Chocolate Chip Cake

1 box yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Recipe Yellow)
1 cup water
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 ½ c. chocolate chips
½ c. sour cream

In large bowl - beat with electric mixer - cake mix, pudding, sugar, oil, water. Add eggs one at a time, then sour cream.

Put chocolate chips in a small bowl and dust with flour, mixing it around to coat the chips. Dump off any excess flour, and mix the chips into the batter with a spoon. If you don’t dust the chocolate chips, they’ll all sink to the bottom of the cake.

Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until toothpick just comes out clean. No frosting is really needed. Optional glaze is below. I use this only if decorating the cake in some way for a party.


Chocolate glaze for chocolate chip cake:

2 oz unsweetened chocolate (2 squares)
2 cups confectioners sugar
6 T butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 T hot tap water

Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave....then mix in the sugar and vanilla. Gradually blend in the water until smooth and the consistency you want it.

You can use a mixer, or mix by hand.

Drizzle it over the cake.

Pecan Pralines

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
1 - 2 tsp vanilla (a “splash”)

Grease cookie sheet with cooking spray or with butter, and have it ready.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, butter, and water. Hook a candy thermometer on the side – tip should not touch bottom of pan but should be in the mixture, and should be in a position where you can read the temperature easily.

Place over a medium-high heat and stir constantly until the pralines reach the “softball” stage, 238 to 240 degrees F. Remove from heat - add the pecans and the splash of vanilla. Continue to stir the candy vigorously with a wooden spoon until the candy starts thickening – could be immediately or take a few minutes.

Quickly spoon the pralines out onto the cookie sheet - each spoonful is one praline. They will harden up as they cool. Cool completely before removing from cookie sheet and serving.

Makes about 15 average size pralines (2-3 inches in diameter)

To toast nuts: You can spread out in a heavy dinner plate, microwave for 2-3 minutes. Or, spread nuts on baking sheet, and bake in oven at 375, stirring occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes. Either way, nuts are done when you can smell their aroma.

Corn and Potato Chowder

Ingredients
4 – 5 large ears fresh corn
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 whole peppercorns
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 pkg (about 12 oz) thick-sliced bacon
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
½ c. cream
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrot, celery, and peppercorns. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent.
While vegetables are cooking, cut off the kernels from the corn into a bowl and set aside. Snap the cobs in half.
When onion is translucent, add the cobs and 2 quarts (8 cups) of cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until carrots are almost done. Remove corn cobs and throw away.
While the soup is cooking, cook your bacon in a skillet until crispy. Break into bite-sized pieces.
Add the potatoes and reserved corn kernels to the pot, along with generous dashes of salt and pepper. Boil gently until potatoes are done, about 10 minutes.
Add parsley, bacon, and cream, then gently stir to incorporate. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.
Serve.
Serves 8.
Notes: Great summer and early fall soup to take advantage of fresh corn. Can omit bacon for a vegetarian soup. Adapted from fish chowder recipe found in Field & Stream.

Rosemary Focaccia

Dough:
¾ c. warm water
2 T olive oil
2 c. bread flour
1 T sugar
1 tsp salt
1 T active dry yeast

Topping:
2-3 T olive oil
Dried rosemary
Coarse salt

Place dough ingredients in the order listed above, in bread machine pan. Set on dough cycle, 1.5 lb loaf. Run entire dough cycle in bread machine.

Spray cookie sheet with Pam. Remove dough to cookie sheet, let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to “warm” or about 170 degrees. After 10 minutes, pat dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Drizzle with 2-3 T olive oil, and spread with fingers or pastry brush until completely covered on top and on sides down to the cookie sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in oven. Turn off the oven. Let rise for 30 minutes – should be almost doubled.

Remove from oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove plastic and make depressions about 1 inch apart all over the dough with your fingertips. Sprinkle with rosemary and coarse salt (I use kosher salt). Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown.