Rainbow Cake

2 boxes white cake mix

24 oz of clear diet soda (2 cans, ginger ale and sprite work well)

gel food colouring

16 oz whipped topping

2 oz instant fat-free sugar-free pudding mix (2 smallish boxes)

Mix the cake mix with the soda according to regular instructions on box. It will be lumpy afterward. Again, you can use any white cake recipe you want, this is just how I do it.

Measure the total volume (by my estimate, 64 oz), then divide by 6 and measure into separate bowls. There are 8 oz in a cup, so 64/6 = 10 to 11 oz, or 1 cup + 2 tbsp. Stir colour into each bowl with its own spoon. For the first colour into the pan, measure out 2/3 to 3/4 of your mix (in this case about 1 c) as close to the middle as you can. Drop in your first three colours, then work on the other pan with the last three colours. So if you’re doing rainbow order, the first pan should have red, then orange, then yellow, and now the purple, blue and green go into the second pan. As a recap, this is so both layers are roughly the same size.

Bake the cake as instructed on the box. Check it when the box says to, but usually it’ll need an extra 5 or 10 minutes because of the density of the soda method. Just keep baking, checking back every 5 minutes or so until a toothpick to the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before moving to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make your frosting. Just mix the pudding mix in with the whipped topping for a few minutes. Dye if you’re into that. Layer your cake and frost your fat-free cake with your fat-free whipped frosting. Eat.

For more pictures and more info: http://www.omnomicon.com/rainbowcake

Cafe Rio

I'm not sure this is exactly like Cafe Rio's grub, but it's pretty dang close and pretty darn good.

Cafe Rio Pork
3-5 lbs pork roast (cook in crock pot on high for 4-6 hours or until it shreds nicely)
1 1/2 cans coke (18 oz)- we just get the caffeine free version
1 cup sugar
7 oz chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp minced garlic

Put all ingredients in a bowl and fish chilies out. Then add to shredded pork and cook in crock pot for 1/2 - 1 hour. When I make it I don't use as much sugar and I double the sauce.

Rice
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1-3 cubes chicken bullion
1/2 tsp dried onion
1/4 bunch cilantro
1 Tbsp oil
1 lime (squeeze on when rice is done. I have never done this)

I usually triple the rice when I make it, but I always have at least one or two other couples to share it with and we still have leftovers. Put all ingredients in at once (except the lime) and cook like regular rice.

Dressing
1 envelope Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch
1 cup mayo
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp green salsa or tomatios (I have never done this in mine)
cilantro

My sister also makes crunchy corn tortilla strips for the top. You just brush corn tortillas with EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) and salt and then cut them in strips and put them in the oven for 350 for 15 to 20 min.

Assembly
Start with a flour tortilla. Add pork, rice, cheese, lettuce, tomato, black beans, dressing, guacamole, and strips. Enjoy.

From: Tennille Sorenson

Husband Approved

Each Sunday we get together with a family that we've gotten really close to and play games. And with game night comes the inevitable- treats. Unfortunately we've discovered that treat night, I mean GAME night, sets us up for difficulty the rest of the week. Digging into the peanut butter M&Ms, cupcakes, and kettle corn makes it really easy to say on Monday, "What's one more night of treats?" and the same happens Tuesday, and before we know it, we've eaten a bus load of crap.

So, I bring to you Husband Approved. These recipes are recipes we've tried at game night. They are much more healthy- lower in fat and sugar. And they have endured the most rigorous test- they are approved by our husbands. So look for the Husband Approved label for yummy and healthy treats.

Note: It is assumed that Husband Approved treats are just that- treats. They are lower in fat and sugar, but are meant to be eaten sparingly.

Crock Pot Baked Apples

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider

Preheat a large crock-pot on high heat and preset it for 3 hours. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine, and cinnamon. Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot. Pour in the apple juice or cider and the liquor, if using. Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high heat until the apples are soft and begin to collapse.

From: Skinnychef.com

Todd's Famous Pancakes

I don't know who Todd is, but I thank him. These really are the best pancakes I've ever had. Don't freak out about the batter getting puffy and weird. It's what makes these so good. They are really fluffy. The site says you can make them right away instead of waiting for them, but I haven't tried them that way.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed (I used fresh raspberries, so any kind will do)

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat together egg and milk. Stir milk and egg into flour mixture. Mix in the butter and fold in the blueberries. Set aside for 1 hour.

