French Bread

1 1/2c water

1 TBSP vegetable oil

2 TBSP powdered milk

4c flour

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tsp yeast

Put all ingredients into bread machine on French bread dough setting. Divide into two loaves. Flatten loaves into rectangle shape, then fold the lengthwise sides in until they meet in the middle. Karate chop the "seam" with the side of your hand until the middle is somewhat flat, then pull the edges in again and seal them together until you get the right shape. (Wow, that is really hard to explain. If anyone actually wants to make this and needs further instruction, leave a comment and I can put pics up.) Do the same with other loaf then cover with a damp towel and let rise for 30min. While rising preheat your oven and pan to 450deg. (I just use the back of my good cookie sheet.) Cut 4 slices at an angle across the top of your loaf, and then put your bread on the pan. (I grease it a little with oil.) Take 1/2c of water, and throw it in the bottom of the oven and close the door quickly. Bake for around 20min.

Chocolate Cake

This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe. (Minus German Chocolate cake, but that's something else entirely.) It's really good. I found it in one of my Mom's Martha Stewart catalogs, but it was so long ago I don't know which one.

1 1/2 c butter, room temp.
3/4 c cocoa
2 1/4 c sugar
1 TBSP vanilla
4 large eggs
3 c sifted cake flour (I just use normal flour, unsifted :) )
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c milk

Heat oven to 350deg. Grease 3 8" cake pans,and line bottoms with parchment.
1. Sift (again, I don't sift) cocoa into medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup boiling water. Let cool.
2.In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter until light. Gradually beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
3. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. (I just mix it in the measuring cup so I don't have to wash another bowl.)
4. Whisk milk into chocolate mixture. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the cocoa mixture a little at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add to pans and bake 35-40 min. Invert pans onto wire rack to cool.

Really good Bacon and Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

I found this recipe in my magazine that my mom got me for Christmas, and luckily it's up on their web-site right now. We made it for dinner tonight, and it was really, really good. It's pretty easy, and really tasty. (When you add your bacon, we just used the real bacon crumbles from Costco-lots easier and really good still.) It's also a good warm comfort food meal, for when the weather get a little colder. (As I hear it still does outside of Texas. This is when I miss Oregon...when it's supposed to be fall. :) )

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1918488

Fudge

I made some fudge a couple of weeks ago for FHE treats, and it was so good. It's one from Alton Brown, from the Food Network channel. So here's the link. Mmmm. Fudge.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-fudge-recipe/index.html

Mississippi Mud Brownies

My mom got this recipe from a friend a long time ago...it is especially delicious. (I'm planning on making one this week for the missionaries; I'll take a picture and put it up if I do.)

2 c sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 3/4 c flour
1/3 c cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 c pecans (optional-I normally don't put them in.)
1 pkg mini marshmallows

Cream your butter and sugar until light in color. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together (I never do) flour, cocoa and salt, and add to your butter mixture, beating well to combine. Pour into a 9"x13" pan. Bake at 300 deg for 30 min. Remove pan and add marshmallows to the top. Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 min. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 min, then spread your "mud"* mixture.

*Mud-
1 1/2 sticks melted butter (So like 3/4 cup? I'm not sure why it uses diff. measurements in same recipe)
1/3 c cocoa
1 box sifted powdered sugar
1/2 c evaporated milk
1 c pecans (optional-again, I omit them.)

Sift (again, I never sift. I don't know, maybe I should, but it turns out okay.) powdered sugar and cocoa together. Sprinkle over melted butter. Add milk, vanilla, and nuts. Spread on brownies. Mmmmm.

Anita, this is the recipe I used for the brownies. They're really easy...I want some right now. :)

Cameo Cake

Cake:

1 1/2c butter
3/4c water
4 oz white chocolate, crushed (I just use chips)
1 1/2c buttermilk
4 lg eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 c flour (save 1/2c to flour pecans)
1 c chopped, toasted pecans

Bring to a boil butter and water in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add white chocolate, and remove from heat. Stir until melted.
Stir together buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Add 3 c flour, sugar, and baking soda, and mix until blended. Gradually stir in white chocolate mixture. Toss pecans in remaining 1/2c flour. Gently fold into the rest of the cake mixture.
Pour into 3, 9" greased pans. Bake at 350 deg for 20-25min.

Frosting:

4 oz white chocolate
11 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c butter, softened
6 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate on low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Cool 10min.
Beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add white chocolate, beating constantly. Add powdered sugar, and beat until smooth. Stir in vanilla.


This is the cake that I made for Royce's mom for mother's day. (Cameo Cake) Her favorite color is purple, so I made two different shades of purple roses to put on top, but by the time we got there the flowers had turned blue. It was really weird. :)

Dinner Rolls (And slightly healthier cinnamon rolls)

Rolls (Dough)

4 c flour
2 TBSP dry milk
2 1/4 active dry yeast (one packet)
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon/lime juice
2 TBSP oil
1 1/2 c warm water (80 deg, or just about a baby bottle temp :) )

Combine ingredients in bread machine, and set on dough program. Once the dough is done, cut into 12 even pieces, and form into roll shape on lightly floured surface. (Sometimes my dough is too moist, so I knead in extra flour.) Put in sprayed 9x13" pan, and let rise for 20min. Then bake at 350deg for 20-25min. (Since we've been at Brackenridge, I check them at around 18min, since the oven cooks so hot.)

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough recipe (see above)
2 TBSP butter, melted
2 TBSP olive oil (or whatever oil you use...I use olive.)
1/4 c brown sugar
2 to 1 sugar/cinnamon mixture

Roll dough into a rectangle shape on a lightly floured surface. (Again, if too moist, knead in more flour.) Mix your oil and butter, and spread completely over dough. Sprinkle brown sugar, and your cinnamon/sugar mixture. (As much as you like in your cinnamon rolls :) ) Roll into log shape. Slice into 12 pieces, and put in sprayed 9x13" pan. Let rise 20 min, then bake for 20-25 min at 350deg.

I also like frosting on my cinnamon rolls, so here's one that's not too bad.

4 oz neufchatel cheese, softened (the cream cheese with 1/3 less fat)
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter in mixer on medium speed. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add milk and vanilla, then spread on warm gooey cinnamon rolls :)