Corn Bread

I haven't posted anything for so long!  I make this all the time with chili.  The boys love it.  I got it from Gina.  It is a sweet corn bread and so delicious.

1 2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn meal
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Mix altogether and add
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

I usually double this and put it in my large cast iron pan.  If I don't double it I just put it in my smaller one.  You can also put it in a 8x8 pan.

Gina's Rich, Yummy Chocolate Cake

Gina said this was her first ever real homemade from scratch nice cake. It looks great to me. Maybe Valentine's Day??
She said she got it off of all recipes.com.

Cake:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup water

Frosting:
6 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

Ganache:
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the top of a double boiler, heat 6 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream. Stir in boiling water (batter with be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: In the top of a double boiler, heat 6 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl, whip the butter for about 10 minutes until it is super fluffy, beat in egg yolk. Gradually blend in the confectioners' sugar, alternating with 2 Tablespoons vanilla and 2 Tablespoons cream, then blend in the melted chocolate. Beat in the softened cream cheese.
Make the Ganache: In a large saucepan, combine chocolate chips and 1 cup heavy cream. Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove form heat and set aside.
Assemble the cake: When the cake is completely cooled, cover the bottom cake layer with as much ganache as desired. Refrigerate for 5 minutes, or until ganache has set. Spread frosting over the ganache. Cover with top layer of cake. Frost top and sides with buttercream, and garnish with more ganache.

Orange Ginger Chicken and Veggies

Gina found this in the Light and Tasty magazine. They really loved it. I love making Chinese but for some reason never do.
1 medium navel orange
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons chili sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 lb. chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves minced
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 cups broccoli florets
1 medium red and yellow bell peppers julienned
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup unsalted cashews
rice

Grate orange peel, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons. Peel and section orange, set orange sections aside. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and ginger. Stir in the broth, soy sauce, chili sauce, hot pepper sauce and reserved grated orange peel until blended; set aside.
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry the chicken and garlic in oil for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the broccoli, peppers, and carrot; stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender. Stir broth mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cashews and reserved orange sections. Serve with brown rice.

Healthy Zucchini-Carrot Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup wheat flour

3/4 cup oat flour (if you don't have this just blend oats into a finer consistency)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup plain yogurt or vanilla

3/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients starting with the dry items first, then going down the list. Stir in the zucchini, carrots, pecans and raisins just until blended.

Bake 18-20 minutes for regular sized muffins, or 12-14 minutes for mini-muffins. Cool for 10 minutes before taking out of muffin tins.

Cheesy Potato Soup

This is one that Gina put in the cookbook. I use it all the time! It makes such a huge pot of soup. I use it all the time when I take a meal to someone, they can eat it and have plenty of leftovers and freeze some too. When I make it I usually freeze half of it.
5-6 potatoes (chopped)
2 small carrots (grated)
1 celery stock (chopped in small pieces)
1 onion (chopped)
3 cans chicken broth
1 cup flour
1 cup butter
1 box Velveeta (the 16oz size)
4-5 cans evap. milk

Cook vegetables in chicken broth until tender. In separate pan melt butter and slowly stir in flour. Add cans of milk and Velveeta and stir constantly until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened. Add cheese mixture to vegetables and broth.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gina put these in the cook book as one of her and Coy's favorite cookies. She made them for the celebration and they were so good. Mine didn't turn out as good as her's but still delicious.
1 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
6 Tablespoons milk
1 pkg choc. chips

Preheat oven to 375. Cream together shortening and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, then beat. Add flour, salt, soda. Stir together. Add milk and choc. chips then stir. Bake 8-10 minutes. Press down tops after they come out of the oven, cool a bit, and then put them in Tupperware to store.

When I made them I had to bake them for only 6 minutes. Gina's were big and fluffy, mine fell and were flat. I have never claimed to be a good cookie maker and my oven is not the greatest so I am sure that is why they don't look as good as Gina's do.

Lion House Wheat Rolls

These are yummy! They are really light and fluffy, even though they are the majority whole wheat.
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup quick rolled oats
2 TBSP molasses
3 TBSP dry milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour or bread flour
3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 TBSP shortening
3/4 tsp salt

Makes 2 dozen rolls

Dissolve yeast and molasses in warm water and let proof until foamy--about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, leave the flour as the last addition. You'll want the dough to be slightly sticky, so make sure to add the flour slowly. You might only need 2-3 cups of whole wheat flour if the dough looks like it's getting too firm. Knead until dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Cover bowl and let sit in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, or about an hour. Punch down dough and knead lightly. Roll out until dough into a rectangle until dough is about 1/2 inch thin. Cut dough in half length wise, then cut strips using a pizza cutter. Roll strips and place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise for 30-40 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

1/2 Cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (3.9 oz) Jello Chocolate Instant Pudding
8 Oreo Cookies; chopped (about 1 cup)
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Pour fudge topping into medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup Cool Whip. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies.

Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24 inch long sheet of foil; top with half the Cool Whip mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sandwiches. Frost top and sides with remaining Cool Whip. Bring up foil sides; double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.

Freeze 4 hours or until firm.