chocolate cake

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil such as coconut)
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a Bundt pan with margarine or a neutral vegetable spray. Whisk together vegetable oil, apple sauce, sugar and coffee in a large-sized bowl.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Use spoon or spatula to stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir until smooth. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Cake is done when cake tester inserted into center comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely (about 15 minutes) in the pan before turning it out. Dust with powdered sugar or additional cocoa powder.

This is an easy to make but wonderfully delicious treat. Pack them in tins and give as gifts during the holidays. Use your favorite nuts to top the cookies.

• 4 oz saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cup chopped pecans (or other favorite nuts/seeds)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.

In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over the saltines and spread evenly over crackers completely.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts. Cool completely and break into pieces.

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 3 candy canes
• ¼ tsp peppermint extract
• ½ tsp + ½ tsp canola oil (or other light vegetable oil)

Heat semi-sweet chocolate chips and ½ tsp oil until melted in microwave, stirring every 15 seconds. Pour melted chocolate in a 9x13 baking pan. Spread until smooth. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.

Heat white chocolate chips and ½ tsp oil until melted in microwave, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir peppermint extract into white chocolate. Pour melted white chocolate on top of chocolate layer.

Use a mallet or can to crush candy canes into small pieces (we put them in a plastic bag). Sprinkle on top of white chocolate layer. Refrigerate until hardened, about 1 hour. Remove from pan and break into pieces.