Diane's Pumpkin Brownies

¾ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 ¼ stick of butter (melted)
1 ½ c. white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
¼ c. cocoa powder
½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ c. pumpkin puree
½ c. walnuts (chopped)
¾ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 F and line 8X8 inch baking dish with aluminum foil.  Lightly grease the foil.  In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

2.  In a separate bowl mix together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Beat in the eggs (one at a time). Add the flour mixture, a little at a time and stir until the batter is evenly moistened.  Divide the batter in half evenly into 2 separate bowls.

3.  In one of the bowls blend in cocoa powder and chocolate chips.  In the second bowl of batter stir in pumpkin puree, walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

4.  Spread ½ of the chocolate batter mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.  Pour ½ of the pumpkin batter mixture over that.  Repeat the layers, ending with a pumpkin layer.  Drag kitchen knife or spatula through the layers in a swirling motion creating a marble appearance.

5.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool and cut into squares.

Diane's Coffee Cake

Base:
1 beaten egg
½ c. sugar
½ c. milk
2 Tbsp. oil
1 c. flour
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Topping:
¼ c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. melted butter
½ c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Mix egg, sugar, milk, and oil.  Add flour, salt, and baking powder.  Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch square pan.  Combine ingredients for topping in separate bowl.  Sprinkle over batter.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Chris' Mauritanian Winning Chili

serves 6-8
(original recipe found here)

2 tsp. oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. lean ground beef
¾ lb. beef sirloin, cubed
1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes
1 can dark beer
1 c. strong coffee
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1 can beef broth
½ c. brown sugar
3 ½ Tbsp. chili sauce
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. salt
4 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
4 chili peppers, chopped

Directions:
1.  Heat oil.
2.  Cook onions, garlic, and meat until brown.
3.  Add tomatoes, beer, coffee, tomato paste and beef broth
4.  Add spices.  Stir in 2 cans of kidney beans and peppers
5.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
6.  Add 2 remaining cans of kidney beans and simmer for another 30 minutes.


Chris' notes:

Hot Butterbeer from Starbucks

whole-milk steamer with caramel syrup, toffee nut syrup, cinnamon dolce syrup (2 pumps for tall, 3 for grande, 4 for venti) and whipped cream with salted caramel bits on top.

Red Lentil Soup

2 cups red lentils (rinsed)

2 onions, chopped
4 T tomato paste
2 med potatoes, sliced or shredded w/peeler
2 carrots, shredded w/peeler
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
water

Steps:

1. Bring 2 cups of red lentils to boil in water in medium pot. Boil until soft. There's usually some water still left in there. That's fine. Set aside
2. In LARGE pot, brown your chopped onions. (I use pre-chopped, frozen onions, and like to brown them very dark in a smidge of olive oil)
3. Add 4 T tomato paste to onions and cook a few minutes
4. Add 6 tall glasses of water to the paste and onions and bring to a boil.
5. Shred your potatoes and carrots w/ a potato peeler. Add to the water mixture and boil 5 min.
6. Drain your lentils
7. Add your lentils and 1/2 cup of rice to the boiling water.
8. Boil additional 15-20 min
9. Enjoy w/ generous dashes of salt and pepper and fresh lemon juice on top

This is a good weeknight dinner, b/c it's easy to keep these ingredients on hand.

Trish's Creamy Super Chocolatey Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

11 c. (32 oz. box) powdered milk
1 c. powdered sugar
11+ oz. powdered coffee creamer (french vanilla)
2 lbs. Nestle nesquick powdered chocolate milk mix
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 box instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
mini marshmallows (optional)

Whisk together all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

To mix: use 1 part mix to 2 parts water

Trish's Favorite Easy Homemade Brownies

4 squares Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate (100% cacao, all natural bar)
¾ c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt chocolate and butter together in large microwave safe bowl, stirring until blended.  Stir together the remaining ingredients in the same bowl to save dishes.  Pour into 9x13 inch pan.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Ta-da!  If doubled it fits perfectly into a large sheet pan.