lemons
5 limes
5 oranges (unless they are very large; adjust numbers according to taste)
4 c. water
2-2 1/2 c. sugar (to taste)

Squeeze the juice from oranges, limes, and 5 lemons. Remove any seeds. (Do not strain out pulp, unless you don't like it; in which case you might as well buy powdered "lemonade" from the store.) Add water; stir in sugar to taste until it dissolves. Chill and/or serve over ice. Slice remaining lemon; garnish each glass with a lemon wedge.
Makes approximately 6 servings; maybe 7-8 depending on glass size.

Editor's note: I used only 3 oranges, because they were enormous. Again, all amounts may be adjusted according to your tastes.

Cheesecake Bars

2010-06-21T20:37:00.003-05:00

1/3 c. butter

1 c. flour

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. chopped nuts (SO yummy with hickory nuts!)

chocolate chips*

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 t. vanilla

8 0z. softened cream cheese

2 T. milk

1 T. lemon juice

chocolate syrup*

Cream butter with brown sugar in a small mixing bowl; add flour and nuts; mix to make a crumb mixture. Reserve 1 c. for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom of an 8"-square pan.

Place sugar, egg, vanilla, cream cheese, milk, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Mix well and beat until creamy. Pour over crust. Add chocolate chips (to taste) to remaining crumb mixture; sprinkle evenly over filling.

Bake at 350° F. for 12-15 minutes. Drizzle chocolate syrup over the top in a pretty zig-zag. Cool completely; chill for a day or two before cutting into bars and serving.

*Chocolate was not originally a part of this recipe. I added it because the bars sounded boring without. But if you don't like chocolate, feel free to leave it out--but then, if you don't like chocolate, why are you reading my blog?

Almond-Cherry Cake

2010-05-31T20:45:00.002-05:00

1 c. softened butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract (I think; I sort of forgot how much I actually put.)
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. almond meal/flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 can cherry pie filling

Chocolate chips (optional, but recommended)

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar; add eggs and beat well. Sift dry ingredients, except almond flour, in a separate bowl. Stir in almond flour. (The almond flour will get stuck in your sifter. Most of it will go through, but there will be larger pieces that do not. You can still try it if you wish--but consider yourself warned.) Add to egg mixture and beat until well-blended. (Dough is thick.) Spread half of the dough in a greased 9"x13" pan. Top with pie filling (and a sprinkling of chocolate chips); spread remaining dough over filling. (This step is difficult; I had to use two spoons and kind of stretch it over the filling.) Bake 45 minutes or until done. While cake is warm, spread with powdered sugar icing to form a glaze. (I mixed a drop or two of almond extract into my glaze.)

This cake was originally called "Cherry Slices." Adding almond flour and flavoring was my idea. If you don't like almond, but do like cherry, the original recipe calls for 3 c. flour and nothing almond at all. Also, the chocolate chips were my own addition--because, as we all know, everything is better with chocolate. =)

Super-easy Cream Cheese Bagel Spread

2010-05-20T20:17:00.002-05:00

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 T. honey, or to taste

cinnamon (optional)

vanilla (optional)

Beat cream cheese with a fork until smooth. Blend in honey to taste. Add cinnamon or vanilla, if desired.

Spread on bagels, toast, crackers, fruit, or anything else with which it would be yummy. =) (Chocolate pancakes, anyone?)

Chocolate Pancakes

2010-05-18T20:32:00.003-05:00

But of course! Why did I not think of this before???

It's as easy as adding cocoa powder (as much or as little as desired) to the dry part of your pancake recipe. Also you might want to add a little extra milk to compensate for the extra dryness.

Serve with syrup, peanut butter, honey, or whatever else you like to have with pancakes!

Sometimes, mess-ups are best

2010-04-30T15:08:00.002-05:00

Otherwise known as Chilled Strawberry Soup!

I took my grape salad recipe and thought that it would be delicious with strawberries--especially since strawberries were on sale! But I decided to try using plain yogurt instead of sour cream. The result was a very liquid, but delicious, dish. So I am sharing the results of my "bad idea" with you!

