Hershey's Triple Chocolate Torte

 (This isn't the best picture I goofed with the egg whites, and forgot to put the cream on the 3rd layer, so I will replace it when I make this again! It is one of the best if not the best chocolate cake you will ever make!  Such a masterpiece!   I made it for my in-laws, and my mother-in-law raved over it and wanted me to share the recipe with her.   She made it for a sibling get together, and called me the next day to say she made the best chocolate cake ever!  It was a big hit! )

For the cake:

2 eggs, separated

1 1/2 c. sugar, divided

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. buttermilk, (if you don't have buttermilk, you can use 1 Tbsp. white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 c. 

*** Heat oven to 350 F.

*** Grease and flour 2 ( 9 inch) round cake pans.

*** In small mixer bowl, beat egg whites until foamy ( I beat them until almost stiff), gradually beat in 1/2 c. sugar until stiff peaks form ( this is very important for the success of the cake,  it must have stiff peaks or the cake will sink in the middle - make sure you beat it on high to allow enough air to incorporate - I would use a stand mixer for this).  

*** In large mixer bowl, stir together remaining 1 c. sugar, the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  

*** Add oil, buttermilk and egg yolks - beat until smooth

*** gently fold in egg whites.

*** Pour batter into prepared pans .  Bake 25 to 30 min. or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.  Cool 5 min;  remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.  

** Split layers in 1/2 horizontally. you now have 4 layers

Chocolate Cream Filling :

2/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 c. cold whipping cream

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla --beat on low speed of electric mixer to combine.  Beat on medium speed until stiff.  Spread over 1 cake layer with 1/3 of the cream filling; top with 2nd cake layer.  Repeat ending with plain layer on top.   

Chocolate Glaze :

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1 Tbsp. water

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

In small saucepan, combine butter, corn syrup and water; place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil ( I bring it to a boil - I like the texture of the glaze better).  Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted.  Cool to room temperature - makes about 1 c.  Glaze cake.  Add chocolate curls or sprinkles for a nice touch.  Refrigerate.  Makes 8 to 10 servings.  

**If you bring the glaze to a boil, it is a little harder to cut, I use a serrated knife.  This cake is amazing!

Wendy's Rainbow Jello

( this is from my once upon a time neighbor, Wendy Dastrup, she was a fun friend and good cook, I miss our friendship, but will treasure the memories!  She was one of a kind.  My kids request this at our big holiday parties)

6 packages (3 oz) of different color jello

 Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple

Or any to your liking 

2 c. vanilla yogurt (can use unsweetened)

**  boil 1 c. water, add 1 package of jello, and stir until dissolved.  Split this into two bowls, add 3 Tbsp. cold water to one bowl , stir with wooden spoon or plastic spoon, until dissolved do not use metal. then with the other bowl, add 1/3 c. yogurt, stir   I use a plastic coated whisk ( do not use metal),   Pour one bowl in your dish, can use a glass 9x13 pan or I used a trifle dish for this one ( you want to see the pretty "rainbow")   Put the pan in fridge for 1/2 hour or until set.  Then take the other bowl of jello and pour over top, and put back into fridge for 1/2 hour.  It doesn't matter which order to begin with, but after the first two bowls, or first package of jello, keep it in the same order for the next package, so you will have light to dark or dark to light whichever you prefer.   Each package will go the same way until you have a rainbow.  It's so pretty!  

Next:

1 c. whipping cream

1/3 c. powder sugar

1 tsp. vanilla - whip together until stiff 

** Spread on top of jello and sprinkle with decorations.  

Keep in refrigerator. 

This one I made in the Spring

Cowley Lunchroom Apple Crisp

(this is such a good recipe and brings back so many happy memories from my childhood!  So grateful the lunch ladies were willing to share this one, so yummy especially with ice cream!) 

4 to 5 c. peeled and sliced tart apples, or more to your liking 

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

1 c. water

-- Put in pan and boil until apples are tender 

--Pour into 9 x 13 pan

(this picture is an 8x8, I was making for my smaller family)

Topping:

(We usually double this)

3/4 c. melted butter

2 c. Oats (I use quick oats), 

*stir together, then add

3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. brown sugar

Mix all together and crumble on top of apple mixture.  Bake at 350 F. for 25 to 30 min.

Serve Warm with ice cream .  Yummy Fall dessert!!!

