Chocolate Lover's Favorite Cake

Combine the following dry ingredients.
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
Set aside the dry ingredients.

In a saucepan melt and bring to boil:
2 c. butter or margarine
4-5 Tbsp. cocoa
1 c. hot water
Add to dry ingredients.

Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. milk or buttermilk

Mix well. Pour into a 9x13 cake pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Ice with the following:

Icing:
3 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 cube butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. cocoa
About 4 c. powdered sugar
Enough milk for desired consistency

Mix together. Spread on cake while partially warm.

Deluxe Fajita Nachos

2 1/2 c. shredded, cooked chicken (or 1 1/4 lbs. cooked ground beef)
1 pkg. (1.27 oz) LAWRY'S Spices & Seasonings for fajitas
1/3 c. water
8 oz. tortilla chips
1 1/4 c. grated Cheddar cheese
1 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 large tomato, chopped
1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/4 c. sliced green onions
Salsa
Guacamole
Dairy sour cream

In medium skillet, combine chicken. Spices & Seasonings and water; blend well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes. In large, shallow ovenproof platter, arrange chips. Top with chicken and cheeses. Place under broiler to melt cheese. Top with tomato, olives, green onions, and desired amount of salsa.
Makes 4 appetizer servings or 2 main-dish servings.

Sweet 'n' Sour Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 c. soft bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. milk
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2/3 c. chili sauce
2/3 c. red currant or grape jelly

Combine beef, bread crumbs, egg, milk, garlic, salt and pepper; form into 40 bite-size meatballs, using full teaspoon for each. Brown meatballs lightly oil. Cover; cook over low heat 5 minutes. Drain excess fat. Combine chili sauce and jelly; pour over meatballs. Heat stirring occasionally, until jelly is melted. Simmer 10-12 minutes until sauce has thickened, basting occasionally.

Makes 40 appetizers with 3/4 c. sauce.

Cheesey Garlic Bread

2 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 loaf French or Italian bread

Preheat the oven to 450. Combine the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese; add the Parmesan, parsley, and salt to the cheese blend. In a large frying pan or skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic to the butter. Slice a loaf of French in half, then cut the halves lengthwise through the middle. Take one of the bread portions and press it face down in the pan of butter. The bread will soak up some of the garlic butter. Brush the crust of the bread with butter from the pan while it sits in the pan, face down. Repeat with the other portion of bread. Put the bread on a baking sheet and spread the cheese mixture over the face of the bread. Heat the bread in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn brown. Give the bread a quick broil for 1-2 minutes to make it crispier.

Rustic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 c. water
1/3 c. butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 - 3/4 c. milk
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. finely chopped green onions
2-3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Combine potatoes and water in slow cooker; dot with butter. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours. Using an electric mixer on medium setting, whip potatoes until well blended. Add milk, salt, and pepper and whip until well blended. Stir in green onions and cheese; cover tightly and let stand 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend and cheese to melt.

I'm-the-Man Grilled Ham Sandwich

2 slices sourdough bread
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. Miracle Whip
1/3 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
4 slices ham
2 tsp. barbecue sauce

Spread the butter evenly over one side of each slice of bread. Put one slice of bread, butter side down, into a preheated frying pan over medium heat. Spread the Miracle Whip over the unbuttered side of the grilling bread. Sprinkle half the Cheddar cheese over the Miracle Whip. Lay slices of ham in the pan next to the bread for about 30 seconds to heat it up. Lay 2 slices on the cheese. Spread barbecue sauce on top of the slices, then top with the last 2 ham slices. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar cheese on top. Top with the other slice of bread, being sure that the buttered side is facing up.

Chocolate Revel Bars

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. quick-cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14-oz. can (1 1/4 c.) sweetened condensed milk or low-fat sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
2 tsp. vanilla

Set aside 2 tablespoons of the butter. In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stire in any remaining flour. Stir in the rolled oats.

For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine the reserved 2 tablespoons butter, chocolate pieces, and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occaisonaly. Remove from heat. Stir in the nuts and 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Press two-thirds (about 3 1/2 c.) of the rolled oats mixture into the bottom of an ungreased baking pan. Spread filling evenly over the oats mixture. Dot remaining rolled oats mixture on filling. Bake in a 350 oven about 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned (chocolate filling will still look moist). Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Chicken Nachos

1 pkg. whole-wheat tortilla shells (cut into 8 pie-shaped sections)

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can refried beans

1 can black beans

grated cheddar cheese

chopped green onions

chopped tomatoes

sour cream

salsa

guacamole

On a large cookie sheet, pour very thin layer of vegetable oil. Dip each side of tortilla shell. Cover cookie sheet with cut and oiled shells. Bake at 425-degrees for 3-5 minutes (until they start to turn golden brown).

Mix beans together. Thin with chicken stock or plain water. Add taco seasoning to taste. Also add taco seasoning to shredded chicken. Stack all ingredients, starting with tortilla shells, then beans, chicken, and cheese. Warm up in microwave until cheese melts. Add remaining ingredients, as desired. (Serves 6-8)

Light Brainy Brownies

Why did I take this picture of a half-eaten pan of brownies? Because they were so delicious they flew right off the pan! And what's better, these brownies have 2 cups of spinach, a cup of blueberries, oat bran, whole-wheat flour, and wheat germ!

I can't publish the recipe due to copyright laws, but this is The Sneaky Chef's first version of them.

Perfecto Pesto

1/4 c. almonds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. fresh basil
1/2 c. olive oil
pinch ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Toast almonds for 5-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. In a food processor, combine toasted almonds with all over ingredients. Process until a coarse paste is formed.

Chicken Salad

4 c. diced cooked chicken
1 rib minced celery
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Combine chicken, celery, basil, and slivered almonds. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add together. Cover and chill.

Cream Puffs

1 c. water

1/2 c. water

1/8 tsp. salt

1 c. all-purpose flour

4 eggs

3 c. whipped cream, pudding, or ice cream

powdered sugar (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt.  Bring to boiling.  Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously.  Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball.  Remove from heat.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.  Drop 12 heaping tablespoons of dough onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake in a 400 oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden.  Transfer cream puffs to a wire rack; cool.  Cut tops from puffs; remove soft dough from inside.  Fill with whipped cream, pudding, or ice cream.  Replace tops.  If desired, sift powdered sugar over tops.