HOT FUDGE SAUCE
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If I ask my husband what kind of ice cream I should make or buy, he always says "vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce!" Just try to not eat it by the spoonful!

3/4 c. semisweet chocolate pieces or chips
1/4 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter. Continue stirring and add the sugar. Gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a low boil. Continue stirring and boil gently for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve over ice cream.

SLOW COOKER ASIAN PEPPER STEAK
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Another good one from Rachael Ray. Can you tell I watched her Top 10 Downloaded Recipes of 2010 recently? This makes a large batch, so I halved it for our family.

3 lbs. beef sirloin steak
3 T. cornstarch, for dusting meat
3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 T. ginger, grated
1 large onion, sliced
3 red bell peppers, sliced
3 yellow bell peppers, sliced
(I cut the peppers down a little and added about a cup of broccoli in large pieces)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
4 T. brown sugar
3/4 c. low sodium soy sauce
ground black pepper, to taste
2 c. cooked rice

Topper: (Optional)
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 limes

Add 1-2 T of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet. Brown the meat until nice and brown on both sides. Remove the steak to a cutting board and slice the steak into 1-inch thick strips. Place the sliced steak into the crock pot, then sprinkle the meat with cornstarch. Mix the meat until there is no more visible cornstarch. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the topper ingredients) to the crock pot, then place a lid on top and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Serve on top of cooked rice.
If desired, before serving, get a medium bowl and mix the topper ingredients together. Place some of the mixture on top of each portion of Asian Pepper Steak.

RACHAEL RAY'S COCONUT CHICKEN

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Please excuse the slacking off, I have been on vacation!

This was rated as one of Rachel's top downloaded recipes of 2010. It reminds you of coconut shrimp and is really tasty! It would be good to cut it into strips or chunks before breading to serve as an appetizer, too. I added a little sweetened coconut to our taste. This is good served with a sweet sauce like sweet and sour.

8 chicken breast halves, pounded to even thickness
salt and pepper
1 c. flour
2 eggs

1 c. panko breadcrumbs

3/4 c. grated unsweetened coconut
1/4 c. grated sweetened coconut
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 250˚F. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and place them in oven. Arrange three shallow dishes: Place about a cup of flour on the first dish for dredging the chicken. Beat the eggs with a splash of water in second dish. Combine the panko breadcrumbs and coconut in the third dish.
Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat them in the flour, then the egg and lastly, the breadcrumb-coconut mixture. Fry the chicken in two batches until deep golden in color, 3-4 minutes on each side. Keep the chicken crisp in the warm oven and repeat with the remaining chicken.

FAMILY FAVORITE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE
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Another Cake Doctor winner! If we are having a birthday party, this is probably the requested cake!

1 (18 1/4 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (4 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
Frosting (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray desired pan with cooking spray (bundt, rounds, 9" X 13" or even cupcakes). (Dust pans with flour and tap out the excess if planning on dumping out the cakes); set pans aside.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. On medium low speed, continue to blend for 2 minutes more. The batter will be very thick and should look well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth it out. Bake for 27-32 minutes, or until cake releases from sides of pan. If dumping cakes out, allow to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Frost if desired.

SOFT PRETZELS
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This recipe makes a perfect dough and is a fun one to have the kids help with. My daughter likes to do twists and shapes other than the regular pretzel, and they bake just as well. We originally found this on the Family Fun website.

1 package dry active yeast (or 1 scant Tablespoon)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted (or 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil)
4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon flour
1 egg, beaten
Course salt (optional)

In a large bowl, soften yeast in water for 10 minutes. Add salt, sugar, and butter. Mix in flour until a dough forms. Knead the dough for 5 minutes and set aside for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With a knife, cut dough into small pieces. Roll each piece into pencil-thin ropes and shape into pretzels. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and sprinkle 1 Tablespoon flour.

Place pretzels onto floured cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle coarse salt on top (optional). Bake for 12 minutes. These freeze really well. Just freeze them on the cookie sheet and then you can put them in a plastic freezer bag or container and take out one at a time as needed. Great for an after school snack!

Dip in melted cheese sauce, marinara sauce, honey mustard, or eat plain. My daughter also likes to dip them in melted butter!

ORANGE CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
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I found this recipe from a blog I follow called Amanda's Cookin'. The orange and chocolate combination reminds me of my Dad because he loves those Orange Stick candies so much. These are a nice change to the traditional blueberry muffin.

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 T. grated orange zest (really makes them orange-y!)
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 400. Line 12 muffin cups (I got 14) with liners and spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, juice, sugar, oil and zest. Make a well in flour mixture; pour in egg mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Fill cups 3/4 full. Bake in  for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
 Note: For 36 mini muffins, prepare 3 mini-muffin pans as above. Spoon slightly rounded tablespoon into each cup. Bake in a 400 degree for 13 minutes. Makes 36 mini muffins.

PRETZEL CHICKEN NUGGETS
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We found this recipe in my All You Magazine. It was a fun way to use up the pretzels I had left over from christmas projects!

2 c. salted pretzels

1/2 c. grated parmesan  cheese

1/2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. each onion and garlic powder (optional)
2 large eggs
1 lb. boneless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 400°F and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place pretzels and parmesan in a food processor and process until coarsely ground and well mixed. Transfer to a  bowl, bag, or plate. Combine flour, pepper, and onion and garlic powder in a separate bowl. Beat eggs with 1 tsp. water in a third bowl. Roll a chicken piece in flour mixture until thoroughly coated. Dip in eggs, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to pretzel mixture and turn until thoroughly coated. Place chicken on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken. Bake until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Dip with desired sauce.