This one is good and easy to make -- not sure if you want something this casual Chill Chasers 1 20 oz box devil's food or dark chocolate cake mix (tested with Duncan Hines) 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ancho chili powder 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne (I used 3/8 tsp) 1 egg 1/4 c water 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup sliced almonds, very finely chopped Stir spices into cake mix in mixing bowl. Add egg and water, then stir in chocolate chips. Divide dough (a bit sticky) into half and shape each into a roll about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Roll each roll in the finely chopped almonds, then wrap in waxed paper and chill or freeze several hours. Slice chilled dough about 1/4" thick and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 12 min. Makes about 3 dozen. I was thinking that a Texas Sheet Cake would also be good made with a similar amount of chili and cayenne in the cake batter. I want to try that. Here's the classic recipe -- Texas Sheet Cake 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup butter or margarine 4 Tbsp. cocoa 1 cup water 2 eggs ý cup buttermilk 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla Prepare a 9x13 pan or a sheet pan (11x15 �" cake will be thinner) by greasing and flouring or spraying with nonstick spray. Measure flour, sugar and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Place butter, cocoa and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn off heat and pour hot mixture over flour mixture and stire to blend. Add eggs. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk and add to mixture with vanilla. Blend together. Bake at 350 until cake tests done in center (about 25-30 min for sheet pan and about 35 min for 9x13). Make frosting while cake is still hot and pour over warm cake. Spread just enough to cover cake and let cool without disturbing. If you want to use buttermilk powder, add the powder (2T) to the flour and sugar and mix well. Dissolve the baking soda in ý c water and add with vanilla. Chocolate Fudge Icing 1 cup sugar or 1 lb powdered sugar (1 box or ý large bag) ý cup (1 stick) butter or margarine 4 T cocoa ü cup milk 2 tsp vanilla 1 cup pecans (optional) Mix all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Mix well from beginning to avoid lumps. Stir constantly and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and beat until thick enough to spread on cake. Spread over warm cake, spreading just to move into corners. Icing will cool and form a skin that will crack and crinkle if you continue to spread, but it will usually settle over the warm cake on its own.

How hard do you want to work? We went to a fundraiser that involved a chocolate contest...everyone got to sample and vote. I'm sure this is the cake that won, although I don't know if the lady who won would admit it was this easy. (Next year I'm taking my chocolate mascarpone tart). The zucchini cake is a great traveler...moist and not-too-sweet. * Exported from MasterCook * Chocolate Cherry Cake With Variations Recipe By : Katie Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 package chocolate cake mix -- * see note 1 can cherry pie filling -- * see note 1 teaspoon vanilla extract -- or almond extract 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 5 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup milk 1 cup chocolate chips -- * see note Beat together cake mix, pie filling, flavoring and eggs with electric mixer until very well mixed. Pour into a greased 13"x9" pan and bake @ 350° for 25-30 minutes. Touch lightly in center to test for doneness. Frost when partially cooled. For frosting: Boil together for one minute the sugar, butter, and milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over partially cooled cake. Source: adapted from Seasoned With Love - Priest Lake Community Cookbook - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : You can use any cake mix and pie filling combination that sounds good...white cake and any fruit pie filling, spice cake and apple pie filling, lemon cake and lemon filling, etc. You can also use white chocolate chips in the frosting. Wait until the sugar mixture is almost cool before stirring in chips. White chocolate will seize very easily. * Exported from MasterCook * Christie's Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe By : Katie Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/2 c soft butter 1 c oil 1 3/4 c sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 c sour milk or buttermilk OR use 1/2 c milk = 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 5 tbsp cocoa 2 1/2 c flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 2 c finely grated zucchini 1/2 c chopped nuts 1/2 c chocolate chips Blend all together (except nuts and chocolate chips)and pour into two 9" square (or one 13 x 9) ungreased pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. chopped nuts and 1/2 c. chocolate chips. Bake 40-45 minutes at 325F. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Good served warm. Freezes well.

Here's one I love. I think it came from a food processor cookbook originally. I probably created this variation. I usually note the source but I have had this so long, I'm not sure anymore. I have baked it in a larger loaf pan too. It took a bit more time to bake. Lot's of fiber in this one ***Recipes From Renée Adler AscherÂs Kitchen *** Banana/Bran/Fruit Quick Bread Yield: 3 small loaves Prep. and Cooking Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes Food processor method Ingredients: 3/4 cup all purpose flour 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup unprocessed bran (AKA MillerÂs bran) 1 Tbs. baking powder 14 tsp. baking soda 2 ripe bananas 3 Tbs. unsalted butter of canola oil 1/4 cup lt Brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup molasses (or other syrup) 2 large eggs 2/3 cup skim or non fat milk 1 cup chopped dried apricots or other fruit Scant 1/4 cup golden raisins (optional) 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts) Instructions:  Preheat oven to 350Ë Â Process bananas with milk, syrup, butter (oil), sugar, and eggs until smooth.  Add dry ingredients, process on and off until incorporated  Remove from processor bowl to large bowl  Mix in dried fruit and nuts  Fill loaf pans 2/3rds full and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool

Our favorite comes from The Splended Table. We use Manchego, Gruyere and a bit of Asiago 21st-Century Mac 'n' Cheese Excerpted from The Splendid Table's® How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift Serves 4, and doubles easily 8 to 10 minutes prep time; 30 minutes oven time You could assemble the dish a day ahead to bake when you walk in the door Never underestimate the healing power of macaroni and cheese at the end of a day from hell. Make this as rich as you'd like by selecting milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. 3 quarts salted water in a 4-quart pot 1/2 pound (2 cups) imported elbow macaroni or penne pasta 1 large egg 1 cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream 1 small garlic clove 3/4 medium onion, coarse chopped 1 generous cup (5 ounces) shredded good-quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese 5 ounces cream cheese, crumbled 2/3 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère, Appenzeller, or Manchego cheese Generous 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes Generous 1/8 teaspoon salt Generous 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper Generous 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, Hungarian or Spanish 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 12 saltines, coarse crumbled 1. Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop in the macaroni or penne. Boil, stirring often, until the pasta is tender but still with a little firmness. Drain in a colander. 2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a shallow 1-1/2-quart baking dish, and add the cooked macaroni. 3. In a blender or food processor, combine the egg, milk, and garlic. Process for 3 seconds. Add the onion, cheeses, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and paprika, and blend for 10 seconds, or until the onion is cut down to small pieces and the ingredients are blended. Turn the mixture into the dish, folding it into the macaroni. (The casserole could be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours at this point.) 4. To bake, bring the casserole close to room temperature if it has been refrigerated. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the saltine crumbles, and coat them with the butter. Spread them over the top of the casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until thick yet creamy. If the top is not golden brown, slip the casserole under the broiler for a minute. Remove it from the oven, let it stand for 5 minutes, and serve. LYNNE'S TIPS An egg and cream cheese are the secret ingredients here. They give creaminess and body to the dish so you can sidestep the time-consuming white sauce often called for in macaroni and cheese recipes. The Gruyère, Appenzeller, or Manchego cheese gives a nuttiness and another layer of flavor beyond cheddar cheese alone.