8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. plain yogurt (can use strawberry, but you might wish to reduce sugar)
1/2 c. to 1 c. white sugar
1 t. vanilla
approximately 2 lbs. strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
1 banana
pecans

Beat cream cheese and yogurt until blended; add sugar according to your taste. Blend in vanilla. Fold in strawberries. Cover and chill overnight, or all day if you wish to serve with supper. Slice banana and fold in. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top and serve.

Note: if you combined everything right before serving, it would probably be salad consistency. :)

Thank you, and come again!

Deep, Dark, Chocolate Cake

2010-04-21T09:16:00.008-05:00

This is traditionally our family's birthday cake, every time someone turns a year older. It is dark, rich, and moist--and decidedly better than any store-bought or box-mix cake! The first picture is this cake this year, and the second is the cake with no decoration. The third picture is this cake a few years ago, decorated with whole almonds, slivered almonds, and chocolate stars.

1 3/4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. cocoa
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. baking powder
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. shortening
2 t. vanilla
1 c. boiling water

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients except water; beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Remove from mixer; stir in boiling water. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into two greased and floured 9x9" layer pans, one greased and floured 9x13" cake pan, or papered cupcake pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes for layers; 35-40 minutes for sheet cake and 12-15 minutes at 400° for cupcakes. Cool completely; frost with Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

Grandma's cookin'

2010-03-30T09:44:00.003-05:00

I just don't get it. She does everything wrong, according to the "experts." She doesn't measure everything carefully. She doesn't follow recipes precisely. Yet, my Grandma's pizza is the stuff of legends. If food could be divine, her rolls would be. Her fudge is a definition. Grandma's cooking is proof that a grandmother's touch is more important than all the rules in the books.
And so, my fellow novices, there is hope for you and me: when we are grandmothers, perhaps our food will be legendary as well.

Quick, Creamy Chocolate Pudding

2010-03-25T21:20:00.003-05:00

Otherwise known as apologies for not posting anything recently. =)

2/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa

6 T. cornstarch

2 1/4 c. milk

2 T. butter

1 t. vanilla

Combine sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir for one minute. Remove from heat and blend in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual serving dishes, or one large glass bowl. Carefully press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill at least one hour, or until thickened. Garnish with whipped topping and nuts, if desired. Makes 4 or 5 large servings.

I will add that if you don't cook this long enough, it will not thicken. Also, what is listed here is twice the cornstarch listed in the original recipe, because I can never thicken my pudding.

P.S. This is double the chocolate from the original recipe, because we like it dark at my house. :)

Yogurt Pancakes

2010-03-08T17:53:00.005-06:00

2 c. flour

1/4 c. cream of wheat cereal, uncooked

1/4 c. quick oatmeal, uncooked

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. yogurt*

1 c. sour milk or buttermilk

2 eggs

1/8 c. oil

*plain yogurt, preferably. I used strawberry yogurt, and the results were sweet, yet dry, pancakes. Dry as in drown-in-syrup dry; yet sweet as in don't-need-syrup sweet. On the other hand, these might be very good made with blueberry yogurt.

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine wet ingredients separately. Add the wet to the dry; mix, but not thoroughly. (You may add cinnamon, chocolate chips, fruit, or nuts, if desired.) Cook as you would cook any other pancakes.

Perhaps it's just because I'm mastering the method of frying them; but these were the best scratch pancakes that I have ever made!

Sloppy Joes

2010-02-26T18:40:00.003-06:00

This recipe comes from my Aunt B.

1 lb. ground beef

2 T. chopped onion

1/3 c. water

1/2 c. ketchup

2 t. paprika

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1-2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. salt

1 t. sugar

1/4 t. pepper

Brown ground beef with onion; drain. Simmer with remaining ingredients for 20 minutes. Serve on buns.

