Chocolate Snack Cake

4 oz 70% dark chocolate

1 1/4 sticks butter

1 tsp instant espresso coffee granules

3/8 cup or 3 ounces hot water

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 cups self-rising flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9x13-inch pan.

Place dark chocolate, butter, hot water, and coffee granules in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low, let the butter and chocolate melt and then whisk until shiny and combined.

Whisk eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and oil together in a large bowl until combined. Add in granulated and light brown sugar and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the melted butter and chocolate.

In another large bowl add self-rising flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, then whisk until mixed evenly throughout. Scrape in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until you have a smooth batter. pour the batter into the prepared 9x13-inch pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before eating. You can add some chocolate frosting, or top individual servings with whipped cream, toasted pecans, and caramel sauce. I like it plain.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from Changing Tides by Roberta Hall McCarron.

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

4 ounces 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons very hot water

1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir briefly, cover and bring to a slow boil. When sugar is completely dissolved, simmer syrup about 3 minutes.

Remove the sugar syrup from the heat and add the chocolate all at once, stirring with a metal spoon until the chocolate is dissolved. Beat the butter into the chocolate mixture, then add the confectioners' sugar alternately with the hot water, dividing the sugar into two parts and the water into two parts. Blend the almond extract and blend again until smooth and shiny.

This frosting can tighten quickly, so it must not be prepared too far in advance and should be kept slightly warm to keep it pourable. If icing is still too thick a bit of hot water, being careful to not let the icing become too excessively fluid or hot.

Makes enough to frost a 9x13-inch cake.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, adapted from Great Cakes by Carole Walter

Simple Italian Salad Dressing

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (depending on heat preference)

salt and black pepper to taste

Add the first five ingredients, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add more salt, lemon juice, and red pepper as desired to taste.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from Apple and Broccoli Salad by Eric Kim, New York Times.

Yogurt Cheese (Labneh)

32 ounces of plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon salt

Line a fine-mesh strainer 2 or 3 layers of 100% cotton cheesecloth and place over a large bowl or pot for the whey to drain in. 

Add the salt to the yogurt and mix together well. Pour the yogurt onto the cheesecloth and cover with paper towels. Let drain for 24 hours.

After 24 hours the yogurt cheese is ready. Place into a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

This yogurt cheese can be molded. Simply line the mold with plastic wrap put in the yogurt cheese and chill for 6 hours. Unmold onto a serving plate, remove the plastic wrap, and garnish with strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber wedges.

Makes about 2 1/2 to 3 cups.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from The Arab Table, by May S. Bsisu

Delicata Squash Soup

1 medium Delicata Squash

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion peeled and diced

grated zest of 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth or a mixture

1/2 a small cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch dice

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and discard or save for toasting. Cut squash into 1/2-inch dice, no need to peel. Add oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven and heat over medium-low heat, cook onion until soft about 10 minutes. Add the squash, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg; cook for 2 minutes. Add broth and cook until squash is tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. Let cool a little bit and working in batches puree the squash in a blender or all at once in the saucepan with an immersion blender. Return the squash puree to the pan if using a blender, reheat on medium-low, add the cabbage, and cook until soft about 10 to 15 minutes add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

Poached Pears

2 cups dry red wine

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

4 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

4 ripe but firm pears, peeled sliced in half lengthwise and the centers cored

1 tsp white vinegar (preferably Italian)

Combine the first five ingredients, wine through cinnamon sticks, in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add pears, reduce heat to a low simmer, and simmer gently until tender, about 30 minutes. Put a plate slightly smaller than the pan on the saucepan to submerge the pears in the liquid.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. With a slotted spoon remove pears into a large bowl. Reduce liquid in the saucepan by at least half over high heat. Let the liquid cool slightly and add the white vinegar. Pour reduced liquid over the pears. To serve place a pear half in an individual bowl and spoon some of the liquid over. Refrigerate unused pears and poaching liquid.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

Blueberry Slump

Filling:

1 quart fresh blueberries or 3 10 to 12 oz. bags of frozen blueberries thawed and drained

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

juice from one lemon (approx. 2 tablespoons)

juice from one lime (approx. 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon fruit vinegar  

Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/4 cups milk

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

heavy cream

Combine all filling ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine the first seven topping ingredients, the flour through nutmeg in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan bring milk just to a boil over medium heat stirring often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add butter and vanilla extract and stir until the butter melts. Remove from heat and gradually add to the flour mixture with a spoon.

Bring the blueberry filling mixture to a boil over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet. As soon as the blueberries start to boil, spoon or pour the topping over the blueberries. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 13 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Spoon some warm blueberry slump into a bowl and pour a little heavy cream on top.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seasoned America cookbook