Fresh flowers (roses, pansies or daisies), for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans. Prepare, bake and cool cake following package directions for basic recipe. Fill and frost cake with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with fresh flowers just before serving. Tip: Be sure to use only non-toxic flowers. Rinse fresh flowers with cool water and dry with paper towels. Place small piece of plastic wrap under flowers that rest on cake.
Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl. Beat the eggs with the sugar, oil and light cream. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture, then stir to mix thoroughly, beating to a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack. For the frosting, place the chocolate and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir until the mixture cools slightly and begins to thicken. Place one cake on a serving plate and top with chocolate frosting and top with additional cake. Spread the remaining chocolate mixture over the top and sides of the cake, swirling with a spatula. Decorate with the strawberries.
Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
1 head romaine lettuce or curly leaf lettuce, cut into bite size pieces, washed, dried well and chilled
4 green onions or scallions, thinly sliced
Dressing:
¼ cup packed brown sugar (either light or dark is okay)
2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar (this is rice vinegar with salt and pepper already added)
½ cup vegetable oil
4 drops Tabasco sauce (if you like more bite, add 2 more drops)
Make the dressing: in a small jar or plastic container with a lid, combine the brown sugar, salt, vinegar, oil and Tabasco and shake well to combine; set aside. Make the salad: in as small bowl, combine the chow mein noodles, sunflower seeds and almonds. Just before serving, layer the lettuce, green onions and noodle mix in a bowl. Pour dressing over the salad (give it a couple of shakes if it’s separated) and mix well. Serve immediately.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups sour cream
¼ cup butter melted
4 eggs
1 ¾ cups flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
Whipped Cream Frosting:
2 cups whipping cream
1 small box white chocolate instant pudding mix
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Make the cake: Beat sour cream, butter and egg together, until thoroughly blended. Sift dry ingredients into cream mixture. Beat thoroughly together and add vanilla. Bake in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan or 2 – 8 inch round pans. Bake 325 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes (for 8 inch pans bake 325 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes).
Make the whipped frosting: Use a child bowl. Mix whipping cream slowly until it begins to thicken; add sugar and pudding mix. Continue to mix until you have a spreadable frosting.
Donna’s Spaghetti Casserole with Celery
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup yellow bell peppers thinly sliced
1 cup green bell pepper thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced celery
3 cups homemade tomato sauce (or store bought pasta sauce)
1 lb. spaghetti, broken into 2i nch pieces, cooked
1 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. fennel seed (press to release the oils)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Add the fennel seed, tomato sauce and cooked spaghetti and mix well. Salt to taste. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Top the casserole with the mozzarella, Parmesan and parsley. Bake until the cheese is golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
2 packages (12 oz. each) bulk seasoned pork sausage
1 cup sliced scallions (green onions)
1 box pie crust roll out dough
1 egg yolk, beaten
Mix sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Stir in apples; set aside. Cook sausage and scallions in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain and cool. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Follow instructions on box for pie pastry. Spread half of sausage mixture in pie pastry and cover with half of the apple mixture; repeat layers. Cover layers with pie crust and brush top with beaten egg yolk. Bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake about 30 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown.
Baked Herb Omelet with Fruit Salsa
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz.)
1 ½ cups milk
4 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. dried basil leaves
¼ tsp. salt
Fruit Salsa Ingredients:
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped
1 medium mango, cut lengthwise in half, pitted and chopped (1 cup)
1 papaya, peeled, pitted and chopped (1 cup)
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 tbsp. finely chopped red onion
1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. lime juice
Make the Fruit Salsa by mixing all ingredients in glass or plastic bowl; store covered in refrigerator. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease pie plate 9 x 1 ¼ inches, or spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle onion and cheese in pie plate. Place remaining ingredients in blender. Cover and blend on medium-high speed about 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into plate. Bake uncovered about 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with salsa.
Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Put the eggs and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until doubled in volume. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Stir in the milk and the vanilla extract. Beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then gently fold into the mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, prick all over with a fork, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Thoroughly mix together the evaporated milk, condensed milk and cream. Gradually pour the mixture over the top of the cooled cake, pausing after each addition to let it be absorbed, until the cake is completely saturated. Let stand for 30 minutes. To make the topping, whip the cream with the sugar until it holds stiff peaks. Just before serving, spread the cream over the cake, cut into 12 pieces, and decorate each piece with chopped candied cherries.
Makes 12 servings
Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
Wickedly delicious to eat, this berry-glazed chocolate cake is really quite simple to make!
YOU’LL NEED:
1 package devil’s food cake mix
1 package instant chocolate
pudding mix
4 eggs
¾ cup water
½ cup apple juice
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
RASPERRY GLAZE:
¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons apple juice
½ teaspoon rum extract
CHOCOLATE ICING:
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, juice, oil and extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds; beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted tube pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a small saucepan, combine the glaze ingredients. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Brush over cake. Let stand for 10 minutes or until set.
