*THE* Chocolate Cake Recipe

THE Chocolate Cake Recipe

I can't come to everyone's house and make the cake for them, so I humbly offer the recipe.
with love, lea bob

Sweet-Chocolate Cake
(nice for a party)

1 package (4 oz) sweet cooking chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup butter or other shortening (use butter)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/2 c. sifted cake flour
     (sift flour into a bowl and *then* measure.
     Use cake flour, *not* the regular stuff. This is what makes the cake so light.
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
Coconut Pecan Filling (recipe follows)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Melt chocolate in water; cool. Cream butter and sugar; add egg yolks, one at a time, beating *thoroughly* after each addition. Add vanilla and chocolate, mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beat until smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into three 8" or 9" layer pans, lined on bottom with paper (I have always just buttered/floured the pans instead). Bake in 350° F oven, about 35 minutes. Cool on a cake rack. Fill and frost.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream 2 tbsp. butter and 4 oz. cream cheese; add 1-1/2 squares unsweetened chocolate (melted, I use a double boiler), dash salt, 1-1/2 cups *sifted* confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup cream, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Mix well

Coconut Pecan Filling
In saucepan, mix 1 cup undiluted evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Cook over medium heat 12 minutes, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add 1 can flaked coconut and 1 cup chopped pecans. Beat until thick.

Assembly
Cool the cake in pans on cake racks until they're *just* cool enough to handle. Then place the cake rack on top, turn the whole thing over and pop out the layers. Hold your breath while you do this; you need the layers to come out whole. When the layers are *completely* cool, pick up one, brush the crumbs off the top and sides, place it on the cake dish and cover with half the filling. Place the second layer similarly, use the other half of the filling and top with the third layer (place the third layer upside down; it'll give you a nicer surface to frost.) Frost as usual, pausing to "clean up the edges" and lick your fingers.

Note: Cream cheese frosting is soft and stays soft. If the weather is hot, keep the cake in the refrigerator or the frosting will slide off and puddle around the bottom of the cake.

I have this recipe because Woman's Day magazine (in the '60's -- I don't even know if the magazine exists any more) used to include little half-sized recipe books in the back of the magazine. My mother tore them all out and put them in a file folder and called them "lea's dowry". When I got married (the first time), she gave me the file folder and I've been cooking out of it since then. I think I have every single recipe for casserole, decorative cookies and cakes that anyone could ever want. Between these and the Joy of Cooking, I've learned to make all *sorts* of deliciousness. So here, from the most torn up and stained one of the booklets, is *the* best cake recipe.

lea bob
(1/21/03)

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Citrus and Cumin Roasted Chicken

Citrus and Cumin Roasted Chicken

Time: 2 hours

2 navel oranges, washed and cut into eighths
2 limes, washed and quartered
1 (3 lb) chicken, washed and patted dry
2 tbsp ground cumin
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, crushed and peels removed
Several sprigs fresh oregano
3 tbsp canola oil
1 cup chicken stock or low sodium canned broth, more if needed.

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Remove zest from two orange wedges and two lime wedges, and reserve. Rub chicken with juice of those wedges. Season entire chicken, including cavity, with cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Inside cavity place the used orange and lime wedges, plus 3 orange wedges, 3 lime wedges, 3 cloves garlic, and 3 sprigs oregano.

2. Place a small roasting pan over high heat, and add oil. When oil smokes, place chicken breast-side down in pan. Sear, rolling slightly for even browning, until breast is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Remove chicken from pan, slip a flat rack on bottom of pan, then place chicken on rack, breast-side up. Add stock, remaining garlic cloves and a couple more sprigs of oregano to pan. Squeeze juice of seven orange wedges and remaining lime wedges into pan, adding spent wedges to pan. Roast until chicken juices run clear when leg is pierced near joint, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Check moisture in pan a few times while cooking, adding chicken broth if pan juices are drying up.

