1 head of cauliflower
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt to taste

Cut up the cauliflower into bite size pieces and place in a bowel. Stir in lemon juice and garlic. Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Broil until the fringes of the cauliflower are crisp and brown, about 10 minutes.

This is soooo good on turkey sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving.

1 cup white sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1/2 teas cinnamon
1/2 teas nutmeg

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries, and cook until they start to pop (about 10 minutes). Add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

I was watching Regis and Kelly one morning while on the treadmill and Joy Philbin was making her sweet potato recipe. I don't normally like sweet potato but this looked so good that I decided to try it on Thanksgiving. It was the best sweet potato recipe I've had so far.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Large Sweet Potatoes
2 Oranges
1 Stick of Butter
1 Cup of Light Brown Sugar
½ Cup of Chopped Pecans
1 Tbsp. of Cornstarch
1 Cup of Orange Juice
3 Tbsp. of Maple Syrup
1/8 Tsp. Cloves

DIRECTIONS:
Cover potatoes in water and boil until tender, approximately 25-30 minutes. Remove the potatoes and peel while still warm. Cut into ¼" slices and set aside. Peel, then slice the oranges into ¼" slices. Mix gently with potatoes.

Coat a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray and add the potato/orange mixture.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and pecans. Simmer 3 minutes. Pour sugar/pecan mixture over the top of the potato/orange mixture.

In a saucepan, mix the orange juice, cornstarch, maple syrup and cloves. Cook and stir until thick. Pour over potatoes and bake at 375° for 15 minutes.

(Serves 4-6 as a side dish)

Twice Baked Potatoes- For 6- Ingredients are as fallows, Yukon Potatoes(6), Bacon(1 per potato and 2 extra for topping), Sour Cream(4-5 dollops), Butter(4-5 Tbsp), Milk(3/4 cup), Salt&Pepper( to taste), Paprika(2 1/2 Tsp), Chives(1 cup), Cheddar cheese (1 cup) - Scrub clean the potatoes in warm water, place in microwave for 30 min. When done wrap each potato in tinfoil let sit for 5 min (this will help dry out shell to better scoop out meat and give it an oven cooked taste). Cut out a width of a spoon length on the potato's most uneven side for it to better sit, then begin scooping out the meat. Take out as much as you can to the point that you can barley see the skin on the inside (1/4 inch). Add butter, paprika, Salt & Pepper then mix. Add Bacon and Chives mix. Place potatoes in oven ready cookware and fill each potato evenly. cook for 35 min. Add cheddar cheese and bacon for toppings cook 5 min. Top off with chives.

This was so easy even my 8 year old could make it. As a matter of fact he did make it. I love child labor.

1 whole Pan Of Cornbread
1 loaf French Bread, Somewhat Crusty
1 stick Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
2 cups Celery, Chopped
4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
¼ cups Fresh Parsley, Chopped
½ teaspoons Dried Basil
2 teaspoons (to 3 Teaspoons) Fresh Rosemary, Chopped
½ teaspoons Thyme
Salt To Taste

Preparation Instructions
Chop the cornbread and loaf of French bread up into 1-inch cubes. Spread them out on two baking sheets and let them dry for approximately 24 hours.
Warm up a large skillet over medium heat and add one stick of butter. When it’s melted add the onion and celery and cook for a few minutes until onions are almost translucent. While it’s cooking chop up any fresh herbs you will be using.
Add 4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add ½ a teaspoon of basil, ½ teaspoon of ground thyme, a few teaspoons of fresh chopped rosemary and ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley. Stir until combined.
Place all of your dried bread cubes into a large bowl and mix them up a bit. Gradually ladle the broth mixture into the bread, tossing lightly as you go. Keep gradually adding the broth mixture, tasting as you go and adding more seasoning and herbs if needed. Add salt carefully. You don’t want to over salt your stuffing. If the mixture is not quite moist enough add a bit more chicken broth and stir.
Either stuff the bird and bake according to directions or place in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

I finally found a cornbread recipe that even I can't screw up and I found it at allrecipes.




