DATE BARS

Date Bars
This is the recipe from Candace. She use to bring them to Pacific Yurts.  They are super yummy!
 
Filling:
 
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
1 1/2 cups sour cream (I use plain yogurt)
1 tsp maple extract (I use vanilla)
3 egg yolks
 
Base & Topping:
 
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups quick oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
 
Heat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  In med. saucepan  combine all filling ingredients.  Cook over med. heat until thickened slightly, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and beat with a hand mixer for a few minutes to break up the dates a bit more.  It doesn't have to be completely smooth.  Set aside.
 
Mix all base & topping ingredients.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups for topping.  Press remaining oat mixture evenly in bottom of greased pan.  Add filling and spread evenly over base.  Then sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups over the top.  
 
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until top is a light golden brown.

GRANDMA NELSON CHRISTMAS COOKIES

GRANDMA NELSON CHRISTMAS COOKIES
I love these cookies and look forward to them around Christmas.  Haven't tried making them myself yet - hopefully I can make them as good as Judi does.  If she puts in the raisins she likes to soak them in water and put in the microwave and heat until they puff up.  Top with almond bark (she does vanilla) and can do sprinkles or cinnamon/sugar mixture.

CREAM TOGETHER:
1# butter or margarine
1/2# brown sugar
2 c white sugar

ADD & BEAT WELL:
4 eggs

ADD:
1# flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups rolled oats
1 - 1 1/2 cup raisins, optional
nuts, optional
chocolate chips, optional (not sure if she ever adds these but it would be good)
1 tsp maple flavoring, optional

Bake at 375 until light brown.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

BLACK MAGIC CAKE (BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER!)
Added by Lisa Glass [Sqrlmama] on Apr 7, 2011

Lisa from Englewood, OH (pop. 13,465) says:
When my mother passed away, a close family friend made us two wonderful cakes. One was the Kentucky Apple cake, which was a hit with the big guys, and the other was this moist, dense chocolate cake, which was a hit with my three sons and their friends. My twin boys requested this for their birthday with one stipulation - they each wanted their own cake, just for them! Oh, and don't be thrown off by the inclusion of coffee in the recipe. You would never know it's there. Matter of fact, if my boys knew it was in there, they would freak out since they hate coffee!

http://www.justapinch.com/recipe/lisa-glass/black-magic-cake-best-chocolate-cake-ever/cake?source=fork_FB_black_magic_cake

UPDATE: cut into individual pieces, wrapped in saran wrap and put in freezer ziploc.  Yum!  Not as good as the frozen cherry one Lisa makes, but good frozen.

Cook time:	40 Min		Difficulty:
Prep time:	15 Min		Serves:

INGREDIENTS

- 1 3/4 c all purpose flour - 2 c sugar - 3/4 c cocoa powder - 2 tsp baking soda - 1 tsp baking powder - 1 tsp salt - 2 eggs - 1 c strong black coffee or hot chocolate, cooled - 1 c buttermilk

- 1/2 c vegetable oil - 1 tsp real vanilla extract CHOCOLATE FROSTING - 1/2 c margarine, softened - 2 oz melted unsweetened chocolate, cooled (not too long) - 3 c powdered sugar - 3 Tbsp milk - 2 tsp real vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1.   Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.

2.   Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for two minutes. Batter will be thin.

3.   Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan or two 9 inch cake pans.

4.   Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes for a 9x13, or 30-35 minutes for layer pans.

5.   Combine frosting ingredients and mix with a hand or stand mixer. Spread frosting on cooled cakes.

EASY MADE FROM SCRATCH YOU CAN'T STOP EATING IT CHOCOLATE CAKE
https://fabulesslyfrugal.com/recipes/easy-made-from-scratch-you-cant-stop-eating-it-chocolate-cake/

This sure was a big hit!  Everyone loved it.  Super easy to make.  Made in a 9x13.

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water (we did hot chocolate - extra chocolate!!!)

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING: (we already had some made that we needed to use up)

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans (I just made mine in 9x13 baking pan and increased bake time to 42 minutes)
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
3. Stir in the boiling water by hand (make sure you mix it in well... the batter will look runny, but have faith... it'll turn out!)
4. Pour evenly into the greased pan(s).
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (For the 9x13 cake pan I baked it for about 42 minutes... do the toothpick test, it should come out fairly clean).
6. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely. (I just leave mine in the pan)
7. Delicious by itself, either slightly warm or even chilled! Try it with cool whip, or chilled pie cherries and cool whip

FROSTING:

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy.
2. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla (I preferred a little less cocoa).
3. Beat to a spreading consistency.