4. Transfer chicken to a warm platter, and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Remove fruit wedges, oregano and garlic from pan, then place pan juices in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and adjust seasoning, adding more orange juice from remaining wedges if desired. Remove from heat, and add reserved zest. Carve chicken, and serve with sauce.

Yield: 2 servings.

Appeared January 15, 2003:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/15/dining/151CREX.html?ex=1043730922&ei=1&en=5191963f1979539d

Posted by MOP QQQ
(1/16/03)

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Chile Mac n' Cheese

Chile Mac n' Cheese

For those of you truly having winter (unlike us), this is the best comfort food when you're frozen to the core. This may have been posted before in the 'way back time. Not for the faint of heart or hard of artery! Some of the measurements are variable, depending on your personal tastes.

8 oz. elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 to 2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (Tillamook Extra Sharp at our house)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan (the good stuff, not from the green can)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 can (undrained) chopped green chilies,
     or 4 roasted and peeled Hatch green chilies, chopped (depending on your heat preference)
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
fresh ground pepper
parsley (fresh if you've got it, dried if you don't)

Cook pasta to al dente, drain, rinse to cool, set aside. Set oven to 350º F.

Make cheese sauce: melt butter, stir in flour. Cook a few minutes then add mustard and a few grindings of pepper. Begin adding milk, stirring to remove lumps. Add cream cheese and continue cooking on low until cheese melts. Stir in chilies & can juices. Set aside. Sauce will thicken as it cools, add a bit more milk if you think it's needed.

Assembly
In a casserole (spray with Pam to help the clean up later), layer 1/3 each of the drained pasta, then sauce, cheddar, parmesan, and dusting of parsley. Repeat layering, end with sauce, top with parsley.
Bake 1/2 hour or until casserole is bubbling well. Absolutely the best when served still molten and creamy.

Deb
paca_mama
(1/16/03)

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Chicken Cardamom

Chicken Cardamom

I can't remember who asked for this to be sent to the list, and I know Mary is probably
busy with farm stuff, but my cookbook is still sitting here by the computer, so here it is:

Masala:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp. cardamom seeds
2 tbsp. peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. ground hot red pepper

Chickens:
2 chickens, 2.5-3 lbs. each
4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. saffron threads
3 tbsp. boiling water
1/2 cup ghee
a 3"-piece of cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup cold water

Put all Masala ingredients into a blender/processor and process until puree.

Pat the chickens dry and truss. Rub the salt into the skin. Spread each chicken with Masala. Marinate at room temp for 1 hour or in the fridge for 2 hours.

Put the saffron in a bowl and cover with the boiling water, let soak for atleast 10 minutes.

In a heavy casserole big enough for both chickens, heat the ghee. When hot add the cinnamon and cloves, stirring until they are coated. Add the onions and fry until golden.

Place the birds in the casserole, all the masala and the saffron with water. Turn the chickens frequently and cook for about 10 minutes or until the birds are lightly colored, but not browned. Stir in the 1/2 cup cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the casserole and cook for 30-35 minutes until the chickens are tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat and let rest 15-20 minutes before serving.

From the TimeLife series Foods of the World "The Cooking of India"
Land of Oz
(1/15/03)

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Desperation Cake Un-Recipe

I made an interesting Desperation Cake during the holidays to take to a last minute dinner:

Frost a pound cake (French vanilla from Costco) with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker in a can) and put candied fruit all over the top of it. I called it "Fruitcake for people who don't like fruitcake" or "Stained Glass Cake" and it was a big hit.

Thank god for freezers and cupboards, eh?

Spiral Crone
(1/13/03)

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Carrot Casserole

Carrot Casserole

The original is from the New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook by Jean Hewitt, my changes are in ( ).

6-8 large scrubbed carrots cut in 1/4" pieces (cut how you like)
Cover with water, add dash salt and simmer gently until almost tender.

While that is cooking, mix:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup honey (I used 1/4 c. and it was plenty)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
(I used 1 tsp cardamom in place of both)
1/4 cup raisins

Drain carrots, reserving 1/4 cup of boiling water.

