HERSHEY'S "Especially Dark" Chocolate Cake

Scott loves his chocolate. Every year I try an new chocolate creation. This year because of other things going on I didn't have time to be creative. So this is the cake I made. I use this recipe for all chocolate cakes. If you have problems finding the Special Dark Cocoa, try looking at Walmart.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK 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
•   "ESPECIALLY DARK" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Step-by-Step:

1.  Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "ESPECIALLY DARK" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

Frosting:

"ESPECIALLY DARK" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK 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. About 2 cups frosting.

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Servings: 8 
The kids added a suggestion that all the food and Thanksgiving and Christmas are mainly adult foods and that they wanted something for kids this year. So Bethany suggested Mac and Cheese and I made this for Christmas this year (2012)

Ingredients
1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1 cup bread crumbs
2 pinches paprika

Step-By-Step

1. Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
3. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until nice and browned. Serve.

Spicy Chicken with Sausage, Tomatoes and Olives

Servings: 8 (1 3/4-Cups)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb. mild Italian sausage links*

8 chicken legs and thighs, skin removed (about 5 lb.) **

2 medium onions, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

3/4 cup red wine or chicken broth

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives

Step-by-step

1. Heat large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add oil; heat until hot. Cook sausage 4 minutes or until browned on all sides, turning occasionally. Place in slow cooker; top with chicken
2. Cook onions in same skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until softened; stirring frequently. Add garlic and stir 1 minute or until fragrant. Pour in wine; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of skillet; remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Pour into slow cooker
3. Cook, covered , on low 5 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center and meat pulls away from bone. Stir in olives
4. Remove chicken; place in a large shallow serving bowl. Cut sausage into thick slices; arrange over chicken. Top with sauce.

• *You can use Turkey Italian sausage as well
• ** You can use chicken breast in this recipe if you don't care for dark meat. After cooking you can remove the bones from the breast and serve. 

Orange-Pomegranate Salad

Servings: 12 (3/4 cup)


Ingredients
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups slightly packed mixed baby greens
4 navel orange, peeled, with pith removed, sliced (1/2 inch)
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds


Step - by - Step
1. Mash garlic and salt with side of chef's knife on cutting board until paste forms; place in small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice; slowly whisk in oil.
2. Toss greens in large bowl with enough dressing to lightly coat; arrange on serving platter. Toss oranges in same bowl with enough dressing to lightly coat; arrange over greens. Top with pomegranate seeds. 

Spinach Flat-bread with Goat Cheese, Red Pepper and Olives

Servings 24 pieces


Ingredients:


Dough:
3 1/2 cups all- purpose flour
1 tablespoon fast-acting dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (about 100F)


Topping:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. baby spinach or baby kale
8 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt


Step-by-Step:
1. Combine flour, yeast and 2 teaspoons salt in large bowl. Add water, stir until moistened. With spoon, beat 40 strokes until soft sticky dough forms, scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Cover; let rise in warm place 2 hours or until dough has doubled in size and  has a sponge-like appearance.
2. Oil large baking sheet. Working quickly with floured hands and handling dough as little as possible, pat out dough over baking sheet, lightly sprinkling with flour if it begins to stick (dough should feel soft and smooth but not sticky). Over with clean towel; let stand in warm place 40 minutes or until dough is slightly puffy (dough won't rise much but will continue rising in oven).
3. Place oven rack in bottom position; heat oven to 450F. Combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and garlic in large bowl. Add spinach; toss to coat. Pile spinach over dough (the spinach will cook down). Sprinkle with cheese, bell peppers and olives; drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil
4. Bake on bottom oven rack 20 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cut into 24 pieces; serve warm or at room temperature. 

Crispy Rosemary Roast Chicken and Potatoes

6 servings


Ingredients:
2 large onions, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 (4 1/2 lb) chicken, patted dry
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
4 (4 inch) springs fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 1/2 lb. assorted fingerling potatoes , unpeeled, halved or quartered if large


Step-by-Step
1. Heat oven to 4500F. Place onions in large shallow roasting pan. Slip fingers under skin of chicken over breast meat to make a pocket. Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter under skin in pocket; arrange rosemary springs over butter under skin in pocket.
2. Tuck wings behind back; place chicken breast-side up, over onions. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter over outside of chicken; sprinkle with 1 teaspoons of the chopped rosemary, pressing lightly to adhere.
3. Bake 20 minutes. Turn chicken breast-side down. Arrange potatoes around chicken; sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 pepper.
4. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Turn chicken breast-side up; stir potatoes and onions. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until internal temperature of thickest part of thigh reaches 1700F to 1750F. Let stand in warm place 10 minutes before carving. Serve with potatoes and onions.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage-Lemon Butter

Servings: 6 (2/3-cup)

Ingredients:

8 cups cubed butternut squash (3/4 inch)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 medium garlic cloves, minched

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Step-by-step:

1. Heat over to 4500F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss squash, oil, salt and pepper in large bowl.; arrange in single layer on baking sheet.
2. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until tender and browned in spots, turning several times
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook sage, lemon peel and garlic 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring constantly. Stir in lemon juice; remove from heat. Add squash;  toss to coat

Tuscan Bean Dip

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 small baguette, thinly sliced *

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 springs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

Pinch crushed red pepper

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained **

Crisp vegetables, for dipping (optional)

Step-by-Step

1. Preheat oven to 4000F. Lay bread on a baking sheet. Rub each slice with a clove of garlic and sprinkle with a pinch of salt; reserve garlic clove. Toast in oven until golden, about 8 minutes
2. Chop all garlic cloves. Cook garlic in the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until it is golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in rosemary and red pepper and cool slightly.
3. Put beans, the 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and all but 1 teaspoon of rosemary mixture in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape puree into a serving bowl and drizzle with reserved rosemary mixture. Serve with tasted baguette and, if desired, raw vegetables.

*Your local grocery store may have an "ooops" section of the bread. Since it is toasted this is a great way to save money.

** You can substitute great northern beans for the cannellini beans and also slightly heat the beans before serving. 

Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

4 slices applewood-smoked bacon chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped onion

8 cups cubed cornbread (1 inch)

1 tablespoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup half-and-half

1 egg

Step-by-Step

1. Heat oven to 3500F. Spray 11 x 7 inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon, celery and onion 12 to 15 minutes or until bacon is browned and vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, combine cornbread, sage, salt and pepper in large bowl; gently toss with bacon mixture. Whisk half-and-half and egg in small bowl; pour over cornbread mixture. Stir gently to combine; spoon into baking dish. (Stuffing can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Add 5 to 10 minute to baking time, if necessary.)
3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned and hot.

* I don't usually have half-and-half so I use heavy cream and milk.
** If the mixture looks too dry you can add a little chicken broth or more milk