PEANUT BRITTLE

2 cups sugar
few grains salt
1 cup chopped or whole roasted peanuts

Melt sugar slowly in heavy pan, stirring constantly until thin syrup forms with no sugar left.  Remove from heat.  Add nuts and salt and stir until nuts are coated.  Pour into greased 9" pan.  When cold, break into pieces.  Makes about 1 pound.

This recipe is fine for peanut brittle.  As long as you mind the stove and keep stirring, it shouldn't burn.

FRESH MUSHROOM SALAD

1 T clarifed butter in skillet
Add 4 strips of bacon cut in crosswise 1/4" strips
Do not drain.  Add one onion and fry till bacon and onion are just barely done.
Slice 6 oz. of fresh mushrooms into serving bowl.
Squeeze one lemon's juice over
Sprinkle with chopped chives and salt to taste
Pour bacon mixture over all and serve immediately.

This is all right.  I don't think I'd make it again, although I love bacon!

ORANGE OATMEAL CAKE

Cake:
1-1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1-3/4 cups flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon
1 T grated orange rind
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Orange Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 T grated orange rind
1 T orange juice
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

350 oven.  Bring orange juice to boil and pour over oats.  Set aside.  Cream butter and sugars until light.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Sift flur, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon together.  Add to butter-sugar mixture alternately with oats.  Stir in rind and nuts and pour into 13 X 9 greased baking dish.  Bake 40 minutes.  (Glass dish, use 325 oven)

Topping:
Combine sugar, butter, rind, and juice in small pan.  Bring to boil and cook one minute, stirring constantly.  Add remaining ingredients and spread on top of cooled cake.  Place cake under broiler for about one minute or until topping is bubbly.

Serve warm or cold.

This cake is very nice for a change with the orange flavor.  Adding Cool Whip is good on this.

GRAHAM CRACKER CAKE

1 cup + 2 T sugar
1 cup + 2 T milk
1/2 cup margarine
3 whole eggs
39 graham cracker squares, finely crushed
2-1/2 t baking powder
1 T flour

Mix all together.  Bake in greased and floured round cake pans or 13 x 9" baking dish for 35 to 40 minutes at 350.

This is all right.  I frosted it with some chocolate frosting for a s'mores effect.  It was good for one time, but not that awesome, although with the chocolate on it it bumps it up a little!

GLOSSY CHOCOLATE FROSTING (FOR TRAY OF BROWNIES)

3 T shortening
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
1/3 cup milk
1 t vanilla

Melt shortening and chocolate in saucepan over low heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Beat until smooth.  Place pan of frosting in bowl of ice and water.  Continue beating until of spreading consistency.

This is really good.  I didn't need to put the frosting over ice and water.  I like my frosting soft and spreadable.  I'll save this one.

HOT MILK SPONGE CAKE

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups sifted flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 t vanilla
1 cup milk
2 T butter or margarine

Beat eggs.  Graduallly add sugar beating until fluffy and light colored.  Add flour sifted with baking powder and salt.  Beat well.  Add vanilla.  Heat milk with butter almost to boiling.  Stir quickly into batter.  Beat slightly.  Pour at once into ungreased 9" or 10" tube pan.  Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and invert pan until cool.

This is very pleasant tasting, although it is plain.  I think this would be good as a base for strawberry shortcake.

BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES

Chocolate Mix:
1/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 t salt
1 t soda
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 T vanilla

Topping Mix:
8 oz. Philly cream cheese
1 egg
1 t salt
1/3 cup sugar
16 oz. chocolate chips

Bake at 350 in paper cups 25-30 minutes.

Well, first of all, this recipe is apparently from my cousin Marilyn Hendriksen.  I made a mistake I think when I made this as I started baking the cupcakes with just the chocolate mix ingredients.  Then as I was mixing the topping I realized that I think I was supposed to put the topping on and then bake all together.  Well, halfway through baking I spread the topping on them, but I'm not sure they came out with the desired effect.  They looked kind of funky, tasted okay, but still not sure how they were supposed to turn out.  I never bothered to make them again, so if anybody out there tries this, let me know!