1 vanilla cake mix
tres leches mixture

• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 cup cream

marshmallow puff (as much as needed to frost cake)

Make vanilla cake as directed in a 9×13 pan
Remove from oven and poke holes in cake with fork
Immediately pour the tres leches mixture on the cake – pour slowly to allow the cake to absorb the mixture
Place cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours
Top with fluff frosting and serve

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg

Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter and vegetable shortening until well-combined, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)

To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time, keeping the other disk refrigerated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just warm enough to roll out without cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough has been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it may need a few more minutes.) Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick, being sure that the dough isn’t sticking to the work surface (run a long meal spatula or knife under the dough occasionally just to be sure, and dust the surface with more flour, if needed). For softer cookies, roll out slightly thicker. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and transfer to nonstick cookie sheets, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. Gently knead the scraps together and form into another disk. Wrap and chill for 5 minutes before rolling out again to cut out more cookies.

Bake, switching the positions of the cookies from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are set and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire cake racks to cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in airtight containers at room temperature.)

from the Winter 2007 newsletter 

5-6 cups of apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
6 T butter or margarine
1/2 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans), chopped

Line buttered 9 1/2 x 11″ baking dish with apple slices. Mix dry ingredients together; work-in egg with pastry blender until consistency of coarse meal. Sprinkle over apple slices. Drizzle melted shortening over top. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

from the September 2001 newsletter

3 eggs
2 C. flour
1 3/4 C. sugar 1 tsp baking soda
1 C. oil 1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
4-6 tart apples, cut up
1 c. chopped nuts

Blend together eggs, sugar, and oil. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt mixture, then fold in apples and nuts. Bake in 9×13 pan at 350 for 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

from the September 2001 newsletter

2 ~ 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 & 1/2 cups (thawed & drained) frozen white or sweet corn
1 avocado seeded, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium tomatoes, 1/2 ” pieces
6 green onions, w/ tops, finely chopped
1 fresh hot chili pepper, seeded & minced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Put lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt & cayenne in a small jar, cover and shake to mix.

Place all remaining ingredients in a salad bowl. Shake lime dressing onto salad, stir. Can be prepared a few hours ahead, but waiting to add avocado until serving time will keep the green avocado color.

Refrigerate, serve cold. Serves 8-10 as side dish. Great the next day as a dip w/ tortilla chips!!

from the May 2001 newsletter