1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong black coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. add rest of ingredients and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes (batter will be thin.) pour into 2 greased 9″ round pans or one 9″x13″ pan. bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. frost with frosting of your choilce.
1 (18¼ ounce) pkg white cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup miniature M&M’s baking bits
preheat oven to 350 degrees F. coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.
in a large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, and eggs 3 to 4 minutes, or until well blended. using a spoon, stir in M&M baking bits.
drop by teaspoonfuls 2” apart onto cookie sheets. bake 10-12 minutes, or until firm and golden around edges. allow to cool 3 to 4 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely. serve, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
makes 36 cookies
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 tbs butter OR margarine
1 tbs flour
1 cup half-n-half
1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 tbs crushed butter-flavored crackers
in a skillet, cook asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 6-8 minutes; drain. arrange spears in the bottom of a greased 1 1/2 qt baking dish; set aside and keep warm. in a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. add flour, cook and stir for 1 minute. whisk in the cream, bouillon, nutmeg and salt; bring to a boil over medium heat. cook and stir 2 minutes. remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. pour over asparagus. sprinkle with cracker curmbs. broil 6″ from heat 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned.
4-6 servings
3/4 lb cod fillets, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups fine unseasoned dry bread crumbs
1 whole egg
1 egg white
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs grainy mustard
2 tbs anisette OR other anise-flavored liqueur (optional)
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp capers, chopped
1 tbs paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp horseradish
preheat the oven to 400 degrees. lightly oil a large baking sheet.
in a large mixing bowl, combine the fish, 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs, the whole egg, egg white, onion, all but 1 tbs of the parsley, the garlic, 1 tbs of the mustard, the anisette (if using), lemon juice, capers, paprika, and cayenne, and toss to mix thoroughly.
place the remaining 3/4 cup bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. divide the fish mixture into 8 equal portions. pat each portion into a cake about 3/4″ thick. coat the cakes well with the bread crumbs and place them on the prepared baking sheet. bake the codfish cakes for 20 minutes.
meanwhile, combine the yogurt, vinegar, horseradish, and the remaining 1 tbs each mustard and parsley.
serve the cakes with a dollop of sauce on the side.
serves 4
2 tbs olive oil
1 med yellow onion, chopped
1 rib celery, minced
1 lg eggplant, peeled and diced
1 med red OR green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup black olives, drained, pitted, and sliced
1 tbs capers, drained and chopped
1 tbs minced fresh parsley leaves
heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add the onion and celery, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. add the eggplant, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant begins to soften, about 5 more minutes.
transfer the mixture to 4-qt slow cooker. add the bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. cover and cook on LOW until the vegetables are soft but still hold some shape, about 6 hours.
when the vegetables are cooked, stir in the olives, capers, and parsley. taste to adjust the seasonings. transfer the caponata to a bowl and let cool. serve at room temperature. if not serving right away, cover and refrigerate until needed.
serves 6
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter OR margarine
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch OR semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios
preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
place the butter or margarine in a 9″x13″ baking pan and heat in the oven just until it melts.sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the butter, stir, and then spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. sprinkle the coconut over the graham cracker crumbs. being careful to keep the layers separate, sprinkle the white chocolate chips evenly over the coconut flakes, then sprinkle the butterscotch chips over them. drizzle the condensed milk over the chips. finally, scatter the nuts evenly over the mixture.
bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the bars are just firm to the touch. remove the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
using a sharp knife, cut into bars.
makes 30 bars
This blog has nothing at all to do with food and I hope you will forgive me for that. A four-legged member of the family crossed over the Rainbow Bridge yesterday. HIs name is Preston and he was my mom’s dog. He was a beautiful, gentle German Shepherd. He was 10 years old. I know that there are those out there that feel as though “it’s only a dog”, but I also know that there are alot more of us out there who feel differently.Preston was family. I always called him my “brother” and when I talked about him to Emersyn (my dog), I would say to her “Ya’ wanna’ go play with Uncle Preston”? Silly, I know, but that’s just the way it is/was. Times like these always make me realize just how short life really is and that anybody and anything can be taken from you in a heartbeat. God only has us and the ones we love (both two-legged and four-legged) for a season and that season can be long or it can be short. So cherish every second you have with those you love and never, ever take it for granted that they will still be here tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year. Live and love every day as if it is your last. I’m sorry this post is such a downer, but I felt compelled to write it. I also apologize if it turned some of you off and away from Yum-O-Licious Recipes but again, something within me strongly urged me to write it. Perhaps it was God. If it was, then thank You, God, for giving me the heart and the words and the courage to write this. Have a great day everyone and remember to Live, Love and Laugh every day! Love and Best Dishes from Robyn’s Nest to Yours…
BANANA SYRUP:
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp banana extract or flavoring
PANCAKES:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbs banana extract or flavoring
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1 banana
make the banana syrup first by combining all the syrup ingredients except for the banana extract in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally. when the mixture begins to boil, remove it from the heat and stir in the banana extract.
in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the pancakes except the pecans and the banana. use an electric mixer to bend until smooth.
heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat, and coat it with butter or nonstick cooking spray when hot.
pour 1/4 cup dollops of batter into the pan. realize the batter will spread out to about 4″ across, so leave enough room if you are cooking more than one at a time. sprinkle about 1/2 tbs pecans into the center of each pancake immediately after you pour the batter so that the nuts are “cooked in”.
cook the pancakes for 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
slice the banana, divide it up, and serve it on top of a stack of 3-4 pancakes with the remaining chopped pecans divided and sprinkled on top of each stack.
serves 3-4
2 (8 oz) cans OR 1 (15.5 oz) can asparagus
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
crumbled-up potato chips
in a greased 2 qt casserole dish, place asparagus, eggs, and cream of chicken soup. top with crumbled chips. bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
