In the kitchen on Thursday: Orange Pecan cake

1 box vanilla cake mix (or butter or golden or yellow)
3/4 C. Orange Juice
1 egg
1/3 C. Pecans.
Butter or shortening for pan

Preheat oven to 350. Chop the pecans. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Grease a bunt pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Cake can be sliced and the individual slices frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Tuesdauy's Tip: Networking

When you collect a business card make a note of where you met them, so when you follow-up later you can mention the event to jog their memory.

In the kitchen on Thursday: Banana Walnut Muffins

As easy as peeling a banana....

1 Yellow or Vanilla cake mix
3 medium bananas (very ripe)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. Milk
1/4 C. or 1/3 C. chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mash the Bananas and mix all ingredients together, except the walnuts with an electric mixer for 2-3  minutes. Stir in the nuts. Pour into 12 lined muffin cup pan. Bake for 25-25 minutes. Allow to cool. Can serve warm with butter or cream cheese.

Tip: I take very ripe bananas and freeze them. When I have three I defrost them and make these.

Tuesday's Tip: Gift Cards

Don't toss out those unwanted business cards you got at the networking event, recycle them by using the blank side as a gift card. If you want you can glue the printed side to some paper and cut it out to make a fun gift card.

(P.S. For paper, I use glossy spreads in the newspaper or pages of a magazine.)

In the kitchen on Thursday....Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

1 Lemon Cake Mix
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1/4 C. Poppy Seeds
1/4 C. Plain yogurt (I used Greek Yogurt)
3/4 C. Water

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan. Loaf can be frozen—just wrap in two layers of plastic wrap.

(I placed the batter in 3 greased mini loaf pans and baked for 20 minutes.)

In the kitchen on Thursday...Spring greens

Pasta with Escarole

1 Head of escarole, washed
1 medium onion
1 16 oz. box Penne
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese

Slice onion and Escarole into strips. Place in separate bowls. Heat the oil in a skillet. When hot, add  onion and cook until soft. Then add Escarole and cook until slightly wilted. Cook Pasta according to directions on box. Toss Escarole and onion with pasta. Serves 4. Top with cheese.

In the Kitchen on Saturday, finally....delicious chocolate

Easy Chocolate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
3/4 C. Ricotta cheese (or sour cream or softened cream cheese)
3 eggs
1 C. milk

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased Bundt pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool in pan. Remove from pan and store in a cake saver or on plate covered with plastic wrap. Slice and serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.

In the kitchen on Thursday: A breakfast with out all the work

Baked Pancake

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare pancake mix batter according to the directions on the box. Heat an ovenproof skillet on the stove. When hot, melt 1 Tbsp. of butter in the pan making sure to coat the bottom and sides. Pour in batter and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Serve warm sliced like a pie with maple syrup drizzled on top.

(My daughter had a slice tonight that she dipped in syrup for dessert and gave it two thumbs up. And the best part, no standing over the pan waiting to flip the pancakes.)