Lion House Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients

1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C shortening, softened
4 T cocoa
1 C water
2 C flour
2 C sugar
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
Dash salt

Frosting:
1/2 C butter
4 T cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
6 T milk
4 C powdered sugar
1 C chopped nuts

Directions
Mix together butter, shortening, cocoa, and water; bring to boil.  Pour over flour and sugar, which have been sifted together.  Mix well.  Add buttermilk, soda, vanilla, eggs and salt and mix well.  Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees F in greased and floured jelly roll pan (10 x 15 inch).  Five minutes before cake is done, prepare frosting.

Melt butter; add cocoa, vanilla and milk, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and nuts.  Mix well.  Frost cake while hot.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional flour as needed, up to 1/4 cup
1/2 cup cake flour (recommended: Soft As Silk)
3 teaspoons sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening (recommended: Crisco)
1/4 cup salted butter
Pinch salt
1 egg
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/4 cup ice cold water

Filling:

2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh
2 1/2 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)
1 1/2 cups sugar (1 1/4 cups for high altitude)
2 tablespoons minute tapioca
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter, cubed small
1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Large granule sugar

Crust Preparation:

Using 2 pastry blenders, blend the flours, sugar, shortening, butter and salt. Whisk the egg, vinegar and water in a 2-cup measure and pour over the dry ingredients incorporating all the liquid without overworking the dough. Toss the additional flour over the ball of dough and chill if possible. Divide the dough into 2 disks. Roll out 1 piece of dough to make a bottom crust. Place into a pie dish. Put dish in refrigerator to chill.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Filling Preparation:
Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, flour, zest and juice of lemon, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well in a large bowl and pour out into chilled crust. Dot the top of the filling with the butter. Brush edges of pie crust with egg white wash. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to seal edges. Brush with egg white wash and garnish with large granule sugar. Collar with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling. Higher altitude will take 450 degrees F and 400 degrees F respectively. Also, you can use a pie bird for extra decor. Let cool before serving.

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

1 package chicken stuffing mix
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup blanched broccoli
1/2 C cream
1 can condensed broccoli cheese soup
Garlic salt to taste
Lemon Pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions, using 1 1/2 cups water.

In large bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, cream, spices and soup.  Transfer to a greased 11x7 inch baking dish.  Top with stuffing an sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, covered 20 minutes.  Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes or until heated through.  Yield: 6 servings

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken with honey mustard

MIX:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper

WHISK:
1/4 cup each whole-grain and prepared yellow mustards
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. granulated garlic

CRUSH:
1 cup mini pretzel twists (about 25)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (9–12 oz.), trimmed, halved lengthwise, and seasoned with kosher salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400°.

Mix together flour, paprika, and pepper in a shallow dish.

Whisk together whole-grain and yellow mustards, honey, lemon juice, and garlic. Reserve half the honey mustard; transfer remaining half to another shallow dish.

Crush pretzels in a resealable plastic bag with a rolling pin; combine with panko in a third shallow dish.

Dredge chicken in flour mixture, dip in honey mustard, then coat in pretzel mixture.

Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium until it shimmers. Cook chicken on one side until brown and crispy, 5 minutes. Flip chicken, transfer skillet to the oven, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°, 10–15 minutes more. Tent chicken with foil; let rest 5 minutes.

Serve chicken with reserved honey mustard and lemon wedges.

Chocolate French Silk Pie

PREPARE:
1 baked pie crust

PLACE:
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. water

SPRINKLE:
8 oz. semisweet bar chocolate, very finely chopped
11/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and softened (12 Tbsp.) Make sure your butter doesn't melt or separate - just softened,
1/8 tsp. table salt

WHIP:
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Prepare pie crust according to directions and allow for it to cool completely.

Place eggs, 2/3 cup sugar, and water in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Don’t let the bowl touch the water.

Whip egg mixture with a hand mixer on medium speed, until eggs double in volume and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°, 10–12 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue beating.

Sprinkle chocolate into cooked egg mixture a handful at a time, with the mixer running, until it all has been added. (The mixture will deflate and lose volume.) Once chocolate melts, continue beating until mixture is no longer warm to the touch, 7–10 minutes. Beat butter into chocolate mixture a few cubes at a time. Once butter is incorporated, the mixture will be thick; beat in the salt and set aside.

Whip cream, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and vanilla using a hand mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 2 minutes.

Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture in three additions, folding until ingredients are blended. Transfer filling to pie crust. Cover pie and refrigerate 3 to 24 hours. Let pie stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Easy Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 18 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
• 1/2 jar (12 ounces) marinara sauce
• 18 frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs (1/2 ounce each), thawed
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.
2. Spread 1/2 cup sauce into a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Fill each shell with a meatball; place over sauce. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
3. Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 3-5 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

Chicken Penne Casserole

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast cut into one inch pieces
1/2 C chopped onion
1 C chopped peppers
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1 T canola oil
3 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 T tomato past
3/4 C chicken broth
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute the chicken, onion, peppers and seasonings in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, process tomatoes and tomato paste in a blender; add to chicken mixture. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Spoon half of the mixture into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheeses. Repeat layers.

Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 4 servings.