No Flaw All-Purpose Chocolate Cake.

We took this All-Purpose Chocolate Sheet Cake from a Cooks Illustrated and changed it, a teeny bit.  Anyway, the person we gave it to, told us it was the best chocolate cake she had EVER eaten. That's something to brag about.  We sliced the cake in half, iced between the layers and on top and sprinkled a light coating of powdered (confectioner's) sugar.

Ingredients:

3/4 c. cocoa

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

a bit of salt

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 T. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1 c. buttermilk

1/2 baking soda

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease your cake pans.  Mix cocoa, flour and salt in a bowl (figure 1).  Heat the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (figure 2). *You can make a double boiler by pouring a small amount of water into a saucepan and putting your bowl of things to melt in the pan.*  Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl.  Whisk chocolate into egg mixture until combined (figure 3).  Combine baking soda and buttermilk.  Whisk into chocolate mixture, then add dry ingredients until smooth.  Pour batter into your greased pan(s) and put in the oven.  Remove from the oven when, when stuck in the center of the cake, a toothpick comes out clean.  It'll be about 40 minutes.  When it's cooled, slice the cake in half.  *Stick in a toothpick on both the top and bottom of the cake.  See figures 5 & 6.  Then, slice the cake in half in between the toothpicks.  Use a sawing motion.  We use toothpicks so we can find exactly where the cake goes when you're finished icing it.*  Ice the cake with your favorite chocolate icing.  Come back soon for frosting/icing recipes!  Bon Appetit!

  

Quick Savory Cheese and Chive Rolls

     I found this Quick Yeast Roll recipe from All Recipes (see links).  I modified it to fit my needs by adding some ingredients, substituting whole wheat flour for white and here's what I came up with.  It's tested, of course, so it's perfect!  Please try and comment.  There's no butter and only one egg.  I used mini muffin tins, and I got about 36 rolls.  *Oh, and make sure you have enough time to let the dough rise.  About 30-45 minutes.* 

2 T. canola oil

3 T. sugar

1 1/8 c. hot water

1 T. active dry-yeast

1 egg, beaten

1 t. salt

2 1/4 c. whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 T. chopped chives

1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

1 c. parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Mix the first three ingredients and wait until it's lukewarm.  Once it is, add the yeast and wait until it dissolves.  You'll know it has when the yeast turns into a bubbly, foamy substance.    Mix in egg, salt, flour, cheeses and chives.  Spoon into a mini muffin tin and bake for about 10-11 minutes or until a knife stuck in the center comes out clean.  Have fun!

-The Cookies, Leah