(Untested) Delicious-looking recipe

2010-02-17T11:35:00.003-06:00

I ought to have posted this when I discovered it over a month ago!

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/thick-rich-hot-cocoa-recipe

Speedy Fruit Salad

2010-02-17T09:06:00.001-06:00

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

1 lb seedless grapes, halved*

3 bananas, peeled and sliced

1 8-oz. container strawberry yogurt (or flavor of your choice)

*fresh blueberries may be substituted--my preference at least

Combine and serve. Serves 12

Spanish Rice

2010-02-16T21:11:00.003-06:00

My mother's recipe. =)

Combine in saucepan:

3 c. water

2 c. brown rice, rinsed

2 T. chicken broth powder

Bring water to boiling; reduce to simmer and cook without removing the lid until rice is soft, at least 45 minutes.

Add:

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

1/2 T. chili powder

1 t. garlic powder

Stir. Serve immediately, or keep warm stirring frequently to prevent scorching. This is delicious served with red beans as a side dish to chicken.

Strawberry Brownies

2010-02-16T20:54:00.002-06:00

Although the flavor is not overtly strawberry, these brownies are moist and delicious.

1/2 c. flour

3/8 c. (6 T.) cocoa powder

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

3/8 c. strawberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8"-square pan. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In a 1 1/2 qt. saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in sugar with a wire whisk. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in preserves and vanilla, whisking until thoroughly combined. With a flat spoon, stir in flour mixture just until blended.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted 2 inches from edge comes out almost clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack; cut into bars.

Simple Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-16T20:45:00.006-06:00

Whew! The name takes longer to type than the cookies take to eat! =)

1 c. peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

1 large egg

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 pinch baking powder

1 c. miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325° F. Mix all ingredients until blended. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen

Note: these cookies crumble easily.

Edited:

A few notes after baking these for the second time:

*I had to bake the cookies for about 16-18 minutes instead of 8-10. They were small, but I had made balls of dough. Perhaps they should be flattened before baking.

*A splash of vanilla increases the yumminess value of these cookies.

*Do not substitute honey for sugar. I tried this to see if the cookies held together better than usual. The result was far too soft, and I had to add flour--which defeats the purpose of flourless cookies. On the other hand, part honey and part sugar might be perfect.

P.S. It was not an accident that left the flour out of the ingredients list. These cookies are basically peanut butter and sugar, held together by egg! Delicious!

Mouthwatering Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-09T12:51:00.003-06:00

I had these for the first time this semester, courtesy of one of my professors. They are now my favorite cookie! It's been a long time since I've posted (fortunately H has been keeping up quite well), and I thought this would be an excellent way to get back to the blog.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup shortening (softened)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp (at least) grated orange rind
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips (or 1 cup choc. chips, 3/4 cup English walnuts)

Directions: Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and grated orange rind; beat until smooth. Mix soda into sour cream and add. Add flour w/baking powder and salt. Stir until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes until bottom edge begins to brown.

Glaze:
1 1/2 tsp. (at least) grated orange rind
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup granulated sugar
Mix all ingredients to a thin paste.

Remove cookies from baking sheet while still hot and immediately drizzle glaze over top so it drips down and all over the cookies (cookies must be hot for this!).

Note: More orange is better. 2-3 large oranges should produce enough zest and possibly enough juice as well if you don't have orange juice around.

Enjoy!
K

Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars

2010-01-08T21:23:00.002-06:00

Athough I have not made them in a long time, these used to be my favorite bar cookies--even more than brownies! They are very soft, and they are way better without nuts.

1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 T. water
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 c. coconut
6 oz. chocolate chips

Melt butter in a saucepan and remove from heat. Add sugars and blend. Add water, egg, and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in flour and baking powder. When well-blended, add remaining ingredients. Stir lightly to combine. Pour into greased 9" pan and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. Cool into pan and cut into bars. Or, eat warm--they're really yummy that way. =)

Grape Salad

2010-01-08T21:20:00.003-06:00

2 lb. grapes
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 c. white sugar
1 t. vanilla
brown sugar
pecans

Beat cream cheese and sour cream; blend in white sugar and vanilla. Fold in grapes. Place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle brown sugar and pecans on top.

