Hurry Up Chocolate Cake

With the chicken skillet last week I also made Hurry up Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting. The recipe for the cake came from Cakes and Frostings with Schmecks Appeal by Edna Staebler. She was a Canadian author born in Berlin Ontario later more to Kitchener. In 2006 she died of a stroke. The recipes are from her mennonite neighbours, friends and family. This cake was very easy to make and the taste was so good, moist and the frosting with the coffee was perfect.

Hurry Up Chocolate Cake

9" X 9" baking pan (I used 9" round)
Preheat oven 35oº

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa powder, rounded
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup lukewarm buttermilk
Mocha Icing to follow

Directions:

Now the recipe said to mix all this in the 9 x 9 baking pan. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa,baking soda, salt into your baking pan.
Make 3 wells into the flour mixture.
Add vanilla in one and vinegar in another one and melted butter into the last one.
Then over this pour the lukewarm buttermilk.
Mix this mixture until smooth and no flour is showing.
Tape pan on counter to get out any air bubbles.

Bake in preheated oven 350º for about 30 to 45 minutes. Cool on rack in pan. When cooled ice with the Mocha Frosting out of the pan.

Mocha Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract or dark rum
1 egg yolk, (I did not use)
2 tbsp. cocoa
3 tbsp. very strong coffee

Directions:

In your mixer combine butter and icing sugar together until smooth and creamy.
Add vanilla and beat again until combined.
Then add cocoa slowly until this is combined.
Add the coffee until the frosting is the desired consistency.

Frost cake and serve.

Chicken Skillet

So I do not know if you have noticed but groceries are getting very expensive. Seems every time I go it is costing more. When they put sales on I am buying in bulk again. Which now means I have to have a storage area. In the eighties things were very expensive I bought a few cookbooks on low cost cooking and making your own mixes. They have come off the shelf again.
This Recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens Low-Cost Cooking. It is a nice easy dish to make on a week night or a weekend dinner. Great served with mashed potatoes or rice. When whole chickens were on sale bought 4, kept 2 whole, one cut in half and one cut up into pieces.

Chicken Skillet

Ingredients:

1/3 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp. salt (sea salt)
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning (can omit)
1 chicken cut up (or use pieces already cup up)
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. instant chicken bouillon granules (used beef, I like the flavour better)
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice (I used balsamic vinegar)

Directions:

In large flat bowl mix flour, salt, paprika and poultry seasoning together. You can use a large plastic bag to mix this in. Add your chicken and dredge in flour mixture and shake off excess. In bag place chicken in and shake it around then shake off excess and place on plate for both ways.
Save the excess flour.

In a small skillet place a tbsp. of butter. When bubbling add carrots and onions and saute until tender. Cook on a med-low heat. You do not want to brown this only soften. I find it makes a difference in the dish if you do this first.

In a large skillet heat cooking oil. When it is hot add chicken pieces skin side down. When the meat is brown then turn over and brown other side. Cook for 15 minutes turning as necessary after the pieces are browned. Remove from skillet onto plate.

To make sauce, stir in reserved flour mixture and sugar into the pan dripping, cooking flour until light browned. Dissolved the bouillon granules into the hot water; and stir into skillet. Cook and stir until it is thick and bubbling. Add your softened carrots and onions, parsley, and balsamic vinegar. Return your chicken to pan and arrange on top of the veggies. Cover; simmer for 40 to 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Have a heated platter ready and place chicken on it. Take sauce and pass with chicken. It is great with mashed potatoes or rice.

Serves 6 to 8

Raspberry Coconut Bars

I found another recipe from the 1500 Best Bars, Cookies, Muffins, Cakes 7 More. It is actually on the cover of the book. This is a very tasty bar. I think you could make a rhubarb filling for it and a lemon and pineapple filling, even raisin. The sky would be the limit I would think.

Raspberry Coconut Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening (I used butter)
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Topping:

1 cup raspberry jam (used our jam)
1/2 cup flaked coconut, sweetened
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven 350ºF.
9 X 13 baking dish ungreased

Base:
In small bowl mix flour and salt together with whisk.
In mixer bowl beat sugar and shortening(butter) until smooth and creamy. Add egg yolks and beat until combined. Add almond extract. Blend in flour mixture until combined. Take this mixture and spread evenly into baking pan. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

2nd Layer:

In small bowl stir jam until smooth. Then spread evenly over hot base and top with coconut. Set aside.

Topping:

In your mixing bowl add your egg whites and whisk until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and until stiff peaks are foamed. Spread this over the 2nd layer evenly and return to oven to bake for 25 minutes, or until top is lightly golden brown. Place on rack to cool cut into bars and store in fridge.

Makes 36 bars.

Chocolate Almond Brown Rice Pudding

While at the library I went through the homemakers magazines and in February/March 2008 this rice pudding caught my eye. It explains in the description that research has shown that chocolate with a high cocoa content contains a substance known as flavonoids, which appear to have antioxident and anti-inflammatory effects, reduce blood pressure, improve blood flow through the arteries and decrease the risk of blood clots that lead to heart attacks or stroke. Add the healthy effects of almonds and th whole grain rice your heart and taste buds will both be happy.

Chocolate Almond Brown Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1 cup short or medium grain brown rice
pinch of salt
1 2/3 cup water
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 pkg. ( 946 ml) almond milk
1/2 cup white sugar
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (85% cocoa solids) chopped
1/2 cup toasted sliced or slivered almonds

Directions:

In saucepan, combine rice, salt and 1 2/3 cups water to a boil; immediately reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.

While the rice is simmering whisk together cocoa, cinnamon and some of the almond milk until smooth; whisk in remaining almond milk.

Stir this into the rice; increase heat and bring to simmer. Stir in sugar; simmer, stirring often, until rice is completely soft and pudding is thick and creamy, 35 to 45 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and well mixed.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with almonds.

Makes 8 servings

Happy Easter

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Krispie Toffee Triangles

While at the library 1500 Best Bars, Cookies, Muffins, Cakes & More by Esther Brody caught my eye. This book is great, there are so many good recipes in it I am going to buy the book. The Krispie Toffee Triangles is the first recipe I decided to try. The rice krispies with the chocolate was a great combo on the top. We are thinking of where else you could use this in a recipe. It is a very nice bar. Would be a nice addition to your Christmas baking.

Krispie Toffee Triangles

Ingredients

Base:
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
1/3 cup butter melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup rice krispies

Filling:
1/2 cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Topping:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup rice krispies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º .

Prepare base: In a bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt. Make a well in center and add melted butter, brown sugar and rice krispies. Mix until blended. Press evenly into greased 8"X8" baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Cool on rack.

Prepare filling: In a saucepan add butter, condensed milk and brown sugar over low heat. When sugar is dissolved increase heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly; boil for 5 minutes. Spoon this mixture over the base evenly.

Prepare topping: In another saucepan over low heat add chocolate chips and melt. Add rice krispies and mix until well coated. Spread this mixture over filling, evenly. Chill for 3 hours. To make the triangles cut into 16 squares and then cut these in half diagonally to form 2 trinangles.