Never Fail Chocolate Cake
a la Mom

1/2 c shortening
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 T vinegar
2 t soda
1/2 t salt
6 T cocoa
2 1/2 c flour
1 c boiling water

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add vinegar to milk. Sift together dry ingredients. Alternate milk with dry ingredients to creamy sugar. Mix well. Add the boiling water. Stir in well. Batter will be very thin, but don't add more flour.
Bake 350 for 45-55 minutes. I love using a bundt pan!

Baked Chocolate Frosting

6 T canned milk
4 T cocoa
1 cube butter (1/2 c)
1 t vanilla
4 c powdered sugar
1 c nuts, optional

Boil milk, butter and cocoa in a heavy pan until bubbly. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla, sugar and nuts until smooth. Pour over a hot cake. Eat the rest with your fingers, and try to stop before you feel sick!

Granola
a la Karrie Wilson

1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 c honey
1/2 c sugar
5 c old fashioned oats
1 c sunflower seeds
1 c almonds, chopped or whole
1 c dried cranberries
1 T flour
dash of salt

Heat oven to 325. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Place the butter, honey and sugar in a pot and cook over medium-low heat until melted, about 3 minutes, and remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine oats, seeds, almonds, cranberries, flour and salt.
Add the butter mixture to the oat mixture, stir until just combined. Pour onto prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Gently stir 2 or 3 times during cooking time.
Cool completely, the store in an airtight container.

My Kids' Favorite Granola
a la brittney

Put one cup of almonds in the blender and blend and pour into a bowl. Then take another cup of almonds and just chop in the blender for a second so they r still chunky and add that to the bowl. Stir in 6 cups of oats, 1 tsp salt, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 cup coconut (optional), and I always add some wheat germ (optional..about 2/3 cup).
Then in a microwave safe bowl microwave 6 tablespoons of coconut oil and 2/3 cup honey for 40 seconds. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla (you can also add almond extract if you have it) and pour over the bowl mix and stir. Spread on 2 cookies sheets with parchment paper or waxed paper and bake at 350 for 5 min then stir and bake 5 more min. After cooled u can freeze some of it in bags. They love it on yogurt or with milk... easy breakfast.

Mystery Pecan Pie
a la Paula Deen

Topping:
3 eggs
1/4 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1 t vanilla

Pie:
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temp
1/3 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 un-baked deep-dish 9 in pie shell
1 1/4 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
whisk topping ingredients until well combined. set aside.
in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla and egg until smooth. pour into pie shell. top with chopped pecans. pour topping over pecans. bake for 45 minutes. allow to cool completely before serving.

Monster Cookies
a la the Pioneer Woman

2 sticks salted butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 large whole eggs
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 t kosher salt
1 1/2 c oats
1/2 c M&M's (to taste)
1/2 c pecan, chopped (to taste)
3/4 c chocolate chips, milk or semisweet
1/2 c peanut butter chips
2 1/4 c rice krispies

beat butter and sugars. add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and beat.
mix flour, soda, powder and salt until combined. add to mixing bowl and mix until combined.
add in all the yummies, in whatever quantities you like. add rice krispies last- do not overmix!
bake at 375 until golden brown, check at about 10 minutes.

chef's note: i made these, and they needed much more flour in my opinion. halfway through the dough baking, i added another 1/2 cup of flour. next time, i will add an extra cup at the beginning. they were too flat and greasy, the 2nd half were better.

chad's favorite oatmeal cookies
a la carlie

1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t soda
1 t salt
1/2 t - 1 t cinnamon (optional, but oatmeal cookies need this, yes?)
1 1/2 c flour
3 c oatmeal
1 c nuts (optional)
1-1 1/2 c chocolate chips

cream shortening and sugars. add eggs and vanilla. add remaining dry ingredients, then chocolate chips and nuts. bake at 350 for 10 minutes. if cookies flatten during baking, chill dough, then bake.

variation- increase flour to 2 1/2 cups, omit oatmeal for regular chocolate chip cookies.

cranberry jello salad
a la grandma martineau

6 oz raspberry jello
1 can crushed pineapple
1 can cranberry sauce
1 apple, grated
juice of 1 orange
2 T orange peel
nuts

mix jello with hot water and set with some ice. add remaining ingredients and set.

chef's note: this is a thanksgiving staple at our house. mom usually makes it the day before and leaves it in the fridge.

Mimi's Buttermilk Muffins
a la Mimi's Cafe

1 c. sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
2 1/2 c flour
2 t baking soda
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t cinnamon
3/4 c + 1T buttermilk

Nut Topping
1/2 c sugar
1 c walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat an extra minute. Sift together dry ingredients. Add to creamy mixture, alternating with buttermilk to avoid lumps, on low speed. Mix Nut topping in separate bowl.
Fill 12 muffin cups 3/4 full. Add a full, rounded Tablespoon of topping in each batter cup. Bake immediately, or topping will sink to the bottom. Bake 375 for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean in center.

Cranberry Chicken Salad

2/3 c slivered almonds

3 c chopped cooked chicken

3/4 c sweetened dried cranberries

2 celery ribs, diced

1/2 small sweet onion, diced

3/4 c mayonnaise

1 T Greek seasoning

2 T fresh lemon juice

Toss all together and serve

Chicken and Spinach Salad (Trev's favorite)
a la Carlie

grilled chicken, cubed or sliced
spinach
tomatoes, diced
red onion, finely sliced
feta cheese
craisins, or other dried fruit
candied nuts- walnuts are great
raspberry vinegarette- optional

Pretty much, toss it all up! This is less like a recipe and more like a reminder of what to put in this great salad. With the toppings, less is more. And for the dressing, I really like Trader Joe's raspberry vinegarette, and I did mix it with a little regular Italian too for a little kick. I used very little dressing at all.

