Red Velvet Cake

1 pkg (18.25oz) white cake mix with pudding

1 cup buttermilk (I use dry powder mix with water)

1 stick (8 Tbsp) margarine, melted

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

2 bottles (1 oz ea) red food coloring (I used 1 bottle)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350-degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. 

2. Place cake mix, buttermilk, melted margarine, cocoa powder, eggs, red food coloring, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low for 1 min. Stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Increase mixed speed to medium and beat 2 min. more, scraping down the sides if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

3. Bake until the cakes spring back wehn lightly pressed with your finger, 28-30 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 min. Run a diner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so the cakes are right side up. Cool completely, 30 more min.

4. Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, at room temp.

8 Tbsp (1 sick) butter, at room temp.

3-3/4 c. confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low until combined, 30 seconds. Add the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute. Add more sugar as needed to make the frosting spreadable. Add the vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and blend until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more.

5. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.

6. Store in a cake saver or under a glass dome at room temp for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. I found it cuts cleaner and tastes great at fridge temp. This cake was cut into 16 pieces.

Pizza-Pasta Casserole

2 lb. ground beef

Minced onion

Green pepper, to taste

2 (28oz.) jars spaghetti sauce

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. garlic salt

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese

8 oz. sliced pepperoni

1 (16oz.) pkg. spiral or penne pasta, cooked and drained

Brown hamburger, onion, pepper; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, pasta, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Transfer to 2 greased 9x13-inch pans. Arrange pepperoni on top. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and freeze one casserole up to 3 months. Bake the second casserole, uncovered, at 350-degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through. To use frozen casserole, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350-degrees for 35-40 minutes. Yield: 2 casseroles (8 servings each).

Contributor: Ruth Moss and Arlis Kraai (modified by me)

Cookbook: American Reformed Church Cookbook, Hull, IA, 2003

Apple Scotch Crisp

4 c. apples, chopped

1 T. flour

1/4 c. water

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. milk

2/3 c. nuts, chopped (optional)

1/2 c. butter

2/3 c. flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. quick oatmeal

1/4 tsp. salt

1 pkg butterscotch pudding mix (not instant)

Combine apples, flour, water, brown sugar and milk; put in a 9x9-inch or 8x11-inch pan. Combine the nuts, butter, flour, cinnamon, sugar, oatmeal, salt, and butterscotch pudding mix. Crumble mixture on top of the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Yield: 9-12 servings

Contributor: Florence Van Ruler, recipe from Josephine Vanden Burgh who "usually made these 2 to 3 months before Christmas because she said they tasted better after they aged."

Cookbook: Chandler Reformed Church, Chandler, MN, October 2003