Chocolate Chocolate Cake

This is the best chocolate cake I have ever made! Frosting is amazing too!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup boiling water
• Chocolate Frosting:
• 12 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla                               

Instructions

1. Mix the first six ingredients together.
2. Then add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
3. Mix well.
4. Add the boiling water and mix slowly.
5. Pour into 2 greased and floured round pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Let cool for about 15 minutes in the pans.
8. Turn them out of the pans onto cooling racks or plates.
9. Cool completely before frosting.
10. dd butter to bowl.
11. Then add about 1/3 of the powdered sugar.
12. Mix well.
13. Then about a 1/3 of the milk and vanilla.
14. Mix well.
15. Next 1/3 of the cocoa.
16. Mixing well after each addition
17. and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
18. Repeat until all is added.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients

• 8 ounces rotini pasta
• 12 ounces broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup milk, or more, as needed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Within the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add broccoli; drain well.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.
• Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and garlic powder until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in Parmesan until well combined, about 1 minute. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed.
• Stir in pasta, broccoli and chicken. Gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Best Pie Crust Ever

4 cups flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1 3/4 c shortening
1 egg
1 T vinegar
1/2 c ice water

Put water, egg and vinegar together in fridge to stay cold.
Cream together flour, sugar, salt and shortening.
Add egg, vinegar, and water.  Mix well.

Will make 4 crusts

Pumpkin Pie Upside Down Cake

1 Large can pumpkin
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 can of evaporated milk
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 box yellow cake mix
chopped pecans
2 sticks melted butter

Preheat oven 350
Mix together pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar. Pour in pan.
Sprinkle cake mix on top.  Sprinkle nuts.  Drizzle butter.
Cook for 55-60 min.

Stationery card

Peaceful Snowflakes Holiday Card

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Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 400.  In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy.  add vanilla and eggs; blend well.  add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; mix well.
2. In small bowl, combine 2 Tbs sugar and cinnamon.  Shape  1- inch balls; roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture.  place 2 inche3s apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3.  bake at 400 for 8 to 10 min or until set. immediately remove from cookie sheets. 

Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Shells

44 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (about 1 1/2 12oz boxes)

2C chopped cooked chicken

2C fresh chopped spinach

1 Onion, Chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 C)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tb dried parsley flakes

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper 

2C shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce

**When mom makes this she adds sausage and it's really good:)

Cook shells according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2 13x9x2 in baking dishes.

In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. 

Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. 

Bake, covered for 40 min. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 C mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more min.

Makes 8-10 servings.