Mom's yummy Carrot Cake

Here it is folks.  The best carrot cake recipe ever:

2 cups raw grated carrots                   1 small can crushed pineapple& juice

3 cups flour                                          2 tablespoons orange rind, grated

2 cups sugar                                        2 teaspoons soda

11/2 cups veg.oil                                  2 teaspoons vanilla

11/2 cups nuts                                      1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs                                                   1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients.  Add grated carrots, oil, pineapple.  Beat in eggs, nuts.

Bake 1 hour in 350 F oven or til done. I don't think I ever baked it that long..I'd say

after 40-45min. check it for doneness. this cake is very moist you could probably get away with 11/4 cups oil. frost with cream cheese frosting.

you can add flaked coconut to nuts if desired.

Thanks Mom!

Homemade Marshmallows

Homemade Marshmallows

1 cup water - divided in 1/2
3 1/4oz envelopes unflavored gelatin (Knox)
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup cornstartch
1/2 cup powdered sugar

also: medium saucepan (1 1/2 q), candy thermometer, stand mixer, 9x13 pan with foil greased well!, pizza cutter, spatula, cling wrap

1.) Line pan with tin foil and grease foil well, set aside.
2.) Pour 1/2 cup water into stand mixer
3.) Sprinkle in the 3 pkg of gelatin, mix slightly then let sit.
4.) In a saucepan heat remaining water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
5.) Increase heat to medium-high and boil about 4 minutes until mixture reaches 248 degrees (just under hard ball). Remove from heat.
6.) Start mixer on low (~1) and slowly add sugar mixture into gelatin mixture in a thin stream. Slowly increase speed to high (~6 or 8) for 12 minutes, or until super-fluffy.
7.) Add vanilla and mix in. Pour into greased pan using a spatula to help.
8.) Wet hands and press into pan evenly. Cover with oiled cling wrap and let sit 3 hrs.
9.) Right before 3 hrs are up, mix together cornstarch and powered sugar in a large bowl.
10.) Turn out marshmallow slab and coat with powdered mixture - slice into 1 1/2 squares (pizza cutter wet works good). Toss each square in powdered mixture until un-sticky.

Store about 2-3wks in a tight container. They melt awesome in hot choco!!! I recommend Burdicks!!

Hershey's "Especially Dark" Chocolate Cake

Ok, you are going to thank me for this one! YUM YUM YUM! It is the best chocolate cake I have ever had! So much better than a cake mix!

2 cups sugar
1- 3/4 all purpose flour (i used cake flour)
3/4 Hershey's special dark Cocoa powder
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil ( i used canola oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round pans.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla, beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 mins. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 mins or until pick comes out clean. Cool 10mins before removing from pans.

Frost with chocolate frosting:

1/2 cup butter
2/3 Hershey's special dark cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 milk
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistencey. Add small amount of milk if needed. Stir in Vanilla. Then frost that cake!

Enjoy with a tall glass of cold milk.

Pumpkin Cake

Happy Holidays, Ladies!

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1 small Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding

2 eggs

1 15 oz can of 100% pure pumpkin

1 T. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 C water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients together and beat with a hand mixer for 3-5 minutes. Pour into a greased jelly pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool.

-

Topping

1 Pint Whipping Cream

1 T vanilla

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 8oz Cool Whip

Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until cream has stiff peaks. Fold in Cool Whip and top mixture onto the cake.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Bars!!

Hey all. Here is a quick and easy dessert that takes just minutes and makes everyone who tastes it an instant fan!

1 Yellow or White Cake Mix

2 1/2 C. of Oatmeal

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1/2-3/4 C of your favorite jam or jelly

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Heat the butter until it is melted, combine with the cake mix and oatmeal. This will be a lumpy, dry consistency. Press 3/4 of the mix in the bottom of a 9x9 inch pan. Then spread the jam/jelly. Top (sprinkle) the remainig mixture on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Searve warm or cool. I have found that if you let it cool for 10-15 minutes it serves up better. Although if you are just having one of those days when you need a treat--Serve it hot with ice cream on top!!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever

This one is from Kristi, who I visit teach:

My mom clipped this recipe out of a newspaper in like the 20's or something. It's the recipe we have always used and is, in my humble opinion, the best chocolate chip cookie out there (I am sure you all have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe as well).

Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies:

½ cup of white sugar
1 cup shortening
1 t vanilla
1 C brown sugar, well packed
2 eggs
2 ¼ cups of flour
1t baking soda
1 t salt
1 C choc chips

Cream together shortening, sugar, vanilla, eggs. Add salt and soda, mix well. Add 1 ¼ cups of the flour, mix well. Add the last cup of flour and mix by hand, add choc chips and mix by hand. Bake @ 350 for 7-10 minutes. The trick to these cookies is to not over bake them. Pull them out when they first start to crack on top or are just barely turning golden. You will not be disappointed. Well, if you over cook them you might be, so don't.

Texas Sheet Cake

CAKE

Mix in a large bowl:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda

In a sauce pan melt:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup water

Bring the cocoa mixture to a rapid boil and pour into large bowl over dry ingredients. Mix together with beater. Add:

1 cup buttermilk (you can sub - 1 tbsp lemon juice and then add milk to make a cup)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs beaten

Mix well and put in greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 - 15 minutes. Cool.

FROSTING

1/2 cup of softened butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
6 TBSP buttermilk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
chopped pecans

Mix ingredients (except pecans) with mixer. Frost cooled cake and sprinkle chopped pecans on top. This is always a crowd pleaser and is so easy. Sprinkle nuts only on half if your worried about nut haters. But it's not a true Texas sheet cake without them.

Dump Cake

Dump Cake by Luz L.

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can (14 to 16 oz) crushed pineapple (don't drain)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter or margarine (more if needed)

Mix cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple and spread in a 9x13 inch pan (ungreased). Sprinkle dry cake mix over the fruit, covering all of it. Slice the butter in thin slices and place on top of cake until entire surface is covered. If needed, use more butter. Bake at 350 degrees until brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Cake

Here is a recipe from my mom's grandmother's Grange Cookbook.

Blueberry Cake

Cream:
1/c shortening (I use butter)
1 egg
1 c sugar
1 t vanilla

Add 1 c sour milk (I like to sour it with lemon juice, but you can use vinegar)
Stir in:
1 t baking soda
2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c blueberries (also good with blackberries)

Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar

Bake at 350 for 30 min. in a 9x 11 pan.

I always double the recipe and make in my BIG glass pan...I think it is 10x13. Check with inserting knife.

Quick Jell-O Pie

2 Packs Sugar Free Jell-O-any flavor

2 Containers of low or fat free yogurt-something close to Jell-O flavor

1 Container Cool Whip-low fat

2 Pie crust (or 1 crust and pudding cups)

Empty Jell-O into large bowl. Add just enough hot water to dissolve Jell-O. Whip in yogurt. Add in container of thawed cool-whip. Mix until well blended. Put into pie crust. Cover. Place in fridge.

Set time--One Hour