Dark Chocolate Cake with Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting / Cake is from Americas Test Kitchen with a few minor changes

                                                                              


1&1/2 sticks butter
1&3/4 cup flour
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate bar
1/2 cup strong black coffee (hot)
1/4 cup Hersheys 100% Cacao Special dark cocoa
1&3/4 cup sugar
1&1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs + 2 large yolks
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray & flour 2, 9" cake pans ( round) OR 1, 9x13 oblong pan.
In heavy pan mix the hot coffee with the broken up chocolate bar. Heat on low until chocolate is melted. Stir in cocoa & stir until blended. add 1/2 cup of the sugar & stir until smooth & has a sheen. Remove from heat & cool. In bowl mix all dry ingredients. I large bowl beat eggs & yolks till frothy. Add sugar & beat until it has a batter like texture. Beat in cooled chocolate mix. Beat well. Add softened butter a little at a time & beat well. Add 1/3 of the flour alternately with 1/3 of the buttermilk that you add the vanilla to. Continue until you have incorporated all the flour & milk, Scrape sides of bowl & mix until everything is blended & you have a nice thick batter. Divide batter between your pans & bake 25 - 30 minutes until done. Let cool 10 minutes then dump from pans onto cooling wracks. When completely cool frost with the following frosting.

                                                                             


                                                      FLUFFY PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
1 stick butter softened
1 cup shortening
2 cups peanut butter
2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
5 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cups to 1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 of a Hersheys Symphony Bar
 
Beat peanut butter & butter until fluffy. Add marshmallow fluff & beat again. Add 1/2 of the powdered sugar & 1/4 cup milk & vanilla beat well. From this point add as much or as little of the remaining sugar & milk until you have the frosting as thin or as thick as you like. I use all of the sugar & very little of the milk but I like a thick, fluffy frosting that has a peanut butter fudgyness to it. Spreadable of course! But you might like a thinner softer frosting. This is hard to mess up because you can keep adding milk, sugar, or peanut butter until you make this recipe yours ! Feel free to play & have FUN ! For chocolate curls let the Symphony bar out at room temp. Using my potato peeler I just run it down the length edge of the chocolate bar & you get beautiful curls.Arrange on top of your cake ! Eat the other 1/2 of the Symphony bar because you EARNED it after making this beautiful cake ! Note: this frosting recipe makes enough frosting to amply frost this cake + a 9x13 cake or use as filling for Whoopy Pies. I always freeze this & thaw & use for one of these at a later date. You could halve the recipe & have enough for this cake but when making frosting why not make enough for two desserts is my motto !

Potato Dinner Rolls

1 cup sugar
1 cup plain mashed potato (no butter,salt or milk)
1/2 cup shortening
3 eggs beaten
1&1/2 tsp. salt
2 packets of yeast
1 cup warm water
5 cups bread flour +
Beat all together the sugar, mashed potatoes, shortening, eggs & salt. Add yeast to the warm water & stir until yeast has melted & slightly foamy. Add to the mixture.  Stir in 3 cups of the flour. Place dough on a well floured surface & knead in the remaining flour. Knead until dough is moist but not sticky. You might need to add more flour at this point but only enough to keep dough from being very sticky. Put dough in a large bowl, cover with a clean towel & place in a warm area, let dough rise until double in size. Once double roll out on a floured surface about 1 inch in thickness. For dinner rolls cut out with a small round cookie cutter or use a juice glass that you keep the edge floured to easily cut through the dough. Place cutouts on a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Let rise until puffy but NOT doubled in size, should take about 35 to 40 minutes. Once risen brush tops with milk & bake 325 degrees until nicely browned . My oven takes about 20 minutes but check at 12 minutes as ovens vary. Remove from cookie sheets & dust tops with a sprinkling of the bread flour. Serve warm or reheat if using later. This makes about 5 dozen small dinner rolls. You may cut these with a large round cookie cutter & use for sandwich buns. Oven time might take longer but check at the 12 minute time. These freeze very well & reheat in the microwave like they were freshly baked.

                                                                    

Stove Top Penne Goulash

                                                                                

1, 12ounce box whole grain Penne
1 lb. ground turkey or beef or sausage ( use your favorite)!
1, 24 ounce jar of your favorite sauce, we LOVE Prego Chunky Garden.
2, cloves minced garlic
2, large onions chopped
1, 4 ounce can mushroom pieces
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1, tsp Italian seasonings
1, tsp parsley flakes
Grated cheese to sprinkle on top of each serving
2 TBS. oil if using ground turkey
In large pot cook Penne according to directions. Drain when done. In the now empty pot, brown meat using oil if using the ground turkey. Once meat is brown, drain the beef or sausage not needed if using turkey. Add chopped onion & garlic. Saute until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms, spinach & seasonings. Cook on medium high about 10 minutes. Add sauce drained Penne. Stir well & cook on medium about 15 minutes. Dish up into individual servings & sprinkle with grated cheese.Serves 6 ample servings!