Serve chilled.

This recipe was given me by my boss.

Easy Lasagna

2010-01-08T21:07:00.002-06:00

8 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 lb. ground beef
4 c. spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. water
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. sugar
2 c. small curd cottage cheese
3 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef and drain excess fat. Add spaghetti sauce, water, seasoning, and sugar. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. In a 9x13" casserole dish, layer 1/3 of the sauce, 1/2 of the uncooked lasagna noodles, 1 c. cottage cheese, and 1/3 of the Mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with sauce and remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes. Remove foil and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with hot garlic bread. This is also good served with a salad.

Delicious Cinnamon Coffee Cake

2010-01-05T19:46:00.002-06:00

Thanks to my cousin, M, and her mother, Aunt S, for this recipe.

1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. oil
1 t. vanilla
2 beaten eggs
1 c. buttermilk*
2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
4 T. sugar
2 t. cinnamon

*If you have no buttermilk, place 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add sweet milk to the 1 c. line. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the milk to sour.

Preheat oven to 325°. Mix 1 1/4 c. sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk. Sift and add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix 4 T. sugar and 2 t. cinnamon. Set aside. Spread half of batter in a greased and floured 9"x13" pan. Sprinkle half of cinnamon mixture over batter. Spread with remaining batter and then the rest of the cinnamon mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes. (Do not overbake.)
When cake is done, if desired, use a fork to poke holes at intervals. Pour icing over the top.

Icing:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
hot water

Add hot water to make a thin icing. Pour over the cake while hot.

Note: icing makes this coffee cake very sweet. With icing it would make a better dessert than breakfast!

Easy Biscuits

2010-01-05T19:21:00.005-06:00

2 c. flour
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3-4 T. shortening
2/3-3/4 c. buttermilk*

Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Sift dry ingredients; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk all at once; stir only until dough follows fork around bowl. Pinch off a small portion of dough; roll into a ball and flatten slightly with your hand. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 450° for 12-15 minutes. Serve piping hot with butter and honey, under gravy, or alongside soup or stew.

*If you have no buttermilk, place 2 t. vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and add milk to the 2/3 c. line. Set aside to sour for 5 minutes.

Note: odd as it sounds, these are delicious made with whole wheat flour!

Hmmm....

2010-01-05T18:49:00.002-06:00

...What happened to K? Truth is, I'm wondering that myself. Did you fall off the face of the Internet, my friend?

Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

2009-12-31T11:59:00.002-06:00

A sweet version of the party favorite.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 t. vanilla
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 t. brown sugar
3/4 c. miniature chocolate chips
3/4 c. chopped pecans*
Chocolate graham crackers**

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually beat in sugars; fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate in a covered bowl for 2 hours. Shape into a ball. Chill another hour. Roll in chopped pecans.* Serve with chocolate graham crackers.**

*It's better if you roll it in additional miniature chocolate chips.
**Can use regular graham crackers if desired.

Cheese Ball

2009-12-31T11:37:00.004-06:00

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened slightly
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 (1 oz.) envelope vegetable soup mix
Seasonings to taste, possibly including but not limited to black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, etc.
Crackers

Mash cream cheese with a fork. Beat in soup mix, cheddar, and seasonings. Form a ball, return to bowl, and cover. Chill for at least an hour. Roll in fresh chopped parsley leaves. Serve with butter round or wheat crackers.