1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

What an amazing cheesecake. I got the recipe from none other that the The Pioneer Woman. I can't wait to get her cookbook..... woot woot. Anyway, I did change the crust a little after reading some comments by people who tried the recipe out already. I didn't pour the carmel over the crust before adding the cheesecake filling for fear it would caramelize and become to hard. I also didn't pour the carmel over the top of the cheesecake but instead I slowly swirled it into the cheesecake before I baked it. I do this with my amaretto cheesecake and I like the way it looks and tastes. Everyone loved this cheesecake and I'll definitely be making it again.



Crust:
12 ounces storebought gingersnaps
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Dash of salt

Filling:
4 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 jar caramel topping
halved pecans
Extra crushed gingersnaps

In a food processor (or large ziplock bag) crush gingersnaps. Add chopped pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt, and pulse (or mix) until thoroughly combined.
Press into bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Chill for 20-30 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin and spices and mix again. Add eggs one at a time, mixing for 20 seconds between each addition. Add cream and mix until just combined.

Remove crust from fridge. Gently pour cheesecake filling in pan. Pour 3/4 cup of caramel topping on top and slowly swirl into the cheesecake, being careful not to disturb the crust. You also don't want to over mix the carmel into the cheesecake. Then take the pecans and place around the edge of the pan and then slowly drizzle carmel over the pecans. Place pan in a water-bath and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until no longer soupy. I also check the internal temperature with a thermometer to make sure it reads 150. Cheesecake should still be somewhat jiggly. Cool on counter for 30 minutes. Chill cheesecake for another four hours or overnight.

The kids love apples and they love caramel so the next logical step is caramel apples. They loved helping and surprisingly the only one that got burnt was me.


1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
8-10 wooden sticks
8-10 medium tart apples

Insert 1 wooden stick into each apple.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage) about 30-40 minutes and for a softer caramel cook just to a few less degrees.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat. Sprinkle with nuts or whatever you desire while the caramel is still warm.

Set on generously buttered wax paper to cool (make certain to generously butter the paper).

Yes I watched Oprah again. I had to, she was highlighting all her favorite recipes. Well I love key lime pie and she had a recipe that looked so easy and so good that I had to make it as soon as possible. The kids loved this pie enough to want it in their school lunch and then request it again the next week. The only problem I had was that the crust has soooo much butter and is so thick. I'm a sissy when it comes to changing a recipe but when I make it again I'll probably half the crust.

Graham Cracker Crust:

3/4 pound graham crackers
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 sticks melted butter
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Filling:

4 egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
2/3 cup fresh Key lime juice
1 lime , grated zest
Topping:

1 cup heavy or whipping cream , chilled
2 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
To make graham cracker crust: Preheat the oven to 325°.

Break up the graham crackers, place in a food processor and process to crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar and salt and pulse until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, forming an even layer on the bottom, sides and edge. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool.

To make filling: While the crust is resting, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, whip the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until fluffy, or 5 to 6 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to whip until thick, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice until incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, and then refrigerate for 20 minutes.

To make topping: Whip the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until nearly stiff. Evenly spread the whipped cream on top of the pie, and place in the freezer for 20 minutes prior to serving.

"Woke up got out of bed dragged a comb across my head". Sorry, my little girl is listening to the Beatles none stop so everything I do and say usually has a Beatles song attached to it.

Today I was at a loss as to what to pack in the kids lunch boxes. I've done a lot of sandwiches and I think they are going to start a mutiny if I don't come up with something new. Well today wasn't really new but it was inventive. I looked in the fridge and I saw cheese and cauliflower. I had seen someone on one of these morning shows make mac n cheese with cauliflower so I thought it couldn't be that hard and I'd get them to eat a good vegetable as a bonus. I did find a recipe for Cauliflower mac n cheese on the internet..... I love the internet. It turned out great and the kids seemed to like it. The best part is it was easy and I was able to make this all before they went to school. I didn't put the bread crumbs on and I used smoked paprika instead of fajita spices. I really think you could season this any way you want and it'll still taste great.