Add the 1/4 cup boiling water to the above mixture, pour in casserole dish (or keep on the stove on gentle heat), dot with 2 tbsp. butter and put in 300°F oven for 30 minutes, basting occasionally. Serve hot. 6 servings.

As predicted, my family didn't like it. One kid hated it, one kid ate it w/o carrots, and DH liked it except for the carrots. I thought it was good, but I like savory dishes better than sweet ones.

Denise
(1/12/03)

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Baked Pork Chops with Apple and Cinnamon

Baked Pork Chops with Apple and Cinnamon

Well...

... a favourite of my DH are pork chops baked in the oven topped with a slice of apple and onion sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar and a nob of butter. Delicious.

Barbara
(1/10/03)

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Harira (from Joy)

Harira (from Joy)
Yield: 4 servings

Here is a recipe for my favorite soup of all time. It's a Moroccan dish and is just so full of flavor. Over there they sometimes make it with donkey's feet. Traditional is mutton but you can use beef if mutton is too strong for you. Or goat. I sometimes make this with goat meat. The combination of sweet spices, cilantro, lemon juice, chick peas and tomatoes is just perfect. I get cravings for this stuff sometimes and just have to make it even though I'm mildly allergic to the tomatoes.

I usually use about a quarter again as much of the spices as this recipe calls for. Don't try to adjust at the end - this mixture needs the spices to be sauteed and then the long simmering to bring out and meld the flavors properly so decide early on if you like it strongly seasoned or not.

1/2 cup dried chick peas (or one (15 oz) can - see below)
2 tbsp butter
1-1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 pinch saffron
3/4 lb boneless lamb shoulder
1 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp chopped parsley
3 tbsp cilantro
1-1/2 cup fresh peeled and chopped or canned tomatoes
5-1/3 cup water
1/2 cup lentils
2 tbsp lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp salt

Soak chick peas overnight, drain (or use 1 can of canned chickpeas and add at the same time as the lentils).

In dutch oven, melt butter over low heat, stir in cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, paprika, pepper and saffron and cook 2 minutes.

Stir in the lamb, onions, parsley and coriander and cook, stirring occasionally or until the onions are soft.

Stir in tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes.

Add the water and chick peas. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered 1 hour.

Stir in the lentils and simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Stir in the lemon juice and salt and cook 5 minutes longer.

Joy
(1/3/03)

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Black-eyed Peas (2 recipes)

Black-eyed Peas (2 recipes)

I made mine on New Year's Eve:

Bring as many bean s as you want to a boil, while cutting up one or more onions. Sauté the onion in olive oil (in the microwave) while you cut up Polish sausage and one Chourico (Portuguese for chorizo) sausage, and add them to the microwaving onions, preferably in your removable crockpot pot.

Drain the beans (which have boiled) and bring them back to the boil. Dump the whole thing into the pot and microwave it while you drive someone to a party. When you get back, put the pot back on the crockpot base and leave it on high while you have a nap.

Cut up the greens and put them into a Ziplock with a big lump of butter.

Unplug the crockpot and take it and the greens to the party you are going to. Plug the crockpot back in; your beans should be pretty much done. Not too long before midnight, put the greens in Pyrex with a splash of water and a lid, and zap them till tender.

We had none left by 1 am.

Yum.

Laura
(1/2/03)

---

Wow, Laura, you go to a lot of trouble :-) We just put the peas in a soup pot, dump the slivered onions in with them, put some chopped up bacon slices in with them, bring them to a boil and let them simmer about an hour or so. Even without the fancier meat, they're still pretty darned good.

Now, I may have to try your greens recipe for some types of greens. But I learned about 10 years ago that I like turnip greens *only* if they were simmered for hours. Either that or my tastes changed overnight cuz I couldn't stand the nasty little buggers before. My cousin puts about a 1/4 tsp baking soda in with them, but I think that takes the zap out of them that I like. She likes 'em better without the zap.

Jola Gayle
(1/2/03)

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