Lady Di's Banana Cake

This was Ainsley's first birthday cake.  She, like her grandfather, she too enjoyed the frosting.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup crisco
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup Buttermilk

Beat sugar and Crisco until creamy.  Add eggs.  Resift flour and Baking Powder, Soda and Salt.  Add bananas and vanilla and buttermilk.

Bake 350 for 30 minutes if in two 9 inch cake pans.

Frost with Cream Cheese frosting

Zucchini Bread

Another Dakin classic

3 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon
1 package of coconut cream instant pudding
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

chocolate chips
nuts

Mix and cook at 325 for an hour

Supe'd up Chocolate Cake

Yes because my husband insists on boxed cake.  Even though I love cooking.  He'd be fine with a simple box cake.  So we compromise on the supe'd up chocolate boxed cake ...

1 box devils food cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs

350 for 40-45 minutes

Pumkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Again ... another Dakin special.  Wish we lived close so we could swap recipes more often!  And swap kids.

1 cup pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in ....
     1 tsp milk
1 cup semi-sweet chips
1 tsp vanilla

Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and egg.  Sift in the dry ingredients and then add the dissolved soda.  Mix well and stir in the chips and add the vanilla.

drop large spoonfulls on the lightly greased sheet.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Lighter Bisquick Pancakes

Okay I'm going through a serious of Dakin recipes now.  I miss that friend across the pond now.  I usually make my pancakes from scratch.  But for some reason I have boatloads of Bisquick right now that needs to be used!

2 cups bisquick
1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk (or buttermilk)
2 Tb sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Oreo Cookies

Again another college roommate favorite.  But I have no idea which roommate!  So thanks!!!

2 packages of devils food cake mix
1 1/4 cup butter softened
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix and roll into balls and cook on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 10-13 minutes.

FILLING

1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter softened
8 oz cream cheese softened

Spread inbetween cooled cookies and then be super hero mom.

Chewy Brownie Cookies

I honestly don't remember where I got this recipe.  I think from an old roommate.  So roommate, wherever you are... thank you.

2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tb water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
chocolate chip cookies

Mix the first 4 ingredients together then add the eggs.  Mix the cry ingredients together and then add to the whole mix.  Stir in the chocolate chips and bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes.

Popcorn Scramble

This is one of my favorite childhood memories.  Whenever my mom made this I LOVED it.

6 cups popped popcorn
2 cups rice chex
2 cups cheerios
1 cup peanuts (or mixed nuts)

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Heat the butter, sugar and syrup until boiling.  Take off heat and add soda and vanilla.  Pour over the dry ingredients until lightly coated.  Spread on cookie sheet ( with sides.)

Bake at 250 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Occasionally open to stir and mix as the coating melts.