Chocolate Mint Cake

Ingredients
•1/2 cup butter, softened
•1-3/4 cups sugar
•3 eggs
•4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•3/4 cup 2% milk
•1/2 cup water
•1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
•3/4 teaspoon baking soda
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•FILLING:
•1 cup heavy whipping cream
•3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
•1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
•3 to 4 drops green food coloring, optional
•ICING:
•1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
•1/4 cup butter, cubed
•1/3 cup evaporated milk
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions
•Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper. Grease and flour the paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Combine milk and water. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture, beating well after each addition.
• Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
• For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in food coloring if desired. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with filling. top with second layer.
• For icing, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Beat in evaporated milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost and decorate cake. Chill 2 hours before slicing. Yield: 12 servings.

Traditonal Mashed Potatoes

6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper




Directions
1. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well. Add milk, butter, salt and pepper; mash until light and fluffy.

Serves 6

Catherine's Spicy Chicken Soup

2 quarts water
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon onion powder
5 cubes chicken bouillon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (16 ounce) jar chunky salsa
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans, undrained
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream




Directions
1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine water, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, onion powder and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken, reserve broth. Shred chicken.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly browned. Stir in salsa, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato soup, chili powder, corn, chili beans, sour cream, shredded chicken and 5 cups broth. Simmer 30 minutes.

Mallow Sweetheart Cookies

What You Need
1pkg. (20 oz.) refrigerated sliceable sugar cookies
12 JET-PUFFED Marshmallows
Decorating icing
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Roll out cookie dough to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into 24 cookies, using 2- to 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutters, rerolling dough scraps as necessary. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.

TOP bottom side of each of 12 of the cookies with 1 marshmallow. Place 4 of the cookies on microwavable plate. Microwave on HIGH 15 to 20 seconds or until marshmallows begin to puff; cover with 4 of the remaining cookies, bottom sides down, to make sandwiches. Repeat with remaining cookies and marshmallows. Decorate with icing as desired.

Crock Pot Pot Roast Dips

Ingredients
1 cup water, or as needed
1 (.9 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 (1 ounce) packet dry au jus mix
1 (2 pound) beef chuck roast
12 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1.Stir together water, onion soup mix, and au jus mix in a slow cooker. Add beef, cover, and cook on High for 5 hours, or until tender. When the beef is tender, shred the meat with two forks, and continue cooking on Low 1 to 2 hours.
2.To serve, open the hoagie buns, and spoon meat mixture into the center. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and serve.

Raspberry Lemon Muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar for decoration (optional)
Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2.In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, egg whites, and, if using, lemon extract. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended. Gently stir in the frozen raspberries. Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining sugar over the tops for decoration, if desired.
3.Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the tin on a wire rack.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cake

Ingredients
3.4 oz. pkg. non-instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
18 1/4 oz. pkg. chocolate cake mix
12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Vanilla ice cream
Bring pudding and milk to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in cake mix just until blended. Spread mixture into a greased and floured 13" x 9" baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream. Serves 15.