Apple/Pear cakes

2 cups sugar
1 cup veggie oil
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 medium apples diced and cored (can use 3 pears/3 apples instead)
1 cup chopped nuts
2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk

preheat oven 350. grease 9x13 backing dish or approx 10 muffin tins.
mix sugar, oil, eggs well. add flour, baking soda, salt, apples, nuts, & vanilla--beat until combined thoroughly.

scrape out batter and put in dish/muffin tins.

bake for 1 hour.

topping: boil ingredients for 2 1/2 minutes using double boiler method.

remove cake and immediately poke hole in top with toothpicks. pour topping over cake.

makes 8-12 servings.

Spinach Spoonbread

1 C cornmeal
1 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 C oil
16oz./2 C sour cream

1 onion, chopped
20 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix all ingredients thoroughly except the onion, spinach and cheese. When the batter is smooth, add in the onion and spinach. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake at 350f for 30 minutes, until firm in the middle.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT BISCOTTI

3 large eggs
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups chocolate chips
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350f

Whisk eggs and salt until liquid. Whisk in sugar and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in melted butter. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Combine flour with cocoa powder and baking powder, stir into wet batter. Spoon dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or foil, forming logs 1 in. thick and about 2.5 in. wide.

Bake logs for 30 minutes.

Cool on pan to room temperature. Use a serrated knife to slice logs about 1/2 in. thick, Lay slices on their side on the cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until crisp and dry.