Vegan Chocolate Cake

By Jen Whetten (Conor Cox's Mom)

Cake:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
4 TB vegan butter spread (or real butter if you're an omni)
2 TB soy milk (or any other milk if you're an omni)
2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then grease an 8 X 8 square pan or dish.
2.  Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a whisk, making sure it is really blended together. Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and again, mix until it's well blended. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
3.  Pour the mixture into the pan and place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely (about 2 hours).
4.  For the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring sugar, butter spread, soy milk, and cocoa to a boil. Stir frequently; then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir for another 5 minutes. Don't think you can leave out this step, or the sugar won't dissolve and your glaze with be grainy....and nobody likes grainy glaze, now do they...
5.  Add vanilla, stir, and immediately pour onto cake. Glaze dries quickly, so spread it immediately and add any sprinkles or topping now. Let this cool for 1 hour, if you can wait that long!

Orange Slush

By Lucy Malloy

1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 large can orange juice concentrate (about 6 oz.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
12-14 ice cubes

Blend all in a blender until ice is chopped.

Sip of Fury

By Ciara Cox

2 TB lime juice
2 tsp habanero hot sauce
½ cup club soda
¾ cup cola
½ cup white rum

1.  Split the lime juice into two glasses.
2.  Add some ice cubes and the juiced lime rinds.
3.  Add the hot sauce and rum and stir to combine.
4.  Stir in the club soda and cola with a few more ice cubes and serve immediately.

Strawberry Pie

By Cyndi Malloy

1 baked pie shell
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 TB cornstarch
3 TB strawberry jello mix
2-3 boxes fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
whipped cream for topping

1.  Cook sugar, water and cornstarch until thick; add jello.
2.  Slice some of the berries in half to line the bottom and sides of the pie shell, so they lay flat.  Then add as many whole (or cut up if they are very large) strawberries as needed to fill the crust to a well rounded top.  I like it to be high.  Cover with sauce.  Refrigerate until set.
3.  Top with whipped cream.

Sweet Sugarplums

By Dorothea Malloy

Makes 24 to 30

1 cup blanched almonds
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup dried apricots
3/4 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup orange juice
sugar, optional

1.  Pulse nuts and fruits in a blender or food processor until they form a coarse meal. 
2.  Add the orange juice and pulse until the mixture sticks together. 
3.  Shape the dough into 1" balls.  Roll in sugar, if desired.
4.  Set each ball in a candy paper liner and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Jessica's Brownies

By Jessica Valenzuela

2 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cocoa
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9 x 9" square baking pan.
2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, salt, vanilla, and sugar and beat until sugar is mostly dissolved, about a minute. Don't let the mixture get fluffy. Add oil, flour, and cocoa until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts.
3.  Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes. 

Strawberry Cheese Blintzes

By Dorothea Malloy

Makes 6 servings

Crepes:

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

Filling:

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/4 tsp grated lemon peel

Topping:

vanilla yogurt

cherries or strawberries

1.  Mix crepe ingredients.  Heat a small skillet to medium heat and spray lightly with cooking spray.

2.  Remove pan from heat and pour 2 TB batter in center, turning to spread.  Return to heat and cook until brown on one side only.

3.  Remove crepe to plate and continue until all crepes are done, spraying more cooking spray as needed.

4.  Process cottage cheese in food processor or blender until smooth.  Add yogurt and lemon peel and mix well.  Add strawberries and process just a little more, so most are still in pieces.

5.  Divide filling among crepes, spreading along center of each, and roll up.

6.  Place blintzes in a single layer on a plate, cover with waxed paper, and microwave to warm, or place in a pan and warm in the oven.  

7.  For each serving, place three blintzes on a plate and top with vanilla yogurt and a cherry or strawberry.