Broccoli, Bacon, Raisin Salad

Mix together in bowl:
1 bunch fresh broccoli, washed, drained and
broken into small flowerettes
1 lb. bacon, fried crisp, drained, broken into
small pieces & cooled
1/2 cup whole sunflower seeds, unsalted
1/2 cup raisins

Dressing:
mix together and pour over salad:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar

Add ins or replacements:
Cauliflower
Craisins
peanuts
chopped egg

Sue's Salad

1 large can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 or 3 large tomatoes, cut up
2 green peppers, diced
2 or 3 green onions, sliced
1 medium bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 or 2 bags regular size Fritos

Mix all but Fritos and set in refrigerator to blend flavors for several hours. Add Fritos just before you serve.

Meri's Summer Salad

1/2 red pepper (chopped)
1/2 green pepper (chopped)
1/2 red onion (chopped)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cans corn - drained
Chili cheese Fritos - crushed

Combine all the ingredients, except Fritos, in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour so the flavors will blend. Then just before serving add the Fritos. Tastes best if the Fritos are crunchy.

Chocolate Praline Cake

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter, cut up
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) devil's food cake mix with pudding
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
Sweetened Cream (recipe to follow)
1 square (1 oz.) semisweet chocolate, for garnish

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Set aside two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Place the butter, cream, and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the butter is melted, 3 minutes. Pour the mixture evenly into the cake pans and sprinkle it evenly with the chopped pecans. Set the pans aside.

3. Place the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, pouring it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

4. Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 35 to 37 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack to cool, praline side up.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the Sweetened Cream. Grate the semisweet chocolate for the garnish.

6. Place one cake layer, praline side up, on a serving platter ans spread half of the Sweetened Cream on top. Place the second layer, praline side up, on top of the first and frost the top of it with the remaining Sweetened Cream, working with clean, smooth strokes. Scatter the grated chocolate on top of the cake. Slice and serve.

or
Bake cake in a 13 x 9 inch pan for 55 minutes. Cool cake for 10 minutes in pan and then invert the cake onto a serving platter. Let the cake cool completely, frost it with Sweetened Cream, and garnish it with the grated chocolate.

Sweetened Cream
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Place a clean, large mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer for a few minutes while you assemble the ingredients. Pour the whipping cream into the chilled bowl and beat with the electric mixer on high speed until the cream has thickened, 1 1/2 minutes. Stop the machine and add the sugar. Beat the cream and sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more.

* Store this cake, covered loosely in waxed paper, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
published in "the Cake mix Doctor..."

Warm Caramel Apple Cake

Prep Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 1 hour 25 min.
Makes: 15 servings

Cake:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly
sliced (about 2 1/3 cups)
1 box Betty CrockerSuperMoist yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

Topping:
2/3 cup Betty Crocker Whipped fluffy white frosting
(from 12-0z container)
1/2 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
Caramel topping, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, cook butter, whipping cream and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into 13x9-inch pan. Sprinkle with pecans; top with sliced apples.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and apple pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Carefully spoon batter over apple mixture.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan. Place heatproof serving platter upside down on pan; carefully turn platter and pan over. Let pan remain over cake about 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over cake. Remove pan.

4. In small bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Serve warm cake topped with frosting mixture and drizzled with caramel topping.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 45 to 50 minutes.

Substitution
You can use cinnamon for the apple pie spice for a slightly different flavor.

Success
Granny Smithy and Braeburn are good apple choices to use in this recipe.