 

Laura's Peach Salad

( this recipe comes from a friend, Laura Bird.  We were in a Bunco group together and she brought this, it's such a keeper!  Perfect end of summer salad!  When my brother-in-law was dying of cancer, he would request this salad.  My mother-in-law would also substitute the peaches for mandarin oranges)

2c. peaches soaked in 2 tsp. lemon juice (drain after a few minutes, this is to keep the peaches from browning)

3 c. spinach leaves

3 c. leaf lettuce

1/4 c. toasted slivered almonds

* Poppyseed dressing: 

2 tsp. finely chopped onion

1 c. olive oil or avocado oil

6  Tbsp. cider vinegar

1  tsp. salt

2/3 c.  sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 tsp. Poppy seeds

blend in blender and serve over salad.  

Easy Chocolate Pudding (Cook's Country)

 

                ( This is a yummy recipe from Cook's Country, it's so creamy and chocolatey)

Serves 4

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

3 Tbsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

2  3/4 c. whole milk

1/4 c. heavy cream

1 c. milk chocolate chips (or 6 oz. bar milk chocolate, chopped)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1.  Combine brown sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in large saucepan.  Whisk milk and cream into sugar mixture until smooth.  Add chocolate chips and bring to simmer, whisking occasionally, over medium heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and large bubbles appear at surface, 2 to 3 min.  Take off heat, stir in vanilla.

2.  Transfer pudding to large bowl and place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding.  Refrigerate until completely cool, at least 4 hours.  (Pudding can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days) Serve.   

Cinnamon Rolls

 Cinnamon Rolls

In a pan:

• 1 Quart milk

• ¾ c. butter (or 1 ½ cubes of butter)

Heat until the butter is melted. (If you overheat the milk just set it aside until it cools down). Set aside.

In bowl:

• 4 heaping Tbsp. yeast

• 1 Tbsp. Sugar

• 2 c. warmer than warm not hot water.

Set aside.

In mixer:

• 6 eggs

• 3 Tbsp. Salt

• ¾ c. Sugar

Mix until blended. 

When the milk mixture is cool add to eggs

• 6-7 c. Flour

Pulsate 5-6 times then turn mixer to #1 to mix.

You want it to look like runny dough

Add the yeast mixture

Turn mixer on to #1

Add 2 c. flour

Change to the kneading beater

Turn mixer on to #1

Add flour, about ½ c. at a time by dumping it on the side of the mixer. Let it mix before adding more. Stop adding flour when the dough stops sticking to the side. (You don’t want to add too much flour or the bread/rolls will be tough).

After you have added all the flour, you need to dump about 1 Tbsp. Oil on the side of the mixer. That will help the dough dump out of the mixer. Dump the dough into a large bowl with about 2 Tbsp. Oil in it. The bowl can not be a glass bowl.

Cover with a dish cloth and let it rise about double its size.

After the dough is ready, roll it out and spread butter in it then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. You can also add nuts, raisins, or craisins. Starting with one side, roll the dough into a long tube shape, at the end pinch the dough together so it won’t unroll. Cut the roll into about 1” segments (dental floss works good). Put the cut side down on the pan. Let rise to twice their size. If you would like cherries or apples in them use pie filling (with cherry pie filling add the sugar and almond extract, and for the apple, chop up the apples some). You put the pie filling in after the rolls have risen. You use a spoon and press the center down and fill the center with pie filling. Then bake them at 375 for 12-15 min. or until they are golden brown. On the rack one down from center (placement of oven rack).

Frosting:

Mix:

• 2 lbs. Powdered sugar

• 3 Tbsp. butter

• 2 tsp. Vanilla

• 1 can evaporated milk. 

• You will not need all of the milk. Just add it until it is the consistency of frosting. 

Let the rolls cool before frosting. 

Taken from Ann Kirk

Notes: As soon as I get my friend, Kathy's recipe from her, I will put it here, it's pretty good too!

Joann's Potato Soup

 (I had been meaning to try this soup for a while and finally got around to it, and she did a great job of tweeking this recipe, as it is wonderful!)

1 1/2 lbs. potatoes, cut small or diced

3/4 c. shredded carrots

1/2 c. celery, diced (optional)

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 c. chicken stock

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 -2 bay leaves

celery salt

garlic salt

2 Tbsp.  parsley 

4 slices bacon,  cook it up , crumble, take out of pan and save grease

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

 **Saute onion, garlic and carrots in bacon grease.

**Save grease

**cook potatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, celery (if used), spices, in pot with chicken broth.  

**When cooked, take out 2c. of the broth and make a roux with 3 Tbsp. butter and the flour, when cooked,  stir into the soup and add the cream.  When ready to serve, add the cheese and the bacon on top.  

**If using a crock pot, Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.  When only 15 minutes left, remove 2 c. of the liquid and make a roux in a frying pan using the flour and 3 Tbsp. butter,  when cooked,  slowly add the 2 c. liquid and stir until thickened.  Add to crockpot, stirring until mixed in, then add cream.

** The thickness will depend on how much flour and liquid you use to make the roux.