German Chocolate Cake

This is our family's favorite birthday cake. The fudge cake recipe came from my good friend and college roommate, Joanne. It is not your fancy layered German chocolate cake; as it is baked in a 13x9-inch pan. Grease the pan well; as has a tendency to stick. When cutting the slices; I run the knife under hot water to keep the icing from sticking; rinsing after each cut. To store cake cover with saran wrap and store in cool place or refrigerator. I have made high altitude adjustments in parentheses.

Ingredients for Fudge Cake:
2 cups sugar (decrease by 1 tablespoon per cup)
2 cups flour (increase 1 tablespoon per cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup shortening
3 tablespoons powdered unsweetened cocoa
1 cup water (increase liquid by 1 tablespoon)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda (decrease by 1/8th)
Directions for cake:
Sift flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
In a medium saucepan; heat butter, shortening, cocoa and water over medium heat until melted and hot.
Pour mixture over the dry ingredients and combine until smooth.
Beat eggs, vanilla, buttermilk and soda. Add to the chocolate ingredients and beat by hand until thoroughly mixed.
Pour batter into a well-greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
Bake at 350-degree oven (increase 5-degrees) for 30-35 minutes (maybe less time if oven temperature is increase); testing middle with a toothpick.
Set aside on rack until completely cooled.

Ingredients for German Chocolate Cake Icing:
5 ounces evaporated milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 slightly beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut (to sweeten unsweetened coconut: dissolve 4 teaspoons sugar in 1/4 cup hot water per cup of shredded coconut. Mix with coconut.
1/2 cup chopped pecans



Directions for Icing:
In a medium saucepan combine evaporated milk, sugar, butter and egg. Cook over medium heat until hot, bubbling and thickening. Stir constantly. Remove from heat.
Add vanilla, coconut and pecans.
Allow to cool completely and spread evenly over the cake.

Lemon Braised Chicken

This recipe was snatched from snackrules.com Very easy and delicious...

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons (one sliced and one juiced)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 pound trimmed green beans (I used frozen organic)
• 8 small red potatoes, cubed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Coat a dutch oven or baking pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Slice one lemon and arrange the slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.

In a large bowl combine the rest of the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. 

Add the chicken, green beans, and potatoes and toss to coat.

Pour mixture into the prepared pan.

Roast for 50 minutes or until chicken is cooked and potatoes soft.

Tandoori Chicken

This recipe was from The Daring Gourmet, www.daringgourmet.com I made the marinade and used 1/2 half for the 4 thighs and froze the remainer for another time.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
• canola oil

Marinade:

• 4 cloves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3 green cardamoms, seeds only
• 1 black cardamom, seeds only
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

I used a small cast iron skillet to roast the cloves, cumin seeds, cardamom seed, fenugreek and fennel. Use medium heat and regularly rotate spices until seeds emit a rich aroma. Immediately transfer the roasted seed to a dish to cool. Once cooled, grind in a spice grinder.

Add the spice powder to the yogurt in a medium bowl along with the remaining marinade ingredients. Stir to combine.

Place the chicken thighs in a shallow glass dish. Cut deep diagonal slices into the tops of each piece; about 3 slashes per chicken piece.

Pour the marinade over the thighs; thoroughly coating all sides. ( I used 1/2 of the marinade). Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

                               















Cover a baking dish with foil and place chicken on it; disgard remaining marinade. Drizzle top of thighs with the canola oil. Roast the chicken at 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Serve over rice. YUM!