Sunset Mandarin Orange Cake

- 9x13 inch cake

Ingredients
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package Super Moist yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 2 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil. Beat until smooth. Gently stir in mandarin oranges with juice - blend well. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

4. To make the topping: In a large bowl, beat together pineapple with juice and dry pudding mix until blended.

Let rest 5 minutes or so to thicken.
Fold in cool whip.
Spread on cake.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

PHOTO BY: Karen

INGREDIENTS
1) 1 Fuji apple - peeled, cored and diced
2) 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
3) 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
4) 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
5) 1 sweet orange, peeled, segments cut in thirds
6) Hand full of sliced grapes
7) 6 tablespoons butter
8) 6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
9) 3 tablespoons white sugar
10) 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, mix together 1 - 6.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 20 minutes.
2. Slice flour tortillas into triangles.
3. Lightly brushed melted butter over the tortillas,
sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and

baked at 350 degrees for about 15 min.

4. Watch them closely so they don't burn!
5. Serve the cinnamon chips warm with the chilled fruit salsa.

Zebra Cake

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk (low fat is fine)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a 9-inch round cake pan with a circle of parchment paper and lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs and sugar until mixture is light and creamy and the sugar has mostly been dissolved. Stir in milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and almond extracts.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into wet ingredients and whisk to combine.

Measure out just over two cups of vanilla batter and place it back in the medium bowl. Sift cocoa powder over the bowl and whisk until fully incorporated.

Put 3 tbsp of vanilla batter into the center of the pan and let it spread slightly on its own.
Put 3 tbsp of chocolate batter in the center of the vanilla. It will push out the other batter and, as it sits for a moment, will also spread itself.
Alternating spoonfuls of the two batters, repeat the technique until all the batter has been used up.

Bake for 38-42 minutes, until the cake is light gold and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out the cake and remove the parchment paper. Re invert on to a wire rack and let cool before slicing.

Serves 10.

Cupid’s Cupcakes

Courtesy of http://w4.nkcsd.k12.mo.us/~rbeckett/Our%20Favorite%20Recipes.htm

If you're helping out with a school or Scout Valentine's party, you'll want to be sure the guests get their just desserts--like these heart-shaped cupcakes. They're easy to make and require no special pans or molds.

To make some, line your cupcake tins with baking liners. Then prepare a batch of your favorite batter and fill the cups halfway. Place a small marble or a 1/2-inch ball of aluminum foil between each liner and one side of the tin (a great job for kids). This will push the paper into the batter to form the notch in the heart.

Bake the cupcakes at the temperature specified by your recipe but check for doneness a few minutes early. Let the cupcakes cool, then remove the marbles or foil balls. Frost with icing and top with colored sugar or sprinkles.

TOMATO PUDDING

Courtesy of Shirley Bruns


1 can tomato puree (8 oz.)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Mix above and boil for five minutes.

In mixing bowl put:
2 cups bread cubes (crust removed)
Pour over cubes:
1/2 cup butter (melted)
Add tomato mixture to this and
Bake in buttered dish about 30 min. @ 350 degrees.
If it looks too wet, bake a little longer.
Serves 6

Tip:
This is an easy recipe to double and it makes a colorful addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table. It's also an easy dish to take with you to a friend or family's house.
Tomato pudding is an excellent side dish with ham, turkey, or chicken. It's sweet enough to be called a dessert.


"It was only a cup of water with gentle grace bestowed,
But it cheered the lonely traveller upon life's dusty road.
None noticed the cup of water as a beautiful act of love,
Save the angels keeping the records, away in the land above.
The trifles in secret given, the prayer in the quiet night,
And the little un-noticed nothings are great in our Saviour's sight!"
~Author Unknown

S'MORES BARS

Source: Gourmet Magazine

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 pound milk chocolate
4 cups mini-marshmallows

In a bowl combine well the crumbs, the sugar, the salt, and the butter and, reserving 1 cup of the mixture,
press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a flameproof baking dish, 13 by 9 by 2 inches.

Bake the crust in a preheated 350°F. oven for 12 minutes, or until it is golden,
and let it cool in the dish on a rack.

In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate, stirring, pour it over the crust spreading it evenly, and sprinkle it with the marshmallows, pressing them lightly, and the reserved crumb mixture. Broil the dessert under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from the heat for 30 seconds, or until the marshmallows are golden, let it cool completely, and cut it into squares.

Makes about 24 bars.

Can't you just see the campfire burning.