NOTE: Preferably, chill the cheeseball overnight, so the flavors can mellow and blend.
Also, parsley does not like to stick to the cheeseball. However, it looks pretty with parsley on it. =)

Peanut Butter Sandwiches

2009-12-10T21:12:00.004-06:00

Question time again! What do you like to have with peanut butter sandwiches? (Oh--you don't like peanut butter? I'll forgive you.) Here are a few of my favorites:

Cinnamon
Strawberry preserves
Grape jam
Honey
Raisins
Cinnamon and raisins

Fantasy Fudge

2009-12-10T20:51:00.003-06:00

My Grandma makes this every year around this time. Hers is the best in the world!
3 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter or margarine
2/3 c. (5 1/3 oz. can) evaporated milk
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz. chocolate almond bark
1 (7-oz.) jar marshmallow creme
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 t. vanilla

Grease a 9"x13" pan. Measure chocolate (prepare nuts) and have chocolate, marshmallow creme, (nuts,) and vanilla ready to add to your fudge. (This will make the process flow more smoothly, and the final results will be better.) Also, place a small cup of cold water near the stove.
Combine sugar, butter, and milk in a heavy 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 4 minutes until 234°, or soft ball stage, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. (Drop a small amount of the sugar mixture into the water, and try to form a soft ball with a spoon. When a soft ball forms, remove mixture from heat.) If you like very firm fudge, cook slightly longer--no more than a minute.
Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Add remaining ingredients; beat until well-blended.
Pour into prepared pan. Cool at room temperature. Cut into pieces.

Almond Oatmeal Granola

2009-12-10T20:37:00.003-06:00

5 c. uncooked old-fashioned oatmeal
1 c. steel-cut oats (I used 6 c. regular oatmeal. Is there a difference between steel-cut oats and old-fashioned oatmeal?)
1 c. almond slivers
1 c. coconut
1 pkg dried cherries (I used less and it seems like plenty)
1/2 c. almond oil (not having any of this, I used a few drops of almond extract with vegetable oil)
1/2 c. honey
3/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300°F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together oatmeal, oats, almond slivers, and coconut; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together almond oil, honey, and cinnamon; add to oat mixture and mix well.
Spread granola in a large greased baking pan and bake 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes.
Add cherries after baking--otherwise they will be hard, dry chunks.
Cool completely; store in an airtight container. Serve with yogurt, fresh fruit, or milk.
Makes 16 servings, 1/2 c. each.

Chocolate Upside-Down Cake

2009-11-29T22:38:00.002-06:00

It has been too long since anything chocolate appeared on this blog. And while we're making upside-down cakes, what could be better than a chocolate variety?

2 T. melted butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 T. cocoa powder
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. nuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients; spread in a greased 6"x 9" or 8"x 8" pan. Mix and pour the following over batter:

1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 T. cocoa powder
1 T. cornstarch
1 c. hot water

Bake for 45 minutes. Serve upside down. (This upside-down cake should not be inverted onto a plate as a whole.)

Apple Upside-Down Cake

2009-11-20T20:27:00.003-06:00

1/4 c. butter or other fat
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. sifted flour
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. milk
2-4 firm-fleshed apples
2 t. cinnamon, mixed with 1/4 c. sugar
Hard sauce* or whipped cream

Cream the fat while adding sugar, well-beaten egg, and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; add alternately with milk to the first mixture. Spread a thick coating of fat on the bottom and sides of a glass baking dish or a very heavy pan (8-inch). Pare, quarter, and slice the apples thin. Spread in an overlapping layer on the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Pour cake batter over the apples. The batter is very thick and may need to be smoothed on top with a knife. Bake in a very moderate oven (300°-325°) for 45 minutes. Loosen sides of the cake; turn it out carefully, upside-down; and the top will be covered with a neat layer of transparent apples. (Apparently you're not supposed to use Jonathans. I did and my "transparent" apples were pinkish.) Serve hot with hard sauce* or whipped cream.

*What is hard sauce? Really, does anyone know? Because there was no recipe for it in this cookbook, and I have never heard of it. =)

Onion-Ranch Dip

2009-11-16T16:09:00.007-06:00

This recipe was born of forgetfulness, necessity, and an internet query. Oh, and an ingenious idea from my sister, P.

