Chocolate-Orange Punch Bowl Cake

This recipe is from one of the small Betty Crocker booklets you buy at the grocery in the check out line, April 2004 Super Moist Cake Mix Recipes. This can also be found on line. I made this dessert for Easter. It was a big hit. I had to put in two glass containers since I didn't have one big glass bowl. It's a light dessert. I would definitely make this one again.

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil's food cake mix
water, vegetable oil and eggs as called for on box
4 cups milk
4 tsp grated orange peel
2 boxes (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 cup chocolate flavored syrup
2 cans (15 oz size) mandarin orange segments, drained
1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. Beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into pan.

3. Bake 34-39 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around the side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, beat pudding mix into milk and orange peel in large bowl with wire whisk about 2 minutes or until blended.

4. Cut or tear into 1-inch pieces. Arrange half of the pieces in 3 1/2 quart glass serving bowl, cutting pieces to fit shape of bowl. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the chocolate syrup over cake; spread with 2 cups of the pudding. Reserve 1/2 cup orange segments for garnish; arrange remaining orange segments over pudding. Add remaining cake pices. Top with remaining chocolate syrup, remaining pudding and the whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate.

5. Garnish with reserved orange segments. Store covered in refrigerator up to 8 hours.

Yield: 16 servings

Ultimate Chicken Fingers and Almond Rice Pilaf

I decided to make some different things tonight. I'd been a little lazy with cooking lately, so I'm making up for it tonight. I made Ultimate Chicken Fingers which can be found on the back of the Bisquick box. I've made it before; it's good to eat and easy to make. I also made Almond Rice Pilaf which is from the Collector's Edition of Quick Cooking.

ULTIMATE CHICKEN FINGERS

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips

2/3 cup Original Bisquick mix

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt or garlic salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 T butter, melted

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. In 1 gallon resealable food storage plastic bag, mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika.

Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag. Seal bag and shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat to use up remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

Bake 12-14 minutes, turning halfway through bake time, until no pink in center.

Yield: 4 servings

ALMOND RICE PILAF

3/4 cup chopped onion (omitted)

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 T butter

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups uncooked instant rice

In saucepan, saute onion and lmonds in butter until the onion is tender and the almonds are lightly browned.

Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in rice and cover. Remove from the heat. Let stand for 5-8 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Yield: 6 servings

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

This is also made a couple weeks ago. This recipe is from the March/April 2007 Simple and Delicious cooking magazine. It was a simple recipe, but not my personal favorite. The recipe calls for a 3.9 oz instant pudding mix; I looked and could not find. I combined two. You are supposed to whip milk and pudding together for 2 minutes; I found it too thick so I just whipped until mixed.

Ingredients

1 pkg (6 oz) peanut butter cups

1 cup cold milk

1 pkg (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix

1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 chocolate crumb crust (8 inches)

Directions

Cut four peanut butter cups in half; coarsely chop the remaining cups and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping until blended.

Fold in chopped peanut butter cups. Spoon into crust. Arrange halved peanut butter cups on top. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 8 servings

Double Meat Pizzas

I actually made these a couple weeks ago. The recipe is from Pillsbury Hot-from-the-Oven Meals book (who knows which year). I've made it before and Jimmy and I loved it. I did change the recipe some. I used hot Jimmy Dean sausage instead of the ground beef. I omitted the oregano. We usually add black olives, too.

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz) can Pillsbury Hungry Jack Golden Layers Refrigerated Flaky biscuits

1 1/4 cups (10 oz) pizza sauce

1/4 to 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 (3 1/2 oz) pkg sliced pepperoni

1/2 lb ground beef, cooked, drained

4 oz (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese (I use more)

2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lighly grease cookie sheets. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Press or roll each to 5 inch circle, forming 1/4 inch rim around outside edge.

2. Spread 2 T pizza sauce just to rim of each biscuit; sprinkle with oregano. Top with pepperoni, beef and cheeses.

3. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Yield: 10 mini pizzas