Crazy Chocolate Cake (no eggs)

If you've run out of eggs or have someone with
an egg allergy you will thank me for this recipe.

 Just a few basic pantry ingredients.
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, and
a pinch of salt in a bowl.

 Make three depressions and put oil in one,
vanilla in another and vinegar in the third.

 Pour the water over all and mix until
dry ingredients are blended in.

 Por into an 8"x 8" pan. You could even
mix the batter right in the pan and
save washing the bowl.

 Bake just until set-about 25'-30'.

 Cool on rack for 5 minutes.

 You can just dust with a little powdered
sugar and call it done, or frost it with
Easy Chocolate Icing.

In a saucepan add 1/2 stick butter.
(that's 1/4C or 4T), with 1/4 C milk and
1/4 C cocoa over low heat until melted.

 Stir in the 1 C powdered sugar.

 Simmer for 3 minutes and remove from heat,
Add vanilla and beat until thick. Cool slightly,
and pour over cake.
Wonderful with a big glass of cold milk.

Crazy Chocolate Cake

1-1/2 C flour

1 C sugar

3 T unsweetened cocoa

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 T white vinegar

1 t vanilla

1 C water 

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Combine the flour, sugar, soda, and 

salt in a bowl and whisk to blend.

Make 3 depressions and put oil in one, 

vanilla in another, and vinegar in the 

third. Pour water over all and whisk

until the dry ingredients are mixed in.

Pour into a 8"x 8" pan and bake

for 25-30 minutes until cake springs 

back when lightly touched. 

Do not over bake. Cool on

rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

or frost with...

 Easy Chocolate Fudge Icing

1/4 C butter

1/4 C cocoa

1/4 C milk

1 C powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

Put all ingredients into a small saucepan

Bring to a boil over low heat and then simmer

for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Beat until thick. Let cool slightly.

Enough for an 8" square cake.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/3 C cocoa
2 C powdered sugar
3-4 T milk or Half&Half
1/2 t vanilla or 1 t Kaluah
Beat with mixer until fluffy

Chocolate Ganache Icing
1-1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C half & half
Heat together until the chips melt.
Stir until smooth. Frost the cooled cake.

Enjoy!

Option: replace the water in the cake batter
with 3/4 C brewed cold coffee and 1/2 C
Kahlua for Coffee & Kahlua Crazy Cake.
Or try 1/4 C coffee and 3/4 C water.

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Classic Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk pie is a classic, traditional pie in the

 south. It often shows up at Thanksgiving and

 Christmas dessert tables.  

This custard pie mixes together quickly 

and it doesn't taste like buttermilk.

 Melt the butter in a glass bowl for 1 minute in 

the microwave. Whisk in the sugar, then eggs, 

 Whisk in the remaining ingredients.

 Pour into unbaked pie crust.
I used my easy-as-pie crust recipe.

 Bake until golden and set.

 It reminds me of creme brulee.

Buttermilk Pie

1 9" unbaked pie crust

1 stick butter
1 to 1/1/2 C sugar

3 XL eggs

1 C buttermilk

3 T flour

1 t vanilla

pinch salt

Melt the butter in a glass bowl

in the microwave for 1 minute. 

Add the sugar; 1-/1/4 to 1-1/2 C

 (depending on how sweet you want it)

Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, flour, salt

and vanilla. Pour into the unbaked pie
crust and bake @350º until the filling
is puffed and set and golden.

About 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack
for 1 hour. Cover and chill 2 hours before 

serving.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Then refrigerate to store.

Enjoy!

tip: * For a lemon flavored buttermilk pie
          add 1-3T lemon juice.
      * For a cinnamon flavored buttermilk pie
         add 1/2t cinnamon and 1/4 t nutmeg

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Easy As Pie ~ CRUST

With this mix-in-a-bowl pie crust recipe.

you can make a pie or quiche anytime. 

 

This is a great emergency pastry crust that I have

 used many time when I want a pie or quiche and 

don't have the time or want to bother making 

a traditional pie crust.

You mix flour, salt, sugar, milk, and oil in a bowl

or right in the pie pan.

 

Stir with a fork until combined.

Form into a ball and  then flatten it on 

the bottom of the pie dish.

Keep flattening the dough, pressing it with your 

fingers over the bottom and up the sides.

To blind bake this, prick all over with a fork and

bake @425º until golden, about 12 minutes. 

Cool before filling.

