Crazy Cake

2 sticks butter (1 c)
1/4 c cocoa
1 c water
Combine all above and heat to boiling.
Pour over:

2 c sugar and 2 c flour
Mix together
Add 1/2 c buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
1 t soda
1 t vanilla

Pour into greased cookie sheet (14 x 20) Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Make frosting during last 5-10 minutes of baking to immediately pour onto hot cake.

Frosting:
1 stick butter (1/2 c)
1/4 c cocoa
5-6 T milk
4 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2 c nuts, chopped tiny

Combine butter, cocoa, and milk in saucepan and bring to boil.  Remove from heat and add sugar and vanilla.  Beat well and pour over hot cake.  Sprinkle with nuts.

Mexican Chicken and Black Beans

1-2 c cooked shredded chicken
1 c water
2 c instant rice
1 c salsa
1 can black beans (or pinto)
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Place all but cheese in pan and stir to moisten all rice. Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and cook 5-7 minutes.

Serve with lots of toppings: avocado, olives, diced tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, diced green onions, more cheese . . . .  Very good scooped up with chips.

You can also use raw chicken (tenders work best) with the following adjustment.  Put raw chicken, water, salsa and taco seasoning in pan and cover, cook 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in middle.  Break apart with wooden spoon then follow as outlined above, adding a little more water if needed to moisten all rice.

French Onion Soup

4 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt 2 large red onions, thinly sliced 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced 1 box chicken broth 1  can beef broth 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Few shakes of parsley flakes  bay leaf 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 5-6 thick slices French or Italian bread 10-12 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature 4 pinches paprika

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.

Mix chicken broth, beef broth, parsley, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.

Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.

Arrange 5-6 oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.

Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!

Cake Mix Cookies

1 box cake mix (we like chocolate varieties best)
2 eggs
1/3 c oil

Mix well--it's takes a bit of muscle, but comes out in the end.  Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375.

Varieties: Sprinkle powdered sugar over them when fresh and hot out of the oven.
Add chips, peanut butter or mint are great!
Put two cookies together with vanilla frosting or vanilla frosting with a dash of peppermint extract to make homemade Oreos.  YUM!

Race Cake

1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 bottle of caramel

Cool Whip

crushed Skor bar

Make cake according to box directions. When hot out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with handle of wooden spoon (or chopsticks work well). Pour milk and caramel over top of hot cake. Let cool. Frost with cool whip, garnish with crushed candy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

4 C Soup

from Chris Martin

Carrots

Cauliflower

Chicken Broth

Cream

Peel and chunk the carrots. Place in pot with cauliflower and enough chicken broth to almost cover. Cook until tender. Blend in blender (might take 2 batches). Return to pot, add a bit of cream and warm, do not boil. It is SO delicious and highly nutritious. You can make a big pot. save a bunch in the fridge and warm up a mugful for a cold winter's day lunch.

Note: If you want to make it 5 C soup, add a dash of curry.

Shredded Pork

4 lbs. pork roast or tenderloin

1 can beef broth or can of coke

1 bottle of barbecue sauce (We like Sweet Baby Ray's)

Place pork and broth/soda in crock pot and cook on high for several hours. 1 hour before serving, remove pork and shred it in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour sauce over shredded pork and mix in. Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes. Serve on rolls or tacos or in a salad. Delicious!

Tip: f you want more meat for more people or leftovers, just increase meat poundage and add another bottle of sauce.

Curt Martin's Cookies

Mix:

1 Cup of butter

½ C sugar

¾ C Brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

Mix:

2 ½ C flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Blend liquid with dry until smooth, add 1-2 cups chocolate chips

Bake for 11 minutes @ 350

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour


1 tsp salt 


1 tsp baking soda


1 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp nutmeg 


1/2 tsp clove 


1 tsp ground ginger


1/ 2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature 


1 cup brown sugar 


1/2 cup sugar 


1 egg, room temperature


15 oz can of pure pumpkin


1-2 tsp vanilla extract 


orange zest of one medium orange

(optional) 
1-2 cups chocolate chips

Step 1:Preheat oven to 375F.

Step 2: Sift together (or whisk in small bowl) flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger together and set aside.

Step 3: Beat butter, brown sugar and sugar together in a large mixer bowl.

Step 4: Add pumpkin and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Then add egg and beat well until fully incorporated.

Step 5: Gradually (I do it in 3 batches) beat in flour mixture.

Step 6: Stir in chocolate chips.

Step 7:Drop rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Step 8: Bake for 13-15 minutes until edges start to brown. Remove from oven and cool on racks