Banana Split Cheesecake

20 Oreo Cookies 
3 tablespoons butter ( melted ) 
3 package(s) cream cheese ( 8 oz each, light or regular divided ) 
2 bananas 
1/2 cup pineapple juice 
2 1/4 cups Powdered Sugar 
1/3 cup frozen strawberries ( thawed, drained or fresh and chopped, 1/2 cup pureed ) 
1/3 cup pineapple ( chopped, drained or 1/4 cup pureed ) 
5 1/2 cups whipped cream ( or whipped topping ) 
to taste chocolate syrup 
to taste sprinkles 
to taste maraschino cherries 


Crush oreos then mix with melted butter and press in bottom of 9 inch spring bottom pan. Beat cream softened cream cheese with mixer then add powdered sugar. Fold in whipped cream (or whipped topping). Divide mixture evenly between three bowls. Slice bananas and toss with pineapple juice. Drain and mix into 1 bowl of cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly on the crust. Mix crushed strawberries with another bowl of cream cheese mix and then spread on top of banana layer. Mix crushed pineapple with remaining cream cheese mix and spread over strawberry layer. Chill for several hours or over night. If desired, before serving, top with chocolate syrup, sprinkles and maraschino cherries. 

Pudding Cake

1

cup  flour

3/4

cup sugar

2

tablespoons cocoa

2

teaspoons baking powder

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/2

cup milk

2

tablespoons vegetable oil

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

cup packed brown sugar

1/4

cup baking cocoa

1 3/4

cups hot water

Mix first 8 ingredients together in a nine by thirteen pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and cocoa over the top. Pour hot water over whole cake.  Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Wheat Bread

7 cups very warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup wheat gluten
10-14 cups whole wheat flour (this really varies depending on the day)
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Pour water in large bowl (or bowl of your mixer like kitchen aid or Bosch), add yeast and brown sugar.  When yeast has foamed, add gluten and 6 cups wheat flour. Mix by hand or in mixer till for about 2 minutes.  Add 2 more cups wheat flour, the vegetable oil, salt and lemon juice. Stir or continue mixing in mixer (using kneading arm). Continue adding wheat flour, about 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is slightly stiff (it will pull away from the side of the bowl if using a mixer).  Knead either by hand or with mixer (by hand about 10 minutes). Turn dough out onto oiled counter and let rest for 20 minutes. Divide into 6 parts (if using 8X4 inch loaf pans) or 5 parts (if using 9X5 inch loaf pans), punch down and shape into loaves, sealing the seams. Place in greased loaf pans. Warm your oven slightly (in my electric oven I turn it on for 2 minutes). Turn the oven off, then place the loaves in the oven. Let rise for 30 minutes. Leaving bread in the oven, turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 40 minutes (set the timer as soon as you turn the oven on, don't wait till it reaches 350).  Remove immediately from pans and place on cooling racks.

Very Easy Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk

Mix flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour in oil and milk. Mix with fork till just combined.  Turn out on counter (the oil usually keeps this from sticking so you don't need flour on the counter).  Knead 10 to 12 times.  Roll and cut.  Bake at 425 for 12 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce

1/2 pound ground beef
2 cans tomato sauce (16 oz.)
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Brown ground beef, add remaining ingredients and simmer.  The longer you simmer it the better it tastes but it works if you're in a hurry and just bring it to simmer and then serve too.

This is really basic and easy but Gary likes it better than any other sauce he's had so why mess with it?

Basic Chocolate Cake

2 1/4 cups flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
3/4 cups butter, softened
2/3 cups baking cocoa
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour one 13X9, two 9 in. rounds or 3 8 inch round pans.

In large bowl, beat all ingredients on low 30 seconds then high for about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.  Pour into pans.

Bake 9X13 40 to 45 minutes, round pans 30 to 35 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan or on wire racks (depending on what you're doing with them afterwards).

This is my standard chocolate cake that gets used for lots of things like this Black Forest Cherry Cake so beautifully displayed below. It has also been used for snowman cakes, dinosaur cakes, heart cakes and shamrock cakes.

Pinwheel Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 cups flour
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder, salt and baking soda and continue beating. Add flour gradually to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. Mix melted chocolate into one half of dough until thoroughly mixed.  Wrap plain and chocolate doughs separately in plastic wrap and chill for one hour.

Divide each type of dough in fourths.  Roll each portion out between waxed paper into about a 9X6 rectangle.  Chill for 30 minutes.  Remove waxed paper. Place one plain over one chocolate rectangle and roll up tightly jelly roll style starting with the long side. Repeat with rest of dough.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375. Unwrap roll of dough and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or till set.  Cool on racks. Makes about 10 dozen cookies (unless you eat a whole lot of the very tasty dough while making them).

Note: chilling times are minimums, I've done these over several days, working on them when I had time, ignoring the dough when I didn't.  You can also freeze the rolls of dough for cooking later.

Creamy Bean Soup

6 cups water

2 cups dry pinto beans

2 Tbsp. dry onion (you can use fresh as well, I like dried better in this)

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp. salt

1 cup light cream or milk 

1 Tbsp. flour

Bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for garnish

Soak beans in water overnight (I do this in the crock pot so its all ready to go the next morning). Put in crock pot first thing in the morning with onion, bouillon, and salt. If you have 10 to 12 hours, cook on low till beans are soft. If you got up later and only have 6 to 8 hours, cook on high. It doesn't matter if the soup cooks for a while after the beans are soft so you don't need to be too picky.  Turn crock pot to high. Mix milk/cream and flour, add to soup.  Serve with bacon, cheese and sour cream.