STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB PUDDING

3 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 cup strawberries
1 cup water
3 T tapioca

Boil above ingredients until soft and tapioca is cooked.  Pour into four serving cups and let coool.  Add sugar substitute of choice to taste when pudding is lukearm and cool in refrigerator.  Top with whipped topping if desired.

Well, I used real sugar and just kept adding it and adding it and tasting.  I think I used about 2 cups in this recipe.  It pretty and thickened up nicely.  Would I make it again?  Probably not though.

WISHING WELL CAKE (Akin to Pound)

1 cup soft-type margarine (containing liquid safflower oil)
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 T almond extract
2 cups sifted flour

Blend margarine and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition until light and fluffy.  Stir in almond extract and salt.  Gradually blend flour into creamed mixture.  Turn into ungreased 10" tube pan.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes until cake tester inserted in cake comes out clean.  Allow cake to cool a few minutes.  Then turn out and cool completely.  Invert cake and spread with powdered sugar glaze.

This has a crunchy outside and pound cake like inside.  I actually made the following blogged recipe, Strawberry-Rhubarb Pudding, to go on top of it.  It's all right.

CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE

1 cup butter or margarine (room temp)
2-1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup milk
1 t vanilla

Cream butter until light and fluffy.  Add sugar gradually creaming well.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Sift fluor, measure, then sift twice again with salt, baking powder, and cocoa.  Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk, beating just until blended.  Stir in vanilla.  Turn into a greased and floured 10" tube pan.  Bake in a slow oven 325 for about one hour and 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.  Let cool on rack.  Then turn out.  Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Good served with whipped cream, ice cream, peaches, or berries.

I like this all right, but I found it a little dry.  We put ice cream on in, and it was just fine for a one-time thing.

SPICY TEA CAKES

1 cup butter or margarine (soft)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
2-1/4 cup sifted flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla.  Add sifted dry ingredients and then the walnuts.  Roll into 1" balls.  Bake on ungreased baking sheet 10 to 12 minutes at 400.  When warm roll in powdered sugar.  When cool, roll in powdered sugar again.  Makes about 4 dozen.

This is a modification to Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Teacakes by adding in the extra spices.  It's good, but I like the original cookies better.