Mandy's chocolate cake

CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2-½ cups sugar

4 eggs

2-½ tsp vanilla extract, divided

2-¾ cups all purpose flour

1 cup baking cocoa

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 cups water

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup confectioner’s sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in 1-½ tsp vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water. Pour into three greased and floured 9-in round baking pans.

Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 min before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling: Beat cream until stiff peaks form. Beat in confectioner’s sugar and remaining vanilla. Place bottom cake layer on serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Repeat. Place top layer on cake; frost with butter cream frosting. Store in refrigerator.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 cup butter, softened

6-7 cups powdered sugar

¼ tsp salt

6-9 Tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter until fluffy. Add part of sugar and salt. Beat. Add remaining sugar and milk in small batches until correct consistency.

The dish Olive Garden stopped making!

I found its substitute. Finally. So happy.

Ingredients:

3 cups farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked

2 cups frozen peas and carrots

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips - marinated in italian dressing

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 small can mushrooms - or small bunch of fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup Italian Dressing

1 can (14 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth - I actually use 1/2 this amount

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend - I used more...

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding carrots and peas to boiling water the last 3 min.

MEANWHILE, cook and stir chicken in large nonstick skillet 3 to 4 min. or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm. Add onions and dressing to skillet; cook 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Return chicken to skillet. Stir in broth. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 3 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally.

DRAIN pasta mixture. Add to skillet with basil; stir. Serve topped with cheese.

Fudge Revel Bars

1 cup butter or marjarine

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

Combine these ingredients and set aside.

Put the following in a double broiler (or sauce pan and cook over low heat till chips are melted)

12 ou. pkg. semi-sweet choc. chips

15 oz. can sweet and condensed milk

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs butter.

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

2 tsp vanilla

Melt together. spread 2/3 of oatmeal mixture in 15x10 pan. Cover with chocolate mixture. Dot with remaining oatmeal. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Jordan's Favorite!!!

Mandarin Orange Salad

My kids absolute FAVORITE salad!

Prepare 1 small orange jello package - allow to set partially until not runny.

Add 2 cartons of orange yogurt, 1 can of drained mandarin oranges and 1 carton cool whip.

Refrigerate a few hours.

Cindy's jello/fruit salad

Pineapple tidbits (1/2 can)

1 can mandarin oranges

1 can peaches (cut up)

16 oz. bag frozen “Berry Medley”

(strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries—Walmart)

1 sm. pkg. raspberry jello

1 sm. box vanilla pudding (Cook ‘n Serve)

1 ½ Tablespoons tapioca pudding

Drain juices from fruit to measure 2 cups. Add jello, pudding, and tapioca to the juices and cook until thick. (kind of) Cool in frig. Mix with fruit.

Be sure to thaw and drain fruit completely.

Substitute any fruit you like. Sometimes I make it with frozen strawberries and strawberry jello.

Cindy's Chicken Macaroni Salad

2 cups cubed chicken

4 Tablespoons cut stuffed olives

¾ cup cut celery

Red grapes

2 hard-boiled eggs diced

2 cups small shell macaroni cooked

¾ cup (or more) mayonnaise thinned with olive juice

Mandy's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yum! The secret is the pudding!

4 1/2 c. flour 4 eggs 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp. vanilla 2 c. butter / margarine 4 c. choc chips 1 1/2 c brown sugar 2 c. nuts optional 1/2 c. sugar 3-4 tsp. cinnamon 2 pkg instant pudding You can change the flavors as desired. "Traditional" - use vanilla instant pudding. You can also try butterscotch pudding with butterscotch chips....chocolate pudding with choc mint chips...you get the idea. Whatever combination your imagination comes up with. 350 degree oven Sift flour and soda. Cream soft butter with two sugars, stir in pudding. Then add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients including cinnamon. Then add chips. Bake 10-12 minutes

Trina's Pasta Salad

1. 16 oz pkg. noodles (I prefer ziti; have also used spirals or large elbow) cooked, drained and tossed with 2 Tbs oil (I use olive oil)
2. 1 medium cucumber chopped
3. 1 medium onion chopped
4. 1 1/2 - 2 Multi-colored bell peppers chopped
5. 1 1/2 cups brown cider vinegar
6. 1 1/2 cups sugar
7. 1 tsp. salt
8. 1 Tbs. mustard
9. 1 Tbs. parsley
10. 1 tsp. garlic powder
11. 1 Tbs. miracle whip
12. 1 tsp. pepper

Mix together #5-12. Then add #1-4. Refrigerate ideally 8 HOURS before serving, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin bread

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
2. Put softened cheese, butter, and sugar in mixing bowl. Cream together well. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Mix in pumpkin.
3. In another bowl combine flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and walnuts. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour all at once over batter. Stir just enough to moisten. Turn into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60-70 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove to rack to finish cooling.

Banana Bread

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

2-3 ripe bananas

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I made mine without nuts)

In a mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, salt, baking powder.

In another bowl combine sugar, bananas, butter, and eggs; mix well.

Add flour mixture; stir till just combined. Stir in nuts

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55-60 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack.

Remove from pan; cool thoroughly on a wire rack.