                                                                          

Big Fat Pumpkin Pie

                                                                            

Crust:
2 Cups Flour
1/4 TSP Salt
2 TSP Sugar
1/3 Cup Shortening
1/3 Cup Butter
1/2 TSP Vanilla
4 to 5 TBS of Ice Cold Water
Mix all dry together. Cut in butter & shortening to make fine crumbs. Stir in the vanilla & cold water until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in 1/2. Freeze the one use the other to make this pie! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough & place in a 10 inch pie pan. Trim & crimp the edges. Lay a sheet of foil lightly into the bottom of the pie & have it come up the edges. Fill foil with about 2 cups of raw rice. Bake for 10 minutes & remove from oven. CAREFULLY remove foil with the rice. This blind baked crust will insure you have a crispy crust! Now set shell aside & prepare the filling.

 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS. cornstarch
3 eggs                
1, 29 ounce can of pumpkin  or fresh pumpkin
2 cups whole milk                      
1 tsp vanilla         
1& 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
In large mixing bowl combine sugar salt & cornstarch. Add eggs & beat well. Beat in pumpkin mix well. Add milk, vanilla & spices beat well. Pour into LARGE deep pie pan 10" or 2 8 inch pie crusts that you blind bake. Sprinkle top with cinnamon. Bake 375 for 1 hour & 1/2. Cover edges of pie crust with foil to prevent overly dark crust. Check pie at 1 hour but bake until pie filling is set. If using 8 inch pie crust check at 40 minutes & continue until set. IF you do not care for spices or prefer to leave some out  do so to suit your taste! Let pie cool & then refrigerate .
                                                                       

Chinese Confetti Chicken

                                                                             


1 lb white meat boneless skinless chicken cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 large onion sliced in 1/2 inch chunks
2 ribs celery sliced on the diagonal 1/2 inch pieces
12 baby carrots left whole
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup sliced mushrooms fresh or canned ( drain if using canned)
1/2 cup shredded zuchinni
1/2 cup frozen spinach 
3 TBS vegetable oil.
1 TBS minced garlic
 You will be stirring the entire cooking process.  Saute the following on medium heat.Saute carrots in oil until slightly tender. Add chicken & saute until 1/2 cooked. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, cabbage & spinach. Saute until chicken is cooked & vegetables are tender. Add garlic stir & cook another 3 minutes. Turn heat to low & cover pan while you whisk together the following sauce.

For Sauce
3 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS oyster sauce
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS cornstarch
2 tsp. 5 spice powder
1 & 1/2 cups cold water
Sesame Oil about 15 drops
Whisk all together until cornstarch is smooth & sugar is liquid. Stir into your pan with the chicken mixture & cook over medium high heat until sauce is thickened. Serve hot over rice ! Taste like the real deal ! Serves 4 easily !

Vanilla, Peach & Cinnamon JelloJigglers ADULT VERSION !

            

                                                                             

1, 3 oz. box peach Jello
6 oz. boiling water
6 oz. Vodka
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 cinnamon stick
whipped cream & cinnamon to sprinkle when serving if you choose !
choose your container or use small paper Dixie cups for shots, The kind you would use for single serving for nuts or mints.
I use a glass loaf bread pan for jigglers.
Bing water to boil with the cinnamon stick. In glass bowl dump in Jello . Add the boiling water after you remove the cinnamon stick & stir until Jello is dissolved. Add Vodka, & vanilla. Stir & pour into your container or individual shots. Refrigerate until set at least 4 hours but over night would be best. I could not wait to taste as you can see !  These are VERY BOOZY so you might want to cut back on the vodka & add more water BUT when doing jello shooters isn't it the BOOZE you're after  LOL !

Venison Stroganoff but feel free to use Beef or Pork & Chicken is good too !