1 pkg. onion soup mix
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. plain yogurt
ranch dressing
milk
black pepper to taste

Blend cream cheese and soup mix with a fork. Gradually blend in yogurt; add ranch dressing/milk for flavor and thinning until desired consistency is acheived. Stir in black pepper to taste. Cover and chill overnight or several hours for the flavors to blend.

Serve with vegetables, crackers, chips, etc.

Fresh Applesauce

2009-11-08T20:27:00.003-06:00

8 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (Jonathan apples work well)
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
juice of 1/2 lemon (or a few drops of orange juice)
1 t. vanilla extract
water

Place apples in a 5-quart pot. Add sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add just enough water to cover half the apples (to prevent a watery sauce).
Bring apples to boiling; reduce heat and simmer until apples are soft.
Hand-blend or mash apples to desired consistency (I just mashed gently with a fork--I wanted chunky sauce). Serve warm or cold.

This sauce is delicious served over pancakes! It is also delicious warm on vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin Pudding

2009-11-08T20:10:00.004-06:00

1 15-oz. can pumpkin
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
2 t. cinnamon
8-12 oz. whipping cream or evaporated milk*

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix ingredients in the order given. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Stir with a fork; cool completely and chill. Stir again before serving if necessary. Garnish with ground cinnamon, if desired.

*I used 12 oz. whipping cream, but the cream flavor was somewhat strong. However, 8 oz. might not be quite enough. Evaporated milk may be used instead of cream.

To make pumpkin pie:
Prepare, but do not bake, a 9" pie crust. Prepare filling as above; pour into crust. Bake as directed, but probably only 45 minutes at 350. Skip stirring. ;)

The above recipe for pudding was adapted from a pumpkin pie recipe.

1930's Recipes

2009-11-08T19:20:00.005-06:00

My Grandma handed me a cookbook this weekend. It was compiled by the uncle of a distant relative. In the front of the cookbook is some history about threshing and the days when farmers depended upon their neighbors to help with their harvest. It also talks about the food women cooked for their threshing neighbors. The recipes are from his grandmother, mother, and aunts.

There is just something about family recipes that excites me. Even though it's not my family--I'm looking forward to trying some of these recipes! One thing I love about this cookbook: since the recipes are from the 1930's and earlier, this is real cooking. No boxed mixes involved. It has the feel of a pioneer cookbook or something!

After I use some of these recipes, they may appear here. Two of the things that sound yummy are Apple Upside-Down Cake, and Blueberry Dumplings. It's going to be fun!

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

2009-11-04T17:02:00.003-06:00

K, the next time your neighbor gives you ripe bananas, you can do this with your pancakes! =D

1 1/4 c. flour
1 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/4 c. milk
1 small ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 c.)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla extract
1/3 c. miniature chocolate chips, divided

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. After thoroughly mixing, stir in milk, banana, egg, and vanilla. Fold in 1/4 c. chocolate chips. Grease nonstick skillet or griddle; heat over medium heat. Pour batter onto griddle making 3-inch rounds. Cook about 2 minutes, or until tops are bubbly; flip and cook another 2 minutes, or until golden. Prepare remaining pancakes, adding more grease to griddle with each batch. Place on individual plates and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Yeild: approximately 4 servings.

Rosemary

2009-10-29T14:06:00.003-05:00

I've discovered a new favorite spice: rosemary! It compliments chicken wonderfully! Thank you, Aunt S, for 'planting' the idea in my head. ;)

Fall Favorites

2009-10-25T19:20:00.003-05:00

It's time to see if our followers really follow this blog. =)

Question time: What is your favorite fall food? Please post a recipe for it in your comment.

Some of my fall favorites include:
Apple Crisp (already posted)
Sweet Potato Casserole (I don't have a recipe for it. I just love to eat it.)
Pumpkin Pie (recipe might follow some day)
Pumkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Potato Cheese Soup (the recipe is sure to end up on here someday)

Stuffed Apple

2009-10-23T19:01:00.003-05:00

This is delicious! The idea came from my cousin M.