1 head orange cauliflower (white can be substituted)
1/2 pound small pasta such as gemelli, elbows, or shells
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk, plus 1/2 cup for pureeing cauliflower
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese, plus 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top
a generous amount salt and several cranks of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fajita or Mexican spices, optional
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Trim cauliflower and break into small florets. Boil until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain. Place in a blender or processor with 1/2 cup milk and puree until thick and smooth. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to directions until al dente.

For the sauce, melt 2 tablespoons Smart Balance in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk briskly. Gradually add 2 cups milk, whisking continuously, until it reaches a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, or until thick and bubbly. Add the pureed cauliflower, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and toss until well coated. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar evenly over the top.

For the buttered breadcrumbs, melt 1 tablespoon Smart Balance butter substitute in a small skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and toss until coated with butter. Sprinkle even over the top of the cheddar. Or, if you prefer, set crumbs aside, and use as a garnish just before serving.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown on top and the cheese sauce is bubbling around the edges

My son loves this recipe and so do I, but then I love anything that involves wine. After adding the wine I usually end up pouring myself a glass but since this takes a good 45 minutes or so I end up drinking the whole bottle.... I'm such a lush. Traditionally this dish is made from an old rooster because it was a cheap meat and this was considered to be a peasant dish. It's fairly cheep to make even now but the one thing I wouldn't do is skimp on the wine. I use burgundy and that's how I like it the best but I've used Zinfandel from California and it's turned out alright.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb bacon slices
20 pearl onions, peeled, or 1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 chicken, 4 lb, cut into serving pieces, or 3 lbs chicken parts, excess fat trimmed, skin ON
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups red wine (pinot noir, burgundy, or zinfandel)
2 bay leaves
Several fresh thyme sprigs
Several fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 lb button mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp butter
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
METHOD
1 Blanch the bacon to remove some of its saltiness. Drop the bacon into a saucepan of cold water, covered by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, drain. Rinse in cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Cut the bacon into 1 inch by 1/4 inch pieces.
2 Brown bacon on medium high heat in a dutch oven big enough to hold the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon, set aside. Keep the bacon fat in the pan. Add onions and chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken well, on all sides, about 10 minutes. Halfway through the browning, add the garlic and sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. (Note: it is best to add salt while cooking, not just at the very end. It brings out the flavor of the chicken.)
3 Spoon off any excess fat. Add the chicken stock, wine, and herbs. Add back the bacon. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken and onions to a separate platter. Remove the bay leaves, herb sprigs, garlic, and discard.
4 Add mushrooms to the remaining liquid and turn the heat to high. Boil quickly and reduce the liquid by three fourths until it becomes thick and saucy. Lower the heat, stir in the butter. Return the chicken and onions to the pan to reheat and coat with sauce. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Serves 4. Serve with potatoes or over egg noodles.

GOOOOOOD cookies

1 cup (2stickes) butter softened
2 eggs
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teas vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teas baking soda
1 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas salt
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/3 cups (8 oz pkg) Heath bits O Brickle toffee bits
1 cup coconut flakes

Heat oven to 375. Lightly grease cookie sheet
Beat butter eggs, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until blended. Stir in oats, toffee bits and coconut, if desired with spoon.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire race. cool completely.

I'm a big fan of the Mojito. Sometimes I like using different flavored rums but so far my favorite it the original with blackberries added to it. I think I like it more for the color than the taste. Here is how I make my Mojito.

Simple syrup infused with mint

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup mint
Heat water and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolving. Remove from stove and add mint and let it steep for an hour. Strain syrup to remove all the mint leaves. Put syrup into an airtight container and put in the fridge until you are ready to make your drink.

