Basic Chocolate Icing

A versatile chocolate icing, especially good on chocolate cake.

Chocolate Icing

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Spread onto chocolate cake.

Quick and Easy Chocolate Cake

This is a simple Hershey's recipe for a good, versatile chocolate cake.

Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan (or a Bundt pan, or 2 9" pans). In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Then add eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and mix with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add water and mix until smooth (batter will be thin). Pour into baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes for 9" pans, 35-40 minutes for 9x13, and 55 minutes for Bundt pan. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, ice cake with chocolate icing. (or if you are impatient like me, go ahead and ice it when it is warm and serve it warm with the icing dripping off of it)

Creamy Brownie Frosting

This is a Hershey's recipe to top the Best Brownies.

Creamy Brownie Frosting

3 tablespoons softened butter

3 tablespoons Hershey's cocoa

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter, cocoa, honey, and vanilla until blended. Add sugar and milk until well blended. Add additional sugar or milk until desired consistency is reached. Spread on top of cooled brownies.

Black Beans and Rice

We combined this recipe and this recipe for supper last night. It was really good!

Black Beans and Rice

1 cup uncooked rice

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 onions, diced

olive oil

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Prepare rice according to package directions, adding one bouillon cube to the boiling water. In a separate pot, bring one cup of water to a boil and add other bouillon cube. Meanwhile, sauté onion, peppers, and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet. Add bouillon water and beans to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Green beans with walnuts and walnut oil

This is another Bon Appétit recipe from the calendar from AnnaRose...

Green beans with walnuts and walnut oil

(4 servings)

1 lb green beans, fresh or frozen (if fresh, trim ends)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoons walnut oil (I used hazelnut oil and it was still delicious!)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (I forgot to buy parsley, so I just omitted this)

Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse beans under cold water; drain well (this step can be done up to 4 hours, let stand at room temperature).

Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add beans and cook until heated through, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add walnuts and parsley and toss to coat. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

I got a bargain at the market on 5 big peppers, thus the pepper recipes! I kind of followed this recipe. This turned out well, although next time I will steam the pepper longer so it is more tender. It was a great light meal.

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

4 large bell peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed
2/3 cups couscous
1 chicken boullion cube
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
salt, pepper, Herbes de Provence

Place bell peppers in a steamer basket over hot water, allow to steam until slightly tender. Meanwhile, cook couscous according to package directions, adding boullion cube to boiling water. Meanwhile, sautee diced pepper, onion, zucchini, tomato, and garlic until tender. In a large bowl, combine cooked couscous, sauteed vegetables, and feta. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Place steamed peppers in a baking dish and spoon filling into them. Cook at 350 for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Beef Stuffed Peppers

Doug was skeptical, but these actually turned out really well. I assembled them ahead of time and froze them, thawed them for several days, and then baked.

Beef Stuffed Peppers

2 large bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeds discarded
1/2 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cups cooked rice
1 small can tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
8 tablespoons honey

Place pepper halves in a greased baking dish. Cook beef in skillet, add diced onion and pepper. Cook until beef is crumbled and no longer pink and onion and pepper are tender. In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, cooked beef/pepper/onion, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and honey. Spoon into the pepper halves and (freeze if you want) bake at 350 for 45 minutes.