Place cocoa in a small saucepan. Stir in cream and butter until smooth. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Cool slightly; drizzle over cake. Let stand until set.
Yield: 12 servings
Tested in the THASCkitchen. Photo by THASC. THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products. www.thasc.com
Happy Mother’s Day From all of us at “Sweet Treats Saturday!“
“BOUQET FOR MOM” is an original oil painting by Sue Bingaman, resident of the Keystone State, Pennsylvania. She was injured in a snowmobile accident that left her a quadriplegic. Sue paints with a cuff around her hand with an adapter that holds her brush. This pocket planner was reproduced from an original oil painting by Sue Bingaman for THASC Sales Co. which employs a unique group of handicapped artists who create art to help rehabilitate themselves. They gain self-respect and pride through their artwork.
By:
My mom and me as a child
As Mother’s Day approaches this weekend, I thought I’d like to put my thoughts to my wonderful Mom, Sara. I lost her way too soon, but there is always something lingering in my life that reminds me of the joy she gave her family. I’d like to share her most happy moments with you.
She was born Sara Nancy Rose Santoro to immigrant parents from Sicily and was the 4th in line of 6 siblings. She had promised her father that she would finish going to college after she married, as she met the love of her life, Joseph Mario Vallone, in her junior year of college at URI and got married soon after that. She did complete her degree in education by going to extension classes and getting her B.A. in elementary education after the three of us were born. Unfortunately, her father passed away suddenly and he was never to see her graduate.
The story of her wedding and marriage is a lovely one. My Dad had told me that he saw her for the first time at her parents’ house while he was at a college meeting for Italian-Americans sponsored by her sister and some friends. By Mom came home that weekend from college and as she entered the room, he took one look at her and said to his friend Sal, “I’m going to marry that girl”. And so it went that at 20 years old, my Mom married Joe Vallone, on September 23, 1940.
My parents had quite a honeymoon for those times. My Dad had graduated from MIT in 1938 and had a red convertible Buick in which they toured the entire United States, stopping, and in some cases, visiting different cities for more than a day, They were gone for one month! September 23 to October 29! She kept a diary which I found among her things and the first pages she scribbled “Joe and Sara” and then listed all of the states they visited.
After the opening pages with her list of States, she wrote her first entry. It reads: “1940 Monday, September 23 The most beautiful and I’m sure the most memorable day of my life. Married at 9:00 am- Dinner and reception at Rhodes Annex Arrived at Mohican Hotel- Connecticut – at 10:30 PM. Stayed in Room 320. Joe carried me across the threshold. Ate at Peterson’s Then started for New York…”
Mom at 36
My mother was a beauty and we all knew it. I wanted to be just like her. She was fashionable and always well manicured. She had beautiful legs and always wore high heels. I loved to go shopping with her. She had an eye for fashion and went to the nicest stores. She always brought me with her, probably because she knew I was most like her in many ways and had the most patience. She loved my sister and brother just as much.
Dressed up for Easter
She was very talented and made all of our clothes as children. Especially for the holidays, she made sure we got all dressed up before going to see our grandparents. We always had bonnets for Easter and my father bought all the ladies corsages. I remember they were gardenias and loved the smell.
My grandmother was very special to me. When I got my first job teaching across the street from her house, every day I used to cross the street and go up a little pathway that lead me to her house. She would always make me a nice soup and a hearty meal and we would speak Italian. She was truly my second mother. My own mother was so fond of her mother that my Dad would take her with them on day trips and out to restaurants. She was a jewel, too, and I could see where my Mom got her sweetness.
I was lucky to have taken my Mom to Italy after my Dad passed away. She loved it and always asked me to take her back. We saw all the big cities, but never got to Sicily. My only regret was that I never took her back to Sicily to see her Mom’s and Dad’s hometowns. We ran out of time.
The last entry in her honeymoon journal reads like this: “There’s no one in the world like Joe — never too much of anything precious.”
That was my mother’s love story. I wish all of you a very happy Mother’s Day on Sunday whether she’s with you or not, keep her in your heart.
See you next Tuesday -Maria
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products. www.thasc.com
Make for your Mom…
My parents had quite a honeymoon for those times. My Dad had graduated from MIT in 1938 and had a red convertible Buick in which they toured the entire United States, stopping, and in some cases, visiting different cities for more than a day, They were gone for one month! September 23 to October 29! She kept a diary which I found among her things and the first pages she scribbled “Joe and Sara” and then listed all of the states they visited.
After the opening pages with her list of States, she wrote her first entry. It reads:
Precious Art By Precious People 