Blackberry Mojito

4 mint leaves
1 1/2 ounces of mint simple syrup
juice of 1 lime
3 ounces light rum
club soda
1/4 cup blackberries

In a tall glass add the mint and start muddling. Take the lime and cut it in half. Juice the lime and add it to the mint. Add the blackberries then fill the glass with crushed ice and add your simple syrup and rum. This is where you will want to add your club soda. I don't add a lot just because I think it taste great without it. Stir your wonderful mojito and enjoy.

I love red velvet cake. I never even heard of red velvet until I moved to Tennessee and was really afraid to try it because it uses so much red dye. Finding the right cake recipe has taken me some time but I've finally found one I really like, thanks to the joyofbaking web site. I've read that some make this cake with beets but I have yet to try this. Now that I'm thinking of it I'm going to have to go on a search for a good red velvet beet cake.



2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Red Velvet Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the freezer for at least an hour. (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
1 - 8 ounce tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

Cream Cheese Frosting: In your food processor, or with a hand mixer, process the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and process until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Then, in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. With a large spatula, gently but quickly fold a little of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream, in two stages. If the frosting is not thick enough to spread, cover and place in the refrigerator for an hour, or until it is firm enough to spread.

Today we wanted something light and easy so when I asked the husband what he wanted he said grilled chicken. Easy enough. Looking in the fridge for anything to go with the grilled chicken and I see spinach, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and lemons. I checked to see what pasta I had and found rotini. This was going to be the best grilled chicken ever.

2 chicken breasts
3 vine tomatoes
1 roasted red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
3 cups spinach
3 tablespoons fresh basil
6 oz black olives (preferably pitted Kalamata)
6 oz feta cheese
14 oz rotini pasta
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Mediterranean oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Start Cooking the pasta according to the directions. Then flatten the chicken and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Heat pan with olive oil and cook chicken.


Rinse spinach and set aside. Cut tomatoes, red bell pepper and chop the garlic and basil.


When the chicken is almost done add the spinach and tomatoes. You want to just warm the tomatoes and have the spinach wilted, about three minutes.


When pasta is done drain and put it into a nice size bowl. Add the olives, feta cheese, basil, and red bell pepper to the pasta. Take the chicken out of the pan and cut into bite size pieces. Add chicken, tomatoes, and spinach to the pasta then add the juice of one lemon. Mix all together and serve. You can add more salt and pepper to taste.

The kids always come home from school starving but they would never consider eating a whole apple..... that would be insane. So I try and find ways to incorporate this fruit into something that they would eat. Most of the time I cut them up and let them dip them in peanut butter and or honey but yesterday I decided to turn my apples into fritters. The kids didn't complain. How could they.... it was fried in oil and covered with sugar.

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup finely chopped apple
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add milk and egg; beat until batter is smooth. Fold in chopped apple. Drop by teaspoonfuls into deep hot oil and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, until nicely browned.
Mix confectioners' sugar and cinnamon. Drain well on paper towels then sprinkle cinnamon and confectioners' sugar on top.

I don't watch Rachael as a rule. Not because she doesn't cook great food but more for the fact that she is annoying. When she calls Extra Virgin olive oil EVOO it just drives me bezerk. I know some people find it cute and endearing but I think it's pure laziness that she does this. The morning she was making this recipe I was channel surfing and it caught my attention. I had all the ingredients and was excited to try something new and I was happy I did. Although I didn't have saffron because that stuff is expensive and I just can't justify paying 16 dollars for something I never use. I ended up using a little turmeric for this recipe. I didn't really measure. I just added a little at a time until I got the right taste. I did add just a little paprika for color.

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and ground black pepper
48 green beans or enough to fill your chicken bundles
2 large red bell peppers, cut into about 30 strips the size of the green beans
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup of chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup cream

Preparation
Budget tip from Rach: Halve the chicken breasts horizontally separating each into 2 cutlets. (Some markets sell “thin cut” chicken for a premium price but with a sharp knife, cutting the chicken breast yourself is easy, so why not save yourself some money!) Place each halved cutlet in an individual freezer plastic storage bag with a slider tab. Add a tablespoon of water to each baggie and pound them into thin cutlets. The baggies can now be stacked and frozen for future use. Each portion will thaw in minutes and ready to use for dinner any night of the week. Plus, by halving and pounding out the breast meat, you’re stretching your dollar and the meat to provide twice as many portions.

