Texas Sheet Cake

This is the best chocolate cake I have ever had. PERIOD. *WARNING* Not all Texas Sheet Cake Recipes are created equal. This one is absolutely the best. No question.

In a large bowl combine the following:
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

In a small sauce pan put:
1 c. butter
1 c. water
4 Tab. cocoa

Bring to a good boil and pour over the flour mixture. Stir well and add
2 eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk

Mix well and pour into a well greased 12x17 inch cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with Texas Sheet Cake Frosting.

Texas Sheet Cake Frosting

In a medium saucepan bring the following to a boil:
1/2 c. butter
2 Tab. cocoa
6 Tab. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Take off heat and add:
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts (Optional...Jaxon says No WAY. My mom puts hers on after...so many you can't tell the cake is chocolate. Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Stir this well with a wire whisk and immediately put on cake. You want the frosting to still be hot to give you a smooth shiny texture otherwise it will set up fast and look crusty.

Try this and let me know if you think you can top it. (0:

Candied Walnuts

I love to eat these on green salads with cranberries, feta, and diced apples or pears with pomegranate vinaigrette. This homemade recipe is way better than any you will find at the store. We eat them so often, I always make a double batch.

1 Tab. sugar

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 Tab. light corn syrup

1 c. walnuts

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, salt, pepper and corn syrup. Add walnuts and stir until evenly coated.

Spread mixture onto baking sheet as best you can; the nuts will want to clump together. Bake about 15 minutes until nuts are golden brown and sugar mixture is bubbly. Stir occasionally to break up clumps.

Allow to cool completely on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container.

Black Bean Tamale Pie

I love this recipe. I found it in a Quick Cooking magazine. It takes about 40 minutes start to finish. The cornbread is my favorite addition.

1/2 lb ground beef/turkey
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. salsa
1 pkg. (8.5 oz) corn bread/muffin mix (I use Jiffy)
1/4 c. milk
1 egg
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Sour cream and sliced black olives as a garnish (Opt.)

Brown beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in beans and salsa; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine muffin mix, milk, egg, and 1 cup of cheese. Pour into a greased 9 in pie plate. Bake at 375 for 5-6 minutes.

Spoon beef mixture over crust, leaving a 1/2 inch edge. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 1-2 minutes more, or until cheese melts.

Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and olives. Feeds 6-8.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

This is a recipe I got from my sis-in-law. We love to make just enough enchiladas for dinner, then save the rest of the marinaded chicken for salads or quesadillas the next day.

3/4 c. honey

2/3 c. lime juice

2 TB. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 lbs. cooked, shredded chicken (I always bake mine)

8-10 whole wheat tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese (I use colby jack or sharp cheddar for flavor)

16 oz. green enchilada sauce

1 c. sour cream

Combine honey, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder and toss with shredded chicken. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 in pan with about 1/2 c. of enchilada sauce. Fill tortillas with marinated chicken and shredded cheese. Reserve about 3/4 c. of cheese for the top.

After tortillas are filled and rolled, place in the dish. Mix the remaining marinade with the remaining enchilada sauce and 1 c. sour cream. Pour this sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot all the way through.

We always eat these with a side of black beans.

Cran-Razz Pizazz

So,this is a punch I threw together for New Beginnings, and it was so good, I just had to share it. I wish I could have taken a pic of how it looked in the punch bowl, but it didn't last long enough!

1 can of frozen cranberry juice concentrate

2 liters of lemon-lime soda

16 oz. frozen raspberries

Individual Cheesecakes

I recently made these delicious treats for my family for Valentine's Day and again for New Beginnings. They are so yummy and beautiful.

Crust:

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

1 TB. sugar

4 TB. unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 - 8 oz. pkgs. of cream cheese (I tried nuefchatel and it works great too)

2/3 c. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. sour cream

Garnish with your favorite fresh fruit, or drizzle with melted chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce.

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Line muffin tins with strips of parchment paper or cupcake liners.

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar, then pour melted butter over and mix with a fork. Press about one tablespoon of crumbs into each cup. Place in the refrigerator to firm up with you mix the filling.

It is very important that all of your filling ingredients be at room temperature before mixing! Beat cream cheese with a mixer until nice and smooth. Add sugar and beat on low until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Don't forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure every little bit is thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until incorporated.

Pour filling evenly into crusts. The recipe claims to make 12, but I always seem to get more out of it. You can fill these almost to the top because they don't expand much while baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes. They will be firm, but the centers will still wiggle a little.

Remove from oven, and let cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a few hours or over night. I leave mine in the muffin tin. Run a knife around between the liner and cup to make them easy to remove. Peel off wrappers to serve. Garnish and enjoy!