Best Secret Recipes

I like em thick, chewy, not too rich, but just rich enough. I really don’t want extra stuff added like fruit or nuts, just brownie. Oh, and I dont want them to be soft or mushy in the middle. There should be just enough crispy stuff on the top.

The Hershey’s Brownies, like the Hershey’s chocolate cake, IS THE BEST

Best Brownies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)
CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING(recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

you can get a ton of great cooking videos on you tube.

I tried several on the net but Im looking for one just like you would get in a restaurant.

GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN

Marinade:

3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
l 1/2 tablespoons oyster flavored sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Combine marinade ingredients in a non-metallic bowl or Ziploc bag. Submerge washed chicken in marinade covering all portions.
Allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Sauce:

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons cooking oil
6 small dried red chilies
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in water
1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

Mix sauce ingredients well in a small bowl.

Place a wok over high heat and add oil, swirling to coat sides. Stir-fry the chilies for 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook two minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, green onions, and crushed chilies; cook for one minute.
Pour in sauce and stir fry for one minute.

In a cup, combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir until smooth. Pour slowly into the wok and cook until sauce bubbles and thickens.

Serve chicken garnished with a sprinkling of peanuts

JM

I am particular about my carrot cake!! The best carrot cake I have EVER tasted was made from fresh ingredients. Someone made it for me years n years ago, using her family’s "secret" recipe". I have since lost touch with this person.
I remember that it had crushed pineapple, raisins, nuts, shredded carrots in an extremely moist cake, and the cream cheese frosting was heavenly!

The closest anyone has come to making a carrot cake like that for me is the one they serve at Claim Jumper’s restaurant! Anyone have a recipe they are willing to share? I promise I won’t tell anyone you gave it to me (smile!)
Thanks in advance to all who answer!

P.S. The recipes that I have seen so far on the usual recipe.com sites I use, haven’t had what I am looking for.

My Mom is a die hard Carrot Cake Critic and this is her recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups melted butter
3 cups grated carrots
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 10×15x2 inch baking dish or 10 inch Bundt pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. In a separate larger bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla by hand. Stir in the melted butter; the mixture should resemble pudding. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then fold in the carrots, pineapple coconut, walnuts and raisins. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream.

It has 3 layers with the top having pink icing, hence the name Pink Lady. My friends aunt makes it but keeps the recipe a secret… sillly woman!!

Here you go Sweety:

Pink Lady Squares

BASE
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon flour
TOPPING
1 (300 ml) can eaglebrand condensed milk
2 cups fine coconut
1/2 cup pecans (chopped fine)
ICING
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 tablespoons cream (or half and half)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (use a real lemon)
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
food coloring, just enough red to make pale pink

1. BASE: In large bowl mix graham wafer crumbs, butter and flour and press into a greased 9×9 inch pan.
2. Bake at 275 degrees five minutes, take out of oven and cool.
3. TOPPING: Mix the Eaglebrand condensed milk, coconut and pecans and spread over base.
4. Bake at 325 for 20 to 25 minute (ovens may vary) being careful not to over bake.
5. Cool and ice with Lemon Icing.
6. Lemon Icing: In medium bowl beat together the butter, cream and lemon juice.
7. Add in the icing sugar, adding more if needed for desired consistency and add just a small amount of red food coloring to make pale pink.