For this recipe, arrange 4 cutlets pounded to 1/8 of an inch thick on work surface. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper on one side then lay about 6 or 7 green beans and 4 or 5 red pepper strips in the center, with the ends sticking out. Fold the bottom half of the chicken up around the bundle then roll the two ends around so it looks like a little package with green beans and red pepper sticking out. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and ground black pepper.


In a large, nonstick skillet with two turns of the pan of olive oil over medium-high heat, cook the stuffed cutlets seam side-down. Cook about 7-8 minutes, then turn to brown the other side. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and reserve.


To the pan, add the saffron and ginger then pour in the chicken stock and bring up to a bubble. Stir in the cream and heat through.

My baking skills in general are lacking. I love to do a lot of improvising when it comes to cooking and I've found improvising is a huge drawback in baking. This is why I normally use cake mixes. They are so simple and even I can't screw it up. One night though I was really craving some chocolate cake but I had no cake mix and I wasn't in the mood to go to the store. I decided to try and make a cake from scratch and this time I would be careful to follow the instructions to the letter. I did a search for chocolate cakes and found the Hershey's web site. I knew that if Hershey's has a cake recipe it had to be good and it was. Now I make this recipe all the time. Sometimes chocolate cake makes everything all better.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

My husband hates fish. He hates the look of fish, the taste of fish, the smell of fish, basically he just wont eat fish. In all honesty if I would have known he didn't eat fish before we were married I would have probably called off the wedding. I'm happy that I didn't know this flaw before hand because I love my husband. Anyway.... I love eating fish and after all these years of denying myself such a wonderful source of protein I decided that I was going to make fish once a week no matter what. My husband wasn't happy with this but he said he would try and keep an open mind. When I found this recipe I thought that it was a little too simple but it looked good. By the way I found this recipe on the Paula Deen web site. I guess Bobby is her son and cooks with his mom sometimes. It seems that cooking is a family affair for this family. Now on to the problem I encountered with fish night. My husband knew I was going to be cooking fish and so he decided to go pick up some barbeque for himself before he got home. I was extremely mad. I couldn't believe that he would eat before coming home. He did felt bad after seeing how upset I was. I really loved this recipe and will make it again on fish night and if my husband decided to not eat with us that's his loss.

Butter cooking spray
4 (6 to 8-ounce) tilapia fillets
1 teaspoon SIlly Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, finely grated zest and juice
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a large cast iron pan with a nonstick butter spray.

Rinse fish and pat dry; place on the prepared baking sheet. Season each fillet with Silly Salt, cracked pepper, lime zest and lime juice. Add fish to the pan. Place a pat of butter on each fillet and cook in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes.

Yield 4 servings

My friend from Russia came over for dinner and made this salad. It was the best Greek salad I'd had in a long time. We had such fun drinking Greek wine and talking about astrology, she's big into that. My friend moved back to Russia recently and I miss her terribly. she is such a funny character and I just miss hanging out with her.

I love greek salads. They're simple and tasty. Greek foods main seasoning are olives, garlic, lemons and herbs, which I've always been partial to. I'm slowly getting my kids to like this salad and they'll eat it as long as I take it easy on the lemons.


3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic—minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and extra for garnish
3 tomatoes—cut into wedges
¼ red onion—sliced into rings
½ cucumber—sliced into thick half-moons
½ green pepper (capsicum)—julienned
4 oz (120g) feta cheese—cut into small cubes
16 kalamata olives

PLACE the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a small jar with a screw-top lid and shake to combine. PLACE the salad ingredients in a large bowl. POUR the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine just before serving. Garnish the Greek salad with a little freshly ground black pepper.