MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bag miniature marshmallows

Icing:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoon cocoa
6 tablespoon milk
1 (1-pound) box confectioners’ sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inchbaking pan.
Combine the sugar, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Bring thebutter, oil, cocoa, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add tothe flour mixture.
Beat together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to thechocolate mixture, mix well, and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25minutes.
While the cake is baking, make the icing by melting the butter in thecocoa and milk over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then removefrom the heat. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Slowly mix in the nutsand the vanilla. Take the cake from the oven, and when it cools a bitcover it with miniature marshmallows. Pour the warm icing over the cakeand the marshmallows. Cool the cake before serving.

Prep Time - 30 minutesCook Time - 30 minutesYield - 12 to 16 servingsDifficulty - Easy

Comments:
DeAnna - "Excellent and I will have it for breakfast - maybe I will addsome chocolate sauce on top"
Sue E - "Very good"
Sue C - "Chocolately"
Cindy - "Very good, best when warm or slightly cool"
Doug - "Good"

melted more on top of the warm cake. I looked and my marshmallows were still good, so I am not sure what the problem was. I bet you could useMarshmellow fluff also instead.

BAKED SPAGHETTI

8 ounce uncooked angel hair pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Paula Deen’s Seasoned Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon Paula Deen’s Sweet Italian Herb Blend
2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
2 small bay leaves

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions,peppers, garlic, parsley, seasoning mixtures, sugar, and bay leaves.Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer,covered, for 1 hour. Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cookover medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining.Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the ground beef to thestockpot. Simmer for 20 more minutes. Cook the pasta according to thepackage directions. Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan withsauce. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than 1/2 of eachcheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in the oven for30 minutes. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return it tothe oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly,about 5 more minutes. Cut into squares before serving.

Yield: 10 servingsPreparation time: 30 minutesCooking time: 1 hourEase of preparation: easy

comments:
DeAnna - "really good"
Sue E - "I will have to make it"
Sue M - "I like it and I don't even like spaghetti"
Sue C - "I want the recipe"
Stephanie - "I loved it and if my husband can cook it, we will have itsometime"
Doug - "It was good and meaty"
Cindy - "I liked it, but maybe I would use petite tomotoes next time"

I did substitute the Paula Deen ingredients for my own brands, since wedon't have Paula Deen here (that I could find)

Chef Jack's Corn Chowder

From PaulaDeen.com

3 cup chicken stock
2 cup half-and-half
3 cup white corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small celery stalk, diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 small onion, diced
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook until the roux is lightly browned; set aside to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, combine the corn and chicken stock in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the boiling stock with the corn (a little at a time) into the skillet with the roux, whisking briskly so it doesn’t lump. Return the skillet to the heat and bring to a boil. The mixture should become very thick. In a small saucepan, gently heat the half-and-half; stir it into the thick corn mixture. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, cut the remaining stick of butter into large chunks. Add it to enrich the soup, stirring until the butter melts.

Notes:
I skipped the extra stick of butter at the end. It still tasted good. in fact, it tasted FABULOUS!!!! This was also super easy to make.

Apricot Cheese Delight Salad

1 - 17 oz can apricots, drained and chopped (reserve juice)

1 - large can crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)

2 - 3 oz pkg orange jello

2 cups hot water

1 cup apricot juice

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

3 T flour

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 T butter

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup whipped cream

Dissolve jello in hot water; add apricot juice. Fold in apricots, pineapple and marshmallows into jello. Chill until firm in a 9 x 13 inch pan or dish. Topping: Combine sugar and flour. Add egg, butter and pineapple juice. Cook over low heat. Stir until thickened. Cool thoroughly. Fold in whipped cream and spread over salad. Cut into 4 inch squares and serve on lettuce leaf.

I used Cool Whip in place of whipped cream.

It was very good and I would make it again.

Marshmallow Brownie

Marshmallow Brownies

1 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 eggs

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons backing powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups miniature marshmallows

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup choppped walnuts

In a saucepan over low heat, melt butterscotch chips and butter; cool for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Add butterscotch mixture; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to batter and mix well. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips and nuts. Spread into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until brownies test done with a toothpick. Cool before cutting.

I had to put my pan back into the over after 25 minutes. They were really good, but too gooey. Even after another 10 minutes, they were still gooey, but we decided to try them anyway. Here are the results:
Rachel - "Holy Crap, these things are delicious"

Marley - "Love Them"

Quentin - "Too gooey"

Tim - "Marshmellowly brownie-riffic - Cheese approved"

Brandon - "Gootastic"

Doug - "Good"

Cindy - "Delicious"

I will say that they were served on a plate and needed a fork - I thought, but as you can tell, they were definitely a hit!