1 apple
2 T. peanut butter (approximately)

Wash apple and remove the core. Fill it with peanut butter. (If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon.) Serve immediately. Serves 1.

Whipped Cream

2009-10-19T22:08:00.002-05:00

A sister at church, C, has got me hooked on homemade whipped cream. She was kind enough to tell me her recipe; and I am sharing it with you. =) This stuff is waaaay better than non-dairy whipped topping!

1 c. (1/2 pint carton) heavy whipping cream
2 T. (1/8 c.) sugar
1/4-3/4 t. vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in mixer bowl. Beat with electric beaters until thick.

Note: sugar and vanilla amounts may be adjusted to taste.

Apple Crisp

2009-10-19T22:02:00.003-05:00

Cooler weather, colorful leaves, clear blue skies. . .it's definitely October, and time for apple crisp!

5 c. sliced, pared apples
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. quick oats
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter

Arrange apples in a buttered 9-inch pie plate. Combine brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Press mixture over apples. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 45-50 minutes or until top is browned. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie-Brownies

2009-10-12T21:42:00.004-05:00

Inspired by Betty Crocker*

Walking through the grocery store one day, I caught sight of a box of Betty Crocker brownie mix. But it was no ordinary brownie mix. It had a pouch of chocolate chip cookie mix inside the box as well. The idea was to prepare both batters separately, then drop the cookie dough on top of the brownie batter. I was instantly intrigued. But, refusing to go the simple route and buy the mix, I resolved to develop my own scratch recipe for these delicious-sounding cookie bars. Weeks passed, and I was too busy to try making a new recipe. But the idea did not leave me. Finally, more than a month after my eyes fell upon the mix in the store, I determined to begin the experiment. Success met me with the first attempt; and here is the resulting recipe:

Brownie layer:
½ c. flour
2/3 c. cocoa powder
¼ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
½ t. vanilla
½ c. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8x12” baking dish (9x13” might work as well, but you will have thinner bars). Line pan with foil; grease foil. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Beat eggs in a small or medium mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar and vanilla; beat well. Blend in melted butter. Gradually add cocoa mixture until well-blended.
Spread batter in prepared pan.

Cookie top:
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar, packed
½ c. butter
2-3 t. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/3 c. flour
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream sugars, butter, egg, and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoon on top of brownies; gently spread with a spoon if desired. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden-brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack; gently remove from pan by lifting edges of foil. Cut into bars.

*Betty Crocker is a registered trademark of General Mills Corporation

A Fun Idea...

2009-10-12T14:49:00.002-05:00

(This idea was given to me by my boss.)

-Prepare your favorite batch of from-scratch brownie batter (or use a mix if you must).
-Spread half the batter in a prepared baking pan.
-Lay dark chocolate bars over batter.
-Top with remaining batter and bake as usual.

Yummy!

A Scripture verse about food...

2009-09-18T14:09:00.001-05:00

"Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them."
~I Corinthians 6:13

Mexican Lasagna

2009-09-18T13:56:00.004-05:00

Okay, so there is no chocolate involved in this recipe. But it is a wonderful dinner to precede chocolate!

8 medium flour tortillas
1 1/2 to 2 lb. ground beef
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chili beans
1 can chili-ready diced tomatoes
4 c. shredded cheese (Chedder/Monterey Jack/Mozzarella/Colby-Jack)

Chop pepper and onion, and cook with ground beef while browning it. Drain fat; add soup, beans, and tomatoes. Heat until warmed. Tear 4 tortillas and place in bottom of a greased 13x9-inch dish. Place half of meat mixture on top of tortillas, then half of cheese. Repeat layer using remainder of ingredients. Bake at 350 degreese for 20-25 minutes.
This can also be prepared ahead of time and baked right before serving.

