Trena's Chocolate Lava Cake

FALLEN CHOCOLATE CAKE
This comes from Cooks Illustrated. Serves 8 to 10.
One large fallen chocolate cake can be prepared in either a springform pan or a cake pan with a removable bottom. Do not use a regular cake pan, as the cake will be impossible to remove once baked. To melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave oven, heat chocolate alone at 50 % power for 2 minutes; stir chocolate, add butter, and continue heating at 50 % for another 2 minutes, stopping to stir after 1 minute. If chocolate is not yet entirely melted, heat an additional 30 seconds at 50 % power. Though the cake is best when served warm, within about 30 minutes of being unmolded, it can also be held in the pan for up to two hours before serving.
Ingredients
8
tablespoons butter (1 stick), plus extra for cake pan
8
ounces semisweet chocolate , coarsely chopped
4
large eggs
1
large egg yolk
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4
teaspoon table salt
1/2
cup granulated sugar
2
tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour , plus extra for cake pan

confectioners' sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder for decoration, optional

whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter and flour (or use cocoa powder) 8- or 9-inch springform or removable-bottom cake pan; tap out excess flour and position springform on shallow roasting pan, jelly roll pan, or baking sheet. Meanwhile, melt 8 tablespoons butter and chocolate in medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost simmering water, stirring once or twice, until smooth; remove from heat. (Or melt chocolate and butter in microwave oven. See instructions above.)
2.Beat eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt, and sugar at highest speed in bowl of a standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment until volume nearly triples, color is very light, and mixture drops from beaters in a smooth, thick stream, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, beat for 10 minutes using a hand-held electric mixer and large mixing bowl.) Scrape egg mixture over melted chocolate and butter; sprinkle flour over egg mixture. Gently fold egg and flour into chocolate until mixture is uniformly colored. Ladle or pour batter into springform or cake pan. (Can be covered lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to eight hours. Return to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)

3.Bake until cake looks puffed, has a thin crust on top, and jiggle slightly at center when pan is shaken very gently, 22 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pan or 27 to 30 minutes for 8-inch pan. Cool cake for 15 minutes, run a paring knife around inside edges pan to loosen cake, and remove pan sides. Sieve light sprinkling of confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired, just before serving, and serve warm with optional whipped cream.
BERRY COULIS
This comes from Cooks Illustrated. Makes 1 1/2 cups.    
Because the type of berries used as well as their ripeness will affect the sweetness of the coulis, the amount of sugar is variable. Start with 5 tablespoons, then add more if you prefer a sweeter coulis. Additional sugar should be stirred in immediately after straining, while the coulis is still warm, so that the sugar will readily dissolve. Serve the coulis with cheesecake, pound cake, ice cream, rich chocolate tortes and cakes, dessert souffles, pancakes, French toast, waffles, or crêpes.
Ingredients
12
ounces fresh raspberries (or thawed if frozen), or blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries (fresh strawberries hulled and sliced, if using)
5 - 7
tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8
teaspoon salt
2
teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
1.In medium saucepan, bring berries, 1/4 cup water, 5 tablespoons sugar, and salt to bare simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook until sugar is dissolved and berries are heated through, about 1 minute longer.

2.Transfer mixture to blender or food processor; puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl, pressing and stirring puree with rubber spatula to extract as much seedless puree as possible. Stir in lemon juice and additional sugar, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Stir to recombine before serving. (If too thick after chilling, add 1 to 2 teaspoons water.) Can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days.

Marshmallow Fondant

This is a super easy recipe and it actually tastes good enough to eat.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. butter

16 oz. mini marshmallows

4 Tablespoons of water

1 tsp. vanilla

2 lbs. powdered sugar, divided

Directions:

Put marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high 30 seconds to one minute to start melting the marshmallows. When the marshmallow are melted, stir in the water and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, leaving one cup out. The dough will be stiff. Rub your hands with the butter and put fondant on a smooth surface to knead it. Use the remaining powdered sugar to work into the fondant you're kneading until it is no longer sticky and you can roll it in a ball that looks like this:

When it looks like a ball, wrap it tightly in seran wrap and put in the fridge overnight. The next morning, bring it out and let it get to room temperature. Roll it out on a surface dusted with powdered sugar. Enjoy.

Melissa's Fruit Salad

1/4 c vegetable oil

3 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 1/2 tsp poppy seed

Just pour over your favorite fruit to spice up a fruit salad.

Sandy's Tomato Basil Tart

1 unbaked pie crust
6 oz. shredded mozarella cheese
5 Roma or 4 medium tomatoes
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
4 cloves garlic
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. ground pepper

Place piecrust in a 9 inch quiche dish; flute edges; press with fork; prebake according to directions. Remove and sprinkle with 1/2 cups of mozarella cheese and cool. Cut tomatoes into wedges and drain; arrange on top of melted cheese in piecrust. In food processor, combine basil and garlic; cover and process until coarsely ground. Sprinkle mixture over tomatoes. In mixing bowl, combine remainder of mozarella cheese, mayo, parmesan cheese and pepper. Spoon cheese mixture over basil and tomatoes, spreading evenly cover top. Bake in 375 degree oven for 35-40 min. or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm.

Dot Bays Spaghetti Salad

1lb thin spaghetti--cooked in unsalted water

    drain and cool

1 green pepper diced

1 onion chopped

1 jar pimento (optional)

8 Tbs. grated parmisan cheese

1 bottle wishbone dressing (Italian)

3/4 bottle of Shillings salad seasoning

canned mushrooms & olives

make it festive---enjoy

that is the basic recipe

what you had on Tuesday at R/S was

1 lb. thin spaghetti

1/2 green pepper

1/2 red pepper

1/2 cup orange or yellow pepper (all diced)

1 cup (or more) diced motzarella cheese

1/2 cup green onions

1 can olives quartered

5 small tomatoes diced or cherry tomatoes

1 8 oz. bottle Italian dressing (wishbonea)

3/4 jar of salad supreme seasoning

i can (8 oz) mushrooms diced.

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups chocolate chip morsels
1 cup nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Pan cookie variation: Grease jelly-roll pan. Spread dough into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Easy Fudge

1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 T. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla

Line 8 inch square pan with foil. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for one minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan, remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces.