Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

Sift together flour, sugar and soda into large mixing bowl. Combine water butter and cocoa in a small sauce pan. Cook over low heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over dry ingredients mixing thouroughly. Add eggs and buttermilk, mix well. Pour batter into a well greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool. Frost with frosting.

Frosting
1 - 16oz package powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup + 2 tsp milk
1/2 butter
3 tbl cocoa powder

Combine powdered sugar, pecans and coconut in a large mixing bowl, set aside. Combine milk, butter and cocoa powder in a small sauce pan. Cook over low heat until mixture comes to a boil. Add chocolate to dry mixture and beat until frosting is fluffy.

Green Salad

Ingredients:

• cleaned and torn bagged lettuce with carrots and cabbage
  
• black olives, sliced


• celery, sliced


• canadian bacon, cut into chunks


• mozzerella cheese, shredded


• feta cheese, cubed


• pepperocini peppers


• red onion, sliced

I like to layer the ingredients when I make a salad that way every one gets some of everything in every scoop they take from the bowl. Get a package of dried ranch dressing salad dressing mix and prepare so you can pour over the top!

Black Eyed Pea Salad

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 1/3 cup white wine (or regular) vinegar


• 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar


• 1 teaspoon celery seed
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• freshly ground pepper
  

Veggies:

• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped


• 3 green onions, sliced


• 1 red bell pepper, chopped


• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped


• 1 jalapeno (optional), seeded and chopped


• 1 cup (more if desired) chopped cilantro


• 2 cans black eyed peas, drained

Mix together dressing ingredients. Set aside. Combine all vegetables (except cilantro) with black eyed peas. Pour dressing over the top and gently stir together. Add cilantro and stir gently.Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Serve with tortilla chips as a dip, or serve as a side dish. Whatever you do make this. it's SO good!

Creamy Feta-Red Wine Vinegar Dressing

Inspired from The Joy of Cooking Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 4 oz feta cheese
• 2 tbl red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme or oregano, you can use dried herbs, but use 1/2 tsp
• 2 tbl good olive oil
• 5 tbl water
• kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Mash the feta with the vinegar and herbs with a fork until fairly smooth.
Mix in the olive oil and water, until smooth. Because feta cheese can vary in moisture, add more oil, vinegar, or water, if desired. Season with pepper and salt, to taste.

Be generous with the dressing when tossing the salad. I leave it chunky, because I like the texture, but it can also be pureed in a blender or food processor.

Storage: This dressing will keep for four days in the refrigerator.

Danny's Pinchitos

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cubed pork, or beef
  
  

Marinade

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 tbls lemon juice
• 4 tbls olive oil
• 1/3 box pinchito spice
  
  Add marinade to cubed meat. marinate overnight. grill on kabob skewers until desired doneness. about 3-4 minutes on each side

Bagel Chips

Ingredients:

• Bagels
• olive oil

slice bagels into rounds. Place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Avocado Salsa

This recipe is the copy cat recipe from El Pollo Loco .
Beware! This salsa is addicting!! Don't say I didn't warn you!!

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avacado
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbl. white distilled vinegar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 jalapeno, stem removed, quartered
• 2 tbl minced cilantro, I used 3 tbl whole cilantro
• 2 tbl minced onion

* I also added a quarter of a small clove of garlic

puree all in blender. cover and chill.