Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Adapted from Food Network
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 packed cups grated zucchini (don’t peel it)
1 cup chocolate chips


Preheat oven at 350 F. Spray two 9×5 inch pans with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Add the oil and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients along with the zucchini and chocolate chips. Stir just until combined, and divide between the loaf pans.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the tops are cracked and springy to the touch. Makes 2 cakes.

Cajun grilled chicken and Pasta

http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/01/grilled-cajun-ranch-chicken-pasta.html?m=1

Wowsa!!! We loved this meal! I made up the Cajun mix that she links to, and left my chick to marinate for several hours.
I halved the recipe and it was plenty for our family.
I didn't have any garlic, so I left it out. I really don't think it needed it. I also added the parm after the sauce had simmered a bit. My one complaint was that the sauce didn't thicken as I wish it had.

Chicken cordon blue pasta

So delicious!!

10-12 oz. penne or ziti pasta
2 cups heavy cream
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
1/2 tsp. onion powder more or less to taste
1/2 tsp. garlic salt more or less to taste
1 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese separated
2 chicken breasts cooked and cut into strips
3/4 cup bacon cooked and chopped
3/4 cup diced ham
bread crumbs

Cook pasta according to its package's directions. Drain. I always add a little olive oil after I drain it and stir in around so the pasta noodles don't stick together or the pot.
Heat cream cheese on stove over medium low heat until melted. Stir in heavy cream. Stir until completely combined. Add onion powder and garlic salt until it tastes how you would like it to. Stir 1 cup of cheese until smooth consistency.
In a 9x13, layer noodles, chicken, bacon and ham. Pour sauce over top. Sprinkle top with 1/2 cup cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice

Perfected by America’s Test Kitchen
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
2 1/3 cups water
2 teaspoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread rice in an 8-inch square baking dish.
2.  Bring water and butter or oil to a boil, either in a saucepan or in the microwave.  Keep an eye on it and take it off heat immediately after it starts boiling.  Immediately stir in salt and pour water over rice in baking dish.  Cover baking dish tightly with 2 layers of foil, or heavy-duty foil.  Transfer baking dish to oven and bake rice until tender, about 1 hour.
3.  Remove baking dish from oven and uncover.  Fluff rice with fork, then cover dish with kitchen towel and let rice stand for 5 minutes.  uncover and let rice stand 5 minutes longer.  Serve immediately.

Bonnie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c good butter
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
 2 eggs
1 TB vanilla (half if using Mexican)
1 1/2 -1 3/4 c oat flour (oats blended)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 tsp. soda
2 c. ap flour
2 pkgs Guitard milk chocolate chips

 Bake 350 F 12 mins.

Cashew Chicken

I got this recipe from my friend Mel.  After we moved away I really craved her Cashew Chicken.

Cashew Chicken

1- 2 chicken breasts 

1 can chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

1 tablespoon corn starch

¼ cup sugar

Marinate the chicken in all of the above ingredients for a few hours. 

1 cup chopped carrots (approx.) 

1 cup celery

1 package brown gravy mix 

Cashews

Cook carrots and celery in butter. It will take about 10-15 minutes for them to get tender. Stir occasionally. While those are cooking, cut up your chicken breast. SAVE THE MARINADE. Cook chicken until done. Just move the veggies to one side and cook the chicken on the other. Once everything is cooked, pour in your marinade and add the package of brown gravy. Let it all cook and simmer together until the sauce becomes thick. Stir in cashews.  Serve over rice.

Black and White Chocolate Cupcakes

By Megan Faulkner Brown (’02), Sweet Tooth Fairy Owner and Cupcake Wars Winner
http://www.thesweettoothfairy.com/

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup and 2 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup sour cream
3 eggs
¾ cup ready-to-eat chocolate pudding
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until well combined.

Add wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl and resume mixing on medium speed for an additional minute. Stop mixer and fold in chocolate chips.

Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full. Bake about 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.


White Chocolate Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
1 cup white chocolate chips or 6 ounces white chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2⅓ cups powdered sugar

To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add melted chocolate and vanilla; mix for an additional minute. Add powdered sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy after each addition.

Spread the frosting on the chocolate cupcakes. Garnish with fresh raspberries, mini chocolate chips, or chocolate sprinkles.