Want a recipe for the best chocolate cake, ever? Here you go!! :) Enjoy!

Delicious Chocolate Cake

1 box Devil’s food cake mix

1 (3 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding

2 cups sour cream

1 cup melted butter

5 eggs

1 t. almond extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 10-inch Bundt Pan.  In a large bowl, mix first 5 ingredients together for about 2-3 minutes.  Then fold in the almond extract and chocolate chips with a spatula.  Pour into pan and bake for 55 minutes.  Let it cool about 20 minutes and turn out on rack to cool completely.

 

Pineapple-Cream Cheese Spread...a delicious afternoon snack or appetizer before dinner :) Make sure you let it sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving.

Pineapple-Cream Cheese Spread

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

¼ cup each:  finely chopped bell pepper, onion and green onion

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon seasoned salt

Stir cream cheese with a fork until creamy then add the remaining ingredients.  Cover with wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours.  Delicious served with Ritz crackers or Wheat Thins.

 

 

Peanut Butter-S'more Cookies...what a great tailgating dessert! Football season is here and I am SO excited!! These are delicious :) Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER S’MORE COOKIES

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (you can find these on the baking aisle)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup creamy peanut butter (I use Jif)

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla or regular vanilla

1 bag large marshmallows, cut in half (you will have some left over)

3 Hershey bars broken into squares

Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars on medium speed for about 4 minutes.   Mix in egg and vanilla.  Mix in flour mixture a little at a time.  Scoop out about a heaping teaspoon of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and press a marshmallow half into each cookie.  Return to the oven and bake 5 more minutes.  Remove from oven and place a Hershey square on top of each marshmallow.  Let cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen J

Layered Salad...always a delicious side dish to any meal. Just make sure you let it sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving :) Enjoy!

LAYERED SALAD

1 large head of iceberg lettuce, washed and patted dry

5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped or sliced

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

8-ounce bag sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 small bag frozen green peas, thawed

DRESSING:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup real mayo (I use Hellman’s)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

Mix the ingredients together for the dressing and set aside.  In a large bowl, layer ingredients as they are listed above, starting with the lettuce and ending with the peas.  Spread the dressing evenly over the peas sealing the edges.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.  Delicious!

Baked Tomato with Spinach and Swiss...an oh, so delicious side dish!

BAKED TOMATO WITH SPINACH & CHEESE

3 large fresh tomatoes, sliced thick

1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and all liquid squeezed out

8-ounces Swiss cheese

Mayo

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese, grated

Wash and slice tomatoes, then lay them on paper towels to drain for a few minutes.  Sprinkle each tomato slice on both sides with salt and pepper.  Lay tomato slices in a 13x9x2 baking dish and squeeze a dollop of mayo on each tomato then spread evenly over tomato.  Next, place about a tablespoon of Swiss cheese on each tomato then top with a few tablespoons of spinach.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over spinach-topped tomatoes and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Coca Cola Ham, Black-eyed Pea Salad, Macaroni Salad, Cornbread Salad & my Strawberry-Pretzel salad recipes from today's show! Hope you enjoy! :)

Coca Cola Ham

Cornbread Salad

Black-eyed Pea Salad

Macaroni Salad

Strawberry-Pretzel Salad

 

Coca Cola Ham

1 3-lb. boneless, full cooked ham

8-ounces coca cola

½ cup yellow mustard

1 cup brown sugar

Mix brown sugar and just about 1 to 2 tablespoon coke until it makes a paste.  Place ham in a shallow baking dish and rub paste over ham.  Pour coke all around ham, cover with foil and bake 50 minutes. 

 

MELISSA’S CORNBREAD SALAD

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix, baked according to directions

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup Hellmann’s mayo

1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained well

2 cans whole kernel corn, drained well

½ cup each of red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and green onions, chopped

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix the 2 boxes of cornbread up and bake in a black skillet according to directions on the box.  Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.  Meanwhile, in a medium –size bowl, mix Ranch dressing mix, sour cream, mayo and Creole seasoning well.  Using a whisk works well.  Now you are ready to layer!  In a large bowl OR a 13x9x2 pan, crumble half the cornbread and place it on the bottom.  Now place half the corn, beans and veggie mix on top of the cornbread.  Carefully spread half of the dressing mixture over veggies using a butter knife and/or spoon.  Top this with 1 cup of the cheese.   Now, repeat a second layer ending with cheese.  It’s important to let this sit in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours.  Serve with a large spoon and dig deep! J  Enjoy!  Any time I make this, the people who are hesitant to try it always, always end up loving it and ask for the recipe!

 

Black-eyed Pea Salad

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained well

1 red bell pepper, chopped

½ onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (I suggest wearing gloves when you do this)

Place all veggies and peas in a bowl.  Mix oil, vinegar and sugar together and pour over veggies and peas.  Refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving.  Stir well before serving.

 

 

Sweet and Tangy Macaroni Salad

1 (16-ounce) box elbow macaroni

4 carrots, scraped and grated

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups mayo

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup sugar

½ cup white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.  Rinse with cold water and drain again very well.  Combine macaroni, carrot, onion, and bell pepper in a large bowl.   Combine mayo and remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir well.  Pour dressing over macaroni mixture and toss gently.  Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.  The mixture will thicken as it chills.  Makes 16-18 small side servings.  Delicious!

 

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

2 ½ cups pretzels, crushed (I place them in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a glass)

1 tablespoon sugar

¾ cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

2 (16-ounce) containers of frozen strawberries, thawed

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip

1 large box strawberry Jell-O

1 ½ cups boiling water

In a 13x9 oven proof dish, stir together crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter.  Stir well and then press down and up the sides of the pan.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes then let it cool completely.  While crust is baking, stir together cream cheese and sugar and then stir in the Cool Whip until mixed very well.  Spread this mixture over the cooled crust.  Next combine Jell-O, and boiling water until mixed well.  Stir in the strawberries and pour this mixture on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Cover and place in the fridge for about 3 hours or until Jell-O is set.  It’s best the next day J

It just doesn't get much better than a big bowl of homemade spaghetti & meatballs! I hope you all will enjoy my recipe :)

Melissa Friday’s Spaghetti and Meatballs

(Mamma Mia this is delicious!)

 

Sauce:

¼ cup olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves fresh garlic, minced

3 T fresh parsley, chopped

3 (28-ounce) cans tomato puree

½ can water

3 T brown sugar

2 T white sugar

1 T vinegar

¼ cup dry red wine

1 t. oregano

1 t. basil

1 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1 t. each salt and pepper

1 T Italian seasoning

 

Sauté’ the onions in olive oil for 6 minutes, stirring often.  Add garlic and parsley.  Now add red wine, puree, water, sugar, vinegar, brown sugar and seasonings.  Simmer on low for at least an hour.  The longer it simmers the better!  You may also add more seasonings to taste.

 

Meatballs:

 

1 ½ lb. ground sirloin

1 ½ lb. ground pork

1 lb. Italian sausage

2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup breadcrumbs

3 T fresh parsley, chopped

½ cup milk

3 eggs, beaten

1 t. each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, oregano and basil

½ to 1 cup beef broth

 

Mix all together except for broth, form meatballs and place on large greased cookie sheet.  Pour broth all around the meatballs.  Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, turning once during cooking.  Add meatballs and all drippings to your sauce and simmer for at least one hour.