Flourless Chocolate Cake

4 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (I used special dark chocolate bars chopped)

1 stick unsalted butter (I used salted)

¾ c sugar

3 lg eggs

½ c unsweetened cocoa powder

Butter an 8 inch round cake pan, line pan with wax paper and butter wax paper.  Melt chocolate and butter in a small metal bowl placed over a saucepan with boiling water. Turn burner down when water starts boiling, but keep at a simmer. Stir until you have a smooth mixture. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. When well combined, add in eggs. Stir until smooth, then add cocoa powder. Stir until just mixed.  Pour into pan and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, and then invert onto cake plate or serving platter.  

This was VERY good and easy!  Being who I am I had everything measured out before I started, that worked well. After you add the eggs (I beat slightly) it gets thick and then thicker when you add the cocoa powder.  Enjoy!

CHAMPAGNE SALAD

Made this for a "girls" lunch at work.  Didn't have fresh basil, used cheese sticks (use what you have, right?).  This was delish!  The avocados turned a little, but what you would expect if you were cutting them for your lunch in the morning.

2 avocados, cubed

2 tomatoes, cubed
Fresh mozzarella, cubed
Fresh basil, sliced into thin strips
Girard's Champagne dressing
salt & pepper, to taste
Combine avocado, tomato, mozzarella, & basil in a large bowl.  Top with dressing and toss to coat.  The dressing is available at Kroger or Target.   This salad is best served fresh, although I've made it at night & eaten it for lunch the next day.

Bacon Cheddar Ranch Pull Apart Bread

OK, so I love finding blogs or Facebook pages dedicated to food!  Took this to dinner and it was DEVOURED!  I think this also goes by Crack Bread.  My nephew doesn't like ranch, so we didn't tell him (shh don't tell my secret), and he loved it!

1 loaf of Italian Bread
8 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend (I used colby jack)
16 oz crisp cooked bacon, diced (I used 2 pkg bacon bits)
½ c unsalted butter, melted
1 TBS Hidden Valley Ranch dry dressing mix
Prepare 2 sheets of aluminum foil to wrap bread in, overlap the foil so the bread will be completely covered. On a cutting board, slice bread in 3/4-inch intervals, being careful to not cut all the way through. Cut again, crosswise, not cutting all the way through. Slide bread onto foil and stuff cheese between all cuts: sprinkle with bacon. Mix melted butter and ranch mix, with a fork, and drizzle over top of bread evenly. Wrap foil around bread snuggly and bake at 350 for 15 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Serve hot. Enjoy! 

Shredded Chicken

Wish I could give credit to the owner of this idea!  Saw it on either Facebook or a someone's blog. Wish I had thought of this simple idea!

Perfectly shredded chicken in seconds.... throw cooked chicken (still warm/hot) in Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment. Turn to speed 4-6 and in 20 seconds you'll have perfect, restaurant style shredded chicken.

Tomato Basil Chicken Penne

Got this thru a facebook share.  OMG!  So good! So easy!  and perfect for summer, a pasta meal that isn't heavy with sauce.  We've had this several times and I made it for Savannah's b-day at work.  I just put the 9x13 in my roaster oven (work friends said only I would have a "portable oven") and off to work we went.  With salad it is a perfect meal.  Thanks to Cris at GOODENESSgracious for a new favorite.  I'm sure I'll have more.

12 oz Box Penne- Cooked

1 1/2 lb Chicken Tenderloins- Cooked and Cubed

2 15 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes with Basi, Garlic and Oregano

1/2 C Fresh Basil- Chopped

1 Clove Garlic- Minced

1/2 C Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Combine all ingredients except pasta and cheese in a skillet and heat through.  Add in pasta and mix well before pouring into a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Top with cheese and broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts and browns slightly.  (I have baked at 350 for about 30 minutes, and it "baked" in the roaster for 2 hours at 250).

Beef Stew in the Pressure Cooker

This is sooo good and quick and easy.  This has become a family favorite!

1 ½ lb beef stew meat
3 TBS oil
2 large potatoes
4-5 large carrots
1 large onion
1 can green beans with liquid
2 cans diced tomatoes with liquid
Salt
Pepper
2 TBS cornstarch
1/3 c cold water or beef broth
Cut the beef stew meat into bite size pieces. Do the same with the potatoes, carrots and onions. Heat the pressure cooker over medium high heat. Add the oil and stew meat. Stir and cook until the meat is well browned all over. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, beans with their liquid, and tomatoes with their liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the lid and weight on the pressure cooker according to your manufacturer’s instruction. Heat on medium high setting until pressure is achieved (weight begins to rock gently and steadily). Continue cooking for 15 minutes. At the end of the 15 minutes cooking time, reduce the pressure immediately by running cold water on the top of the pressure cooker. When pressure releases, open the top of the cooker and place it back on the stove. Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Bring the stew back up to the boil, add the cornstarch and water and stir until thickened. Serve over rice or noodles.

I found this at http://www.lanascooking.com

I did add a couple of shakes of worchestshire sauce to the meat as it browned.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Boil 3 chicken breasts – shred
Mix chicken with Fred’s red hot sauce, until orange
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese and one pkg dry ranch dressing
Spread cream cheese mix in 8x11
Top with chicken mix
Cover with 16 oz of sharp cheddar sprinkle cheese
Bake 350 for 30 minutes

Everyone has a verison of this.
This is from my friend Marcia, our 4 boys will clean the pan! 

Mom's Southern Pecan Pie

This is the pecan pie I grew up eating.  Mine isn't ever as good as my mom's.  But it will have to do since mom passed away in October.  I alway throw about 1/2 - 3/4 of the pecans in the blender and pulse a couple of times.  People who usually don't like pecan pie don't believe it really is, as the nuts get chopped.

8 " Unbaked Pie Crust (I always use a deep dish)
1 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c white sugar
1 TBS flour
2 eggs
2 TBS milk
2 tsp vanilla
½ c butter, melted
1 c pecans, broken
Directions:
Mix together dry ingredients. Beat in liquids. Fold in pecans, pour into crust. Bake at 375 for 40 - 50 minutes or until top cracks! Top MUST crack or filling will be too gooey.
To cheat: Mix in blender (in this order) eggs, milk, vanilla, butter, mixed dry ingredients.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

This is a re-post.  I have already made this 3 times and it isn't even Thanksgiving.


We first had this cake when we went to visit John’s family in Michigan. This is Aunt Jeannie’s recipe for a cake she made while we were there. My guys ask for it all year long – not just at the holidays. We’ll have a piece for Aunt Jeannie as she passed away in February.

1 spice cake mix
1 can pumpkin
½ c brown sugar
2 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ c water
3 eggs
Blend together and pour into greased and  floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes or until done. Let cool a few minutes and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Can put Cool Whip on top, like pumpkin pie.

Cranberry Salsa

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 TBS lime juice
  Grind these together in blender until smooth (may need a TBS of water or so)
Add 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, grind
Add 1 bunch fress green onionss, (green only), grind
Add  1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (remember to wear gloves)
This will be a smooth salsa.  Best made a day ahead.
Serve with chips or over cream cheese and crackers.
Wish I knew which grocery store I got this from last fall, it is always a hit.
This is linked to Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home.