1 lbs. Venison cut into cubes ( or other meat )
2 TBS. butter
2 large onions chopped
1 lb fresh mushrooms washed & sliced in 1/2 inch thick slices
2 TBS. Tomato Paste
1 cup sour cream
water to cover
1 tsp salt
1 Tsp. parsley flakes
In large skillet saute meat cubes in butter until nicely browned. Add onions & mushrooms & saute another 10 minutes on medium heat. Pour enough water in pan that almost cover meat. Cover pan & let cook on medium low stirring every 5 minutes or so. Let cook about 1 hour for beef , pork & venison only 1/2 hour for chicken. Remove lid and add tomato paste. Stir the paste into meat mixture so it is combined very well. Then stir in sour cream & add parsley & seasonings. Cook on low, stirring till thick & bubbly . Serve over hot noodles!

Simple But Oh So Good Crockpot BBQ Venison Roast or Beef or Pork!

1 Large. Roast about 4 lbs.
2 large onions chopped
1& 1/2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
Place roast in crockpot. Add onions. Pour sauce over all. Let cook on low 7 hours, Falls apart & great on a crusty roll or as a wonderful main dish to serve with your favorite side dishes.

Deer Swiss Steak or Use Beef if you like !

1 lb deer steak approx. 1/2 inch thick cut into individual portions
3 TBS butter
1 large onion sliced into 1/4 inch rings
1 large green pepper sliced into 1/4 inch rings ( optional)
1/2 cup flour seasoned with 1/2 tsp. salt
1 large can chopped tomatoes 28 oz. size
pepper to taste
3 TBS cornstarch mixed with 3/4 cup cold water , do not mix ahead of time it will separate.

In large deep skillet melt butter. Dredge each steak portion in flour mixture to coat each side with a dusting of flour. Place each steak in the pan & brown each side over medium  high heat. Watch closely so they do not burn. Flip each piece when bottom side is brown. When both sides are brown layer onions evenly over each steak. Then repeat with peppers. Spoon tomatoes over each steak & pour in all the juice. Turn heat to medium low & cover pan . Cook for one hour making sure to watch that liquid does not cook off. If you need to add water do so but you probably will not need to. When steak is fork tender if gravy is thin then mix up the cornstarch & cold water. Slowly stir in this mix a little at a time continue to cook but turn heat up to medium high. Cook till gravy is bubbly & as thick as you like. Season with more salt & pepper if needed. Taste first as the tomatoes will have added salt to the dish. Wonderful served with mashed potatoes or noodles & rice is great too !

Easy Breezy Homemade Peanut Butter

3 lbs. shelled roasted peanuts ( no salt )             


In a large 12 cup food processor place all the peanuts. Use the chopping, mixing bottom blade. Run processor until you have peanut butter.This should take about 10 minutes. Run on high speed for 3 minutes then pulse for about 1 minutes. Turn on to high speed & run for about another 3 minutes. Pulse again for 1 minutes & then finish butter on medium speed. Stop when you have the chunky or stop when it is smooth. Mine is slightly chunky.  Place butter in a large container & keep refrigerated. This is a HEALTHY choice over store brand butters & uses no salt, sugars or oils other than the natural oils in the peanuts. This peanut butter is terrific for using in main dishes like African  Peanut Stew or Asian Peanut Butter Chicken. I will Blog those recipes at a later date. I eat this practically everyday so I make the big batch. If you want smaller amounts just use fewer peanuts. This butter keeps it's consistency & usually does not need stirred & is spreadable right from the frig !

Delivery of my Homemade Glazed & Chocolate Frosted Baked Donuts

   This is Traci & Jay from Warm 103.3 FM radio my FAVORITE station & DJs ! They help CRANK me up in the morning before work ! They commented on these donuts on Facebook so I JUST HAD to take them some to taste ! They were very SWEET to take the time to visit with me when I dropped in. Thank You Traci & Jay !                                                     

Marinated BBQ Chicken

                                                                                   

                                                                               
2 split chickens

MARINADE
1/4 olive oil
1/4 vinegar
1 TBS honey
1 TBS ketchup
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. parsley flakes
Whisk together marinade ingredients. Heat grill to medium heat with one side of grill not heated. place chickens on unheated side of grill. Brush liberally with marinade. Close grill cover. Cook chicken till crispy outside & juices run clear approx 40 to 45 minutes. Brush with marinade every ten minutes.

Sweet " Tater" Oven Fries

                                           Sweet "Tater" Fries with Amish BBQ  !  

4 large yams use one per person
4 TBS olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.Peel yams & cut into large 1 inch thick fries. Mix in a bowl the olive oil, salt & cinnamon. Dip each fry into oil mixture.Lay each fry on sheet so it does not touch any of the other fries. Bake 25 to 30 minutes turning each one over 1/2 way through baking time.Bake until fries are brown & potato is soft. Serve with syrup to dip or sprinkle with brown sugar to serve. We dip!