There is a “Shelter in Place,” order by the Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz. While the Virus Scare has seemed to be more fear than bite we Republicans like always, it seems, have to bend to the will of another Liberal Democrat who wants to dictate to us how we can live. The Virus has been much like the regular Flu where it claims the lives of the frail, and vulnerable.

The best way we can cope is to support each other, pray for each other and our leaders, and to help others when we can. Keep your wits about yourself and to try to live the best you can under the restraints we are placed under.

Sharing Recipes

To help comfort you during this trying time, and to do a little neighborhood outreach, as Chair of HD 66B Republicans I would like to share some recipes you might want to try at home.

In 2018 at the Republican Party of Minnesota State Convention in Duluth MN I brought some cookies I made to share during the long hours of sitting at the convention. I gave each of our delegates a bag of cookies of each kind. In upcoming Shared Recipe Articles I will give those “Convention Cookie,” Recipes out. First in the series will be an economical snack cake.

Double Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

This is from my Betty Crocker Cookbook, soft cover Page 68.

This is a cake I like to make on a weekend for something to eat with coffee. The prep time is about 10-15 minutes and bake time is 35-40 minutes. If you want to add a glaze or frosting that will add another 10 minutes to make it. It is economical as there are few ingredients out of the regular ones I always have in my kitchen (oil, flour, sugar, vanilla, unsweetened cocoa powder, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, salt, etc.). This cake doesn’t require eggs so it might be a good recipe to make after you’ve exhausted your Easter Egg supply. A few ingredients you might not have on hand are chocolate chips, or vinegar.

To avoid too much writing on my 3×5 Recipe Cards, I like to list the ingredient list by letters and then use those letters in the directions.

Ingredients

A. 1 and 2/3 cups Flour (do not use self rising flour)

B. 1 Cup Sugar

C. 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa (1/4 cup = 4 Tablespoons)

D. 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

E. 1/2 teaspoon Salt

F. 1 Cup Water

G. 1/3 Cup Oil (I like to use extra light tasting olive oil, though vegetable oil works fine)

H. 1 teaspoon Vinegar (I use white vinegar)

J. 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

K. 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips (I like to use mini-chips)

Directions

1. Mix Ingredients A thru E together thoroughly with whisk or mixing spoon.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except K.

3. Sprinkle in K into batter.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F

5. Pour mixture into an ungreased 8x8x2 pan.

6. Bake on middle rack position in oven 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick comes out cleanly in the center. Do not overbake.

7. Cool completely on wire rack

8. Add topping. It is good without a topping or just a dusting of powdered sugar.

Optional: add flavorings to the mix or if you are a “nut-in-brownies” kind of person you can add cut up pecans or walnuts.Before bakingAfter baking on wire rack to coolWith icing on the cake.

Normally I do a quick glaze which is like frosting except it lacks either the right amount of powdered sugar, or butter, or too much liquid to be considered frosting.

Directions for a Vanilla Frosting

This recipe is for a 13×9 inch pan so you can cut the recipe in half or make two snack cakes and use the second half of the frosting for the second cake.

(For 13×9 inch pan)

Ingredients

A. 3 Cups powdered Sugar

B. 1/3 Cup softened butter–5 and a 1/3 Tablespoons see scale on side of package (you can use a microwave to soften a hard stick of butter but you should avoid completely melted butter, it is hard to judge, it is easier to let the butter stand in your mixing bowl for the time the cake is cooling)

C. 1 1/2 teaspoons of Vanilla

D. About 2 Tablespoons of milk (stir in the first Tablespoon to see how much more is needed. Water can be substituted here if out of milk)

Directions

1. Mix A & B together.

2. Stir in C & D

3. Beat with hand mixer until smooth and creamy.

4. Frost with large Table knife or mixing spatula until even.

Optional add flavorings to frosting or food coloring.

**For chocolate frosting add 2 ounces of melted unsweetened baking chocolate (if halfing the recipe it would be 1 ounce). Or a 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 of the recipe would be 2 Tablespoons)

***For Mocha Frosting stir in the chocolate or cocoa powder for chocolate frosting and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of instant coffee

Calories per serving (1piece of the 9 total pieces is 300 calories unfrosted. With frosting per piece is 365 calories)

–From the kitchen of Tom Polachek, HD 66B Republicans Chair

Enjoy!