All-American Chocolate Cake

1 2/3 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cups butter, room temp.

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 cups sour cream

*Mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each one. Add vanilla and sour cream. Pour into two, greased, round cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

6 Tbs. butter, room temp.

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

*Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and cocoa. Add milk and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Frost tops and sides of two cake layers.

Cashew Chicken Salad

1 can chicken or 1 cup chopped, cooked chicken

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup cashews, chopped

1/2 cup red apple, chopped

1/2 cup red, seedless grapes, halved

1/2 cup mayo

1 Tbsp. dry Ranch dressing mix

*Mix all ingredients well and serve on croissants.

RED ENCHILADAS

Holly said her husband married her because of her Toffee Cookies and I'm pretty sure my husband married me because I made him enchiladas. So - if you want to catch a husband (or if you already have one and want to make him happy - and not THAT way) make him these. They're easy and good!



(Makes 2-3 dozen enchiladas - sauce freezes well.)


Soften 2-3 dozen corn tortillas (or amount of your choice) in hot oil, just until soft. Do not fry crisp. Absorb excess oil with paper towels and set aside while making the sauce.


Sauce:

1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. flour


Heat oil over medium-high heat in heavy 3-4 quart saucepan. Add flour, stirring constantly with whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes to thoroughly cook the flour. Add:


4 c. chicken broth (heat it first and it will thicken quicker)


Quickly stir in the broth and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Add:


1 t. garlic salt
1 t. onion salt
1 t. cumin powder
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. dried leaf oregano
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
*1 14 oz. container "Bueno" frozen red chile sauce (comes in mild or hot - use mild)
Cook, stirring until chile sauce is melted, stirring constantly over medium heat.


*This sauce comes frozen and is found in the freezer section of the grocery store. No need to defrost it- just put the frozen container into the hot mixture and stir until it melts.


Place small amount of sauce in bottom of baking dish. If rolling your enchiladas, place 1-2 T. grated cheese, or any meat of your choice in middle of tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in dish and continue. Cover with sauce and then 1-2 cups of grated shredded Mexican blend cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted. If you want to make casserole style, lay tortillas side by side in your baking dish; cover with sauce and cheese and repeat ending with cheese. Bake as above.

Toffee Cookies

When my husband and I were dating, I made these cookies for him and he instantly fell in love with me. Ok, not totally true, but pretty much. He LOVES these cookies and eats them by the dozens! They are buttery, sweet and simply melt in your mouth. A must try!!

3/4 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream then add:
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup toffee bits (found on the baking isle by the chocolate chips; do not use chocolate covered)
sugar for rolling

Roll dough into balls with hands, roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!

Quick and Easy

You know those days when you get home in the evening, after driving your kids all over creation, you look at the clock and realize it's dinner time and you haven't thought about what you're having? This meal is perfect for those days. Ranch Chicken and Rice

1 can chicken

2 cans cream of chicken

1/2 packet Ranch dressing mix

milk

*On the stove, put chicken, soup, and dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir together and mash up chicken pieces. Heat over medium, adding milk to thin (about 1/2 cup). Heat for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice. We always eat this with peas and it's good mixed together if you don't mind mixing your food.

*Helpful hints: This is also good with Italian dressing mix. If you plan ahead, you can also make this in the crock-pot with frozen chicken breasts. If you like it really rich, you can add cream cheese.

Taco Soup

*I was unsuccessful at getting a decent picture of my taco soup...so I stole this one of off the internet. But this is actually what it really looks like.

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 can stewed or diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 can tomato sauce

1 can corn (undrained)

1 can kidney beans (undrained)

1 cup water

*Brown beef and onion. Add taco seasoning to meat. Put into bigger pot and add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Top with sour cream, cheese, and chips.

Mexican Corn Salsa

We love, love, love this salsa! My husband would bathe in it if he could. It doesn't last more than a day at our house. It requires some chopping but it's well worth it!

5 Roma tomatoes
3 avocados
1 can white corn
1 can black beans
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 bunches green onion
1/2 bottle Italian dressing

Dice tomatoes, avocados, and green onions. Chop cilantro really well. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add dressing. Stir and serve with chips. Delicioso!!

Aunt Nannette's Hot Fudge

*Melt together on stove:

2 cubes butter

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

*Add:

2 cans evaporated milk

*Stir well then add:

4 cups powdered sugar

*Boil for 5 minutes while stirring, then take off heat and add

1 tps. vanilla

**Helpul hint: I tried using milk chocolate once and it never thickened. It was the consistency of water. This recipe makes a lot, so you can easily half it or save it in the fridge. It saves really well for a couple of weeks. My kids like to heat it up and dip fruit in it. This is so easy to make...you will never buy hot fudge in a jar again.

SALSA

This is my favorite salsa recipe, ever!! If you don't have a food processor you can use a blender, but you need to know that IF I ever get a divorce (not happening) the food processor goes with me!! You can literally make this salsa in 10 minutes.

Add the can of crushed tomatoes (diced are fine but have more water), pepper, garlic salt, onion salt, oregano, sugar, dried chile seeds, jalapeno and cilantro. Puree well. This is the base for your salsa.

Then add the green onions, quartered tomatoes (smaller if using blender) and more cilantro. The cilantro is a matter of personal taste. I could wear it as PERFUME!! I love the stuff, but some hate it. Whatever your choice, but if you hate it - something is wrong with you - just kidding!!


Make sure you only pulse it now or you will end up with "salsa soup". If you use your blender (ask for a food processor for Mother's Day) make sure you stir it up from the bottom so it chops evenly.

SALSA

1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 t. black pepper

1 t. garlic salt

1 t. onion salt

1/2 t. dried leaf oregano

2 t. sugar

1/4 t. dried red chile seeds (more or less for spiciness)

1 fresh yellow jalapeno, deveined and seeded

palm-full of fresh cilantro

Place all in food processor or blender and process until well blended. Add:

1 bunch diced green onions

8-10 ripe Roma tomatoes, stems cut off and quartered (if using blender, cut in

smaller pieces)

small palm-full of fresh cilantro (in addition to previous amount)

Pulse 10-12 times in food processor, or if in blender, until chunks are very small. ADD: One 4 oz. can diced green chile and pulse 2-3 times more. Add more salt or sugar to taste.

Taco Salad

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 can Ranch Style beans

1 packet taco seasoning

chips

lettuce

tomato

cheese

*Brown beef, add beans and taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Let simmer on low for 10 minutes. Serve over chips and add toppings that you like.

Sauce

1 cup mayo

4 oz. cream cheese

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. accent

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. onion salt

*Mix with mixer or in blender.

WHAT'S UP WITH ME?

The computer and I are at war!! MY NEW computer won't let me log on to post, read comments, or even pick my nose. I'm on my hubby's right now - and he's trying to figure it out. Anyway - hope to get it resolved soon and post some more - MEXICAN FOOD on it's way (I hope)!!

Does anyone have a recipe for Cream Puff Cake. The crust on the bottom is like puff pastry and it's layered with filling and whipped cream? Someone share, please?