Spicy Beef (based on a Mongolian beef recipe)

Fry vegetables (shredded carrots, green onions, and/or brocolli - as the mood strikes) and the following spices in 2 T oil:
1/2 t ginger
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 t red pepper flakes.
Remove from pan.  Brown
1 lb beef, cut in strips,
in 2 T oil.  When brown, add 1/4 c flour (or cornstarch) to coat beef.  Fry just enough to brown flour.
Add back veg/spice mixture.  Add:
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c water
1/4 c orange juice (or SunnyD).  (The juice is my secret ingredient.)
Simmer until sauce thickens.  Serve over rice.

carrot pineapple cake

(my husband's favorite cake - especially for his birthday)
Grease and flour 9x13" pan.  Preheat oven to 350F.
Blend (in blender) to desired consistency:
  1 lb carrots
  1 8-oz can crushed pineapple, including juice.
In large bowl, combine
  2 c flour - or 1 1/2 c flour plus 1/2 c almond meal
  1 c sugar
  2 t baking soda
  2 t cinnamon
  1/2 t salt.
Mix in
  4 beaten eggs
  1/2 c vegetable oil
Beat for 2 min.  Add in:
  carrots and pineapple
  and up to 1/2 c water (to make a thin batter).
Bake in 9x13" pan at 350F for 42-47 min.

Top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting when cool:
Let soften
  5 oz cream cheese
  1 1/2 T butter.
Beat while gradually adding
  3 c powdered sugar.
If necessary, add milk to reach spreading consistency.
Stir in
  1/2 c shredded coconut.

Marble Cake

I make this every year for Jason's birthday.

This year (2023), I've changed how to marble the cake to make it more marbled.  Instead of putting batter into the pan in globs, I decided it might be better to put it in layers.

This recipe does not use baking powder - mainly because I don't like the taste of baking powder.  The light part of the cake rises because there is a base (baking soda) and an acid (orange juice) in it.  (Baking powder is more or less a base plus an acid plus a filler.)  The dark part of the cake rises because of the base (baking soda) and the acid (cocoa).  Sugar is added to the cocoa mixture for sweetness, and milk is added to keep both batters at the same consistency.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour 9x13" pan.
In large bowl, cream
  1/2 c butter
  1 c sugar

  1 t vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract)

  1 t baking soda

  1/2 t salt
Beat in

  2 large eggs
Add, alternately,

  2 c flour
  1 c milk.
Batter should be on the thin side.
Place 1 c of batter in smaller bowl.  Stir in:
  1/4 c cocoa powder
  2 T sugar
  2 T milk
Add to leftover batter,
  3 T orange juice.
Using larger bowl, spread a thin layer of batter into pan. It doesn't need to cover it entirely. Using entire smaller bowl, spread a layer of cocoa batter on top. Then spread the rest of the larger bowl on top of that.  Swirl together gently.
Bake 350F for 42 - 47 min.