Chocolate Sheet Cake

This doesn't take a mixer. Its all done is a sauce pan

Cake:
2 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of shortening
1/2 cup of butter
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of vanilla
2 teaspoons of espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of buttermilk (I use powder according to package instructions)
1 cup of water

In medium sauce pan on medium heat put water, shorting, butter, and cocoa.  Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.

Stir in flour and sugar

Stir in butter milk or powder and water until smooth

Stir in salt, espresso, eggs, and vanilla.  Bake at 400 for 20 min.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Frosting:
6 tablespoons of milk
1/2 cup of butter
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 tablespoon of vanilla

Put milk, butter, and cocoa in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, chocolate chips, and powdered sugar

Pour frosting onto cake and smooth.  Let cool and serve.

Raspberry Scones

2 cups of flour
3 tablespoon of sugar
1 cup of cream
1 tablespoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon of almond extract
6 tablespoons of butter

Mix dry ingredients and cut butter into flour until it is course crumbs.

 Gently stir in cream and extracts.  Gently fold in berries.  They will get a little smashed but don't over mix.

Gently knead until it comes together.  Pat into a disk and cut into eight wedges.  Place on cookie sheet and brush tops with cream.  Bake at 400 for 15-18 min.

 Once they have cooled brush with a powdered sugar glaze

Enchiladas with Slow Cooker and Spanish Rice

These have alot of steps but nothing takes alot of active time.

1 pork roast
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 cup of salsa
1/2 onion
2 tablespoons of corn starch
3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of cummin
1 teaspoon of salt
1 bottle of beer

Combine add the ingredients in the slower cooker and cook on low for several hours until the pork is tender.

Remove pork from the liquid and shred.  You can return the meat to the liquid and simmer some more if you want.  It helps add extra flavor to the meat.

Spoon some enchilada sauce into the bottom of a square baker.  Dip a corn tortilla into sauce and the add some meat and extra sauce and roll up.  Repeat until the pan is full.  Spoon more sauce over tortillas.  Bake at 350 for about 30 min.  During the last five min top with pepper jack cheese.

Now on to the rice

Its just a variation on rice pilaf.

1 can of diced tomatoes with chiles
1 1/2 cups of rice
1 teaspoon of cummin
3 cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno
1 onion
oil
cilantro
salt to taste

Dice up onion and seeded pepper. Cook until tender in a medium sauce pan with hot oil.  Add in garlic.

Cook rice for a min to toast.  Add in tomatoes and cook for a couple min.  Add seasonings and 3 cups of water and simmer. Reduce heat and cover and cook for 15 min until tender.

Serve with enchiladas

Top with fresh cilantro, salsa, sour cream and lime juice.

Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce

1 small can of tomato sauce or 1/2 of a large
2 cans of chicken broth
1 chiptole pepper and 1 tablespoon of sauce
4 tablespoons of chile powder
3 tablespoons of flour
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of cummin
1 teaspoon of salt
a couple tablespoons of oil

Blend up pepper, sauce and one can of chicken broth so the pepper is minced up.

Heat some oil in a medium sauce pan and mince in garlic and then add spiced and cook for 30 seconds.  Then add oil and cook for another min add some oil if needed.

Add pepper mixture, rest of the broth, tomato sauce, and simmer until it thickens.  Use warm or refrigerate.

Quick Salsa

This takes five minutes and doesn't take alot of mincing.

1 large can of whole tomaotes

1 small can of diced tomatoes with chiles

1 bunch of cilantro

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 medium onion

1 jalapeno

1 teaspoon of cummin

1 teaspoon of chilli powder

1 teaspoon of salt

pepper to taste

3ish limes

Blend whole tomatoes, garlic and seasoning.  Don't blend smooth you can always blend more later.  I use an immersion blender but a normal one works well too.

 Seed and dice up pepper and dice up onion.  Roughly chop cilantro and mix into tomatoes.

Stir in diced tomatoes.  Add lime juice and add desired salt and pepper to taste. You might want to blend a little more too depending on how chunky you like it.

Four Cheese Pasta

This is not a light dish but it is nice to splurge every now and then.

These don't have be precise measurements

Mushrooms (if you like them)

thin spaghetti

2 tablespoons of butter

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup of cream

1/2 cup of Parmesan 

1/2 cup Romano

1/2 cup of cheddar

1/2 cup of goat cheese

salt to taste

a sprinkling of parsley

Roughly chop the mushrooms and saute with butter and salt until brown then mince in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

While the pasta is cooking add cream and butter to pan with mushrooms.  When cream is warm and pasta is done turn off the heat.  Add all the cheese in and stir slowly to melt cheese.  

Add hot drained pasta to sauce and slowly stir.  Adjust salt level to taste.  Sprinkle with parsley.  It also goes well with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Cinnamon Twists

These are a nice finger food version of cinnamon rolls

One recipe of your favorite pizza dough (I added a couple tablespoons of sugar to mine) Be sure you let it rise.
1ish cup of sugar
2ish tablespoons of cinnamon (I like a lot)
1ish stick of butter

Mix together cinnamon and sugar

Roll out the dough into large rectangle about 1/4 ish thick. Cut stripes about 1 inch thick.  Twist two together.

Dip in melted butter and cinnamon sugar and then let rise for 30 min on top of a warm oven. Pre heat the oven to 350.

Bake for about 12-15 min.  Once the have baked and not cooled a little drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze.  I like to add a little almond extract to mine.