Strawberry Yogurt Cake

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist golden vanilla cake mix

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites

1 (6oz.) Yoplait strawberry yogurt

1 container Betty Crocker Whipped vanilla frosting

4 cups strawberries

Heat oven to 325. Generously grease & lightly flour 2- 8" or 2- 9" round pans. In a large bowl, beat dry cake mix, water, oil, egg whites, & yogurt on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into pans. 

Bake 8" rounds for 26- 30 minutes. 9" for 22-26 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around outside edge of pan to loosen; remove cake from pans & let cool on cooling rack for 1 hour. 

Place 1 cake layer on serving plate & spread 1/3 cup of frosting over layer to within 1/4" of edge. Cut about 10 strawberries into 1/4" slices; arrange on frosted layer. Top with second layer. Frost sides and top of cake  with remaining frosting. Cut remaining strawberries in half and arrange on top of cake. Store loosely cover in the refrigerator. Serves 12.

Cheese Bread

Cut a loaf of French bread in half, lengthwise
Place on foil making it 2 pieces
In a bowl, have cheddar cheese ready (2 cups grated - or as much as you like)
Mix in 3-4 thinly cut green onions (if you like them)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. chili powder
Mix and spread on the bread.
Add thinly sliced olives
Wrap in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Fresh Salsa

3-4 roma tomatoes

red onion

garlic clove (peeled)

cilantro

salt & pepper

fresh lime or lemon juice

Throw everything into the food processor & pulse for a few seconds. All ingredients are to taste.

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups all-purpose flour
12 oz. (2 cups) chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until smooth with an electric mixer. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. 

3. Drop into rounded spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8-12 minutes (depending on the size of your cookies), until they just start to turn golden on the edges. (They might still look doughy in the center, buy they will set up once cooled.)

4. Immediately remove from the cookie sheet to cool on a wire rack. They keep well for several days at room temperature (in an airtight container) or for several weeks in the freezer.

Makes 2 dozen large or 4 dozen small cookies.

Chicken Salad

1 can cream of celery soup
2 tablespoon mayo
1/4 t pepper
2 cups rotisserie chicken
2 stalks celery chopped
1 small onion chopped

Stir soup, mayo & pepper in bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to mix. You can add craisins and grapes and almond or pecans as well. Serve on croissants. 

Fudge Brownies

Mix together:

2 Cups sugar

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (melted)

1/2 tsp salt

Mix in with a whisk:

3 eggs (1 at a time)

Stir in with spoon:

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup flour

Bake in greased 9x9 pan at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

From: Julie Allen

Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies

1 (18.25 oz.) white or yellow cake mix 

1/3 C. oil or softened butter

2 eggs

1-2 C. chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, oil/butter, and eggs until combined and no clumps remain. Add the chocolate chips and stir until combined. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

{Makes a little more than 2 dozen when using my 1 1/2 Tbsp. cookie dough scoop. You can also use Devil's Food/chocolate cake mix with mini chocolate chips}

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs (beaten)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 cups quick oats

1/2- 1 tsp. cinnamon

chocolate chips

Cream shortening, butter & sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift baking soda, flour & salt; add oatmeal. Mix well into creamed mixture. Drop spoonful onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

From Cheryl Nilsson

Guacamole

Mash as many ripe avocados as you want (I just use a fork or spoon)

add some finely diced onion (I usually use white onion)

and finely diced tomato

Squeeze in some fresh lime juice

add a little bit of salt

shake in a little bit of Tapatio (or whatever hot sauce you want...Tabasco, etc.)

You can add or delete anything depending on what you have on hand. The above is how I usually make it.

Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)

3/4 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cranberries

6 oz. white chocolate, chopped

FROSTING:

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 T. grated orange peel

6 oz. white baking chocolate, melted

1/2 cup dried cranberries chopped

To make the bars:

In a large bowl, melt butter in microwave, then stir in brown sugar. Cool to room temperature. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and add a think layer of mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

For the frosting:

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange peel until smooth. Add 3 oz. of melted white chocolate and stir well. Frost the cooled bars and sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Add the remaining 3 oz. of melted white chocolate to a pastry bag or Ziploc bag and drizzle over top.

Notes: White chocolate chips can be used. White chocolate bar will give a chunky crunch. 

If you use a thin layer of dough for the bars, you can make a 9 x 13 pan and a 9 x 9 pan.

You can use melted Almond Bark for the frosting.