Chocolate Cherry Cake
From: Liz Baldwin
Comments: This recipe is divine.  I love, love, love my chocolate and this cake is so easy! 
Origin: My aunt found the recipe in some of my grandmother's things after she passed away a few years ago. My family is from Miami and the recipe was a clipping from the Miami Herald in November of 1983.

Ingredients:

1 2 or 3 1 1 3

Package dark chocolate cake mix – any type that does not have pudding in the mix. Devil’s Food Cake is fine. Tablespoons oil. (The original recipe doesn’t call for any oil, but it is better with a little bit.) 21-ounce can cherry pie filling Teaspoon vanilla or almond extract or a mixture of both Eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cut Bundt pan (Baker’s choice spray is great). Blend cake ingredients until moistened, then beat an additional 2 minutes at highest speed of electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan for 25 minutes. Turn onto serving plate and cool completely before spooning chocolate glaze on top. Don’t be surprised if it drops a lot from the size it was when it came out of the oven. This is normal.

Chocolate Glaze:

Directions:
Mix sugar, margarine and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, beating until chips are melted and mixture is thick and smooth. Pour over cooled cake. You may break this in half and have enough for the cake. If you make the entire amount you will have glaze to serve on the side with the cake.

Pumpkin-Pecan Pie W/bourbon Whipped Cream

From: Susan Atwood, Human Resources
Comments: This Pie was a hit all around for the Pumkin and Pecan lovers!
Ingredients:

1 Pie Crust (9 Inch); unbaked

PUMPKIN LAYER

3/4 cups Canned Pumpkin
1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
3 tablespoons Sour Cream
1/4 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoons Ground Cloves
1/8 teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons Salt

PECAN LAYER

1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar; packed
3/4 cups Dark Corn Syrup
2 Eggs
1 tablespoon Butter; melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Pecans; halves or pieces

BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup Whipping Cream
3 tablespoons Sour Cream
3 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Bourbon

FOR PUMPKIN LAYER: In med. bowl, whisk together pumpkin, granulated sugar, egg, cour cream, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
FOR PECAN LAYER: In separate bowl combine brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter and vanilla and mix until smooth. Stir in pecans.
TO ASSEMBLE: Spoon pumpkin mixture into unbaked pie shell, smoothing top. Then very carefully spoon pecan layer over top, being careful to keep layers separate. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then reduce oven to 350° and bake pie 25 to 30 minutes longer or until filling is slightly puffy and pecan layer is just set. Cool on wire rack.
FOR THE BURBON WHIPPED CREAM: In large bowl whip cream, sour cream and brown sugar until lightly whipped. Stir in bourbon.

Grandma Owens’ Heavenly Hash Recipe
From: Dave Owens, Biology, Grice
Origin: Grandma

Comments: Grandma only made this candy flavored with vanilla and English Walnuts. This is true Heavenly Hash. We have tried it with chocolate, pecans or even without nuts. It is best to have a good candy thermometer to be sure the candy is cooked to the right consistency. Don’t try to make a double batch or a half batch. It never works!

Ingredients;

1 16 oz jar heavy white (clear) corn syrup

6 cups sugar

3 cups of heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons good vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:

Bring syrup, cream and sugar to a rolling boil in a big pot with the thermometer in the pot. Monitor boiling so it does not boil over. Boil on low temp at a good speed (may take one to two hours) until the candy reaches a “soft ball” stage at about 234-236 degree F. Stir occasionally to keep it mixed. The soft ball will hold its shape on the end of your finger. Let cool to about 150 degrees and do not stir during this time. Beat the candy for about five minutes or until it starts to thicken and loose its glossy shine. Add the butter and vanilla and beat until it is still workable but getting thick. Finally fold in the nuts then pour candy in to small buttered pans or other forms for setting up. Take the candy out of the forms for storage. This recipe yields about 5 pounds of candy. Wrapped in cellophane the candy stores well in the refrigerator.

The Apple Cure: Grandma always said that you must cure the candy with sliced apples for a week before serving it in order for the candy to soften a bit and take on the apple flavor. Wrap the candy in wax paper in a Tupperware box then slice the apples around the paper in the box. The apples should not directly touch the candy. Close up the box for a week, then eat it. Don’t eat the apples as they will look nasty by this time. Needless to say, it makes a great high energy bar for hiking or biking.