Mocha Truffle Cookies

2009-09-11T23:16:00.002-05:00

My most popular recipe to date.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
OPTIONAL 1 Tablespoon instant coffee crystals (my family doesn't like coffee; the cookies are still amazing without it)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
In large saucepan melt margarine/butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips over low heat (can also be microwaved). Remove from heat. Stir in coffee crystals (OPTIONAL). Cool 5 minutes. Stir in sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Mix cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 F. for about 10 minutes (not nearly as good if overbaked). Let cool 1 minute and remove from sheet.
These only make maybe 3 dozen; if they won't be eaten in 2-3 days, refrigerate or freeze--they dry out quickly.

--K

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

2009-09-07T15:07:00.003-05:00

1 prepared 9" chocolate pie crust (oreo cookie, chocolate graham cracker, etc.)
1 1/2 c. real chocolate chips
1/2 c. white sugar
11 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 c. whipped topping
extra whipped topping and shaved chocolate for garnish

Melt chocolate chips over low heat in saucepan, stirring frequently, until smooth. Set aside. In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and butter until smooth. (If you wish to do this by hand, you ought to start it sooner; because the chocolate will cool too fast, and you will have chocolate-chunk cheesecake! Trust me--I speak from experience.) On low speed, blend in melted chocolate. Fold in whipped topping until blended. Spoon filling into crust. Cover and chill until firm. Garnish with whipped topping and shaved chocolate.

Blueberry-Banana Muffins

2009-09-03T09:46:00.002-05:00

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. quick oats
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 to 3/4 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Place paper liners in 16-18 muffin tins. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and soda; stir in oatmeal. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla; beat until bubbly. Stir blueberries into flour mixture. Mash bananas and add to liquid mixture. Add flour mixture to liquid mixture and gently stir until dry ingredients are moist. Fill prepared muffin tins 2/3 full. If desired, sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove to wire rack to cool.
Yeild: I always get 17 muffins out of this.
Note: If desired, substitute chocolate chips for the blueberries. =)

Why stir the blueberries into the dry ingredients? I've read that it keeps them from turning the muffins green with their juice. If you wish to add them to the wet ingredients, or add them after combining everything else, go right ahead and do so. It probably doesn't matter. =D

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

2009-08-30T17:46:00.004-05:00

For discovering this recipe, I give the credit to my older sister, R, who loves to eat it from the bowl. =D

Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Ingredients for 1 c. frosting OR 2 c. frosting (bold face):
butter, oil, or margarine: 3 T. 1/3 c.
cocoa powder: 2 T. 3 T. (light flavor) 1/4 c. 1/3 c. (medium flavor) or 1/2 c. 2/3 c. (dark flavor)
confectioners' sugar: 1 1/3 c. 2 2/3 c.
milk: 2-3 T. 1/3 c.
vanilla: 1/2 t. 1 t.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add amount of cocoa for flavor you prefer. Heat just until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly until smooth. Pour into small mixing bowl and cool completely. (Skip boiling if you use oil.) Add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating to spread consisitency. Blend in vanilla.

One cup frosts an 8" or 9" square or round cake or the top of a 9" x 13" cake. Two cups fills and frosts an 8" or 9" two-layer cake or 30 cupcakes.

Lazy Woman's Cake

2009-08-30T17:34:00.004-05:00

This cake is super easy! Aside from being almost mess-free, it is also egg-free and dairy-free. =)

Lazy Woman's Cake
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 c. cocoa
2 heaping t. soda
Mix all dry ingredients in a 9" x 13" cake pan.
Add:
1 c. oil
1 T. vanilla
2 T. vinegar
2 c. cold water.
Mix with a fork or whisk. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Notes:
-I mix this in a bowl, because in a shallow pan it is easy to spill while mixing.
-The original recipe calls for 5 tablespoons of cocoa, but as a dark chocolate lover, I increased the amount considerably.
-Since this is not chocolate chip cookies, it is okay to use all vegetable oil. ;)
-If desired, add a dash of cinnamon to the dry ingredients.

Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Word to the Wise

2009-08-20T10:47:00.002-05:00

Don't make them with all vegetable oil (no butter or shortening). And don't use chocolate-flavored chips! Trust us. Just don't.
-H & K