Carrot Cake Cookies
a la Carlie

1 1/2 c flour
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1 c grated carrots, about 2 medium
1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c raisins or chopped dried pineapple

Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl. Cream butter and brown sugar at medium speed. Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture and beat well. Stir in flour mixture. Stir in carrots, walnuts and dried fruit. Bake 350 for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set and slightly browned around the edges. Leave on warm pan 1 minutes after removing from oven before moving to cooling rack.

Coconut Rice
a la Irene Monson

2 c Basmati rice
3 1/2 c water
1 c sugar
1/2 t finely ground cardamon
2 1/4 c grated coconut, slightly toasted
1/3 c pistachios or cashews
1/3 c raisin, soaked to soften
1 T butter

Soak rice for 1 hour and drain. In medium saucepan, bring water, sugar and cardamon to a boil. Add rice and return to boil. Cover tightly and cook 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook an additional 10 minutes, covered. Remove cover and let cook on low for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring to dry it up a little bit. Mix and serve.

Crazy Crunch Popcorn
a la HV ward cooking group

1 1/3 c sugar
1 stick (1/2 c) margarine
1/2 c light Karo syrup
1 t vanilla
2 quarts popped pocorn
Mixed nuts

Add mixed nuts to popcorn. Cook syrup to 280 degrees, using a candy thermometer, stirring constantly. Pour syrup over popcorn and mix well. Spread out on waxpaper and let cool. Break into chunks

Blueberry Spinach Salad
a la Carlie

10 oz baby spinach
crumbled feta or blue cheese
1 pint blueberries
walnuts or pecan, chopped roughly
raspberry vinaigrette's salad dressing (i really like trader joe's)

toss it all together and serve. so tasty.

7 Layer Bars
a la Moriah

1 1/2-2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 package)
2 c butterscotch chips (1 package)
1 c chopped walnuts
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 c shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350.
In small bowl, combine melted butter and graham crackers. Press into 9x13 pan firmly. (alternate option, pour melted butter directly in to pan and sprinkle crackers evenly).
Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts over crumb crust. Sprinkle coconut over top. Pour condensed milk over coconut.
Bake until edges are brown, 30-45 minutes. Let cool. Cut into bars and store in airtight container.

Neiman Marcus Cookies
a la Carlie

2 c butter (that's cups, not cubes)
2 c sugar
2 c brown sugar
4 eggs
2 t vanilla
4 c flour
5 c oatmeal
1 t salt
2 t soda
2 t baking powder
24 oz chocolate chips
8 oz Hershey bar, grated
3 c chopped nuts

Measure oatmeal and blend in blender to a fine powder. Set aside. Cream butter and sugars. Add in eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Fold in chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375.

This recipe is doubled and makes a million cookies. I usually make the whole batter and freeze half or so. Best cookies ever.

Black Forest Brownie Pecan Pie
a la togetherness.com

1 c Karo light or dark corn syrup
1/2 c sugar
1/8 t salt
4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, broken into pieces
3 T butter or margarine
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t vanilla
1 c coarsely chopped pecans
1 graham cracker crust
1 can (21 oz) Cherry pie filling
whipped cream, optional

Combine corn syrup, sugar and salt in small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add chocolate and butter to syrup mixture, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Pour chocolate mixture slowly over eggs, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and pecans; mix well. Place pie crust on a baking sheet or pizza pan. Pour mixture into crust.
Bake 350 for about 50 minutes, until center of pie is slightly puffed. Cool at least 1 hour. Top each slice with 1/4 c cherry pie filling and whipped cream.

Hummingbird Cake
a la Moriah (The Girl Who Chased the Moon recipes)

3 c all purpose flour
2 c granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 t ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 c chopped pecans
2 c chopped, firm bananas

Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together. Add eggs and oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple and pecans. Stir in bananas last. Spoon the batter into3 greased and floured 9-in round cake pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes in 350 degree oven, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese, softened
4 c sifted confectioner's sugar
1 c unsalted butter
1 t vanilla extract
in a standing mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar and butter on low speed until ingredients combine. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low. Add the vanilla, then raise the speed back up to high and mix.

Cheese Ball
a la Mom
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 small jar Kraft Old English cheese
3/4 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t garlic salt
chopped walnuts or almonds
Mix thoroughly. Roll into a ball, then roll ball in the chopped nuts to cover. Chill in fridge for 3 hours.
Prior to serving, top with marashino cherry.
Makes either 2 small or 1 large party size.

Candied Walnuts
a la Janae

1 pound walnut halves
1 c white sugar
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
6 T milk
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts in a single layer over baking sheet. Roast for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the nuts start to turn brown and the smell of roasting nuts fill the kitchen.
Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt and milk in medium saucepan. Cook over medium high heat for about 8 minutes, or until mixture reaches soft ball stage of 263 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla immediately.
Add walnuts to sugar syrup and stir to coat well. Spoon onto wax paper and immediately separate with fork. Cool and store in airtight container.