Honey Crunch

3 cups Quaker Corn Bran or Oatmeal Bran cereal

1 cup Quaker oats (quick or old-fashioned)

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup butter or margarine

1/3 cup honey

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup raisins, optional

Heat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, combine cereal, oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt.

In small saucepan, combine butter, honey, and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and ingredients are well blended. Pour over cereal mixture; mix until thoroughly coated.

Spread evenly into 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture is golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Immediately spread mixture onto waxed paper covered cooling rack. Stir in raisins, if desired. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container in cool, dry place.

Makes about 7 cups.

Note: I used 1/2 c. walnut halves, 1/2 c. chopped pecans. I also added 1/4 c. roasted soy nuts.

Another Chocolate Cake (There's No Such Thing As Too Many Chocolate Cake Recipes!)

CAKE:

MIX:
3 cups sifted all purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt

BRING TO BOIL:
4 ½ T cocoa
1 ½ cup water
¾ cup oil
1 ½ sticks butter
Pour over dry mix and stir well.

ADD:
3 eggs
¾ cup buttermilk

Stir with wooden spoon until well blended and lumps are gone.

Bake in 2 8X8-inch well greased and floured pans at 350 for about 30 minutes. Cool in pan about 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Ice while warm.

ICING:

MELT:
1 stick butter
6 T. milk
4 T. cocoa
Pour into mixing bowl.

ADD:
1 box powdered sugar
½ cup nuts (if desired)

Beat with electric mixer until well blended, about 2 minutes.

Pour over warm cake.

Stromboli

½ pound ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1 (32-ounce) package frozen bread dough, thawed and divided

2 tablespoons prepared mustard, divided

12 slices American cheese, divided

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

2 (3 ½ ounce) packages sliced pepperoni, divided

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, divided

Vegetable oil

Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet, stirring until meat crumbles. Drain well, and set aside.

For each Stromboli, place 1 loaf bread dough on a lightly floured surface; roll dough into a 12-inch square.

Spread 1 tablespoon mustard over dough to within ½ inch of edges.

Layer 3 slices American cheese, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, half of pepperoni, and half of beef mixture lengthwise down center third of dough, leaving a ½ inch border at top and bottom of dough; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.

Top with ½ cup mozzarella cheese and 3 slices American cheese. Fold each side of dough over filling; pinch seam and ends to seal.

Transfer loaves to greased baking sheets; brush loaves with oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut each loaf into 4 slices. Makes 8 servings.

** You may substitute shredded 4 cheese blend for the American cheese slices and olive oil for the vegetable oil.

Praline-Apple Bread

My friend, Judy, recently made this bread and posted a picture of it on Facebook. It looks sooo delicious and I can't wait to bake it myself. Posting it here is the easiest way to keep up with it, so here it is:

Judy modified the recipe a little, so be sure to check out her modifications at the bottom of the post.

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.

Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Note: To freeze, cool bread completely; wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Recipe from Debbie Grusska, Hobart, Indian

This recipe can be found here

Judy modified the recipe by using light sour cream. She also substitued 1 1/3 AP flour + 2/3 cup whole wheat flour for the 2 c. AP flour.

Frosting Filled Cupcakes

I was recently asked to provide a snack for my daughter's church children's choir rehearsal. I decided to make mini cupcakes with a filling inside.

This idea came from my friend, Judy.

I used the DeMarle mini muffin to bake these cake mix cupcakes. I then used a cake decorator tip to inject the inside of the muffin with homemade icing. I will share the icing recipe I used, but any filling can be used.


After injecting the cupcakes, I changed the decorator tip to a flower, and decorated the tops with a single flower. Because of the Easter season approaching, I used pastel colored icing.

Frosting recipe:

¼ c. meringue powder (dried egg whites)

· 2/3 cups water

· 12 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approx. 3 lb.)

· 1¼ cup solid vegetable shortening

· 1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract

· 1 teaspoon Clear Butter Flavor

· ½ teaspoon Clear Almond Extract

· ¼ to ½ cup milk

In large bowl, whisk meringue powder and water until peaks form. Add about 4 cups of the powdered sugar; whisk into meringue.

Add about half of the shortening and cream in electric mixer. Add vanilla, butter flavor and almond flavor.

Add another 4 cups of powdered sugar; mix, beating well on medium speed. Add remaining shortening; mix.

Add final 4 cups powdered sugar and ¼ cup milk; mix.

Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. To reach desired consistency, add remaining milk gradually and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using. YIELD: Makes about 8 cups

My thanks to Kelley for the frosting recipe!

Potato Casserole

This very yummy side dish was served at my hubby's 40th birthday party. It got many rave reviews! I'm posting this recipe for all the people who requested it. Thanks to Judy for sharing it with us.

1 pkg. frozen hash browns, thawed (cubed or shredded)

16 oz. sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 stick butter or margarine, melted

2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together all ingredients until mixed well. Pour into greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until potatoes are tender.