Whoppen Cake

It's really called Chocolate Cake with Malt Topping, the best cake EVER.

From Better Homes and Garden

Cake ( I actually made frosting first, needs refrigeration)

Put in bowl:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

(use 3 8x8x2 inch pans, grease and put one teaspoon of cocoa in pans, put the rest in bowl)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In another bowl:

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cup sugar

Beat and add one at a time;

3 eggs

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla

Alternate beating in flour mixture and 1 1/2 cups milk into butter mixture. Pour into pans bake 350 for 17 to 20 min.

Malt topping Frosting- seriously yummy

Heat 2 cups heavy whipping cream just until boiling, remove from heat add 1/3 cup malted milk powder, stir. Add 2 11.5 oz milk chocolate pieces do not stir, cover and let sit for 10 min. Then stir and refrigerate 3 hrs. Beat with electric mixer for 3 min, becomes light brown and fluffy.

Layer frosting and cakes. Mine was a little crumbly, but it was a day or two old, but ummm..

2 cups of malted milk balls for decor

Strawberry Jam

from Brooke Jenkins

2 lbs. strawberries

4 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

Blend all in blender. Bring to a boil till it reaches 220 degrees. Put in clean jars (I boiled mine). To seal, turn jars over for 10 min. (allows the tops to get hot) Turn back over and wait for the pop! I didn't think it would work, but that first pop made me smile. ;)

This jam is runnier than the freezer jam. But, just as delicious! (almost same recipe) Fun to can. If you like your jam chunkier than use a potato masher, don't blend. Yummy on blender pancakes!

Coconut and Almond Syrup

Ronna Goodmansen

Mix together 1 c. sugar and 1 Tab. cornstarch. Mix together and add to:

1/3 c. butter

1/8 t. salt

1/2 t. almond extract

1 cup milk

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. coconut extract

Bring to boil and stir until thickness. Serve over German Pancakes, or waffles, or reg pancakes..

Blender Pancakes

Adapted from Shar's Kitchen

Combine in blender the following and mix on high speed for 2 full minutes:

1 cup whole grains (wheat or buckwheat)

1 cup milk

Add:

1 cup milk and blend 2 more minutes

Add:

2 eggs

1/3 cup canola oil (I used coconut oil)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tab. honey or 1 Tab. apple juice cocentrate

Blend well. Can or store in refrigerator over night.

Just before cooking, add:

1 Tab. Baking powder (blend in gently with moment speed until mixed.

Banana Chip Muffins

Can you tell my girls like these? I looked over and my18 month old had already eaten two or three tops. ;)

From BM Food from -Thomalee Abraham

2 extra ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar (I don't pack it. Less sugar is better for me.)
½ cup butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ cup flour (The 1/4 cup I use wheat flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cup chocolate chips (I used mini, and like only 1/2 cup)

Mash bananas well with fork or potato masher. In a bowl, beat mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla until well blended. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips after adding flour mixture to banana mixture. Mix until all blended. Spoon into well greased muffin cups( I use mini muffin tin). Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes(mini more like 15 to 20 min.

Chicken and Pasta

K- picture is not as good as it tastes.

I have heard about marinating chicken in Italian Dressing, but it was organized cooking that reminded me of it, so easy.

Pronto Pasta Bake

adapted from Pampered Chef

12 oz rotini pasta (I've added other kinds of pasta, and wheat pasta)

1 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped

1/2 of yellow squash coarsely chopped (really you could use more zucchini or more squash with whatever you have)

2 garlic cloves

1 jar 48 oz spaghetti sauce (with basil, or anything you like)

2 oz Parmesan cheese (this would be nice, but I choose to spend money else where)

2 cups of mozzarella cheese

375 degrees. Cook pasta. Press garlic, add zucchini, and sauce in bowl. I split this recipe into two 9x9, or 8x8 pans and freeze one for later. If you have a bigger family use 9x13 pan. Layer 1/2 sauce, 1/2 pasta, and 1/2 cheese, then again. Cover and cook for 45 min, uncover and bake for 5 more min.

Serve with yummy garlic bread. A lot like a mini lasagna, bet you could add meat too. Yummy.

Italian Red Potatoes

I don't have measurements for this, but we love them.

Oven at 400 degrees

4-5 red potatoes (how ever many to feed your fam)

Cut up into bite size pieces. Coat with olive oil, Italian Seasoning, and we like garlic, so garlic salt. If you don't you can use just salt and pepper. Pop in the oven for 10 min, open stir around, add more oil if looks dry or sticks to pan. Pop in for another 10 min, check them again and stir. Then 5 more minutes and then try not to eat to many!