Deep Dark Moist Chocolate Cake

2 cup sugar

1 ¾ cup flour

¾ cup cocoa

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. In large mixer bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.) Frost with butter cream frosting.

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

6 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

2 2/3 cup powdered sugar

½ cup cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

In small mixer bowl, beat butter. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting. 

OLD-TIME SQUASH CASSEROLE with PASTA

Modified from COOKS.COM

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2 lbs. (give or take) winter squash cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic

1 chopped onion
1 tsp. salt

~1/2 c. water, plus some as needed

¼ c. apple juice (optional)
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. milk

2 eggs
½ package of cooked pasta
1 c. grated Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 c. cracker crumbs, divided

1 tbsp butter (melted)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Butter a 2 or 3 quart casserole dish.

In saucepan sauté squash, garlic, onion, and salt for a couple minutes in a little butter. Add water (and apple juice, if you have it on hand). Bring to simmer; cover and cook, adding small amounts of water if needed as liquid cooks away, until squash is tender and mashable, mashing with the spoon as you go, 20 to 30 minutes. Be careful not to add too much water toward the end of cooking, so that there’s no liquid left to drain. Remove from heat, and finish mashing hot squash mixture with 2 tablespoons of butter.

Beat together milk, eggs and beat into squash. Add pasta, all but 3 tablespoons of cheese and enough of cracker crumbs (1/4 cup) to thicken mixture. Combine remaining cracker crumbs with 1 tablespoon of butter and reserved 3 tablespoons of cheese. Sprinkle on top of casserole and bake until bubbly and browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Serves 6 to 8

Kale, Mushroom and Cheddar Bake

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch kale, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices (Don't make these too thick)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese

METHOD

1 Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with a little olive oil and set aside.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the thinly sliced kale and cook until just wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

 

3 Add the onions and mushrooms, and add salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

4 In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.

 

5 Line the bottom of the casserole pan with one third of the thinly sliced bread. Spread one half of the kale mushroom onion mixture over the bread.  Sprinkle one third of the cheddar cheese over the top. Lay down the second third of the bread slices. Top again with the remaining kale mixture, and then with a third of the cheese.  Lay the remaining slices of bread over the top.

 

6 Pour the milk egg mixture over the bread, pressing down with a spatula so that the milk is absorbed by the casserole layers. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar cheese. (At this point you can chill overnight for making ahead, or continue.)

7 Let the casserole sit for about 15 minutes to further absorb the milk while you preheat the oven to 350°F.  Cover with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving.

Curried Egg Salad Sandwiches

Use those leftover hard boiled eggs! These are great-

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed and chopped
• 1 cup diced Granny Smith apple (about 1 apple)
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced very small
• Fresh spinach
• 8 slices of bread

1. Pour 3 quarts of water into a medium-sized pot. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce heat to a barely simmering. Carefully add the 6 eggs to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and then dump into an ice bath until cool enough to handle. Remove the shells and chop the eggs.
2. Combine and whisk the mayonnaise, lime juice, curry powder, Dijon, salt and cayenne in a bowl.
3. Fold in the eggs, apple, and onion.
4. Use the filling and spinach in sandwiches made with lightly toasted bread.