Strawberry Pretzel Salad

6 oz strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
2 cups salted pretzels
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz. tub coolwhip
1 lb. strawberries

*Preheat oven to 350*. combine strawberry jello with the water and stir until dissolved.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.
*Crush pretzels in a zip lock back.  in a saucepan melt butter than add 1/4 cup sugar, stir.  Mix in pretzels.  Transfer to 9*13 pan press into bottom and bake 10 minutes, than cool.
*While pretzel is cooling use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.  Fold in whipped cream.  Spread mixture over cooled pretzels and pressing all the way to the edge to create a seal.  refrigerate 30 minutes.
*Slice the strawberries and than stir them into jello.  Poor and spread jello mixture evenly over cooled cream cheese layer, and refrigerate until jello is set about 4 hours.

Chocolate Cake and Frosting

Sift Together into a large bowl:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Put in saucepan:

1 cup butter
3 Tbls. cocoa
1 cup water

cook over low heat and stir until smooth and boiling.
pout hot mixture over flour mixture.
IMMEDIATELY ADD:

1/2 cup. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 Tbls. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon, optional

pour into a 9*13 pan, bake for 30 minutes at 350*

FROSTING
Put into saucepan, stir and bring to a boil:

1/2 cup butter
3 Tbls. cocoa
3 Tbls. milk

Add:
5 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbls. vanilla

Mix.  It will be slightly runny.  Pour immediatley over hot cake.  Add nuts additionaly if desired.

Crockpot White Chili

1 pound dry white beans
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cubes chix bouillion
1 1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. Siracha
2 - 4 ounce cans greeen chilis
1/2 cup medium red salsa
2 cans whole kernal corn drained
1 Tbsp lime juice

shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
tortilla chips
Sour cream
Diced avocadoes

Directions

Add dry beans to slow cooker and fill the cooker with water...cook on high heat for 5 hours, turn off and let sit until ready to make soup.  For soup drain almost all the liquid from the beans reserving about 2 cups.

Chop raw chicken and add to pot along with onion, garlic, boullion and spices.  Cook on high for 5 hours. Turn off cooker and add cream cheese use whisk til blended. Add salsa, corn, lime, siracha and chilis. Stir and serve.

Serve with crushed chips, sour cream, montery jack cheese and diced avocado.

Lava Cake Black Bean Brownies

OK so I'm keeping this recipe on here for 1 reason, I need to tweak it.  I've made it twice like this and theres just something off about it, too oily and dense.  I love the idea of using black beans in place of flour, but the ratio is off.  Be warned these are ok, but not something I would rave about yet.  When I get around to getting this recipe right I will take this ho hum post off of the site and just leave you with a yummy almost flour less brownie.

1 cup coconut oil or  i have used vegetable

2-15 oz can black beans (with the liquid)

3 cups granulated sugar

2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup flour

1 tsp. Baking powder

2 tablespoon corn starch

Heat your oven to 350F. Spray a 9*13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine the  oil and black beans (dont drain) in a food processor, I use a ninja blender.  Pulse until smooth.

Add sugar and choc cips and blend until smooth, might look slightly lumpy. Add remaining ingredients and blend til smooth.  Pour into pan, i usually sprinkle the top with additional choc chips and bake for 50-55 minutes, brownies will be set but not firm. Served warm they are like lava cake.