 Or for a standard baked pie, fill and bake 

as your recipe directs.
I'm using it today to make a buttermilk pie.

Easy as pie!

Easy As Pie ~ CRUST

2 C flour

1 t sugar

1/2 t salt

3 T milk 
(whole, 2%, or skim)

1/2 C vegetable oil

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a

bowl or pie dish with a fork. Whisk

 the oil and milk with the fork and

 add to the flour. Stir with the fork 

until well mixed then pat onto the bottom 

and up the sides of the pie dish. 

Flute edges if desired. For a baked pie

 fill and bake as recipe directs. For a 

prebaked shell, prick all over and bake

 @425º until golden, about 12 minutes. 

Cool before filling. 

Enjoy!

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Oatmeal Pecan Jam Bars

 Bar cookies are a classic lunch box treat.
These are good anytime!

I used seedless raspberry jam, because
that's my favorite.

You can either mix this in a food processor,
with a mixer, or with your fingers.

A few zaps, scraping down the sides as

you go to get it combined.

  Everything in at once.

 Break up any large clumps.
Reserve 1 cup of this mixture.

Press the remaining into the bottom of a greased
(use the butter wrapper) 9x13 pan.

 If your pecans aren't already chopped, put
them in the the processor and pulse a few times.

Then add the reserved crumb mixture and

pulse again to combine.

 Spread 1 cup of your favorite jam onto
the bottom crust.

 Spread evenly and then top evenly with

 the remaining crumb-pecan mixture.

 Bake @350º for about 35 minutes.

 Or until the crust is golden and the jam is
bubbling through in a few places.
Let cool for 25 minutes before cutting.

Oatmeal~Pecan Jam Bars
3/4 C chopped pecans
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C butter, cold and cut up
1-1/2 C flour
1-1/2 C oatmeal
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt
1 C jam ~ I love raspberry!
Mix together the brown sugar, flour, oats, salt
soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in the cold
butter with your fingers until the mixture gets
crumbly.  You can use a food processor. Reserve
about 1 C of the mixture and press the rest into
a greased (I use the butter wrapper for this)
 9x13 pan. Spread the jam evenly over the
bottom crust. Combine the chopped pecans with
 the reserved crumb mixture and sprinkle
over the top. Bake @350º for 35-40
minutes. Let cool for 25 minutes, then cut
into bars or squares.

Enjoy!

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Honey Boo Boo Chicken

You're in for a treat with this easy and very

 yummy chicken recipe.

I gave it it's funny name because of the friends 

that shared their favorite recipe. Cathy, and her

sister Liz  had just confessed their guilty pleasure

of watching Honey Boo Boo while we were 

chatting. Liz was busy making her special 

honey chicken for their dinner.

 Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel

It doesn't hurt to have a white wine spritzer

(in the background) while you cook.

 Heat the oil and lots of garlic powder in a large 

skillet on medium high. Be generous with the 

garlic. Add the chicken. This recipe works well 

whether you're cooking for one or six. Just use 

1 chicken breast per person and be

generous with the garlic, salt, pepper and honey.

No need to measure. I gave measurements just 

to give you an idea of amounts. More is best!

Season with more garlic powder and salt and 

pepper to taste.

When almost cooked, drizzle in lots of honey, 

about 1T per breast.

 Stir frequently until it begins to caramelize.

It will turn a lovely medium brown.

Prepare a salad of romaine hearts and 

sliced or chopped cucumber. Toss with

my Garlic and Dill Dressing from

the previous post. Pile the salad on dinner

 plates and top with the

Honey Boo Boo Chicken! 

The contrast of the garlicky crisp salad

 topped with the sweet crispy chicken is 

delicious!

Honey Boo Boo Chicken

 2 boneless chicken breasts,

 cut into bite size pieces

2T olive oil

 1t garlic powder

3T honey

1/2t salt & 1/2t pepper

Add enough oil to cover the bottom 

of a large skillet. On Medium high, heat the oil 

and garlic powder; add the chicken pieces

 and saute until almost cooked through.

While cooking add more garlic powder, salt

and pepper to taste. Add about 1 generous

tablespoon of honey per breast and stir 

frequently until chicken has caramelized 

to a lovely medium brown.

Serve over a bed of chopped romaine hearts

and diced English cucumber that has been

tossed with garlic-dill dressing.

serves 2

(multiple recipe as needed)

Enjoy!

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