Crazy Cake

"Magic" cake that Marilyn made for Michael and Ryan's 7th Birthday Party.  She always came through with the cutest birthday cakes!!  This one is a rabbit coming out of a hat.

Makes a 9x9 cake – Double for 9 X 13 pan or 24 cupcakes

Note: I increased the amount of cocoa since my husband likes it really chocolately! The original Lavin recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of cocoa.

1 ½ cups flour
1 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Sift & blend in large bowl.

1 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup salad oil
1 cups water


Make 3 holes in dry ingredients mixture. Put in oil, vanilla, vinegar. Pour 1 cup water over all and mix. Bake at 350 degrees:

30 min. for 9 X 9 pan
40 min for 9 X 13 pan
13-15 min for cupcakes

Cranberry Cream Cheese Jello Salad - Marilyn

1 (6-ounce) package cherry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 large apples, peeled and grated
2 cups chopped pecans or pecan pieces (toasted is best)
2 cups cooked or 1 (16-ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
Cream Cheese Topping
Additional pecans
~
Dissolve cherry gelatin in boiling water. Cool slightly. Add apples, chopped pecans and cranberry sauce. Turn Into 13x9 inch glass baking dish and refrigerate until firm.

Spoon Cream Cheese Topping over top, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with additional pecans (about 1/4 cup chopped) or garnish with pecan halves, if desired. Cover and chill overnight until set. Makes 12 servings

CREAM CHEESE TOPPING

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (1 pound, 4-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained.
1 (1.4 ounce) envelope whipped topping mix (Dream Whip)
1/2 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
~
Blend cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in crushed pineapple. Whip topping mix with cold milk until stiff. Stir in remaining powdered sugar and vanilla. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture.

Pic of salad w/o cream cheese topping:

NOTE: Instead of using reconstituted whipped topping mix, 2 cups of frozen whipped topping (omit sugar) may be used.

Marilyn's French Dressing

Marilyn's Corned Beef & Cabbage

Place Corned Beef Brisket (flat cut) into Dutch oven, cover with water.

Add bay leaves, garlic, and ¼ c. vinegar. Bring to a boil, and then simmer 3 hours on low heat.

At the last 20 minutes, add cabbage wedges.

Green Chile Casserole - Marilyn

2 4oz. cans green chiles
1 lb. grated sharp cheddar cheese*
1 lb. grated jack cheese*
4 eggs
2 T. flour
2 lg. cans evaporated milk
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

Split chiles, remove seeds. Line baking dish with chiles, cover with half of the cheddar cheese and another layer of chiles and cheese.

Beat eggs with mixer, add some milk then flour and remainder of milk. Pour over chiles & cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cover with Jack cheese and then cover with tomato sauce. Return to oven for 15 min. or less

*Some have suggested that using half the amount of cheese is just as delicious, but a little lower in fat!

Dad's Biscuits

Brown Rice - Marilyn

Meringue

Serve strawberries stirred with some sugar on top. Can also add whipped cream!

Mandarin Jello Salad - Marilyn

Dinner is almost ready. 

The Mandarin Jello Salad is on the left!

Mandarin Jello Salad (Mandarin Gelatin Mold)

Dissolve 2 - 3 oz. pkg orange Jello in 2 c. boiling water.

Add pint of orange sherbet at once, stir until it melts.

Add an 11 oz. can of mandarin oranges, pour gelatin into a quart ring mold.

When firm, turn out onto a plate and fill center with:

1 c. each:
mandarin oranges
pineapple tidbits
shredded coconut
miniature marshmallows
sour cream
(refrigerate filling long enough for flavors to blend.)

Orange Coconut Cake - Marilyn/Audrey

August 17, 2011 update:  So I was looking through Marilyn's cake decorating supplies today and I found a bag of tips labeled "baby buggy cake".  So for anyone brave enough to attempt this one (Chantal, you've made this one, right?) here is the list of tips for the Baby Buggy Cake:

Tips #1, 5, 16 (3 of them), 76, 104 and 352

Banana Date Bread - Marilyn

Marilyn's Punch

Marilyn's Apple Cauliflower Salad

Rub bowl (wooden preferred) with cut garlic clove

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

½ or less of a cauliflower head, cut into bit size pieces

1 bunch watercress, rinsed & torn into small pieces

3-4 medium red delicious apples, chopped

¼ cup (scant) grated onion

3-4 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise

Combine with same amount of Marilyn’s French dressing

Mix dressings & toss with salad ingredients.

 French Dressing:

 Sooo good!

 

Thanksgiving Turkey - Marilyn's Recipe

Note: I cook the sausage in a fry pan first, but I don't think she did. Marilyn grinds the onions and celery together for the dressing and grinds the giblets and adds them to the gravy. Use unsalted butter - you can always add salt later.

Cook breast down, then breast up last two hours.

My cook times - 20 lb turkey 2008:

8 hours (1st 2 hours = 300)

Easy Gravy:

Use gravy separater cup.

Shake togther in glass jar with lid: 2 c. chicken brother 1/3 c. flour.

Take 2 c. liquid from turkey pan, whisk in above mixture, cook in saucepan until thickened.