Donelle's Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

This cake looks beautiful and tastes phenomenal! I usually don't get too excited about chocolate cake, but this is an exception. OH MAN!

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
3/4 c. oil
3/4 c. water
1 (8oz.) container sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag chocolate chips
nuts can be added if desired

Mix the first five ingredients. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix again. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Pour warm frosting over the top allowing it to drip down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle top of cake with powdered sugar or with chopped nuts.

Frosting for bundt cake:

3 T. cocoa
6 T. milk
1 stick margarine
2 c. powdered sugar

Bring cocoa, milk & margarine to a boil, then remove from heat. Whisk in 2 c. powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Immediately pour over cake. (You may want to sift the powdered sugar to keep the frosting from getting lumpy). Use the same sifter to dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar after frosting. I use a small wire strainer for this.

Santa Pancakes

We made these on Christmas Eve morning. The kids loved them! You can use any pancake recipe or mix. But hey....make them from scratch...you know you want to (my buttermilk pancake recipe is included below)!

As you pour the pancake batter onto the hot pan, pour it into a teardrop shape instead of a circle. This gives you the right shape to create the Santa face.

Pancake batter
strawberry or raspberry jam (or fresh strawberries/raspberries)
can of whipping cream
mini chocolate chips

Bake pancakes in teardrop shapes. To decorate, cover the top of the teardrop with jam to resemble a hat. Using whipped cream, make a mustache and beard. Decorate both the beard and the hat, ending with a dollop of whipped cream on the top of the hat. Add chocolate chip eyes. Serve warm!

Delicious Scratch Buttermilk Pancakes

1 c. flour
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1 beaten egg
1 c. buttermilk
2 T. oil

Mix all dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, egg and oil. Stir until just mixed (over-mixing will cause toughness). Batter will be lumpy. If batter is too thick, add more buttermilk to thin.

***My favorite "mix" to use when I'm in a hurry is the Cracker Barrel Pancake Mix or Hungry Jack Traditional Pancake Mix.

Sonia's Baked Chicken

My friend Sonia made this chicken for an Elder's Quorum dinner we attended. The chicken was so tender and perfectly seasoned....I left with the recipe! This was great served with mashed potatoes and vegetables, but would be equally good with baked potatoes or rice.

chicken breasts
egg (beaten)
saltine crackers
salt, pepper, garlic salt
oil
Monterrey jack cheese
canned mushrooms

Dredge chicken breasts in beaten eggs and then in the saltine crackers (salt, pepper and season the crackers beforehand). In a skillet, heat some oil and fry the chicken on both sides until nicely browned. Transfer chicken to a baking dish and cover each piece with a slice of jack cheese. Sprinkle mushrooms all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until juices run clear.