I sprinkled the berries on top of each one instead of mixing it in with the batter.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

From: Allrecipes.com

Kettle Corn

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar (white for kettle corn flavor, brown for carmel flavor)
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the sugar and popcorn. Cover, and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped. Pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to break up large clumps.

I put oil and three kernels in the pot, when all three kernels pop I add the sugar and stir it around well, then I add the rest of the popcorn kernels and put the lid on. Then I alternate shaking the pot for three seconds with letting it sit on the burner for three seconds until I hear the popping begin to slow down, then I take off the lid and sprinkle some salt in, replace the lid, give it another shake and pour it out into a bowl.

From: allrecipes.com

Granola

Dry Ingredients:
6 cups Oatmeal
1 cup Bran (mine didn’t have bran)
½ cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Walnuts (I used sliced almonds instead)
1 cup Sunflower Seeds
½ cup Dry Milk

Combine dry ingredients.

Wet Ingredients:
½ cup Honey
½ cup Oil
2 tbl. Water
2 tbl. Vanilla

Combine wet ingredients.

Combine wet & dry ingredients. Bake 300 for 25-35 minutes, stirring often. (I only baked mine 24 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes; maybe that’s why it’s softer)

Optional Ingredients:
1 cup Coconut, Raisins or Sesame seeds
¾ cup Wheat Germ

From: Jessica Wilhelm

Hot Fudge Sunday Cake

Mix in bowl:
1c flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. cocoa
2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix in separate bowl and cut into flour mixture with a fork:
1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Pour into ungreased 9x13 pan

Mix in bowl:
1 c. walnuts
1/4 c. cocoa
1 c. brown sugar

Sprinkle over top of cake mixture. Pour 2 cups hot water over whole mixture in pan. Do not stir! Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Serve warm over ice cream.

From: Sarah Tolman

Lava Cake

6 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
6 oz. Butter (diced, room temp)
3 eggs
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. flour
Ramekins

Preheat oven 350. Melt chocolate on low flame in double boiler. When melted take off heat and stir in butter until it melts. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar, until it starts to whiten. Stir in melted chocolate and then the flour. Butter individual ramekins, and pour in chocolate batterCook for 10-15 minutes Tip ramekins upside down onto dessert plates and serve.

Tips: The more "lava" you want cook less time. You can mix ahead of time and cook later.

From: Sarah Tolman

Truffle Cake

Grease and flour one 9x2 round pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine in a heatproof bowl placed over hot water:
6 oz. (2 sticks) butter
6 oz. semisweet chocolate
6 oz. unsweeted chocolate

Stir until melted, then cool 5 to 10 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer at high speed, use a whisk attachment to beat:
5 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Continue beating until triple in volume and the batter forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted.

Meanwhile in saucepan, heat to a full boil:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 light corn syrup

Remove from the heat and slowly beat the hop syrup into the eggs with the mixer at low speed. Beat at medium speed until batter reaches the top of the bowl, about 8 minutes, then decrease the speed to low and beat in 1/2 of the chocolate mixture. Before it is full incorporated take off the whisk and fold in the remaining chocolate by hand.

Pour the batter into the pan. Place the pan in a larger pan and fill the larger pan halfway with hot water. Bake for 40 minutes. The cake will look set. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Then turn it out of the pan onto a cake round. Cool completely, then chill before glazing.

Chocolate Glaze
In a metal bowl over hot water, melt:
12 oz semisweet chocolate (about one bag of semisweet chocolate chips)

In a sauce pan, warm over medium-high heat:
1 cup heavy cream
3.5 tbsp butter
2 tbsp. corn syrup

Stir until butter melts, then continue to heat to just before the boiling point. Slowly pour the scalded liquid over the melted chocolate, whisking constantly until smooth. Strain through fine sieve. The glaze can be used immediately or cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

From: Sarah Tolman

Brazilian Lemonade

This is the lemonade you get at Tucano's.

4 limes
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 cups ice

Wash the limes and cut the ends off. Cut each lime in fourths. Put the limes (peels and all) into a blender with water. Blend until chopped. Do not blend too long or the peel will give the drink a bitter taste. Just blend until the juice has been pulled from the limes.

Strain the liquid and discard the pulp, seeds, and peel. Put the liquid back into the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

From: Liesl Recht