Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

I actually made this for Thanksgiving, but just ran across the picture I took. The recipe came from the Hershey's website and I followed it exactly, only adding a few mini chocolate chips on top.

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S 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

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

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 "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2/3 cup HERSHEY'S 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.

I added about 1/2 a cup of mini chocolate chips on top.

Zucchini Cakes

This recipe is a combination of receipes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks and Paula Deen. I took what I liked best about both of the receips and combined them.

3 medium zucchini

1 1/2 of bread crumbs (I used homeade bread crumbs seasoned with lots of fresh rosemary, basil, parsley and oregano)

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup parmesean cheese

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil for frying

Shred zucchini, leaving skin on. I used my food processor and it worked great. Squeeze in a paper towel to get out extra moisture. Mix zucchini, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, cheese, egg and salt and pepper together. Heat olive oil in a skillet and form small balls with the mixture. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side, until brown. Drain on paper towels.

I served with ranch dressing, yum. The homemade bread crumbs had a lot of flavor with the fresh herbs.

Apple Dip

I had this dish at a wedding shower a few months ago and though it was so pretty! We had a surprise baby shower for a co-worker yesterday, so I created my own version. I've had many requests for this receipe so far this morning, so I think it was a hit!

Apple Dip

5 Granny Smith apples

2 blocks of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 1/2 cups of chopped peanuts

1 can of Sprite

Mix together the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread evenly on your serving dish, leaving enough room around the edges to stack the apples. Sprinkle with peanuts. Slice apples and dip into Sprite to keep from browning. Stack/arrange around the dip and serve!