Almond Joy Cake from River Road Recipes IV... Warm Welcomes INGREDIENTS: 1 (2-layer) butter chocolate cake mix 1 cup milk 1 cup sugar 24 marshmallows 1 (14-ounce) package shredded coconut 1-1/2 cups sugar 1 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips Whole almonds, lightly toasted (optional) TO PREPARE: Bake the cake using package directions for a 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Bring the milk and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Boil for 1 minute; reduce the heat. Stir in the marshmallows and cook until blended, stirring constantly. Stir in the coconut and pour over the hot cake. Bring 1-1/2 cups sugar, the evaporated milk and butter to a boil in a saucepan; reduce the heat to low. Add the chocolate chips and mix well. Cook until blended, stirring frequently. Fold in the almonds. Pour the chocolate mixture over the warm layers. Let stand until set and cut into squares. You may freeze for future use. HINT: For neat slices, chill for several hours before cutting. YIELDS: 1 to 2 dozen squares ======== STUFFED PEPPERS 8-9 bell peppers (green) 3 lbs. ground round or chuck (beef) or ground turkey 1 medium onion, minced 2 cups long grain white rice, pre-cooked and cooled 1/8 tsp garlic powder 3 large eggs, beaten salt and pepper 2 -46 oz. cans tomato juice 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/8 tsp onion powder large dash of garlic salt and pepper 1/2 cup pf parmesean cheese I do this part a little different than most, it makes the peppers go so much further. (I usually have enough left over to freeze for another meal) Wash and slice peppers in half long ways(from top to bottom),remove the seeds and stems, drop peppers into a large pan of boiling water for 6 minutes. Strain and put back into pan and run cold water on them til they are cooled down.Set aside. Mix the meat and onion,rice,eggs and spices from first section. Fill the peppers loosely with the meat mixture and lay tightly side by side in large roaster. Using same bowl you mixed up meat, put everything except the tomato juice from the second section. Then slowly wisk in the tomato juice until all is mixed well and pour over peppers. Bake at 400 degrees, for 1 hour,uncovered. Then remove and let sit for 20 minutes to 1/2 hr before serving. (this will help to bring any grease to the top for easier removal) if you use the ground turkey, this step would not be necessary. you will have extra sauce with this recipe. my family wants extra to be sure to have enough to put over their mashed potatoes, which I serve with these. and then I use any extra to add to spaghetti sauce or to cook some italian sausages in, it is so good it never goes to waste, I will freeze it for later use if necessary. lol. to reheat frozen peppers I put in oven for 30 minutes on 350. ============= "World's Best" Enchilada Soup ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serves 12 4 chicken breasts, chunked 1 small bunch green onions, sliced 1 green pepper, diced 1 pkg taco seasoning mix 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp fresh ground pepper 1 tsp garlic powder Prep the above and sauté, with seasonings, in a large pot. 2 (14 oz) cans tomato soup (I use Campbell's) 2 (10-15 oz) cans mild enchilada sauce (NOTE BELOW) 1 c milk, 1% low fat 1 c sour cream 1 c shredded cheese (Colby-Jack) Stir in the above, sautéed ingredients; simmer on LOW for 20 minutes. 1 (15 oz) can corn (undrained) 1 (15 oz) can black beans (drained) 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans (drained) 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans (drained) 2 c cooked rice (brown is good, but I used white) 1 c (loosely packed) cilantro, minced Add the remaining ingredients; simmer 15 minutes more to heat through. Serve, sprinkled with crushed tortilla chips. Per Serving: 763 Calories; 24g Fat (28.1% calories from fat); 50g Protein; 89g Carbohydrate; 25g Dietary Fiber; 99mg Cholesterol; 596mg Sodium. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Although not in the recipe, I'll often thin this recipe with chicken broth, as the leftovers really thicken up! =============== Peaches & Cream Pie II INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1 1/2 cups white sugar 4 tablespoons cornstarch 3 cups warm water 2 (3 ounce) packages peach flavored gelatin mix 5 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. 2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, butter, pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press mixture into bottom of baking pan. 3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. 4. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gently stir in the 2 cups whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust. In a small bowl, stir together the 1 1/2 cups sugar and cornstarch. Pour the sugar mixture into a saucepan and stir in the 3 cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until clear and thick. Stir in gelatin and remove from heat. 5. Combine the gelatin mixture with the peaches. Spread entire mixture over cream cheese layer. Top with 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. Source: Recipe Corner at WLPO 1220 (Downstate Illinois) ============= Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts 1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brownsugar 4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 4 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 6 tablespoons dried currants 3 cups cake flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 16-ounce container sour cream 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 12-cup Bundt pan. Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Set nut mixture aside. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and sour cream alternately into butter mixture in 3 additions. Beat batter on high 1 minute. Pour 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Spoon remaining batter over. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack and cool 1 hour. Transfer to platter. Whisk powdered sugar and milk in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over coffee cake. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.) ============ Everything Muffins Source: Unknown 2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/4 cups sugar 3 teasp ground cinnamon 2 teasp baking solda 1/2 teasp salt 3 eggs 3/4 cup applesauce 1/2 cup oil 1 teasp vanilla 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 large carrots) 1 apple, peeled and grated 1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened, the batter will be thick. Stir in carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut, raisins, and nuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans. ----------------------------- Moist and delicious. It is not too sweet. You will get around 2 dozen muffins. If you can mound the batter when you spoon it into the tins, you will get a very pretty muffin. Also for a larger muffin I would fill a little more than 2/3. The batter is not runny. These muffins are popular in Canadian bakeries. I'm going to make this recipe again in jumbo muffin tins and try substituting more applesauce or yogut for the oil, they are very good. ============= Cucumbers with Sour Cream from California Sizzles Easy and Distinctive Recipes for a Vibrant Lifestyle INGREDIENTS: 1 cup sour cream 1 Tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon celery seed 2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 small brown onion, thinly sliced Dill for garnish TO PREPARE: 1. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, vinegar, dill, pepper, salt and celery seed, blend well. 2. Add cucumbers and onions to sour cream mixture, toss lightly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. 3. Sprinkle cucumbers with additional dill and serve chilled. SERVINGS: 4 - 6 ========================